Projects on the Go

I had a few projects on the go this week:

1. Socks for hubby
2. Gansey Fingerless Mitts by Beth Reinsel
3. Mystery KAL mitts led by Donna Druchunas
4. Spinning for the above KAL
5. Planning a loom project for the Lervad

Update:

1. One done, one in the finishing stretch - ankle to cuff. Socks for hubby.
2. Finished, blocked and tested. Gansey Fingerless Mitts by Beth Brown Reinsel
   

   

   Looks like they are worn over coat cuff.

3. On hold until Clue 3 is released today. Mystery KAL mitts led by Donna Druchunas.
4. In progress and waiting for me to get there. Spinning for the above KAL.
5. Books and paper are on my desk. Must gather the weft together. Planning a loom project to use my Olds Master Spinner yarns to make a 'think back on' blanket.

Books being read this week or finished:

1. Slade House. David Mitchell. This was on my list for a couple of years. Glad I read it. Well worth the read. Well written.
2. Crust and Crumb. Peter Reinhart. Bread making book. I have picked up some much sought after info that I may have not remembered from my earlier bread making days. Good book.
3. Women's Work: The First 20,000 years. Elizabeth Wayland Barber. I have wanted to read this for a few years now. Excerpt from dust cover - 'For over 20,000 years, until the Industrial Revolution, the fiber arts were an enormous economic force, belonging primarily to women...In most books on ancient history and economics there isn't even an index entry for cloth or clothing, despite the enormous toil required in making them...The author presents the untold human side...the relations of women and their textile work to society and economics over the huge span of prehistoric and early historic times.' 
4. Buried. C. J. Carmichael. Fiction. In progress. Not too bad. Still reading-a good sign.

Gansey Socks

Just finished last night.

Will add to Xmas gift stash for a lucky lady with cold feet.  I just happen to know two young ladies that fit that description.

Gansey Socks

Also working on a new sweater project which will take me from unspun fleece to a finished sweater. 

This is a blend of Merino X Romney (which is incredibly soft), little New Zealand Merino, Alpaca top and Tussah silk top. 

As this time I am unsure about the colour - I may dye the skeins or maybe the carded batts will take a detour to the dye pot. Lots of time to decide. Right now I am at the sampling stage and carding.

Sample skein of Merino X Romney, Merino, Alpaca & Silk

The sample skein has been washed and I am waiting for it to dry to do the sample swatch. There are a few calculations to go through first. In another post I will go into more detail.

 

Fleece to Sweater Swatch