Category: yarn

I Love Wool – Rhinebeck Purchases!

As I was editing the photos for this post, it was almost like being in Rhinebeck again! So many beautiful things, I wish I had unlimited funds (doesn’t everyone?). I did plan pretty well by filling 50% of my (carry-on) suitcase with chips and candy on the way down, so that side was reserved for purchases on the way back!

I certainly couldn’t resist Kristine’s new book on natural dyeing! The book is beautiful and I was able to get it signed – I can’t wait to get into it. I’m glad I picked it up on Saturday because she sold out, which is amazing.

Dale’s pick for his new winter cowl is this wool from Buckwheat Bridge Angoras, a Hudson Valley-local wind and solar-powered farm, isn’t that cool? I’m fairly certain the owners are organizers of the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool. I bought some lovely laceweight cormo yarn from them a few years ago that I haven’t made anything out of yet, but we won’t talk about that ;)

I was so happy to see so many single breed yarns at the show – seems like it’s really blown up! These are all cormo yarns, from Carolina Homespun, made by Sincere Sheep and Elemental Affects. The yarns are fingering weight, but they’re all so bouncy that I think they’ll fill in really well when worked on a slightly larger needle. Probably a sweater and a shawl from these skeins.

I didn’t get in on the craziness that is trying to buy one of Jennie’s Rhinebeck mugs, but I did pick up this cute little plate on Sunday. Perfect for storing my rings on my dresser.

Fibers! I want to get more back into spinning this winter, so I picked up a few fun things. The bags in the top right are from Into the Whirled, which is such an amazing shop. One is Targhee, the other is a random assortment – like candy! The dark brown is merino from Greenwood Hill Farm, which has the softest, springiest natural coloured merino yarns and fibers (I have a sweater’s worth of yarn from last Rhinebeck!). The two bundles at the bottom are Targhee from FatCatKnits, and the last purple one in the bottom left is Cormo from Foxhill Farm. Sensing a theme of Targhee and Cormo?!

Yarn from Solitude Wool was definitely a splurge, but it’s just so gorgeous, plus they had one of my samples in the booth :) This one is a fingering weight Targhee, but again it’s very bouncy and round, so I’m thinking perhaps a nice big wooly shawl. It has some thick-and-thin or sort of fluffy parts, and I’m pretty into that!

Non-yarn wool products – wool earmuffs and the lovely ipad case I got from Christina in our house swap! We draw names on Friday and pick up a little something for our swap partner to exchange on Sunday during our show-and-tell. Funny enough I also drew Christina in the swap, and I gave her one of the Into the Whirled fiber assortments, some pewter buttons and the cutest little tiny notions pouch.

Last but certainly not lease, I petted this yarn on Saturday and couldn’t resist buying it last thing on Sunday. It’s American cashmere, in a lovely grey/white marl, sport weight (180 yards). Must be touched to be believed! From Still River Mill.

Whew! I hadn’t bought yarn in quite awhile so I might’ve gone a bit nuts. But hey, at least we still managed to get back with just our carry on luggage and it wasn’t overweight! What did you get at Rhinebeck? Leave me a link in the comments so I can see

October 23, 2015
Neckwear KAL: Yarn!

Have you joined the Neckwear Knit-a-long yet? I’m so happy that people have joined, especially those that have never seen my patterns before! There’s lots of yarn eye candy in the thread, so I thought I would share mine.

I’ll be knitting Just Enough Ruffles Light in Mountain Colors Perspectives, a red to purple gradient kit.

Isn’t it gorgeous? The yarn base is called “Crazyfoot”, and it’s 5 mini skeins of 90 yards each. 90% superwash merino, 10% nylon, and a nice high twist. Since I have more yardage than the pattern calls for (which is 395), I’m going to add a few rows here and there. I’ll blog about the mods I’m making as I’m doing it :)

I decided to wind all the yarn into a larger ball to keep the nice gradient from accidentally getting mixed up. I joined the mini skeins using just a slipknot, so that when I get to the colour changes I can undo it and join the yarn properly.

Gradients are all the rage right now, aren’t they? No wonder, they look so nice in a cake! Since the yarn has fairly high twist, I wound the yarn so that I’ll work from the outside in – just as a precaution against tangles.

I did keep the first colour, the brightest red, as a separate center-pull ball so I can demonstrate how to work a long-tail cast on from both ends – no estimating how long of a tail you need and ending up way short or long! Look for that tutorial post on Friday, when the KAL officially kicks off – or sign up in the sidebar for email blog notifications so you can get the posts right in your inbox.

Use the Ravelry code “neckwearKAL15” to save 25% on all my neckwear patterns AND be entered to win a set of Knitter’s Pride Nova Platina Interchangeable needles! Coupon ends July 31, 2015.

July 22, 2015
it’s a gift!

I’ve been knitting some adorable booties. For a GIFT! Not for me! Don’t get any ideas!

Pattern is Stephanie’s Cutest Booties, in Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply, which is one of those really round multi-plied machine washable wools. So soft!

It took me a few tries to get going on the first one, actually. I cast on with a regular long-tail CO and got nearly done the cuff before I changed my mind and ripped it out. Tried a few more different cast ons before settling on a long-tail CO, with the yarn doubled for a firm edge, and then I began the garter stitch on a purl round.

So cute! The only downside is that I must keep my coffee/tea/food far away from my knitting, lest I spill something not-white on them. Now where are my pompom makers?

I finished the pieces of a sweater I’ve been working on for rather too long – feels good to have finally made some progress! Needs seaming, collar, blocking, all those fun things.

Of course, I started yet another project – this is Malabrigo Rios in Jupiter. Haven’t done worsted weight top down in awhile and it’s good fun! I’ve been slowly thinking of revamping some older patterns, and this is the Top Down Shoulder Warmer. It definitely needs some new photos, and along with that will come my updated pattern format and lots of extra notes and tips.

I haven’t decided whether to reformat ALLL my older patterns, but the Ravelry/Loveknitting EU sales integration did push me to do a few already. Castlegar, Fred+Ginger, and Tephra have all been updated and are now available to the EU through Ravelry and Loveknitting.

I guess I’m pretty into purple right now (as well as bulkier knits!) but I’m trying not to cast on with this awesome yarn just yet!

January 16, 2015