Author: LDSVenus

Exchanged Gifts

/ LDSVenus
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click on picture for larger image

 

I exchanged gifts with my new internet friend, Norma.  I sent her a canvas tote that I had machine embroidered “I “heart” knitting with handspun” to use either for her knitting or to hold the fiber she is spinning.   She sent me this luscious bulky weight merino handspun that was spun and plied with her Navajo spindle.  It is very soft and has beautiful fall colors.  I’m thinking of maybe knitting a large pair of mittens to be felted for our wonderfully frigid winters here in IA. 🙂  My hands will thank me!!!  Thanks Norma the yarn is beautiful!

Wisp is Finshed!

/ LDSVenus / 1 Comment
click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

 

This is the Wisp shawl.   I made it a little wider than the pattern (I think the pattern was probably written for someone who wears a size 6 :P.)   I  put ribbon around the neck line so it wouldn’t fall down.  It seems tho that you button the short button side to the long side or you can put ribbon in the neck line (which is only woven in and can be adjusted to fit) and button the top button like I did for a more traditional style cape type shawl.   Hope my friend will enjoy this :).

I have started spinning my beautiful and extreemly soft baby alpaca roving.  I can not reiterate enough, how soft this stuff is!!!  I’m gonna love the capelet I make with it.  Searching for patterns now. 🙂

Cabled Gauntlets – Revisited

/ LDSVenus

Gauntlets 1-2009

I’m also having to repost this pattern that was on my old website, Jan 24th 2009, for a link for Ravelry.  Since winter will be upon us before you know it, maybe they will come in handy :P.

I wanted to make some gauntlets. I really hate doing the thumb tho’, so I looked at several patterns with just the opening for the thumb. I didn’t see anything that caught my eye that didn’t look to complicated for a quick project, so I decided that I could make my own basic pattern. The picture above is my first attempt to design gauntlets, fingerless mitts, wrist warmers or whatever you choose to call them. There were knit from synthetic yarn for a friend at work and I’ll be knitting another pair for another co-worker and then my grand daughter has requested a pair as well after modeling these, so I will be knitting gauntlets for a week or so. These will all be gifts.

Here is a link for doing the cable stitch for those that want to try this but have never done a cable before. The video that shows you how is a little bit down the page on that link.  Cables really are not hard to do, cable knitting is one of my favorites, along with lace.

Following is my attempt to write my pattern. I hope you can understand it, if not, please don’t hesitate to email me and ask questions.  Hope you enjoy the pattern.

Please do not give this pattern out to others, instead please share this link so that they can get this pattern from my blog.  It will also be listed in Ravelry, my ravelry name is LDSVenus. Thank you.

The finished hand knit item may be used for self or given as gifts. A small number of hand knit items may be sold for non profit or self profit as long as you put my name as the designer on a label with a link to my web site with the finished items to be sold, however you may sell only the finished hand knit items and not the pattern instructions.

LDSVenus’ Cabled Gauntlets

Worsted weight yarn, size 5 circular needle (12″) or double pointed needles (because I knit loosely I used a size 4 needle)

You may want to change to a size smaller needle and sport weight or dk weight for a child.

CO 40 stitches, (be sure to put a marker so you will know where the beginning of the row is as this is done on a circular needle, knitting in the round.)

Cuff Ribbing Rows (for both right and left) 1-8: k2, p2 around.

Row 9 (the 1st cable pattern row): k2, p2 for 16 st. Do a cable over the next 6 stitches (it doesn’t matter if you put the 1st 3 stitches of the cable in front or back of your work for the cable, just be consistent to do all the cables the same way. You can even make the cables on one hand face one way and on the other hand face the other way so that they mirror one another), p2, k2 the end of the row.

Continue in the cable pattern (doing the cable twist on the 1st row of cable pattern and 7 plain rows of following the knits and pearls as they show), until you have 3 full cable patterns done. (I’m not counting the ribbing below the 1st twist, but using the twist as the first stitch in the cable pattern for counting purposes, so the first cable pattern will be the cable twist row and the next 7  rows above it). See below for making the thumb for the right and left hands and for remaining rows for each hand.

***For Right handgauntlet : with the start of the row for the 4th cable twist, k2, p2 for 16 sts, do cable twist over the next 6 sts, work in pattern and on 9th st after cable twist, BO 6 in pattern and continue in pattern to end of row. Continuing in pattern on the following row, when you come to the 6 bound off sts, CO 6 sts and continue in pattern to end of row. On the next row you will knit these CO sts, this will make the thumb hole.  Continue in pattern to and including the 5th cable twist row.

Top Ribbing: Next row after 5th cable twist, start k2 p2 all sts for 7 rows.  BO in pattern. Weave in the ends.

***ForLeft handgauntlet : with the start of the row for the4th cable twist, k2,BO next 6 sts in pattern and continue in pattern doing the cable twist and all sts in patternto end of row.  Continue in pattern and when you come to the 6 bound off sts in that following row, CO 6 sts and continue in pattern to end of row. On the next row you will knit these CO sts, this will make the thumb hole. Continue in pattern to and including the 5th cable twist row.

Top Ribbing: Next row after 5th cable twist, start k2, p2 all sts for 7 rows.  BO in pattern. Weave in the ends.

CO = cast on, BO = bind off, k = knit, P = pearl, st(s) = stitches

Little Lace Cat’s Paw Scarf – revisited

/ LDSVenus / 3 Comments

Little Lace Cat's Paw Scarfred white and blue roving and yarn 004a

I’m having to repost this pattern because the link on Ravelry for this isn’t working and I have to put in a new link.  Hope you will enjoy revisiting this scarf  that was originally posted on July 5th 2008.

**ERROR CORRECTED IN PATTERN**  If you have copied this pattern you might want to use this corrected copy.

Ok, here is the Little Lace Cat’s Paw Scarf I knit out of the red white and blue hand spun skein, shown on the right.  I used Cat’s Paw, a Shetland lace pattern, and as you can see I staggered the design so that it was not straight across from each other but rather looks like a cat walked up the scarf :). It is free to use for your own use, please do not give this pattern out to others, if someone would like this pattern, please direct them to my blog. 🙂 It was a very quick and easy pattern to knit, and makes a great long skinny scarf.  I suggest using a wool or wool blend or other yarn that blocks and holds the block well.   Enjoy.

Little Lace Cat’s Paw Scarf

Cast on 29 stitches using size 10 needle, heavy fingering or sport weight yarn. You will still have 29 stitches after completing each row.

B= border stitches (always k5, or you may use a seed stitch border)

k2tog = knit 2 together

k2togtbl = knit 2 together through the back loop

k3tog = knit 3 together

Knit 5 rows, then keeping the borders k one row and p one row before beginning pattern.

Pattern rows:

Row 1 – B, k2, k2 tog, yo, k1, yo, k2togtbl, k to last 5 sts, B

(Row 2, and all even rows – B, p to last 5 sts, B)

Row 3 – B, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k2togtbl, k to last 5 sts, B

Row 5 – B, k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2togtbl, k to last 5 sts, B

Row 7 – B, k to last 5 sts, B

Row 9 – B, k12, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2togtbl, k2, B

Row 11 – B, k11, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k2togtbl, k1, B

Row 13 – B, k12, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2togtbl, k2, B

Row 15 – B, k to last 5 sts, B

Row 16 – B, p to last 5 sts, B

Repeat these rows for pattern to length you desire, ending with knit 5 rows and bind off.

Spun and Plied

/ LDSVenus
Christmas yarn

Christmas yarn

 

I did get the single plyed.  I only spun one spool and so I wound it off with a ball winder and plyed it from the ball using the outside strand and the inside strand.  Sometimes when you do that they get tangled, but this one plied without any problems.

I found that when I use the double treadle I either have to slow down or tighten the tension so it is pulled in faster.  I prefer the slowing down (but sometimes I forget to do that  and the strands overtwist) because when it pulls it in faster I always feel like I don’t have as much control over the twist.  I wasn’t as pleased with this skein but it’s ok.  It will probably sit for a while since it was an experiment while I decide what I want to do with red and green yarn ;p.  Now I will take a day or two to decide what my next fiber to spin is. 🙂

My Apologies

/ LDSVenus / 2 Comments

Venus5ab

I apologize that I have had to put up some security measures for comments. 

I was getting a horrible amount of some really ugly spam that I had to clear out every day.  So to prevent that, you will need to register as a user to post comments.  I do apologize, I know it makes it a pain for you to have to sign in to post comments to my blog and I do love your comments, so I hope it won’t inconvenience you so much that you won’t post.  But I really did have to do something to cut the spam out.  

 

click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

I am going to be plying the green and red single either tonight or Saturday.  I spun some of each color together side by side rather than carding to blend first.  This technique made it looks like a red and green candy cane striping effect.   I should have a skein to post in a couple of days or three :).  I’m curious how it will look when it’s plied. 

Then I will choose my next fiber to spin.  That is always exciting, so many yummy fibers to choose from.  If one isn’t calling my name by the time I’m ready to start, I will just have to close my eyes and point to choose.

Scarves Re-visited

/ LDSVenus / 1 Comment
hand painted merino roving

hand painted merino roving

 

 

 

This was a beautiful hand painted merino roving that I bought from The Fiber Denn on Etsy.   I loved the color of the roving and the color of the yarn was just as wonderful, full of all my favorite colors.

 

 

hand spun merino

hand spun merino

 

 

 

I had the opportunity to wash and re-block the two scarves I knit from this yarn (one for my daughter and one for my grand daughter) and thought I would get some better pictures. 

 

 

Grand-daughter's Fan & Feather Scarf

Grand-daughter's Fan & Feather Scarf

 

 

I did this with an old Shetland lace pattern called Fan & Feather (aka Old Shale).  There are many versions of this pattern out there and all are beautiful and oh so easy to knit. 🙂  I really loved the way the color striped on the scarves, I wish I had gotten more of this hand painted color.  Maybe I can talk her into doing more of it ;P. 

 

 

Daughter's Lace Scarf - Branching Out

Daughter's Lace Scarf - Branching Out

 

The lace pattern I chose for my daughter is called Branching Out and it is a beautiful lace pattern.  It’s a bit more difficult than the Fan & Feather but only because you need to pay attention to the row you are on.  Most lace is really not difficult to knit, it’s just a series of yarn overs, knit two togethers along with knits and pearls all placed at strategic places. 

I think the colors of the yarn really brought out the lacey patterns.  I was pleased with the results and I felt they deserved better photo shots. 🙂

Harry Potter & Other Things

/ LDSVenus / 2 Comments
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 

I got to go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with my daughter and grand daughter last night.  It was great!!!  The hat that Hermione is wearing in this picture is the pattern that I knit earlier last year for my daughter and grand daughter, you can see it on my Jan 7th entry.   You can find the pattern for free on Raverly if you are a Ravelry member or the pattern creator’s blog here .  If you are a knitter, crocheter, etc, Ravelry is a great place to check out, it is a free membership.

 

click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

This is a little shawl I am working on.  It is called Wisp .  I found it on Knitty and was intrigued with this light and airy lace pattern.  It looks complicated but is very easy.   This one is for a friend as a surprise.  She rarely reads my blog (she’s in her 20’s and has more important things to do :P) so I don’t live in fear that she will see this and spoil the surprise :).  Pink is her favorite color so I am sure she will enjoy this in the milder fall and winter temperatures there in TN.  I should be finished with it this week.  Then I will just have to find some light weight buttons that will match the yarn.  The yarn I’m knitting with  is some very pretty heavy lace weight my mom bought in Korea when she was there and sent to me.   I did the burn test and it appears to be an acrylic rather than natural wool fiber.  I’m sure my friend will be happy that it won’t take special care to wash. 🙂   I will make another one with some fiber that I will spin for it.  Something to wear to church for myself for a change.  Right now, I’m thinking maybe some white alpaca I bought a month or two ago, but some other fiber might be calling to me by the time I get ready to spin for it.  I’ll just have to see.

Hand Crafted Soap

/ LDSVenus / 2 Comments
CD Spindles

CD Spindles

 

 

I decided to, as a fun project for the Activity Day Girls in my ward, to teach them to spin using a spindle.  I bought these from one of the vendors on my spinning list who makes and sells them.  The Activity Day Girls range from 8 to 11 years old and I thought this would be a fun activity.   I am sure the girls will enjoy them. 🙂  Hopefully I am training new spinners for the future :P.

 

Custom Soap

Custom Soap

 

It was time to reorder my smell good soap (one of the luxuries I decided I needed :P)  and I have to say that  Autumnoak  makes the most wonderful soap!!  She will even custom make soap for you.  She  loves what she does does and it shows!  I love her Sandalwood & Rose and the Lilac & Lavender soaps .  What wonderful smells and the soaps lather so nicely.  I also love the way the soap lasts and doesn’t dwindle away quickly.  You will have to go check out her etsy store and see all the wonderful soap smells she has for sell :). 

 

Punta/Wenslydale Wool & Mohair rovings

Punta/Wenslydale Wool & Mohair rovings

 

She also sells roving and I bought some of this wonderful Punta and Wenslydale Wool roving (the beautiful blue and white roving).  She also sent some very lovely Mohair roving for me to play with, I have never spun or handled any Mohair before and it is an interesting texture.  I am excited to see what the yarn will look and feel like when I spin it.

If you spin you should check out the very nice rovings she lists on her etsy site.  She is wonderful to do business with.

4th of July

/ LDSVenus
Let Freedom Ring!!

Let Freedom Ring!!

Happy Independence Day America – Let Freedom Ring!!! 

Please make your voices heard and count with your congressmen to keep the government from changing and distroying our precious Constitution that was written to keep us from being enslaved to a government, thus losing the precious freedom the founding fathers fought for and many died to put in place.  If our congressmen are not hearing us and we have little voice in the government, then those that we elect are not serving us, but we are serving them.