Warm hands

Two new mittens finally received a well deserved wash and block. Both pairs were finished last year with very special yarns. 

Pattern (free): Lambing Mitts by Veronica Jobe. Link here.
Yarn: Cestari Traditional Collection Sock Weight, a Targhee & Columbia blend, in Natural Light. To my surprise, as I washed them, the water quickly turned light brown. I enjoyed knitting with this yarn and would definitely consider it for a larger project. 

Pattern: Squad Mitts by Ann Weaver included in Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guide No. 1. Link here.
Yarn: Two ply Merino handspun that I dyed blue at home and Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport in Stone.

Handspun Scarf

Who would have thought I would enjoy knitting a very long scarf so much? Perhaps the success was due to a nice match of yarn and pattern. 

The handspun Alpaca was marinating in my stash until I searched, in Ravelry, for patterns knit in Alpaca and found the beautiful Trellis Scarf + Wrap from Purl Soho. Is there any design from them that you don't want to knit? 


Project details: here.

What a great feeling it is to have this scarf that I love  -- after so much time and effort spinning and plying the singles and finally knitting the yarn. I used almost 500 yards on this project. I cannot wait for winter to wear this over and over.

Post vacation

Finished Object

My Turkish spindle provided great entertainment for the long drive to and from Washington DC.

This is a Blue Face Swirl in a Limited Edition colorway by Gale’s Art. I spun two ounces in my Turkish spindle and the remaining two in my Kromski wheel. The final yarn is super spongy. Yardage is to be determined -- skein looks substantial (how about that?).

New to me magazine

I picked up the third issue of the Making Magazine at Fibre Space. This is a gem and I want to make everything in it. I will not pass on next time Madder open up subscriptions.  The magazine is worth every penny, in my opinion!

Vacation highlights

Family time. Priceless. As crazy and imperfect we all are, magic happens when we get together.

Visits to Fibre Space and Looped Yarn Works. No yarn came home. Books, tools, bags and fiber made the cut!

Impromptu escape to the REI Flagship store in DC!

Yummiest empanadas at Panas in Dupont Circle.

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July! Hope that everyone is having a spectacular and safe day.

My husband and I have been working on remodeling our master closet. Lot's of stuff is being donated. The walls are waiting for a fresh coat of paint. The lighting is being upgraded as well as the organization system. All of that translates to hard work, money out of the door and not much knitting or grilling.

I was able to spin a gorgeous Ashland Bay Multi-Colored Merino Top that I bought from The Woolery. Colorway is Rose Quarz.

Two ounces of Fiber, woolen spun, two ply yarn at around fourteen wraps per inch which could pass for sports weight. Yardage still to be determined.

Blues meet handspun

It was all about spinning this past week. My favorite wheel, Julia, is not feeling well. I've changed it's driver band and ball bearings...and still cannot make it spin like in good old days. So while Julia rested I worked with my Kromski wheel on spinning a beautiful Julie Spins' gradient.

I separated the fibre and spun three different two ply yarns: blue, turquoise and both colors blended with some white Merino I had in stash. I am happy with the results and yardage. There should be enough yarn for a very blue shawl.

Back to the eighties

Please be aware that you are about to see very bright colors. Proceed with caution!

My husband bought me some fiber at the fabulous Looped Yarn Works in Washington, DC. If you are ever in the area, that is a recommended stop.

This is Targhee dyed by Knitted Wit. Love, love her Gilmore Girls KAL yarn, by the way.

Back to the point. The fiber was well prepped and easy to spin. It is not my most even handspun as I rushed somehow when plying it. Not a problem; my stash welcomes diversity with open shelves.

I don't have any projects in mind. It is almost impossible for me to look at this skein without a smile in my face. That is more than enough for now. 

The making of...

...the last handspun of the year!

On a beautiful day, divide fiber with gusto and find a beautiful box to store it.

Second, try out your new fiber toy to ply singles.

Third, dance to your favorite music while admiring your last handspun of the year.

Last, post on the blog and wish everyone who reads a Happy, happy New Year! xo

What's with the purple?

When you are non sock knitter, every completed pair is a victory. I just finished the second Crazy Zauberball sock!!

I was one pair of socks short on the three I planned to knit last year. Rather than being defeated, I opted for extending the time frame of such goals. I am the boss of my knitting :-)

My three pairs of socks are somehow the same colors. Totally unplanned, but amusing.

I also finished spinning, plying and washing the Merino fiber. I got close to 480 yards. I am looking for a good matching color for a shawl. A bright fuchsia might look good.

Hope that you are having fun with your wool. Have a great day!

Ruins & Handspun

Last Saturday, I dragged my family to a park forty-five minutes away from the city.  Our hiking adventure took us to the ruins of an textile mill that was burned during the Civil War.

Of course, I had to run to my spinning as soon as we got home. I bought this fiber from Moonwood Farm at the Atlanta Spring Fling. It is 21 micron Merino--super soft fluff. 

Singles number one was spun on my cherished Turtle Made Turkish Spindle. The second singles and plying were completed on my Louet Julia wheel. This was not a "jump in the couch out of excitement" project but, I am quite pleased with the handspun.

Hope that you are enjoying your projects. Relax and enjoy the day!

The colorful the better

Knitting with handspun is truly an experience. Stitches are not perfect but unique.

This cowl was inspired by the "Totally biased" pattern. Mine does not have purl rows. Handspun is Mixed Bluefaced Leicester.

(edited to correct my "recipe"; thanks greenmtngirl for the note)

I followed this "recipe" until almost all the yarn was used up:

cast on 40 stitches for handspun sport to aran weight

row 1: k1, k1fb, k to last there stitches, k2tog, k1

row 2: k2, p36, k2

three needle bind off

Cast on. Carry on. Have a great weekend.

My dear handspun yarn

I cannot stop admiring the colors of my latest handspun yarn out of Spun Right Round fiber.

Renee Hahnel, from Spun Right Round, has an incredible talent and eye for color. It is dangerous to "check out" her store. You will end up enhancing the stash--needed or not. Unless you are not human. And, if that is the case, this may not be your kind of blog.

The bundle of joy is a three ply, sports weight Merino in color way "Glow Sticks", 374 yards. Not my most even handspun yarn...but, I am crazy in love with it as is.  It will sit in my stash until I find the perfect pattern or get tired of petting it--whatever comes first.

Handspun project page: here. Hope you are loving your stash as much as I am adoring mine.

Shiny new handspun!

I am so happy to finally have the time (and energy) to show this blog some love!

While on blogland hiatus, I indulged in "free spirit" spinning. The kind of spinning that involves letting the wool be as happy as it wanted to be. No plans, no heartbreaks.

On the basket, from left to right: Unwind Yarn Company BFL in Sanibel, Knitty & Color Merino (no color name) and Julie Spins Wensleydale in Starry Nights.

I really, really enjoyed spinning the long staples of Wensleydale. And, the color work from Julie Spins is beyond amazing. It bled quite a lot but the many washes are all worthy. That skein is one of my all time handspun favorites. Can't wait to get my hands in another top or possible skein from Julie Spins...