Allison's Knitting Addiction

Monsters!!!

2012-01-01T13:26:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile. I've been busy writing a hundred page thesis so I know you'll forget me :) Despite not posting, I have still been knitting! My current obsession is knitted toys and monsters.

Back in September I ordered 5 patters from DangerCraft. Wow talk about addictive. I'm so addicted I ordered her Big Book of Knitted Monsters with my Christmas money!

First I knit a monster chunk:

Then I knit a little boucle monster that hubby named Mortimer:

Then I knit Sammie the sock monster, complete with his own little socks:

Then I knit two little monkeys for my niece and nephew for Christmas. I put little magnets in their hands and I'm told my niece wears her monkey around her neck! Adorable!

Then this week I decided to cast on Penelope. She is super soft and adorable. I know the little girl who will get her (it's a surprise) is going to LOVE her! :)

Going to cast on another right now!

Knitting Season

2011-09-20T15:31:00.001-07:00

Where did August go? I must have blinked and missed it. Oh wait, I was working full time and writing my thesis, which means a black hole must have opened up and swallowed every waking hour.

Well it's September now, and that means one thing.

No, I'm not thinking of school.

Despite the +30C temperatures today, autumn is just around the corner. It's my favorite season, with cool crisp weather and leave crunching underfoot. And then there's knitting.

I haven't had a lot of time to knit lately, but I recently went on a trip to visit my family in Ontario, which kick started my knitting mojo. My aunties requested some knitted items so we hit up the local yarn shop of non-other than the Yarn Harlot herself: Lettuce Knit.

They picked out some lovely yarn (Koigu KPPPM for a triangle scarf and Berroco Vintage for some mittens), so I think I'll really enjoy knitting for them!

My knitting addiction seems to be infectious.

I knit a pair of lovely handspun alpaca mittens for my cousin Rochelle who is crazy about alpacas, and I have a hunch that she likes them.

(I think her friend might be jealous!)

My cousins have a balcony in their house, and 20 foot ceilings in the main entrance. I couldn't help myself, I had to try spinning over the railing. My 13 year old cousin Nic helped me by keeping the spindle spinning as I lowered it down (that's his hand).

Even my engineer brother learned the basic knit stitch while we were stuck in traffic (again) on highway outside Toronto.

I also managed to finish a sock, in a new pattern I'm really excited about. It's the Minnesota Moonlight sock by Cat Bordhi, with the new and amazing Sweet Tomato Heel. Love. It.

My grandma was really excited to see the lovely yarn I was spinning and all my knitting projects. She even gave me a set of handcarders made for her mother by my great grandfather. Cool!

All in all, a great trip, with lots of knitting :) I'm all ready for fall and winter! Bring on knitting season!

The right tools

2011-07-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

So when I first read about Signature knitting needles on the Yarn Harlot's blog, I thought to myself: "Who would spend that kind of money on knitting needles??" Those needles are almost 10 times the cost of a regular pair. I got a set of 9 pairs of interchangeable circulars for about $75 and one pair of Signatures costs 3/4 of that.

That was before I tried them.

A woman in my spinning group had 2 pairs of circulars and a set of dpns. I tried the dpns and I tell you, I didn't want to give them back. They had stiletto tips for Pete's sake!

I'm a different sort of crafter than I was when I read that post by the Harlot. I realized that I was willing to spend $50 multiple times over for well-balanced, well-crafted spindles, to maximize enjoyment of spinning. Why not spend money for a good pair of knitting needles? I also know what kind of knitting enjoy and I figured that stiletto tipped needles would be very useful for knitting lace. Lace knitting something I've been enjoying more and more.

Well, they came today...

4mm, Stilettos. mmmmmmm...

I think I might be in a new knitting needle bracket (a la Corner Gas).

I might actually finish my Gnarled Oakwoods shawl now! (yes that's right. I start it in 2008.)
(Also: bunny nuggets!!!)

Expect the unexpected...

2011-07-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

...when using natural dyes.

I've been experimenting again with the dye pot. I did another batch of black beans, and I got a much deeper blue this time! I soaked the beans at room temperature this time instead of in the fridge. Much better.

Then I ventured out in the rural area south of Winnipeg and found some St. John's Wort (with the help of a good friend, thanks Laura!) I used them fresh, and I've heard you're supposed to be able to get green, maroon and yellow from one dye bath!

So I simmered the flowers, and mordanted my yarn in alum.

And then I put my skein into the red liquid.

And I simmered that, while enjoying my balconey garden. :)

The skein did not turn green. But it also didn't quite turn maroon either.

In artificial light it looks like this:

But in sunlight, it's got a browner hue (even more brown than the photo suggests).

Colour changing yarn? Wow! But not really colours I enjoy... peachy brown. Lovely. Oh well, back to the drawing board I guess. What should I make out of it?

In other news, I'm knitting alpaca mittens in the middle of July. Yes. I know. They are for my cousin, whom I'm visiting over the September long weekend. I'm using my handspun baby alpaca, 3 ply chunky. One mitten is almost finished. Here's a teaser. I don't want to ruin the surprise. ;)

Also I got two more Jenkins spindles. One heavy hickory standard (1.5oz):

and the other a boxwood Aegean, which might just be my new favorite.

Both fibres are from Sheeples. The top one will be a sweater some day.

Ok back to thesis writing. Will post again when the golden rod is flowering! (I'm going to dye with that too!)

Dyeing with food colouring

2011-05-23T13:12:00.001-07:00

Well I was getting a little impatient for my dye plants to grow and I have been accumulating white and cream coloured fleece and wool.

(this stuff is from a sheep named Dot. I recently found out she met a tragic end at the jaws of a coyote... RIP Dot, you'll live on in your lovely, soft, creamy fleece.)

So I got out my crockpot and some Wilton's icing gels (AKA food colouring) and got busy.

Superwash Merino/Mohair/Nylon blend from Paradise Fiber:

I used Teal, Kelly Green, and Golden Yellow with a bit of No Taste Red.

I love how it turned out. I can't wait to see how it looks spun and knitted up into socks!!

Also I finished one of my black bean socks and started the next one. Perhaps I might have to go for a little forage in the woods later today and see if I can get some oak galls.

Or maybe I could dye some handspun with the onion skins my friend Esther has been saving for me...

Or perhaps I should try out the logwood chips I purchased when I was at Maiwa in December.

Or maybe I should go write more of my thesis.... :P

Spring!!

2011-04-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Look!

My seeds are sprouting!

I started seeds for cosmos, coreopsis and hollyhock (for dyeing yarn) and tomatoes, basil and hyssop for eating! (Hyssop makes delicious tea).

So exciting. Summer is almost here!

Also:

My black bean socks. :)

Black Beans

2011-03-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

When I went to the West Coast in December, I visited a store called Maiwa. They sell all sorts of textile related supplies, including dye supplies. I found a book called Wild Color by Jenny Dean. It grabbed my imagination and I've been dreaming all winter about dyeing yarn with wildflowers, tree bark and foodstuffs!

I just couldn't wait any longer and I had to try dyeing some yarn. The first dyestuff I chose was black beans (I saw some cool results on Ravelry, so I had to try it myself).

I bought a pound of dry black beans.

I soaked them in cold water for roughly 48 hours,

and then, I made chili.

But before the beans went into the chili pot, I carefully ladled off the purplish liquid onto my yarn. The night before, I had mordanted my yarn with alum (a chemical that helps the colour stick to the fibre) and cream of tartar (helps brighten the colour).

Then I let my superwash merino/nylon sock yarn soak in the bean water for another night. The result?

A lovely steel-blue yarn! :)

Wow. I think I might need to add this to my list of fibre-y addictions! But as my cousin said, I'm not adding a new addiction, I'm just expanding my existing one. I'll be posting more of my experiments throughout the summer, so stay tuned!

I've already started a pair of socks from it :) (Cables and corrugations from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters)

Which natural dye should I try next? Logwood? Onion Skins?

Knitting Season

2011-01-31T21:12:00.000-08:00

I live in Manitoba Canada. If you've never been here in winter you are missing out. Sometimes in the middle of January, the icy winds blow from the arctic, and the temperature drops into the -30s Celcius, but the wind makes it feel like -40s. Yes, it's so cold your nose hairs freeze together when you breath. But it's best not to have your nose exposed to that kind of cold.

As I right this, the temperature is -28C, with a windchill of -39C. Some might say that is too cold. But I say the temperature is just right.... for knitting!

There is only one project that can truly satisfy a knitter in this kind of weather and that is a warm pair of mittens. Have I mentioned how much I love to knit mittens? None of this fingerless mitt crap either! No way. You'll get frost bite in under a minute if you try that here. Even regular single layer mittens are not enough to keep out that biting wind. Some people prefer double layer mittens, like Fiddleheads, or thrummed mittens perhaps. My favorite is felted (or if you're picky about your fibre terminology, "fulled") mittens.

Start with 100% wool (alpaca also works). Knit the mittens much bigger than you need them. Then throw them in the washing machine, in a pillow case, on the hot/cold cycle. Check them often. I knit my cuffs after felting.

I've knit 2.5 pairs of mittens in the last 3 weeks. Very very satisfying! The .5 pair is for my dad, who tragically lost one of his mittens. I knit him a replacement, because he lives in Saskatchewan and it's just as cold over there!

Winter is also a good month for alpacas:

I knit some alpaca goodies for a local alpaca farmer. I hope they like them!

And also spinning! I'm participating (somewhat... with the limited time available) in the SpinDoctor podcast Rare Breed spinning contest, where you spin as many types of rare sheep breed wool as you can before June (also the deadline for my thesis...). I don't think I'm going to be a high scorer, but I'm super interested in spinning different kinds of wool.
I started with some cotswold from Nova Scotia:

and then some Romeldale/California Variagated mutant from Spirit Trail Fiberworks.

I'll try to post more as I go! :) Until then, keep warm (unless you're someplace like California or Florida, in which case, you should come visit and find out what winter is really like ;))

Being a non-consumerist knitter

2011-01-06T12:34:00.001-08:00

Did you listen to the radio or watch tv over the holiday at all? If you did, did you notice how everything is all about buy more more MORE?

I hate it. I hate the more, more, more attitude. When is it enough? When does one have enough of something so as not to need more?

One of the main reasons I knit is so that I can be in touch with the process of creating something, preferably something useful for myself or others. I knit a hat for my grandma who is having chemo, to help her to feel a little bit better about herself when she looks in the mirror.

I knit hats for my dad and my brother for Christmas.

I'm knitting mittens for my hubby and I, so that our hands can be warm in the bitter cold of winter on the prairies.

I spin so that I be even closer to very beginning of the process. I have a collection of lovely spindles, which I feel are enough to make the kinds of yarn I want. Quality tools for my craft. I do buy yarn. I do buy roving/top/fleeces. But not uncontrollably and not just because they are pretty and I have to have them.

So am I the only one who thinks it's odd that other knitters and spinners have the more, more, more mentality? I was on ravelry and I saw a post where someone bought a very expensive ball of yarn, and it was met with comments like, "oh you're on your way down the slippery slope", and "welcome to the addiction". (yes this blog is called allison's knitting addiction, but I'm addicted to knitting. not buying yarn.)

I am glad that I have a small yarn stash. As a poor student I have been knitting from my stash a lot more often. That's the key though, KNITTING from STASH. Not just stashing and stashing it away. The yarn I have, could easily be used up by me in a couple of years. I don't really feel the need to buy a lot more.

I've seen similar comments about collecting spindles. One woman in my spinning group even commented that I say I have enough spindles, until I see one that I just have to have and then I'll buy another.

I'm not saying I won't buy another spindle, if I find there is a gap in the usefulness of my current collection. But what is with the pressure from the knitting and spinning community to buy whole rooms full of yarn and pounds pretty roving, and hundreds of spindles. When is it enough? Why won't people accept it when I say I have enough?

I find it very troublesome that a hobby that is so grounded in tradition has succumbed to the consumeristic pressures of modern society. What do you think? Are there other knitters/spinners out there like me?

Holiday knitting and spinning

2010-12-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

We went for an early Christmas holiday this year to the west coast. My husband's family lives in BC and Oregon. We had a lovely visit. :)

I saw some beautiful scenery:

And there was yarn and fibre:

(Merino Silk top and handyed sock yarn by Alexandra's Crafts)

(Superwash Merino Top from my niece! She knows me well ;)

And then I met the woman who is partly responsible for my spindle addiction:

This is Wanda Jenkins of Jenkins Woodworking. Her husband makes turkish spindles, of which I have 5. We had a lovely time! Thanks Wanda!

I also managed to finish gifts for my dad and brother (photos to come).

And finish my Laminaria Shawlette. LOVE it. :)

Wool socks

2010-12-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

I love my wool socks, and now that winter is here, my hand knit socks are getting a lot of wear. If you buy sock yarn from a store, it usually contains 75% wool, and 25% nylon. The nylon is there to increase the durability of the socks. It's very effective and none of the socks I've made from sock yarn have worn through.

I did, however, make a couple of pairs of socks out of pure wool. They are a little thicker, and a really cushy and warm. I'm a fan of natural fibers and I'm especially fond of my all wool socks. But last spring, I noticed that one sock of each of the two pairs has a hole in the foot.

This one is a sock I made from sheeples yarm. Sadness! Unfortunately I'm not one for mending/darning. I remember at some point hearing about a work-around (though I don't remember where) and I thought it was worth a try.

First, I found some roving that matched my sock (it works with yarn too). Then I dug out my needlefelting tool (with sharp, barbed needles!).

The felting tool has a brush to lay the fabric over and poke the needles into. So I pulled my sock onto it.

Then I laid the roving over the hole and needlefelted it in place. I put several layers over the whole and made sure it was well secured.

Tada! Socks fixed!!! :)

So much easier than darning! And the roving matches so well, you can bare tell (look at the ball of my foot, you can see the patch).

In other news I've been doing some spinning...

Corriedale pencil roving on a holly Jay

Merino top on my myrtlewood standard turkish.

Targhee on my maple Turkish Delight. Very sproingy fibre.

Qiviut on a russian (bottom left) and baby camel/merino on a tibetan (top left). mmmmmm... I am true loving supported spindling.

Ok... now back to schoolwork....

Where did summer go?

2010-10-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

There's a chill in the air and autumn is here. September went by in a blur and it's already the middle of October.

I spent September travelling. I went to Northern Manitoba on a field course. It was pretty cold by the Hudson's Bay...

(My spinning and knitting came along of course).

And then I went to Nova Scotia for a conference. That was pretty awesome.

The best part was that I ran into some spinners at a farmers market in Wolfville. They worked on the nearby Gaspereau Valley Farm. I pulled out my spindle and spun with them because it just happened to be WW Spin in Public Day (and because it was just fun!).

They even gave me some Cotswold locks to take home.

As autumn settles in, my thoughts turn to warmth. I had a bunch of samples of fibre that I'd gotten with my spindles and from Sheeples. I didn't have very much of each but I decided to make something, a bag, I thought.

But as I knit I realized that what I had looked more like a hat. And so it was.

All my own handspun :)

This weekend I went to my spinning group (I missed the September meeting). I had a wonderful time as usual. I was telling a story about how I had touched Qiviut (musk ox down, very expensive and soft) when I was in Churchill. All of the sudden, the hostess disappears and returns with a garbage bag full of Qiviut. And then she gives out handfuls! (Someone had given her 2lbs!) I just about died of happiness!

I immediately got out my russian spindle and the fluff practically spun itself! Wow...

Camping!

2010-07-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

You know what I love about knitting and spindling?

It's portable. So I can take my knitting and my spinning on camping trip!! :)

This weekend hubby and I went camping with out good friends, Michael and Esther.

Esther is also a knitter.

She decided that the cast iron frying pan needed a cozy. I agreed.

I spun at the campsite.

And also at the beach in the afternoon.

There may also have been some smores made from giant marshmallows....

What a fun weekend!

Two bags full

2010-05-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Todd and Christine Burton from Burton Alpacas were kind enough to invite me to help them shear 10 of their 60 alpacas today. It was such a fun experience!

Some of their females were already sheared last week.

We sheared some of the boys today. This guy's name is leo. He had quite the messy hair-do.

Before:

After:

Bet you didn't know that alpacas are ticklish? Yup, and because of that some of the big boys required several people to hold them down, even though they are tied to the table.

We started by shearing some white boys and they had lovely fine fleece (even though the Burtons consider them "fibre males" meaning they don't use them for breeding).

Still... very luscious!

We also sheared some brown boys, with coarser fibre but lots of personality!

And in the end I cam away with two big bags of fibre... beige and chocolate brown. This is my first raw fleece and I'm so excited. More on that later though!!

Kool-aid fun :)

2010-04-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

I needed to have a little fun this week and I had this yarn in my stash that was calling me. It was creamy white alpaca lace weight and I have been dream about dyeing it with kool-aid since I got it at Christmas time.

Yesterday I tested out some Kool-aid colours, to see which combo would give me the best raspberry red.

I used different combinations of strawberry, grape and cherry.

(the darker one in the top right had all colours plus extra grape)

Combining all three in a 1:1:1 ratio gave me a very rich colour, so that's what I went with.

I then bought four packets of each flavour, and started out with a dye bath of half of them. But first I soaked the alpaca overnight in water with a little bit of dishsoap. I was told this would help the dye penetrate.

I then put it in the microwave and heated it in two minute intervals. I then let the bowl sit on the counter until the water went clear.

I ended up adding more dye, twice, as the dye bath exhausted, because the yarn wasn't quite as dark as I wanted. Eventually I got a colour that was pretty close to what I wanted. It's slightly orangey, but the colour is very rich and it has lovely tonal qualities that change in different light. All in all, I'm happy with the result! :)

Now the question is, what should I make with it? Maybe Cascata or Abrazo? Or the larger version of Pine and Ivy? What do you think?

Alpacas!

2010-04-11T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I went to an alpaca show this weekend, in Brandon MB. It's not very far but it was a fun trip.

Of course there was spinning in the car:

And then there were some very cute (and incredibly soft) alpacas from across the prairies!

I wanted to take several of them home with me.

(I think these ones liked me too! :)

Easter spinning

2010-04-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

I got some lovely hand dyed Blue Faced Leicester roving from Unwind Yarn and Gems. I think it's the perfect colour for Easter and totally makes me think of spring :)

Happy Easter everyone!

Socks... almost

2010-03-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

When I got my first spindle a few months ago, one thought jumped into my head and I had to try it.

I wanted to make a 3-ply sock yarn.

From what I read, you need a number of things to make a good sock yarn. First, thin singles with LOTS of twist.

Some folks say that this is best achieved on top whorl spindle. But I like to do things my own way, so I used my Turkish Delight (the middle size of my three turkish spindles). I made sure to add extra twist.

Next it's good to use a durable fibre. Cashmere, silk, etc will wear out really quickly. I chose Falkland wool, which is a longwool (I think...) and when I felt it, it seemed really sturdy.

Lastly, lots of twist when plying. That's where I'm at now. :) I'm using my "comets" top whorl for that. It spins fast and long and I love plying on it. I think the plied yarn is looking really good and it looks like it's the about sock-yarn weight!!! (somewhere between fingering and sport)

The only thing left after I ply is to knit a pair of socks... I think I even know someone who would thoroughly enjoy a pair of handspun GREEN socks. (The yarn is actually greener than the photo would have you believe.) If only I could remember her shoe size...

OMG I'm such a geek.

2010-03-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

So I bought a new bottle of vitamins and there was this big wad of cotton in the bottle.

I normally throw this cotton in the garbage. But then I thought:

Gee I could spin that!

I'm so incredibly pleased with myself.
I think I might need to change my blog to Allison's Knitting and Spinning Addiction. The "spinning" part is getting a little out of hand...

And CANADA takes GOLD!!!!!

2010-02-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

Well the olympics are officially over. I feel such as sense of pride. Team Canada really did an amazing job on home turf. 14 Gold medals, 26 overall! I feel so happy to live in this great country :)

Though it doesn't compare to the trials and triumphs of the athletes, I completed my socks tonight while watching the closing ceremonies.

There were a few set backs early in the first week. I had to rip back the snowflake bit on the first sock and re knit it on bigger needles. And today I ripped back and redid the first toe. But I persevered and the really are the perfect Canadian socks :)

It's been a great Olympics, Canada! Good work!

Day 3- Progress report.

2010-02-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

I spend yesterday doing two things: knitting my olympic sock and writing my thesis proposal. Much progress on both!

Too bad the US stole Gold from Canada in ladies' free style skiing last night though... :-(

The Knitting Olympics

2010-02-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

So before Ravelry had the Ravelympics (rav link), the Yarn Harlot started the Knitting Olympics, which happens every four years at the same time as the Winter Olympics. Basically you start a project during the opening ceremonies, knit for 16 days and (hopefully) finish before the flame goes out. I didn't sign up in 2006, but I'm signing up this year. I love the simplicity of it.

I have to do something to support team Canada for Vancover 2010!!! I'm going to knit these socks, in alpaca yarn from Manitoba. They have a snowflake on them :) Perfect! And it will be a challenge!

I'll try to post some photo updates. :)

Knitting Ecology

2010-01-29T14:24:00.000-08:00

The biological definition of ecology is "the relationships and interactions of living organisms with each other and their environment". Ecology is my field of study but I have discovered it is also my philosophy. There are many types of ecology; biological: population, community, landscape, field, behavioural, animal, plant, soil etc. and also anthropological: human ecology and cultural ecology.

I propose a new category: Knitting Ecology.

You see, knitters are connected through time and space, with other knitters, with the animals and plants from which fibres are collected, with people who craft the tools we use to knit and spin. Even the fabric itself is made of interconnected loops of yarn. Knitting, to me, is all about relationships and interconnections.

Knitting brings people together across time because it is such an ancient art form with a long and varied history. It also connects generations: my grandmother, my mother and me, and also to my niece (since I have no children yet). The connections are in the teaching and in the heirlooms and patterns passed down. My grandmother taught me to knit in 2005. My mother, before she passed away, crocheted me afghan. I will knit things for my children, and my nieces and nephews, and teach them to knit.

Knitting also provides a way to connect spiritually. One can take on knitting as a mindful meditative activity, or one can use knitting to comfort and pray for others, like in the knitting of Prayer Shawls. I'm part of a prayer shawl knitting group at my church and I know that the shawls bring great comfort to those who receive them.

Knitting can also cross cultures. A Korean woman from my knitting group was having trouble reading an english lace pattern, so I helped her understand the pattern visually, with no need for language.

Knitting can connect you to the resources you use. I used yarn from handspun yarn from Sheeples for my sweater. I visited alpaca farms and made new friends there. (I've talked a lot about the things I'm knitting for WillowWind.) Through that knitting I feel connected to the natural world and the fibre I'm using because I've met the animals who produce it as well as the people who tend them. I also ordered a spindle from Jenkins Turkish Spindles, which is made from a so-called "weed tree" in their part of the world, the big leaf maple. I felt good about my decision to stay away from the rare exotic woods and use a sustainably harvested wood source instead.

Finally knitting bridges space, both geographical and emotional. I have a friend who lives far away and I wasn't able to visit her when she had her daughter, so I knit her something to stay connected. Recently I found out that my mother-in-law, whom I've never met or spoken to, has been knitting all her life. Knitting provided a way for us to connect.

Knitting can mean so many things to so many people but to me, the connections are what makes the craft truly meaningful.

Happy knitting :)

mmmmmm woolly goodness

2010-01-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

My fibre from The Sweet Sheep arrived yesterday!!!!

It's is so incredibly amazing. The colour. The texture.

There's merino, merino-bamboo, merino-tencel, blue-faced leicester, and falkland. Variety is the spice of life!

So I picked some merino (the stuff on the far left in the first photo) and...

I think something really clicked for me last night! It's SO much fun. It's going to be a 2-ply.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

Well it's 2010, and it's the middle of another cold Manitoba winter. What is a girl to do? Knit of course! And maybe a little spinning...

I was to busy knitting Christmas gifts (and studying!) to blog in December. But I'm ringing in the new year with small finished item:

An iPod cozy for the iPod touch I got for Christmas!!
I made it from yarn I spun on my spindle!!! YAAAAA!

I also got a new camera, with which I took these yarny photos :)

(Mirasol Miski, for an Incognito neckwarmer that hubby insisted I make for him)

(A lace shawlette I'm working on. Laminaria. Malabrigo baby lace. Mmmmmm.)

Also the alpaca knitting is going along smoothly. I'm making a little something special for my alpaca farm buddies. Shhhhh it's a secret!

I ordered some hand-dyed fibre from the Sweet Sheep. If this keeps up I might have to change the name of my blog to something like: allison's everything-to-do-with-woolly-goodness addiction...

I may also have to add hand-dyeing to the list of fibre-y things. I got some baby alpaca lace at the Woolly Bullies xmas swap that is calling my to dye it a lovely raspberry red!!! hmmm maybe some cheerful kool-aid will make me feel like it's summer...

Spinning

2009-10-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

I've got a new hobby. It fits nicely with my knitting hobby :) Yup. Spinning.

I ordered a spindle back in September, to see if I can get the hang of spinning on that before I try it on the wheel. I feel like it's more "art" than "science" which is fine with me.

I first started with a small amount of fibre that I had left over from the thrummed booties I made. I went a little nuts and over spun it in places. It's REALLY thick and thin, and the thin spots are really twisted. But it's yarn and it looks pretty :) I think it might be merino because it's super soft and has a short fibre length.

The lovely person who gave me the wheel was thoughtful enough to send a long a whole bunch of super soft black fibre (which I'm guessing is also merino?). I predrafted it and I'm spinning a yarn that is somewhere between a dk and worsted... I think... :)

I'm going to leave at as singles for now... one thing at a time. I'll leave plying for another day! I want to get better at drafting evenly (that's how much yarn you pull out to be spun) so that my plied yarn looks even.

There are so many things that go into spinning. How long the fibre is, how much you draft, how much spin you put in... I think I'm getting the hang of it. As long as I focus on the art, I can just relax and got at my own pace. It's really quite meditative. I certainly enjoy having a little spinning time at the end of a long day of schoolwork.

On another note, I've been doing lots of bus knitting and am getting lots of small projects done!

Man socks for my hubby:

(see the texture?)

and alpaca mittens ready for felting.

I'm loving my alpaca hat so much, I'm going to be sad to give these mittens away. The person getting these mittens is going to have warm hands this winter!!!

Let it snow... let it snow...

2009-10-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Well it appears winter has decided to overtake fall this year. (We had a very warm summer september and now it's snowing.)

Luckily, a box of alpaca yarn from Willowind Alpacas (bless their woolly hearts!) arrived earlier this week. I'm knitting them some hats and I decided to try out my mitten recipe with alpaca instead of wool.

I've heard mixed reviews about alpaca's ability to felt, so I swatched:

It felts beautifully. So soft and dense!
(the yarn is close to sport weight so I'm doubling it. Aren't the natural colours lovely?)

And then I cast on!

I love knitting mittens, and the weather really makes me want to. (Did I mention the snow?!) And these mitts are going to be WARM baby! I tested out my alpaca hat in the blustery weather and it is toasty! (It even does a better job at cutting the wind than some of the other hats I've knit from wool!)

While I'm talking about mittens, last year I knit some mittens for the Mitten Tree at my church (for inner city kids). This year I'm asking around to see if other knitters want to knit some mittens for kids too. I even have a pattern that I put together so if you are in the winnipeg area and would like to knit some mittens, post in the comments or email me: alleyDOTdanielsenATgmailDOTcom and I'll send you the pdf.

Now I think I need a cuppa tea...

Spinning the stress away...

2009-09-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that I'm in school, I'm still really excited about my fibre hobby. When I mentionned to my dad that I'd like to learn how to spin, he said he might be able to hook me up with a wheel. Well he did. :) A friend of his didn't want her wheel anymore and is GIVING it to me! (Thanks Carol!!!) She was even kind enough to to include some black wool :)

I'm can't wait to dive deep into the fibre world. :)

I'm also ordering a spindle from woolly designs (the "comets" one pictured here) to gain a feel for the fibre before I learn how to use the wheel, which seems a little more complicated.

I think it will really help me de-stress from my school work which is fairly heavy this term...

Kool-aid

2009-09-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

So back in July (ok I'm still catching up!) my woolly bullies did a kool-aid dyeing workshop. It was fan-friggin-tastic. We each got some undyed sock yarn (Valley yarns Franklin in a large cone from WEBS) I got two socks worth and dyed one there and one later that week.

Most of the gals did the self-striping thing:

which basically involves making a really really long skein, giving it a bath in vinegar and then dipping different sections into jars with high concentrations of koolaid (April also used wiltons cake icing colouring- bottom photo) and waitin for the dye to be soaked up into the yarn.

I decided to be different and not do stripes on my first skein:

So I put the yarn into my crock pot, with some water (note: too much water=white spots) and poured the kool aid (3 packets grape, 2 packets strawberry lemonade+1 grape and 2 packets ice blue+1 grape) onto different sections of the yarn. I turned out looking... um... interesting in the ball.

I haven't knit it up yet. In retrospect I should have re-dyed some spots... we'll see how it looks knitted up.

Then a few days later I tried the striped method, not measuring or anything (yup. that's how I roll.) I used: ice blue, ice blue + grape and ice blue + lemon lime.

I was pretty happy with the result. But not nearly as happy as when I started to knit it up. I found this sock pattern: Circle Socks.

The stripes work so perfectly with the pattern, I can't even believe it. Seriously. Remember, I didn't measure the yarn or plan the stripes at all! I love it when this happens... :)

PS We visited two more alpaca farms (Circle O and Burton Alpacas)! OMG i love baby alpacas...

Where did summer go??

2009-08-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

Wow. I guess the blog took a back seat this summer. I work outdoors doing biological field work (studying lizards) and I spend most of the summer living at a provincial park where there was only dial up. I did lots of knitting though! I even finished my boxleaf wrap. (will post photos. I promise!)

I wore it to Grandma and Grandpa's 60th wedding anniversary. It was a lovely family gathering and the shawl was lovely too. Silk... drapey.... long enough to wrap around a couple times.

This summer my knitting has taken on a new depth. My hubby is now working on a dairy farm and this has inspired us. We would like our long term goals (think 5-10 year plan) to include moving out of the city and having a small acreage with some animals. Alpacas are definitely on my list. The thought of spinning yarn from animals raised excites me so much! We visited the Willow Wind Alpaca farm and got a tour.

They gave me a "sample" of their yarn and I knit this:

I fell in love with those critters immediately. The thing is they're easy to look after! A perfect way to start out for a city girl turned country girl.

On thing though... if I'm going to have all that fibre... I should really learn how to spin...

Maybe a drop spindle from Tracy at WoollyDesigns? Stay tuned...

P.S. I'm going back to school this fall... so if my posting is more sporadic than usual, that's why...

The answer is NO

2009-05-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

I've learned a little something about myself as a knitter. I'm not a monogamous knitter. I can't handle working on one project only. There is a very good reason for this. I like to complicated things (like lace, cables etc) but sometimes I crave a plain sock.

You know those days when you are just not with it? And the thought of doing something complex makes your brain hurt? On those days it's not a good idea to knit lace, you end up making mistakes and it goes slowly. Then there is car knitting. I discovered yesterday that knitting lace in the backseat of a stuffy car when you are a bit tired is NOT a good idea. I'm so glad my friend Esther had a dish cloth that I could knit on instead! Next time I'll bring a sock!

(as an aside we went to the narcisse snake dens :) as the snakes come out of hibernation, they form what's called mating balls. Looks kind of like tangled yarn doesn't it?)

So this is why I'm not going to finish my shawl in time... Maybe I'll have it done in time for my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary in August...

Lace Marathon

2009-05-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

So I came up with this brilliant idea to knit the Boxleaf Wrap from knitspot to wear to my friend's wedding. I don't have any "dressy" knits and my wardrobe of dressy clothes is looking a little shabby.

That sounds like a plan, you say. When is wedding? July? August? That would give me plenty of time!

Nope.

May 23, 2009.

I've never given myself a knitting deadline before... I feel a little like the Yarn Harlot at Christmas. But I usually do my Christmas knitting well in advance.

Here's the break down:

Whole Shawl= 20 pattern repeats
One repeat= 20 rows (every other row is a purl), 75 stitches across
Estimated time to knit one 20 row repeat=2hrs
Repeats completed= 3
Start date= April 30.
Deadline= May 22 to allow blocking time.
So...

Basically I need to knit for 2 hrs per day to complete one repeat per day, every day and I would finish by the 19th. Yeah.... I'd better go knit some more...

Think I can do it?

Coriolis effect...

2009-04-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

So when I got New Pathways in Sock Knitting last winter, I skipped the little sky beginner sock and dove straight into the little coriolis. I loved it. It's such a unique way to make a sock. Then I read all about the fit issues people had with the "big" coriolis and waited a bit to try it, out of fear. I don't usually get scared off by a challenge in knitting (example: my first cable project was a celtic braid).

I experimented with the other sock architectures and found my groove (read: figured out that I was measuring my midfoot as half an inch bigger than it really was, therefore making all my socks half an inch too big around...miserable). I just bought some Mirasol Chirapa and it told me it wanted to be a coriolis, with a nice wide band. I finished the first sock in less than a week. I'm addicted, I love love love this pattern and it's fitting like, well, a sock :) super cozy!

In fact I'm thinking of ripping another sock (it's a little small) and making it into a coriolis too! :) maybe with yarn over increases to make "bubbles"?

I don't know why I waited so long...

Knitting Prayer

2009-04-21T06:54:00.001-07:00

My grandma gave me this a while ago. I thought it was cute :)

The Knitter's Prayer

I pray when risen from the dead,
I may in glory land.
Perhaps a crown upon my head,
But four needles in my hand.
I never learned to sing or play,
So let no harp be mine.
From childhood to my dying day,
Plain knitting's been my line.
And so accustomed to the end,
In plying useful stitches,
I'll be content if given to knit
the little angels' britches.

I wonder what kind of yarn they would have for the angels' britches? Probably malabrigo...

Finally spring!!!

2009-04-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting on my balcony, soaking in the sun. It's finally spring.

Admittedly, spring in manitoba isn't the prettiest thing you ever saw. Kind of dusty and brown and drab. But the blue sky and the warm sun really make me believe that summer is just around the corner. And I just saw a couple of butterflies flitting on the balcony just below mine! Hooray!

Spring also means time for spring knitting! Woo!

I've got a pair of "Spring Forward" socks on the go.

And I just bought some 100% silk yarn from the newly reinvented Ram Wool Yarn Co-op (much appreciation goes to my former co-workers who sent me off with a gift cert! I currently have no other yarn money...). It's going to be a lacey "Delphine" top from French Girl Knits (also in IK Spring 2009).

I've never worked with pure silk before. This will be fun!

Maybe the pool will even be open soon... that might be wishful thinking though...

Zipper conquered!

2009-04-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Back in February, I posted a photo of the yummy yarn I got from Sheeples Fine Fibres. Well I really couldn't hold back and I started knitting it up right away. It was going to be Estes Vest from Interweave Knits Magazine but I soon realized that the pattern called for way more yarn than was needed. I wasn't about to let my lovely handspun go to waste so I decided to add sleeves. (I used top-down seamless set-in sleeves, which rock btw!) I finished knitting the cardigan in the middle of March which is might fast for a sweater!!

Then I stalled... Why you ask? Well I thought that a zipper would look better than the buttons the pattern suggested... But zippers are my nemesis. I sewed a skirt once and it took me 3 or 4 tries (read: sew up, rip entire seam and repeat) to sew in the 4" zipper with my sewing machine. And it still wasn't perfect. The memory still haunts me.

Also I have a bad habit of making something really great and then ruining it with the finishing. I've been trying very hard to overcome my lack of perfectionism in my knitting... with occasional success... but it takes a lot of effort.

This sweater has turned out so well though. I was petrified of ruining it's perfection by messing up the zipper. So I stewed for a couple of weeks. Finally, this week I figured enough is enough! I found a really good tutorial for hand sewing in zippers (did I mention I'm really bad at hand sewing?) and...

After three painstaking days...

Allison: 1 Zipper: 0

I'm on a roll! Maybe I should go fix the buttons that are falling off my Central Park Hoodie...

Dear Mother Nature,

2009-04-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

I would like to say that I feel winter has gone on too long. I realize that winter weather is good weather for knitting. It's very kind of you to make more snow and cold so that the people I knit mittens for will be able to wear them before summer arrives.

Yes I also realize you gave us some nice weather last November but, really, that was 5 months ago. I know that March is your favorite time of year and you probably get a little chuckle from making it nice and warm and melty outside and then blasting us with -30 windchill and snow the next day. Ha ha. Hilarious. Guess what? It's April now. Just take the snow away, ok?

I'm hoping that perhaps this is an April Fool's joke (if it is, it's not very funny!) and that I'll wake up tomorrow morning and spring will be here.

Sincerely,
Allison

PS. My cats would also appreciate going out on the balcony without getting their feet cold and wet! K, thanks!

Good bye winter! (I hope!)

2009-03-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well I'm keeping my fingers crossed that winter is on it's way out. This post will be a tribute to on of my favorite winter knitting projects.

Mittens!

I've made three pairs of mittens since January! All for my co-works Ken and Ken. The first Ken requested two pairs of mitts right after Christmas and presented me with two balls of Patons Classic Merino ($4/ball at Micheal's he said!!). I finished those in February, and he and his sweetheart quite enjoyed them.

A few days after receiving the finished mitts, he provided me with a big bag of homemade cookies! It seems there are perks to knitting for other people!

Then the other Ken, who has been admiring my knitting in the coffee room for over a year now, decide that he must have a pair of mitts too. He asked if I knew of any icelandic yarn, and I thought of Lopi immediately. I had to send him to the yarn store to get the yarn though. He took a detour with some of the other guys from work, on the way back to the office from a meeting or something. You've got to understand that these are "hunters" and "fisherman" and they think knitting is girly. So they've been ribbing Ken non-stop about having to buy yarn at a yarn shop. I think it's just fine, especially since I'm getting deer steaks and sausages out of the deal!!! :)

I'm almost done those mitts... he requested a "dummy" string be added as well... lol.

So I'm hoping with these last mittens being completed I'll be able to say good bye winter!

In case you want to get started on some mittens for next year, here's my tweaked felted mitten pattern!

Allison’s Felted Mitten Recipe

Yarn: Approximately 200yards 100% wool worsted weigh yarn such as Cascade 220 or Patons Classic Merino or Knit Picks Wool of the Andes.

Needles:
Set of 4 or 5 dpns, size 5mm (US 8), it may be easier to use a 16in circular needle for the larger size.3.5mm (US 4) dpns

Other notions:

5mm crochet hook

2 markers

cotton waste yarn

stitch holder

Gauge: approx 4 stitches per inch but finished size is determined by felting

Sizes: Woman (Man)

Note: Cuffs are picked up and knit after felting is completed.

Using larger needles, CO 44(52) st using knitted cast on.
Knit 10 rounds.

Begin thumb gusset:

Right mitten:

Knit 3, place marker (pm), m1, K3, m1, pm, knit to end of round. Knit one round. Knit 3, slip marker, m1, k5, m1, slip marker, knit to end of round. Knit one round. Continue in this fashion, increasing just after first marking and just before second marker until there are 11(13) stitches between the markers. On the next plain knit round, place these stitches on a stitch holder or waste yarn, and cast three stitches onto needle in right hand using the backwards loop method. Knit to end of round.

Left mitten:

Knit until 6 before end of round, marker (pm), m1, K3, m1, pm, K3. Knit one round.Knit to marker, slip marker, m1, k5, m1, slip marker, K3. Knit one round. Continue in this fashion, increasing just after first marking and just before second marker until there are 11(13) stitches between the markers. On the next plain knit round, place these stitches on a stitch holder or waste yarn, and cast three stitches onto needle in right hand using the backwards loop method. Knit to end of round.

Begin mitten body (right and left mittens):
*Knit 7 rounds. On 8th round, knit 20 (24) st. Wrap next stitch and turn so wrong side is facing. Sl 1, purl 18 (22) st. Wrap next st and turn so right side is facing. Knit to end of round, knitting the wraps with wrapped stitches as you come across them.
Repeat from * twice more, for a total of 24 rounds.

Decrease for top:K1, k2tog, K16, ssk, K1, pm. Repeat once. *Knit 1 round.K1 K2tog, knit to 3 before marker, ssk, k1, repeat to second marker. Repeat from * until 24 (28) stitches remain, then work decreases every round until 8 stitches remain. Thread yarn through remaining stitches and weave in ends.

Thumb:
Transfer stitches from stitch holder onto two dpns. Then pick up 5 (7) stitches on a third dpn. 16 (20) sts total. Knit 15 (18) rounds. K2tog 8(10) times. Thread yarn through remaining stitches and weave in ends.

Fulling:Using a crochet hook, and cotton yarn, crochet 44 (52) stitches around cuff of mitten. This will keep holes open so that the cuff stitches can be picked up after fulling.Put mittens in a zippered pillow case and run though 1 or more hot wash/cold rinse cycles, with a low amount of water, a small amount of laundry soap and a pair of old jeans. Check fulling process frequently in order to obtain the correct size. Felting is complete when stitch definition is no longer visible. Let the mitten run through spin cycle to remove excess water. Shape mittens as necessary and allow to dry completely.

Cuffs:
Remove cotton waste yarn. With smaller needles, pick up and knit 44(52) stitches with same yarn as mitten.Begin k2p2 ribbing and continue until cuffs are desired length. Bind off using EZ’s sewn bind off or other stretchy bind off.

Manitoba made

2009-02-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

My Sheeples bulky handspun, Manitoba grown yarn has arrived.

Yum!

Hat Update!

2009-02-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I have to say I like knitting hats. They're quick and satisfying. :)
I finished both hats this month and the verdict on warmth is two thumbs up! Yes I've succeeded in making a hat that beats the cold of Winterpeg.

First up:

Chris' hat

Featuring Lopi wool and polar fleece lining (instructions for lining a hat on this excellent blog). He tells me it's very warm and the best hat he's ever owned. I think I've finally knit something my hubby actually likes! He even got a compliment from one of his co-workers :)

Next:

My hat

Featuring Homestead by Plymouth Yarn, which is organic wool, yum! And for the fair isle bit I used Cascade 220 and sheeples yarn held together. The best part of this hat is the lining. It is a merino boucle. Amazing. I'm not much of a fan of boucle yarn generally but this yarn feels like a wooly lamb when it's knitted up.

I did some reading up on warm hats (ie I asked the Ravelers) and it seems the best way to keep warm in windy cold weather is to have a tightly knit outerlayer and a warm underlayer. Many people said I should use alpaca or quiviut or cashmere because they are superwarm, light fibers. The reason they are so warm is that they trap air in the fiber (caribou fur is warm for the same reason). When I saw and touched the boucle yarn I thought it would be perfect because it traps a lot of air, even though merino's not the warmest of the warm fibers. I was right.

We had some -30 something windchill weather this week and I tested my hat. Toasty warm. Awesome!

Next up... mittens... (but not for me... more later!)

A little off topic...

2009-01-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

...but still connected!

I recently saw this really awesome video clip about North American materialism. It's called the Story of Stuff. It's quite eye-opening and you should all watch it! (It's not even preachy, just straight up facts.)

How is this linked to knitting? It's part of my world view. I'd rather make something from scratch than go to Evil-Mart and buy a cheapo sweater that will wear out quickly and was probably made in a sweat shop in the philipines. I also get a lot more joy from buying yarn that was grown and produced by a local farm/mill, or at least fairly traded, than when I buy imported stuff. (I love Sheeples and Wolseley Wardrobe!!)

The above video just affirms to me why doing those things is good! I'd love to hear what you think!

A new year of knitting

2009-01-01T11:43:00.001-08:00

Yes I know I haven't really been blogging lately but several people have told me they check once in a while. It's not that I haven't thought of it but I just haven't been inspired and I don't want to bore you with mundane posts just for the sake of posting.

2008 has been an explosive year for my knitting hobby. I've really settled into the hobby. I met up with other knitters. I got on ravelry, about a year ago now, which has opened up a whole world of possibilities for projects, yarn and techniques.

I've also knit a whole bunch of gifts.

Thrummed booties (will possibly post how-to at some point) and soaker for Heather's baby, Meredith

A hat for Anna's baby, Eliza

Booties for Nathan and Carly's baby, John

Socks for my dad

A little bear named Bubby for my niece, Autumn Grace

and little mittens for charity

I feel like my knitting is at a place where I feel comfortable knitting for other people. I feel like my skill is good enough :)
I've had 3 sweater requests from three men in my life: my brother, my husband and my father-in-law. I'll keep you posted on progress but for now I have another short term goal.

I want to make a hat that will keep my ears warm in the bitter cold of Winnipeg winter. It's a lofty goal to be sure. Any of you who have experienced -35C with a northern windchill of -45C will know that a plain, single layered, ribbed hat does nothing to cut the cold. So I'm on a mission.

There are several things to keep in mind when knitting a hat.
- design
- material
- fabric thickness/windproofing

I posed the question of how to make a warm winter hat on Ravelry and got a huge response. Here is a summary of the advice people gave:

1. Use a warm fibre. Apparently quiviut (musk ox fibre) is the warmest there is, and following in second is cashmere. I'm not made of money so I'm going to rely on good old wool. Alpaca may be another choice. Those fibres are warm because they trap little pockets of warm air. Boucle or brushed yarn might do the trick.

2. Earflaps are the way to go. Yup stylish and warm. I agree and I'm going with the flaps.

3. Small gauge is better. There are fewer spaces for the wind to get through. This is especially good for an outer layer. Felting is even better.

4. Use layers. There are numerous ways to achieve this. Double knitting makes 2 layers at the same time. I might try this, we'll see. The other suggestion was lining with polar fleece. Fair isle or stranding patterns also create more layers.

So all these ideas have been swirling around and I think I've got the yarn I need for the two hats I want to make. I'm going to use a fair isle pattern, the norwegian star (classic!).

Hubby's hat will be Lopi bulky wool, knit on 3.75mm needles with a polar fleece lining. I'm casting on today!

You'll have to keep checking back to see what my hat will be!

For the love of lace...

2008-08-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

I am addicted.

I started the Gnarled Oakwoods stole from the Twist Collective (AMAZING new online knitting magazine!!! I want to knit it all!!). At first the yarn (mmmmalabrigo lace) was not cooperating so I frogged the first couple rows but now it's rolling and I cannot stop knitting it! I had to restrain from knitting it at Woolly Bullies this week because I just know I'll make some huge error. So far so good though! I think this is a knitting-all-alone-on-my-couch kind of project.

I can't wait til my holiday by the lake this fall so I can really sink my needles into it!!! mmmmmm malabrigo.... soooo soft.... I wish you all could feel it through you computer screens...

I think the race between cables and lace just got a whole lot more interesting.

Odds and ends and too much sun!

2008-07-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been almost two months since I last posted! How time flies when it's summer!
I've been doing one of my favorite things lately: summer field work! I'm a botanist and this summer I'm surveying rare plants.

(I know this is a knitting blog but I think the seeds of 3 flowered avens look like something you could knit with don't you? :)

All this time outside has given me a tan. Normally I have a farmer style tan... back of the neck, arms tanned starting at the mid bicep, and maybe a sandal tan for good measure! But this year I've noticed a different sort of tan that I haven't seen before:

I'm coining a new term for it: Knitter's tan. Note the darker shade of my index finger and thumb. I must be from all the knitting I did while camping and at the Winnipeg folk festival.

Speaking of knitting, things are coming along.

Central Park Hoodie: DONE

Sheeples socks: One done, second almost to the heel.

Love love love Sheeples!!! (we went on a field trip to a sheep farm called Sheeples to pet lambs and see how they make yarn and learn how to spin... fun fun fun!!!! of course some yarn followed me home...)

Socks for Hubby: One almost done (but I may have to frog some of it or else I'll run out of yarn.... big feet...... :P)

Starting next: Rogue Hoodie in mmm Alpaca.... Photos to come!

I'll try not to wait so long to post again.

Cables vs. Lace

2008-05-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

I think you all know that I love cables. (see my cabled sweater.) I especially like intricate cables of the celtic variety.

My version of Samus, my very first completed knitted sweater.

But recently lace has caught my attention. At first I didn't like the holey nature of lace (same reason I prefer knitting to crochet). But then I started seeing the organic nature of lace... lots of leafy plant inspired patterns. And I'm a leafy, plant inspired person so it seemed to be a good match!

Then the bamboo yarn I just bought was crying out to become these embossed leaves socks (from Favorite Socks)...

One other thing inspired me to try lace...

mmmmmMalabrigo Lace Baby Merino...

Need I say more??
(I think the baby merino wants to be this.)

PS which do you prefer? Cables or Lace? see Poll -->

Man Socks

2008-04-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

My husband is finally realizing that I'm actually a pretty good knitter, and also that the things I knit are a) useful, b) not cheesy and c) pretty cool.

When I was knitting my lovely green socks, my hubby would come into the room and say "When are you going to knit me a pair of socks?!"

First off, finding a sock pattern for a man that is manly enough, but not boring, is a challenge. Fortunately, I like a challenge!

I finally chose the Foxglove architecture from Cat Bordhi's book (love it, just love it), measured my hubby's feet, did the required calculations and cast on with a manly black tweed sock yarn from Knit Picks (Essential Tweed).

I've barely cast on and I've noticed a few rules I should have followed...

1) When knitting man socks, knit on big needles. I chose the smallest needles I own (2mm).

2) Worsted, or at the very least Sport weight yarn is key. Not super thin sock yarn (thinner than my last socks!).

These two items are key because my man has big feet (I love him :) therefore lots more stitches and rows (even if one and two are followed).

Yup, these might take a while! Labour of love though!

Another mishmash of projects

2008-04-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

I've actually been making significant headway on my projects. I've come to the realization that it's projects get done when... gasp... you don't have as many on the go at once! :) I currently have:

A sweater (Central Park Hoodie)

(coming along nicely, might even wear it before fall!!)

A hat for my friend's baby (due end of May)

A prayer shawl (there is a group of ladies at church who get together and knit them for people who are ill. Awesome.)

A moebius bag... Just working on the pocket and then it will be ready to felt!! :)

I need to start one more project to replace the lovely pair of "Ridgeline socks" I finished (from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways in Sock Knitting with by the way is my new favorite book!)

I must take a minute to say that I really really love knitting socks. You can make them in bright crazy colours (I wouldn't ever wear a shirt with those stripes) and you can do the most intricate pattern of lace or cables without feeling overwhelmed by the size of the project or embarassed to wear the end product. I've always liked cool socks so now I can knit my own! The only problem is which sock pattern do I start next? What do you folks think?

Looking back on that list it does seem like a lot of different things... but variety is the spice of life you know!

Moebius kitties

2008-04-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

My kitties love their new bed...

I think I may have to make another one!

(this didn't last very long ;)

P.S. I liked how Knitpicks Wool of the Andes felted but the edges don't stay up on their own... Ah well, the cats don't care :)

Spring (yeah... sure) cleaning

2008-03-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

As spring tries to arrive (the blizzard we had yesterday did not really give me confidence) my winter knitting is wrapping up. I basically knit for 4 days straight over the Easter weekend. And now I have an extra day because this cold virus I've got is getting worse before it gets better.

I finished the socks for my grandparents. They ended up being an Easter gift instead of xmas! lol

(my feet)

(Grandpa's feet)

Both patterns were from Favorite Socks, a lovely sock book. G & G were thrilled!

And I achieved something huge yesterday:

I finished my sweater.

If you go back to my very first post last April, you'll see it when it was only a bit of ribbing. Aw those were the days ;) It has grown up into a very very thick, warm sweater. Maybe if, heaven forbid, winter sticks around a wee bit longer I'll be able to wear it and not sweat to death!! I love it anyway and I know it will keep me warm when those -40 days hit again next year.

A momentous thing happened as a result of this sweater. My hubby, upon seeing my completed sweater asked me if I would would make him a sweater. To put this into context, every time I've asked him if I can make him one, he gets this disgusted look on his face and says "No that's ok", like he's envisioning the ugliest sweater imaginable, in his least favourite colour. My sweater must have really impressed him!! Little did he know he's got me started down that treacherous trail that leads to feeding my addiction with more knitting... I'm thinking maybe a Cobblestone Pullover would look nice on him :) Now what yarn shall I choose.... hmmm

But first things first ...

Yesterday evening a new little bundle of yarn was born (I won't bore you with photos of its innocent little ribbing). It's called the Central Park Hoodie in Lion Brand Cotton-Ease. I know, I'm insane for starting another sweater... maybe I'll finish this one before winter... one can always dream right? :)

Random projects

2008-02-18T07:17:00.000-08:00

I think I've got a system for starting new projects, a bit of a groove if you will. I've decide that I'm only starting one sweater per year. I really like sweaters but this all-over cabled, dk weight yarn deal is taking way too long... I have started the second sleeve though!! hooraaaay!

I like completing projects. I have finished one sock from each pair of socks for my grandparents. (photos to come when I finish the pairs).

I also finished my moebius cat bed. The cats already know what it is! :)

She walked onto it herself.

It still needs to be felted so that it stands up. I think I'm going to start a moebius bag next. Stay tuned!

And I tried out Cat Bordhi's newest book, New Pathways in Sock Knitting, the little coriolis sock. I'm going to give it to friends of mine who has a little girl.

They were a challenge but I like a challenge!!
I want to start an adult sized pair from that book but I need to finish the other socks... all part of trying to ration my projects so I don't get overwhelmed.

SOCKS!!!

2008-01-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

What do you buy your grandparents for xmas? They're very difficult to shop for. I decided to give them an IOU for something everyone needs!
Socks!
I was really overwhelmed when started looking at sock yarn- so many colourways and fibres to choose from! I had to call Grandma and ask her what colours she and Grandpa liked. She said blues and that she liked pastels. Then the she was like: "You'll make them the same right?" She's not a knitter, bless her heart. :) I picked out a pattern for each of them from my new book "Favorite socks".
Here's what I have for Grandma's pair so far (Regia Silk) :

And Grandpa's,

This one is particularly nice because it's made with Patons classic merino!

I'd probably be finished but I'm waiting on double pointed needles from knitpicks. Speaking of knitpicks, I got my first of three orders this week!!! YAAAY :) I'm now a yarn-oholic..... *jumps up and down excitedly* This batch will be turned into various moebius projects.... tba ;)

One last exciting thing: I found this amazing site called Ravelry. It's a knitter's dream!! It's a knit/crochet community and it's a billion times better than facebook! A billion.

Christmas Knitting

2008-01-05T07:32:00.001-08:00

I've been a busy knitter this xmas season and now that everyone has their gifts, I can post the photos. I think this xmas marks a new phase in my addiction ;) I've now busted out of knitting just for me and started to feel confident enough in my knitting to make gifts. :)

I started out by making Knucks for all the men in my life (hubby, dad and bro). Chris was kind of my guinea pig. He loved the idea. I was a little unsure but in the end my dad (below) and bro loved them too.

I also decided to knit gifts for my two office parties. The one gift exchange had a nocturnal theme so I decided to get a little creative. I found this cabled owl motif on a dish cloth and decided to make a hat with it. I knit it with Bernat Wool Blends. The woman who picked my gift was a knitter herself and loved it!!

For my other exchange I made a Pocket Creature which warms your hands in winter. :) I really enjoyed making the hair!

It's so satisfying to make gifts, especially for little kids. I made the most adorable hat for the daughter of our friends Mike and Anna. She's two and just the sweetest little girl. When she tried it on, she kept looking in the mirror and grinning. I wish I'd gotten a photo of her but I only have one of the hat. It's knit in Patons Canadiana (as is Uni, above).

I was weaving in the ends on the hat one evening and I found out that I have one of the most well behaved, patient cats a knitter could ask for. This one (Ella) and my other cat both know that playing with my yarn is off limits!

I also have an update on the sweater I've been working on since last spring!

Just one sleeve to go!!!!

I got a lot of cool knitterly stuff for xmas so look forward to some cool projects in the future. I've very very excited to start knitting moebius projects from Cat Bordhi's second treasury I'm waiting on yarn and needles from Knitpicks (my new favorite site!) right now for those projects. Also watch for SOCKS from various pattern sources including Knitty and Favorite Socks by Interweave. Socks are going to be my new thing. I just found this site called Simply Sock Yarn. Can't wait to try it out!!

Yup 2008 looks like a very promising year of knitting!!!!

Sweaters...

2007-11-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

When I'm knitting on the bus, random people will often talk to me. They like to know what I'm knitting. I think most of the time they probably think "scarf" but I've been into sweaters lately.

Sweaters are the quintessential knitted item.

If you go into any store right now, you'll see that cabled sweaters are the "in" item of the season. When I see these sweaters, I think "I could make one of those and make it better". In our society though, we like to have everything right now, and knitting a sweater by hand takes time. I have two sweaters and a summer top in the works right now. (The summer top is on hold until spring.) I wrote about them in a previous post. I've been working diligently on the most ambitious, and consequently the most fun, sweater which has an all over cabled pattern in DK weight yarn. I have the front and the back finished and was very excited to pin it and try it on. It actually fits me pretty well. :) But here's the thing. I would probably prefer it to be a little longer. Unfortunately it was knit bottom up and I don't really want to unravel 6 months of work for a couple of inches of length.

The thing that I find most satisfying about knitting and sewing is that I can tailor the clothes to fit me. I have long arms and so have difficulty with some shirts in stores being shorter than I prefer. Same goes for my long legs. I could not find acceptably long pj pants in any stores, so I sewed my own. With sewing you just measure the fabric, sew it up and tada! It fits. If it doesn't take it in, or let it out. Knitting is different. With knitting you have to make the fabric! And you can't try it on half way through. On my previous sweater attempt, I was so intent on making the sleeves long that I made them a little too long. (I still love the sweater though!) I'm realizing now that I won't be able to knit a perfectly fitting sweater the first time, and certainly not without altering the pattern.

Knitting the perfect sweater is a journey, littered with too-long sleeves and too-short torsos. I will wear these imperfect sweaters (they're not too bad....) because I put in so much time to make them. Along the way, however, I'm learning how exactly to modify future sweaters so they fit me!! I'm up for the challenge, especially with a long, cold winter ahead!

Maybe after I master knitting sweaters for myself, my husband will finally let me knit him a sweater...

Felting/Fulling

2007-10-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Last xmas I knit up a pair of slippers at my dad's place. I was hoping to "full" them in his washing machine but I realized I'd left my last ball of yarn at home in Winnipeg, an 8 hour drive away! So I had to finished knitting them when I got home. :(

Fulling is the process of turning a %100 wool, knitted item into felt through exposure to friction and heat. Technically, the term "felting" refers to the same process but with raw fiber that has not been spun and knitted. You can "full" an item by hand in a sink of hot water. I had used that method for mittens and the hat/booties in my last post but my slippers would have taken a lot of elbow grease not to mention hours! The problem is I live in an apartment with coin op washers. These offer no control of water levels or timing of the cycle, not to mention the number of quarters I'd need! I did see an article on fulling your knitting in a bucket with a plunger. Maybe I'll try that another time.

So I waited until I was home at my dad's once again this Thanksgiving. To my dismay, he'd gotten a new front loading washer and I had read that you couldn't use them for fulling. I did a little searching online though and found that at least one person had tried it. So I figured I'd give it a whirl. It worked!

Here's how I did it:

I put the slippers in a zippered pillow cover and threw them in the washer with a pair of jeans (to increase agitation because front load washers have less agitation to be nicer on clothes).

I ran it through a hot wash and cold rinse, without soap. I used the "quick wash" option because it had the lowest water level. It was also a shorter cycle which proved useful because I could check my slippers' progress. It may be more difficult to do smaller items in a front loader because they might felt too fast and it's difficult to stop mid cycle. My slippers took about 4 cycles though. I let it go on the spin cycle too, on medium speed. It really sped up the drying process!

I am very happy with the results and I'll definitely use my dad's front loader again!

Allison

Itsy bitsy booties....

2007-05-26T06:15:00.000-07:00

Being newly married, I have to be careful when I tell people I'm knitting booties. I told my grandparents and they said "OH! really??" I had to qualify that by saying "for a friend..."

Just because I'm knitting booties, doesn't mean I'm pregnant!!!!!

So with that said, my friends Nathan and Carly just had a baby girl. I knit them the cutest little felted booties from a free pattern online. They're made with Patons Classic Merino. Great yarn to felt. It has a wonderful soft texture. Here's a photo:

Then I decide to make a hat as well. The pattern was from the book "Felted Knits". I made it from some leftover yarn from my sweater: lambs pride (by brown sheep co.) which is a wool/mohair blend. Just beautiful for felting. The hat fit me before felting but now it's very much baby sized :) I finished it in two days. Here are a couple of photos:

There are numerous ways to felt items. I don't have in suite laundry (or any friends who would let me use their washers!!) so I do small projects in the sink. I just fill it up with hot water and scrub until it felts (~20 minutes). I find you have a lot of control over the the felting process when you do it by hand. It's also therapeutic in a way.... kind of like making bread. :)

Until next time....
Alley

Current projects

2007-04-20T19:20:00.001-07:00

I believe that variety is the spice of life. So I like to work on more than on project at a time. Usually it ends up being 3-4 projects at a time...
Right now i really like cabling. I have this wonderful book called Cables Untangled. It has lovely patterns and some good tips on cabling. I'm making a sweater and an area rug from it. The sweater is made from Marble which is soft and lovely. It's also self striping. :) I'm only just starting that one.

The area rug is made from Bernat Chunky, a giant 1lb ball.... ah walmart....

The other project I have going is a hooded, zippered sweater from Spindling (see my list of fave websites) made from sirdar yo-yo. I changes colour and is super fun to work with. The fabric produced has almost a fleecy texture. :)

That's all for now....
Alley

Why in heavens name would you knit a scarf????

2007-04-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

I've knit many projects in the last year and a half. The project that took me the longest was a scarf I knit for my husband.
I started it in fall 2005, about 4 months before we got engaged. It was blue and made from two balls Patons Shetland Chunky, a very nice acrylic/wool blend. I used a simple knit two, purl two ribbing. I thought at the time that it was a good starter project. I worked diligently and finished it by Xmas and presented it to my sweetheart. Being a good honest boyfriend, he told me it was too short!! :-P I saw that indeed it was but I couldn't get the same dye lot of yarn to make it longer......

So I ripped it all out! (a good lesson for another day)

I bought two more balls of yarn, in charcoal grey, and started a stripe pattern.
I was through about one ball of yarn when I finally realized that scarves are BORING. Even with stripes. And this one was twice as long as the original. I worked on it for a month and then only picked it up if my hubby asked me when I was going to finish it.

I did finish it, over a year later.

I have since taught a couple of ppl how to knit. They both started with scarves. I know one friend has still not finished her scarf. She moved on to xmas stockings. Much more interesting!

Why would you start knitting with a scarf??? Yes a scarf is useful but it's a very long rectangle and if you're ambitious, you learn to knit and purl. By the time you've got a square you're ready to stop because you've mastered the basic stitch.

I'm not saying start with a sweater, but there are so many other small, simple, useful projects out there. Knitty (my new favorite online magazine) has a great little article on this exact topic. When I read it I was jumping up and down saying "yes, why didn't someone write this sooner!?!?!!"

The Moral of the Story:
Start with a small, interesting, useful project. You'll be satisfied when you finish it and you'll be confident enough to try another project. (maybe even a sweater!?!?!) Mittens are a good choice.... unless you pick hot pink yarn I guess....

That's my rant for today!
Alley

The Start of an addiction

2007-04-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I used to do all sorts of crafts. Cross stitch, foamies, painting, drawing, pottery. I tried crocheting (I ended up with one very long chain). I also picked up a pair of knitting needles.

I knit one mitten.
It was hot pink. (ah... the 1980's)
By the time I finished it I didn't like hot pink anymore so it remained a lonely mitten, never worn. I'm not even sure where it is right now...

Then I started highschool, and after that university. My creative outlets were clogged with homework and social activities.
Near the end of my university degree, some of my terms were work terms. I found I had more time on my hands and was bored.
I decided once again to pick up the needles.

I made a dish cloth..... and then a scarf (there may be another post about scarves...) for my now husband.

That was a year and half ago and now I've lost count of the number of projects I've completed. (Yes I actually finish projects!!!!). I accomplished one thing in particular that makes me proud though....

I made 4 pairs of mittens in a little over two months! :)

Stay tuned for photos and updates on my current projects along with insightful tidbits about knitting!

Alley- The Knitting Addict