Fiber, Yarn and Finished Product

 Two plied singles on bulky flyer. . .

 Two plied yarn on niddy noddy. . .

 Soaking in a no rinse wash to set twist. . .

 On the swift to be turned into a cake of yarn. . .

 Cake of yarn. . .

 Yarn ball with textured neck cowl. . .

Finished product: neck cowl.  Stitches / Yarn are thick and thin and inconsistent.  This is for me as it is the first product made on my Schacht Lady Bug Spinning Wheel and knitted by me.  I chose a stockinet stitch to show the textured fabric of the fibers.  I believe this was a Corriedale Pencil RovingI have purchased last year.  The color is almost the color of "Egg Nog", just in time for the Holidays!

Mr. Greenjeans Sweater from Knitty.com

I call this MS. Greenjeans and not MR.,but the pattern name really is Mr. according to http://www.knitty.com/  I love Knitty.com's website, there are so many lovely patterns to choose from. 

This was my very first sweater top down and I found it to be rather easy.  Sometimes the pattern directions were not too clear, but I had help from various people who helped along the way.  I used Lion Brand's Cotton Ease yarn, which is a cotton blend.  I was not too thrilled with the yarn but overall it performed rather well.  The color is Hazelnut, which in some lightings will have a tinge of dark mossy coloring and other times it looks like army green.  Interesting color which I came to love. 

I did have some trouble picking up the stitches along the edging and color.  Three time I had to start it and eventually found myself dropping from a needle size from #7 to #6.  Finally the edging was neater than with the previous size of #7.  The button I found in my stash of saved buttons and found the marbled effect to match nicely with the sweater's color. 

I hope to wear my new sweater at Rhinebeck this year.

WEBs Bus Trip to Massachusetts

I had the privilege of visiting the actual store and warehouse of one of my favorites yarn stores in the country.  For the most part I visited online and shopped online, but when I learned that several ladies from the knitting circle I belong to were going and invited me to sign up, I wasted no time.

What a wonderful experience!  Upon entering you are welcomed with goodies and a discount card for your entire order, excluding sale items.  The goody bag held a measuring tape, and small pieces of candy to keep your energy up and going as you navigate the store and the warehouse.  Well, let me tell you that warehouse is a small Costco layout!  Yarns are stacked upon racks and columns and each aisle is labeled the sort of yarn found in that particular aisle.  Just like when you go grocery shopping, this was 'yarn' shopping at its highest level!

I spent a good portion of time with a young woman who teaches spinning at the store.  She was lovely and very knowledgeable about fibers, textures, textiles, etc. and she gladly navigated me through the different spinning fibers and techniques.  I actually came away with an ounce of camel down.What a wonderful feel that fiber has!!  Can't wait to spin up a sample of that.

Next WEBs outing?? Watch out!! Larger bag to take with me for the all the stuff I will return with!!!

Jacob Spun Yarn Sampler

This is my first attempt at spinning fiber on my Schacht Lady Bug Spinning Wheel.  I used a sampler of Jacob Sheep Roving from Lorraine Perry of Schafewald Farm in Colorado.  She graciously sent me a small sampler of the roving to test it out to see if I liked it.  Well I liked it!!  Mine yarn came out thick and thin and I am making a sampler piece to see how the yarn behaves.  After I spun the yarn, I wound it on a niddy noddy, washed it in wool wash and let it dry then wound it up into a cake.

Spinning

Well I started my first spinning on my new Schacht Lady Bug Spinning Wheel.  Its harder than it looks and all four limbs are moving at the same time.  This is really perfect for me.  Its like driving a stick shift, but here you don't go anywhere only that your fiber eventually becomes 'yarn'.  In my case its thick and thin singles of yarn LOL.

My Latest Acquisition

Schacht's Lady Bug Spinning Wheel ~~ I will learn to spin rare and exotic fibers with this little treat.

Have you spotted the Lady Bug on the spinning wheel?  Each spinning wheel has its very own Lady Bug placed wherever the maker chooses, and no two spinning wheels have the Lady Bug in the same place.

The Emma Shrug ~ Pattern by Quince and Company

The Emma Shrug finally completed!!!

The Yarn Monkey Chronicles: Summer in Cold Spring

The Yarn Monkey Chronicles: Summer in Cold Spring

The Emma Shrug 100% Organic Linen

Quince and Company's Sparrow Yarn 100% Organic Linen

The Emma Shrug in Progress

Emma Shrug from Quince&Co.com 

 Quince and Company has a lovely array of patterns and yarns.  Check them out at www.quinceandco.com

I have started the Emma Shrug with the recommend yarn:  Sparrow made in Italy and 100% organic linen [168 yd/50g]

The stitch pattern is called Ribbon and so far so good. . .

Hansencraft E-Spinner Video by Designer and Manufacturer

Ireland Neck Warmer

This neck warmer was knit using Blue Sky Alpacas Hand Worsted Dye yarn in a caper green color; used US#9 needle and the buttons are shank style, leather knots purchased from MJTrimmings.  The pattern was purchased from Knitpicks.com.  This was a great exercise in cables and learning to read my cable twists.  The edging was a crochet scalloped edging which I did for the first time.  Seed/Moss stitch was between the cable edges and the crocheted scalloped edging.  In order to keep the consistent color in attaching the buttons, I split the yarn into two strands and used that to sew the buttons onto the neck warmer and then wove the remaining endings throughout to keep it neat.  The piece was blocked as the garter stitch edging tended to curl.

This yarn was really easy to work with and it did not split.  The pattern was also very easy to memorize and thus you don't need to carry instructions with you.  It was an eight row pattern repeat.  Hope my daughter enjoys wearing this, maybe not this season but next.

Kylie My Calico and Angora Hat - Conclusion

The hat was washed, blocked and dried.  Would like to report that the hat is alive and well!!! No damage to any of its extremities or fur. . .

Austin's Hat

KnitPicks 100% Wool knitted using US #3 & 5 Needles using two strands of two different variegated multicolored yarn.  The hat came out really nice and comfy!  From Louisa Hardings book Hats Gloves and Scarves.

Linda's Hat

Cloche Hat knitted in Berroco's Ultra Alpaca in Black on US # 5 and 7 Needles.  This is such an easy and fun hat to make.  The yarn has a good feel and doesn't split!  I hope Linda will like her hat!

Kylie My Calico and Angora Hat

I had to share this with all of you.  Last night while watching the news, my cat, Kylie, was making lots of noise.  Now you must understand Kylie thinks she is a 'dog'.  She is 17 pounds of pure cat and love.  She is very 'needy' and loves to be on my lap such as a lap dog!!

Well, going back to last night, I hear this commotion and figure she is just playing around on the stairs, etc.  Well she finally made it to where I was, and I noticed she had something in her mouth.  At first I got a little worried thinking 'mouse' but upon closer inspection she was carrying my very white 100% Angora handknitted hat that was just washed and rinsed this past weekend!!!!  I ran to her only to realize that was the wrong thing to do!  She ran w/hat in tow.  I finally got the hat out of her mouth and my beautiful Angora hat was so dirty and full of cat hair that I just wanted to scream!!!!

I immediately tried using the lint roller on it to no avail and so dumped it in the colander and sink and proceeded to wash and rinse, wash and rinse, wash and rinse my beautiful Angora!!!

Well, it is still drying and I have no idea how clean it will be.  Kylie is so smart and ingenious!  The hat was in my tote bag neatly put away, but somehow Kylie got hold of it.  I guess she thinks its a 'rabbit' and it must still have the scent of the rabbit in its fur.

Will let you know how the wash and rinsing of my hat turns out. . .

PS:  Kylie was quite content to have killed her prey.

The Irish Cabled Neckwear

Knitted with Cascade Eco Duo color way Latte and US #8 Needle.  This yarn is a blend of Alpaca and Merino Wool.  This yarn is one of those lovely luscious yarns you just want to continue knitting with.  I found it a little difficult tracking a retailer but I did online.  Try this yarn, you will love it.  This was a wonderful exercise in cable knitting, seed stitch, buttonholes and sewing the buttons onto the garment.  Feels wonderful around the neck!

HandMaiden's Quick Hat

This hat/cap was knitted using Super 100% Australian Merino purchased at The Stitch Therapy Brooklyn.  I believe this might not be available any longer, but don't quote me on it.  The hat has a squishy smoochie feel to it.  Love this yarn, the only thing I don't like about the yarn is that it splits a little too easy but otherwise it behaves nicely.

 Used US#13 for the body and US#10 for the top.

Key Hole Scarf (Pattern by Katherine Burgess)

Knitted with 100% Peruvian Prime Alpaca (poor man's cashmere).