So...have you heard? Yes, we now have a podcast!
You can find it on You Tube as My Wool Mitten and episode 2 is now up. I decided it was easier for me to post show notes with links to patterns, producers and things mentioned on the episode here at the blog. Of course, if you have any questions about anything you see there please feel free to contact me!
Tensho Sweater by Beatrice at Thread and Ladle . I also want to knit her Ash Point Pullover!
I'm going to be doing a sweater test knit for Elly from Leaf Yarns and I'm so excited for that! Elly dyes the most beautiful yarns, be sure to check them out as well as her podcast
Caroline at Honer och Eir - inspiring yarns, fibers and podcast on Patreon
Ali at Little Drops of Wonderful podcast and Ravelry group
Memory Keepers Hat turned cowl pattern by Lina-Knits (there is also a Memory Keepers Shawl, and Lina is hosting a KAL for the patterns in her Ravelry group and on her podcast). I made my cowl with our farm yarn "Wise Woman" along with yarn from Tiffany and Ethan at The Woolen Homestead
MPG (multipurpose garment) cowl pattern by Emily at Fibre Town and her podcast, that you really must watch if you aren't already! I will be giving away not one but TWO copies of this pattern - one from me, and one generously donated by Emily (thank you!) - for the next episode
Micron Testing for Wool (in case you're interested) here and here
Louet S-17 spinning wheel (but any of the Louet wheels are good)
I think I remembered them all! Thank you for watching the podcast and if you haven't already, please consider hitting the subscribe button there on You Tube and then the little bell that will notify you when I new episode is available x o
Showing posts with label Yarn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yarn. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Thursday, March 01, 2018
Such a Simple Way To Start
Let's get started with some simple mittens! Pour yourself a cup and pull up a seat at the table...(and if you haven't already, please read the previous post). This is a very long post. I wrote it as if you were sitting here with me and I was talking you through the steps of making the mitten. I'm going to put the sockweight version in a separate post, just so your eyes don't blur.
It takes a little thought at the beginning, but honestly if you just want to give the mittens a "one time through" as written, just to see if you like them, they're bound to fit someone you know in the end and you can take the first pair and go on from there (whew, that's a long sentence!). The easiest thing is, if you have a mitten pattern you like to make that fits you well simply plug the ten-stitch repeat of the motif into it on the cuff (or anywhere you want to cups to be!)
The two samples I knit up are in vastly different weights of yarn. The black and tan pair are knit in Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Worsted, a wool mohair blend (the black) and my sport weight farm yarn held double (the tan). I used size US 5 and US 6 needles on 40 stitches. The variegated fingerless mitts are done with sock yarn, fingering weight, from The Woolen Homestead and our farm yarn sock blend (the white and the rustic gold) which is a little bit thicker but worked fine together. Size US 2 and US 3 needles over 56 stitches. I like the fit of them both for me personally, but here is where you should give a little thought.
If you're knitting for yourself, how do you like your mitten to fit? Do you like a snug, dense fabric or do you prefer a little room in your mittens? You can quite easily change the stitch count up a bit and still fit the cup motif, adding "plain" stitches between the cups, or try going up or down a needle size with the yarn you're working with. You've probably heard it a thousand times, but every knitter is different and your tension and knitting preference will make a difference.
How shall we start? I thought it might be easiest to just go through the steps exactly as I made the mittens, and then discuss changes/options after. If you have a question, drop a note in the comments below or in the Ravelry group. Shall we try that? Keeping in mind, as I said in the previous post, this is more a mitten plan than a pattern - be brave and follow your knitters heart! Here we go!
~ SHARE A CUP MITTEN RECIPE ~
Worsted weight variety:
A main color (MC) yarn and small amount of contrast color (CC). I used a readily available commercial yarn, Brown Sheep Lambs Pride (one of my favorites) that is 190 yards (173 M) per skein with plenty left over. I used less than 100 yards of the contrast color. If you want to add a third color for a contrasting background of the cups (different than the MC) you can certainly do that, as I did on the sock yarn version. You'll need less than 100 yards of that as well and we'll call it (CC2). A short piece of smooth yarn for the afterthought thought thumb in a shockingly different, easy to see color ;)
Size 5 (3.75 mm) and size 6 (4.25 mm) needles for working in the round, your preference (dpns, magic loop, etc) For denser fabric or snugger fit, try size 4 (3.5 mm) and size 5 (3.75 mm)
If you need a marker to remind you where the beginning of the round is, grab one of those. I tend to just look for the tail of my yarn. A marker for your top decreases. You'll also need a sewing up needle for weaving in ends
EASIEST MITTEN CUFF EVER:
Using size 5 needles and MC yarn, cast on 40 stitches, join for working in the round (marking the beginning of the round if you need to), and simply begin knitting. That's it! Working this way, your stockinette fabric gets a nice little roll in it that is very pleasing and nothing could be simpler. I worked 10 rounds, changed to the size 6 needle and knit 1 more round plain.
Cuff Options: If you prefer ribbing on your mitten cuff, absolutely do ribbing, about 10 rounds, change to size 6 needle and knit 1 round. You could also make a garter cuff, if you don't like the roll of stockinette. In my second mitten, I cast on and did 4 rows of garter followed by 6 rows of stockinette, change to size 6 needle and knit 1 round. One more choice is an I-cord cast on. This is what I did for the sock yarn version. I quite like it, and we can talk about that more in the sock yarn version discussion! Now, get ready to add your cups ~
Please let me know if my chart is difficult to see, I'll make it darker if needed. In my scribbles, the darker blocks represents the contrast color (CC), the lighter blocks represent your main color (MC) This is where, if you were doing a three-color version, those lighter blocks would be your second contrast color (CC2)
Option: I've given you a motif for each hand, I liked the idea of my cups facing different directions ;) But you can absolutely chose one and work the same motif on each hand, don't worry about changing directions. Knitters choice, whatever is easiest for you!
Work these 15 rows using the size 6 needle. Over 40 stitches, this gives you two cups on each side of your cuff, front and back, with 2 stitches between cups. On longer color repeats, catch your floats (I usually do this every three stitches). Work 1 more round plain with size 6 needle, then switch back to size 5.
With the size 5's, continue knitting plain until you reach the web of your thumb, the base. For me that was 12 rounds, but adjust for your hand. Tip: One of the complaints of afterthought thumbs is that there isn't enough ease through that widest part of your hand. My tip is, increase a few stitches as you prepare for the thumb insertion. For example on my 12th round, I increased 2 stitches (one on the front of the hand and one on the back) and that was enough for me. You may need to add 3 or 4, evenly spaced, or you may not need to add any. Now grab your piece of smooth, brightly colored yarn for thumb placement.
For the left hand, knit around until you are 10 stitches from the end of the round. With your placement yarn, knit the next 8 stitches. Now, slip those 8 stitches back to the left needle and knit them again with your working yarn as well as the last 2 stitches of the round. If you look at the first photo in this post, you'll see I just leave the tails of my placement yarn (the red yarn) hanging out as I continue knitting. It's just going to hang out there as you finish knitting the hand of your mitten. When working the right hand, you will knit 2, work your 8 thumb placement stitches, then knit on to the end of the round. I find that giving myself 2 stitches before the side of the mitten keeps it from distorting, rather than placing it right on the edge.
There is a rule of thumb (lol, no pun intended) that says your thumb stitches should be approximately 1/4th of the total number of stitches. Hmm, that never quite works out for me. Using the 8 stitches we did here, for example, we'll have 16 thumb stitches when we open it up. Now if that's to many for you, go down to 6 on the afterthought placement (giving you 12 stitches when you open them up for the base of your thumb). It's totally up to you and the size hand you are making these for.
Now simply continue knitting on size 5's in your MC until you reach the top of your little finger and are ready to start decreasing. (If you made any increases to allow for the thumb, for example I did those extra 2 sts, decrease them at some point, back to your 40 sts) For me, that was 20 rounds, but whatever gets you to the decrease point. Tip: Take a look at the photo above, the one where I've opened up the thumb stitches. That isn't just for show...I do this on nearly every mitten I make with afterthought thumbs! I don't wait until I'm finished the hand before opening it up and trying it on. For me, that's the best way to insure I've made the hand of my mitten long enough! Does that make sense? When I open up the thumb and slip it on my hand to test for length, I insure that I won't make the mitten to short. It's easy enough to do, I don't find the extra needles for the thumbs get in my way, but if you do, put those stitches onto a holder of some kind (thread them back onto the length of yarn possibly).
On to the top of the mitten decreasing. I can't remember what it's called, but it's similar to toe decreases on a sock.
Knit 20 sts, place marker, knit to the end of the round. Then ~
Decrease Rnd 1: ssk, knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, slip marker, ssk, knit to 2 sts before end of the round, k2tog (36 sts)
Decrease Rnd 2: Knit
Decrease Rnd 3: ssk, knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, slip marker, ssk, knit to 2 sts before end of the round, k2tog (34 sts)
Decrease Rnd 4: Knit
Decrease Rnd 5: ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before marker, k2tog twice, slip marker, ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before end of the round, k2tog twice (24 sts)
Decrease Rnd 6: Knit
Decrease Rnd 7: ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before marker, k2tog twice, slip marker, ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before end of the round, k2tog twice (16 sts)
Decrease Rnd 8: k2tog around, removing marker (8 sts)
Break the yarn, leaving a few inches of tail. Using the sewing up needle, thread the yarn through the last 8 sts and pull tight.
Now, this post is so amazingly long that I'm going to pause. My eyes need a break and so do yours! Do you have any questions? Do you have any suggestions? Have you found a mistake? What do you think so far? Let's pour ourselves another cup, stretch, and come back for the next installment, where we do the numbers for knitting with fingering yarn, and finally, we put in our thumbs! Be sure to follow The Woolen Homestead on Ravelry, where we have a group KAL, if you want a chance for a lovely prize at the end of this (and be sure to watch The Woolen Homestead podcast!)
Tag your mittens on Instagram as #shareacupmittens and #basketofmittenskal2018 if you're joining us for that!
It takes a little thought at the beginning, but honestly if you just want to give the mittens a "one time through" as written, just to see if you like them, they're bound to fit someone you know in the end and you can take the first pair and go on from there (whew, that's a long sentence!). The easiest thing is, if you have a mitten pattern you like to make that fits you well simply plug the ten-stitch repeat of the motif into it on the cuff (or anywhere you want to cups to be!)
If you're knitting for yourself, how do you like your mitten to fit? Do you like a snug, dense fabric or do you prefer a little room in your mittens? You can quite easily change the stitch count up a bit and still fit the cup motif, adding "plain" stitches between the cups, or try going up or down a needle size with the yarn you're working with. You've probably heard it a thousand times, but every knitter is different and your tension and knitting preference will make a difference.
How shall we start? I thought it might be easiest to just go through the steps exactly as I made the mittens, and then discuss changes/options after. If you have a question, drop a note in the comments below or in the Ravelry group. Shall we try that? Keeping in mind, as I said in the previous post, this is more a mitten plan than a pattern - be brave and follow your knitters heart! Here we go!
~ SHARE A CUP MITTEN RECIPE ~
Worsted weight variety:
A main color (MC) yarn and small amount of contrast color (CC). I used a readily available commercial yarn, Brown Sheep Lambs Pride (one of my favorites) that is 190 yards (173 M) per skein with plenty left over. I used less than 100 yards of the contrast color. If you want to add a third color for a contrasting background of the cups (different than the MC) you can certainly do that, as I did on the sock yarn version. You'll need less than 100 yards of that as well and we'll call it (CC2). A short piece of smooth yarn for the afterthought thought thumb in a shockingly different, easy to see color ;)
 |
| The worsted weight version with one contrast color & shockingly bright thumb placement yarn |
 |
| The sock yarn version, showing two contrast colors |
Size 5 (3.75 mm) and size 6 (4.25 mm) needles for working in the round, your preference (dpns, magic loop, etc) For denser fabric or snugger fit, try size 4 (3.5 mm) and size 5 (3.75 mm)
If you need a marker to remind you where the beginning of the round is, grab one of those. I tend to just look for the tail of my yarn. A marker for your top decreases. You'll also need a sewing up needle for weaving in ends
EASIEST MITTEN CUFF EVER:
Using size 5 needles and MC yarn, cast on 40 stitches, join for working in the round (marking the beginning of the round if you need to), and simply begin knitting. That's it! Working this way, your stockinette fabric gets a nice little roll in it that is very pleasing and nothing could be simpler. I worked 10 rounds, changed to the size 6 needle and knit 1 more round plain.
Cuff Options: If you prefer ribbing on your mitten cuff, absolutely do ribbing, about 10 rounds, change to size 6 needle and knit 1 round. You could also make a garter cuff, if you don't like the roll of stockinette. In my second mitten, I cast on and did 4 rows of garter followed by 6 rows of stockinette, change to size 6 needle and knit 1 round. One more choice is an I-cord cast on. This is what I did for the sock yarn version. I quite like it, and we can talk about that more in the sock yarn version discussion! Now, get ready to add your cups ~
 |
| Left hand mitten cuff (do you like my fancy motif writing?) |
 |
| Right hand mitten cuff |
Option: I've given you a motif for each hand, I liked the idea of my cups facing different directions ;) But you can absolutely chose one and work the same motif on each hand, don't worry about changing directions. Knitters choice, whatever is easiest for you!
Work these 15 rows using the size 6 needle. Over 40 stitches, this gives you two cups on each side of your cuff, front and back, with 2 stitches between cups. On longer color repeats, catch your floats (I usually do this every three stitches). Work 1 more round plain with size 6 needle, then switch back to size 5.
With the size 5's, continue knitting plain until you reach the web of your thumb, the base. For me that was 12 rounds, but adjust for your hand. Tip: One of the complaints of afterthought thumbs is that there isn't enough ease through that widest part of your hand. My tip is, increase a few stitches as you prepare for the thumb insertion. For example on my 12th round, I increased 2 stitches (one on the front of the hand and one on the back) and that was enough for me. You may need to add 3 or 4, evenly spaced, or you may not need to add any. Now grab your piece of smooth, brightly colored yarn for thumb placement.
 |
| I've opened up the thumb stitches, just to give you an idea of placement |
There is a rule of thumb (lol, no pun intended) that says your thumb stitches should be approximately 1/4th of the total number of stitches. Hmm, that never quite works out for me. Using the 8 stitches we did here, for example, we'll have 16 thumb stitches when we open it up. Now if that's to many for you, go down to 6 on the afterthought placement (giving you 12 stitches when you open them up for the base of your thumb). It's totally up to you and the size hand you are making these for.
Now simply continue knitting on size 5's in your MC until you reach the top of your little finger and are ready to start decreasing. (If you made any increases to allow for the thumb, for example I did those extra 2 sts, decrease them at some point, back to your 40 sts) For me, that was 20 rounds, but whatever gets you to the decrease point. Tip: Take a look at the photo above, the one where I've opened up the thumb stitches. That isn't just for show...I do this on nearly every mitten I make with afterthought thumbs! I don't wait until I'm finished the hand before opening it up and trying it on. For me, that's the best way to insure I've made the hand of my mitten long enough! Does that make sense? When I open up the thumb and slip it on my hand to test for length, I insure that I won't make the mitten to short. It's easy enough to do, I don't find the extra needles for the thumbs get in my way, but if you do, put those stitches onto a holder of some kind (thread them back onto the length of yarn possibly).
On to the top of the mitten decreasing. I can't remember what it's called, but it's similar to toe decreases on a sock.
Knit 20 sts, place marker, knit to the end of the round. Then ~
Decrease Rnd 1: ssk, knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, slip marker, ssk, knit to 2 sts before end of the round, k2tog (36 sts)
Decrease Rnd 2: Knit
Decrease Rnd 3: ssk, knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, slip marker, ssk, knit to 2 sts before end of the round, k2tog (34 sts)
Decrease Rnd 4: Knit
Decrease Rnd 5: ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before marker, k2tog twice, slip marker, ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before end of the round, k2tog twice (24 sts)
Decrease Rnd 6: Knit
Decrease Rnd 7: ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before marker, k2tog twice, slip marker, ssk twice, knit to 4 sts before end of the round, k2tog twice (16 sts)
Decrease Rnd 8: k2tog around, removing marker (8 sts)
Break the yarn, leaving a few inches of tail. Using the sewing up needle, thread the yarn through the last 8 sts and pull tight.
Now, this post is so amazingly long that I'm going to pause. My eyes need a break and so do yours! Do you have any questions? Do you have any suggestions? Have you found a mistake? What do you think so far? Let's pour ourselves another cup, stretch, and come back for the next installment, where we do the numbers for knitting with fingering yarn, and finally, we put in our thumbs! Be sure to follow The Woolen Homestead on Ravelry, where we have a group KAL, if you want a chance for a lovely prize at the end of this (and be sure to watch The Woolen Homestead podcast!)
Tag your mittens on Instagram as #shareacupmittens and #basketofmittenskal2018 if you're joining us for that!
Tuesday, September 06, 2016
It's All About the Wool, the Yarn and the Farm
Hello again!
So I mentioned in my last post (way back four months ago) that I had something exciting to share with you all. And it's taken me this long to prepare myself to share it...ah, life, you do have a way of throwing stumbling blocks and detours our way, don't you? But here I am again and thrilled to be able to talk a bit about what we have to offer. Can you guess from the photo what it might be?
Yes, it's yarn!
Farm yarn. Our farm yarn. Completely Michigan grown, nurtured and processed. Small farm, small batch, heirloom quality Corriedale and Corriedale cross yarns. All natural colors. Not just single breed yarn, but yarn from a single sheep (or two). Woolen and worsted spun! I can't tell you how excited I am to have this worsted spun yarn, it makes my heart and my fingers sing holding it in my knitting hands! If you've never tried Corriedale wool, this is a delightful way to treat yourself.
I want to write a little bit more about each of the yarns individually, and the sheep who have provided the wool for them, but as we've been getting questions, I'll share quickly that these lovely skeins were spun at Stonehedge Fiber Mill in East Jordan Michigan. Each one is a 3-ply, plump sport weight. With names like "Dunbonnet","Breath of Snow and Ashes" (SOLD OUT) and "Gravel Road at Dark" (ONLY A FEW SKEINS AVAILABLE). The moorit brown and the pale silver are both worsted spun yarns. The charcoal gray is a squishy woolen spun. There are approximately 250 yards each and if you are interested in having one of your own, the cost is $20 per skein.
I thought it would be fun to offer a sample pack. Four Corriedale "skinnies" , junior sized skeins 50 yards each of the three foundation yarns plus one of our Corriedale~Alpaca blends (either the natural black "Murmurations" or crystal white "Wise-Woman") a total of 200 yards for $18.
ETA: Sample packs are not available at this time as three of the yarns are sold out. We'll offer them again as we get more yarn back from the mill!
I can't tell you how proud I am of these yarns and how happy I am to have them. As you can imagine, there's a lot of knitting going on around here! For that reason, these have a very limited availability. If you're interested, I'd love for you to have some for yourself! We accept Paypal, personal check or money order for payment. I'm happy to ship outside the United States. Prices listed do not include shipping. You can reach me at serenityfarmswool at yahoo dot com with any questions and I'll be happy to give you a total with shipping and make all of the arrangements.
Happy sheep, happy yarn.
So I mentioned in my last post (way back four months ago) that I had something exciting to share with you all. And it's taken me this long to prepare myself to share it...ah, life, you do have a way of throwing stumbling blocks and detours our way, don't you? But here I am again and thrilled to be able to talk a bit about what we have to offer. Can you guess from the photo what it might be?
Yes, it's yarn!
Farm yarn. Our farm yarn. Completely Michigan grown, nurtured and processed. Small farm, small batch, heirloom quality Corriedale and Corriedale cross yarns. All natural colors. Not just single breed yarn, but yarn from a single sheep (or two). Woolen and worsted spun! I can't tell you how excited I am to have this worsted spun yarn, it makes my heart and my fingers sing holding it in my knitting hands! If you've never tried Corriedale wool, this is a delightful way to treat yourself.
I want to write a little bit more about each of the yarns individually, and the sheep who have provided the wool for them, but as we've been getting questions, I'll share quickly that these lovely skeins were spun at Stonehedge Fiber Mill in East Jordan Michigan. Each one is a 3-ply, plump sport weight. With names like "Dunbonnet",
I thought it would be fun to offer a sample pack. Four Corriedale "skinnies" , junior sized skeins 50 yards each of the three foundation yarns plus one of our Corriedale~Alpaca blends (either the natural black "Murmurations" or crystal white "
ETA: Sample packs are not available at this time as three of the yarns are sold out. We'll offer them again as we get more yarn back from the mill!
I can't tell you how proud I am of these yarns and how happy I am to have them. As you can imagine, there's a lot of knitting going on around here! For that reason, these have a very limited availability. If you're interested, I'd love for you to have some for yourself! We accept Paypal, personal check or money order for payment. I'm happy to ship outside the United States. Prices listed do not include shipping. You can reach me at serenityfarmswool at yahoo dot com with any questions and I'll be happy to give you a total with shipping and make all of the arrangements.
Happy sheep, happy yarn.
Friday, December 25, 2015
Advent-A-Long ~ Finale
And we come to the end of the Advent mitten knitting ~ well, save for the thumb on the second mitten! Somehow, I managed to mix up the stripes towards the end (now how did I do that?!?) but its okay. And they fit me, so I'm going to get to keep them for myself.
I adored doing this project, it made me happy the entire way and I'll have such special memories of each time I wear them. I'm still working on one small gift knitting project that needs to be finished before Sunday, as well as a larger crochet project that's also a gift but in the meantime I want to pick up and finish the Outlander themed sock I began one year ago (can you believe it, it's taken me an entire year and I'm still only half way finished!) Its a great pattern but a bit fiddly and in black yarn so it's not a carry along project. Do you remember them, my Black Selkie socks? I know I'll love them when they're finished and I certainly don't want to wait till next Christmas to wear them.
Merry Christmas to all and any who might be reading this ~ are you already dreaming of what to be knitting, spinning or crochet-ing in 2016? I'd love to hear! In the coming days, we'll be separating the rams and ewes, the rams will go back to their bachelor quarters and after a few days of tussle they won't mind a bit. We'll put coats back on them, do our best to keep hay and chaff out of the growing fleeces. It's been a mild winter here but the fleeces seem very plush to me.
God's love and blessings to you, and if I haven't said it often enough I really appreciate each of you who takes time to read and especially to leave a note! Seems like so many are leaving blogs behind but its still my favorite way to connect.
P.S. To my friend Kate who reads the blog, if you see this post, would you email me Kate? I've been wanting to ask you about something and know I don't have your email (or its probably changed, lol) You can reach me at serenityfarmswool @ yahoo dot com Hope to hear from you!
I adored doing this project, it made me happy the entire way and I'll have such special memories of each time I wear them. I'm still working on one small gift knitting project that needs to be finished before Sunday, as well as a larger crochet project that's also a gift but in the meantime I want to pick up and finish the Outlander themed sock I began one year ago (can you believe it, it's taken me an entire year and I'm still only half way finished!) Its a great pattern but a bit fiddly and in black yarn so it's not a carry along project. Do you remember them, my Black Selkie socks? I know I'll love them when they're finished and I certainly don't want to wait till next Christmas to wear them.
God's love and blessings to you, and if I haven't said it often enough I really appreciate each of you who takes time to read and especially to leave a note! Seems like so many are leaving blogs behind but its still my favorite way to connect.
P.S. To my friend Kate who reads the blog, if you see this post, would you email me Kate? I've been wanting to ask you about something and know I don't have your email (or its probably changed, lol) You can reach me at serenityfarmswool @ yahoo dot com Hope to hear from you!
Tuesday, March 03, 2015
Outlander ~Listening, Reading, Watching...Knitting
I should have learned by now not to say I'm going to do something by a certain time or date, because it just never seems to happen (like the knitting I wanted to share with you). But finally, here I am...
Last year, as I mentioned, I discovered knitting podcasts. There are so many good ones, I could never begin to list them all and there are new ones all the time I enjoy checking out. There are three or four I follow faithfully, but the one that's at the top of my list is Sarah's FiberTrek video podcast. Where to begin, its just soooo good! There's Sarah, the host. She loves wool. She loves grey wool (maybe not exclusively but best). She loves sheep and wool. She lives in a ruggedly beautiful part of Maine and enjoys a wood fire. And she's made it her mission in life to take others on this almost spiritual journey of wool and its traditions. I certainly feel like she's become a friend. She shares lots of things on her podcasts, but there was one thing she shared last fall that started me on a roller coaster ride of fiction and the renewed love of reading I spoke about in the earlier post. That fiction was the series Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.
I loved it! Fell down the rabbit hole and haven't come out yet ;) It is not light reading. It's long; detailed; historic; colorful; funny; loving and heart-wrenching. A major character, especially in the first book, is the country of Scotland - if you didn't love Scotland previous to reading, you probably will after! I've enjoyed these books so much. Although the stories began twenty-five or so years ago, there was a new television series starting up in August (of last year). This inspired a lot of knitters and yarn companies, so there were Outlander themed colorways for yarn and patterns and knit-a-longs. Some really neat patterns have come about because of the television show and I've knit a few of those. Even made mittens of my own design that were inspired by a costume in one of the episodes. But I've had the most fun seeking out patterns that I already had or already wanted to knit that reminded me of passages from the books. It's been something like a scavenger hunt! So while I didn't "knit Outlander" exclusively for the past eight months, it has been a focus. Those projects are the ones I want to show you now...and dedicate, with much gratitude, to Sarah ;)
September Simmer Dim pattern by Gudrun Johnson
(You should be able to click on the highlighted title of the projects to see a Ravelry page link with more information about it) This was the first thing my daughter and I worked on for knit-night with an Outlander theme here at the farm. It was a nod to a chapter in The Fiery Cross (book five of the series) titled “Summer Dim” in which Jamie (our hero) says to his wife Claire (our heroine) “Ye’ll ken the summer in the Highlands, Sassenach - the summer dim?” She nods and remembers “that the summer dim was the light of the Highland night, late in summer.” I'd had this pattern in my Ravelry queue and saw it on my friend Lori's blog when she took a trip to the Shetland Islands. I loved everything about this little shawl and plan to make another, possibly with thicker yarn and bigger needles to get a larger garment. This one was gifted to a friend. The color is actually deep reds, russets and auburns, maybe a bit of gold.
Gathering Thyme and Black Kirk Cowl pattern by Kalurah Hudson
This pattern was inspired by a cowl worn by Claire in the television series and it's knit on super big needles! The pattern writer very kindly offered it for free and so I gave it a try. Very fast, very simple - not flattering to this chubby farm wife at all though, LOL! I've given both of mine away, but here they are, our October Outlander knitting projects ~
The first (left) was made with bulky, unspun roving but it was very loose and floppy, so I tried tucking it in like a scarf rather than around the neck like a cowl. Made on the recommended size 50 needles. For the second one (below), I went down to size 35 needles and held some black Corriedale yarn doubled. This made for a much better cowl fabric but still made me look like I was wearing a tire around my neck, LOL!
Outlander Cowl by Andee Fagen was our November project and the start of it is pictured at the beginning of this blog post. I began making it along with a few others while listening to another favorite podcast Disa's Craftwork but I didn't like how it was working with my chosen yarn. It's a beautiful pattern though, so I hope to start over with it and a different yarn sometime in the future.
Now comes two projects that are still on the needles, in progress, though they were started in December. First off, a Christmas Eve sock cast-on with the Bakery Bears and Little Bobbins podcasts, these are my Black Selkie Socks , pattern by Alison Janocha. I'm totally in love with these, even though the pattern doesn't really show in my black yarn. This is farm yarn, a blend of Corriedale and Alpaca that I had made with my friend Maple at North Star Alpacas. It's really nice, all natural black and feels so good to knit with. I considered making this as a mitten pattern, but was needing a new pair of hand knit socks. I was making great progress, too, and then must have gotten caught up watching the series because I totally messed up the heel! Now I need to take that out (not easy with sticky black yarn) and reknit it. But I will...
The books speak of "selkies" quite often and in reference to Jamie's father, Black Brian. Its what made me think of these for Outlander knitting.
And then I saw these magnificent mittens! From The Castle Fraser Throughout The Year The Woodcarving by Aurelie Colas - I knew these had to be an Outlander project! Bought the pattern, chose my yarn....and could not get gauge, not even close ;( The mittens would have been the size of oven mitts and its a very detailed pattern, so I didn't feel I could successfully change it to make mittens that would fit me. I could, however, make a cowl! So that's the plan for this, a cowl and probably a lined one. It's in time out right now, though, because it takes a lot of concentration. My photo doesn't show much, other than some of the colors I'm using for it.
Wedding Plaid Mittens by me
January found me still working on my socks, but also a new pair of mittens, something I made up myself. I wanted to make a pair of plaid mittens and couldn't find a pattern I liked that didn't include either intarsia or duplicate stitch. So I just used my basic mitten pattern with afterthought thumbs and added some blocks of color. I intended to line these, but they're just a bit small. They'll be gifted to my daughter who has smaller hands than I do.
I'm really happy with the way they turned out, even though I made a couple of mistakes in the colorwork (maybe you can spot where in the photo) One mitten has garter rows on the cuff, the other a picot hem and I like the picot best. These are meant to symbolize Jamie's wedding plaid from the first book, and the picot hem is the lace cuff of his borrowed shirt. Now in the book, Jamie's plaid was "a brilliant crimson and black that blazed among the more sedate green and white". In the television series they went with blues, browns and a touch of red (you can read more about the costuming and see some stunning photos at this wonderful blog. Really, you should take a look!) I made the first pair of mittens in "show colors", but the second pair that I just started are red, black and grey so those are my February project along.
But knitting for myself is something I've set aside for Lent, I'm only working on projects intended for someone else. I'm working on a blanket for my grandson and gloves for my son-in-law (neither of them Outlander related). A third pattern, though, is a pair of mittens inspired by A Breath of Snow and Ashes (book six)
All queued up for April, when Lent is over, are two more shawls. Outlander Hap - Mo Nighean Donn is another pattern by Gudrun Johnson, based on a traditional Shetland Hap. I've knit a mini-hap for a gauge swatch, color test and I like it very much. I'm using natural colored brown Corriedale, along with silver, moorit (auburn) and gold. Fans of Outlander know that Jamie calls his wife, Claire, "Mo Nighean Donn - my brown haired lass" and tells her that her hair is “dark in the wavy spots with bits of silver on the surface…” The gold yarn is for her "great, gold eyes" I'm excited for this one, participating in a knit-a-long with Gudrun's Shetland Trader Hap kal on Ravelry . I was also going to make this my Hap pattern for KnitBritish wonderful Hap KAL (be sure to check out her podcast, its another of my favorites) that starts in April, but now I'm thinking I'll make my second Simmer Dim for that instead. I have some handspun I've set aside for that and I like the idea of beginning and ending my Outlander themed knits with the same pattern. What do you guys think?
I hope you've enjoyed taking a look through my knitting! These aren't the only things I've knit or crocheted this winter, but the main ones and like I said it's been a lot of fun seeking out patterns to relate to a favorite passage or memory from the books. I hope if you're a knitter you might check out some of these great patterns on Ravelry or even join in one of the knit-a-longs. And if you're at all interested in podcasts, the ones I've mentioned are truly joyful as well as many others. If there are any you follow, please feel free to share! Edited 3-5 to correct some spelling and grammar
Last year, as I mentioned, I discovered knitting podcasts. There are so many good ones, I could never begin to list them all and there are new ones all the time I enjoy checking out. There are three or four I follow faithfully, but the one that's at the top of my list is Sarah's FiberTrek video podcast. Where to begin, its just soooo good! There's Sarah, the host. She loves wool. She loves grey wool (maybe not exclusively but best). She loves sheep and wool. She lives in a ruggedly beautiful part of Maine and enjoys a wood fire. And she's made it her mission in life to take others on this almost spiritual journey of wool and its traditions. I certainly feel like she's become a friend. She shares lots of things on her podcasts, but there was one thing she shared last fall that started me on a roller coaster ride of fiction and the renewed love of reading I spoke about in the earlier post. That fiction was the series Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.
I loved it! Fell down the rabbit hole and haven't come out yet ;) It is not light reading. It's long; detailed; historic; colorful; funny; loving and heart-wrenching. A major character, especially in the first book, is the country of Scotland - if you didn't love Scotland previous to reading, you probably will after! I've enjoyed these books so much. Although the stories began twenty-five or so years ago, there was a new television series starting up in August (of last year). This inspired a lot of knitters and yarn companies, so there were Outlander themed colorways for yarn and patterns and knit-a-longs. Some really neat patterns have come about because of the television show and I've knit a few of those. Even made mittens of my own design that were inspired by a costume in one of the episodes. But I've had the most fun seeking out patterns that I already had or already wanted to knit that reminded me of passages from the books. It's been something like a scavenger hunt! So while I didn't "knit Outlander" exclusively for the past eight months, it has been a focus. Those projects are the ones I want to show you now...and dedicate, with much gratitude, to Sarah ;)
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| Getting ready for some Outlander knitting - books, yarn, pattern, stitch markers, fire in the fireplace... |
September Simmer Dim pattern by Gudrun Johnson
Gathering Thyme and Black Kirk Cowl pattern by Kalurah Hudson
This pattern was inspired by a cowl worn by Claire in the television series and it's knit on super big needles! The pattern writer very kindly offered it for free and so I gave it a try. Very fast, very simple - not flattering to this chubby farm wife at all though, LOL! I've given both of mine away, but here they are, our October Outlander knitting projects ~
Outlander Cowl by Andee Fagen was our November project and the start of it is pictured at the beginning of this blog post. I began making it along with a few others while listening to another favorite podcast Disa's Craftwork but I didn't like how it was working with my chosen yarn. It's a beautiful pattern though, so I hope to start over with it and a different yarn sometime in the future.
Wedding Plaid Mittens by me
January found me still working on my socks, but also a new pair of mittens, something I made up myself. I wanted to make a pair of plaid mittens and couldn't find a pattern I liked that didn't include either intarsia or duplicate stitch. So I just used my basic mitten pattern with afterthought thumbs and added some blocks of color. I intended to line these, but they're just a bit small. They'll be gifted to my daughter who has smaller hands than I do.
But knitting for myself is something I've set aside for Lent, I'm only working on projects intended for someone else. I'm working on a blanket for my grandson and gloves for my son-in-law (neither of them Outlander related). A third pattern, though, is a pair of mittens inspired by A Breath of Snow and Ashes (book six)
All queued up for April, when Lent is over, are two more shawls. Outlander Hap - Mo Nighean Donn is another pattern by Gudrun Johnson, based on a traditional Shetland Hap. I've knit a mini-hap for a gauge swatch, color test and I like it very much. I'm using natural colored brown Corriedale, along with silver, moorit (auburn) and gold. Fans of Outlander know that Jamie calls his wife, Claire, "Mo Nighean Donn - my brown haired lass" and tells her that her hair is “dark in the wavy spots with bits of silver on the surface…” The gold yarn is for her "great, gold eyes" I'm excited for this one, participating in a knit-a-long with Gudrun's Shetland Trader Hap kal on Ravelry . I was also going to make this my Hap pattern for KnitBritish wonderful Hap KAL (be sure to check out her podcast, its another of my favorites) that starts in April, but now I'm thinking I'll make my second Simmer Dim for that instead. I have some handspun I've set aside for that and I like the idea of beginning and ending my Outlander themed knits with the same pattern. What do you guys think?I hope you've enjoyed taking a look through my knitting! These aren't the only things I've knit or crocheted this winter, but the main ones and like I said it's been a lot of fun seeking out patterns to relate to a favorite passage or memory from the books. I hope if you're a knitter you might check out some of these great patterns on Ravelry or even join in one of the knit-a-longs. And if you're at all interested in podcasts, the ones I've mentioned are truly joyful as well as many others. If there are any you follow, please feel free to share! Edited 3-5 to correct some spelling and grammar
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Cue the Crochet
Earlier this month, while visiting my favorite thrift store, I found these in the free basket - what a score!
My mom did beautiful crochet. Her stitches were so precise and lovely (see the edging of one of the blankets she made for me below). One of the sweetest things I have in my possession is the last project she was working on. Its only a few rows, but along with the yarn and crochet hook is a little slip of paper with her handwriting. As she grew weaker, it was hard for her to do much but she wanted to give it a try again to keep her hands busy. It was to much for her so she sat it aside. My brother, bless his heart, came across it in her night stand and saved it for me. I have it in a basket near me now.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Yarn for mittens
I had fun having the dye pots out again, after long neglect! Nothing fancy or involved, just single colors on white and overdyed on brown. The wool is all from our Corriedale sheep, as you've probably guessed ;)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Not Just Our Yarns
Sometimes I am drawn to wildly colored yarn, like the Trekking brand I am using in this pair of socks in progress:
Sock yarns are nice for other small projects, too.
My daughter is a fantastic knitter - her skills far surpass mine and I couldn't be more proud of her! She recently made the shawlette pictured above, it is one of Rosemary Hill's designs called Live Oak Shawlette, from one skein of Plymouth sock yarn. Here is a closeup of the edging:
And another one of the entire shawl, looking like it is going to take flight from the tree!
Not all of the wool yarn that I purchase is exactly commercial. I like to buy yarn from other farmers/shepherds, and one of my favorites is a Michigan family farm, my friends Lona and Mike at Shady Side Farm. The project below is from a few years ago, but I loved using their yarn. I got another skein after that (actually while on a farm tour of their place!) of natural white and also one of mixed blues and greens.
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| The pink and grey skeins are yarn from our sheep, the speckled skein is from Shady Side Farm, fellow Michigan farmers |
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| I think Ted is sticking out his tongue at commercial yarn, LOL! |
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Refreshing
I wrote earlier this week that I have some beautiful things to look at while I spin/read/pray/drink coffee on the back porch in the mornings (or any time) and I said I would show you ;) Here is a small sample, hopefully without to many weeds peeking through!
Now looking straight ahead off the porch, I can see sheep and ducks (most days deer and turkey, too) in the pasture where horses used to graze and beyond them the new hay field. What, you can't see sheep in this fog? LOL...it was a welcome relief to have it stay overcast for a while the other morning.
Between me and the barnyard is another flower bed, probably my favorite one. It's small, but boy does it pack a punch!
Then at the end of the day, this is what I have to show for my spinning on the porch - more Corriedale yarn from our flock, 2-ply, about 210 yards to add to the total spun for my future Currach Stole.
A good day.
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| I see this when I look to my left - a jumble of daylilies, Asiatic lilies, spiderwort, phlox, hosta and earlier in June a border of lavender. These plants have become so thick that weeds don't have a chance! Well, not much of one. |
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| There was a time when I didn't care for these hot colors at all, but now I really enjoy them. Can you believe the hot pink/magenta of those phlox? |
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| Top: a new daylily "Beautiful Edgings"; Coneflower (I think called "Desert Sky") and more Asiatic lilies (I love those hardworking flowers!) There is also more phlox, more lavender, some allium and Oriental lilies to come. |
A good day.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Turkey or trimmings?
Sometimes there is more in the roaster than Thanksgiving dinner....(Note: No food is ever cooked in this roaster for safety sake. It is dedicated to dyeing)
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
New Favorite Things
I participated in a SWAP over at Ravelry, the Favorite Things Swap 2. Yesterday, the mail lady brought a box to the door for a signature and look what I had from British Columbia, Canada!For one thing - COFFEE! I could smell coffee as soon as I opened the box! The aroma of a delicious blend just filled my kitchen and I couldn't wait to check it out ;D
Sooo many goodies ~ Gail, who was my secret pal, might just have well have been looking over my shoulder as she shopped for these things! There is a cheerful dishcloth, ADORABLE stitch markers, wonderful Opal sock yarn (I love Opal yet seldom treat myself to any, so this is special!), yummy bath goodies, chocolate, more chocolate and then that amazing coffee! Each item was individually wrapped with a cute little note attached to it.
Gail writes: "The Esquires Coffee House company was founded right here in Surrey. Our knitting group used to meet at one of their locations, but alas, we grew too big in numbers for their not-so-big shop! After some sleuthing, and discovering that you enjoy French Press coffee. I asked them to grind to suit...Purdy’s (the chocolate) is also a proud, long standing tradition, founded in our neighbouring city of Vancouver"
As soon as I snapped these photos, I brewed myself a cup of the coffee and sat down with both it and some chocolate. Gail doesn't have a blog for you to visit, but I know you will agree with me that she is one fantastic secret swap Pal!!! Thank you Gail ;D
Friday, November 28, 2008
Black Friday?
Doesn't seem right, because there is "white" stuff falling from my sky (grin)....I thought I would celebrate "black" Friday by knitting with some black wool today ;)
I don't do shopping (unless it is yarn shops or farmers markets), so to venture out today would have been silly. Plus Bill and I have the house to ourselves this day after Thanksgiving, and it is a cloudy and blustery day - what better thing to do than stay indoors with yarn? I pretty much cleaned everything up before bed last night so woke up to a semi-clean house (those of you who know my home, know that "clean" is a relative term!) I had considered driving west to Holland, Michigan, to take in the opening day of the Kerstmarkt. My online, fellow Michigan sheepbreeder friends Mike and Lona from Shady Side Farm will be there, plus other vendors, in what is called "an authentic, open-air, European Christmas market" - doesn't that sound neat? The way the weather is acting here this morning, though, I think it is good I decided to stay home. I am planning to go at least one day before it is finished (maybe tomorrow?)
Speaking of Shady Side Farm, I wanted to make this post about knitting and fibery stuff and I am sooooo excited to show you a project I have been working on that includes yarn from Shady Side, as well as yarn from my own sheep:
PATTERN: Fiddlehead Mittens by the amazing Adrian
YARN: Millspun from Shady Side Farm "Guns and Roses"(MC); millspun from Serenity Farms pink,rose and natural colored (grey) Corriedale lamb.
I started these with the Ravelry knit-a-long group the first of November (you can also find out more about them at Adrian's Hello Yarn Ravelry group). I love the pattern and love the colors and love the feel...these were going to be a gift, because pink isn't really my color, but they fit me so perfectly - LOL! I really enjoy making lined mittens and have done many pairs this way over the years. I especially like the technique because you can use a stronger, harder wearing (and often not-so-soft) wool for the outer mitten, and something soft and cozy for the liner. In this case, it also works to cover up the strands of the colorwork, even though mine are pretty neat (if I do say so myself). I had originally planned to use black as the third color, but when I started with it there was just to much contrast. Now as I look at them, I almost wish I would have used the rose (darker pink) in the center - the grey nearly gets lost, doesn't it? Oh well, I will keep on as it is. I would have them finished by now, that is how much I love knitting them, but I have a few other gift items to finish up and I don't need the Fiddleheads to be done till the first weekend of January. So much as I hate to, they have been sitting aside for the time being. Here is another shot, with maybe a bit better lighting:
I can't show you the other nearly finished projects (also mittens, and one pair of socks) because as I mentioned, they are gifts.
I can show you some dyeing projects, though. Last weekend, my blogless friend Mary (who is on Ravelry - find her there as clevasgirl) and I made the trip to Grand Rapids and City Knitting to take a dyeing workshop with wonderful Rita from Yarn Hollow.
Here is the mad-dyer, my friend Mary
and here is Rita (right), answering dyeing questions.
I dyed two different sock "blanks", just because I had never done them before. One I was quite happy with and is in the photo below on the left. It is kind of "Opal-esque", don't you think? I am planning for it to be another pair of Jaywalker socks. The other is very ugly in the blank, but I am sure it will be fine once I skein it up (and then I will show you a photo!) The yarn in the larger skein on the right is some of my own Corriedale, a natural smokey brown, that I overdyed. I LOVE how this one turned out and wish I would have done two skeins (of course I didn't) There is 500 yards here, enough for a nice scarf and that is probably what I will make with it.
If you ever have the opportunity to take a class with Rita, or to purchase yarn or fiber dyed by her, please don't hesitate to do so. She is an amazing, generous, talented and fun person to learn from...and I do mean generous! I came away with my head spinning from all that she shared with us. I am hoping to take another class from her after the first of the year. Oh, and I also really enjoyed seeing City Knitting for the first time (I know I will be going back when I have more time to shop!)
So there is my knitting and dyeing update. I haven't been doing much spinning, except for one batch of sock yarn that is being knitted up for a special friend. I need to get back to the wheel(s) one of these days!
I don't do shopping (unless it is yarn shops or farmers markets), so to venture out today would have been silly. Plus Bill and I have the house to ourselves this day after Thanksgiving, and it is a cloudy and blustery day - what better thing to do than stay indoors with yarn? I pretty much cleaned everything up before bed last night so woke up to a semi-clean house (those of you who know my home, know that "clean" is a relative term!) I had considered driving west to Holland, Michigan, to take in the opening day of the Kerstmarkt. My online, fellow Michigan sheepbreeder friends Mike and Lona from Shady Side Farm will be there, plus other vendors, in what is called "an authentic, open-air, European Christmas market" - doesn't that sound neat? The way the weather is acting here this morning, though, I think it is good I decided to stay home. I am planning to go at least one day before it is finished (maybe tomorrow?)
Speaking of Shady Side Farm, I wanted to make this post about knitting and fibery stuff and I am sooooo excited to show you a project I have been working on that includes yarn from Shady Side, as well as yarn from my own sheep:
PATTERN: Fiddlehead Mittens by the amazing AdrianYARN: Millspun from Shady Side Farm "Guns and Roses"(MC); millspun from Serenity Farms pink,rose and natural colored (grey) Corriedale lamb.
I started these with the Ravelry knit-a-long group the first of November (you can also find out more about them at Adrian's Hello Yarn Ravelry group). I love the pattern and love the colors and love the feel...these were going to be a gift, because pink isn't really my color, but they fit me so perfectly - LOL! I really enjoy making lined mittens and have done many pairs this way over the years. I especially like the technique because you can use a stronger, harder wearing (and often not-so-soft) wool for the outer mitten, and something soft and cozy for the liner. In this case, it also works to cover up the strands of the colorwork, even though mine are pretty neat (if I do say so myself). I had originally planned to use black as the third color, but when I started with it there was just to much contrast. Now as I look at them, I almost wish I would have used the rose (darker pink) in the center - the grey nearly gets lost, doesn't it? Oh well, I will keep on as it is. I would have them finished by now, that is how much I love knitting them, but I have a few other gift items to finish up and I don't need the Fiddleheads to be done till the first weekend of January. So much as I hate to, they have been sitting aside for the time being. Here is another shot, with maybe a bit better lighting:
I can't show you the other nearly finished projects (also mittens, and one pair of socks) because as I mentioned, they are gifts.
I can show you some dyeing projects, though. Last weekend, my blogless friend Mary (who is on Ravelry - find her there as clevasgirl) and I made the trip to Grand Rapids and City Knitting to take a dyeing workshop with wonderful Rita from Yarn Hollow.
Here is the mad-dyer, my friend Mary
and here is Rita (right), answering dyeing questions.I dyed two different sock "blanks", just because I had never done them before. One I was quite happy with and is in the photo below on the left. It is kind of "Opal-esque", don't you think? I am planning for it to be another pair of Jaywalker socks. The other is very ugly in the blank, but I am sure it will be fine once I skein it up (and then I will show you a photo!) The yarn in the larger skein on the right is some of my own Corriedale, a natural smokey brown, that I overdyed. I LOVE how this one turned out and wish I would have done two skeins (of course I didn't) There is 500 yards here, enough for a nice scarf and that is probably what I will make with it.
If you ever have the opportunity to take a class with Rita, or to purchase yarn or fiber dyed by her, please don't hesitate to do so. She is an amazing, generous, talented and fun person to learn from...and I do mean generous! I came away with my head spinning from all that she shared with us. I am hoping to take another class from her after the first of the year. Oh, and I also really enjoyed seeing City Knitting for the first time (I know I will be going back when I have more time to shop!)
So there is my knitting and dyeing update. I haven't been doing much spinning, except for one batch of sock yarn that is being knitted up for a special friend. I need to get back to the wheel(s) one of these days!
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