tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369479162024-03-16T17:02:06.818-04:00Bitten by Knittin'...... and other fiber arts, too!bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.comBlogger1143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-53378193727232667992024-03-16T17:01:00.003-04:002024-03-16T17:01:14.783-04:00ChainedI was saved from purchasing more fiber at the spinning guild meeting because the woman managing the estate sale was a no-show. Just as well. It's not like I don't have enough fiber or it can't be purchased elsewhere.<br />
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The program for the meeting was chain-plying. Several of us volunteered to demonstrate, but apparently no one wanted to actually teach. It would have been nice to have a handout of some sort. Oh, well. I went with the hopes of emptying all my almost empty bobbins, but plying takes longer than one thinks. I did clear one that night and another one today.<br />
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In case I haven't posted it before, here is a link to my favorite <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMOCAmTyg9k">chain-plying video</a>, from Classy Squid Fiber Co. <br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: The socks are not inspiring me except as an experiment. After knitting the toe on one, I decided to do the second sock top-down. I don't think it will make a big difference - both starts are fiddly - but the toes will look different. I also started a hat, but I'm not having much luck with the instructions.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: Chain-plying my little heart out.<br />
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I'm trying a new way of (doctor-supervised) eating. Somehow my name came up as a candidate for an 8-session workshop in plant-based eating. The group meets every other week to learn something new, and during the in-between weeks, we get a phone call from the exercise guy. The main goal is to manage diabetes better, perhaps even reverse it. My borderline diabetes is under control; in fact, the supervising doctor (not my GP) told me I could discontinue the metformin. It's my cholesterol that needs some help, since I don't tolerate the medications. Other pluses are weight loss and more energy, neither of which I have seen much of yet, but then I just noticed today on one of the handouts that for weight loss one must limit grains to two servings a day. Some days I want to quit the program, other days I'm enthusiastic about it. We'll see how it goes.<br />
bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-40128819947443548592024-03-11T09:12:00.008-04:002024-03-11T09:12:49.082-04:00Oops - I did it againI'm wondering what exactly is the impetus that drives me to make more fiber and fiber-related purchases. Perhaps because my doctor told me that the likelihood of my having a stroke or heart attack was remote? As if I don't already have a lifetime of fiber.<br />
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At least not all my purchases at the Jay County Fiber Fest were fiber; some were ceramic. One thing I was looking for was silk thread, but one vender suggested I try a specialty quilting shop for that. I'm always on the lookout for unusual tools, but did not find any this time.<br />
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I'm discovering that one cannot have enough yarn bowls, especially if one has more than one project in progress and/or one knits at different locations in the house. I have one by my TV chair, and now I have one for the coffee table in the livingroom. This one was made by one of my fiber/ceramic friends.<br />
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Another ceramic friend, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ewamsley2013/">Elizabeth Wamsley</a>, made this sweater-like cup. I've been considering making something similar, so it is good to have a model for inspiration.<br />
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I started a narrow tapestry to record things that occur during the year, but I don't have a lot of the colors I want to use. These small cakes of pencil roving should help there.<br />
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Another fiber friend who hosts our Fifth Saturday Spin-ins had a basket of these pastel samples. I think they will help with the above mentioned tapestry as well.<br />
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I can't resist red, so I grabbed up some silk sari yarn. The price seemed a bit high to me, but the vendor dyes the skeins herself, plus the ones I picked had more yardage than some of the others.<br />
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I certainly do NOT need any more sock yarn, but this brightly colored skein sparkles. There were more colorways calling to me, but I resisted.<br />
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The estate sale fiber and equipment will again be available at the next spinning guild meeting. If the package I picked up and put back last time is still there, it just might follow me home.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-16949205105605299702024-03-08T12:34:00.000-05:002024-03-08T12:34:03.378-05:00Bryana Bibbs exhibitionWe made it to the <a href="https://www.bryanabibbs.com/">Bryana Bibbs</a> exhibition at the Chesterton Art Center before it ended. I wish we could have attended the artist's lecture earlier in the month, but it was not meant to be. From viewing these pieces, I assumed they were made on a frame loom of some type, but actually she weaves on a floor loom. Lots of ideas here.<br />
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Her use of different materials intrigued me. Above, she included unspun roving. The following two incorporate sisal.<br />
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Most of the yarn is handspun. This piece includes pills or nupps.<br />
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There is some nylon netting like one would find in a scrubby in this piece.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaG8r2f6eetDe4spA9kyIPvPEoU7qQJTdHnUMnOoCHlWOVLGxF3sRYtR4ylCKFhDh1k0-Hoewhutfinsu9q1zJXHau4fSGabWnxrQetbg9bQJcje3p5HVw0FwTLdEf5gVHdyJsF5ycwUS_isO7YMnShWZpVIRCFvY4Y7QZINP_XX75COVtvjDu/s1024/20240226_140735.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="674" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaG8r2f6eetDe4spA9kyIPvPEoU7qQJTdHnUMnOoCHlWOVLGxF3sRYtR4ylCKFhDh1k0-Hoewhutfinsu9q1zJXHau4fSGabWnxrQetbg9bQJcje3p5HVw0FwTLdEf5gVHdyJsF5ycwUS_isO7YMnShWZpVIRCFvY4Y7QZINP_XX75COVtvjDu/s320/20240226_140735.jpg" /></a></div>
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Yarn isn't the only material used. Here she is using cloth such as one would use in a rag rug.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41IxGbiN-Hi_uxWYAYRVZAXdyPiRYU-VyfYCL3eXVPaZh0qsK7HY3aTxBcqoIclAyUWicPiqANmQU5QyAFVKRDs_EnWVM7W63vuEOxPWqexriDKfSfWcNSPZS2kRyMaZjXb7z8REgYotxPiFU2j7qjscSXWs_5rTbG6hL3lbsGn1R922zFIzY/s1024/20240226_140826.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41IxGbiN-Hi_uxWYAYRVZAXdyPiRYU-VyfYCL3eXVPaZh0qsK7HY3aTxBcqoIclAyUWicPiqANmQU5QyAFVKRDs_EnWVM7W63vuEOxPWqexriDKfSfWcNSPZS2kRyMaZjXb7z8REgYotxPiFU2j7qjscSXWs_5rTbG6hL3lbsGn1R922zFIzY/s320/20240226_140826.jpg" /></a></div>
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And tightly plied coils add a bit of playfulness.<br />
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I tend to be a "rule follower" and stick to more traditional weaving for the most part. But I would like to break away from that mindset. This exhibition was quite inspiring!bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-63022546426843866532024-03-06T11:39:00.002-05:002024-03-06T11:39:40.398-05:00Mistake rib cowl in Lorna Laces handspunOnce upon a time, my online fiber friend QuteCowgirl sent me a box of fiber. Included in <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2020/02/fiber-friends-are-best.html">the package</a> was some Lorna Lace's Shepherd Wool, which I <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2020/03/i-fractaled.html">fractal prepped and spun</a>. The yarn was lovely, and just the ticket for this mistake rib cowl.<br />
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<b>Pattern</b>: <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mistake-rib-cowl-4">Mistake rib cowl from Purl Soho</a><br />
<b>Yarn</b>: Fractal prepped and handspun Lorna's Laces Shepherd Wool Top superwash merino in 'Devon' (118g)<br />
<b>Needles</b>: US8 (cast on and bound off using US9)<br />
<b>Modifications</b>: Cast on using alternating long-tail method and bound off in pattern<br />
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This pattern is perfect for mindless knitting and needs only 100g of worsted or aran weight yarn. My handspun was a bit thick and thin and a little bulky, but still fine.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-22083713817098105962024-03-02T18:47:00.000-05:002024-03-02T18:47:08.843-05:00Somebody, stop me!There was a spin-in at the Little Shop of Spinning today. I was in a quandry about what to spin next, so I grabbed a braid of Tasman comeback and a ball of Wensleydale. The Tasman is plain tan, so I could not help but buy some dark brown merino comeback to go with it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIYZQli8QELGet3NxPbDPufk1zG6WRVn_b9xxiUJY2ArvaOv_UWbA1voKxHW5rPsXaT6b09xSYYlNeyh74KS2UjphFYTclqvVqRFuQsBTNwS2Adu0Wri82NpZHEqsLvaLt91JTZp6WbkvTXidmfxMKlT8E6QSexIYQsJ52OsIlZB778leerPN/s1024/20240302_174515.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIYZQli8QELGet3NxPbDPufk1zG6WRVn_b9xxiUJY2ArvaOv_UWbA1voKxHW5rPsXaT6b09xSYYlNeyh74KS2UjphFYTclqvVqRFuQsBTNwS2Adu0Wri82NpZHEqsLvaLt91JTZp6WbkvTXidmfxMKlT8E6QSexIYQsJ52OsIlZB778leerPN/s320/20240302_174515.jpg"/></a></div>
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In preparation for the Jay County Fiber Fest next weekend, Phia had some new fibers in. This braid of merino/silk blend followed me home. I think the colorway is called 'Storm'.<br />
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It seems once I fell off the wagon, I just keep accumulating fiber. We'll see how well my will power holds up at the fiber fest. Gulp!<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: I started a pair of socks... sort of. The center-pull ball vomited a mess of yarn that I could not untangle, even after TWO HOURS of messing with it. This pair of self-striping socks will not match. I also started another mistake rib cowl, but I'm not sure I will continue with it, as the yarn is not very soft.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: I chain-plied the SeaCell yarn - it turned out really nice! No pix yet. I started spinning the Wensleydale.<br />
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One of the other spinners at the spin-in had an e-spinner. I already have two wheels, do not need another one, but if I were to downsize to an apartment, the e-spinner could definitely be a replacement for my current Ashfords. We'll see what the future holds. For right now, I'm staying put.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-86742453280215964372024-02-25T11:12:00.000-05:002024-02-25T11:12:31.658-05:00It gets worseI visited Simply Socks Yarn Company yesterday, in search of contrasting yarn for the sock yarn I purchased at the estate sale. Hoping to find ONE color that would work with all the sock yarn, I came home with THREE skeins, plus some Cascade 220 Superwash in black. *sigh* It never ends.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MFykuaKyCuTK9bVs67d4zHWZgrFvVLadySM3da819no8G_fUwfMT3rRHoBxAcsGLxD3J0ypQqJDTMz2wkS-LX8-C5quF3mCKuiOx8WLLuheBy4MzgVQfqkz3N9staWIoo6bIkbvQ1xFLuziyOBdTM4jAquMU7xICIx-t9EbFfuNe-vJuFi0t/s1024/20240225_105732.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MFykuaKyCuTK9bVs67d4zHWZgrFvVLadySM3da819no8G_fUwfMT3rRHoBxAcsGLxD3J0ypQqJDTMz2wkS-LX8-C5quF3mCKuiOx8WLLuheBy4MzgVQfqkz3N9staWIoo6bIkbvQ1xFLuziyOBdTM4jAquMU7xICIx-t9EbFfuNe-vJuFi0t/s320/20240225_105732.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cascade Yarns Heritage, from top to bottom, colorways 5683, 5660, 5755</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<b>Knitting</b>: I finished the mistake rib cowl; separate post to follow.<br />
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It was a rough week, as one of my dogs passed away, from cancer. It was rather sudden, so the shock hasn't worn off yet. I feel sorry for Clio, as I adopted her as a companion for Watson and now he is absent. I've been taking her on longer walks, showing her extra attention, plan to find her a doggy daycare so she has other mutts to play with. We're both still very sad, though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqXtaieC-M1jZAypj8fPFgNRnjnDN2VEuMmaKODkWq_dmlsqbin6XBJqABrsi3Lfmp8KNPLMTnGrLCHDOW9C2OEa5BrYyjG1Og-zQoTVrR-7nwVXb9OaY1E6bZcrvdciYnQDgSlU0U17KLrWD2soFqpLQowjcfj6hWBuUE9kpDuzcrpJBez2y/s1024/20230720_172203.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="790" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqXtaieC-M1jZAypj8fPFgNRnjnDN2VEuMmaKODkWq_dmlsqbin6XBJqABrsi3Lfmp8KNPLMTnGrLCHDOW9C2OEa5BrYyjG1Og-zQoTVrR-7nwVXb9OaY1E6bZcrvdciYnQDgSlU0U17KLrWD2soFqpLQowjcfj6hWBuUE9kpDuzcrpJBez2y/s320/20230720_172203.jpg" /></a></div>
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Goodbye, good dog.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-74181807097185528872024-02-17T12:16:00.000-05:002024-02-17T12:16:05.832-05:00That didn't last longA new guild member (at least, I *think* she actually joined one of my guilds) is handling the estate of a fiber person who has gone to the yarn bowl in the sky, leaving behind a LOT of fiber and equipment and tools. It was easy to pass up the wheels, etc., but the yarn was something else. I did put back some of what I had picked out, but this is what came home with me, thereby breaking my "no new fiber" resolution.<br />
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My SO needs some new socks, so I can justify purchasing sock yarn. The problem with sock yarn (and it's only *my* problem) is that I knit larger than "normal" socks, so to keep from running out of yarn, I knit the toes, heels, and cuffs in contrasting colors. That means a trip to <a href="https://www.simplysockyarn.com/">Simply Socks</a> to buy even *more* yarn. Gah.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzdIwcvNqaQnkWfGxaeDRGDYiGP6gw-M7jPiqzmepvJyM4Xb9YYIg3Ide2qpRbEKijLDMKoqd7_KDsshsWFrJk9n0Ds_0nlGRw0RNex5OJBRSMSgOasliphHItwl0qXfqUqPrk0YpQAdiN_cJ9sXgSk0ubY0C6qVqWL8QOIzf9SOUACe0ex1t/s1024/20240217_112937.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzdIwcvNqaQnkWfGxaeDRGDYiGP6gw-M7jPiqzmepvJyM4Xb9YYIg3Ide2qpRbEKijLDMKoqd7_KDsshsWFrJk9n0Ds_0nlGRw0RNex5OJBRSMSgOasliphHItwl0qXfqUqPrk0YpQAdiN_cJ9sXgSk0ubY0C6qVqWL8QOIzf9SOUACe0ex1t/s320/20240217_112937.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Less Traveled Yarn, 'Picnic Plaid'</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEtCN24EVWGI2pbXnEHUY2l-qOdAL0qWWGVx9Qdk5LmjeAyeB5hlPAywv3nFzfY0pUJECB5gL225FQIEW9b164JMxb0O8NSO-F5ZjOiTHZ6nxVEN99vGFpG3IbSXtgAWAjSDOpteIALBcP_He23VL4p2Kh78JJIr29AmBrruDxaX8y5od14Cx/s1024/20240217_113009.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEtCN24EVWGI2pbXnEHUY2l-qOdAL0qWWGVx9Qdk5LmjeAyeB5hlPAywv3nFzfY0pUJECB5gL225FQIEW9b164JMxb0O8NSO-F5ZjOiTHZ6nxVEN99vGFpG3IbSXtgAWAjSDOpteIALBcP_He23VL4p2Kh78JJIr29AmBrruDxaX8y5od14Cx/s320/20240217_113009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opal Elemente 1079 (left) and unknown (center), Harry Potter Sock Collection 2352 (right)</td></tr></tbody></table>
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I wove a <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2019/07/dumb-luck-rainbow-shawl.html">shawl with some Kauni</a> many moons ago. It's rather rough, but I like the colorways. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these, though.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SmXp1F8od6doNJ3DOYlHrEFS9DxZ1maZT3sgMOLu7_ertr4KNS1BRnROxLISjfJB3O1gjCTg8-TVhOuJryKl4bzn7WyKBVHwZJU7afukPhkHVOSXeDeBAa4yTZUndVN_XswxHXP9N2liv-fELa6FYZydPCfEDuu01ITcwzcNxcajr4dlnHZa/s1024/20240217_113253.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SmXp1F8od6doNJ3DOYlHrEFS9DxZ1maZT3sgMOLu7_ertr4KNS1BRnROxLISjfJB3O1gjCTg8-TVhOuJryKl4bzn7WyKBVHwZJU7afukPhkHVOSXeDeBAa4yTZUndVN_XswxHXP9N2liv-fELa6FYZydPCfEDuu01ITcwzcNxcajr4dlnHZa/s320/20240217_113253.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kauni EQ - unnamed colorways</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<b>Knitting</b>: My consolation over buying yarn is to work somewhat religiously on the current cowl. I sewed the deer antler buttons onto the Lempi sweater - and hated how they look. I found an alternative at Joann.<br />
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<b>Spinning</b>: I finished spinning the SeaCell roving - time to ply.<br />
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The spinning guild did not meet last month because of inclement weather, so this month's meeting was basically meet-the-new-officers and show-and-tell. I took the Lozenge cowl and the Lempi sweater (buttonless). Both were a hit.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-2537066478377408152024-02-14T14:21:00.001-05:002024-02-14T14:21:00.136-05:00Lozenge cowlBefore the monthly spin-in at Little Shop of Spinning, several of us meet up for lunch. In January, one of us wore a Lozenge cowl she had knit, which led me to making one of my own. Since it calls for sport weight yarn, it seemed like a good candidate for some of the yarn from the <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2023/08/a-dyeing-we-will-go.html">natural dye workshop</a>.<br />
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<b>Pattern</b>: <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lozenge-cowl">Lozenge Cowl</a> (free Ravelry download), by Raging Wool<br />
<b>Yarn</b>: merino sport weight (about 100g), dyed with madder, black-eyed Susan, hibiscus, and hollyhock<br />
<b>Needles</b>: US5<br />
<b>Modifications</b>: Cast on using Old Norwegian cast on, bind off with Suspended bind off - both of these add some stretch<br />
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The pattern uses slip stitches to accomplish the colorwork - easy peasy! Blocking makes a difference, really opens the lozenges.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-73800129674909218272024-02-11T14:21:00.003-05:002024-02-11T14:21:24.535-05:00Trust the muckThe program at the latest weaving guild meeting was about ice dyeing. Natalie didn't say much about the process, but brought in about 40 samples. She works primarily with plant-based fibers - cotton, linen, tencel - so couldn't say much about protein fibers like wool. When I arrived home, I googled ice dyeing and learned a bit more. Interweave has a general tutorial that can be found <a href="https://www.interweave.com/article/knitting/how-to-ice-dye-yarn-wool-cotton-more/">here</a>. Dharma Trading offers instructions on working with wool and silk that can be found <a href="https://www.dharmatrading.com/home/ice-dyeing-with-acid-dyes-on-wool-and-silk-tutorial.html">here</a>. And our own Natalie can awaken you to color combinations <a href="https://www.nataliewoven.com/blog/jk987vuvanl2cgdmjalmcbpkvu25zx">here</a>.<br />
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One of my fiber resolutions is to dye the undyed roving I have. Now I'm wondering if ice dyeing would be a way to go?<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: I started another cowl, using a mistake rib pattern from Purl Soho, using handspun yarn.<br />
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<b>Spinning</b>: Nearing the end of the BFL/SeaCell roving.<br />
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An unofficial fiber resolution is to get a quilt top I hand-pieced over 40 years ago quilted. A member of the weaving guild does just that. I delivered the quilt top and the backing to her at the last meeting, so it is in her queue. Huzzah!bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-88587073924709810312024-02-03T18:37:00.001-05:002024-02-03T18:37:18.776-05:00She sells SeaCellIt's funny how everything seems to come to a stop when one is ill. My cold lay waste most of the previous week. But today I felt well enough to not only walk the dogs (they were abbreviated walks), but to also attend the monthly spin-in at Little Shop of Spinning. I needed some fiber to spin, so I grabbed a braid of something out of the closet and headed off.<br />
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What I grabbed was a combination of Blue Faced Leicester and SeaCell. What is SeaCell? According to <a href="https://www.sportcasuals.com/">Sport Casuals</a>, "SeaCell is a biodegradable clothing fiber that comes from cellulose or tree fibers and organic seaweed. The material is in high demand among athletic apparel brands, since it inhibits bacterial growth, is soft and stretchy, hypoallergenic, and is derived from renewable resources." And it's very silky.<br />
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My braid came from <a href="https://hearthsidefibers.com/">Hearthside Fibers</a> and I probably bought it at a fiber fest, although this fiber (and a whole lot more!) is available from their Etsy shop (undyed but much less expensive). It is 70% BFL and 30% SeaCell, and spins up rather nicely. I'll be curious to see how the final product turns out.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: I finished the Lozenge cowl; separate post to follow. I repaired the hole in the Lempi sweater, but not very well, so will probably redo.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: See above.<br />
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The current exhibition at the <a href="https://www.chestertonart.org/">Chesterton Art Center</a> is by Chicago weaver <a href="https://www.bryanabibbs.com/">Bryana Bibbs</a>, 200 pieces. I'm toying with the idea of going, as I feel like I need some weaving inspiration. I can't tell if I don't really like to weave or if I just don't like weaving the kinds of things I've been weaving.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-48357443030996908432024-01-30T14:55:00.000-05:002024-01-30T14:55:53.618-05:00Another grayish clowlThis is what happened to the 2-ply handspun tencel, silk, and merino yarn. Cowls are so easy to do. This one is similar to the <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2023/12/grayish-cowl.html">previous grayish cowl</a>, but I knit this one in the round.<br />
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Basically, it has 10 roundss of 2x2 ribbing at the beginning and end, then stockinette stitch interupted by eyelet about every 6 rows. Not very fancy.<br />
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<b>Pattern</b>: my own<br />
<b>Yarn</b>: <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2023/06/silk-merino-blend-with-tencil.html">handspun tencil, silk, and merino</a>, two-plied<br />
<b>Needles</b>: US5<br />
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The photo below shows a close-up of the detail, and it is a good thing I took this pic, as it shows a dropped stitch. Grrr! I'll have to fix it - and check closely for any other dropped stitches - before offering this to anyone else. Although I may just keep it for myself.<br />
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Although this handspun is nice and soft, I don't really like the combination of fibers. The silk and tencel makes the yarn slicker than plain wool would be, so it's more difficult to maintain tension while knitting. After all my experiences with fiber, I find myself going back to what is simple.
bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-75947690310332795242024-01-27T14:44:00.004-05:002024-01-27T14:44:38.382-05:00Fighting a coldLast weekend I felt like I was coming down with a cold, but managed to fight it off. Deja vu this weekend - post nasal drip which makes my throat hurt, plus fatigue. With enough rest and Dimetapp, maybe I can forestall this one as well.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: The gray cowl is finished and blocked - separate post to follow. I started a Lozenge cowl (free download from Ravelry) using yarn from the natural dye workshop.
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The Lempi sweater is blocked, but then I and discovered this hole. Grrr!<br />
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A <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2018/07/log-cabin-scarf.html">log cabin scarf I wove for my SO</a> is starting to fall apart along the selvages. The yarn is Cascade 220 superwash wool, which I have used before for weaving, so I'm not sure why it's failing. I'm contemplating various repair methods, but it may be a lost cause. And motivation to get back to weaving so I can make another, as he really liked that scarf and received many compliments about it.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-50176932856725180052024-01-21T15:16:00.000-05:002024-01-21T15:16:06.886-05:00Still coldI've been enjoying my sweaters this past week. WAWAK sent me a replacement fabric shaver (and a big, delicious cookie!) Their customer service is impressive. Since they didn't want the previous fabric shaver back, I gave it to my daughter, as she thinks she can fix the switch.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: Finished the Lempi sweater, except for the buttons. Almost done with the gray cowl - five more rounds and a bind off to go.<br />
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<b>Spinning</b>: Started plying 3-color braid singles BUT toward the end of the red single, it kept breaking. After the fourth break, I decided to chain-ply the rest of the singles.<br />
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I really like the color red, but lately I've been drawn to blacks and grays for some reason, particularly striped and patterned sweaters. I have a lot of handspun in grays and some black roving. Knitting or weaving something black and gray would use some of that up. I'll have to ponder that.<br />
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bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-53878085435981911462024-01-13T11:19:00.000-05:002024-01-13T11:19:12.556-05:00Brrr!It's finally sweater weather (although Mother Nature is going to extremes). The problem is all my handknit sweaters suffer from extensive pilling. The solution: A Restora fabric shaver, from <a href="https://www.wawak.com/">WAWAK</a>. It arrived quickly, and it does a good job on pills, BUT. There is something wrong with the on/off switch: I have to apply pressure on the switch to keep it running. By the time I finished one (very pilly) sweater, my hands were tired and crampy. I sent the company an email; we'll see how they respond.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: One pocket is basically done on the Lempi sweater; I'm waiting to graft the bottom until I knit the other pocket, in case I want to make changes. I've been working on the latest gray cowl during commercials while watching TV.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: All the singles of the three-color braid are spun - time for plying!<br />
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The pocket instructions for the Lempi sweater were to simply pick up stitches and knit the pocket in the round. That seemed too bulky. Instead, I added a purl stretch on the "front" side of the pocket so that it would fold better. Then I purled two stitches at each side, to again make folding the fabric easier.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq85YNraOH0ukmJrdzidMRDFnLiHyphJC123J9TVK7eMEnDrT-WYTlSt2_f3F360BiotTaXCuAwJd_g2Ts9KKs23RA2MvUftsoVhUWxC4yiUgZb0SWNzjpP02kKM9AC9Sew_pDwGGfgS26WjY7Q-jOkDHszAt9D1jLltG2o9xDBsk-AJOb5LbE/s1024/20240109_133001.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq85YNraOH0ukmJrdzidMRDFnLiHyphJC123J9TVK7eMEnDrT-WYTlSt2_f3F360BiotTaXCuAwJd_g2Ts9KKs23RA2MvUftsoVhUWxC4yiUgZb0SWNzjpP02kKM9AC9Sew_pDwGGfgS26WjY7Q-jOkDHszAt9D1jLltG2o9xDBsk-AJOb5LbE/s320/20240109_133001.jpg"/></a></div>
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In the past, whenever I veered from pattern instructions, I regretted it. But after over 40 years of slavishly following patterns, I guess I have learned a thing or two.<br />
<br />
I have a pet peeve about patterns that go into excruciating detail until the very end, where the final instructions are rather lacksidaisical. (The phrase "Bind off loosely" should be banned!) This sweater is a case in point. I knit another sweater, designed by Vogue, that I call the "vague" sweater for the same reason.<br />
bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-6293813044357528072024-01-07T11:25:00.000-05:002024-01-07T11:25:52.321-05:00Getting togetherDuring the pandemic, the weaving guild met via zoom, then continued to offer zoom as an option for in-person meetings. But in January, when the weather can be so iffy, we meet just on zoom. About ten of us "gathered" for chitchat and show-and-tell. It was fun and relaxed.<br />
<br />
There was no fifth Saturday gathering at Teasel Hill in December, but Julie came to Phia's first Saturday spin-in at Little Shop of Spinning, along with more than the usual gang. A dozen of us squeezed in, and we had to sit spinner-knitter-spinner-knitter to have enough room. The youngest was ten-year-old Davis, who was finger knitting. The oldest was ninety-five-year-old Norma, also knitting. Lots of chatter. And I did NOT buy any fiber, did not even look at it lest I be tempted, but I did pick up the most recent issue of <a href="https://plymagazine.com/">Ply Magazine</a> which is about sweaters.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: I am having trouble with the pockets on the Lempi sweater, so that is a bit stalled (again). I started another cowl, from the two-ply merino-silk-tencel blend I spun; I'm making the pattern up as I go along.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDqyMrJ_qXfpyvl1ZNKCzr3jURmufK8Le0cI8OyHTF1ZoVtvvDJrLWukcGIUSPsFvZhb0FY0IeoyTW-2Ce2sIpUY13hPY9mxREXOsCeDHVPiMqFfThvxrlHkiZJaaIvhyphenhyphenXoDEY1VWiezidmS8-hZEtFeRbOb8CqNwJs4UEGRHPBtn-x_6Vxy-/s1024/20240107_101906.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDqyMrJ_qXfpyvl1ZNKCzr3jURmufK8Le0cI8OyHTF1ZoVtvvDJrLWukcGIUSPsFvZhb0FY0IeoyTW-2Ce2sIpUY13hPY9mxREXOsCeDHVPiMqFfThvxrlHkiZJaaIvhyphenhyphenXoDEY1VWiezidmS8-hZEtFeRbOb8CqNwJs4UEGRHPBtn-x_6Vxy-/s320/20240107_101906.jpg"/></a></div>
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<b>Spinning</b>: I finished spinning the orange section from that three-color braid of superwash merino, am now starting the brown.<br />
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One advantage of these fiber get-togethers is my interest in spinning, knitting, and weaving is renewed, just in time for a long winter.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-24701797235949965372023-12-31T14:40:00.004-05:002023-12-31T14:40:46.312-05:00Goals for 2024The new year is one of my favorite times of the year. When I worked, I would try to save some vacation for the week between xmas and New Year's Day, to put things in order (especially paper - whatever happened to our paperless society?!?) Now I'm permanently "on vacation" but I still like the idea of a fresh start.<br />
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I frequently mention how much fiber I have and how I don't need more. Sticking to a goal of not buying any roving or yarn for at least this year feels doable... if I can refrain from browsing the offerings at the Little Shop of Spinning when we have spin-ins there.<br />
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There are also a lot of UFOs around here. The yarn of the ones I know I will never finish could be recycled. For 2024, I would like to complete a self-designed poncho I started in 2015. The bulk of the knitting is done - I just need to do the finishing.<br />
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Dyeing has fallen by the wayside. In the past, I dyed yarn, but there is an embarrassing amount of undyed roving in my to-be-spun cupboard. I'd like to get that dyed, one way or another.<br />
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So, I have three goals for 2024:<br />
<ol>
<li>Buy no fiber this year</li>
<li>Finish the poncho</li>
<li>Dye roving</li>
</ol>
That feels doable.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: The ends of the Lempi sweater all woven in! It took about four hours, as each stripe had two ends. (Note to self: No more striped sweaters!) Now I just need to add pockets and buttons.<br />
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<b>Spinning</b>: Still on the orange portion of the current roving mix. Since I plan to 3-ply this yarn, I'm spinning fine thread. Fine spinning takes a l-o-n-g time.<br />
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According to placemats in Chinese restaurants, I was born in the year of the dragon. Next year (tomorrow!) a new year of the dragon starts. Recently I read that it will be a year of bad luck for all us dragons. We'll see, but I'm hoping not!bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-28632002574650445812023-12-23T10:51:00.001-05:002023-12-23T10:51:50.184-05:00Grayish cowlA while back, I purchased a couple of braids of roving from Little Shop of Spinning. I spun one braid, then two-plied it. The other I chain-plied. This is the story of what became of the chain-plied yarn.<br />
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My goal was to use up all of this yarn, so I decided to provisionally cast on 36 stitches which would be grafted to the end of the knitting. Theoretically, this would also leave the possibility of making a mobius cowl by twisting one end a half turn.<br />
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The pattern is basically knit 4 rows of garter stitch, knit an eyelet row, then purl a row. At each end, I omitted the eyelet for a couple of stitches, to create a border of sorts. I meant to slip the first stitch of each row, but didn't always do that right, hence the wonky edges. Also, there is a definite slant to the whole thing which I was not able to completely correct with blocking.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP3JOL4GPy-f0AcygT6RJjlui4hQ_WKNURFcNQs9mUG-79VLGGIvWQjhAUrplEwesfitFXbgbTXCO6t0VYz_Qenx7STuUugnXj_LiHdWZRdJS9pcvGs62NR9LIVHpOaLrL4Frhh7KJxAddsxZL1tsUm6FOW5FH585vF66ubQtIxsLwKTa4kXX/s1024/20231220_142145.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP3JOL4GPy-f0AcygT6RJjlui4hQ_WKNURFcNQs9mUG-79VLGGIvWQjhAUrplEwesfitFXbgbTXCO6t0VYz_Qenx7STuUugnXj_LiHdWZRdJS9pcvGs62NR9LIVHpOaLrL4Frhh7KJxAddsxZL1tsUm6FOW5FH585vF66ubQtIxsLwKTa4kXX/s320/20231220_142145.jpg"/></a></div>
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<b>Pattern</b>: my own<br />
<b>Yarn</b>: <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2023/06/silk-merino-blend-with-tencil.html">handspun tencil, silk, and merino</a>, chain-plied<br />
<b>Needles</b>: US9<br />
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The fabric was not long enough to twist into a mobius, so I simply grafted the two ends, using instructions found online (and I can't find again). If you can do kitchener stitch on stockinette, you can graft garter stitch.<br />
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While comfy and soft, this cowl is not my best work. It will end up on the xmas gift table tomorrow, in case anyone wants it. If not, I have a new cowl I can wear with my new black coat... which I have yet to wear this winter, as the weather is not very wintery.
bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-37864741263140324992023-12-19T17:06:00.000-05:002023-12-19T17:06:25.556-05:00Grayish socksAs promised, here is a posting about Bigfoot's xmas socks. Until I finished them, I didn't realize that the non-gray areas were not the same, but in the pix this variance is barely noticeable. I think it worked out.<br />
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<b>Pattern</b>: Short-row Toe and Heel Basic Socks, by Wendy D. Johnson<br />
<b>Yarn</b>: Zitron Trekking Sport (colorway 1498) and XXL (colorway 703)<br />
<b>Needles</b>: US1<br />
<b>Modifications</b>: None to speak of<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9eqdkXbmn1ZJBf5VubfwN8jDMI3WycYLKikSIMyK8OmVQqm-oJbn55XRWM6xDleMqk-vjOxiRkWOBx0MthfP_fZmN3XlkECms-w9piv7HVdwNKXE_FrBahVYk98pnINs_a7dnkb1wbhuDJ4ozOEKNNMMmNd_skn-XdM3tlYOyzeiUMzm_cv7/s1024/20231219_101151.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="937" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9eqdkXbmn1ZJBf5VubfwN8jDMI3WycYLKikSIMyK8OmVQqm-oJbn55XRWM6xDleMqk-vjOxiRkWOBx0MthfP_fZmN3XlkECms-w9piv7HVdwNKXE_FrBahVYk98pnINs_a7dnkb1wbhuDJ4ozOEKNNMMmNd_skn-XdM3tlYOyzeiUMzm_cv7/s320/20231219_101151.jpg"/></a></div>
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Per usual, I used the solid gray for the toes, heels, and cuffs. For this size, each round is 80 stitches. As a test of my new "recipe", the number of rounds from toe to heel and heel to cuff are each 80. I'll be curious to see how these fit.<br />
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I was going to make my SO a pair of socks from the leftover yarn, but I really did not like either of these types. Both are "light fingering" and felt like they still contained lanolin, so they were slippery on my metal needles and difficult to work with. I will cross this brand off my sock yarn list.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-83552018649945979752023-12-17T12:46:00.000-05:002023-12-17T12:46:02.831-05:00ConfessionLately, I have been cheating on my fiber hobbies - with clay. What started out as a mild interest is turning into an obsession. The only thing holding me back is I don't have a good place to work on pottery here at home. And I've had to put a pause on the pottery because I'm hosting xmas eve here.<br />
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That is not to say that I have abandoned fiber altogether. There are simply not enough hours in the day. They both take a certain amount of time.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: I finished the cowl; separate post to follow.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: The orange-ish bit from the superwash merino roving I have been working on is so pretty!<br />
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I've gotten to the point in my life that, instead of gift shopping, I just give my kids money. Also, the "gift shelf" will be loaded with my handmade items, although there is no pressure for anyone to pick out anything. I'll take my granddaughter shopping after xmas, in case there is anything she didn't get (plus everything will be on sale). I don't expect gifts myself, but each of my kids comes up with something cute or fun.<br />
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Enjoy your holiday!bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-57659964879982518942023-12-10T19:47:00.001-05:002023-12-10T19:47:27.278-05:00Grateful for modern medicineThis past week I saw my shoulder surgeon for a follow-up exam. The x-rays look good, and he seemed happy with my strength and flexibility. He asked me how I've been using my shoulder. I said, <i>Yoga, even downward dog</i>, but the simple answer is, <i>For almost everything</i>.<br />
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I can reach tall shelves, steer the riding lawn mower, push a vacuum cleaner, flip the mattress on my bed. I can lift 40 pounds of dog food, scrub the shower, chase down cobwebs, knead dough. I can even cross my arms, something I have not been able to do for years. Everything is easier with two functioning, painfree shoulders.<br />
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If I had not had my hip replaced, I would probably be in a wheelchair by now, as the hip socket was deteriorating. If I were in a wheelchair, my shoulders would prevent me from being able to get in and out of it on my own. I would be horribly incapacitated and completely dependent on others.<br />
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Once in a while, someone asks me if the replacement surgeries were worth it. Oh, YEAH. The healing period is a bit rough, but given enough time and physical therapy, the results are *wonderful*. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful for living in a time when bad joints can be fixed.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: I finished the jumbo socks for my son; separate post to follow. The merino-silk-tencil cowl is nearing completion as well.<br />
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<b>Spinning</b>: I'm in the midst of color #2 of the three-color braid of roving.<br />
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My calendar is looking pretty clear for the rest of this month (xmas not withstanding) and all of January. Winter is a good time to hunker down with fiber projects. And if it snows enough, I may even go cross country skiing.
bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-68128309123870560372023-12-03T16:14:00.000-05:002023-12-03T16:14:47.326-05:00Change o' planWhen I purchased a <a href="https://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2023/11/i-sewed-something.html">braid of roving</a> from <a href="http://littleshopofspinning.com/Home.html">Little Shop of Spinning</a>, I planned to spin it all up, then chain-ply to keep the color runs together. Well, it turns out the braid was basically three long color runs. So now I am going to spin each color run separately, then three-ply them together.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: Bigfoot's socks are done, except for weaving the ends in on the second one. Huzzah! I'm halfway through the merino-silk-tencel cowl.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: A spin-in at the above mentioned Little Shop of Spinning gave me a chance to make some progress on the aforementioned roving.<br />
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During the spin-in, another fiber friend stopped by. She has been knitting a cabled blanket for a wedding present since last March, with the wedding a week away. Occasionally, this fiber friend texts me about the weaving guild, but she hasn't made it to a meeting yet. I pointed out that, if she learned to weave, a blanket could be completed in a fraction of the time. I love to knit, and I have knit small blankets, but some things just lend themselves more to weaving.<br />
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As if I don't have enough fiber, I purchased some black roving yesterday. I have a plan for it, as yarn to contrast with another handspun yarn, but I am a little concerned that the black roving is not superwash, while the other is. I supposed as long as the end product is hand washed, it shouldn't matter. Right?bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-27617058388503267202023-11-26T18:16:00.003-05:002023-11-26T18:16:57.148-05:00One down...I'm not a fan of holidays. It seems like most of the burden falls on the women, to cook, to clean, to entertain, to shop, etc. With our pre-Thanksgiving weekend out of the way, my kids were free to do what they wished on the actual day, and so was I. My SO and I ate Kirkland beef lasagna and homemade apple crisp (he brought the salad). A simple meal, with little prep, that we both enjoyed. Then we walked the dogs.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: STILL working on Bigfoot's socks; the cuffs are about a third done. It's too easy to pick up the cowl instead.<br />
<b>Spinning</b>: YES, I actually did some spinning. Or, rather, some chain-plying. This is the last of the fiber I purchased at <a href="https://www.threemoonsfiberworks.com/">Three Moons</a> in Chesterton. (For the record, I did not even go into the store last weekend, even though we were in the area.) I'm a little disappointed in it - spun too tight.<br />
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I decided to take December off from fiber meetings. Both the spinning guild and the weaving guild will have carry-ins, while one has a gift exchange and the other a craft. Again, I'm not a holiday person, and I'm a little burned out on both guilds. Maybe I just need a break. Where is a pandemic when you need one?!?bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-33576626014620855992023-11-20T14:22:00.000-05:002023-11-20T14:22:26.142-05:00Heading into the holidaysSorry for my absence - it's been a couple of busy weeks, culminated with a weekend trip out of town that served as my family's holiday gathering. Now things will quiet down a bit, at least for me, until xmas eve.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: The Trekking sock yarn self-striping pattern contained an error in the striping, which slowed me down, but I'm almost at the cuffs. Thinking I wanted some knitting on our weekend getaway, I started a cowl, using the merino-tencel-silk blend I spun a while back, but then I didn't even take it along for the ride.<br />
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Last week, probably because I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, I moved almost everything fiber-related to the "studio". Two of my bedrooms are primarily full of fiber and fiber equipment, and I couldn't stand to have it anywhere else in the house. It may be the pottery projects that were populating the breakfast bar and dining room table were sending me over the edge. Those projects are mostly off to be fired now, so maybe I will get a grip... for a while. bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-44510060289499698822023-11-04T19:01:00.000-04:002023-11-04T19:01:28.535-04:00I sewed somethingI am no sewist. My sewing machine is so old that the only "fancy" stitch it does is zigzag. But instead of throwing out an old pillow that one of my cats had chosen for his nest, I covered it with some "no sew" fleece.<br />
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The cover is an "envelope" cover - instructions may be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-PfkdN2DSA">here</a> and, yes, the instructor is a bit annoying - but I was too impatient to review the video, so did not overlap the back sections far enough. But I'm sure the cat won't mind. Added bonus: the fleece will protect the pillow from puke AND I can remove the cover to wash it.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: Still working on the bigfoot socks. There was much cursing during the turning of the heels, but I'm past that now.<br />
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I went to the <a href="http://littleshopofspinning.com/Home.html">Little Shop of Spinning</a>'s spin-in today. Even though I complain a LOT about how much fiber I have, somehow more followed me home. Phia dyed both the sock yarn and roving shown below, using the same colorway. So I guess I could knit a pair of socks with matching mittens and/or hat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxVOlAnCW3X9jtjh6D68esUhqN3mCsaVscG45vqXCTnjsQ6jJXj_Jgbgwvea-Lnxy9iVhyphenhyphenwjHZvVFzBTckU6wMVNUeIY3GZ_gX03h7QK_gesw7YSxnfbUwteuLaGZtsl2Z0Kdo4-64UemmWNTsiGeEp7mf1dbkM8UVKc1S2hDPvJRXuqCYySe/s1024/20231104_154503.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxVOlAnCW3X9jtjh6D68esUhqN3mCsaVscG45vqXCTnjsQ6jJXj_Jgbgwvea-Lnxy9iVhyphenhyphenwjHZvVFzBTckU6wMVNUeIY3GZ_gX03h7QK_gesw7YSxnfbUwteuLaGZtsl2Z0Kdo4-64UemmWNTsiGeEp7mf1dbkM8UVKc1S2hDPvJRXuqCYySe/s320/20231104_154503.jpg"/></a></div>
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I'm thinking that yummy roving will get me back to the spinning wheel.bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36947916.post-86895525968421916922023-10-28T15:52:00.004-04:002023-10-28T15:52:43.774-04:00Not much newAbout all I have been doing lately is knitting on Bigfoot's socks. No weaving, no spinning, no dyeing, just knitting. And yet, the Lempi sweater is being ignored.<br />
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Part of the problem is life intervenes. (How can I be so busy when I am retired?!?) Part of the problem is things just seem so disorganized.<br />
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For example: I started weaving a rug on my 24" rigid heddle loom. It's clamped to a table in the studio, about the only place it can go because of the Freedom Roller. But there is something off-putting about that room.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_qpqXDceZgMJVW4ImB6EB7YIHNEt-mwpE1D7ALclESI27pLWt2Lp3UwMQLYKRYXPmuIj3EYQs34JkkCnJHH8dcTVNzL8WUGPf206VyV40P137aOQlwMpJovJiObe9LuQdAbLMX3qIDzDCQbLzdlfjxNghdjkP0yoW01Sg7N8V82J2llMeqm4/s1024/20231028_145808.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_qpqXDceZgMJVW4ImB6EB7YIHNEt-mwpE1D7ALclESI27pLWt2Lp3UwMQLYKRYXPmuIj3EYQs34JkkCnJHH8dcTVNzL8WUGPf206VyV40P137aOQlwMpJovJiObe9LuQdAbLMX3qIDzDCQbLzdlfjxNghdjkP0yoW01Sg7N8V82J2llMeqm4/s320/20231028_145808.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rug in progress...</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjgM1QW6JT6InuKFBirS1khI40YdIl4Jgc5-yKr_ySLRph_RXNgn6kTwCJIaQJe6Q5zVgy6gsUGtf38E6IaYz-CxOnNcHTljb1uqrdOKma-ID26qD2NP1IG0rcevwqpNEoi9Ro63BfztEDwA5yhqnyNdA50m6p3ehbs1i32XtA-Gog0pF29NI/s1024/20231028_145830.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjgM1QW6JT6InuKFBirS1khI40YdIl4Jgc5-yKr_ySLRph_RXNgn6kTwCJIaQJe6Q5zVgy6gsUGtf38E6IaYz-CxOnNcHTljb1uqrdOKma-ID26qD2NP1IG0rcevwqpNEoi9Ro63BfztEDwA5yhqnyNdA50m6p3ehbs1i32XtA-Gog0pF29NI/s320/20231028_145830.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zooming out...</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQclgUp9JZiw_QrjmRnJ8UPb1DIk8nPUgzrddCmyxiBRIcDcNVziWgM-OHjdibopiC3xpwx0w9RsQbRh3CUGPaW8wgYqgu8OkYEHSUEgfJZFKRuIobDQ0CzR4gxleHSllQDAqpEoVKzCrcHwF6Zm2TsfwV2nsL3-kPKlDLJy5VmxRwhrQAMnI/s1024/20231028_145857.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQclgUp9JZiw_QrjmRnJ8UPb1DIk8nPUgzrddCmyxiBRIcDcNVziWgM-OHjdibopiC3xpwx0w9RsQbRh3CUGPaW8wgYqgu8OkYEHSUEgfJZFKRuIobDQ0CzR4gxleHSllQDAqpEoVKzCrcHwF6Zm2TsfwV2nsL3-kPKlDLJy5VmxRwhrQAMnI/s320/20231028_145857.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugh</td></tr></tbody></table>
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And that is not all of my fiber and fiber equipment! When I walk in there, I just want to turn around and close the door. I keep rearranging things, but there is simply too much stuff.<br />
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<b>Knitting</b>: Almost to the heels on my son's socks.<br />
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I skipped the last spinning guild meeting because they did not have the program that was scheduled (for the second time in a row). Instead, they wanted to talk about nominating officers and what programs to have next year. The meetings are recorded on FB, and I tried watching later, but could not hear most of what was being said. I admit I'm a bit jaded about that guild right now. We'll see what the coming year will bring.
bittenbyknittinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03319831711404273005noreply@blogger.com0