Socks #7 finished!

After one false start on these socks I'm done and happy with the results!  Plus the feet can model a complete pair now (mom found them at an antique store for those of you who asked and I didn't have a way to answer you back!)

Pattern:  Embossed leaves from Favorite socks

Yarn: Happy feet (won on Tienne's blog)  This is the first time I've used this yarn and am happy so far.  It knit well and the fabric it created feels nice.  Now to see how they wear!

Needles: US 1.5

Mods:  I added an extra pearl stitch between all the leaf patterns to bring the stitch count up to 68...which works perfect for me!

It has been a fun week here....DH and I celebrated anniversary #7, boy does time fly! .... Knox (the cat) got fleas for the first time....and tomorrow I get to babysit! (I'm quite excited about that actually....enjoying others cute babies for awhile is always fun!)

I've been busy...

...spinning, knitting, doing math, but not blogging :(  So there is lots to catch you up on!   Today I will show you my spinning FO!  

8 oz of Romney (I think I showed you one skein earlier)

700 ish yards

3 ply, sport weight

Nice to work with, but quite a bit of VM (vegetable matter....little twigs to pick out)  It drafted so nice and easily!

Then the surprise....I was going for sport weight and got lace weight....go figure!  Still fun, just have to figure out what to do with it!

3.4 oz Merino/Silk blend

750 yards

2-ply lace weight

I actually had trouble drafting this a little....I think it had to do with the dye job (purchase on etsy, both things I got weren't the most fun to work with although quite lovely in the end)  Also we I "set the twist" (gave the yarn a bath) it turned my sink purple so much dye ran out.

Now my weekend fun!  I dear knitting friend brought me back a treat from NM, where she got to meet my brother and SIL!

4 oz Targhee

360 yards

3-ply, sport weight

This was a dream to spin!  It is so sproingy!  (I know it isn't a word, but you get the idea)  I was aiming for sock yarn (so lots of twist) and it is a little thick for fingering weight, but perfect sport weight yarn!  The colors are so fun, I can't wait to cast on!  Next time maybe I'll get fingering weight.  (I get sport or lace...go figure!)

Last week I also had a cotton spinning lesson, so hopefully tomorrow I will share with you what I learned!  Lastly I've been taking some of my own advise....while I've never been a great cleaner (keeping the house clean that is) I've been a slacker of late.  I used to spend Friday afternoon or Saturday morning....couple hours...clean house (it is just DH and I and the cat after all)  But I haven't wanted to do that.  So now, taking advise I've given to others, but failed to do....I set the timer for 15 minutes....everyday....and clean until it goes off.  2 weeks later....clean house that stays maintained.  I love it! (and two dresser drawers reorganized too!)  Be warned: 15 minutes isn't long, you will want to keep going, but if I stop when the timer goes off then I'm still excited the next day to do it over again!  and there really are few tasks that can't be done in 15 minutes.  Granted I can't dust the whole house in 15 minutes, but I can do a room (or half a room at first....when there is lots of picking up to do too)  Enjoy the day!

Handspun Hat!

I've been having a case of startitis....wanting to start projects instead of finishing ones I've already started.   I guess to my defense, they are projects I've been wanting to make.  So yes, I've cast on for the matching green sock, but that twisted ribbing bores me every time! (and I still have to do the second sock for the Leyburn socks...YIKES!...I think it is a good thing I don't have more sock knitting needles than I do, how would I ever finish?)

This hat out of Boutique Knits just jumped on and off the needles!  And I adore it!  The pattern is Argyle Lace Hat.  This is the second hat made from this book (thanks B&A!) and I'm eyeing a couple of more things too!

There is a little lace diamondish part next to the buttons, but the dark yarn/dark hair combo made that really hard to photograph, maybe in natural light with someone else taking the pics??   I think it was another interesting construction....most of the hat is knit flat...with real button holes.  This is a great hat to make for those who don't like working in the round.  You do eventually work in the round, but only for the decrease section at the top!

The yarn:  My own handspun merino.  It was chain plyed and definitely not the most even yarn I've spun, but it knit up great!  I followed the patterns suggestion of making your own buttons using fabric and love this option.  I often have had a lot of trouble finding buttons I like and this is a nice alternative!

I have enough yarn left over to make a little neckwarmer (or fingerless mitts)....I think I've something picked out, oh but I should work on those socks, or the sweater on the needles, or the baby gifts needed for friends....we'll see.  It all gets done eventually!

A word about fit:  I've now made two hats from this book and they both fit me perfectly!  Many on raverly complain about both hats I've made being too big....I do have a large head (no comments please) and also don't like anything tight on my head (a small side effect from brain surgery)  I've made no modifications to the size on either hat and because I'm happy with the fit, I would agree many would think they are too big.  Just wanted to mention that in case you want to go off and make yourself one too!

More socks

Well this is how much knitting I got done on my trip to KS....and I learned from my last pair of socks....so I tried it on!

too tight!  Frogged!  4 stitches added (one in each purl spot) and much better!

One done and modeled on my new feet!

Love the toe that extends the leaf motif!

Before cropping and turning...

...cropped and turned...maybe I should make it look like it is standing on something! :)  Thanks pops!

Fiber Twins!

Saturday was a most delightful day as my fiber twin (aka....spinning teacher N) and I celebrated our birthdays (a day early) with a spinning, dyeing, knitting party!  Such great friends came out to celebrate!

There were lots of lendrums for spinning....

....and knitters....

....and 3 dye pots.  One each of orelopsis, annatto, and black walnut hulls!

Never having dyed anything, this was a fun adventure, but N knows a ton about natural dyeing so I learned a lot!  

Did I mention there was cake too!  What a perfect day....and I ended up transforming this....

....to this! (I'm thinking a 3-ply yarn with each color being one of the plies?)

***specials thanks to A for having a camera that day, letting me take pics, and then remembering to email them to me too! :)

Surgeon Dad!

Wow! It is hard to believe it has been 3 weeks since I've blogged.  I guess that is what happens when you go visit family (for my bro's graduation...way to go!) squeeze in a math conference and finally drive home!

When I arrived at my parents.....this was on my bed!

I had mentioned to my mom that I really wanted some legs/feet to model socks!  and super shopper that she is, found some and surprised me for my b-day! (These are socks I made for mom for Christmas that she dressed the feet with!....her Mother's day socks were finished with 2 hours to spare, she loves them, we forgot to take a picture)

I love the awesome pics I can get.  (I'll let you in on a secret, they are actually guy feet, but seeing as my feet are almost guy size it will work perfect for modeling my socks!)  Have you tried to take pics of socks on your own feet?  Talk about all the blood rushing to your head!  I love it!  So the bad news was these weren't just feet, they were legs and quite big to store in my little apartment!  Dad had an idea!

Cut them off, mount them to a board and there you go!

It was a fun morning project!

How did I forget to take a pic of the finished product?  I'll show you soon, maybe modeling a sock!

Spinning Fun!

Okay, okay, I know I've been procrastinating finishing my mom's socks....in fact today I've set a goal on the sock before doing any other crafting (I'm about half way there)  So what have I been doing instead?

Spinning.....

the lovely Romney I got in NM! :)  One skein is done (~2.5 oz 196 yards, 3-ply)  I'm excited to see what happens after it is washed!  I have singles done up for 2 more skeins, plus fiber for just a little bit more!

Oh and half the singles done with a merino/silk blend!  Yumm, but must get the other bobbins empty before I can finish. 

 

Bad News:  I've had some shoulder issues from spinning....it has taken me a long time to figure out the cause....Good News: so I forced myself to not spin for 4 days and it is feeling better!  and when I spun last night I really watched my technique and limited my time...and the shoulder is fine today.  So I just have to make sure that I watch my movements!

Bad News: I started a sweater (10 inches worth) with my Scotland yarn!  Why is this bad?....because I'm not working on my sock!  Good News: I'm loving the sweater, and the yarn, and I have a schedule for the sock.  No problem!