Diving In

Posted on July 15, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I was flying on the high of successfully plying on my spinning wheel that I decided to attempt to now spin on it. I pulled out some 100% BFL from Jakira Farms from my recently updated stash and pre-drafted the roving.

I fared much better this time than my first few attempts. I did actually succeed at getting the yarn spun on to the wheel. I’m still struggling to figure out the treadling and drafting motion of my hands all as once coherent movement. This first little bit spun VERY thick and mostly over spun. I think I needed to perhaps pre-draft the roving a little more aggressively? I weighed the braid and split it in the middle. Then I took each half and drafted out the fibers to loosen them up.

Both my frustration and the ambient temperature quickly heated up so I put it aside for the time being. I know learning is an uphill curve for awhile when doing a new skill. I’m just ready to be “good” so I can find the zen of it and make usable and pretty yarn. I honestly just need more patience and more practice, both of which are in short supply here lately. Time to give myself a literal and metaphorical break!

Happy Spinning

Sunshine and Plying

Posted on July 14, 2020 by atangledyarn84

The day came this weekend for me to have been couped up in my house with littles just a teeny bit too long and it made me brave enough to attempt plying on my spinning wheel. I pulled out my well rested 70s kitchen themed singles and made a spinning oasis on my back patio sans kids.

I made a couple of lazy kates out of some amazon boxes and two wooden straigh knitting needles. I made sure to load my biggest bobbin and practiced treadling in the correct direction. Mind you I spun these counter clockwise on my drop spindle so I was plying the clockwise on my spinning wheel.

I also took a minute to enjoy the kid free silence and salute my heat wilted garden with a cup of hot coffee. I’m Scandinavian and we like our coffee hot and strong all year round. It’s genetic I think…we can down hot coffee on a 98 degree day and not miss a beat!

After a few false starts/stops and some occasional over plying….I made a successful two-ply yarn!! It’s thick and thing and all over the place with how I plied it. But dang it….it’s yarn and it holds together. I might even be able to knit something from this yarn!

My bobbin has been set aside to rest for 24 hours and which I will wash and whack the skein. I’m really interested to see how many yards I got out of 4 ounces of alpaca!

Happy Spinning!!

Sunlight and Knitting

Posted on July 10, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I took advantage of my parent’s deck to take some beauty shots of my Rainbow Fluff Habitation Throw. I couldn’t get over how beautiful the sunlight looked shining through the fabric.

This is a modified Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart. I’m omitting the eyelets and adding a fluffy alpaca stripe in between each color change. I’m just starting the fourth color of the gradient. I have 12 colors total so I’ll work the increasing section for the first six colors and then decrease for the last six.

This has been a nice lighweight knit to keep in my lap while it’s hot. It’s also soothing garter stitch with a little interest at the edges. So it is balm for my troubled mind and spirit. I haven even started weaving in my ends so I don’t leave them all to the end. You are welcome future Rachelle!

Happy Knitting!!

Retro Rainbow Progress

Posted on July 9, 2020 by atangledyarn84

Sock knitting really hasn’t been my jam lately, but my purse knitting is still a pair of socks. My Retro Rainbow Socks are a few stripes longer now.

I’m knitting these as sock tubes and I will cut in afterthought heels. The yarn is some de-stashed MustStash yarn in Stacie’ Retro Rainbow colorway. I’m working 72 stitches on US 0 needles.

I’m not going many places anymore so I don’t seem to pick these up as often. We largely go to work and then stay home otherwise so I am putting a lot more work on my larger projects. Good thing yarn and knitting doesn’t go bad!

Happy Knitting!!

Splitting For Radiate Sleeves

Posted on July 8, 2020 by atangledyarn84

Thanks to the long holiday weekend and lots of grandparent babysitting, I managed to knit through the yoke of my Radiate sweater and split for sleeves.

I even slipped on an extra knitting needles and tried this sweater on. Even unblocked it falls appropriately in all the places. The neck was higher than I anticipated but other wise the bust and armscye fits nicely. I’ll have to be careful with blocking this super wash yarn so that I don’t make it too big.

Now I have like 14 to 17 inches of sweater body to knit. Lots of round and round in stockinette! Happy Knitting!!

Bring Me All Your Butter

Posted on July 6, 2020 by atangledyarn84

We spent what we hope was a responsibly safe 4th of July with my parents. We kind of have made our own little “bubble” and see few people but each other up close and within breathing distance. Everyone in my family is getting really good at cleaning…even the littles. And we stayed up WAAAAY too late shooting big fireworks and chasing fireflies.

So Sunday morning, after the 4th of July, I found myself awake with PB with the rest of the house was snoozing. So PB and I raided the fridge to make breakfast. Being good hearty Midwestern folk I made a well rounded country breakfast. I turned leftover baked potato into hash browns, used up the last of the sausage gravy, cooked off some thick sliced bacon and fried a perfect medium egg in butter.

Forget yarn….bring me all your butter!!

Hiding Outdoors

Posted on July 3, 2020 by atangledyarn84

Happy three day weekend to all my American friends. The eve of 4th of July is upon us. Working for a local municipality means I get a three day weekend, huzzah!

My children are inside either watching a movie for quiet time or taking their afternoon nap. I snuck outside to be alone and to knit. I mowed the grass earlier and wanted to admire my handiwork.

Nevermind it’s a million degrees, I packed my Radiate pullover and some liquid re-hydration and sat under my patio umbrella. I realize this the first time I have been alone in like three weeks. Like truly ALONE and it is a glorius re-charge for this introverts soul.

Time to crank the tunes and see how many rows I can get done on this sweater! Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!

Spinning Tequila Sunrise

Posted on July 2, 2020 by atangledyarn84

As predicted I couldn’t help myself and my newest fiber jumped right on to my spindle. I mean how could I not? After all, I used an entire child nap time/free time to carefully pre-draft the whole 4 ounces of fiber!

This 100% Corriedale is a new to me fiber. It drafts like a dream and really feels very soft after drafting. But it’s spinning up much thicker than my last merino project. Maybe its the fiber, maybe I’m rusty? Either way I’m letting the fiber tell me what it wants to be and I’m just enjoying the process.

Happy Spinning!

Perfecting Pre-Drafting

Posted on July 1, 2020 by atangledyarn84

The brand new braid of Corriedale was staring at me from my home office desk. And I just couldn’t help myself. During PB’s nap time, I used my mom free time to prep this fiber for spinning. With a podcast playing in my ears, it was a pretty zen way to spend an hour or so.

I split the braid in half lengthwise and then just gently pre-drafted each half. I took a photo after I finished the first half so you can see how much it fluffed up! It really lets the air in and softens how the fibers feel. I’m guessing it won’t be long before this jumps on the spindle! I think my plan will be spin each half as singles and start from the second one from the opposite end of the color progression.