Warm Memories Wrap - FWA KAL 2017

Warm Memories Wrap

Working on a KAL project with the Franks Williams Aussie Spindles (FWA) group over on Ravelry

The objective of this KAL is to knit something with our handspun yarn, from a select group of knit designers who contributed prizes to the FWA Tour De Fleece game in July 2017 !!

I chose Seaside Sparrow by Susan Barstei, a wrap that you can button up to wear like a like a poncho, or several different ways. Love the possibilities.  The pattern calls for fingering weight yarn, but I'm using it like a stash buster so I can use up some of my older handspun, which ranges from bulky to fingering. I had this yarn set aside to crochet another big vest for me, but when I joined the KAL, I decided I could transfer that yarn to the Seaside Sparrow !

Starting in September 2017, we had 2 months to spin the yarn we wanted to use for our project, luckily for me I had all my yarn spun up !  

Then November 1st we could cast on and get started knitting !!!  I thought 3 months, no problem getting this done.  Very simple pattern and mostly bulky yarn will make it a quick knit !!!

However, come the end of December 2017, I was just barely halfway done !!! Yikes !! and only a month left to finish !!  Now I'm wondering if I'm going to be embarrassed the end of January and not be finished with this simple knit ???

January 21, 2018 and I am "almost" done !!! Yahoo !!  Have to finish up the green yarn and put the last of the white yarn on the end and block !!

Last thing - I must find Buttons !!! That is my job this week;  more paper for my dollhouse and buttons to finish my wrap.

January 25, 2018 - So close to the end !!! I finished the knitting and wove in the ends.  Here is it with the buttons I found.  Was really disappointed in the lack of button selection in Cedar Rapids. Hobby Lobby and Michaels have a very tiny selection. I wound up at Joann Fabrics, who really didn't have much of a selection either, although they had more than the other stores.  I remember when Joann Fabrics had 2 long walls of buttons and it could take you an hour or more to pick out buttons for a project !!! The good old days !!

You see all yarn that was left by the time I bound off !!  Have to figure what yarn I'm going to use to attach the buttons

Now for blocking !!

January 28, 2017 !!  Final Photo !!!

This was a very fun project. First time I have knit with so many skeins of my handspun yarn.  I've never been really happy with any of my yarns, but working with them was a totally different insight as to just looking at the skein.  I think knitting is very forgiving of the thick/thin of my handspun.

The opposing stripes and the gray/white really make for some wild dynamics

 

Mosaic Knit Cowl

I do a little bit of knitting. Enough to keep my hand in, so to speak. I like to do something really different if I can with each knitting project to learn a little bit more.

This time I tried some Mosaic knitting.  A couple months ago, Chris Thomson taught this class at R. Rabbit Fiber Studio. 2 sessions and I learned alot.

Somehow though, I missed the instruction that you have to repeat each round 2  times. Oops !!

Almost done !

I'd get a couple inches of the pattern going and think it's just not looking good. The yarn colors were blending together and I wanted that distinct mosaic look.

I thought maybe the yarns did not contrast enough. I took it apart 3 times, changing yarn colors each time.  When I got back to the 2nd class, I found out I needed to repeat each round and THAT gave the colors the boost they needed to stand out more.



So, 4th times a charm and I have a handsome cowl ! The pink yarn is my handspun !!

Finished and Blocked

What's in the works - Dec 2015

My yarn projects are not getting done as fast as I would like them to, so thought I'd do a little Sneak Peek so you can see what I've got on the hook, needles, pin loom, and on the spindle.

One I'm really excited about is a shoulder strap bag worked up in pieces on a Zoom pin loom. It will have a felted handle and flap.

I tried it on and I look like Genghis Khan's Mother

Another is what I'm calling a Funky Vest (although I feel it has gone beyond funky to monster !!) It's the first crochet that I've done with my beginning handspun yarn.

This will be super warm for when I'm working on my fiber crafts or under my coat when I walk the dog ! 

Purple socks for Rose - using some sock yarn that is Bamboo, silk and cotton (no wool for Rose !!)

The pattern is my Fusion Sock pattern. A fusion of crochet and knitting !! Pretty cool !!

Mosaic Knit Cowl - (almost done !)
Where has all this knitting come from ?? Blame it on Chris Thomson who teaches knitting at R. Rabbit Fiber Studio. Chris has been hosting  fun knitting classes !!!

The pink is some of my handspun yarn. 2nd project using my handspun !! this yarn turned out much better !

A Big Spinning project for my Double Dutch Shetland Cardi ! I have all the black yarn spun up and hopefully have enough to start the cardigan.  I need to get the last batch of plyed yarn off the bobbin !    I wanted to get the sweater done to wear this winter, we'll see how it goes.

This is spun on my Babe Wheel

And some fun bits of yarn that I'm spinning on a drop spindle. Some gray wool mixed with sari silk. Pretty cool !! and the other is Mauch Chunky roving Licorice Whip. It's a great dark black color with bright colors mixed in.

Cheviot Hand-Dyed Sock Yarn

I recently finished a knitted pair of socks and wanted to give a shout out about the yarn I used !!!

Some friends of mine, Ellen and Wanda of Fiber Curio and Sundries located in Cedar Falls, IA hand dye this line great sock yarn and I want to give it a big Thumbs Up !!

Hand-Dyed Cheviot Sock Yarn

I purchased my yarn out of their Etsy shop, although they also have their yarn for sale in various shops and are vendors at Fiber Events.

I have wanted to try some of this sock yarn since forever. I finally got it together to buy some for a sock knitting class I recently took from Christine Thomson at R. Rabbit Fiber Studio

Here is a bit of the blurb about the yarn from them:
"Hand-dyed, cushy sock yarn to baby your feet. This is our "baby blend" sock yarn spun in small batches from US small farm fiber. Lamb Cheviot wool, kid mohair, silk 80/10/10. Cheviot wool is very felt resistant, making for a naturally machine washable product. Blended with mohair and/or silk, it is durable, all natural and breathable, cushy, strong, and specifically designed for standing up to use in socks."

My first pair of 100% knit socks. Toe up, Turkish cast on, Sweet Tomato Heel by Cat Bordhi. Fun !

The yarn was easy to knit up and wears beautifully. Very cushy and comfy and not scratchy at all ! 

I have enough yarn leftover for another pair of socks, so will put that in my sock yarn stash.

I see they have a beautiful Teal color in their Etsy shop !!  Hmmm... 

My feet are really not two different sizes !!!