2nd Bobbin for Last TDF & New Stitch Markers

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I meant to add to my blog a few weeks ago, but I got pretty busy and then I caught a cold and a GI bug right after that.  Neither were fun, still dealing with bronchitis.

On to nicer things :).  I am about 3 rolags short of being finished with my 2nd bobbin (showing on the 1st picture) on the last spin I was working on for the TDF (Tour de Fleece).  Yeah I know I’m late, but I’m gonna finish anyway :).  Going to try to have it done by sometime next week.  It is a fractal spin with the first bobbin being half light orange and half darker orange and the 2nd bobbin shorter bursts of color going from yellow to very light orange, rose, very light orange and back to yellow.  That flows through out the bobbin.  Not sure how that will play out when I ply them, but I guess we will see. 🙂

In the 2nd picture you see my new acquisitions :).  I love buying stitch markers and progress keepers from Adore Knit on Etsy.  Her stitch markers and progress keepers are awesome.  I bought a snoopy with a pumpkin progress keeper with beautiful fall stitch markers and she put in an extra gift, an acorn progress keeper, so cute!  I also purchased a spring set with a flower on the first stitch marker (makes it easy to know when you finish a round when you are knitting in the round) and an umbrella for the progress keeper (will be nice to remind me spring will come when the winter is lasting forever) and she gave me another little gift, a progress keeper with my initial on it.  She spoils me :).  If you are ever in need of set of stitch markers or progress keepers please go visit her Etsy shop, she is putting in markers for football season now, but she has a lot of different marker sets to choose from!

I am knitting on several different projects will try to get pictures of my progress and post sometime this next week.

TDF (Tour De Fleece) 1st Half of 1st Bobbin

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TDF 1st bobbin half done

This is my first bobbin of the “Tour De Fleece”.  It’s a spinning take off on the Tour De France.  We spin every day during the competition.  I got a late start, so I teased my friend that my “bike” was down for repairs :P.  I do spin a little bit everyday, not as much as I would like but life happens.

This bobbin is only half done tho, the first half is a dark medium orange and the 2nd half will be a light orange, tho it looks yellow in my picture.  Sorry my photo skills are seriously lacking.  I took the picture after starting the 2nd half so you could see both colors.  I will update when I I finish this bobbin and start the 2nd bobbin.

New Fractal/Gradient Spinning Project

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2nd Fractal-Gradient spinning project

I went ahead and made rolags today for my next spinning project.  I made it from scraps that I had been given and tried to make the colors as aesthetic as possible together.

The first single will be the two shades of orange rolags in the back and the 2nd single will be a gradient of yellow (mixed with white), a really light orange,dusky rose, pink, then going backwards, dusky rose, really light orange and yellow (mixed with white), shown by the rolags in the front.  Not sure how that mixture will work out, guess we shall see.

I’m thinking of calling this colorway Sherbert.  That is what it looks like to me anyway.   Dang, now I’m hungry for sherbert or ice cream!

Changing Staircases Shawl and Diagonal Garter Stitch Scarf Done!

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I was up late last night blocking my Changing Staircases Shawl.  Was very fun to knit, I will definitely knit it again!  The pattern is easy, I just have one word of warning, pay attention to the beginning of the last row of each section so you don’t have to tink back to do the part you forgot :P.  The link gives info on the pattern and yarn I used.  I can hardly wait until Christmas to give this gift!

I also finished the Diagonal Garter Stitch Scarf I was knitting with my friend Kari (info for my yarn and needles in link.)  She was killed in a one car accident last October, and I decided to finish mine in her memory.  It’s an easy pattern, tho since I can’t remember where I got it and I can’t find it online, I can not share it.  There are many similar patterns out there that you can search.

Now I can start the Little Lace Daisy Scarf (one of my own patterns) from the Teal merino that I hand spun.  Been a nice vacation, one more week then back to work :P.

Fractal Spinning Done!

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It’s either my photo skills or my camera (could be both), but my spinning pictures are really muted.  In rl (real life) these are brighter.  The fractal spin does mute things a little bit but the purple bobbin on the bottom was brighter purples and the aqua is a little darker (tho not dull) and has more blue hues scattered through out in it.  I got 274 yards of yarn and it weighted 106 grams, that would make it a light sport weight I think.  It was a fun spin and I will have to dig around for patterns that require that much yardage or less to make something nice.  Maybe a cowl or if it’s enough yardage a hat and mitt set.  I’m not a big fan of yarn chicken, so I will be looking at patterns. 🙂

I’m going to start the scarf for my friend from the teal yarn that I finished spinning just before this last spin.  I think I’m going to knit my Little Lace Daisy Scarf pattern.  But I will add a few more stitches to the edges to make it a little wider.   I showed her the finished yarn and she loved the teal color :).

I also am going to work on finishing the Changing Staircases Shawl that I have been working on.  I think I only have two more complete pattern sections (20 rows each) to be done.  Then I can block it and store it, it’s a Christmas gift.  Not waiting until closer to Christmas like I did last year, because if you remember “Murphy” moved in and I broke my hand last August and there was no Christmas knitting.  “Murphy” isn’t allowed at my house anymore :P.

I will be planning my next spin, but I want to finish the shawl first and get started on the scarf, then I won’t feel so anxious.  I generally do not have more than 2 to 3 projects going at any given time.  One is always a mindless knit for stressed out and non thinking days (usually a dishcloth or diagonal scarf, both which are very mindless knits.)  When I have more than that, I feel drawn in to many ways and anxious.  When I get more comfortable with the heels and gussets on socks, I will add them to my mindless knits :).  Besides I need a reason to test out my Flexi Flip needles (looks like they are on sale for 20% off at the moment.)  Maybe they will still be on sale when I get paid!

Blending Cloth Arrived!

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My blending cloth came today from Howard Brush Co in ME, USA.  I ordered it this past week end and it was sent on Monday and I received it today,   I have to say not only is the quality excellent but the process was so fast!!  In the first picture is some of the fiber that will be spun on the 2nd bobbin for the yarn I am working on.  The 1st bobbin is pictured below (lol obviously way below.)  The 2nd picture is my first rolag, more on that in a moment.  The blending board DIY project is not hard, it will requite a 12X12 piece of blending cloth (mine is 72 TPI, teeth per sq inch), that seems to be a reg normal.  Cloth for finer fibers will have 90 TPI.  You will also need a wooden cutting board large enough for the 12X12 cloth, I got mine at Tuesday Morning it is a 16X13.5.  You will also need a dowel cut into 16 inch lengths (you should get 3 from one dowel, you will only need two 16″ lengths so one dowel is plenty) I had mine cut at Home Depot, which is where I bought the dowel.  I’m sure Lowe’s would cut it for you if you bought it at their store as well. If you already have a staple gun you are good to go, if not you will need to purchase one of those as well.  My staple gun was only $16.  Ok, big fopah there, my dad always taught me never to say only and money in the same sentence.  Sorry Dad!  Staple the cloth to the cutting board (DO NOT glue it) the cloth will need the flexibility of NOT being glued down.  You will need a stiff paint brush or if you don’t mind spending the money, Howard Brush Co has special tools you can use to push the fiber into the teeth as you put it on the blending board.  Total cost for me was Blending Cloth $52, Cutting Board, $11, Staple Gun $16, dowel $1.50.  I already had a tool to help push the fiber into the teeth of the blending cloth.  If you buy the blending board it can cost up to $200.  DIY is nice :).

I will put a link  to a video on youtube by the Knitting Expat for how to make and use your new DIY blending board :).  I follow her knitting podcasts but if you are only interested in the blending board info it starts at about 13.27 into this video.   There are many other video’s on youtube that you can watch as well for using the blending board.

Ok two lessons I have learned for using the blending board already: #1 DO NOT roll your rolags to tight when you are rolling them off the blending board or it’s a real struggle to get the dowels out, hahahaha  #2 be careful when using the blending brush with the metal teeth (or dog grooming tool if that is what you get), because the teeth on the blending board are not forgiving on your fingers!! :P.  Think I will get a stiff paint brush to test out as well :).  I’m sure there will be many more lessons.

  Ok earlier I said to see the picture below for the 1st bobbin of singles I just finished spinning.  I’m ready to put it in now, sorry I am a bit wordy when I try to explain things :P.  I wish the colors would be more true, it really is much brighter than this.   It is dark aqua (or light teal) and varying shades of purple.  This bobbin is mostly the purple.  The 2nd bobbin will have mostly the dark aqua with some purple running through it so it will contrast and and be more fractal.  Looking forward to seeing how it will turn out :).  No plans in my head yet as to what I want to knit with it.  I’m sure it will be next week before I have a plyed yarn, because tomorrow I have a young family member coming so I can show her how to make an fresh apple pie and apple butter.  🙂

Roving Breakdown for Fractal/Gradient Spinning

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I saw a very interesting way to do fractal spinning without a blending board or drum carder on a youtube video here and a forced gradient here , videos are by The Knitting Expat.  What I am doing is a slight combination of these, we will see how it turns out. 🙂  The picture of the mostly purple parts on this first bobbin is not nearly as bright as it is. The picture taken by my camera looks bright and true to color but it didn’t translate into that when I uploaded it, ugh.   It’s not finished I still have two more sections of the purple before I start on the lighter 2nd bobbin.  Both fiber bundles weighed in at about 55 grams, if my weighing scale is to be believed :P.

Hopefully I will be ordering the the carding cloth next week so I can make a blending board for my spinning.  The Knitting Expat shows how to make one on this youtube video.  Then I will just need to buy a cutting board and staple gun to put it together with :).  So excited!

I got a lot of time spinning on the balcony this past week with the sunshine and nice warm but not hot days.  It was wonderful being outside for more than brief periods of time after our long hard winter and all the rain we had earlier this Spring, but the bugs are now coming out and we have off and on rain again for the next week.  Wish my balcony was screened in so I could enjoy spinning outside a bit longer without flies, gnats, and mosquitoes :).  Maybe I’ll try a essential oil bug repellent combination to keep them away :).

2nd Skein of SW Merino for the Spin-a-long

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2nd Skein of teal sw merino for spinalongWell I finished the 2nd skein for the scarf I’m going to make for my friend. I think I know what pattern I want to use, but I’m going to search a bit more to make sure.   It was 140 yds (57g) so including the 1st skein, this should give me 342 yds.  Plenty of yarn for a longer scarf.

She wanted the color teal and the 2nd dye bath color came out a little lighter than the 1st skein, as you can see in the picture (the 1st skein I already wound into a ball.)  So what I plan on doing is starting with the lighter skein on the ends, then blending it with the darker skein so it looks more like a color gradient on the ends.  We will see if what I have planned turns out as I picture it when I am done :P.

Going to take advantage of the beautiful weather we are having (a month late).  Think I will spin on my balcony again today :), because I know shortly the hotter, muggier, full of biting bugs weather will be here.

Oh, the SW in the title is short for Super Wash, means the fiber was treated so it shouldn’t felt or shrink when washed.  Even so, I caution people to treat it a little more carefully than not, ie: hand wash, lay flat to dry (which also allows you to block it for prettier results :).)

Shawl Update

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The Changing Staircases shawl doesn’t look like much yet, but then it’s not blocked and you can’t really see all the points along the right edge (as you are looking at it.)  They will be much more defined and the lace sections will be more open after blocking.  Blocking should also make the shawl a bit larger.  I don’t think I’m quite 2/3’s done, but I’m making progress.  This is an easy pattern and it’s an enjoyable knit.   I almost forgot, the 2nd picture is a progress keeper I won on Raverly last year or the year before, the creator has a shop on Etsy called the Victorian Studio Shop and she has lots of wonderful stitch markers and progress keepers, her polymer clay crafting is amazing.  This is a Chocolate Frog (Harry Potter reference) and is helping me keep track of my rows :).  Yeah, he’s not real chocolate, or he wouldn’t be there anymore helping me keep track of my rows :P.

I decided I might need a little more yarn for the scarf I’m making for my friend, so I am spinning about 60 more grams of roving.   I was worried about running out of yarn and having a scarf that was shorter than I wanted.  Because I probably will not have a perfect match when I dye it to match the skein I have already spun, I didn’t start the scarf yet so I can put the different shade on the ends and blend it in as I knit.  Since it’s a dark teal I’m hoping the shades won’t be terribly different, but plans in my head don’t always translate out the same when I do them, however, it’s always worth a try :).  Trying is how we learn ;).

It’s a beautiful day, think I will go outside on my balcony and spin for a bit. 🙂