Knitting Dragonflies

One day I was reading blogs, and saw Paul The Quilter was making The Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West (rav link, free pattern) , and decided that would be the perfect gift for a girlfriend! Off to my stash to see what yarn I had to start it! I came across my handspun, I haven’t spun in around 2 years and was lost in looking at my spun stash. I have around 17 oz. of a strange pumpkin-ish colored yarn that I spun, I even ran it back through the wheel and added a multicolored thread to make the color pop a little, because I thought it looked a bit flat. I don’t look good in that color and it would be perfect for her! Yay! My husband and I thought it would be perfect for her due to the fact that she makes persimmon bread, and especially yummy cookies this time of year. We had just been to visit her and my husbands best friend to go to a music festival. I took some photos of a backdrop on one of the venues. Seem like this color was everywhere! I got so excited I finished up some fiber t...

Last year I bought some lovely fiber from a fiber festival. It was so soft, the kind of fiber you pick up and just want to rub and snuggle with. Then I had a day off, and some sunshine, I pulled my wheel out onto the deck, even with a cool breeze and my jacket on it was a pleasure to sit and spin. The Fiber is: Screaming Wild Monkey! A special house blend of 70% super wash merino/15% Banana/!5% Seacell (impregnated with silver) 4 oz. (what ever this means!!??) Did that stop me from buying it? Oh no. The photo doesn’t show the colors, they are vibrant. made by River’s Edge Weaving Studio at  weavingstudio.com It was a dream to spin! I spun it up fairly quickly. After some consideration I decided to try my hand at Navajo Plying. I used this You Tube video from Rexenne on Navajo Plying , she has quite a personality, and the video is very through, even including slow motion. After plying I was amazed at the difference in the color!! Plying in the Navajo style with multicolored si...

Enter a snowy day and some friends. We ate and drank, and walked around town. The above is a fountain that is frozen up. And when some of your company likes to knit and do needlework it turns into a perfect weekend. Notice the large bag my husband is holding. This is because my girlfriend “found” a knitting shop that was selling out of all of their spinning fiber. Can you say “visa”? Seriously now, I wasn’t going to even buy any, just “look”. Then maybe just one or two, by the end, I had everything in my bag that she had left. Clockwise from the top 1-Camel/Tussah Silk Top 8 oz., ooooo so silky and lovely, 2- Dark Blue Dyed Corridale 8 oz., 3- Light Blue Merino Silk Blend 8 oz., 4- Corridale, Turquoise 8 oz., 5-Baby Camel Top 8oz (this was the only one I was originally to buy, just made my knees weak) I need to get some seriously spinning done, and today is Super Bowl Sunday! Touchdown!! Get the wheel out! - Knit Fast, Dye Yarn "Life is not about waiting for the storm...

I finally finished the lovely fiber that I started, yes, I know, for the Tour De Fleece 2010. Well at least I did finish it. It started out as a fluffy pound of Blue Face Leicester Wool that I purchased at a fiber fair from Breezy Manor.com From Orion, I was drawn to it due to the natural dark color. And so I started to spin, and spin, and spin. I finally got done, and have a estimated 960 yards from it. Yay! Enough for that sweater I wanted to make out of it. The decision has been made on what to spin next, and it is…..(drum roll)….. 4 oz of beautiful Screaming Wild Monkeys, from River’s Edge Weaving Studio , this is so super soft and squishy and the colors are amazing! I couldn’t resist. It is a blend of 70% Superwash Merino, 15%Banana, and 15% Seacell, and impregnated with silver. I was not familiar with Seacell, it is cellulose-based fiber manufactured in the so-called Lyocell process. The seaweed has been permanently incorporated into the fiber. I’ll let you know...

The snow is blowing and the schools are already closing. I have been spinning, almost totally done now with my dark brown BFL, and I have been eyeing the stash to see what I want to spin next. I’m fully committed to my sweater now, Iced from Knitty . I’m knitting it with Colinette Point Five, I have located a number of people on Ravelry that have some to sell in case I run out. It is a top down sweater, knitted in the round, (well technically from side to side), I’ve just gotten to below the arms. Had to go outside and play with the dogs in the snow, Penny rolled and had fun. Syd is the speed demon! I couldn’t get a clear photo. Keep warm this week!

  This sketch is the beginnings of my next painting. Next I add shadows. If you build each color onto the next, (instead of mixing them on your palate) the result will be a translucent painting with a glow about it. Well that is what I’m attempting anyway, thanks to Theresa at Blueberries, Art and Life , my watercolor mentor! 3 skeins of wool spun, and I still have more fiber to spin! I have high hopes of having enough for a sweater. Cold here and I’m ready to get the sweaters out! I also have a simple Iris and bamboo painting. In the Sumi-e style. Done in marker. I have to get back to my paints soon. In addition to some morning glories, done in marker and crayons. Go create!

A quick sketch of a tree in my backyard, now minus its leaves. Done with a office supply felt tip marker, a fairly fat one. And finally some fibery progress…. After dithering about after every two rows, I decided to forge ahead on my Iced Sweater from Knitty made with Colinette Point Five. Due to the flash, the colors look pinker than the actual yarn. This is a top down sweater pattern, and after sweating the gauge for a bit. I’ve decided to consider it as a suggestion as to how much “off” I’m going to be, and try to compensate from there. I have no idea if I’ll have enough yarn to complete the sweater. I have 10 skeins of 50 m each = 500 meters or 546 yds. of Cardinal, (it is fairly bulky, I’m not sure if it is considered super bulky). The recommended needle size on the label is 17 and I’m using a 10 to get close to the gauge needed. This resulted in most of my problems, the knit is turning out to be thick and rather stiff. But I’ve decided to think of it as a warm sweater/coat...

Sketch was made with standard office markers, while sitting in my back yard. I’ve been working on my computer for the last couple of weeks! It progressively got worse to the point I took it to the Geek Squad. I finally decided on reinstalling Windows myself and seeing if I could “make it work”, saving the repair money to put toward a new computer if necessary. I can say I’ve learned a lot, and am now trying to decide if I need a larger C drive, (cheap and I think I can install it), or keep going until it dies. Hummmmm, close to Christmas and I just bought a new refrigerator! Bottom freezer and I love it! On the knitting front, I’m knitting with Collinette Point Five yarn, a bulky, thick and thin yarn. I must say, I hate knitting with it, but like how it looks when it is done. I’m in the process of making a top down pattern from Knitty Fall 2010 , I love the pattern. It is one of the patterns that was love at first sight for me. Don’t you love it when that happens? Still spinning m...

I have managed to squeeze  in a variety of things this week. A fast sketch and watercolor of one of my beds, and bird bath. Just having some fast fun. A little knitting….I’m using my Point Five Colinette yarn to knit this pattern, Iced from Knitty . I’m not sure I like the result, I had to use small needles to “get gauge” and the yarn is fairly bulky, this is resulting in a fairly dense knitted sweater. Too stiff? I’m still on the fence. If I frog it I need another pattern for this yarn, ideas?? I’m stumped… I have been spinning also, my pound of BFL is slowly getting smaller! Yay Happy fall! Enjoy the weather while it lasts! "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

Not doing much but taking care of the recovering dog at this point, and the usual necessary things like work. I did buy an E -reader , it was a spontaneous buy, I had some bonus money that I hadn’t used and was in Borders Books. I am always carrying books around and thought “what the heck?”. I love it, and now can’t imagine doing without it. Hundreds of books in a very small space that can be taken easily anywhere. I looked at them before but thought I would miss having the “book” in my hands. Well there is still knitting, spinning and watercolor books to buy, more room on my shelves for them. I have also begun spinning again. Every time I start spinning again, I wonder at how much I enjoy it, and why did I stop? The fleece is a BFL, a lovely dark brown, I was drawn to it because the color was quite dark, and I thought that unusual. I love the way it spins up. A pound is enough for me to really make something with it (I hope). It is  enough fiber to keep me busy for quite a w...

I didn’t get all of my fleece spun up. But I made good headway. I foolishly thought I would be able to return to work and spin up over a pound of fleece! Well a girl can dream. Dogs sleep, I spin… I finished the Parrot Fish BLF 4.6 oz, approx 260 yds, yellow and turquoise mix. I like the colors, this is the first roving that I have spun that was bi-colored, and I am pleased with the result! The BFL from Orion 4.4 oz, ? yds, I have approx 11.6 more oz of this fleece to spin up, but the good news is that it is lovely to spin and I will have enough of it to knit something with, I’m hoping a sweater. I think  the deep brown of his fleece is unusual. Not much else to report, a visit from family this weekend, so we were all busy. My brother’s new girlfriend knits! Say no more!! Get the preacher! I have been playing around with watercolors a little, having some fun. Here is a sample of colored pencils with a bit of watercolor wash.  I really have been wooed by water...

I got a delayed start on my Tour De Fleece spinning! I’m going to try and make up for lost time! I returned to work after recovering from an injury, and I am behind on everything and exhausted. (and forgot how much work drama sucks the energy out of me!) So no spinning on the beginning date of the Tour. I did decide I would spin up: 4.6 oz of BFL from Parrot Fish and a pound of BLF/BL from Breezy Manor from “Orion” it is nearly black, and so pretty! Well it is the middle of July now, and me with very little spinning, I’ll have to make up for it next year!  Progress so far….   4 oz spun and plied, I have just started on the dark brown BFL. Hope your spinning is going better than mine!!

My astrological sign is Libra. Libra, also known as "The Scales" or "Balance", is the only symbol of the zodiac that is represented by an inanimate object, rather than an animal or human. As a Libra I like everything, just so, with my niddy noddy, I can quickly determine the yardage of spinning I have done and have a better idea of what I can knit with it. Before the N-N, I was flying by the seat of my pants. My new PVC niddy noddy is the perfect balance of function and affordability. The plans were given to me by my ravelry girlfriend, Dana. PVC niddy noddy plans , also see the valuable “notes” in FiberFools blog about the dimensions, and resulting yardage. For less than 4.00 I have a great tool to quickly measure my yarn! You can have the guy at Home Depot, etc cut it for you! The yarn that is pictured on the niddy noddy is some that Dragonfly Soars sent to me, it spun up beautiful and very fine. I decided to autowrap it with some Sulky thread. S...

I’ve been on a big destashing mode lately. It makes me feel good. I can give, toss, or make something to give to someone. I have wanted to have a space in my office/craft room for meditation and yoga/Pilates.  Now I do! Almost done with it. Left on the list is new curtains, or some kind of window treatment. I was thinking about bamboo shades, until my neighbor’s son came over when I was piling baskets into my trash can. He said his mom wanted the one on my top shelf if I was going to get rid of it. I was so confused, until I realized that she could see that from her window across the street. (maybe with binoculars)! So blinds and or curtains. I’ve been doing quite a bit of spinning (for me). I met a girl on Ravelry that has become a good friend, she showed me how to core spin. While I still feel two thumbed when I’m trying this here is my first attempt: Spun up from a batt that I purchased from UniquelyYoursDesign.etsy.com   Fiber Content: Corriedale, Merino, B...

Living in Indiana and coming from Indianapolis means basketball! This final four was great and exciting! So it has been all basketball at my house, with a little spinning thrown in, too much excitement for concentrating on a knitting pattern. Now we are big dog people and I’ve got to tell you, I love the Butler Bulldog doggie! If you were wondering… The Lucas Oil Stadium of the final four policy is; "We allow teams to bring pets in the building if they are the mascot and it is a domesticated animal.” Blue II, the live bulldog mascot, yes he has a live feed , he blogs , he is on You Tube , and more! Of course Butler's real bulldog with his giant rawhide bone is adorable and who can’t love this guy! Because he is "real and carries a bone." This sweet and wrinkled dog breed is usually pretty easygoing, loyal and even a bit goofy. Despite its reputation for multiple potential health problems, the Bulldog makes a wonderful companion. If you are a Bulldog owner,...