Purl Up With A Good Yarn

Look Ma, No Fingers!

Pattern: Maine Morning Mitts (Link takes you to PDF of free pattern)

Yarn/Fiber: 160 yards of my handspun worsted weight made from Spunky Eclectic BFL in the Thermograph colorway.

Needles: 7

Gauge: ~5 sts/inch

Very quick knit and easy pattern. The thumb gusset is cleverly done and keeps in pattern. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to make a gift in a short amount of time.

Made from my own handspun using a Spunky Eclectic Club Colorway from 2008, Thermograph.

 

Click the picture for Ravelry page.

Quickie

I got the new flyer unit for my wheel today & I thought it would be a good idea to try to take my wheel apart and clean all of the moving parts. Matt did most of the taking apart but we couldn't get the wheel off since the pin used in the hub is stuck in there so we put it back together and I tried out my new flyer for about an hour.

I managed to make my first plied yarn tonight! Yipee. It's 23 yards and it's drying now.

It's late and I'm heading to bed. TGIF tomorrow and I don't have to work on the weekend!

Summer Garden

Since we bought an older house, it came with established assorted bushes,hedges and trees. We moved in September, so we really had no idea what kind of green things we would get this spring & summer. Here's a peak at what grows in my yard.

I have rose bushes all over the place, in at least 3 different areas and they are all blooming now. It smells divine in the late summer evening.

These smell heavenly too but I have no idea what they are, does anyone else know?

And finally, these are all over some hedges. No clue what these are either. Anyone else?

If you're interested in my spinning snafu, click on the extended entry for pictures of the offending bobbin and my flyer. FYI, my wheel looks exactly like the Traditional used in the Hands on Handspinning book by Lee Raven.

SNAFU

The Fiber Gods are conspiring against me after granting me a boon of a cheap, used spinning wheel.

It only came with 1 bobbin, so in order to make a plied yarn I needed some more bobbins. I waited a few weeks to get paid and last week, I ordered 3 new bobbibs & a lazy kate.

Today, I discovered that somewhere along the way, Ashfor decided to change their bobbins and that the new bobbins I ordered don't work with the flyer on my wheel. They press up against the flyer a bit and rub against it.

I really was at a loss as to what to do so I called the lovely people at The Mannings for some advice. It was refreshing for a change to talk to someone who knew what I was talking about when I said things like "flyer" and "orifice". She suggested a new flyer since the old bobbins aren't in production anymore and hooked me up with one for $25.

The only sucky thing is that I have to try to match the stain on my wheel for the new flyer unit. The new bobbins & lazy kate I stained today don't exactly match so I know I can't use that stain. Does anyone hav any advice on how to match a stained wood??

You Spin Me Right Round

I was bad today. I got out of bed to take the dog out this morning, then I laid back down on the couch and fell asleep. I ended up sleeping past noon! I guess I needed it or else I would not have been able to do that. I havent' had a lot of energy lately so I've been trying to take it easy.

Over the weekend I didn't knit very much, I played with my new toy and practiced spinning.

My first effort is on the bottom left, then the next day on the bottom right and Monday's effort is still on the spindle which is the best by far. It really helped that I oiled the wheel on Monday and had spent Sunday watching other women spin. I also found that I had an easier time spinning Merino than a coarser wool even though I read that coarser wool is easier for beginners. I still have some overtwisting in my yarn, but I am getting much more consistent with drafting the fibers. Now, I really need some more bobbins because I only have 1 and that is full or could I put more stuff on there?

Anyone know where I can get some Ashford Traditional bobbins locally in Pittsburgh? I just called Yarns Unlimited and they don't have any in stock and they could order some for me but I can order them myself online. I'll have to give The Mannings a call and order from them, I guess.

My latest sock  is the Conwy sock from Knitting on the Road. I'm using some hand dyed from Hello Yarn.

Busy!

We had a busy weekend.

Friday evening we went to PNC Park and I started knitting my Pittsburgh socks.

Matt & I enjoyed the game, the Pirates won and hit a couple of home runs which is always a bonus!

And finally, we all oohed and aahed over the fireworks after the game.

 

I have one complaint about baseball games. People do not wait until the inning changes to get up and go for food/beer/bathroom breaks anymore. They get up whenever they please and then expect you to stand up so they can get by, interrupting your enjoyment of the game and the people behind you. It's soooooo annoying!

Ok, I got that out of my system.

I had to work on Saturday and we finally got the front of the shop in what I would call a presentable state.

Heather (not One Crafty Bitch Heather, another Heather who is the designer of this knitty pattern) and I finally put away all the rest of the stuff that was hanging out front. The classroom is still a mess but that's not the first thing that customers see, is it?

Finally, on Sunday, Matt & I met up with Heather (yes, One Crafty Bitch Heather) and her husband, Montey to check out the Waynesburg Fiber Festival.

It's a very small festival, maybe 15 vendors tops but it was a lovely day and we both bought some more fiber for spinning.

There were sheep, of course.

Some friendly spinners from the Washington County Spinners & Weavers Guild who answered all our questions and let me study their hand movements for a long time.

And a weaver using a strip loom.

I definitely needed today off from work. I have been practicing spinning but more on that tomorrow!