Monday, August 31, 2015

Episode 7: Lightning Speed

This week my computer decided that it needed to update, which today was an excellent day to update, but it meant that I was a little pressed for time when I was recording. Because of this I kind of speed through my projects at lightning speed!



While I was waiting for the computer to update I picked some wildflowers from outside, that just popped up by the deck steps. I was amazed at the different shades of colors that they were and how delicate they were, I just thought that I would share.



I talked about my past week, and about my mom's birthday that was this week. I made her this great mixer cover for her kitchen aid mixer. I really loved the chicken print, and it goes really well with her kitchen, which is all chicken themed, so it worked really nicely. After the photo shoot I made sure to put it back in the kitchen so it can keep the mixer cozy.


Next I talked about all my great finished objects that I had this week. I finished G's socks. They are men's size 12 or so, so it was a fair bit of knitting. I made them 88 stitches around on US size 1 needles. I worked them two at a time toe up, magic loop method. I worked them in JaWoll color for the mottled green, and Cascade Sock in green for the toes, heels, and cuffs.


I also finished a pair of socks for myself. I striped two different self-striping colorways from Berroco Sox. One was various shades of green, and the other was red, pink, peuce, green, and blue (which probably doesn't sound very pretty, but it turned out really cute. I worked them 72 stitches around on US size 1's. I worked them one at a time using the magic loop method. Last week I was just above the heel on the second sock, and this week I finished all the leg and cuff. All that is left is for them to have the ends woven in.


Another finished object is not really knitting or crochet or spinning related, but it is still technically fiber. I finished sewing a top for a Project Linus quilt. Project Linus is a charity that donates new, handmade blankets to children that are ill or traumatized. They are handed out at hospitals, and police and firemen can carry them around with them. This one was a kit that was already cut for the most part and step by step directions were included. My mom helped me out quite a bit, she did the second cuts, and helped me press the pieces, and gave me pointers about how best to assemble to quilt. (The middle block is supposed to be sideways, I did it on purpose).


This week I had a few Works In Progress (WIPs). I started and worked a lot on a chevron cowl that will be worked until I run out of yarn, and then kitchener the two ends together. I provisionally cast on 100 stitches and then am working a chevron pattern on the tube. I am using Lang Yarn Mille Colori Socks and Lace yarn and Berroco Comfort sock weight, held together. It is being worked on US size 4 needles, and I think it is turning out pretty nicely.


Confession time, for the past three weeks I have been working on a project and haven't shown you, because... well, I'm not really sure why, maybe I was embarrassed at having so many projects on the needles? At any rate, I'm coming clean. This is going to be a pillow for the Design Challenge Aug/Sep Challenge on Ravelry. It's a group that just runs bi-monthly challenges on their forums. This two month challenge is to make a pillow that uses cables and has texture. I am using short rows to make wedges that will form a circle that will then have a strip around the outside of cables, and the other side will be in a gradient that I dyed around this time last year. Anyways, I'm working it on Jaeger Gabrielle with Mohair held double on US size 9 needles. I am taking good notes, and I plan to work up the pattern, and have a blog post devoted to it, so that if you want you can make your own little cushion. Here's what it looks like so fair.


Also this week I decided I needed a crochet project, since I hadn't crocheted in about two weeks, and I was really itching to get my hands on a hook. So, I decided that I was going to make a "crazy quilt" afghan, so I am letting it grow organically, but still making sure that it is staying rectangular as I work it. That way when I'm done it will be a really unique blanket. I worked the center square, and then I did a couple rows of border around it. Then I did triangles around the center square to set it on it's corner, striping the triangles randomly. Then I added a border with puff stitches to give it texture and interest. I plan on making log cabin stripes on two of the sides, to make it a bit asymmetrical, but still rectangular. I will also be using some other stitches, such as bobbles, V-stitch, and Cross post stitch to give the log cabin stripes some texture. I'm pretty excited about this project, so hopefully it comes out as nicely as it sounds like it will in my head.


Lest you think that I am being neglectful, or that I have Project ADD or something else, I would like to acknowledge that there were three projects that were not featured this week. First was the Hippy-hippy shawl which is by Gabrielle Vezina, which was not seen, because it did not receive any work, mainly because the fingering weight on US size 2 needles is pretty small, and I just didn't make myself sit there and work on it this week. Then there is the Project Linus blanket that I am knitting with the ball band dishcloth pattern. I did work on this, but it felt like there was a lot going on in this podcast, and so that project just didn't make the cut. Finally, my brother's sweater, the Hedge Fence Pullover, by Elinor Brown, was not worked on, mainly because this is the first week in the past two or three where I could sit and knit as long as I wanted without my hands killing me, and I just hadn't sat down and cranked out a whole pattern repeat at any point in the week.

So, anyways, this week I also spun. Both fibers were from vendors at the All-MO Spin In in Chillicothe, MO that I went to this May. The orange and pink skein is wool that I plied with metallic sliver thread, and one spool of brown thread with beads, I got 368 yards, and am planning on making a shawl. It's very airy and was spun from an art batt. The blue and green was sold in a hank of roving, and I wasn't sure about the colors when I bought them, but I really like them now that they are spun up. I like how the different colors play together, and I think it will make a very nice hat. I split the roving into strips lengthwise, about six strips, spun them end to end, and then plied the whole thing back on itself. I am also still working on drop spindling the mohair and wool blend that I got at the MOPaca festival that I went to earlier this year as well. I'm spinning that on a turkish spindle that I got in a swap package last year or so.


This week's stash enhancement included some fiber, two different sweater quantities, and sock yarn, as well as sock yarn to dye. I'm pretty excited about all the possibilities that these new additions bring. The thought of the week this week was about the Bullet Journal idea that I'm trying to see if I can organize my life a bit more. I am making lists of different things that I want to do, and how to do them. I think that it will help me. If you type in "setting up bullet journals" into YouTube there will be a bunch of different tutorials about what a bullet journal is and how to set it up. I think that it seems to be a good idea.

Thanks for watching and reading, and I hope to see you next week!

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