Grizzly Sweater

This is my top down raglan named Grizzly after a budgie.

The lighter part is hand spun and dyed by me.  I feel like pulling out the spinning wheel today but I think I might save my strength and fibre/fiber for the Tour De Fleece this year.  I am in the middle of turning the heel of my second Vestigial sock (the 3rd pair).  Can't wait to finish it and a million other projects.

It's feeling a bit more summery here.

From Song Of The Open Road   by Walt Whitman

Listen! I will be honest with you,

I do not offer the old smooth prizes, but offer rough new prizes,

These are the days that must happen to you:

You shall not heap up what is call’d riches,

You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve,

You but arrive at the city to which you were destin’d, you hardly settle yourself to satisfaction before you are call’d by an irresistible call to depart,

You shall be treated to the ironical smiles and mockings of those who remain behind you,

What beckonings of love you receive you shall only answer with passionate kisses of parting,

You shall not allow the hold of those who spread their reach’d hands toward you.

Remake No. 2

When I first started knitting garments, I decided I wanted to learn how to make sweaters out of my hand spun yarn.  Maybe the reason behind this was due to being slightly intimidated by normal knitting patterns.  Also I just wanted to knit the simplest of designs. I tried to learn how to make pieces that fit me.  I love to learn how to do things.  It all began with learning how to knit t toppers because I also wanted to knit in the round.  As great as the process was, I found I didn't really want to wear t toppers.  I made three.  I have ripped out two and reknitted them.  I will be tackling the 3rd soon.  This is the second t topper that got frogged and reknitted.  I spun all the yarn used.  I didn't dye it.  Purchased the dyed top off Felt Studio Uk years ago.  The natural coloured wool is Blue Faced Leicester which is always dreamy.

Lexi met a pal today and they had a great time.

Look at them ears xxx Love Love Love xxx

Lights Out

Sunday was a comically trying day.  My handbag strap broke in a shop when I thought was over the worse of it.  The night ended with the shock of the town's lights going out.  Note to oneself, buy more candles.  The top photo was from Sunday and when the lights went out.  I knitted for a bit by candlelight then headed to bed, laughing at the events of the day.

The Autumnal coloured socks are another pair of Vestigials by Hedgehog Fibres.  It is a colourway from one of the LHogan Sock Clubs that I dyed.  It is a 2 ply high twist merino and nylon yarn.  The other sock yarn I dyed as well and is going to be another pair of Vestigials.  I dyed this yarn when I first started dyeing yarn.  There is a time, a place and a pattern for every yarn.  You might be waiting years or minutes but it's great when it all clicks and comes together.

The sweater or sea of stockinette stitch is a top down raglan that I started years ago.  I needed another needle that I finally got.  It is two lace weight yarns that are knitted together.  I dyed both lace yarns.  Not that into lace shawls, so I might be knitting up my lace yarns as sweaters and cardigans.  I love the marled look at the moment. Marled definition

Frozen Grape

I am reknitting a sweater and this time adding a bit of Studio Donegal into the mix so it will be long sleeved.  I have plenty of the Studio Donegal but I don't know if I have enough of the Shetland handspun yarn to finish the body.  I'll figure something out.  Necessity is the mother of all invention and I am sure some sweater designs and changes are due to the running out of a certain colour.

This is another sweater that I am working on.  This is my knitting landscape, project bags and projects on the go.  I made the stitch marker.  They are so much fun to make.

And in keeping with the purple theme, this is one of my note card designs called Louise Dark Purple and it can be purchased in my Ellie and Ada Etsy Shop.

Or it can come on a range of products like this lovely throw cushion on Society6.

Sunday

The goal for today is to finish this sweater.  It should be quick and easy enough.  Just a matter of doing it!  I started two new hats and a pair of socks yesterday.  It's not like I finished any projects!?!

I dyed some yarn last night.  I boiled some avocado skins and stones to make dye.  I dyed some sock yarn with the avocado dye. The colour achieved was similar to old lady tights. I added some acid dye to four of the five skeins.  I partially dyed them, keeping some of the avocado dyed areas.  Maybe using avocados to dye fabric gives a more exciting result.

I am going to attempt this sleeve and watch the series Daniel Deronda on Netflix.  I just finished rewatching Downton Abbey.  It is such a shame that Netflix only has 3 seasons.

I am hoping to make some more chutney and use up some more apples.  I think I will try to make soup as well.  I made some chicken stock and really need to use it today!

Finishing Projects

I started this sweater ages ago.  I guess I really didn't want to knit it during the warmer months this summer.  I'd like to finish it before starting another sweater or any other projects.

I finished the Vestigial socks.  I love them.  They are knitted with a smaller needle and only have 56 stitches.  I normally knit plain socks with 2.5 mm.  I would tend to be a looser knitter.  Also because the Vestigial socks are ribbed, they are a nice fit.

I also dyed the yarn used in the second pair of Vestigial socks.

A.A. Milne

Today was a lovely day so I was able to do some drawing outside.  I was messing with some inks.  I haven't painted or worked with inks in many years.  It was fun enough to mess around in the sun even though it felt a bit rusty.

I am hoping to finish a knitting project soon.  I'd just would love to finish what I am working on so I can start using them and also to share the photos. The handspun sweater that I have been working on is almost finished.  I just realised that the new ball/skein of yarn that I started is a different fibre/type of wool.  I will need to search my stash to see if I have another one.  I have everything done except the collar and half of one arm.

Lao Tzu

Trying to think what to write!  Lao Tzu is a hard act to follow.  I'm telling you!  I am grateful for the love and support that I do get.  Also I think we can do the unthinkable when taking care of and protecting loved ones.

I did make the courgette loaf/zucchini bread and it was a hit.  Lexi tested a fallen raisin from a slice I was eating and she looked like she fell in love herself.

I'm making progress with the hand spun, raglan top down sweater.  I separated the sleeves from the body and am now working on the body of the sweater.  I'll share photos as soon as I take some.

Jumpstart

Sometimes, it seems that there is always so much to do.  I know someone who is near and dear to me and she says when she walks in a room she only sees what needs to be cleaned and tidied.  I will not compare myself to Marie Curie but I always feel that there is a lot that remains to be done.

I am going to start a hand spun, top down raglan sweater with this hand spun yarn, I dyed.  I think the wool is Falkland.  I'll have to check.  I love knitting simple sweaters.  Not smart to start new sweater, when I have so much to finish but I like to have a simple sweater on the go when I want some auto pilot knitting, especially when I am so tired.  I always like having a seamless, top down sweater on the go because when you don't feel like trying things on and figuring out when to stop decreasing for sleeves, it's great to knit these great big seas of stockinette stitch without worry.  I was so wrecked last night, I only managed to get a few lines of a swatch done before falling asleep.  My big feather cushion, that I sewed the cover for, was my accomplice.

I'm going to tidy up a bit then maybe do a little bit of sewing and then I am going to swatch for my new raglan sweater.  I will restart that scarf.  I'll work on the scarf in the mornings instead of socks until I get the scarf finished.  

Enjoy your Sunday.  I think I might need another cup of coffee to jumpstart me.

New Strawberry Tote Bag At the Trim Vintage Car Show

I made another tote bag with an recessed zipper.  The pattern on the fabric is really cute, it's yellow with strawberries.  I am also wearing a strawberry t shirt.  I'm feeling summery and coordinated despite the grey skies.  I also knitted the bright, emerald green sweater.

I feel that this bag came out better than last weekend's attempts.  I didn't bother adding any pockets on the inside but am hoping that future bags will have all the bells and whistles.  I am happy with the length of the bag strap.  I am actually thinking of sewing maybe a back pack or a bag that can go across from me.  I'm not mad on backpacks but I'm thinking it might be good for my back.

It feels good to use up the fabric stash.  I would have sewn more this weekend but the lack of interfacing held me back.   Wish I had an endless supply!  I sewed a little zipper pouch using an old printed sample I did in NCAD.  It turned out alright.  I hope to photograph it this week to share.

The Trim Vintage Car Show was great.  I love the festivals in Trim.  The Haymaking Festival is my favourite.  I love the little goats the best.  I love the different colours of the vintage cars.  I love the teals and the mint colours especially.  It makes me think that each decade have their own set of colours.  So many things, that we don't think about are driven by trends.  We can even glance at a car and guess its age due to the paint colour.

I have a bit of good news.  I now have printed cards in the shop.  This notecard was the first of many to come.  Just getting the cards photographed and then they will be available.  I am delighted to now be able to supply my drawings on notecards.

Keiko

Just got informed that Society6 selected this print Keiko to be in the Society6 shop.  Delighted, so I am.

Going to Netflix it up now and finish a cardigan!  Can't wait for it to be finished, so I can dedicate more time to the new cardigan that I started.  Also want to get the last set of increases done on the new cardigan, so I can go to the Stitch and Bitch in the library tomorrow.  Haven't gone since December.

Preppy School Uniform

Almost finished my other stripey cardigan.  This is the next one.  I am using yarns that I had for (too) many years.  Love the colours.  Reminds me of a school uniform.  Unfortunately, any uniform that I had in a school was pretty hideous.  Bottle green and gone off custard was one particular colourway, that I can recall.

This yarn will be knitted into another Mon Petit Gilet Cardigan.

Just have to do the button band on the other one.

If you are on Ravelry, I am LHogan.

Happy Belated New Year

Happy New Year!  I know it is a bit belated.  Hope that all had a great Christmas.  I enjoyed mine.

Good food, good company and a load of yarn to knit and I don't need much more.

I was great at keeping the old New Year's Resolutions at the beginning of the month but need to get more disciplined again.  I guess New Year's Resolutions are not just for January.  I have mixed feelings about January- There is a great feeling of renewal but it is also a tough month.  It is really grey, dark and cold.  I will try to make peace with it.

I have been sticking to some resolutions- I have been doing a bit of sewing at the weekends and have been enjoying it.  I said I would sew on a Saturday, getting fabric ready on a Friday night so I can just sew on Saturday.  I have been just making things for myself to organise things.  I will photograph other items that I made the week before.

I have been dreaming of a giant boxbag for so long.  I wanted to make a bigger project bag that would hold a sweater.  This one will definitely hold a 4 ply sweater project.  I got the fabric in Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland in a 2nd handshop.  It is a bed sheet.  I had the same print growing up.  I thought I would just use it to practice.

The small zip bag is made with hand dyed fabric, fabric that I dyed myself.  I don't know what I will use it for. At the moment, I have some pens and a notebook in it.

My mother made me a lovely bag that I must photograph.

The knitting is the mon-petit-gilet-raye .  I have been enjoying knitting it and am going to cast on another one right after I finish this one.

Nepal

I have so many projects on the go.  Decided that I am not allowed to buy anymore yarn until I finish 3 jumpers.  Let's see if it lasts at all.  I got a bunch of yarn yesterday from This is Knit -Studio Donegal, my favourite.

I also I have some projects I need to finish so my personal knitting time shall be limited for the time being (tears on my merino!)

I will show what I am doing with the Nepal sweater that I am knitting with my friend Rachel. She is leaps and bounds ahead of me in our knit along.  I decided I was really unhappy with my first go, so I decided to do something different.  The colours are such a strong contrast, I found it a bit difficult to decide what to do.  I am going figure things out as I go, yarn providing will help design what it will look like.  I am happy that I went with my gut feeling.  Rip it out even if your heart is breaking!  

I am ripping out the grey with the yellow stripes.  It is still on the needles, waiting to be ripped.  I purchased the Nepal Yarn from The Constant Knitter.

I am also on a ripping unwanted projects out phase.  If I don't wear something, I am ripping it out to reknit it into something I will wear.  It is not easy but I do feel it is worth it.  I don't want "dust collectors" lying around not being of any use.  I am really into practical things.  My favourite things are practical wares that keep me warm (that I made!).