Day Two Tour De Fleece

This is yesterday's spinning plied.

This is Lexi, making the most the sunshine while it lasts.

I am going to spin and ply both of these together.  I spun the more orange-y one today and will spin the other one tomorrow.

Orange-y one spun.

Happy Spinning!

‪#‎tdfspinalong15‬, 

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.

Three Ply Handspun Hat

                                         Lexi is always on the scene, to help.

Three Ply Handspun Hat

Solid Navy Brim and Contrasting Handspun

4 stitches per inch
Worsted/Aran Yarn

Needles

5.5mm for body of the hat
5mm for the brim

Cast on 76 stitches, using 5mm needles and solid colour.  (in this case, I used Navy Blue)
2x2 Twisted Rib for 2 inches

Switch larger needles and handspun/contrasting yarn.  Increase 4 stitches evenly in the first round with handspun/contrasting yarn.

Knit until piece measures 7.5inches/19cm then start decreases.

Decreases
Round 1: *K6, K2tog
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: *K5, K2tog
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: *K4, K2tog
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: *K3, K2tog
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: *K2, K2tog
Round 10: Knit
Round 11: *K1, K2tog
Round 12 : Knit
Round 13 : *K2Tog
Round 14 : *K2Tog

Cut the yarn giving you a 12 inch/30.5cm tail.  Using a wool needle or tapestry needle and draw the yarn through the stitches on your knitting needle.  Draw it tight and weave this in and all other ends.  Wash and block or just wear if you don't have the patience.

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.

Let Me Tell You About My Best Friend

The last while was a bit mental and trying.  Poor, little Lexi wasn't well.  It was very trying and there were moments that I didn't think she was going to make it.  The local vet's are amazing.  They are wonderful people to deal with.  Lexi is much better.  It is so wonderful to see.  To say I am delighted would be an understatement. 

The photos are of the mittens, I will be wearing this winter.  I will probably make a few more.  Irish weather = rain and wet knitwear.  It is good to have a few pieces of knitwear on the go.  I dyed the wool and spun it.  Didn't like the outcome, so overdyed it then knitted mittens.  I really like the outcome now.  The budgie with Lexi is Grizzly.  He is my favourite budgie.  He is so tame and great to play with.  Lexi is well behaved lady.

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

                                                                                                              - Anonymous

New Sweaters For Autumn

I have a habit of starting new sweaters!  I started this sweater and can't wait to finish it so I can start wearing it.  This is wine/aubergine/eggplant colour is one of my favourite colours.  The handspun was spun from batts from a couple of years back.  I spun it up when I got it but was saving it, I guess.
I know I knit the same style sweater all the time but I find it so wearable and I like mindless knitting so I can read, watch tv or talk.  The wool sweaters is my personal insulation in my cold house and has become part of my daily uniform of t shirt, jeans (and wool sweater.)
Tomorrow, I will be knitting a sweater with my friend Rachel.  We will be knitting a Top Down Raglan.
The budgie with Lexi is called Grizzly because he reminds me of a little blue bear. 

Before and After Sweater

I knitted this sweater following a pattern of a seamless, top down sweater - one size fits all.  Something went wrong.  I finally ripped it out years later and just finished reknitting it the end of August.
The coloured yarn was from Hobbledehoy batts and the rest was Blue Faced Leicester.  I handspun the lot.
The new sweater used 5mm needles and was knitted top down raglan.  I am much happier with it and I am going to rip out anything that I am not happy with and reknit it.  Frog/Rip it, even though your heart is breaking!
I am posting up handmade sewn items onto etsy.  Check out http://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/EllieAndAda?ref=si_shop  Some items are hand dyed.  Perfect for organising your knitting and crafting supplies or items in your purse.  There are pencil cases as well.

Knitting and Cake

I have a bit of birthday knitting to do yet.  Still slugging away and it is all late.  Lucky for me, the birthday folk are flexible.  Weird year for birthdays.  Our family's birthdays come in clumps and mine is the last one.  The July-August group have 2- 3 weeks between each.  Usually by the time my birthday comes around, we are all fed up of cake and borderline diabetic.  One year, there was so much sugar in the icing/frosting that none of us could sleep the full night until the cake was finished.

This year, my mother didn't want a cake.  My brother is crazy busy at the moment, so we will celebrate or I will make him a cake when he gets time off.  I don't think this soon to be birthday girl (me) will be having a cake as well.  I am trying out the Autoimmune Protocol Diet this summer.  Anytime, I try and go back on any of the no list, I am not well.  As much as I love cake, I don't want to be sick on my birthday.  It is mad to think that this is my first year without a cake but it is a worthy sacrifice to feel good.  (Not 100% easy all the time)

This is a raglan that I am working on and hope to finish soon.  It is actually a remake.  I followed a pattern that is one size fits all.  I must of made a mistake.  Not to worry!  I finally ripped it out a few months ago and finally started cracking this summer.  I have a lot of projects on the go.  I love starting new projects the most.  Trying to finish more projects!!!!

The mitten is knitted with some Studio Donegal and some of my handspun from batts I made myself a while back.