Cast On: Baby Blend Basic Hat

Posted on November 16, 2021 by atangledyarn84

I’ve had a super soft skein of Shepherd’s Mill Baby Blend DK just sitting on my desk at home. It is a superwash merino, faux cashmere and silk blend in a 2 ply DK weight. I just couldn’t bear to put it in the stash, it needed knit up! So I grabbed one of my new project bag and some needles and started a basic hat.

Based on my hat experiments earlier this year I knew I needed roughly 80 stitches and I’m starting on a size 8 US needle. I think I’m just going to work stockinette and then turn the brim to create a double layer of fabric. The reason? I didn’t feel like doing ribbing and I want to use the majority of the skein inside this project, lol.

So far I’m about five rows in. I just need to stay off my spinning wheel long enough to keep knitting! Happy Knitting!!

The Second Cuff On The First Sock

Posted on November 15, 2021 by atangledyarn84

Basically this point I have knit this pair of socks all inside the first sock given all the ripping back and re-knitting I have done on my Dad’s 2021 Christmas Socks. But I persevere.

I’m finally through the leg and starting the cuff again. Another hour’s worth of work and I should be done with this sock. I have the second sock already started and its toe waiting on holders.

I am really hoping the second sock goes much smoother as I will have the first sock to follow as a template, lol. Happy Knitting!!

All Skeined Up

Posted on November 12, 2021 by atangledyarn84

Today is my birthday! I am celebrating by NOT being at work and treating myself to spa evening at a local spa. I have 60 minute tub soak finished with a 60 minute massage. I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED!!

And to celebrate even more I thought I would share my finished handspun skeins I finally got around to counting and skeining. First up is my Blueberry Chick “Tequila Sunrise Experiment”.

I spun the singles on my drop spindle and then chain plied them on my Kiwi 3. But I discovered that because I left months inbetween these steps that I accidently plied in the same direction that I spun. So I got a very “artsy” skein, lol. Oh well, it was fun and I learned something. I got a 20 yard skein that weighed 117 grams so bulky/super bulky for sure.

Next up with my Spinning Class Sample skein. This is just a hodge podge of fiber I used to learn with at spinning class.

This is skein was much more successful and looks like traditional yarn. I wound the singles into a cake and plied from the inside and outside. This skein ended up with roughly 35 yards and 78 grams so a pretty solid bulky weight. It is a mishmash and total barber poled and I LOVE it!

Safe to say I have been successfully bitten by the spinning bug! Happy Spinning!!

The Third? Heel

Posted on November 11, 2021 by atangledyarn84

Dad’s 2021 Christmas Sock is on its THIRD heel and I really hope this one works this time!

I took another chunk of foot knitting out and repositioned the heel. I really like how the blue and yellow ended up disbursing over the heel turn. It looks very intentional! I still would REALLY like to get this completed pair finished by Thanksgiving. This knitting is for a good cause but I really need another sock project that hasn’t killed my joy as much as this one has.

Happy Knitting!!

Closer Than I Think

Posted on November 10, 2021 by atangledyarn84

I am really cruising on my Rainbow Garter wrap now! I am finished with the yellows and on to the oranges.

I laid my project out to see how I was doing as I am now knitting from the All My Stitches I gave up on. And something hit me like a lighting bolt….I might be able to graft the two pieces!!!

There are more stitches on the triangle shaped piece than on my wrap, so I think I need to keep knitting the wrap until I unravel the triangle shaped piece to a point where it has the same number as my main piece. This really means I could have less than a couple hours left on this project!

This proximity to doneness has really ramped up my mojo on this one! Happy Knitting!!

Starting and Finishing Teal Singles

Posted on November 9, 2021 by atangledyarn84

I’ve had a steal spinning project on my wheel ever since I finished my purple singles. I had second 4 oz bag of merino blend roving from The Shepherd’s Mill where I took my lessons, this time in teal with rainbow flecks.

I admit I struggled in the very beginning with this fiber. I was trying to spin WAY to thin for my skill level so I was breaking every couple of minutes. Once I calmed down and consciously spun thicker then I really started cooking with gas.

Over the course of the past couple of week I managed to get all four ounces on one bobbin. I will likely ply this yarn with another single but it hasn’t told me what it wants to be when it grows up. So I am going to let it rest and start another batch of singles. I think I might be hooked!

Happy Spinning!

A SAFF Erin Lane Bags Bonus

Posted on November 8, 2021 by atangledyarn84

Erin Lane Bags wasn’t able to attend SAFF due to unforeseen COVID complications so they had a massive online sale to vend all the items they had created for the yarn show. I saw an advertisement on social media and pounced on the chance to get some Larry themed items.

I snagged a blue skein cover. I am increasingly finding these useful since I like to use my cakes from the middle. The covers keep the cake from getting all sloppy as it collapses. Next up was an extra small purple sock sack with Olympic Larry. And finally a regular sock sack with even more Olympic Larry.

Did I need more project bags? No I did not but they make me happy and my dollars went to support a small business during a challenging time. So now I just need to decide what to put in these bags…..

Happy Knitting!!

Spinning Class Sample

Posted on November 2, 2021 by atangledyarn84

Based on a suggestion from my spinning teacher I wound off my singles from class into a center pull ball. With the ultimate idea of plying them back on to themselves to create a finished yarn

Took a minute but I got it wound and then since my wheel was empty after finishing my purple singles I decided to ply before adding new fiber on my wheel. I used my Ashford Kiwi 3 and made sure to ply in the OPPOSITE direction that I spun. And I got a pretty respectable bobbin filled!

Now I just need to recover enough energy from Halloween crash to wash and finish this skein to see what kind of yarn I ended up with!

Happy Spinning!!

All The Purple Singles

Posted on November 1, 2021 by atangledyarn84

Huzzah! I have been try to dedicate some of my precious free time to my spinning wheel. And that has paid off as I have finished the 4 ounces of merino blend that I was spinning.

All four ounces fit on one bobbin and I managed to get some fairly thin parts. Don’t get me wrong it has the normal newbie amount of thick and thin parts. I have big fluffy sections and some sections that could function as thread.

I’m going to let these rest and spin another bit of fiber before I decide what to do with them. They are inconsistent enough that they need plied either back with themselves or with another single. But I need time to ponder that!