Spinning

2nd Bobbin done, Let the Plying Begin

/ LDSVenus

I have the 2nd bobbin done and it is on my Kromski lazy kate. I haven’t decided if I will ply it tomorrow or wait until the Tour de France starts up again on Tuesday because tomorrow is a rest day for them. But I’m anxious to see yarn, lol. I’ll show the skein of yarn when it is plied and washed and set. Dang I’m hoping for some better pictures!! Maybe it’s just my computer screen. I only fill 1/2 of each of the 2 bobbins with when I spin singles, about 2 ozs on each bobbin, because my bobbins only hold about 4 ozs when full, so that only seems logical to ply two 2 ozs single bobbins to get a 4 oz skein of yarn :). I’ll weigh the yarn when it’s done and see how close to 4 ozs I was :).

We’ve been in the 70’s for the last several days (not that I’m complaining!!) We have a storm coming in on Wed night and Thursday, not sure how much rain it will bring.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!!

Bobbin 1 done!

/ LDSVenus

Well dang, can’t find the cord to plug in my camera into my computer for a better picture and this one that I took on my phone is pretty bright, even tho I tried to darken it up a bit. Oh well, it’s what I have to work with sigh.

Bobbin one is done, picture shown, and I have blended the 2 ozs of fiber for the 2nd bobbin and started on the 2nd bobbin, not in the picture. The firestar color doesn’t show up on the picture, lol the yarn hardly shows up well :P. Hopefully I’ll find that cord and the 2nd bobbin will look better.

Onward and Upward!!!

Tour De Fleece and a Mandalorian goody :)

/ LDSVenus

I can not figure out how to make these smaller :(, every time they update this platform it’s harder to use :(.

I am doing a spin-a-long for the Tour De Fleece (take off of the Tour De France race). I am spinning with Fiber Love Diary on youtube. She has a great spinning and dying podcast. The first picture is one of the two batts I made on my blending board with Polypay and some firestar I dyed. I think I put a little too much firestar in LOL, but it’s a learning experience right? I still have to put this 2nd batt on the blending board for one more pass. This was day two, sorry no picture of day 1. I won’t be posting everyday but I will when I get the first bobbin done, then the second and then after plying before I start on another batt or roving :). This is going on for 3 weeks and I’m spinning about 20 min a day, well maybe 30 :P, except we take a break on the days the bicyclists aren’t riding.

The last picture is a gift I got from my son and his spouse. They go to Disney World and Universal Studios every year, well except for last year when absolutely no one went haha, so the year before or maybe it was the year before that, anyway when they went to Universal Studios they brought me back a wand from Harry Potter World, I’m such a fan of the Harry Potter movies! This year because I am such a Mandalorian fan they brought me back these two pins, which are now adorning two of my knitting project bags, what more could a knitter want? They look very awesome and I am loving them!!

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the summer, or at least the air conditioning :P, and the longer days (meaning more sunshine, well except for all the rainy days we’ve had lately)

Finishing Some and Casting on All the Things!

/ LDSVenus / 2 Comments

Spring has finally brought back my knitting and spinning mojo!

First my finished spinning project that has been on my wheel for about 10 months? I finished the wool/alpaca singles I was spinning and plyed them. Well you can’t really call it finished because now it will become something haha, I will be knitting that into a hat for a family member who moved to AZ and complained this past winter it was cold HAHAHAHA, I’m laughing because I live in the Midwest which is where she grew up too, Cold My Foot! sigh. I dyed the yarn lavender, and it will become the Snowtracks Cap by Timothy Peters, free download. My yarn is not dk but a light sport weight so I will knit the medium size instead of the small that I usually do for her. Hopefully it will fit :P.

2nd, Knitting, I am working on the Ara Fingerless Mitts, free Ravelry download. One is done except the thumb and I’m at the start of the design on the 2nd one. Should have those done this week, yeah!! They are only 3 1/2 months late :P. I am using left over yarn from the wedding shawl I knit last fall I am using a ChaoGoo size 3 9″ needle and I always have to go down a needle size because I knit a little loosely, the combination continental knitting style seems to do that, but because that yarn is a light fingering I would use a size 2 needle next time if I make them again.

Next I started another hat to donate to the homeless shelter this next fall. I like knitting them, they are a mindless comforting knit when I need to unwind and think about things, or just not think at all, so not only am I doing good I’m also finding comfort in them. I’m using I love this yarn and my new Knitters Pride Ginger Special interchangeable needle set, size 5 needle with a 16″ cord. These needles are so nice to knit with, not as grabby as bamboo but not as slippery as metal. I love these sets!

Next I’m also working on a long term project that I have had on my needles for a couple of years, eventually it will get done and I will probably give it away and then start another, it is just for something to knit when I need some mindless knitting that has pretty colors to pick my spirits up, is just a long skinny diagonal scarf. We all need those mindless knits. I’m using a bamboo size 5 needle 12″ and Yarn Bee, Glowing, in purple multi from Hobby Lobby.

Finally I have started another baby sweater using Hobby Lobby, Yarn Bee, Soft and Sleek, in Neutral Stripe and a Knitters Pride Karbonz size 5 needle 16″ for the neck and ChaoGoo size 5 needle 9″ for the cuffs and KnitPiks Radiant (wooden) needle size 7 16″ for the body and ChaoGoo Bamboo size 7 needle 9″ for the sleeves. After I get past the yoke the body and sleeves are mindless knitting too. There must be a theme here!

I generally do not have so many things going at once I usually find it stressful to have so many things on the back burner, but I just want to knit all the things!!

I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful Spring, it’s been warm and cooler, warm and cooler, rainy and sunny etc, but it’s not COLD!! The birds are out and singing, lawn mowers are humming, the grass is green and leaves and flowers are budding and the Spring smells are amazing! Gotta love it!!

New Needles, Stitch Markers and Some Blending of Roving going on!

/ LDSVenus

I got the Knitter’s Pride Ginger Deluxe set last year (blue one), I ordered the Special set but they sent the deluxe and I kept it because I intended to order it later anyway. So this year I re-ordered and got the Knitter’s Pride Ginger Special set (brown one) this year. They are really nice wood needles and I have really enjoyed using the Deluxe set, I made the wedding shawl last fall with that set. The Special set I wanted for hats and baby sweaters etc because the needles are shorter and they come with size 16″ and 20″ cables. going to love using them! They are on sale once a year at Webs on line, they are now having their yearly sale and they are on sale this month if you want a set.

I did order and receive some more stitch markers, sigh, addiction :P. I got another Mandalorian set with the RazorCrest ship that the Mandalorian use to have, I won’t say anymore in case you haven’t watched it. I also ordered a Minney Mouse sparkly headband stitch marker set and AdoreKnit put in a Mickey Mouse progress keeper as a gift. So cute! Love her stitch markers and progress keepers.

Last picture is a batt I made on my blending board with some polypay roving and firestar (a sparkle fiber) that I dyed. you can see the batt on the left end and the dyed firestar on the right end, and the cream colored polypay roving in the middle. I will write more about that when I make 3 more batts and start spinning it. 🙂

Red, White & Blue Mini Skein and Bookmark.

/ LDSVenus

I bought a cute patriotic mini skein of yarn to test out for a bookmark.  I bought this from Awenydd Yarn & Fiber on Etsy.  This is how the bookmark worked out, I think it turned out cute.  Independence Day is coming soon!!  Tho’ my understanding is that it was actually signed on July 2, 1776 and published on the 4th.  So, we could celebrate Independence day twice!

I have been awful about spinning during this year’s Tour de Fleece during the Tour de France competition.  I will spin but starting from way behind, hahaha.  I will be better prepared next year, it’s the thought that counts, right?  uh hu (the little ones in my family hate when I do the uh hu thing, cos they know I’m calling out their “miss statements”.) 🙂

 

New Child’s Flax Sweater and Some New Progress Keepers!

/ LDSVenus / 1 Comment

Before I start, just wanted to say, I didn’t forget Easter.  I celebrated Easter on the phone (conference call) with some members of my church, it was nice.  I just didn’t get on the computer afterwards.  Hope everyone had a good Easter, even tho we were all physically distancing ourselves.

I did finally get a picture of my Spring Robin :).  He kept his back to me so I didn’t get that beautiful red breast, but there he is :).

I didn’t get around to posting 1/2 way through this new Flax knit but here it is all finished.  Still using Hobby Lobby’s Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek, colorway Violet Stripe.  I think I neglected to say in my previous Flax sweaters my needle sizes etc.  It calls for a worsted/aran yarn and the one I am using is worsted.  I generally have to go down a size needle to get correct gauge because I am a looser knitter, but I went down two sizes on the body and sleeves and one size on the neck and cuffs.  So I used a size #5 on the ribbing and cuffs and a size #6 on the body and sleeves.  I’m sorry I don’t know what the mm sizes are :(, I like the fabric it created much better.  I used a 16 inch circular on the neck and body and 9 inch circular on the sleeves and cuffs.  I do like the way the color blocks on this yarn and pattern :).

I think my next project will be some more of those cute lace bookmarksI made 2 years ago.  They are a free pattern and the link for those is on my linked page.

I did some spinning on my balcony today, since it was about 60F.  It was nice to sit outside and enjoy a peaceful spin :).  I’m working on the second bobbin for the white wool/alpaca I am spinning.  I am having to have someone to make new bobbins for my Rick Reeves wheel, the other ones I had made didn’t fit and they didn’t have the metal piece in the middle to protect them while I spun.  I found someone who specifically makes them for this wheel.  Hopefully I can order them next month.

And as you can see, I bought some more progress keepers from CharmingMinis , they are sooooo cute, her artistry with polymer clay is amazing!! She always sneaks in a extra gift.

Hope everyone is staying safe and that we get back to normal soon, at least it’s getting warm!

New Stitch Markers and Progress Keeper, Spring But Not, Fiber Festival and that Dang Virus.

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I have been enamored with The Mandalorian from the Disney Star Wars series.  I have finished all the season “chapters” as they are called and await this fall when the new new season comes out.  Ugh only one season a year.  But while I wait, I bought a Mandalorian stitch markers set with a Yoda progress keeper.  I got them from Adoreknit and as usual they are wonderful.  She even gave me an extra progress keeper that has the Mandaloian helmet in color and a stitch marker holder to keep them safe.  She is a great maker!

It’s Spring here but not, I have seen a few Robins, no pictures yet, might not happen this year, go into that later.  I have seen the Geese coming back, but because I live in the mid-west, Mother Nature said it’s not Spring until she says so and she sent us more snow last Saturday.  It was raining today.  Spring will be here sooner than later tho :).

The Saturday before last I went to a fairly local fiber fair with my son and his spouse.  Picture shows part of their set up and I have a picture of my son using his new sock knitting machine.  He loves it and makes a pair of socks pretty quickly :).  They had me bring my more portable Rick Reeves spinning wheel and spin while I was there.  Almost finished with bobbin number 1 of the Alpaca/wool blend I was spinning at the Mall fair in Dec (yeah I’m a slow poke sometimes) then I will spin another bobbin and ply a skein of yarn :).  It was a fun day.  This wheel spins very well and I’m enjoying the experience on a double drive wheel.

I did get another charity hat done, but haven’t gotten around to getting a picture yet.  Caught another cold about 3 weeks ago (does that make 4 or 5 this winter?) and just dealing with some bronchitis now.  It’s not as bad as usual but I haven’t felt like doing a lot.  I’m doing my best to stay inside because of that dang virus going around (that is why I don’t have any first Robin pictures, but I’ll keep trying), tho once in a while I remember something I forgot at the grocery store, I try not to go, but you know how it is :P.  I was able to start and finish all of the 2 seasons of Lost in Space.  It was pretty good but oh my gosh the new season doesn’t start until next year!  All these one season a year shows will make our heads explode!  In the mean time I’ll just re-watch Merlin, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and the Star Trek series, at least they are all finished and aren’t going anywhere.  I do enjoy a good marathon from time to time :).

Everyone stay safe.

Finished A Charity Hat and Began a New One, Plus My Christmas Catus is Blooming!

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I finished my Charity hat and have begun a new one.  I wanted to cast on a new project, not quite sure what yet, but held myself back from starting a real project (only working on Charity knits because I need to be knitting on something) because I need to finish spinning the yarn I’m working on for a hat for a family member, I promised so I couldn’t very well let it go anymore.  I was very sick last week with a horrible head cold.  Feeling much better, just a little cough now.  So starting tomorrow I will begin to spin on that project again. I have one bobbin done just need to start and finish the 2nd bobbin and ply them together, then dye the yarn and knit a hat :).  More on that as I get there.

I have had a Christmas cactus, that was given to me by a friend, for about 6 years.  It had never bloomed so I just kept it around because I like plants and a friend gave it to me.  I was so surprised to see blooms on it two weeks ago!!!!  Guess it isn’t sure yet when Christmas is :P, but that is ok, it looks beautiful anyway :).

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the fact that Spring will be here in about 6 weeks!! Woot Woot!!

Craft Fair and New Progress Keepers :)

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I bought a new progress keeper that I have been saving for.  It is a hand crafted polymer progress keeper.  I bought the little duck in a bottle (looks like it’s swimming in the bottle.)  She buys the bottles but crafts the duck and puts the stuff in the bottom to look like water.  Her crafting is amazing!  She also sent a cinnamon roll progress keeper and a crown stitch marker.  Please go check out her shop CharmingMinisShop on Etsy, you will be amazed at her crafting skills.

I was asked to help a family member at a Mall Christmas craft fair.   His spouse was out of town and he needed help and I happily agreed to help with their alpaca merchandise.  I have included some pictures of his set up and some cute Alpaca stuffies on his table.  The yarn is from their herd.  I did this on Saturday and after Church on Sunday.  It was fun, I was encouraged to bring my spinning wheel to spin there, so I brought my Rick Reeves Wheel, which allowed me to get some spinning practice on it. 🙂  Since it is a double drive wheel, and I’m not real practiced on those (I’ve always used a scotch tension drive) and since alpaca is a slippery fiber, I blended some alpaca with a little wool on my blending board so that it was a little more grabby and easier to spin on a different wheel.  Went well :).

Hope everyone is having a great December :).