Post Christmas 2011

I do hope you all had a very nice, good, pleasant, wonderful Christmas!

As for me it turned out very good - I had visits with my kids & new grandchild, though way too short in duration. There was an issue with one of their cars, and the winter weather arrived so when I was looking forward to sitting with everyone, they were on the way out the door & going home.

I didn't get to hand out my knitting. Oh darn!!!

The food was plentiful & tasty.  I think everyone was satisfied in that department.
Having everyone together was wonderful. So until next year....

But really, if I had the opportunity to skip Christmas I just might take it. My stress levels sky rocket, but enough of that.
Here is some of the fibre things that have been done. There are things that don't make it to the blog, like the rugs I weave, socks & hats knitted and all the mittens that I felt.

I've had the opportunity with a few days off to also visit with some dear friends. And now since this is probably my last post of 2011, I want to say thanks for visiting and I hope everyone's coming New Year is better than the last & you have wonderful things coming your way.

And take some time for yourself to enjoy whatever it is that you enjoy doing with spare time you may find. All the best to you.

Felted mittens & hat. Woad dyed & handspun Suffolk.

Silk Hankies, dyed for mitts. Knitted without spinning.

Megan's Sock Monkey

Megan's hat & mitts

Finished 2 ply yarn w. dyed roving (Falkland).

Dyed roving & spool of one of the single ply from yarn in picture at left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

November's New Spin & Knit

Custom handspun for Kim. 55% wool, 35% pomeranian, 10% kid mohair. 12 wpi. 230yds. before wet finishing.

100% Shetland toque. handspun. 11 wpi. natural colour in a very dark brown.

Merino/tencel. Shawlette with broken edge. Needs repair.

These are the projects lately.  The hat I was hoping would be more masculine, but I'm afraid it looks 'girly' because of the patterned knitting. In the photo it is hard to see, but it's destined for one of the fair maidens here. The shawl needs more work. Since I ran out a few inches from the end in the last row & also because I ripped an edge when I was spreading it out for drying after wet finishing I must now do something with the edge all around it. Or maybe I will just rip back an inch & finish it prematurely.
The yarn at the top was not my favourite project because I had dog hair all over me. It does not behave like wool & I am afraid it might smell funny if it gets wet at all. Anyway, I am glad it's done and it did actually turn out very pretty.

Checkerboard Mitts

Just a few minutes ago I finished a pair of double knit mittens for this year's line up of Christmas mittens. This is a pattern from Robin Hansen's 'Favorite Mittens' book.

Two different colours of yarn were used - one being walnut dyed British Milk Sheep (BMS) blended with 18% natural brown llama and the other 100% Suffolk wool in a natural off white. The photos show the mitts before their finishing soak.

The Suffolk was spun from the Fibre Gardens' rustic roving which I believe comes from a mill in Western Canada from Canadian sheep and the dark brown BMS was from a raw fleece I prepared myself which I drumcarded & blended.

Here is the technical info about the spinning:
BMS blend: 12 WPI. 4 TPI. 25 degree twist angle. Prep: drum carded & blended. Wheel: Lendrum 7.5:1 ratio for single. Plyed on Lendrum plying head on 6.5:1 whorl. 2 ply. Semi woollen. Short backward draw. Hot water soak & dry before knitting.

Suffolk: 12 WPI. 4.5 TPI. 25degree twist angle. prep: drum carded & blended. wheel: Lendrum 7.5:1 ratio for single. Plyed on Lendrum plying head on 6.5:1 whorl. 2 ply. Semi woollen. Short backward draw. Hot water soak & dry before knitting.

Checkerboard Mitts. Nov. 2011.

Walnut dyed. BMS & LLama blend.