How The West Was Spun

New Shop Design and March Kits

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

Can you believe it?   An entire year that our online store has been open and we couldn't have done it without all of our wonderful customers.  A big hearty "Thank You" to everyone who supported our little venture this past year.  We've got a few special things on tap, but let's get to the new stuff first.

The most noticeable thing is going to be our brand-new website look.  It will still be available on the web at www.woolywonkafibers.com, but Kim did a fantastic job setting up the new site for me.  I think it will be easier to navigate and find things.  There is now an entire page of colorways and you can get any colorway on any yarn we carry now.  I still have a couple of things to tweak over the next couple of days, but everything is operational, so you can take a look at the new and improved version.

Next!  Two new kits to introduce for this month - a new sock kit and a new stole kit.

First up: Vallesneria Sock Kit (this will take you right over to our sock kit page).

This is a great lacey-look sock designed for us by Jean Clement of Desert Rose Designs.  It features a twisted stitch pattern, designed to look like marsh grasses waving in the breeze.  It is knit up with our bamboo/superwash merino sock yarn, and is a suitable pattern for an intermediate knitter, or an adventurous beginner who has had a bit of experience with sock construction.  The kit contains the pattern with full instructions and charts for knitting this beautiful sock, plus enough yarn to complete the pattern.  Suggested needle size US 2 (2.75 mm) DPNs.

Next!  The new stole from "the other Anne" of Knitspot.  This is the "Gale" stole.  (Found Here in our store).  This is a limited edition kit featuring our artisan-spun cormo wool/angora bunny laceweight yarn.  It is available in 2 sizes - the petite and the tall - and the pattern that comes with the kit includes instructions for either size.  Currently, the kit is being offered in our "Dusk" colorway, a deep blackish purple, and is suitable for even the novice lace knitter.

I do have a only a limited number of skeins available of this lovely lightweight yarn, but this pattern is also completely interchangeable with our merino laceweight, so I can also make up a kit in that if you'd prefer a slightly different yarn.

LAST! (but definitely not least), we are having some fun give-aways of smaller prizes weekly, as well as a grand prize drawing for anyone who purchases from the store during the month of March.  Be sure to check out all the details at the New Home Page. 

Thanks to everyone who has made our shop a success in the last year.  We look forward to many more years getting to know all of you better.

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday - 02/27/08

Fresh slate of projects on tap for this week.  You know, I don't really like finishing things - I just gotta have changing blog fodder to keep you, dear readers, interested.  Snort.

PROJECT #1:  Seraphim Shawl

I'm knitting this in red Silky Wool.  Currently, I'm up to the next-to-last row of Chart #2.  I'm at that point where the rows are fairly long, so I suspect chart #3 and the edging will take a while to get through.

Goal:  Finish Chart #2 and work thru row 5 of chart #3.

PROJECT #2:  Child's First Sock

I haven't been working as diligently on these socks since they aren't mindless knitting (at least not at this point - I'm getting the hang of the pattern, but not quite automatic for me yet). However, I have finished 5 repeats on the leg so far.

Goal:  Finish the last 2 repeats for the leg and work the heel.

PROJECT #3:  Large Rectangle Scarf with Central Diamond Pattern

Ah, I do so love the lyrical names from the Victorian Lace Today collection.  I'm knitting this up in Kidsilk Haze.  I only had 2 skeins of it, so I have already made some changes to the size of the original pattern (decreased the number of central repeats and a few rows in length), and I am now onto the knitted-on border.  Everytime I pull this out of my project bag, I think how much I like the color and the pattern, so why haven't I finished it?  No clue.  Anyway.  Bear with me.  I can already feel myself dragging my feet, so this could be a WIP for a while, but I WILL be finishing the damn thing if it takes until the end of the summer.

Goal:  Knit 5 repeats of the border edging.

All for now.....

A Moment of Silence

I have cleaned out my WIP queue.  Yes - I know - seems very unlike me.  Not to say that I don't have other projects on the needles, but the "official" WIP queue - empty.

So here's my final FO that was in the active WIP queue:  The Nevis Cardigan.  (My apologies for the craptastic nature of this photo.  D took some other ones on his "good" camera, rather than this one from my point-n-shoot.  I feel sure the others are less blurry and I'll try to wrestle those from his memory card at some point.)

Project Specs:

• Pattern:  Nevis by Kim Hargreaves from A Season's Tale. 
• Yarn:  Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Chunky.  I used 6 full skeins, and possibly 20 or 25 yards of the final 7th skein, but I have almost a full skein left over.
• Needles:  US 10-1/2 and 11 straights.
• Modifications:  Surprisingly enough, none really. Considering how short-waisted I am, I normally have to decrease rows in order to not be drowning in tunic-length things.  This one, I just knit up as written. However, one minor modification was that I did not cast off for the ends of the collar at the back neck; I kept one half live on a holder and then grafted the live stitches together.  I think it lays flatter in this thick yarn.
• Overall:  I was pleased that this chunky yarn did not make a hugely oversized, bulky sweater.  The pattern is written with waist shaping and that helps a lot!   While being knit up, the yarn itself is a little coarse-feeling, but it softens up nicely after blocking, and sort of has a chalky, cotton-like feeling to it.  It is very lightweight for its bulk.  The only beef I've got is that the sleeves are a little floppy.  I think I would cast on fewer stitches at the wrists if I knit this one again so there isn't so much open air at the wrist.  I can see I'll get a lot of wear out of this one on weekends and bumming around the house (which is where I am 90% of my life).  It has a rustic ski-lodge feel to it, and the shawl collar makes it nice and warm against your neck.  I was happy to wear it this weekend when it was raining and 35 degrees out. 

All for now.....

Mittens!

I sent off my swap-mate's package late last week and she let me know today she already received it!  Woot!  So, I can now reveal the mitten FO details that I sent to her.  Irene doesn't have a blog, but if you have a Ravelry account, you can check out all her lovely knitted work at user name Reanbean.  Kind of a high standard to be held to for your swap partner with all her wonderful stranded work.

For her gift pair, I picked the Bosnian Mittens from Blackberry Ridge Mill.  The colors were perfect for Irene - green and brown with a hint of rusty orange.

Project Specs:

• Yarn:  75% wool, 25% mohair from Blackberry Ridge Mill.  I am not usually a fan of mohair, but this yarn is absolutely wonderful.  The mohair gives it a wonderful sheen without being prickly or fuzzy, and super-saturates the colors.  The brown is actually a natural brown-sheep wool.  I predict these will wear like iron and they are VERY warm, perfect for New England. This is a worsted weight yarn, so it knits up quickly.
• Pattern:  Bosnian Mittens by Beth Morimoto.  Available through Blackberry Ridge as either a stand-alone pattern or in a kit.  Some basic colorwork skills are needed.  It would have been nice if they had included a photo of the palm, as you sort of had to wing what the thumb looked like.  The pattern also assumes you have some knowledge of mitten construction as well.
• Needles:  US size 2 and 4.
• Summary:  I was happy with these.  I was a little concerned if I picked itsy-bitsy yarn and needles (which tends to be my penchant), I wouldn't have them done in time, so I am glad I went with a heavier yarn.  I enjoyed working with this yarn so much, I did a little stash enhancement and went back and got yarn for 2 more (different) pairs. 

Enjoy them, Irene! 

All for now....

Project Spectrum 3 Update

Project Spectrum - FIRE THEME - continues on through February and March.  Here are a couple of things I've been working on with the red/pink/orange theme in mind.

Mim's Seraphim Shawl, which I'm knitting as a gift in a true solid red Silky Wool.  I've finished Chart 1 completely and about to start chart 2. This is going to be a substantial shawl, which the recipient asked for to bundle up on cold mornings while she has her morning tea.  I adore the yarn.  I think this one's gonna be a winner.

(Why yes, thematic red stitch markers!  How nice of you to notice.)

And the reader-poll winner - STR Mustang Sally yarn combined with Nancy Bush's Child's First Sock.

I think the photo pops the purples more than the reds, so it's not exactly true to life.  But either way - I love em so far!

Both of these will get cycled into my WIP list once the other two projects are finished up (hopefully this week!).  I also have another red-themed project that will get rotated in, and that's the Kid Silk Haze scarf I've been working on for eons.  I just need to sit and knit on the lace border and FINISH IT!!!  Enough dragging of the feet.  And since it falls under the fire theme for PS3 right now, there's no time like the present. 

All for now.......

WIP Wednesday - 02/20/08

Here we are again - another Wednesday and halfway through February.  This year is zipping by!

Project #1:  Nevis Cardigan: 

I've finished half the button band and it's been attached.  It increases from 5 garter stitches up to a 21-stitch shawl collar and this half is finis.  I started the second half, but ran into some .... ahem.... math issues, whereby I calculated for 4 buttons and not 5.  I managed to do this twice incorrectly.  I'll try to get it in gear and get this last half done, since that's the last stage to finish up the dern thing.  Proof that I did finish the easy (aka math-less side).  I tried laying out the cardigan on my office sofa to take a nice daylight picture.  Or rather, I DID successfully lay it out on the office sofa, but when I turned my back to get the camera, a "helper" took that moment to leap upon it and immediately fall asleep.  Apparently this gets the Emma stamp of approval.

Goal:  Finish this!

Project #2:  No-More-Humdrum Mittens: 

I finished all the knitting!  I just need to darn in the loose ends and block.  The last small giftie I was waiting on for my pal arrived in perfect time on the same day I finished the knitting, so I have all her gifts ready to mail out once these are fully finished.  And while I did say no pictures until I know she has the package in hand, here's a little teaser.

Goal:  Get these finished and in the mail!

All for now....

B is for....

I'm not doing the 2008 ABC-along redux, but I couldn't resist some B pictures to kick off my weekend.

First up, Buttons, which came in the mail yesterday, from a great online store I found, The Button Shoppe.  Nice selection, and great service.  These were plain enough not to totally detract from the simplicity of the sweater, but just interesting enough to appeal to my inner funk.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't post a couple of pictures of Bhen, looking like a great big Blueberry in his winter coat.

Sally (who is a very good egg) brought me down the coat Bhen's mom, Jameeta, had won as senior PNCA champion in 1987.  Diggs and Hap have extremely warm, thick coats, but poor Bhen just stands outside and shivers when it's in the teens at night, even with his winter hair growth.  (Must be all those desert horse genetics.)  Anyway, I find he is in a much happier frame of mind if I put his coat on at night.  He's very respectful and good with it - doesn't chew or rub it - and I sleep better at night, knowing he's all snuggly outside.  With temps in the mid 40s (F) during the day, tho, I take it off so he can roll and soak up some sun for his morning nap-time.

Have a great weekend everyone!

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday, 02/13/08

Project #1:  Nevis Cardigan: 

All pieces are blocked and seamed.  Woot!  I ordered some interesting buttons for the front of the cardi.  Assuming those come in the mail this week (which I am expecting them to), I will begin the button bands and shawl collar, which are knit all in one piece. 

Goal:  Start button band.

Project #2:  Spey Valley Socks:

See previous post from Monday.  These are finished!  I'm going to hold off on adding another project right now as I need to concentrate on my mittens and get those done for my swap pal.

Project #3:  No-More-Humdrum Mittens: 

Mitten #1 is totally finished except for darning in the ends.  I also started mitten #2 and finished the cuff, plus a full pattern repeat on the hand.  I'd like to try to get the knitting finished on these by next week.

Goal:  Finish knitting mittens, which will just leave sewing in ends and blocking!

All for now.....

Spey Valley Socks

Wow!  These were a quick knit.  Nothing like socks on US 2 needles to scoot right along!

Project Specs:

• Pattern:  Spey Valley from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road
• Yarn:  Reynolds Whiskey (100% wool) in the "Heather Brown" colorway
• Needles:  US 2
• Pattern Mods:  None.
• Other Notes:  These look a little funky on my sock blockers, since they are sized for a large men's foot.  Like the red ones from last month, these are designated for the Akkol orphanage.  I was a little bit surprised I got gauge with the Whiskey, which isn't really billed as a fingering-weight yarn, but it actually worked out fine, since we are going for warm, thick, wool socks for the kids' feet.  Easy pattern with just a little bit of futzing to get the horizontal braid to work, but nothing major.  I'd definitely make another pair using this pattern.

Here's a closeup of the braid detail around the cuff:

All for now.....

The Polls are Closed

Wow!  Thanks to everyone who took a second to vote in the poll.  It was really interesting to watch the front-runner change over the course of the last couple of days, but 26% of you felt strongly enough to push STR Mustang Sally into the winning spot.  Fair enough - I can totally live with that choice.

I think I've even picked out a pattern for it with the help of Margaret, who is knitting in a parellel universe to mine. 

The other great news is one of my readers, Mia, mentioned that she really loved the bright pink Fleece Artist seacell/merino yarn, and since I had no specific plans for it, and she promised to give it a good home, it's on its way to her on the east coast, and she's going to pick something more "me" and swap me for that skein of yarn.  Sa-weet!

Otherwise, I am now taking a well-deserved break from about 6 hours of dyeing this morning to plop down and do some knitting.  Since I am under the weather again (airplane plus 2 young nephews + craptastic immune system on my part = another damn-it-all cold), I took it sort of easy yesterday and took Diggs to my Bhen lesson.  Jerry didn't care - a horse is a horse to him - and I don't have to post on Diggs, so instead, we worked on my seat (I rode most of the lesson without stirrups) and we practiced some rollbacks (please note that's a You Tube link - and it's neither Digger nor myself in the video!).  And I stopped a lot to blow my nose and cough.  (TMI?)  We had a nice mellow morning together, and then I ran errands until barn-chore time yesterday, so today was my day to get caught up on all my dye orders.  Having accomplished that and having a couple of chick flicks, I'm gonna turn on the fire and work on my Spey Valley socks for a bit this afternoon.

All for now....