I'm Just a Horrible Blogger

It's true, I can never remeber to come on her and update about my latest adventures. But adventures I have had! In the past year I've learned to spin my own yarn, dye yarn and spinnning fibers, and weave. I've knit my first adult sized sweater (okay it didn't fit but I'll hang on to it in hopes the new year's diet brings about better luck), tackled my very first felting project, tried my hand at lace, and even opened my own online shop to sell the excess and fund the fiber addiction.

That online shop by the way is http://www.myfairyarn.artfire.com/. I'm just about as remiss in updating that shop as I am this blog but I do try to keep things fresh and new.

Speaking of new what lies ahead for 2010? More spinning and further exploration of my new Cricket Loom which was a recent additiong to the fiber family this past January, just in time for my birthday. I'll be entering the Missouri State Fair for the second year and hope to bring home a few more ribbons. Last year saw a first, two seconds, and three third place ribbons for my 8 entries in various cattegories. My husband has also started us on the adventure of historical re-enacting where I will demonstrate spinning (which required the purchase of a second wheel!) and historical knitting techniques to the public. In the back of my mind I have this crazy idea of hand knitting a pair of stocking for my husband and I but I'm trying to squash that idea for fear it will be my only project for the next three years trying to get them done!

I do hope you forgive my absence and in a desperate attempt to placate the angr mob I'll distract you with these pretty yarns as I run away :)

It's been awhile.....again.

Oops, I've been so remiss in blogging lately. I really need to be better about getting on here and telling everyone about my fiber adventures, can you ever forgive me?

Well enough groveling, let me update you on all that I've been up to lately! I can really sum it up in one word; SPINNING! Yes, that's right I've been bitten by the fiber bug and I have a lovely pile of hand spun yarn to show for it. Part of the reason for my new-found fiber obsession is being able to sample a variety of fibers and fiber preparation through the Phat Fiber box each month. If you have not heard of Phat Fiber let me clue you in to a great idea! By scrambling (aka purchasing) for a box each month lucky recipients get a sample box with 20+ samples of fiber, yarn, stitch markers, buttons, patterns, and all other handmade products out there that are knitting related.

With all the hand spun yarn piling up in my stash I've been toying with the idea of opening up shop. It might be nice to sell a few things I've created and the extra money could help feed my fiber addiction. Artfire seems to be a nice venue for on-line selling without all the fees charged by etsy and ebay. I'll keep everyone posted on that venture.

I am eagerly awaiting my spinning wheel and will save a post all on it's own for that story. But, needless to say once the wheel arrives I'll really be cranking out the yarn!

Spinning Spinning Spinning

I've found a new outlet for my fibery creativity. With some of my Christmas money I bought a couple of drop spindles and some fiber and I am now teaching myself to spin. It's a wonderful hobby and great skill to know. Pictures will be posted soon.

Santa must like to knit....

Because he brought me some very nice gifts this year! I received the Harmony Options set from Knit Picks and some generous donations to my fiber fund. I am super excited about the options set because it is so versatile! I am in the process of teaching myself to knit using Magic Loop and so far am very pleased with the results. I think this will make sock knitting much easier.

I have a few other project in the queue now that I have this wonderful set of needles, most of them include socks and hats. Though I am tinkering with the idea of knitting a cover for my daughters new big girl bed.

The yarn fund will be put to good use this weekend when I do a little shopping at my favorite LYS, Hillcreek Yarn Shoppe in Columbia MO. I'm hoping to pick up a few skeins of sock yarn and some good all-purpose yarn for that coverlet and the hats.

Hats

I just finished four hats for a friend and I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. Two of them were done in Auburn colors using the Cable Knit Vanilla Beanie by Marissa Huber. The other two were of my own design. I don't think this really qualifies me as a designer but I am working on writing out the patter to post here if anyone is interested in making one. These last two hats have a simple cabled brim with a stockinette crown. I learned how to graft two rows of live stitches together (Kitchener Stitch) and found that this makes for a much neater top to a hat. The grafting leaves a flat top rather than a pointy crown that most beanies have. Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Cabled Brim Hats in Toddler and Adult Sizes

Cable Vanilla Beanie in Toddler and Child Sizes

Yarn Shopping

Shopping in general should be a joyous occasion, something fun and maybe even a little challenging. Most people look forward to shopping trips; they make out lists, plan the order they'll visit stores in, warn the credit card company to expect excessive use on the account....but no where in this scenario are shoppers stressed about their spending sprees. This used to be the case for me as well until very recently when I discovered the awesomeness that is yarn shopping on the Internet.



I would prefer to walk into a local yarn shop and experience the yarn in person. I like to get my hands on the yarn to see if I like how it feels and smells (yes smells, you heard me right). You don't really get this on the Internet but what you do get is a mind-boggling selection of yarn. Enter the stress factor! Which one will work for my project? Which fiber is going to hold up the best? Where can I get the best color? Will the sweater look better in variegated or solid yarn? The list goes on and on. STRESS!


I'm going to start a project of knitting four winter hats for a friend's children; they live in a warm climate so wool is out of the question. We talked it over and decided on cotton; still warm but not overly so. I figured it would be no problem to find cotton yarn or a cotton blend in the colors she choose. Oh how wrong I was! Who knew there were so many different types of cotton yarn out there? Some are imported, some only come in variegated colors or in large 16 ounce cones. Some brands only had two or three of the colors I needed while others got close but not quite close enough. Stress, stress, stress I tell you. In the end I found and ordered what I needed but this got me wondering if a wool hat in Louisiana was such a bad idea after all just so I could use that go-to Cascade 220 that comes in any color one could ever imagine.



I suppose in the end I just have to look at yarn shopping as another great adventure!

Blocking Part 2 (and Seaming)

The saga continues, you may remember from my last post that I was blocking sweater pieces for the first time. I greatly underestimated how long it takes for wool to dry; it ended up being almost 48 hours in this case. You may also remember that I had blocked these pieces out on the end of my bed which meant some very tricky and oh-so-careful moving that first night. I can now see the value of a blocking board-PORTABILITY!

Here are some pictures of the pieces once they were dry, there is still a little curl to the edges but not nearly as bad as before I started.

Once the blocking was done the real fun began. I started seaming the pieces together to finish the sweater. My big mistake here was starting this step in the project late at night and I made one (well two actually) big mistake. In my over excitement at actually completing this large project I sewed the sleeves shut! Take a moment to laugh, I did too. So now I must tear the sleeves out and re-seam them. Not a large task but one I'm putting off a bit. I have till Christmas after all and so many other projects to get done in the Christmas season. Here is a picture of my almost finished sweater.