Each to their own....

I've been doing quite a bit of spinning recently after my 4 month unintentional break from it over the summer.... and it's quite frightening really how quickly you loose your ability to spin consistently and finely..... well I found I did.

I was really enjoying my spinning and was pleased with my progress and that eventually I produced something that resembled a nice sock yarn :o) Then you read on different Ravelry forums that it's difficult to spin thicker yarns once you get to producing fine yarns. Then there's the chatter about it and you get to feeling (I felt this way) that fine even yarns aren't 'the thing' and are easy to produce bu t the challenge lies in thicker yarns and Art Yarns...

And so we came to the Tour de Fleece which I commited to taking part in and signed up to do something different that I would normally do. I opted for Art Yarns...

I bought some BFL Superwash from The Yarn Yard that Natalie was dyeing up especially for the Tour de Fleece.... when it came there was 3 small seperate braids of individual colours and 150g of a beautifully dark to light braid in tones of greys.... it was a dream to spin as always and my idea was to ply it with metallics and add beads and such likes.... I found myself starting in ernest but as I got nearer and nearer the end of spinning the fibre I found myself not spinning as much and thinking it's so beeautiful it would be a shame to spoil it... eventually I stopped spinning and for 4 months the bobbin sat almost complete apart from 2, 8" strips of fibre to spin... I just couldn't do it as I knew that then I would have to despoil that beautiful fibre... so I stopped spinning for what turned out to be 4 months....

Eventually I don't know what it was perhaps the 2 or 3 kind people who rav mailed me and 1 even rung me because I wasn't really posting and hadn't produced much spinning to see if I was OK or the fact that this bobbin kept 'glaring' at me every time I walked in the lounge but eventually I did finish spinning the yarn and just simply navajo plied it but all the time I was thinking it should have been an Art Yarn.....

So I think what I'm trying to say is that spin the yarns you enjoy spinning and using and don't feel forced into spinning other yarns that you've no interest in. Whilst I love some of the Art Yarns I see out there especially the coil ones, they're not for me... I couldn't see myself knitting with them... I'm not saying I may never do one but the time has to be right and at the moment producing a 3ply sock yarn and lace yarn and even the odd DK weight yarn is were I'm happiest... There's room for everything and to me a yarn of beauty is one that is evenly spun and beautifully plied....

Since then spinning has resumed normal service I'm pleased to say although it's taken approxamately 500g of fibre before I've got some decent sock yarn..... I've just spun up this (I don't need to tell you were it came from ;o) )


and turned it into this
I've just Navajo plied the 1st bobbin this morning and I've got 132m / 50g so we'll see what the 2nd bobbin produces later tonight....

I've also started some merino / tencel again a similar thickness... The braid came as 3 seperate colours so I'm spinning them that way and then I will traditionally ply them... I warn you now these are not my normal pick of colours.....

told you they weren't my normal choice of colours!!!!

These arrived from Canada yesterday for me and they are a set of 2 pitch Mini Combs made by Andrew Forsyth

They are strong but yet light and quite easy to use, although I will purchase a clamp or put it on my Christmas list as it would make taking the fibre off the comb through a diz a lot easier.... so I now have to make a date with half a Romney Shearling fleece that's been waiting since summer (washed I hasten to add) for these combs to arrive.... but they were worth the wait :o)

This also came for me this week, it's Falkland (one of my favouites) and it's called 'Plum Tree' and it's from a relatively new dyer here in the UK called Spindlefrog


On the sock knitting front I've finished Paul's pair of socks for Christmas and he hasn't even noticed me knitting them. I thought he deserved a surprise pair as I usually end up knitting a Christmas pair for him in front of him.... These have the elegant title of "Die Nachbarn 1 Spiralsonne und Mondhaus" are are as you've guessed from the Opal Hunderwasser 2 collection....


I've now 2 or 4 pairs of size 4's to do and complete a size 8 pair but I'm halfway there on that one ;o) am still uming and awing if to keep the green fairisle ones.... perhaps I will, as I've decided I'll wait until after Christmas to do my sock knitting for myself.... and just knit socks for others before then. I owe Paul and our frind Mike a pair as I bought them some handyed sock yarn last Christmas and haven't knit it up for them yet... that's not to say I haven't knit them any socks since....


I've also been knitting something with my handspun but I will have to make you wait until a certain friends birthday has passed ;o)

Of socks and spinning....

Since my last post I've since completed these.... I couldn't stop knitting them, it's such a long time since I found a pattern I couldn't stop knitting :o) a word to the wise Opal Rendez-Vous has a long pattern repeat... it goes from the top of the rib through the heel and the oatmeal stripe just after the heel is the start of the pattern repeat!!!!

It is perhaps just as well I enjoyed knitting these (they are a Christmas present) as I have a further two balls in my stash one for me and one for DH (mum as a further ball of this for DH)... I suppose because we both see a lot of sock wool in the shop it really has to grab us both in pattern and in colour so when we see a pattern we like, well ;o)

I have more or less decided to keep the green fair isle ones for me you'll all be pleased to know but that does mean I now have 3 possibly 4 (the list grows) size 4 pairs to do for Christmas but at least they'll grow quick.... I'm on the 2nd sock of a size 10 in Hundertwasser 2 for DH and nearly finished the first sock of a size 9 in KF Landscape - Earth.... so sock knitting is progressing....

I've had a few people say to me recently they don't know how I can still knit so many socks and not be sick of them.... but then again sock knitting is my stand-by knitting to bring out for journeys, visits to MIL's and such likes or for knitting at SnB or when customers come, it's not my main knitting unless I feel tired but want to knit or I can't think what I want to knit which usually happens after Christmas....

How many of you out there are still 'regular' sock knitters?

On the spinning front am producing better yarn than I was a few weeks ago but not as good as I was back in May.... but practise, practise, practise.... Here are two from The Yarn Yard 'Turmeric' in BFL Superwash and 'Jewels' in Wensleydale both are 3-ply the s/wash is navajo plied and the Wensleydale is a more traditional 3-ply.


It was my first attempt at spinning Wensleydale and I spun it from the fold which I enjoyed but can't get the gist of long draw.... I opted for a traditional 3 ply as I wanted to 'break up' the original sections of bright colours so I split the roving down into blues, purple/pinks & pinks.... Here's how it started out...

and this is what I completed yesterday 'Monkey Farts' from Spunky Eclectic (purchased back when the £ was strong against the $ and it made the shipping costs worth while)

I'm not normally a yellow fan but I loved the colour combo and the name :o) DH says it looks like rotten bananas, but I ask you what else is a 'Monkey Fart' meant to be?

I've ended up with 280m of Navajo plied yarn so hopefully just enough to make ME a pair of socks at some point!!!!

I'm just about to start spinning some 'sock stuff' batts from Freyalyn's Fibres a blend of 80% s/wash merino and 20% nylon in 'Sandstone'...

I've been relatively good recently and not bought any fibre although Natalie of The Yarn Yard had a 20% off sale so I couldn't resist and I bought some merino/tencel and s/wash bfl most of which are not my normal run of colours ;o) I've also asked her for 2 more lots of 100g of this months Fibre club as it's beautiful and very aptly named 'Bramble Crumble'.... and I can see it being a shawl... it's Shetland btw....

I've also done a couple of trades recently too, one with Belaybunny for some spunky Eclectic merino/silk blend in 'Mandy'. Then yesterday with Jammam for 3 lots of Shetland that Natalie did in last months fibre club in those beautiful autumnal colours (see my previous blog post). I was so disappointed when I 'ruined' my Shetland fibre that when Jammam said on the Yarn Yard forum on Ravelry she could be persuaded to part with it I jumped at the chance.... again this fibre is shouting Evelyn Clarks 'Old Shale' shawl that was in Summer 2008 Spin Off

Well for someone who didn't think she had much to say I've certainly had my say... for those lace knitters of you out there there will be some on the Horizon but I must sort out my Christmas knits first....

Wet Wednesday

I was lost for inspiration on the title and it's very apt title anyway and it's the sort of weather that makes you want to spin and knit :o) and thus I completed my Trekking Colour socks...

I'm on a roll with my Christmas knitting this year... although I have a confession that the recipient may not receive these as I may just keep them myself... which is something I've never done before! I've knit about 53 pairs of socks now and have never ever thought I like these so much I'll keep them to myself... but anyone who knows my penchant for greens will know these are just my favourite sort of greens and coupled with the fairisle pattern I can see them ending up in my sock drawer ;o)

I have regained my spinning mojo in the last few days and eventually finished spinning the lovely neutral fibre supplied by Natalie of The Yarn Yard for the Tour de Fleece... which she is now stocking in her shop as part of her permanent collection in a choice of 5 different fibre types.... this is BFL Superwash


I split it into dark, medium & light sections and spun them one after another

and this is the resulting yarn - 160m / 150g so quite a chunky yarn for me... well it was going to be an art yarn and I just couldn't bring myself to spoil the fibre so I navajo plied it, so as it came out quite chunky I think it will be a scarf which will show off the gradation of colour I hope....

and then I went onto spin last months Fibre club offering from Natalie - Shetland

I just tore off in chunks and split lengthways to produce this lovely, soft, bouncy yarn - again a chunky yarn 124m / 100g

at the moment I'm spinning some Wensleydale I bought from The Yarn Yard at Woolfest this year... I am spinning from the fold and also attempting long draw but I suspect it's my version of long draw.... I think I could do with some tuition on this.....

Think that's all for now.....

Just what I needed....

After Spring Things I needed a quick fix, instant gratification, restoration of faith call it what you like in my lace knitting and this was just what I needed.... Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle

A simple straight forward pattern; I was slightly dubious I may get bored with it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and from start to finish it took me 3 days! It may be a simple pattern but it's very effective.... It's served a couple of purposes one I've already mentioned and the other I needed a birthday present for a friend whose birthday is looming on the near horizon... plus I used the yarn from my stash....

So from this....

to this in 3 days.....

Close up's for the more demanding of my readers....

It' s used virtually all but 4/5 metres of 2 skeins of Rowanspun DK (a lightweight DK IMHO - 200m / 50g) in Sugar Almond (no 746) and I included one extra repeat of the body pattern (9 instead of 8) just to use the yarn. I used 5.5mm needles as I do like to have stitch definition were there isn't meant to be holes....

The finished size a generous 72" across the top and 32" down the spine... just right for snuggling up in this coming autumn.....

I can heartly recommend this pattern if you need a quick fix....

R.I.P - Spring Things

I got to the end of the 13 repeats and it wasn't very big and I'd 80 out of 100g of yarn left and I really couldn't face doing anymore repeats of the body pattern... so I frogged it and re-wound the yarn and put it away for another day.... and feel much happier...

I wanted the shawl to be a decent size and it wasn't showing any sign of being that at the end of the stated 13 repeats and seeing those 1st 13 repeats were hard work, I decided I couldn't face doing anymore, it even put me off doing the edging.....

I have finished my 'Splash' socks which are for Paul aka DH and this was my first successful hand spun sock yarn last year :o) The fibre was from The Yarn Yard (see my sidebar) and is my favourite fibre from Natalie BFL Superwash being the ever practical gal I am...

He must be pleased they're on his feet today:o) I'm also pleased in the fact they were my first toe-up pair too.. a definite necessity for hand spun to ensure there's enough yarn to do the feet ;o) I have to say they remind me of the Trekking Ombre range....

I will hopefully show you more of the 'green square' from a previous post next week and also my Shetland Triangle by Evelyn Clark I cast on last night in Rowanspun DK.....

Edge-to-Edge...

Remeber this from my last post?

Well it turned into this (rather quickly I may add)

and finally into this (after several hours of on/off sewing yesterday) - the front view shows the colours (your monitor permitting) in their true form

and as I'm not modelling it, to show the shape and style to it's best advantage... here's how the pattern booklet shows it

This was an enjoyable and relatively quick knit and the garter stitch shows the yarn off to its best advantage as does this particular pattern.... although there are some other nice patterns in the book too.... which is Patons 1263 - Shadow Tweed

I have to say I'm pleased with this chunky yarn, as most of you know I don't really do chunky but I ended up with the short straw; 4 new yarns for Patons this season, 3 DK's and one chunky of course I let my other 3 knitters choose which yarn they wanted to knit with first and I got left with this one... but I have to confess to being very pleased with both yarn, pattern and resulting garment

This was knit on 6.5mm and used 750g of yarn and is fairly lightweight as the yarn is a blend of 56% wool, 40% Acrylic & 4% Viscose.... it's a loosely spun single which is actually fairly strong to kinit with and doesn't just drift apart like some yarns of this type do.... The yarn is interesting as it's a bit like self striping sock yarn as the colours do repeat through the ball but only every 60g out of the 100g ball, so I think it would make for a really simple garter stitch scarf or a scarf with a simple textured pattern such as my My So Called Scarf

On other front's knitting/crocheting is progressing and I'm getting my head round that I'm going to knit a sweater without a pattern so have been reading up on EZ... I'm trying not to think too far past the armholes at the moment when things will become interesting/difficult or I may never get to the armholes.... I think too much at times!!!

I have to say thank you to Fleegle for saying "I love your blog" am touched that someone that writes as well as she does considers my humble blog worthy to put on her sidebar.....

Next time I shall enlighten you as to what the green square was in my last post...

Of things to come...

I thought I would be a bit mean and do a Brooklyn Tweed style taster shot of things to come (not that I'm in the same league of course!!!) of what I've been working on and the yarns I've been working with...

Item 1:

Item 2:

More at a later date ;o)