A Little of Everything

I didn't think I'd been doing much fiber work until I started pulling up the pictures. I've been doing a little of everything.

Those bags of cotton I'd been picking at are now cleaned and carded. When they're prepared like this, they're called rolags.

I knit two hoodies, but only have a picture of this one. To make it, I blended two patterns.

Before Julia moved on to live and play with another weaver, we finished this gamp. 

I sewed a second pair of pajama bottoms. Some braiding that was left from the last couple of kumihimo projects worked perfectly for the drawstring.

How cool is this?! I knit a tank top! The pattern is June Top Light from Petiteknit.com. The yarn is Summerlite 4 ply from Rowan.  

And this Moby Sweater is from the same designer. I'm having a blast with it! Most of the sweater knitting I've done has been knit bottom up, this is top down.

I wove these kitchen towels maybe twenty some years ago. After hemming the edges, they almost look like new.

The dry creek bed I've been working on...wasn't. Our rain gauge only measures up to five inches and it was full! Within a couple of days, all this water had soaked in. (In the background, you can see the California Lilac and Mahonia in bloom. Soon, all the bright green in this picture will be poppies!

This is a waffle weave pattern I've used before from Simple Weaves, Sophie and I are making some kitchen towels

...with the assistance of my littlest apprentice. 

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. 

Getting Loads Done!

 Finally! I'm getting loads done!

I hemmed and gifted the placemats that were woven on Julia.

I've been wanting to try paisley baby blankets on my drawloom for so long! Go back to this page to see the prep.

These were So Much fun!!!

Vavstuga is offering a subscription to their Basics class with an online weaving school.

These runners are made with an 8/2 cotton warp and 22/2 cottolin weft.  I used a piece of grosgrain ribbon as a template for the stripes. It's an easy way to keep track, so that I don't have to count each weft throw.

I made two runners for me and a square (for Mom's little table).

Project #2 was cottolin warp and tow linen weft. I was nervous about using linen, but it wasn't nearly as difficult as I'd heard.
And by the way, both the towels and runners were stash busters!

The worsted weight yarn I ordered to make my younger son a hoodie didn't give me the cloth I expected, so I had to order some chunky. Instead of returning the worsted, I picked a pattern and knit it up just to keep my hands busy while waiting. Lucky for her, it fit Mom just right!

And then I made the requested hoodie. Finding a zipper online should be easy. It wasn't. I finally gave up and braved the big box fabric store (that shall not be named). Look how well the sweater came out! 

Some three years ago, I put this sweater in the naughty corner. It was done except that the front was curling underneath and I didn't want to deal with it. A couple weeks ago, I took the sweater out, planning to take it apart to reuse the yarn. My knitting, support group (Zoom) talked me down from that ledge.

I misted the front with some water and pinned it flat to dry. And during that same store excursion, I bought some decorative, grosgrain ribbon. In my button collection, I found these fun hooks and eyes (the label says: Istanbul Ant. Silver). It's a keeper!!

The knitted and felted clogs have been gifted. (I'm wearing mine right now!)

I made this 3mos size sweater for the soon to be here grandbaby.


And a reversible, double-knit cotton jacket.

Check out the different buttons on both sides!

And, of course, baby will need a collection of toys. Wooly Mammoth should do for a start.

And a mini me for baby's sibling.