Tag Archives: cashmere

Spinning Clouds

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I have been lacking craft motivation lately. I haven’t felt like doing much now that we can be outside again. To break up my doldrums, I pulled some cashmere cloud from my spinning stash to put on the wheel.

This is the Cumulus fiber from Oink Pigments that I picked up at SSK 2024. It’s 80% merino and 20% cashmere so its BUTTER soft. I split the fiber in 1/2 and I will make a 2-ply. I want something drapey and soft to make a cowl of sorts?

The fiber is spinning quite lovely. Some parts are coming out solid colors and others are marled depending on how I draft the fiber. My muscles are out of shape so I am only spinning 20 minutes at a time to get back in shape and reduce the strain on my hands. I did my default short forward draw so my hands are getting a workout.

Happy Spinning!!

Fairy Tale Decreases

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Plodding along has it benefits. My Fairy Tale beanie is sliding into the holidays and into the decreases!

I put my big girl pants on and counted my pattern repeats. I decided to do 8 full repeats before the deceases to add some extra height to the finished hat. There is enough hat now to see that DK cashmere yarn is flashing/pooling a little bit. The yellow bits looks a bit like a lightning bolt to me and I kinda like it.

Now I need to dig out stitch markers so I can set up the decrease section….and then you know…..actual knit them!

Happy Knitting!!

Slowly Patterning

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My Fairy Tale Beanie has been at the bottom of my prioritization list but I have added a few more pattern repeats.

This is still very very soft with the cashmere content under the mohair. I did however fail to keep track of my repeats. I think I need 7 or 8 total? Now I will have to go back and count the bumps to try and count where I am at. Not ideal, but the natural consequences of my choices.

I am hoping to finish this by year end just to have that hit of dopamine going into the new year. Happy Knitting!!

Finished: Film Noir Hat

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The Film Noir hat is complete and looking MIGHTY fine if I do say so myself!

Pattern: Bluestem Beanie by Rebekah Lill (Rav link)

Needles: US 7s and 8s

Yarn: Potions Yarns Dryad DK in Film Noir and Stranded Dyeworks Mohair Silk in Gloom

Mods: added one (maybe two) extra body texture repeats

I really love how much yarn this pattern uses up. It’s just satisfying to rack up that yardage and draw down the stash. For this version I used 361 yards of yarn across both types of yarn. Also, the fuzziness of the mohair is a nice change of pace to soft merino hats.

I think this hat will go to my friend Sylvia who likes black and regularly walks her dog. She has a lot of hair so I am hoping its a fit. If it doesn’t…she can pick from the full hat bin!

I have really been clearing the needles lately and I need to get more WIPs cast on so I have projects to grab and go! Stay tuned….

Noir Brim

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My Film Noir Hat is swimming along nicely. I am safely into the main body pattern repeats.

I can now confirm that the stockinette is softer than my previous 100% wool version of this. The mohair still has a tooth to it but the cashmere blend smooths that out. I am not sure I can tell any difference when it gets to the patterned section. I think the texture negates any softness you gain with the fiber content.

Happy Knitting!!

After Dark Cast On

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I have been petting these skeins of 100% cashmere since I purchased them at The Studio. I am dying to see what this feels like knit up.

I am going back to my beanie “recipe” but adjusted for my gauge at this weight of yarn. I am using US 5 needles and casting on more stitches. I did unwisely choose to cast this on…at night….in my bed….when tired. I counted more than three times to get my stitch county and ensure this was not twisted. My eyes are not what they used to be!

But I am cooking with gas now and I need to get some more fabric made so I can really feel the hand of this fabric! Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Film Noir Hat

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I decided to put that grey skein of Potions Yarn DK with cashmere to use. I just finished my Delightful DK hat and had enough mohair left to make more hats. I thought that grey would look great with this variegated grey.

I am doing another Bluestem Beanie and holding these yarns double. I am interested to see if I can feel the difference of the finished fabric when it has cashmere content. I don’t think it will be a soft and drapey as the alpaca but should be softer than the 100% wool DK from the last one.

I also realized that I am the only Raveler making this pattern right now. I am wondering if the designer is excited….or weirded out! 🙂

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Classy Cashmere Hat

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The Classy Cashmere Hat is finished and I did not play yarn chicken.

Pattern: My own hat “recipe” using 80 stitches and rolled (shorter) brim

Yarn: Classic Yarn Cashloft Aran in the Poppy colorway

Needles: US 8s

I ended up using 87 of the 100 grams to finish the hat. It’s slouchy on PB but a more fitted beanie on an adult. The cashmere content is to DIE for and the aran weight on 8s makes for a warm dense fabric that still have some stretch. I probably should have used 9s, but not enough to worry about ripping it back and re-doing it.

Cashmere Decreases

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This Aran weight yarn works up VERY quickly. I was knitting happily along and my second ball of yarn was disappearing. This Classy Cashmere hat is being made from “free to a good home yarn” and I can’t get more. So I panicked and started the decreases.

I should have weighed and measured because I am going to have more than enough. I will have a few grams leftover in fact. I still think I will have a plenty big enough hat for an adult to wear.

Duke is supervising all of this of course. I just have 5 or 6 rounds left and this hat is done! Happy Knitting!!

Classy Progression

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After finishing the Wool Tweed Hat, I have been focusing on my Classy Cashmere Hat.

I am kind of winging yarn management. I knit the brim but made it shorter than normal as this hat is using yarn quite quickly. I am moving along through the body and I have joined the second skein of yarn. I only have the two skeins.

That is still a lot of yarn in the cake, I SHOULD be okay. But I may end up ripping this back to adjust. I should know better by now but I am still proceeding thusly, lol.

Happy Knitting!!