The cast on.....

I've begun. 

Prematurely so.

Will I regret it?

Possibly.

Do I care?

Mmmm not really.

Well I can say this...

I'm spinning really consistent and I'm checking often so I'm fairly confident I'll be alright.

However,

I'm thinking I might need to change my cast on.

I'm not so sure about it, yet I keep going, telling myself.... 

"It'll be fine. It'll work out"

Errmm. I'm not so sure about that.

I almost always use a specific cast on & this time I didn't.

I fear the edge might be wonky.

Will it block out?

I doubt it. UGH!!!

I really don't want to re-cast on, but I don't want to get so far then realize I wasted all that time with a crappy cast on and a horrible looking edge.

So, before I get any further than the measly 4  rows I knit already,

rip, rip, rip, rip.........

Onsdag

I can't seem to get it right.

I was spinning and spinning and thought I was getting sport weight?

No...

More of a dk/worsted.

I'm ok with that, but that means I have to change what sweater I am going to knit, again.

This is actually a good thing because what I was going to make had a lot of stockinette. I want something to keep me interested.

I have my first hank of yarn (only 188.33 yds.) and I set the twist, knit a swatch, and I got 18 sts/4" on a Us 6

That is worsted right there but I can get 20sts on a Us 5

So as long as I get gauge I can make the Acer Cardigan

I just started carding more fleece last night. I think I carded enough to get me a full spindle, then I have to keep going and going and going....

At least until I have enough yardage and then some to make this project.

Wish me luck!

Måndag

The thing I like about Romney is its sheen.

This is the first time I have worked with this type of fleece before and I love it!

It's spinning up really well and I have to say that this is the most consistent I have ever been.

I'm getting a nice sport weight for my cardigan and I am very pleased with the first hank.

I have to soak it in the morning, a bit late right now, but soon as I hang it to dry I am going to count the yardage. 

It will give me an idea of about how many spindles I will need to go.

I could have over filled my spindle and cranked it on there, but I didn't this time. For the next ones that I fill, I am going to make sure it's a really good fair amount.

I started this project on 5/15 and we are now on the 21st.

Normally it wouldn't take me so long to spin one hank, but I have been gone for the weekend on my motorcycle and I can't exactly take my wheel on the back of the bike. Though I bet that would be a sight to see!

Change of plan

Originally I had planned to knit a cabled sweater, and then I couldn't spin my singles up to be the right thickness. I had gotten so used to spinning fingering and lace weight yarns, that I struggle making a thicker yarn. From what I hear this is true for a lot of spinners. 

I am able to spin up a sport weight yarn. This is quite the miracle for me. 

So I will just change what pattern I will be knitting to suit my yarn making skills.

Larch Cardigan.

By: Amy Christoffers

I love this little number. 

It's simple and it has this little panel on the chest that just...

I don't know exactly, but I love it!

What I can't decide now is do I leave the yarn I am spinning the natural creamy white color, or do I dye it and risk an uneven dye..??? It's possible. I am not a professional dyer.

It's a chance I might take. 

Onsdag

I am a sad, sad person.

Since I have no more deadline knitting for the time being, I have resorted to trying to finish a sweater I started....a year ago.

Yup I did say a year ago.

I took a new picture of it today, loaded it onto my Ravelry project page, and because I keep track of dates etc...It shows I have been knitting this sweater, in stockinette, for exactly 1 year and 4 days.

I have only 10 1/2" done.

I blame this on a few things.

#1 Deadline Knitting

Reason: Well I think the title explains it all. I had three a few deadlines in fact, so I had to set the sweater aside while I worked on those projects and the pattern writing etc etc.....

#2 Good Weather

Reason: Well in between my deadline knitting there was summer which makes me want to be outside. But it was more than just being outside in the good weather that put my sweater on hold. See #3

#3 Motorcycle

Reason: (yes that's me on my bike) If not for this love of my life fine piece of equipment, I would have been sitting outside in the sun knitting away on my sweater. Instead I was enjoying the breeze in my hair. Then came along deadlines #2 & #3.

So now I have resorted to taking it to work and when I have a minute to spare, I put on a few stitches. When I have a ten minute break, I add on a row or four.

When I come home from work, I am spinning my fleece for my sheep to sweater project.

So all in all by this coming fall/winter I hope to have 2 sweaters ready to wear. If I can accomplish this, then I can do anything!

Happy Knitting!

Tisdag

I was undecided what to do with my fleece that I had purchased from MS&W. 

Should I wash it myself?

Should I take it to the mill?

My first small test batch did not wash so well and considering last year, I ended up taking it to the mill. 

I decided that I would just do the same again this year. 

Well last night I decided to wash a second batch, but go about things a different way and read up a bit more on it before I tried again.

Viola!!!

Success. 

So I am thinking I will avoid the mill and continue on in my progress on making that sweater 100% myself.

I did the math on the cost of buying yarn for a sweater versus buying a fleece and doing it all by hand. The savings are ridiculous. The time and effort put into it is so worth it in the end for me.

Also I enjoy everything that goes into it:

Preparing, scouring, carding, spinning and knitting.

So far I have half a spindle full of singles that will be a dk weight yarn, which is perfect for the sweater I will be knitting. I only need about 1500 yds.

Oh boy, wish me luck!

MS&W Festival

I wasn't supposed to be going to the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival this year (even though I was going to Maryland anyways) But somehow I ended up there! No complaints from me.

I had a great time with two of the greatest people I know and I came home with a bag of 7.5 lbs of Romney fleece. I never spun Romney before but I thought I would give it a go.

I did wash some of it already and started to spin up some singles, but the rest is going to the mill. It's a lot to wash and hand card and to be honest, I truly love the way the mill has it all ready in a 'rope' for me to spin.

This is what I had spun up so far, not quite a bobbin full. 

My plan of action for the rest of the wool?  

Sweaters. 

This being first on the list!

Blackberry Cabled Cardigan, By: Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe

Oh yes, I am going to make myself some sweaters & cardigans. I am putting myself on a sweater project for the year. I have been wanting to do this for some time, but never have I gotten around to it. I read another blog, Knit/Wit, by a fellow Pennsylvanian and she did it last year and this year, and now I am getting my butt in gear to do it myself.

I just needed some motivation!!

Onsdag

So yesterday I have started another project for the boss lady using yarn from her own alpacas.

This time I am crocheting. I'm not very fond of the look of crochet unless it is a doily, however I am getting arthritis in my thumb and it is making it difficult for me to knit.

I am making 

Crochet Baby Set #106

I do like it. Though it took me some time to find a crochet pattern that I did not think was ugly. No offense to anyone who does prefer to crochet! We each have our preference, but clothing I usually choose to knit. 

So we will see how this turns out and hopefully it will go fast. So far so good!

Torsdag

Nefertem

By: Kirsten Kapur

I used a yarn that came straight from my boss' alpacas. It was more of a sport weight but it will be nice for winter. She has a show coming up next week and wanted some samples and this is one that will be there at the show.

I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Just waiting for it to dry and I have one more to finish up for her for next week, then I have more samples for her winter show to get knitted up!

Onsdag

I started another Rae, again.

By: Jane Richmond

I think this time I'll have success in finishing it.

It's for the boss' wife.

She and the bossman have an alpaca ranch and she has a show in two weeks. So I have till then to finish a shawl I started in her yarn and this.

No excuses!

Fredag

Though my Nefertem is quite larger than the picture shown,

It is coming along quite nicely.

I'm about to start the border.

I think my guess was a two day project, considering how far I am now and the fact that I was working full days, I would say that is still a fact.

Nothing exciting yet but wait till I start the border. Going to watch a movie & hopefully get close to finishing this puppy tonight!

Torsdag

So now that my deadline is finished and I am getting some real knitting done, I have started Nefertem by Kirsten Kapur.

At the moment I am knitting it for my boss, knitted with yarn from her very own alpacas.

She has a show she is doing and wants some items to be knit with her yarn and she asked me to help out.

I have some of my very own handspun that I will be using to make another of these for myself. I am very much in love with this simple, easy and beautiful design.

I would show you a picture, but I will save that for later when I have accomplished a bit more when there is something to show.

From the way this is going, I am guessing this is an easy two day shawl project!

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Kapur:

Through The Loops