Hook 'n Spin – A true fiber addict

Updates

Between Ravelry, teaching and taking masters classes, posting here was not high on the to do list.  I have not forsaken my craft though, fear not.  I have been taking my angst out from my studies on creating fibery goodness.

I love the interactivity of Ravelry, but there is no place to really put personal thoughts, plans, and creativity down in one place, that is why I am not giving up this blog.  I really want to be more active, and that will be one of my new years resolutions.  I am sure I’ve made this same one several times over.  Try, try again….

Knitting

Christmas gifts:  A vest and a pair of fingerless mittens.  The vest was from yarn ordered through KnitPicks, and the fingerless mittens, were spun from a neighbors sheep, dyed with Easter Egg dyes, and the pattern was my own.  The vest is pictured below, but I forgot to take a picture of the mittens.

Dusty Rose Vest

I am currently working on the #18 Cappted Sleeve Coat from Vogue.

Bottom of vest

Crochet
A shawl of my own design.  I will post a picture soon, it is almost finished.  I’ve torn back quite a few times to change details, until I am happy.  I crocheted a similar one awhile back but gave it away as a gift before I could write down the pattern.  This one is for me and the pattern is almost written.

Spinning

Spinning, unfortunately has taken a back seat to everything.  I did not quit spinning, just slowed down a bit.  I received a load of llama, camel and bison fiber from a friend.  I have some of the llama processed and spun, about 400 yards of white yarn.

The processing is the hard part.  Whoever sheared these animals obviously never sheared for spinners.  He did not skirt out the poop!  I did not sort through the first batch of llama and just dumped about a pound of wool into the bath tub.  Well, I had to flee the room!  It smelled so bad, and the water came up brown immediately.  Run for the gloves and vicks vapo rub!

Needless to say, after five washings, the wool was ready to card into batts and spin.  I was quite happy with the outcome.  Have to take a picture of that too.

Went to see the Yarn Harlot speak

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee came to the Detroit Public Library to speak today.  I got there early to explore what the vendors had to offer.  I got to speak with SpillyJane herself and found a wonderful sock pattern.

I invited my brother, who just lives about a mile from the DPL to go with me.  He met me there and when he entered the auditorium he thought he was in the wrong place, it was packed.  He told me he was expecting a couple dozen at the most. Most of the women there were knitting (darn if it didn’t even cross my mind…I guess I figured I couldn’t count patterns and listen intently at the same time.

When SPF started talking, it was so much fun.  She stated just what was on her mind, including the same thought my brother had about no one ever thinks that knitters could pack a place (let alone drink…but that’s another story).

I laughed a lot during her speech, nodded a lot too.  I was in awe that she was so down to earth, thought like I did, and had a similar problems with self-image, same as me.

Skeins on Main

I have been meaning to visit Skeins on Main in Rochester for some time now.  My friend and I went there after going to a movie and it was worth the visit.  Loved all the yarns, and some of their patterns feature local artist (which we bought some).  I also bought the Winter issue of Vogueknitting.  I try to buy from individual stores so we can keep them around in this economy.

I’m now enthusiastically awaiting a part for my wheel so I can finish the yarn on the bobbin.

Fall Festivals

In Michigan, the best time of year is the fall.  There are so many festivals taking advantage of the wonderful weather.  Warm, yet not too warm, cool, yet not too cool.

This weekend I took part in an agricultural heritage festival complete with a tractor parade.  It was quite cool actually, seeing half century old tractors looking brand panking new, driven by young people.  I really don’t think that, even with all our technology, we will ever not be reliant on the agricultural society.  Hopefully we will get less toxins, and more organic as our culture awareness grows.

Next weekend has several major Michigan festivals.  The Wool Festival at Mt. Bruce is pretty big for the SE Michigan and Thumb area.  There is also the Northeren Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival out of West Branch.  I’m not sure which of these I most want to go to.  One is 15 minutes away, the other is about 1.5 hours.  Each has it’s own draws, and drawbacks.

One of the neighboring guilds has a day trip planned in November to Zielingers in Frankenmuth. I think I might just have to take a personal day off of work to go.  Priorities, priorities!  Bringing neighborhood guilds together is a very, very good thing.

Projects Galore

I have not posted a whole lot over the summer, but I did get a lot accomplished.

The Alpaca Warmth Project has been taking some of my summer, spinning up that beautiful alpaca.  I have been knitting and crocheting hats, and knitting mittens.  I had never knitted a hat before, so it was a good learning process.  The next item for the project will be a tam.

I took my wheel on vacation to the beach with me…

Right now on the needles are a pair of socks, a shirt that is 2/3ds done in the lime Microspun.  It seems that no one stocks it locally any more, so it will have to wait.

I have some lovely yarn from Knit Picks and the wonder French Girl Knits book that I am trying to figure out which project I want to do next – for me!