I'm one crafty fisher!
Dude. Seriously. Seriously. I feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway. When he finally got the fire started. And he danced around yelling. “Look, I have made FIRE”. I feel like dancing around saying “Look I have made YARN!!!”
Without further ado:
SOOOOOOOOO, what do you think?
I ended up with ~55 yards of worsted/aran /chunky yarn. I’m at a loss as to what to use it for. Any suggestions?
Well the weekend started off easy enough. Woke up at 7 on Saturday and immediately thought: “this is the day I get my spinning wheel”. No going back to sleep for me. So I shut my alarm off and hopped out of bed. Threw my warmest favoritest black wool turtleneck sweater and shuffled downstairs. I got in the car and let it warm up a full 5 minutes before heading off to Iron Horse Farms. I got there a full 20 minutes early. Ok. So the Norwood Music Program ruined me for being late. I’m always early. Instead of catching Debbie unprepared for my crazy early arrival, I went back down the road and went to Dunkin’ Donuts. Then I drove back and pulled over to the side and drank my coffee watching the animals, thinking that she must have the best life in the whole world. 
“ Then it was time for my lesson. I walked in and the Ashford stared back at me. I was the typical beginner, where my feet and my hands weren’t jiving. She sent me home with a bunch of fiber and the wheel and told me that my homework was to fill two skeins. And to practice pedaling till it was super easy and I didn’t have to think about my feet. They would just go. I brought her home and we hung out all afternoon practicing pedaling. Then when I thought I was ready, I predrafted some fiber. It was a little rough at first so I got mad and took that bobbin off.
”
Then with the next one I predrafted a little less, and it was smoother going.
”
Then on the third bobbin, I forgot to predraft. Just picked up the ball of fiber and went to town.
Holy crap, it was amazing. I totally got it. I was rocking it out, my feet were flying and I was making passable singles. Not totally even singles, but way far better than before. I went to bed Saturday pleased with myself.
”
Sunday morning dawned and I thought, “there is no Patriots game today”. So sad. So Stella and I went down stairs and commiserated over coffee and freshly baked jiffy mix cinnamon rolls. I was fighting a headache all day so finally I just went upstairs to my room and played on ravelry all afternoon. The Ashford was glaring at me, with her three full bobbins. “Ply me” she seemed to say. I thought to myself, the second lesson with Debbie is supposed to teach me how to ply. But I already know the basics since I have plyed yarn on my spindle. So I went about taking the first (horrible) spun yarn off the bobbin and placed that empty one on the wheel. Then researched ravelry for ideas for a homemade lazy kate. Found a couple and ended up using a shower bucket and two knitting needles stuck through the drainholes. Worked great. Didn’t even have to tension it. I started the wheel in a counter-clockwise motion and just kept going. It was working out great – till I filled my bobbin. I still had yarn left to ply! So I looked around, and found my drop spindle. Aha! I finished plying the singles, and sat back to take pictures of my masterpiece.
No, I’m just thinking. I’ve got me a plan. When my sister and I were little, my mother used to dress us up the same (no surprise). We always got new pajamas just for Christmas on Christmas Eve. BUT, we weren’t allowed to sleep in them. My mom would give them to us, then take them back and keep them in her room. When Karen and I awoke in the morning, before we were allowed downstairs, we had to go and wake Mom up, then she would comb our hair and we would change into the new pajamas and then go downstairs where dad would be waiting for us.
Karen and I have been trying to get matching pajamas as a joke now that we are older. The only thing is that she is a size 12/14 and I’m a 22/24. Yup, ten sizes in between us. Think we could find a pair of pajama pants that match and in those sizes. Nope. So, that got me thinking. What if we wore matching hats? Then I was thinking about what hats we would wear, and I had a vision. Red pixie earflap hats with white pompoms on the top. Perfect. Then I had another though. What if I made them for everyone in the family in secret? Then stuck them in their stocking. Stockings are always hard, since we are all on a budget and we even put a $20 cap on the presents this year. I figured we would all have at least something in our stockings. My sister is the only one who knows about my secret plan (the only one who knows about this blog too) so it will be safe to post pictures. I’m planning on using an old lionbrand pattern that I have for a crocheted pixie hat with some red heart yarn held double or triple depending on the gauge.
Week Wrap Up
Weekend Goals
*Ok, so I haven’t totally finished the mitten. I didn’t kitchener the top, and I didn’t do the thumb. But I decided I would have better luck looking like these match if I did them both at the same time. So, I’m casting on the other mitten and putting the live stitches on waste yarn till I finish the second mitten body and then do the thumbs and close the top on both at the same time.
Took some pictures last night of some recent FOs. Ravelry has been a godsend since someone posted how to find the HTML in flickr to post their photos. I really have to play around with flickr more. I know I’m not using it to it’s full potential. First off is the Hallowig. Nana loved it. Everyone thought it was hysterical. Size 8 Addi’s and Cascade 220 Superwash. I taught myself magic loop on this. Not bad, but I think I like dpns better.
A simple intarsia hat. I love fishes. Pretty huh? Leftover Woolease in assorted colors. Wait, I think the blue was leftover Cascade 220. Ah, stashbusting. You are my friend.
Next up is the Yarn Harlot’s Unoriginal Hat. I was planning on using the Reynolds blizzard that my sister got me for this. But to try the pattern first I thought I’d use some….. STASH. I have some “old people” yarn in black. Both were aran weight so this hat is a wee snug. And the acrylic nature of if makes it a wee itchy. But I like it. It was only my second time doing cables. And I used the 2 circ method at the top since I didn’t have dpns that size.
Now onto the current project. Peekaboo mittens.
I love this yarn. It’s from Iron Horse Farm where Debbie Smith does everything, she dyed and spun the yarn herself. From her own animals no less. It’s pink/purple with a metallic magenta fiber in it. It’s Shetland/Mohair/Angora. Gorgeous. When I saw it at the Sherborn Fiber Arts Festival – it jumped off the table and said “Make me into something for your sister” I know I make my sister a lot of things. Which is weird since she is always so hot – I swear her baseline temp is like 198. Anyway, I’m making Karen these mittens. They are working up so fast, it’s crazy. No new skill with this project. Except that I decided I hate purling on dpns. But I love ribbing. My life is a series of contradictions. But tonight. Tonight is when the real fun starts. Karen and I are going to the opening of Bass Pro Shops in Foxboro tonight. A couple of the Patriots are going to be there. I’m so excited. I have about $30 if I see something I HAVE to have.
It’s simple really. Because I can’t. That’s it. I learned how to crochet, taught myself off the internet in college. After exhausting the world of crocheting (and making every thing I could think of) I turned to knitting. Now that my knitting skills are starting to eek towards my crocheting ones, I need something to occupy my hands. Why? Because I’m the oldest in an Irish/German family. Now, that probably doesn’t mean much to most people. But where I’m from, that means you are the responsible one. When I was 15 my father died from ALS. It was a really hard time for my family, but we got over in the typical stubborn fashion (and I learned how to crochet). We’re made from strong stuff, and nothing is going to get us down. Three years ago, in the same week span of time my mother’s sister had a sudden brain aneurysm, and my nana fell and broke 2 ribs and cracked her cheekbone. It was touch and go for a while, with my mom in one hospital with her sister, and me in another hospital with my nana (teaching myself to knit). But again, we are stubborn, everyone pulled through fantastically. Last year, mom got taken by a bad mortgage broker. In order to stop forclosure proceedings, she had to sign the house over to me. At the time, I was living out of state. I had to quit my job, and move back home to live with my mom and her sister (and I learned how to knit in the round). Two weeks ago I got a call: Nana was in the hospital. She had broken and dislocated her ankle and was undergoing surgery. She is now living with us since she is totally immobile (let me tell you potty time is NOT FUN). I’m making hats, socks and mittens like nobody’s business, but the urge to do something new and concentrate on that instead of the mess that is my life is strong. I need to learn how to spin. To save my sanity. Do you remember reading “A Tale of Two Cities”? Remember how the father made shoes in prison so he wouldn’t go crazy? That’s me. I’m only 26. Sometimes I just have too much responsibility. Knitting and crocheting are the only times I can escape and forget who I am. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and would do anything for them. But sometimes a girl needs a break. Since knitting and crocheting are not really doing it for me right now, I’m banking on spinning. I think it will breathe new life into my handcrafts and simultaneously stop me from burning out.
So picture taking isn’t going as well as I thought. It always seems like my camera is downstairs and I’m upstairs. Or I have my camera but my knitted stuff is scattered all around the house. I have to clean my room tonight so maybe that will help. I finished the Yarn Harlot’s Unoriginal Hat. I held two strands of black acrylic together. Good way to get rid of the acrylic. I worked it on size 10.5 needles. I’ll definitely go up a size or two when I do it again. Very tight on my widdle head. I’ve also decided to make Karen a Clapotis out of some acrylic too. She loves Caron Simply Soft. And I’m not going to spend a lot on yarn if what she really likes is the 1.99 a skein kind. I found someone on Ravelry who has done it in the acrylic so it should work out. I’ve started a Peekaboo mitten for Karen too for Christmas. I bought the yarn from Iron Horse Farms at the Sherborn Fiber Fest. It’s so pretty. Pinks and Purples and a sparkly thread running through it. I just realized that I’m making a lot for Karen for Christmas. Oh, well. I’m going to haul ass on the mitten, and get one done, then maybe do the clapotis and then do the other mitten. Then see which one Aunten likes. I’ll make her either one. Lisa and Abby are hopefully getting mittens. If I slack off then Abby is getting a pretty skein of yarn.
Something is going on. Something weird. All day at work I dream about knitting. I can’t wait to get home and knit. Sit in my new/old recliner under an afghan, watch my TV shows and knit listening to the soft snores of my dog. When in actuality, I come home, take the dog out, help aunten make dinner for nana, go upstairs to change, come down and feed the dog and take her out again then wolf down my dinner and then finally sit and watch tv, exhausted. I think it’s the lack of nice yarn. I’m starting to be a bit of a snobby yarnie. I hate acrylic. It’s fine for crocheting, but the way I hold my yarn in my hand for knitting it tends to give me almost ropeburn.
Anyway so I only have about two inches left on the socks. I have no desire to finish them. I tried to cast on for the Peekaboo Mittens but it didn’t work.
Edit: Just got a call from home. I have to go and buy dog food, then go home and get the rent check and the debit card, deposit the rent check, then buy mom smokes, then get dinner, then go home. I hate my life sometimes.
The second sock is almost done. I’ll probably have it done by Thursday night. Once the sock is done, it’s time to set course for the Peekaboo Mittens. I have to swatch the loads of Red Heart that was gifted to me with the size 8 addi turbos. That way I can use magic loop. I also have to swatch Karen’s socks. I still haven’t decided on a pattern for them. It would be best if I do an all-over rib, as her feet are bigger than mine. I’m planning on working mitten, sock, mitten, sock. That way I won’t get bored or frustrated.
I’m really excited about these mittens. I hope that the pattern isn’t that hard. I know acrylic isn’t really the best for mittens, but it’s free. And I’m slowly working my family out of a financial hole, so free works for me. I wonder what would happen if I stopped working on the sock and casted on the mittens tonight? Would the knitting gods be angered? Or would they applaud me for forgoing knitting something for myself and instead knit for others?
Hmmmm. Things to think about.
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