• Fits and Starts

    I got a new jumbo plying head for my spinning wheel, and finally got to trying it out this weekend. It’ll definitely take some getting used to, and it takes quite a bit of muscle to keep it going!

    plying-head

    Fiber is another Targhee Top from FatCatKnits that I bought at Rhinebeck. The jumbo flyer pulls quite a bit, so it might be more suitable for thicker yarns than this one – I had a bit of trouble getting enough plying twist. But I think a good bath and roughing up will even things out and plump up the yarn. Here’s the finished skein, not washed yet:

    snowy-targhee

    garter-tdr

    I’ve gotten down to the waist of my garter stitch wrap cardigan, though you certainly can’t tell from this blob!

    grey-sock

    For some simple knitting to keep in my purse, I started a new pair of socks for Dale – I didn’t knit him any new ones this winter and the older ones are getting worn out. Unfortunately I can’t remember what yarn this is, and there were no tags! I’m pretty sure it’s naturally dyed, and I got it at TNNA some years ago. It’s got a nice tight twist that should make for hardwearing socks.

    checked-sleeve

    My colourwork raglan has been joined for the yoke, finally! The rounds are getting shorter, and I’m nearly to the top now. I keep going back and forth on what I’m going to do with the neck, but I should really get that sorted now.

    Last week:
    colourwork-yoke-join

    Today:
    colourwork-raglan

  • A Monday-like Tuesday

    Let’s catch up a bit!

    New Project: Top-down raglan

    I don’t think I shared here that I started a new sweater for myself, inspired by Ann and Kay’s “Bang out a sweater” knit along. I’m not knitting Mary Jane’s (lovely) Stopover, but instead one of my own design. It’s a top-down raglan wrap cardigan, worked in garter stitch – the grown-up version of my Mermaid Cardigan! I’m using Fleece Artist Blue-faced Leicester DK in a lovely deep brown-black, with hints of blue.

    td-wrap-yoke

    I’m past the yoke divide now, but this one hasn’t been getting as much attention as I would like – I have 2 other sweaters to finish before the end of the month for a deadline!

    I did a little more spinning.

    barn-country-handspun-2

    barn-country-handspun-3

    barn-country-yarn

    2016.5

    Fibre: FatCatKnits Superwash Targhee Combed Top, colour way: Barn Country 40
    Structure: split lengthwise, singles spun end to end, basic 2 ply.
    WPI: 14-15 WPI
    Yardage: 391 yards, 113g

    New Pattern: Polonium

    And I have a new pattern out as well! Polmonium is an easy, elegant hat and mitt set worked in super soft Miss Babs Caroline. The largest size set can be made with just 1 skein!

    mb-polemonium

    One last thing: cake! I made this hummingbird cake (banana, pineapple, and pecans) for my grandma’s 86th birthday, which we celebrated yesterday. I really wanted it to look nice for her, so I piped roses on top – it came out great. I didn’t have quite enough frosting to do roses on the sides as well, so I just smoothed it out and added some chopped pecans around the bottom edge.

    hummingbird-cake-1

    hummingbird-cake-2

    I used this recipe from Joy of Baking, but changed up the frosting a bit – I used equal parts butter and cream cheese, and a good amount of heavy cream (along with powdered sugar and vanilla). YUM!

  • Wednesday Eye Candy

    I couldn’t help myself – I went a little photo crazy with my latest handspun! I think you can see why…

    wallawalla-6

    This top had such great blocks of colour, and I really wanted to preserve them. So I split the top vertically all the way down the length, and spun each half separately from end to end.

    wallwalla-3

    Then I chain-plied the singles into a very light, 3ply yarn.

    wallwalla-4

    I thought I had done a pretty good job of splitting the top evenly, but one skein is 15g heavier than the other! The heavy skein is also a touch thicker overall.

    wallwalla-5

    2016.4

    Fibre: Into the Whirled Targhee Top, purchased at Rhinebeck 2015
    Structure: split lengthwise and spun end to end, chain plied
    WPI: 20+
    Skein 1: 49g, 259 yds
    Skein 2: 65g, 270 yds
    Total: 114g, 529 yds

    wallwalla-2

    wallawalla-1