How The West Was Spun

Spinning Friday: 2IBH - BFL - Thunder and Lightning

This was a fun spin.  The base fiber is from Two If By Hand.  It's BFL, and dyed in the "Thunder and Lightning" colorway, but this is a gradient version of it (meaning instead of short bands of dye color application, the colors run in longer sections from one end of the braid to the other, with each color only used once).

The original roving looked like:

I decided I wanted to keep this as a singles yarn, to preserve the long color runs, but I also decided that when I get around to using it, I wanted to knit a small top-down shawl, probably semi-circular, or possible half-hexagonal.  Either way, the rows in that type of shawl construction start out short, and then get progressively longer as you reach the hem.  So..... I decided I would like the bands of striping to stay relatively equal as I knit down the shawl.

With that in mind, I split the roving lengthwise into the equivalent of 6 long pieces, and then spun 1/6, 2/6 and 3/6 (holding the 2 and 3 strips together, and matching up the color bands), so that the yarn would have varying lengths of color blocks from short to long.  I wound up with 508 yards of laceweight singles from the 4-oz braid.

I have no idea if this will actually knit up in the fashion I've envisioned, but either way, it'll be fun to see how the color progression works.

All for now....

WIP Wednesday: May 16, 2012

Spinning Project:

I finished up the singles BFL I was working on (with pics of that to come on Friday) and moved on to more BFL.  (I have a lot of it.  A LOTTA lot.)

This is "Burly" on BFL from Funky Carolina eons ago.

I am spinning this up as a combo spin with another braid of BFL (toldja I had a lot) from 2IBH, which I'll show you when we get there.  For right now, I'm planning on spinning this as a fingering-weight 2-ply, one ply of each colorway.  Possibly for a short-sleeved sweater if I've got enough yardage.  I have started this, but probably won't get much accomplished as D and I are going to Denver for a few days in the next week.

Designing/Knitting Projects:

 I finished up the sock club socks!  Woot!  The pattern is off to be test knit, but the samples in the smaller size are done.  I just need to put the final tweaks on the pattern when it's done being test knit in the second size.

I also finished up my Cider Mill Pullover.  It needs ends darned in and a good blocking, but the sample is done.  After we are back from Denver, hopefully next week, I'll crunch some more numbers for the multiple sizes and then that can go to the tech editor and be put to bed until the collection is published.  I was really happy with how the sample came out - I knit it my size so I'd have the opportunity to wear it this fall and it fits me perfectly.

Would you like a preview of the colorwork pattern?  I love how nicely the Rowan Tweed colors work together.

With those 2 projects done, I'm still waiting on confirmation about yarn for the next Sekret Deadline Knitting project, so I'm going to focus on the handspun socks that I'm working on.  (Which I have had to frog back to mid-foot after the heel turn due to a martini on Saturday evening.  I can apparently knit with wine but not vodka on board.  Who knew?)

And I'm going to put the hat for the fall collection on the needles and get going on the sample for that.  That's an easy project I can pick up and put down pretty easily, if the yarn gets fast-tracked for the other Sekret project.

All for now......

 

Spinning Friday: 2IBH Shetland - Cuddlefish

This braid was the November 2011 2IBH club fiber offering.  The theme was "Visit the Aquarium", and the colorway is based on the cuttlefish cephaloid.

The braid is 100% Shetland wool.

I spun this up into a 2-ply light worsted weight yarn, with 254 yds/4 oz.  I'm thinking of using it for mittens or something like that, where it can be warm and wooly. 

I wasn't sure I would like the colorway - I'm generally not a yellow fan, but I like it spun up and plied.  I think it's more than the sum of the parts once the colors have the chance to get married and get to know each other a little.  Still probably not something I'd wear next to my face/hair, so I think warm mittens probably will be the way to go.

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday: May 9, 2012

SPINNING PROJECTS:

I finished up the Dragonfly Polwarth from FatCatKnits; you saw that on Friday.  I needed a lot of spinning therapy in the last week apparently, so I also started and finished a 4-oz braid of Shetland (and I'll share that with you on Friday).  I pulled out a gradient-dyed colorway from the 2IBH girls, "Thunder and Lightning", and started on that this weekend.

I've spun up just about half of the singles of this 4-oz braid.  My plan is to leave it as singles for a small shawl, so hopefully I'll have this spun up to show you next week, since we won't be waiting on plying.

KNITTING/DESIGN PROJECTS:

Since I had my IV treatment last Friday, which is always a good knit-time weekend, and since I've missed a week of a WIP post, I actually have gotten quite a bit of knitting done.

Harvest collection pullover: I finished up the second sleeve on my fall harvest sweater, and everything's been attached together at the yoke, and I'm halfway through the first set of yoke charts before the second decrease.   That's on hold a bit as I forge along on some socks.

Socks for the sock club:  I'm making good progress on these.  I got the first sock of the sample knit and I've now started on the second.  I got charting and instructions done for my test knitter for the second-size variation of this one and she should have the yarn to get started on those in the next week.  I have a few things to tweak on the sample size I'm knitting, but my goal is to try to get these done in the next couple of weeks.... let's say by the 21st or so, and that way, they'll be done for a June release.

Handspun socks:  I started a new design that'll appear in the next Ennea publication.  A nice basic, but not boring pair of handspun socks.  I have the pattern written up and that's already at the test knitter.  I "just" need to knit up my pair of the samples.  If you have any interest in test knitting a pair of these, please let me know.  It doesn't have to be in handspun, just a sock yarn where you can get 8 sts/inch for the gauge.  They are toe-up with a very basic and easy lace pattern on them.  (The lace is only on every 4th row and it's 2 y/os and a center decrease and that's it!).  The pattern has 2 sizes S/M (for women's sizes up to size 7) and M/L for women's size 8 to 11.  I could use one test knitter for each size, and then, if there is by chance someone with handspun they'd like to use, you can pick whichever size you want.

I'd like to also get a fair amount done on these since I have another pattern that was accepted that'll be on a July 1st deadline so I'll need to get started on that pretty soon once the yarn/colorway/contract are finalized!

All for now...

Spinning Friday: FatCatKnits - Polwarth - Dragonfly

Let's finish off this extremely depressing and insanely busy week with some handspun, shall we?

This pretty Polwarth wool from FatCatKnits in the "Dragonfly" colorway......

Became this 2-ply yarn (a heavy fingering to sportweight, 354 yards/4 oz):

Stay tuned for a handspun design from this maybe later this summer/early fall!

Here's hoping everyone has a very relaxing weekend!  I'm hoping for one here!!

All for now.....

Spinning Friday: FatCatKnits Polwarth - Dragonfly

I got motivated and popped that pretty "Dragonfly" colorway from Ginny at FatCatKnits onto the wheel this week.  I have just over half the singles spun up, but they are coming out really beautifully.

I think Polwarth is my new go-to favorite wool.  Not as bouncy as merino, easier to spin (IMHO), and softer than BFL.  It's a nice all-around kind of fiber.

I decided I'm going to do a colorwork-type project with this once it's spun up.  It's slated for a 2-ply yarn, and then I also ordered 2 semisolid colors from Ginny on the same wool base: Wasabi and Plum, which are colors found in the multicolored/handpaint colorway of "Dragonfly". 

There are 4 oz of each of those semisolids there as well.  Those will be up next once I get the Dragonfly finished up!

All for now...

Spinning Friday: 2IBH SW BFL - Arabica

I have some finished yarn to share!  I don't think I've posted anything about this yet, so here goes.

Photo courtesy of the 2IBH gals!

The fiber base is superwash BFL (4 oz).  I spun this up with a fairly tight twist since it's been earmarked for a pair of socks, and plied it fairly firmly as well too. The colorway, Arabica, is a nice neutral with dark chestnut, chocolate brown, steel gray and black.

I wound up with a 2-ply yarn approximately 310 yards/4 oz.  I think if I'm careful there will be enough for the simple pair of socks I want to make and I'll do them toe-up just to be sure. (I might also dye and spin up another ounce or so of a contrast color and do the toes and heels from that to extend the handpainted yarn a little further.

Next up - a braid of Polwarth in the "Dragonfly" colorway from FatCatKnits!

WIP Wednesday: April 11, 2012

If nothing else, this week's post serves as a reminder I'm getting old... nay... ancient even... since LAST Wednesday escaped from me completely.  (Now, to be honest, I got back on Monday after 11 hrs on the road from Texas.  The power then went out promptly at 8:30 pm and was out until the following morning around 10:00 due to a large ice/snowstorm we had come thru, and then Tuesday the main sewer line out of the house backed up, so I will write all of my forgetfulness off to a few other stress-laden things and move on, as surely I am not getting old.  Ahem.)

SPINNING PROJECTS:

Actual spinning in the form of a a 4-oz braid of SW BFL from 2IBH.  I'm just starting to ply so I may have a finished yarn to share by the end of the week.  That's my goal anyway.   This is a great neutral colorway - "Arabica" - dark browns and gray-black.

KNITTING PROJECTS:

Que?  Nothing here really to speak of  (but see below for a little poll).

DESIGN PROJECTS:

I am about 60% of the way thru knitting the sample for my deadline knitting that's due May 9th.  I'm keeping my nose to the grindstone on this - I'd like it not to be as big a rush job to finish up as my last one was, and I think I can get good headway made towards finishing this in the next couple of weeks, leaving me time to get it blocked and in the mail and not be quite so crazy.  That'll be my focus for the next week or so.  I do have a couple of other small things I'll work on once that's done, but they are still on hold right now until I finish up this big one.

So... on to the poll.  I'm working up a fall group of patterns.  The theme is New England Harvest.  It will contain 2 sweaters (one women's, one unisex), a pair of socks, a pair of colorwork mittens, a hat/mittens set, and a long cowl/scarf.  I actually started on one of the sweaters while I was in Texas and got quite a bit done, although I've put that on hold until the deadline project is completed.

Would you, gentle readers, like to be kept up-to-date with pictures and details of the collection projects as I work through them?  Or would you prefer just to have a "ta-da" moment when the collection is unveiled later this fall?  Speak your mind...... 

Ennea Collective - Spring 2012

I know some of you have already found it, and I'm a little slow in getting this posted since I was in Dallas when Lori got the newest edition of the Ennea Collective online, but it's now available for the Spring 2012 edition.

There are a couple of great new sock patterns in, and a whole whack of articles including a couple of product/book reviews.

Enjoy! 

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday: March 21, 2012

SPINNING PROJECTS: 

Stop the presses - I spun something!  More details on that Friday, but I finished up the alpaca/bamboo/sparkle yarn.  It came out lovely and soft and drapey, and a nice heavier laceweight.  I moved on and started a brand-new braid of superwash BFL from Two If By Hand in the "Arabica" colorway.  D pronounced it "a good guy" colorway and I think it is that with browns, blacks, and dark gray, although I'm a fan of those colors too.  That's earmarked for a pair of socks at some point.

KNITTING PROJECTS:

I knit nothing on any "personal" knitting this week.  (See below.)

DESIGN PROJECTS:

I'm pushing myself along on the current Sekret Knitting Project and I'm in what feels like the home stretch.  Still a decent amount to knit, but it's mostly "knit as established" at this point until I'm ready to get it off the needles, so I can work on that with a little less concentration.  However..... I also heard this week that I've got another project accepted for publication.  This one with a deadline in the first week of May, so I definitely wanted to push along and get the current project wrapped up so I can focus on the next one.

April promises to be a busy (but blog boring) month:  I've got the new design to get worked up, plus a design for the May Ennea, plus a design for the Yarn Love sock club - so lots of things I'll be referring to in vague, nondescriptive and highly annoying to dear-reader terms.  Back to it!

All for now....