Monthly Archives: October 2022

Finished Cotton Candy Singles

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My big floofy bat is all the way spun. I had a very interesting time with this fiber blend that looked like mixed up cotton candy.

The bat was three ounces in total and a blend of merino, rambioullet, mulberry silk, angelina, firestar and targhee. The bat was made by Melissa’s Yarn Barn and it didn’t come with composition percentages. I could feel the silk come up and be very slippery meanwhile the merino drafted very differently from the rambioullet and targhee.

All the fiber fit on one bobbin and I plan to chain play the whole thing. Which means I will end up smaller and thicker skein. But these colors aren’t my usual jam so this might be a donation skein or end up being a winter hat.

Happy Spinning!!

Fiber In The Wild

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PB and I had a chance this past weekend to have a girls only weekend. We went to a festival, got pedicures and snuggled to a Frozen movie marathon.

At the festival we found ourselves a petting zoo next to the bounce houses. PB had a chance to pet a camel, wallaby and kangaroo. Normally I HATE these kinds of things but these animals were so chill and the staff made sure people didn’t mess with any of their furry friends.

I was especially keen to see the alpaca and sheep, naturally. They looked like they were really starting to get their winter woolies grown in. The managers said the fiber they get isn’t fine enough to do anything with. But they do use it for mulching garden beds and insulation in their smaller chicken houses and such. Nice to see resourcefulness!

Hope I made some memories with PB!

Enough For A Blanket

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I have had this niggling idea in my brain for awhile now. I have a fiber fondness for The Corner of Craft and her Chromatic Yarn (inspired by Dungeons and Dragons). I felt like I had developed a nice amount of her DK stashed up, and I was correct.

Through various purchases I have a total of 10 skeins of DK. Six skeins are from her Resistance collection last year and the others have been standalone purchases. Looking at it all laid out, I think I have a really cute blanket to be made here! I arranged the skeins in a fade with two darker skeins for a border.

Looking at the photo now, I may move a couple of the purples around. But I am torn between a crochet project and knitted project. And do I find a pattern or just make something up as I go to be my own designer?

So many possibilities and so many ideas!!

Spinning Cotton Candy Batt

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Next up on my wheel is some beyond bonkers cotton candy looking mixed fiber. I am calling this my Cotton Candy spinning because it looks like someone mashed together blue and pink cotton candy.

This fiber is a 3 ounce mystery batt. The note says it includes merino, rambioullet, mulberry silk, Angelina, Firestar and targhee. It’s not spinning the finest or the smoothest because of the fiber prep and the mix of wools. But I am just letting the fiber be what it wants to be!

I haven’t decided it I will spin this on to multiple bobbins or spin it all on one and ply from a cake. I’m leaning towards the second but I am fresh off my “learning” experiences from the last time I did that! Happy Spinning!!

Cast On: Super Simple Summer Sweater

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After finishing my Catbells Cardigan last week, I felt compelled to cast on another sweater. This time I’m doing to the Super Simple Summer Sweater from Joji Locatelli in some Malabrigo Rios.

This yarn was already caked up from my frogged Mycroft sweater so it was easy to get started. I had even left my swatches in with the yarn! Now, Joji’s pattern usually require me to change needles sizes as I’m not as loose of a knitter as she is. Basically I used my swatches to do the math and decide to go up two needle sizes and make XXL size to get the fit I want. I used the pattern schematic to figure out what size and ease would work for me.

So far I have the collar and the first round of increases. This is worsted yarn so I’m hoping my mojo can get this cranked out yet this fall! Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Catbells Cardigan

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Hurrah! My Catbells Cardigan is done done done!

Pattern: Catbells Cardiagn by Megan Nodecker (Rav Link)

Yarn: Briggs and Little Regal 2-ply in Midnight Blue

Needles: US 8 and US 6

Mods: I added 2 inches of length to the body and modified the sleeve decreases to accommodate my strong upper arms.

This sweater was a labor of love and took way longer to make than it should have. I also made several mistakes in the lace that I just fudged back into place because NO ONE will ever notice, lol. This sweater crushed some major stash. I used almost 6 skeins of yarn that equates to 1,500 yards of yarn out of stash!

The finished sweater is super cozy and VERY warm. Briggs and Little Regal is not a next to skin soft yarn but should compensate by being hard wearing, especially on the bottom where I will sit on it. This pattern was well designed and gets high marks from me but I don’t think I would make it again. The all over patterning is just slow knitting for me and probably why it took over a year to finish.

It is starting to get cooler around here so I feel like this garment will come in very handy! Happy Knitting!!

Pockets!!

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Thank goodness for worsted yarn and large gauge needles, my Catbells Pockets fell right off my needles!

I did opt to make pockets for the next size up in sweater. I like big pockets and I cannot lie. I have pockets washed out and drying near a fan. I’m really hoping I can get these dry while I’m at work so I can finish the assembly on the sweater this evening!

Happy Knitting!!

Straight To Blocking

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I have poured on the afterburners and have churned out the second sleeve AND the hem on my Catbells Cardigan.

All my ends are woven in and I have dunked this sweater. It is so large that I had to clean out and use my kitchen sink! I did manage to eek out the second sleeve with the original yarn and had more than enough for the hem with the backup yarn I purchased.

Next up I need to knit and block the pocket patches. I should be able to knock out those in an evening if my family cooperates. I am so close to finishing this sweater that I can’t wait!

Happy Knitting!!

A Finished Daffodil 2-ply

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My very barber poled Daffodil 2-ply is off the wheel and out of its bath. It’s not my normal color story but it came out very lovely.

This yarn is mostly a heavy DK weight with some thicker spots popping up now and then. It came out to 176 yards in a 122 gram skein. It just screams spring flowers with all those colors mixed together. The Romney is not next to skin soft, at least for me. But this would make great yarn for a hat or accessories.

I do plan to gift this yarn to a work fiber friend. Kinda worried I will freak her out as we have only met in the virtual world, lol. But I have come to value our collaboration and I enjoy sending joy to others.

Happy Spinning!!

One Custom Sleeve

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One sleeve is now complete! My Catbells Cardigan is looking more and more like a functional cardigan.

I did deviate from the pattern in regards to the sleeve. As designed the arms were to snug in my upper arm. So I knit straight for awhile and then mixed in my own decreases. I used light bulb stitch markers to keep track of where I put those in order to duplicate on the second sleeve. I also made the cuff a week bit longer so the sleeves would go all the way to my knuckles.

I have even started the second sleeve and I’m about halfway done with the decreases. I am just about out of my original dye lot of yarn. I *think* I will have enough yarn to finish the second sleeve. That does mean I will need to use my second batch/dye lot of yarn to make the hem and pockets. Honestly, they look close enough in color that I don’t think anyone will notice.

Happy Knitting!!