This Saturday (10/2/2021) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm (CDT) and Sunday (10/3/2021, at the same times listed) we will be having our Semi Annual General Conference from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is broadcast online and these always bring peace to my soul and spiritual instruction, and who could not use a little peace to their soul at this time. If you have a few minutes out of your day and want to see what General Conference is all about, just click on the following link and join us! Wishing spiritual peace to all.
Knitting – FOs (finished objects) I finished the last Flax baby sweater I was working on, it’s in the Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek in Coral colorway, size 6 to 12 months. I follow directions on this pattern, but when I add the extra stitches called for when I pick the stitches for the sleeves I add up a couple of extra stitches on the body of the sweater on each side to close holes when picking up the stitches at the bottom of the sleeves and then knit 2 together in the next round when I get to the extra stitches to reduce the stitch count back to where it is suppose to be, works well :). I also finished the charity hat I was working on. Both are pictured above. I will be starting a new flax baby sweater (a mom is due in Nov would really like one :P) and a new charity hat. Will post pictures of the yarn when I get them started.
Spinning – I finished the cria (baby alpaca) spin. I over spun the ply a bit accidentally and a friend is going to post a youtube video about taking some of the extra ply spin out. She’s really cool, she is Fiber Love Diary on Youtube, she has a lot of nice spinning, dying and weaving videos. Anyway, it was over plied because I was spinning at my son’s National Alpaca Farm day and I was sitting in the shade and I couldn’t see the ply well and I over plyed, sigh. Picture of the yarn above, it was 18 wpi (wraps per inch for my non spinning friends), and 3 1/2 ozs and about 330 yds, a nice fingering weight. Was very soft spinning, but to be honest, plying is boring lol. I have already started a new WIP (work in progress), it is a CVM/Alpaca blend – (CVM = California Variegated Mutant, it is a Romney sheep, courser fleece (less soft), from NZ, bred with Rambouillet sheep, finer fleece (soft), and has to do with a mutation coloration that was re-bred and stayed in the line, look it up on line for more information. It is interesting). This is much less soft than Alpaca but I don’t think it will be too course for next to skin wear. I’m not sure how much alpaca was blended in, it seem to be mostly CVM. It also has lanolin (Alpaca does not have lanolin) that was not completely washed out that gives it a slightly tacky feel, but it’s not hard to spin. The picture shows the ball of roving (2 ozs, I have 2 of these for 4 ozs) as a lighter color, it is actually a little darker, tho not much darker, and shows up a little better as spun on the bobbin, it has a mottled look.
Last picture to talk about, on Sunday at their National Alpaca Farm day event (I only went Saturday to spin, so my son in law was kind enough to send me this picture he took :P) a friend of theirs teaches yoga and she had a class in the alpaca pasture. Fun was had by all, the alpaca were as curious as the people doing yoga. Dotty to her mother Summit, “what the heck are those humans doing?” :p.
Hope everyone is enjoying their fall weather, winter isn’t far behind.
I remember where I was when this happened, do you? This year I wonder if this tragedy still has the same horrific meaning as it did as we sat and watched those planes slam into those buildings killing the passengers in the planes and many people in those two buildings as we sat there unable to do anything to stop it. Don’t forget, be vigilant, freedom comes at a price and it’s hard to hold onto, don’t let go.
As we remember the 20th year since this heinous attack was perpetrated on the citizens of the USA, may we take a moment to remember all those who died on this day 20 years ago and thank those who helped in the aftermath. I would like to salute those heroes on flight 93, and all those who, on that day, willingly and unselfishly sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others. I also salute those in our armed services who have given their lives and those who continue to fight, selflessly putting their own lives in jeopardy to protect us and others from terrorism. They are all heroes to me and I will never forget.
Taking a moment for some knitting accountability, otherwise some times I just wouldn’t get anything done, like the socks I have not been working on, sigh, but I am working on the last sleeve of this flax baby sweater and then just to weave in ends. Seems, for some reason, there is more color management than normal, not sure why, hoping I’m not playing yarn chicken with the lightest color before going back to the darkest color on the sleeve. Time will tell. I’ve also been putting in a bit of work on the current charity hat, time to give them to the shelter is coming up fast.
I have been spinning the cria roving as well. Two more small re-wrapped pieces of the roving to go (had to unwind and re-wind the larger 3.5 oz bump into smaller pieces to handle better), then on to plying :).
LDSVenus-knits 