Finished Object: Nith River Mittens

These mittens traveled across four states over the past weekend. But, despite my good intentions to finished them on the road, the weather was too hot to be working with wool. They were done inside my home with the comfort of air conditioning a drink and a podcast.

The paid pattern is well written and even includes a picture tutorial of the Latvian braid. I also used a YouTube video as additional help (linked below). Unfortunately, the mittens are too snug for me. All my fault as I did not get gauge nor had enough yarn to pick up all the stitches required for the thumbs. I might to re do the thumbs entirely with the contrast color (handspun yarn).

The details…

• Yarns: Mission Falls 100% SW Merino (discontinued) for main color, Merino/Bamboo handspun blend for contrasting color no. 1 and Alpaca handspun for contrasting color no.2. All Aran weight.
• Needle: ChiaoGoo circular needles in US size 4
• Pattern: “Nith River” by Whole Earth Education
• Latvian Twist Tutorial by Karen Dawn Designs: https://youtu.be/LFcYJLjrMVs
• Ravelry: Project Page

I would knit a size up and add length to the cuff if I ever knit the mittens again. Perhaps as well would use a smaller needle size for the cuffs.

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Polish Merino Wool

This Kromski Polish Merino wool is part of my 2021 Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) stash. The eight ounce combed top was very reasonably priced. At twenty-seven micron count the wool is not the softest Merino on the market. Yet, the fiber was well prepared and spun nicely into approximately 800 yards of two ply DK weight yarn. The color is “Mossy Green”.

I would definitely buy this fiber again. There is additional fiber information and photos of available colors in Kromski’s website.

Roadtrip Amusement

We are headed north where my daughter will compete in a tennis tournament. These days, for long drives, I require as much entertainment and snacks as the toddler next door.

I am packing a skein of deep stash Mission Falls yarn, some handspun and notions for a new cast on. The pattern,”Ninth River” by Whole Earth Education (Ravelry link), seems to be simple enough to keep me busy on the road and calmed at the courts. Let’s see if magic happens and they bag content comes back in the shape of two nicely finished mittens.

It promises to be a hot weekend. I am also packaging some Vermouth.

Handspun Socks

I have to confess that I had never worn any hand knit socks despite owing at least ten pairs. It had been against my nature to use something “treasured”. I am working on changing those feelings. I do not want to be attached to objects. What I really want to treasure is the craftiness and experiences creating the objects.

The simple pattern is “Socks 101” from the book “Knitalong: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together” by Larissa Brown and Martin John Brown. I bought a second hand copy for almost nothing.

I divided 100 grams of the handspun Targhee in half and knit with two strands on size US eight needles. The socks turn out to be rustic, comfy and a perfect fit. They make me happy!

Links:

Ravelry project page

Larissa Brown’s website

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 from “Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guide No. 1”. Ravelry link here

Yarn: Two ply Merino handspun that I dyed blue at home and Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport in Stone.

 

Carmine

This project was completed on November 2018. Back then I didn’t know what eventful months laid ahead. Oh, 2019…never a dull moment. I am taking one day at a time. Going back to activities that bring me joy. Hello again sweet purls. I have missed you dearly. Thanks for waiting until I was ready to come back.

I purchased the Superwash Targhee from Highland Handmade. Sadly, it looks like they are out of business. The fiber was a joy to spin in my Turtle Made spindle.

I created several “singles turtles” (a hundred percent not sure that is a technical term) and offload then into my swift. Then, the singles were transferred into two bobbins and plied on my Louet Julia wheel.

The yarn is about 11 wraps per inch or a DK weight, 290 yards. Possible patterns, in my library, to knit with this yarn: Pastella hat, Brick Sidewalk beanie (free on Ravelry) or the Hackberry hat.

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. 

Ravelry 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 ObjectMy 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.

The Blues

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

Bright colors ahead. Proceed with caution!

My husband bought me some fiber at the fabulous Looped Yarn Works in Washington, DC.

This is Targhee dyed by Knitted Wit. The fiber was well prepped and easy to spin. It is not my most even handspun as I rushed somehow when plying it.

I don’t have any project 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. 

Let’s cast on 2017

I am ready for washing and blocking my last knit of 2016. 

Nothing beats the excitement of planning the first projects for a new year. What would that be? Perhaps it is spinning a gradient. 

 Let’s cast on 2017.

The making of…

The making of the last handspun of the year!

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

Next, try out your new fiber toy (The Woolee Winder) to ply singles.

Continue dancing to your favorite music while washing the two ply hand spun.

Finally, post on the blog and wish everyone Happy, happy New Year!

What’s with the purple?

I just finished the second Crazy Zauberball sock!!

My last three pairs of socks share the same colors.

I also finished spinning, plying and washing some Merino fiber. I got close to 480 yards.

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

Ruins and 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 ran to my spinning project as soon as we got home. This fiber is from Moonwood Farm . 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. 

 

My long weekend plans

Many living in the United States are in the midst of traveling and/or getting ready for family gatherings to celebrate Independence Day. We do not have plans other than laugh and eat. I will selfishly add knitting and spinning to the schedule.

I am fighting second sock syndrome with plain vanilla, non matching socks. The yarn is Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball in color way Filederduft.

I spun my first “fuzzlings” from Fondant Fibre. The fiber is a delicious blend of BFL, Teeswater and Mulberry Silk. Final yardage is around 380 yards.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and joyful weekend…until next time!

Spin, spin, spun

I finished plying the Merino, Alpaca and Nylon blend and ended up with 568 yards in a fingering to sport weight, two ply yarn. Is woolen and extra squishy.

From soft colors, I moved to dark jewelry tones. This is a Merino and Silk blend from Wandering Wool.

It was dyed as a gradient. I separated the three colors so I have more flexibility to play with the final yarn.

Hope you are having a lovely day. Until next time!

Happening

I am trying to squeeze time for spinning this gorgeous Corriedale fiber from Unwind Yarn Company.

This will be a traditional three-ply worsted spun yarn. I am spinning it short draw. Hopefully I will be able to finish the third bobbin today.

The colorful the better

Knitting with handspun is a truly gratifying experience.

This cowl was inspired by the “Totally biased” pattern. I used a Mixed Bluefaced Leicester handspun.

Modifications: my version does not have purl rows. I followed this “recipe” until 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
• finish with a three needle bind off

When your craft matches the season

I love Fall and everything the season brings: colors, baking, gatherings and opportunities to wear hand knits.

This handspun is 420 yards of Falkland in sports to fingering weight.

My mittens are finished and fit perfectly. This is a pattern I would knit again and again.

What I’ve been doing?

When spare time is limited, I spin twenty minutes here and there….Remember that Coopworth fiber that I’ve been spinning? I now have 900 yards of three ply yarn. Pre washed, the yarn is looking like heavy fingering. There are six bobbins of singles waiting be plied.

This project has been very relaxing; I cannot wait to spin large quantities of natural fiber again.

My dear handspun yarn

This a super neon handspun yarn out of Spun Right Round fiber.

The bundle of joy is a three ply, sports weight Merino in color way “Glow Sticks”, 374 yards. Handspun project page: here.

Oh! Tour de Fleece

We are in the heat of Tour de Fleece! I am not participating in the official Tour. I am just doing my thing…which is keep on spinning for a large project. There is something so beautiful and delicate about fiber in its natural colorway. It is also very relaxing to spin as one does not have to worry about color sequencing, striping or pooling.

Fiber: Coopworth. Intersted in how the sheep looks like? Click here for a picture.

More on goals…

Something very strange is happening…I’ve been making progress on my goals:

• finish three pair of socks
• cast off two sweaters
• start spinning for a sweater

Today was a perfect day to be outside. We already been about & around town. I’ve even discovered a new Jenny’s Splendid Ice Cream location and a mini garden.

 

Time for FOs

I finished my Oaklet shawl just in time to keep me warm during the last weeks of cold weather. This free pattern is not too complicated, yet beautiful. Love it! Details on the project page.

New shiny handspun! I am really pleased with my 464 yards of deliciously spongy BFL. I spun very thin singles and navajo-ply them to end up with fingering weight yarn. 

Short and Sweet

I finished spinning the Treasure Island singles. The fiber was easily spun despite the time it had been sitting in my stash. I am going to Navajo-ply the singles.

Turns out that I have a matching project bag.