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FO Friday – Handspun Lichen Mists

Mar 29th, 2013
by SandAndSkyCreations.
14 comments

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Today is a strange day … I’ve been sitting here trying to write a post about my Lichen Mists and I words just don’t seem to want to come.  Me, at a loss for words?  Strange indeed! Call it March madness, call it spring fever … all I want to do is be outside :-)

Since I can’t find the words to do my yummy new shawl justice, I’ll keep it short and sweet.

  • This is my new handspun shawl.
  • I absolutely LOVE it.
  • I feel positively elvish wearing it.
  • This pattern was MADE for my special skein of handspun
  • I’m cuddled up in the shawl right now and plan to wear it out tomorrow night.

Now, this girl is going back outside to enjoy the delicious evening sunshine that makes spring so very tempting.

Happy weekend all!

 

 

Handspun Lichen Mists Shawl

WIP Wednesday – Lichen Mists

Feb 27th, 2013
by SandAndSkyCreations.
6 comments

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As many of you know, I set “rules” for myself when it comes to crafting … no more than 3 knitted WIPs at a time and if it doesn’t fit in my stash basket, I don’t need it … just to name two.  It may seem a little strange, or even restrictive to do so, but believe me, it saves me from crafting induced insanity and losing all my good circulars in a mountain of WIPs.  These “rules” also help me to prioritize.  If I start a project that I don’t love, I frog it and save the yarn for something I feel it is more suited towards.  I also seem to have a sub-conscious rule that I absolutely MUST have a shawl in-progress at all times.

Enter Lichen Mists by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud.

I was gifted this beautiful pattern from my dear friend Tina (thank you so much!) and I knew immediately what yarn this shawl would be knit in … Nevermore.  I have had this special skein of handspun sitting in my stash like a treasured jewel since 2011.  I would take it out, admire it, contemplate using it for a project and then put it back because it just didn’t feel right yet.  When I wound it into a ball and started knitting my Lichen Mists with it, the feeling was YES!  This skein of yarn was WAITING for this project.

Lichen Mists is a beautifully written pattern for an elegant lace shawl/shawlette that can be worked up in either lace or fingering weight yarns.  It is perfect for any yarn that has nice drape and a bit of silkiness to it, as this handspun does.  The pattern is also slightly addictive.  I’ve knit half my shawl already and am eager to knit some more!

So do you save “special” balls of yarn like I do?  Do you make crafting “rules” for yourself?  I’d love to hear!

December Handspun

Jan 22nd, 2013
by SandAndSkyCreations.
6 comments

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I can’t believe that it is the 22nd of January and I just remembered that I have my December handspun yarns to share.  Where did January go!

The first yarn to share was spun from 6oz really lovely CuckooBatts from ArtClubShop.com in “Seaweed” colorway.   I decided to make some  pseudo-rolags and spin them into a soft and fluffy 2 ply woolen yarn.  These were a ton of fun to work with and the finished yarns are oh-so-squishy and wonderful.

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The next bit of handspun to share was a first for me … my first time processing raw fleece.  This was 4oz of raw Border Leicester that I scoured, carded, and spun woolen style and let me tell you, I can’t wait to do it again!  These is something truly amazing about taking fleece in its raw form and transforming it into a soft and bouncy ball of yarn.  For those of you who are interested in learning more about processing raw wool, I highly recommend you check out Rosa’s blog post about processing Princess’s lovely wool.

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And last but not least, was the November Spunky Club Fiber shipment,  4oz of Wensleydale in “Not So Seaworthy” colorway.  I’m really in love with this fiber.  It is silky, and shiny, and has beautiful drape … I could spin POUNDS of this fiber!  This 4oz told me that it wanted to be light fingering weight singles for either a nice pair of socks or a shawl.  Who am I to argue with fiber?  lol

So, are you ready for the grand total spun in 2012?

My total for 2012 was 237oz of wool spun … that is 14lbs and 13oz.  And, I have knit through a lot of the handspun already so my fiber/yarn stash still fits quite comfortably in my basket.

I enjoyed spinning the 12lbs so much that I’ve joined up for 13lbs in 2013 and my sweet fiber sister, Tina of Peacefully Knitting, is planning to go for it this year too.  Be sure to stay tuned to both of our blogs for updates on more of the spinning fun!

November Handspun

Dec 10th, 2012
by SandAndSkyCreations.
6 comments

I’m happy to share with you all another month’s worth of spinning.  I busted out my dye pot, tried a new technique, and practiced my hand carding and woolen spinning.  November was another fantastic spinning month.

My first spin is 4oz of superwash merino in  “Summer’s End” colorway by Spunky Eclectic.  This bump is spun as a worsted weight 2 ply but I do have another 4oz in my stash that wants to be fingering or sport weight for an Inspira Cowl.

Next up was 6oz of BFL that I hand painted in a colorway I like to call “Dappled Shade.”  I went really crazy with my dye pot in November and created some really beautiful hand paints that I will share with you at a later date.

The Dappled Shade BFL was spun up as fingering weight singles for a handspun Daybreak shawl for one of my kettlebell friends.  The finished shawl turned out so well that I was a little sad to see it going out the door but B. really loves it.  And lucky for me, I still have 3oz of it left in my stash. :-D

The next two spins were a lot of fun for me.  The first is 6oz of a wonderful brown shetland wool and the second is 4oz of romney/corrie locks in “Golden Dragon” colorway by Spunky Eclectic.

November felt like a good month to get out my hand carders and practice making rolags. I’m really coming to love hand carding.   I found that I like to card one or two rolags and then spin them before going back to carding.  The rhythm of the whole process is quite enjoyable.  Plus, the carding makes me feel even more involved in the whole process from sheep to finished object.

My last spin for November was crazy, wild, and a total blast.  I used a 3oz batt of merino/bamboo/angelina in “Jane” colorway by Butterfly Girl Designs to spin SUPER COILS!  Having both “Sit and Spin” and “Spin Art” by Jacey Boggs in my resource collection and the aforementioned amazing batt just waiting to be spun, I decided that the fiber really wanted to be something really different from my usual spins.  The finished object should be as well … I’m planning on making this funky yarn into unique textured yarn necklace.  After this spin, I’m eager to try out more in the world of textured yarns.

So how was November for you?  Did you get into lots of crafty things?  I’d love to hear all about it!

FO Friday – Orchid Thief

Nov 30th, 2012
by SandAndSkyCreations.
10 comments

 

 

 

I’ve been wanting to knit an Orchid Thief for ages now and finally decided it was time.

I had originally started this pattern in some lovely magenta colored handspun Shetland but the yarn kept telling me it wanted to be something in garter stitch so who am I to argue with the yarn?  I had some purple linen, some snowy white Kidsilk Haze, and some beautiful teal alpaca laceweights in my stash all wanting to be knit but in the end it was the bamboo that won out.  And I am so glad that I chose this yarn.

The yarn is Belfast Mini-Mills Bamboo Laceweight and it is so soft, silky, and drapey when knit up (especially into lace).  It also has a sheen to it so it give it that extra something.  It makes such a light and airy shawl … I love it!

As far as actual knitting time, this project definitely counts as a knitting binge … I finished the shawl and blocked it in under 6 days!  It felt like ages since I’ve knit lace because I’ve been having such a blast with colorwork lately, so when I started knitting the shawl I just couldn’t put it down.

What projects have you been working on lately?  Is there anything that you just can’t seem to put down?  I’d love to hear all about it!