Tag Archives: bulky

Knitting With Handspun

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A wise spinner told me that I shouldn’t wait to start knitting with my handspun. I should reap the benefits of my new found skill so matter how “good” I think my yarn is or isn’t. So I grabbed my recently finished teal skein and set to making a hat.

I cast on 72 stitches using a US 8 needles and started ribbing. I don’t have a plan or a pattern. I am just winging it and monitoring how much yarn I am using so that I leave enough for the crown decreases.

So far it is really neat seeing what the yarn is doing with the thick and thin bits. I can really see how that plays out in the stockinette section. I am pretty certain I will keep this hat in my hat collections because it is just too special.

Happy Knitting!!

Blanket Dreaming

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The other thing that jumped into my cart on black friday from Knit Picks was a blanket quantity of Knit Picks in Garnet Heather.

I am dreaming of a smooshy and soft throw for myself. This yarn is 50/50 acrylic and wool but it’s two ply structure and loosely spun nature just makes it so smooth and soft. Even Jellybean petted it and commented on how soft it is.

This will have to wait until after Christmas, but I’m excited about it!

Merry Christmas and Happy Knitting to all!

FO Friday: Bits and Bobs Blanket

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Thanks to my project monogamy during Christmas vlogs, I have a finished crochet blanket! The Bits and Bobs Blanket is done, washed and ready to ship to my GG.

Pattern: None, its just a 65 stitch blanket worked with my own version of half double crochet

Yarn: Assorted Loops and Threads Charisma, Premier Serenity Chunky and some mystery acylic with no tag

Hook: US N or 10MM

The red yarn did end up bleeding on the white yarn making it slightly pink. I should have known but I figured commercial yarn was dyed better than that usually. I don’t think my GG will care because it is still warm. I need to dig out a shipping box. I think I will wrap the blanket in Christmas paper and then put inside the box with a note that says “do not open until Christmas” on it.

Happy Crafting!!

Bits and Bobs Progress

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My Bits and Bobs Blanket is now over half way done. My current “go to” evening is crochet on this blanket by the Christmas lights while I watch all the YouTube knitting vlogs. I have to make sure I stay caught up on The Corner of Craft, Chelsea Yarns and Stranded blogs. They are a sweet treat to cap off long days.

This blanket is working up nicely and I actually like how the colors look together. I am now at the point I need to work back through the color sequence: black, red, grey and then border the whole thing in tan. I want to get this done and washed so that I can mail it to my GG. She has already decided that she is not attending any Christmas gatherings so I want her to have a special treat under her tree.

Happy Crafting!!

Casting On: Bits and Bobs Blanket

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Next up on my blanket train is a blanket lot of bulky acrylic in vaguely Christmas-ish colors.

The black skein is a partial skein so I think I will split it equally in half and put between the red and purple. But I’m feeling good about this lineup. I think this is just enough yarn to make a nice car sized lap blanket for my grandmother.

I do have white on one side and grey on the other but I think it will make it quirky blanket. I plan on using my trusty 10mm or US N hook and just working my self taught kind of weird half double crochet. It goes quickly and really busts through my stash! I seem to have all the blanket mojo right now, lol.

Happy Crafting!!

Finding Peace

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I am not sure I have reached “peace” yet but I am sure making tracks on my Peace Blanket.

I have finished the first stripe of royal blue and forest green as they were both full skeins. I then made a skinny striped of black just for whimsy and now I’m adding a full skein of ruby red. I think I think I will add the rest of the black on the other side of the red followed then by another full skein of the forest green. I will still have three skeins of yarn left after completing that pattern.

I may swatch and play around to see what looks good and feels right. I am saving the skein of grey to add a very small border on the edge to give it a finished look.

Happy Crocheting!!

FO Friday: Big Comfy Chunky Hat

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Tah dah!! I have a finished super speedy bulky knit hat. I completed my Big Comfy Chunky Hat in own hand dyed Feast yarn by Nomad Yarns.

Pattern: Big Comfy Chunky Hat by Erica Kempf Broughton

Yarn: Feast by Nomad Yarn in the color Spice Box

Needles: US 11s

Mods: I added some extra rows to the crown decreases to use up the whole skein.

This hat turns out to be reversible because it is essentially all ribbed stitch. Which I think is kind of a sweet design feature. I very carefully wove in the ends so I could fully turn this both ways.

This hat really worked up quickly as promised. I think I finished in two sittings over two days. So maybe roughly 3 hours? I had some tension issues with the crown as I chose to magic loop it instead of getting off my rear to find double pointed needles. But in the finished hat it does not show.

It is a little small for my noggin (which is larger than most) but Jellybean has proclaimed it to be perfect for his head. So this will be one of the hats for our winter hat box by the front door. I need to sew a name tag into it before it leaves the house…you just in case the six year old set it down somewhere, lol.

Happy Knitting and Happy Halloween Eve!!

Zoom Went The Hat

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This is one sitting’s worth of knitting on my Big Comfy Chunky Hat. I managed to find US11 needles and a decent length enough cord to knit this hat in the round. So I took off and got to knitting last night.

I blasted through the brim ribbing and I’m into the main hat body ribbing. It is really nice intuitive knit that is great for TV watching. I’m also loving how the colors are stacking up with this hand dyed yarn at this gauge. It is very fall appropriate.

I really think that if I buckle down that I can finish this hat in one more sitting. The hubby is in charge of bedtime tonight so I’m hoping to get some dedicated time tonight. But 2020 seems to laugh at my plans this year. Though this is a fairly short term goal so I’m hoping I can squeeze through, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

More Finished Handpun

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I have finished both my skeins of handspun from my spindle experiment! I dare say I might be getting the hang of this to some degree

The first skein I finished was one ounce of an unknown merino. I ended up with a bulky weight single that after washing and whacking was 27 grams and 31 yards of yarn. I definitely have some over and under spun parts but its holding together and not twisting up on itself as badly as my first attempt. For this one I used a smaller and lighter wooden drop spindle.

The second skein I finished was one ounce of an unknown merino batt. Again I ended up with a bulky weight single that after washing and whacking was 28 grams and 34 yards of yarn. Almost exactly the same as the first one. And for this one I used the heavier and larger maple drop spindle.

All in all, I made two successful yarns. Both are not perfect but I learned a lot about my drafting technique/ability and how best to finish my singles. Now…what should I spin next??

FO Friday: My First Ever Handspun

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I finished my first every handspun yarn! This was my first attempt at spinning on a drop spindle with some mystery fiber from my inherited stash. It’s very inconsistent and wildly overspun but it’s mine and I’m proud of it!

Project: Handspun bulky singles

Fiber: Mystery orange wool

Method: Top Whorl drop spindle plied in what I think is S twist?

I managed to get 32 yards of singles yarn that weighed 31 grams. Overall I think it’s a bulky yarn but I don’t have a wraps per inch tool.

I really had to work on the finishing of this yarn because it was wildly overspun. It had so much energy in it that it was twisting up on itself. I wound it off on to my knitty knoddy and let the singles rest. I then gave the yarn a good batch in hot water and a surprisingly satisfying thwack when done.

I did have to weight the yarn when I hung it to dry as it was still wanting to curl up on itself. When it was dry it did seem to have relaxed in it’s twist a bit. I think my next spin I need to work on putting less twist into the yarn. But I did manage to make usable yarn! I’m super proud of myself and I’m already itching to start my next spin!

I’m sure I’m making a thousand mistakes and not following proper technique. But I’m having fund, making yarn and its a wonderful distraction to everyday life! Happy Spinning!!