It followed me home...

 We've been talking about this since before the earthquake. Finally, it was time to re-do our kitchen!! So, drum roll, please...

As best as I could, I tried to take the Before and After pictures at the same angles.

All I needed was tile for the backsplash, but the flower mosaic was so pretty, it followed me home.

Check out the handwoven towel and rug. (And you can see Julia and Sophie in the background.)

Just like my butcher block, I had this one counter made lower than standard. It's just the right height for me to knead and work at.

Ta da!!!

My nephew took a liking to the sheep I just finished knitting, so it followed him home. This is the third time I've used this pattern. I wanted to use up more of my old handspun.

A friend of a friend offered me the opportunity to pick some cotton. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but it followed me home.

This full 13-gallon bag reminds me of a pot of gold. In my right hand (your left) is cleaned cotton. On my left hand, are the seeds and plant matter that came out of it, along with the next bit to work on.

Do and Re-do

How many socks do you see? There are three.

 

The thing is, I always find some reason to rip out the first sock in a pair. Three socks here, too.

By the time I was done trying different patterns, I didn't have enough left of the braid to use for its original purpose. Back to the drawing board...the braiding loom.

I noticed something like black ash all over myself every time I wore this hat. After 14 years, the hat was still fine, but the band was eroding. Now, I have a one of a kind hatband that I made!

I showed this fiber in my last post.

As I started spinning it, I realized that if I wasn't careful, the bits of color got buried in the core of the yarn. Once I got the hang of it, it was an interesting and quick spin. 

There's no before picture, but how pretty is the after? It's a silk/yak blend I picked up at Weff this year.

I've never spun with this kind of preparation (how it was handled between cocoon and my getting it).

Now that it's spun, my standard question applies, what will it be? I guess it'll go into the drawer for now.

I had planned on turning the hems under for these rugs, but I didn't like the way they looked. So, I picked out all the machine sewing before I could tie knots with all the warp ends.

Finished rug of three.

Leftover yarn from another project became this knit, child's sweater. There was no specific pattern, so I started with a diagram of standard measurements. My design process is to knit up and rip out until I like what I see. It's lucky I enjoy knitting. The back took three tries, the collar about six.

Currently on my Suzie wheel. Usually, I spin just like you would braid, from one end of the fiber to the next. This time, I've been practicing spinning "from the fold". Just like it sounds, bend a piece in half and start twisting from the fold. It's supposed to make a shiny fiber shinier. And even though it's a fine yarn, instead of being dense, like thread, it should be a little squishier.

This and That

With our old placemats getting worn out, I needed new ones and thought I might learn something by using someone else's pattern.

I ordered a "warp to go" kit from Vavstuga. The colors and yarns come already chosen and there's minimal math left to do. The result is seven placemats and a runner.

I've been wanting to knit a summer, lace sweater for myself with this cotton/linen yarn, Juniper Moon Farm, Zooey, for quite a while.

 Even though it turned out well, it's not what I had in mind.

So, for my next sweater, when I knitted up a small sample of the stitch called for in the Rowan pattern, Landscape by Martin Storey, with a a pretty, gray, tweedy yarn in my stash (Classic silky wool, a wool/silk/nylon blend), and didn't like the resultant cloth, I decided to go off-road. A pattern is not a rule, I can use it as a suggestion. There are no "yarn police".  

 A few trials later, and I found this stitch. To me, it looks tailored, like a herringbone.

And the stitch works perfectly with this boxy bodice and fitted sleeves!

I didn't expect to like the style on my body type. I don't. I love it!

How long has it been since I've used my marudai? Years! I brought it out to do some kumihimo (think fancy, Japanese lanyards).

I sewed myself a pair of pajama bottoms with a color coordinated, Karen-made drawstring. 

This is Sari silk. I don't know how it's made. My guess, based on no facts whatsoever, is that the old saris are used as curtains, couches and wallpaper. Then, a bunch of cats are sent into the room and allowed to have at it. Do you have a better idea?

And here's a pretty picture of Gingie showing off among the poppies.

On Suzie, I've spun up this RedFish 50/50 Silk/Superfine Merino.

And made it into 556.5 yds of two ply yarn.

Next up is this soft fiber I just picked up at WeFF.

I've dressed Julia with this gamp kit from Halcyon, but I've barely gotten started. I tend to be a monogamous weaver. Right now, I'm focused on the rugs on Sophie.

The original plan was to use up some stash warp and weft. Drab, I know. 

Then, I happened on this bag of Pendleton selvedges at WeFF. The colors didn't wow me, but I thought they might be okay with my blah warp. 

Just okay? It's great!

Taking my time

After finishing so many projects, I'm taking my time with the next ones.

And even taking my time, these baby blankets went pretty fast. They were all on the same warp and are all about the same size, but I didn't beat as hard on one of them. Can you tell which?

I didn't realize until I was trying to take some artsy pictures that this blanket's colors are the same as the colors of the bush and its flowers!

All the yarns are 8/2 cotton from my stash. 

The design is similar to one I saw on a Vavstuga video.

I've never woven from a kit before. It's like a mini-class, teaching me some fun facts about this kind of weaving as I go along. I ordered the yarn and pattern from Vavstuga. I'll have some placemats and a runner when I'm done.

I'm taking my time, knitting a sweater. 

Being somewhat housebound, I thought this would be a great opportunity to catch up a little on some of my fiber stash. But, I like to spin barefoot or in stocking feet, so when the house is cold I don't get much done. So, I'm taking my time spinning up this fiber, called Sari Silk.