Author Archives: atangledyarn84

Fell Down In The Fiber

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I have been spinning so much this summer that I am rapidly expanding my handspun stash while running out of fiber stash. So I fell down on the internet with my credit card and bought more fiber.

The top two are braids from 316 Dye Studio out of Wichita KS. I picked two braids of each color. The blue/grey on the left is Rambouillet and the blue/white on the right is Polwarth. I am hoping to that with 8 ounces I can end up with more than one skeins.

The bottom two 4 ounce packages from Three Waters Farm. The aqua on the right is a Targhee wool while the brown on the right is more Polwarth. This will most likely end up being smaller skeins for smaller projects.

I have sent all this wool to marinate and cool there heels in my spinning stash. Happy Spinning!!

First Garden Harvest

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Our garden has been a little slow this year with unseasonably cool spring that immediately shifted to boiling hot summer. Everything is plodding along but we picked our first produce, a very health zucchini!

I should have a second squash in a week or so. Our yellow squash plant is not far behind but it has more blooms that is spreading out the resources of the plant. Our tomatoes are LONG way from producing. I guess we will have to be patient, lol.

Happy Gardening!!

FO Monday? GFOA Conference Hat

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Happy 4th of July to all my American friends. The kiddos and I have plans to set off a few fireworks and make a TON of s’mores later. But for now I have Jellybean helping me model my latest finished object, my GFOA Conference Hat!

Pattern: My own 80 stitch beanie with an improvised pony tail hole

Yarn: Urth Uneek Worsted

Needles: US 8s

I didn’t use up the full skein. This hat only used 156 yards or just about 70% of the skein. So I have a pretty decent chunk leftover of this skein. Too much to throw away but not enough to make a hole project.

Now, Jellybean doesn’t exactly have a pony tail to model so you will have to use your imagination. But It’s a nice fit and I think this will be a keeper for our winter hat bin. The folded brim is keenly warm and the stripes make me happy.

Now I’m off to relax and celebrate. Happy Knitting!!

One Night To Celebrate

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I finally installed the heel on my Celebrate the Night sock that I finished on my last plane travel. Turned out pretty snazzy and I even managed to luck out and have the heel fall in-between two color stripes!

For the record, these are Jellybean’s feet. This boy is growing like a weed on Miracle Gro and his feet are quickly catching up to mine. The socks are just a hair too long and not skinny enough for him. But give him another year and I bet we have the same size feet.

Now I just need to get the second sock finished up. I have the second tube done but I need some focus and good light in order to pick up stitches for the afterthought heel. My eyes are inching closer to 40 and black yarn isn’t my friend anymore!

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!

Now It’s A Ponytail Hat

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I cruised through the body of my GFOA Conference Hat and worked through the decreases. I was hanging out at my parents house when I got to the point where my circular needles were to big to continue. But I didn’t want to be done knitting! So my Aunt suggested I just finish it as is!

So I did a modified K2tog, K1 and repeat cast off to finish the pony tail hole. It doesn’t have a ton of stretch at the cast off but my pony tail fit threw the hole just fine. I still need to weave in the ends and give this thing a wash/block. Finished object photos coming soon!

Happy Knitting!!

Mystery Grab Bag

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Back around Christmas time I grabbed some mystery grab bag fiber from Etsy to have for Santa to leave in my stocking. And Santa ended up leaving me some yarn instead of fiber and I kinda forgot about this tucked away in my closet until I did some spring cleaning.

On the left is some mystery fiber that looks to have a blend of silk, nylon and maybe a couple of different kinds of wools based on the wool crimp. I weighed it and it totals 3 ounces. The right is 8.5 ounces of a spinning kit from Melissa’s Yarn Barn. It is a solid merino braid and some locks of multi-colored wool or other fiber.

Both are interesting kits and not something I would usually pick for myself. But it adds nice variety to my spinning stash. Even if I don’t love the colors I will learn new things from the spinning process. Do any of you mystery grab bag?

Happy Spinning!!

Half A Hat

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My GFOA Conference hat is swimming right along! The brim is finished and I did turned hem sort of process so the fabric is doubled over. I am now starting the main body of the hat.

This is my first time working with Urth Uneek Worsted. Its a self-striping worsted and its been fascinating watching how the colors are developing and striping. Based on how the ball is unwinding I can see some deeper and darker stripes coming my way. I can’t wait!!

Happy Knitting!!

Finished Cashmere

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My cashmere skein is completely dry and all measured up! This is my softest and finest spin yet. I am beyond happy with this one.

After finishing I ended up with 223 yards weighing 112 grams. This makes this skein DK in most spots with other sections more of a light worsted. I can tell my plying was tighter on this skein than any of my previous 2-plys. With this having cashmere content I put extra twist in it in order to reduce piling in its future knitted state.

I don’t have any projects in mind yet. I think I’m going to let this one marinate in the handspun stash for a minute. Happy spinning!!

Spinning A Gradient!

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Since my Kiwi wheel is free of a spinning project, I decided ot put something back on it. I pulled some BFL roving from my stash that were a teal to blue gradient. I felt like making a singles that would end up a 3-ply gradient!

This yarn might have an excess of dye…..my fingers were a little blue after working the first part of the gradient. Could be part Smurf??

Pretty happy with the singles I have been creating. I still have half the teal to finish before I start the next color. Not too shabby for an afternoon of outside spinning. It’s really getting warm here in Kansas!!

Happy Spinning!!

Let’s Make Poor Decisions!

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I am in the slog of the body of my Catbells Cardigan. Never ending body for 20 plus inches of the same pattern. I had some kid free time this past evening and decided to mix my favorite summer beer and knitting. It is not lost on me that this might be a poor decision…

I haven’t inspected my knitting this morning, but I feel like I did okay not messing up the pattern! It’s dark worsted yarn so that will hide a lot of sins, lol.

Happy Knitting!!!