Chronicles of the Lazy Knitter
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Chronicles of the Lazy Knitter

Green in Winter

I really enjoyed working with these lovely green batts! They are also superwash with bamboo silk and angelina. Plus it's a blend of lovely dark greens, not just one color.



There was quite a bit more than this and it made 2 skeins of DK weight 2-ply, one 330 yds approx 5.3 oz, and one 180 yds approx 2.9 oz.







I even had singles left over so I spun up some other light green batts to ply with them.



The third skein also came out a DK weight, 2-ply 260 yds approx 3.8 oz. All are available in my Etsy shop.




Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/26/2012 11:30 AM | Add Comment

Pink Twinkle Handspun

Just so you know, I don't have anything off the Majacrafts yet to post! I am working on some things but I'm not up to plying just yet.



This lovely pile of fluff is superwash and bamboo silk, part of the end-of-run bundle I bought this summer from Dyeing for Color. The little bag of pink pencil roving was a lucky match I had in my stash! I spun the batts on the plump side but spun the pencil roving extra fine, then plied them.



I was especially pleased that this made more of a semi-solid pink. It's wonderfully soft and fluffy! 2-ply, Aran weight, 165yds, approx 2.9 oz (83 gms).

 

Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/25/2012 11:00 AM | Add Comment

A Little Fun For Tuesday

I thought I'd share an interesting LINK with you to a story about spinning and weaving - of all things - Spanish Moss! I have read stories about spinning Milkweed fluff and other natural softies but Spanish Moss? That's got to be a fiber right up there with hemp or nettles! Anyways, I hope you enjoy it!
And for the fun, here's a photo of knitter's wine glasses! Personally I'd have stockingette on the bottom! It may be a bit boring to some people but lace knitting definitely needs more than that skimpy amount of vino! LOL! I have to be very relaxed and undistracted for that! And the ripping out? Chuck the wine glass and get a tankard! Cheers all!


Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/24/2012 10:59 AM | Add Comment

Free Spinning Book Draw

Thought I would share this LINK with you to have a chance to win a copy of Lexi Boeger's newest spinning book, Handspun: New Spins on Traditional Techniques. There is also a video tutorial on how to create tail spun yarn plus close-ups of the pages from the book that tell you how. It's a legit book promotion to encourage sales so why not pop on over and leave a comment?



Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/19/2012 11:02 AM | Add Comment

Introducing...

At long last, I am no longer wheel-less! I had narrowed my choices to a Schacht Matchless, a Majacraft Rose or a Kromski Minstrel. I didn't really feel I could take on the price of a new wheel so I searched for something used. And although I found a Matchless it was in the USA and the shipping was right out of this world since it couldn't be disassembled so I kept on looking. I was determined not to fixate on one model over another but to let fate make the choice for me! Yes, a bit of a risky gamble... sort of... and then I found a used Rose Majacraft on Ravelry! Although it came from Ontario the shipping was still fairly high but I got the wheel itself for a good price so that helped. She arrived on Friday and it didn't take me long to get her out of the box!



In this photo I have the flyer assembly on the right but after spinning for a bit I realized I am much happier with it on the left since my left hand is my drafting hand. I have nothing but good things to say - I am really, really satisfied with how this wheel performs! It suits my spinning style and I revel in having excellent wheel control again with just my feet! She is sturdy, well built and quiet too! I have learned to sit well away from her so treadling is smooth and easy. It took me a bit to get used to the delta (instead of an orifice tube) but once I got the hang of it I've had no trouble with broken singles.
Not bad for a choice made by fate, eh? But wait! There's a little more to this story! While I was cruising the Ravelry selling groups wheel hunting I came across an ad for another Majacraft wheel - a Millie! She is new but has a crack in one leg. She came from a dealer so was not selling for new price because of the damage. In addition, the Millie is a discontinued wheel, Majacraft doesn't make them any more. She takes all the Majacraft parts like bobbins and flyers so she and Rose could share things. I just "knew" I wasn't likely to come across a new one again any time soon, so thanks to a very successful Year End Clearance sale in my Etsy Shop I purchased Millie too! Not exactly part of my original plan but I'm SO not sorry I did!



Being a new wheel, Millie didn't come assembled but I enjoyed getting to know her by putting her together. She doesn't fold but she's a nice wheel for taking somewhere because she's so compact.



I loosened off the screws in the cracked leg and used some good quality carpenter's glue. I had planned to clamp the repair until the glue set but no matter how I tried I couldn't get a clamp to hold the way I needed it to so I used the handyman's secret weapon. No, not duct tape - in a house full of linemen I used electrical tape because it stretches but pulls back towards it's original length so I got a good tight seal. The other bonus is it doesn't leave glue residue like duct tape does.



So here are my two girls, Millie and her big sister Rose. I love Millie's little "chair". It's so convenient to put my fiber or lazy kate on it! Millie's speed is more like my Baynes but Rose - oh she's a fast wheel! I can see myself spending many happy hours introducing her to members of my stash! LOL!
 

Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/18/2012 6:36 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment

Friday Freebie Scarves

Not that I'm a big scarf knitter - only 2 in my knitting career - but I know they are popular, especially this time of year! They have a reputation for being tedious knits about mid-way through so I tried to select patterns that hopefully will keep your attention and enthusiasm for the entire knit!



This Cable Twist Scarf and Hat set from Lion Brand is a great way to finally master cable knits. What a great showcase for your handspun (3-ply for good stitch definition) or a soft semi-solid indie dyed yarn!



This Firefly Scarf from Classic Elite is a lovely showcase for silk yarn or maybe a fine linen blend so you can wear it year-round as an accessory. Of course you could always knit it in a lovely wool or wool blend and enjoy it all winter too!



This gorgeous Alpaca Lace Scarf also from Classic Elite is also a great showcase for your handspun lace weight or maybe even something a little heavier like sport weight. Add a few repeats width-wise and length-wise and you'd have a lovely wrap instead!



This simple and sweet Awareness Scarf, also from Classic Elite would be a fairly fast project. I can't help but think that a cashmere or angora in a blend would make this a real treasure!
Hopefully one of these will entice you to do a little stash-dipping. There's always a special skein tucked away waiting for a "certain yardage" project. Enjoy!

Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/14/2012 11:48 AM | Add Comment

Instead Of Spinning...

In my spinning world there is good news and there is not so good news. The good news is I have actually purchased a new wheel! Yippee! The not so good news is I have to wait for it to arrive because it is in transit. *sigh!*
Not that I am short of things to do (she says, counting the UFO baskets) but simply that I really miss spinning every night. So I am really putting my effort into getting those 5 pairs of work socks knit so that when my new friend arrives I can devote all my attention to it, rather than feel guilty every time I sit to spin because the socks aren't finished.
Now I tend to be a rather restless knitter, meaning I don't often just sit and knit. I can carry on a conversation or watch something, like movies. Only right now I decided to enjoy something I've had sitting around since last Spring!



It's a wonderful trio of spinning DVDs with Judith MacKenzie! All three are from Interweave and although I had expected some overlap in content, I was pleasantly surprised at how little there was! Judith is by far my favorite video teacher. I like her gentle voice and her off-hand style of teaching. She's not a drill sergeant and she's not a member of the spinning police. She just wants to impart information that will help you to spin better and I find it a pleasure to listen to her. The camera work in these DVDs is much better than in previous videos so you see more close-ups of her hands and yarns. It's very much like being there.
 The Gentle Art of Plying was a great inspiration and she demonstrated several techniques I am looking forward to trying. It also helped me see plying as not "the last job" to finishing, but an important component to creating yarn and what a big difference it can make!
Spinning Luxury Fibers was also wonderful! The first thing I learned is that I do spin silk correctly even though I thought (previously) that not drawing backwards was because I was a poor spinner. From this DVD I learned that my instinct was correct and that in future I shouldn't be so ready to condemn myself for inchworming things, that in fact, some fibers require that. Not all fibers can be spun with a modified long draw! What a liberating thought! I was so happy! (especially considering how some teachers go on and on about it!). I especially liked the section on Bison fiber as I have about 8 ounces of a blend in my stash I've been reluctant to spin because it looks so odd. Now that I know something about how best to handle it I'm looking forward to having a go at it!
Of the three DVDs, A Spinner's Toolbox is the one I know I'm going to watch a few more times. There's so much in it that I need to hear over and over. It is, by far, the most information dense. I found I couldn't watch it casually like I did the other two. Well, I suppose I could, but I wouldn't get as much out of it! If you want a really comprehensive tool to help you learn basic drafting techniques, this is the one! The others were very good at covering their topics and certainly worth the investment but this one is by far the one I will benefit most from. Good thing I only have 2 pairs of socks left to go! I'm counting down the days... hopefully Monday or Tuesday.....

Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/12/2012 4:47 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

PhatFiber Samples

Since December went by in a whirl of poor internet I thought I'd show you my samples for both December and January.



December's theme was Childhood favorites. I made these adorable roving snowmen with samples of some new spinning fiber in my Etsy Shop. It's such a soft, lovely pindrafted roving! This fiber is the lambswool (1st shearing) from some Corriedale-cross lambs. I made them pipecleaner arms that wrap around a candy cane (what child didn't love that?). Then I packaged them in cute little Christmas tree bags.



I also made stitch markers - Christmas trees! You can't get much more popular with children than that! I made these as a box exclusive, I didn't make them for my shop.



January's theme is Luxe, as in really deluxe or expensive. I thought about the princess who wanted the moon to wear on a chain around her neck. Being winter, I thought about the impermanent nature of snowflakes and decided they were the perfect thing. An unmeltable snowflake! Of course, unlike real snowflakes, these are identical.



These are the ones I made for my Etsy Shop, a little different style, with frosted accent beads.

Continuing the Luxe theme, I also made mini-skein samples of the Corriedale-cross yarn. It's such nice yarn I can't help but think that if people get a chance to handle it, they'll appreciate how nice it is (an maybe buy some!). It was the first time I got to use my mini niddy noddy. One complete wrap is a yard so it really made it easy to make sample skeins that were all the same length! I made about 25 mini-skeins and I don't mind saying it gave me new respect for box contributors who do this every month! The part I disliked was fiddling around trying to tie the skeins before taking them off the Niddy Noddy. What I really needed was a third hand. So hats off to all those mini-skeiners! I salute you!




Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/11/2012 3:47 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Friday Freebies and Blogoversary Winners

A million thanks to everyone who entered my blogoversary draw! If anyone tried to leave a Comment and was blocked, I apologize! In my control panels the post said Comments were open so I don't know why it was giving some of you problems! I am glad to see that everyone who emailed me was actually able to leave a comment and so was entered in the draw. The winners have been notified by email, so, Ann, Kimberly, Clementine, Miranda and Ginger, please check your inbox and reply to my email with your address, OK? Thank-you again! I hope my internet improves over 2012!

For the first Friday Freebies of the New Year I wanted to have a couple of really great patterns. I hope you think they are!



The Posh Neck Scarf from Classic Elite is a sweet, quick knit that just oozes possibilities! Knit it in cashmere or angora! Break out a superb skein of indie dyed handspun and turn this classic little ditty into something spectacular! Or go with a classic naturally creamy white wool so it will cuddle your neck and go with everything you wear!



If you're looking for more of a challenge, how about this Crowded Cable Shrug from Lion Brand? Totally textured, knit it up in a beautiful solid and let your stitches sing!




If you're a crocheter, how about this Subtle Sparkle Shawl from Caron Naturally? Three tiered in a bold color palette or more subtle in a silk blend yarn, it's a versatile first-of-the-year project you can use all year round!
Happy New Year all! Enjoy!

Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/7/2012 6:01 PM | Add Comment

Merino Silk Handspun



I only have a few pre-Lendrum skeins left to show you, then I'm out of handspun pictures until I get a new spinning wheel! Frankly I'm already suffering from fiber withdrawal! Although knitting work socks qualifies as "relaxing" the thick yarn is quite a work out for my hands. I never realized how much I looked forward to spinning every night to relax and unwind! Although my plying wheels are fine for plying or art yarn (and aside from the fact they're single treadle) the drive ratios are very low so you have to treadle like mad to put enough twist in fine singles. My fiber shredded so many times I eventually gave up because I was just getting tired of re-starting any time I slacked off on my treadling.
This lovely bundle is a Merino silk blend with short color changes - not my favorite thing to spin, for sure, but the colors are lovely! I chain plied it to preserve the colors which means a heftier weight yarn.



A buttery-soft skein, 313 yards of 3-ply, approx 4 ounces, so it's a comfortable DK weight. 75% Merino, 25% silk. I called it Summer Shadows and gave it a spot in my Etsy Shop. Cheers!




Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/4/2012 11:35 AM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Custom-Spun Corriedale-cross Yarn



It was with great jubilation I opened a box from A&B Fiberworks this week! The last 2 fleeces from Val at Wooly Wool of The West arrived, processed and custom spun! It's a lovely soft 3-ply yarn, worsted weight and about 200 yds per skein. The fleeces were from 2 year olds and I was very pleased that they weren't terribly full of veg either! The fleeces were crimpy and full of life and Anne did such a great job capturing that in this yarn! It has a very pleasant hand and isn't scratchy at all. It will make fabulous Aran sweaters or mitts or touques! I posted it in my Etsy Shop and made my own labels for it. And if Aran isn't your thing, I know it takes dye well too! Some lucky commenter will win a skein in my blogoversary draw on Friday, so make sure you've left a comment to be entered, OK?

Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/3/2012 3:23 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment

The Elizabeth Zimmerman Mocassin Sock

Well, it's that time of year again - in fact my son tells me I'm several months late - for knitting him some new work socks! No let me be clear - I am happy to knit him socks, but it's always so depressing that the cuffs stay in great shape and the toes and heels are shot. Then it occurred to me that I had read something about that very idea in one of Elizabeth's books and eventually found my way into her Knitter's Almanac. She had indeed given long consideration to this dilemma and engineered a resole-able sock, based on a baby bootie pattern.



I started the first "test" sock without making a gauge swatch (brilliant, no?). I reasoned that my regular toe-up pattern used 40 stitches and hers called for 44 so I figured they were close enough I'd end up with a more or less useable sock. I mean, how much difference could 4 stitches make?? Yes, I can hear you chuckling! At this gauge, (4 stitches to the inch) it makes a difference! But I digress!
The first modification I made is that her pattern calls for the cuff to be knit flat then seamed. D'oh! Out came the DPNs and I finished it in the round. Then you knit down the instep and around the end of the toe. Then stitches are picked up all around the edge of the sole and the bottom finished on a small circ going round and round. Totally bizarre when you're knitting with only her pithy written instructions and NO pictures! The heel is an odd little triangle you make using short rows. I discovered that if I wrapped the turns they were more firm and less hole-y as her instructions didn't mention wrapping the turns. I felt this was an important improvement. At any rate it took me almost a week to complete the test sock and nearly 2 weeks to complete the first pair after making all the adjustments my son needed after he tried on the test sock.
And of course, being a total stranger to Kitchener stitch, since I make all my regular socks toe-up and seamless, I did a nasty poor job sewing up the seam on the sole of the test sock. So now I'm done the first pair, with marginally better seams, and waiting for him to come home on New Year's to try them out. Wish me luck - I'm not sure he's going to like them as well as my regulars but I figured it was worth a try because next year I'd rather be re-soling than knitting from scratch again!



Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/2/2012 1:11 PM | Add Comment

Happy Happy New Year! Blogoversary Prizes Too!

No talk of "resolutions" I'm just grateful to be on the right side of the turf and that all of you are too! Happy, prosperous and contented New Year to you all!



And it wouldn't be January 1st without a pile of Blogoversary prizes!
You know the rules: Leave a comment to be entered. One entry per person. Please mention if there's any prize you don't want. I will notify winners by email so please use a "real" one when leaving a comment. Winners have 3 days to respond or their prize goes to someone else. Draw will be made Friday Jan 6th so check your inBox then! I use random.org to generate the winning  comment numbers.

Prizes, in no particular order:



A copy of French Girl Knits



A copy of Easy Kids Knits - it includes mitts, hats and a toy too, if you don't have kids to knit for...



A 200 yd skein of custom spun Corriedale-cross wool yarn



2 skeins of Regia Bamboo sock yarn



An opaline glass top whorl drop spindle from my Etsy Shop with a generous wad of Mohair blend spinning fiber!

Happy New Year all! I love hearing from you! Cheers!




Posted by Gloria Patre at 1/1/2012 3:18 PM | View Comments (17) | Add Comment
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