Three-color log cabin scarf

I wove a log cabin scarf for my SO in 2018, using Cascade 220 Superwash (because he had put a previous knit scarf through the washing machine and ruined it). The selvages wore out, though. He received a lot of compliments on that log cabin scarf, so I decided to repeat the effort, but with three colors (because a recent program at the spinning guild was about log cabin and its modifications).

Pattern: none
Weave structure: Log cabin
Loom: Ashford SampleIt
Warp: Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Worted, naturally dyed with walnut, henna, turmeric, and onion skins
Weft: Same as warp
EPI/PPI: 7.5/7.5
Ends: 54
Finished size: 58"L (without fringe), 7"W (with crocheted border)
Finishing: twisted fringe, single crocheted selvages

Because of the frayed selvages on the previous log cabin scarf, I chose to finish the selvages on this one with single crochet. Also, the edging covered the not-too-bad-but-not-perfect selvages. I debated about the fringe, because some men don't like fringe, but went ahead with it. I told my SO I could change that, but he thinks it adds something special.

Wrangling three colors took some concentration, so I did all the weft in one day, cheat sheet and sticky note by my side. I was also careful to not stretch out the warp as I have done on other scarves. I wasn't sure how the pattern would look, but it turned out rather decent (IMHO).

Time of reckoning

A review of my fiber resolutions for 2024 was a bit disappointing. I achieved NONE of my fiber goals, although one I tacked on at a later date did get done: having my hand-pieced quilt top quilted by a professional. "Buy no fiber" failed from the get go; no work was done on the Accidental Poncho; and I lost interest in dyeing roving, as it is very easy for the dyeing process to felt the fiber.

Where does that leave me for 2025? Well, I would still like to buy no fiber, but I realize that is not a very achievable goal. The challenge for the spinning guild is going to be to finish unfinished objects (UFOs); according to Ravelry, I have about a dozen of those, so perhaps the goal of finishing at least one per month would be doable.

When the owner of a semi-local yarn store (LYS) retired, she said she was going to tackle her "bucket list" of fiber projects. I have a couple of those that are sweater-specific: knit an adult-size Baby Surprise Jacket (BSJ), using some acid dyed Cascade 220, and knit a sweater based on one I saw on the cover of the fall edition of the Fun Times (published by the local parks and rec department).

And I think that is good enough. New projects will come along, I'm sure, especially portable ones like socks (see below). There is plenty of fiber activity to keep me busy throughout the coming year.

Knitting: I started a new pair of socks, using some "ice dyed" sock yarn.

My laptop is acting up - it may be a failing video card - so if I am offline for a while, blame technology. Happy New Year!

Three Graham hats

My daughter really likes this style of slouchy hat. She already has several (including a 'Blaze Orange' one in case she is walking in the woods during hunting season), but that doesn't stop her from requesting more. This season, neutrals are "in" so cream, gray, and black were the colors of choice.

Pattern: Graham, by Jennifer Adams
Yarn: Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran Worsted, in 'Flugga White' (107g)
Needles: US5 and US7
Modifications: None.

The white one came out kind of large with little drape, so I made some modifications going forward.

Yarn: Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran Worsted, in 'Light Grey' (91g)
Needles: US6 and US8
Modifications: Decreased the circumference by one pattern repeat (16 stitches) while using the length for the "large" size

The gray one came out better. One more version.

Yarn: Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran Worsted, in 'Shetland Black' (87g)
Needles: US6 and US8
Modifications: Also decreased the circumfrence by one pattern repeat, but increased the length a bit.

I asked my daughter to let me know if she likes one version more than the other, but I'm guessing she won't be able to tell much difference. I'm the one who is being picky.

My 14-year-old granddaughter will probably borrow these, as she is becoming more and more fashion conscious these days. In fact, one of her requests for xmas was a subscription to Vogue (and not Teen Vogue). At her age, I was reading Tiger Beat.

Hats off!

All the Graham slouchy hats are done, and the Gisella hat/cowl/earband is drying. That is all the hats I am knitting for the holiday season. Well, except one for moi, which I will start sometime before the end of the year.

The only handmade item left is a scarf for my SO. It's warped on a rigid heddle loom. I just have to buckle down and do the actual weaving. Then I will probably edge it in single crochet.

This is all I am going to write for now, as xmas is at my house AGAIN. I thought I might get out of it this year, but no. I have a few things to attend to in the next several days. Happy holidays!

Program list

Over the past few years, the gestalt of the local spinning guild has changed. As many of the "old guard" aged, a leadership vacuum developed which has been filled by newer, younger members who don't know the history of the guild and who aren't attached to the old ways of doing things. Instead of socializing and show-and-tell, they want programs. Fine.

Those programs have been somewhat... I don't want to say lame, so let's say not all they could have been. I had a couple of ideas that I thought "they" should do, then decided maybe I should just take charge, at least for the coming year. Needless to say, the leadership was more than happy to hand that responsibility over to me.

After soliciting ideas and lining up presenters, here is what I came up with:

• January: Sometimes the weather causes this meeting to be cancelled, so a show-and-tell with the theme "Using leftovers", plus a yarn exchange (rehome your leftovers) seems flexible.
• February: Travelogue. One of our members spent some time in Austria this past summer and is eager to share her experiences.
• March: Knitting, specifically sock knitting. Another member and I will share our sock knitting wisdom; members will be encouraged to wear their handknit socks and we'll have a sock fashion show.
• April: Hands-on spinning lesson, in chain-plying, with "coaches" on hand to help out.
• May: Judging fiber, in preparation for encouraging members to enter their fiber projects in the county fair.
• June: Animals, specifically raising silk worms, which is a hobby of one of our members.
• July: Annual picnic, show-and-tell with the theme organizing fiber; sell, swap, and/or give away tools and fiber and FO's.
• August: Dyeing, specifically plant fibers; hands-on tie-dyeing of tee shirts
• September: Fiber prep, specifically blending; hands-on drum carding, blending boards, etc.; fiber exchange.
• October: Making money with fiber - festivals, retail, Etsy, etc.
• November: Hands-on holiday craft (TBD)
• December: Holiday party and gift exchange

I also want us to have a challenge for the year: finishing unfinished objects (UFOs). Maybe we can share those at the November meeting.

Knitting: Finished 'Graham' number three, and that's about all I can stand of that pattern. I started 'Giselle', a hat that can also serve as a cowl or an earband.

Spotted in the wild:

Now THAT is a useful bit of crochet!

Handy ma'am (sort of)

At some point, my 10-year smoke detector decided time was up. It must have been when I was not home for an extended period of time, because I had no idea there was a problem until it began to act strangely. At first, I thought it was okay, as it responded appropriately to a manual test. A week later, it was mute. (Note: one is supposed to periodically test one's smoke detector by pressing the button on it. I had never done this. Shame on me.)

So I purchased a new 10-year smoke detector, thinking I could take the old one down and use the same bracket to mount the new one. Alas, sometime in the past 10 years, the manufacturer changed the bracket design. I took down the old bracket and discovered holes in the wall where an even older smoke detector had once been, holes that did not line up with the holes in the new bracket. *sigh*

I left everything sitting on the breakfast bar for about a week before deciding if I didn't act soon, there was going to be yet another newspaper article about a house fire where everyone died because the smoke detector was non-functional. Today I got out the drill, installed the new bracket, attached the new smoke detector, TESTED THE SMOKE DETECTOR, and now we are all safe.

Now I need to get hold of some spackle, and patch and paint where the old smoke detector was.

I wasn't as successful installing a portable, motion-activated light in my clothes closet. Can't win them all.

Knitting: I finished another slouchy hat, and my pattern modifications worked pretty well. I started a THIRD slouchy hat, plan to repeat the modifications, but will make the ribbing a bit longer.

Yesterday's spin-in at the Little House of Spinning was fun, or more fun for me, as there were fewer people there. When there is a big crowd (and by big, I mean about a dozen people), multiple conversations are going at once. My little AD/HD brain gets overloaded and I go home exhausted. Seven (plus or minus two) are about the right number.

Another holiday down

My easy-peasy Thanksgiving day was a bit of a FAIL for the most part. While heading out to sweep the front porch, I noticed what looked like a leaf by the door that turned out to be POOP. I cleaned that up and inspected all my shoes, but ended up Crosswaving the entire house. The meat for the pot roast was so lean that it came out dry as a bone, and there was no fat for gravy. To top it all off, every one of the pets managed to puke somewhere. At least my SO's pie was delicious.

Knitting: Finished Bigfoot's socks. Finished one slouchy hat, but it came out kind of large with little drape. For the second one, I dropped a pattern repeat while moving up a needle size to see if that works better.

I have to laugh whenever I see the word "tablescape" on the Internet. The horizontal surfaces in my house are almost always cluttered, usually with fiber projects of one sort or another.

I did clear off most of this coffee table mess Thursday morning, and the dining room table as well so we had somewhere to eat. Since I will be focused on knitting xmas gifts for the foreseeable future, I hope both remain relatively clear until the holidays are over. (HA!)