From Fiber to Yarn

I’m still fighting the good fight against the first and, hopefully, last cold of the season. So much for going for a run or even standing up for long periods of time. Thankfully, handspun yarn doesn’t need me to stand vigil while it dries or my latest skein would still be wet. Since it’s all new, fresh, and pretty, it gets to do the talking today. Take it from the top...

4 oz of Gale’s Art Polworth 85/Silk 15 (Indian Corn)

Split into quarters

Spun into 2 long singles

Wound into a plying ball

Plied on a drop spindle

In the bath

Almost dry

Glamour Shots!

All finished, the yarn weighs in at 396 yards and about 11 wraps per inch. It’s also wonderfully soft and bouncy. The colors are amazing and didn’t spin up anything like I thought they would. When I split the fiber lengthwise, the color repeats seemed really short so I expected to see short bursts of color. I was so wrong and could not be happier about it. The yarn has long dark, muted sections and long, bright, perky sections. I can’t wait to see what how it knits up. 

While I was spinning this, the plan was to knit the finished yarn into a hat for a christmas present but 400 yards is a bit of overkill for a hat. Even for a giant, extra long stocking cap. Any suggestions for 400 yds of 2-ply goodness? 

Incremental 5K: Week 1

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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Ever since I decided I wanted to able to run a 5K, it seems like races have been popping up out of no where. Just this weekend I saw posters for three different races scheduled during the next few weeks. Not that I’m going to participate but I still think it’s funny that I’m hearing about all of them now. The logical answer to this phenomenon is that I’ve started looking for races instead of just skimming over the news boards. It’s probably not all that different from my ability to pick out yarn shops from 30 paces once I started knitting.

As for the actual running and training part of Couch to 5K, that didn’t really happen last week. I only managed to walk on 2 days due to a perfect storm of timing and laziness. Mostly it was the laziness but Sunday’s walk through 50° temps re-motivated me for some strange reason. Let the training begin in earnest!...just as soon I get over this cold.

Surprise Shawl

Nothing says “Why don’t you wind some yarn and cast on for that shawl you’ve been dreaming about for months,” like hearing about a surprise road trip first thing in the morning. So, I wound 2 skeins of yarns, printed the pattern, got presentable, and hit the road. 

The shawl in question is the Stripe Study Shawl which Ravelry tells me has been in my queue since February 19, 2011. It took me ages to finish other shawls I had on the needles and then pick the yarn. The blue is Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering (Tavern on the Blue) which waited patiently for me to decide on Madelinetosh Merino Light (Antler) as it’s partner. I love how the two look together and how much the cream is starting to pop against the ever widening blue stripes. 

For the next few months, this shawl is going to be selfish knitting, pure and simple, since the birthdays and holidays coming in full force. A few short rows here and some stripes there should take the edge off.   

On Stash and Storage

I was updating my Ravelry stash page yesterday and was feeling rather pleased with myself that I hadn’t acquired much yarn in the last few months. Cold sheeping, and all that. Then I realized that I had switched from yarn to spinning fiber as my acquisition of choice. Oh well. I’m not going to feel guilty about it since I’m buying things that I like, that I’ll use, and that support people I like. As much as I toy with the idea of only buying fiber/yarn when I have a project in mind, I like having a fiber stash to inspire me and pull from when the muse strikes. Plus, it’s nice to bury my head in all that lovely fiber when I need to hide from the day. 

The latest addition to the collection is 4 oz. of Blue Faced Leicester from The Copper Corgi. I’m rather smitten with all those blues and especially the bright green. I have visions of bright green popping out from a swath of dark blue. Maybe 2-ply or maybe 3. I haven’t gotten that far yet. I’m still in the middle of spinning a polworth/silk blend which means the blue/green vision will have to wait in storage. 

Fiber storage here at Chez Strategos is both digital and physical. Digital storage is means that the fiber(or yarn) is photographed and said photographs are uploaded to the fiber’s very own Ravelry page. All pertinent information - breed, weight, color, dyer, price, etc - is included. Before I pull every bin and bag out, I like to peruse the stash through photos and choose my options. The physical side of storage is a giant bag left over from buying a bedding set. It’s see through, zips closed, and  has a very convenient handle. For the moment, it’s just the right size for all of my fiber so long as I keep spinning.

I’m really curious how you store/organize your fiber stash. Is it photographed and up on Ravelry? Does it have it’s own trunk? Or does it roam your home like a lion on the savannah? Any tips or tricks?

September Walking and Incremental October

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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In the beginning of the September it took me 20 minutes to walk 1 mile around my neighborhood while dodging cars, avoiding dogs, and climbing hills. I eventually switched to a park near my house and started walking 2 miles a day. There were no cars, the dogs were friendly, and I walked a mile in about 17 minutes. I kept going to the park and started walking 3 miles the next week. The last week had a bit of a locational transition but I found two new parks and got back to walking. Now, I am so close to being able to walk a mile in 10 minutes. Just have to shave off that last 30 - 40 seconds. 

All totaled, I managed to walk about 30 miles in September and I want to keep going. If only I wasn’t wearing the soles off my 5 year old shoes. 

So, walking in September was a success. It got off to a slow start but I quickly found my groove and started enjoying my daily walks so much that I made the time to go every day. No excuses. Even on the days I took to rest, I wanted to go out and add a few more miles to my tally. My legs are really happy I didn’t. Going for a walk let me get some exercise but I was also able to blow off steam, day dream, plan my to-do list, and keep motivated. I recommend it.

I’ve been thinking about October’s Incremental project for the last week. Should I focus on the holiday crafting? Should I learn to spin yarn on a rented wheel from the fiber guild? Should I focus on designing and getting all these knitting patterns out of my head? I wasn’t really sure until I started typing this paragraph but October’s goal (and November’s too) will be the Couch to 5K program. 9 weeks to start running 5 kilometers (or 3.1 miles) at a time. I’m ready and I’ve got a new pair of shoes. 

So, It Begins

Last Saturday, September 22nd, was the Fall Equinox and the official start of Fall. Not that you could tell from the weather around here. Yesterday was a bright and sunny day with a temperature of 84° (29° C) which doesn’t seem like Fall to me in the least. Cooler temps or not, I’ve decided to suck it up and start with the dreaded Halloween, Christmas and Birthday Season making or, as I’ve come to call it, The Gauntlet. If you’re trying to hide from this bit of crafty timing, I apologize.

I’m starting off The Gauntlet this year with a bit of creepy cross-stitch for Halloween and working out the crafting plans for the rest of the year. Anyone else starting the holiday making with me or am I just the bearer of bad news?

Getting To Know Each Other

Now that the commission yarn is finished, I’m taking the time for a little selfish spinning. I raided the stash and pitted the fiber against each other until there was a clear winner. I pulled them apart just short of felting. What came out on top was a lovely polworth/silk blend from Gale’s Art appropriately named Indian Corn. I had the loose idea of spinning a worsted weight 2-ply yarn. The colors get to do their own thing since the real purpose of this yarn is for me and my Jenkins Swan spindle to get to know each other. I’ve only spun a tiny little mini skein so far and it’s time that changed.

When I started spinning this single, my hands were still in lace weight mode and it took me a while to reset my fingers, so to speak. The spindle kept dropping but at least the singles were getting a decent thickness. As I was working and adding more singles to the arms, the spindle started to spin differently. It would still spin for a long time but at a much slower speed than when the cop (Is the collected yarn on a turkish drop spindle still called a cop or is that just on whorled drop spindles?) was smaller. I’m going to chalk this phenomenon up to the extra weight on the spindle from the singles and physics. Blast you, you increasing moment of inertia!

I really need to figure out how to build a cop upward on a turkish spindle instead of just outward. Any pointers?

A turkish spindle is comprised of 3 separate parts: the shaft and 2 arms. I knew this and, yet, didn’t expect the arms to get stuck on the shaft because of how many times I dropped it. A high number that. Anyway, when I was unwrapping the spindle for the first time, there was a little slip of paper from Jenkins Woodworking that came to my rescue:

Ed’s Unique Compression Fit Shaft: Vertical slits for releasing pressure if the shaft becomes stuck when dropped. If the shaft seems impossible to remove, place the entire spindle in a plastic bag and place in freezer about 30 minutes. 

So, that’s what I did except I was distracted by the internet and left if in for another 15 minutes. The spindle still popped apart without any difficulty and none the worse for wear. 

Compression slits, you are both gentlemen and scholars.

I’ve only just started spinning the second half of my fiber but I’ve already learned so much. How building a cop affects rotation and speed. How much fiber I can comfortably pack on. How to rescue my singles if the spindle ever acts stubborn. What might be most important is that the pair of us will be spinning yarn together for a long time. Hmm, I think he needs a name now. 

Walking: Week 4

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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The last week of September is finally here and so is my last week of walking as a September project. I’d be sad to see it go if I didn’t know for sure that I was going to keep this daily goal going. After walking 6 days a week for the 3 past weeks, I’ve rather come to enjoy the process. I don’t have to bargain with myself or promise sugary goodness to rack up a few more miles. I just make the time, put on my shoes, stretch, and start walking. 

Unfortunately, unexpected schedule changes throw me for a loop on occasion. Last Wednesday, for example, going for a long walk just wasn’t in the cards. I made up for it the next day by walking 3 miles and making that my new daily goal. 3 miles is doable but a challenge if I keep a brisk pace. Plus, it’s fun. Never thought I’d see myself type that out.

Walking all those miles will give me time to contemplate my next incremental project. Something crafty or Couch to 5K? Both?

Finished and Delivered

I burned a lot of the midnight oil but it was totally worth it to pass along this finished yarn at knit night. Seriously, the skeins finished drying in the car and I tied on the labels right before I walked in the yarn shop. Good times. 

The fiber, Chameleon Dyeworks Optim, was given to me spin by a friend at knit night. I picked the Optim over an alpaca blend because I thought it would be easier to spin. Now, I doubt this was the case but foresight is always 20/20. Optim is Merino wool which has been processed to have the look, feel, and behavior of silk. Sometimes, I was able to develop a rhythm and the yards just seemed to fly through my fingers. Other times, I might as well have been trying to draft water but I pulled it off. Finishing these 2 skeins make me feel like I’ve leveled up as a spinner. Now I want to grab the silk and alpaca that have been sitting in my fiber stash because I didn’t have the confidence to turn them into yarn.

The original plan for this yarn was to make a 2-ply, self-striping, fingering weight yarn but the colors just didn’t want to match up. Chain-plying to the rescue. The final result is 2 skeins of fingering/sport weight yarn totaling 545 yards at about 18 wraps per inch.

Oh, can’t forget this cute little test skein. It’s 29 yds of 2-ply goodness. 

The Plying Part

Last Friday, I wrapped 4 oz. worth of Optim singles around origami stars for plying. Saturday, I got a few yards on the spindle. Sunday was a total wash. Monday saw some very early morning progress though it wasn’t until yesterday that I buckled down and finished plying every last yard. Episodes of Cast On, Knit Picks, and Spin Doctor kept me moving and reminded me to stop for a break before pressing play again. I exercised my fingers playing the updated Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 3DS and, so far, my childhood remains unscathed. My night owl self skeined and put the yarn in a bath while my kind of awake in the morning self hung it up to dry. Fans, get to work!

While prepping the plying balls, I couldn’t help but notice that their final gem stone shape which is both entirely fitting - shiny 100% wool for the win - and completely awesome. 

Incremental Walking: Week 3

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started.

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I have a new favorite spot at a local park but I don’t stay there for very long. The new spot is a few hundred feet of serpentine asphalt surrounded my trees, cool air, shade, and tweeting birds. If I look to my right all I can see is a wall of green and, when it’s quiet, I can pretend there aren’t 3 baseball fields to my left. What might be best of all is the complete lack of snarling dogs. Or it might be the pocket of crisp, extra - oxygenated air. I haven’t decided. 

Last week’s walks have all been taken in the afternoon so that cool, little pocket of air is much appreciated since it’s still in the 70’s and technically summer. Hurry up, Fall Equinox. The first week I walked a mile. The second week I walked 2 miles. This week I’m going to push for 3 and maybe there will be a little jogging if I go in the morning. Plus, I’m going to try to get my time down closer to a 10 minute mile. Wish me luck. I’ll see you after the third lap.

P.S. My to-do list still quakes in fear when I walk up.

Origami for Plying

Since I started seriously learning to spin, I have been monogamous spinner. Just one bump of fiber on the spindles at a time, thank you. I don’t want to confuse my hands with wildly different fibers and jump between lace and worsted weight all in the same day. So when I pick some fiber to spin, I see it through to the end and don’t start something new until the yarn is drying on the rack. For the past few weeks my default spinning project has been a lovely bunch of lace weight singles which are be chain plied for some self-striping goodness. The time had finally come to ply the first singles a few days ago but I only had one plying ball and two singles. I didn’t want to wrap both singles around the same ball since I wouldn’t know where one ended and another began. One single went on the ball and I wrapped the second around a box of sewing pins. That box kept the singles orderly but it wasn’t quiet about it. “Oh, you need more singles? I shall play you the song of my people.”

Until I get around to knitting up a few more plying balls, origami to rescue. I love making modular origami where a bunch of simple folded pieces combine to create something wonderful and complex. Stars are a particular favorite. In the rare moments of silent plying, I remembered the Gudrun Star over on GoOrigami.com. I’ve made them before and they seemed perfect for holding bits of handspun. The stars are simple to make, easy to memorize, and don't take up much space. I made these units listening to podcasts and watching movies.

I know I could have just cut out a few squares of card board instead of folding stars but there is a method to my madness. The extra points make it easier to wrap and secure the yarn. Plus, I’m going to be using these stars a lot and I’d rather look at them than a drab piece of cardboard or an advertisement on the back of a cereal box.

To make your own stars, you’ll need the Gudrun Star diagram from GoOrigami.com and a sheet of scrapbook paper cut into 2 x 3” rectangles. Scrapbook paper is thicker than origami paper but still easy to fold and makes a sturdy star too. One sheet is enough to make 3 stars 3.25” across. FYI, the diagram is in German but the illustrations are clear without the words. Don’t forget that Google Translate is your friend if you need it. 

Once you’ve made your stars, they’re ready for yarn. Hold the end in a valley and wrap the yarn around the opposite side of the star 3 or 4 times. Rotate and repeat. When you can’t see the points anymore, you can wrap the yarn just like on any other ball.

Wrapped and ready to go! Time for some plying that won’t outdo the television speakers. 

Cotty Socks

Finally, these socks are purse knitting no longer! I knit them on a road trip through Georgia, running errands around town, in restaurants, in bars, at knit night, and even in front of the television. Now I can wear them and keep my feet warm while knitting something else. Must implement this plan when it actually feels like Fall.

The Cotty pattern had been in my knitting queue for ages before I found just the right yarn. It had to be bright and variegated to counter the simplicity of stockinette and the tiny bit of lace. Hello, Yarn Pirate Merino/Tencel. The colors pooled more than I usually like but it doesn’t hide the pattern and is fairly consistent. Plus, the yarn has a wonderful sheen which only highlights the lace.

Most of my usual sock mods went into effect: toe up with a tighter gauge, finer yarn, and more stitches. I also tried out a new heel idea inspired by the greatness that is Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato Heel but more on that later. The biggest change I made to the socks was the top edge since the original picot edge is just a bit too girly for me. A K2, P1 rib is more my style, matches the lace pattern, and is quite stretchy. Full technical details over at Ravelry. 

Happy toes!

Walking: Week 2

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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I’m going to spare you the pseudo-inspirational picture of the view from my front door this morning and get straight to the point. Now that I’m back on my home turf, September’s walking project is going strong. I’m waking up earlier than I have in months to go for a walk in the cool morning air. My legs have gone from outright rebellion to only occasional complaining. My lungs don’t hate the hills as much either. I want to push myself farther, take side trips off the beaten path, add more milage, and go exploring. The lovely, cool weather just encourages me to go further though I could do without the barking, growling dogs that follow.

What’s surprised me most about the past few days of walking wasn’t the improved physical strength,  or even the barking dogs (those I remember from previous walks), but how energized and prepared I’d be for the rest of the day. When I get back home, I’m ready to crush my to-do list. It’s a completely different mindset than when I just wake up, make tea, and sit on the computer all morning. These morning walks are doing more for me than that cup of morning tea ever has.

Quality Time

This fiber and I have been spending a lot of quality and sometimes trying time together. In the basket is the remaining 8 oz. of Chameleon Colorworks Optim that I’m spinning for a knit night friend. The colors are gorgeous and lustrous since the fiber is processed Merino which acts more like silk than wool. Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to draft and control water flowing through my fingers instead of wool.

Once I spin up this last lace weight single, the plan is to chain ply the yarn for a self-striping fingering weight yarn. Yep, time for more quality time. Lots more.  

In Atlanta

Adventure time in Atlanta is officially over since I’m driving back to Chez Strategos today. Atlanta was great even if The Bearded One and I didn’t make it to DragonCon after all. We spent the long weekend driving, inspecting potential future residences, eating all of the food, and playing Diablo in our down time. We also took a break to watch the latest episode of Doctor Who. I’ve been waiting for the Daleks to show their metallic appendages again.

It seems like the two of us spent most of the weekend in the car which is probably true based on how much sock is on the needles. Over 8” worth, all told. I’m letting the self striping yarn - discontinued Cascade Sassy Stripes - do all the work and knitting a simple 3x1 rib. Not even worrying about the heel, afterthought all the way, until I get I get home.

While the Bearded One and I were still driving around town, I couldn’t help but wonder about local yarn shops. I had Tuesday mostly to myself and decided to visit a shop or two since seeking yarn is a large part of any adventure, you know. I ended up at Eat Sleep Knit and had to wait for my mind to reboot after seeing the walls of Madelinetosh along with enough hand dyed yarn to happily bury myself in. Somehow, I walked out with just 2 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted - Sunset which might turn into the Arroyo Shawl from D’oh!mestic.

Time to hit the road. There’s a 2.5 hour drive ahead of me but I’ve got podcasts, chocolate, and pretty yarn to keep me company.

August and September Incremental

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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So, August’s Incremental Project was supposed to be about drawing, sketching, and leveling up my rendering skills. I was going to draw everyday and make amazing progress to be proud of. I bought some pencils and a sketchpad and did pretty well the first 2 weeks but I didn’t feel like I was making any  progress. Commence laziness. Then I bought a book and worked a few more sketches. Even when I decided to buckle down last week, the pencil did not touch the paper. 

What do I have to show for my 2 and a half weeks of effort? New drawing supplies, another addition to the library, 15 sketches, and a little understanding. I didn’t make amazing progress or even come close to leveling up but I’m not giving up. I still want to draw. I’m still inspired by art. I still want to mark up the page. So, it didn’t happen right now but it will. 

You know what the funny part is? Now that I’m not feeling obligated to draw everyday, I feel like picking up the sketchpad and working through a few exercises. Maybe drawing should have been September’s goal. Ah well. 

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Will the Incremental Project keep going?

Yes, even though it didn’t get off to such a great start in August. Can’t begin everything with a bang. Sometimes, you need to build a little momentum first. When I first dreamed up the Incremental Project, I wanted to focus on a wide range of things. It wasn’t supposed to be just about knitting, spinning, or creative goodness but also fitness, cooking, photo editing, or learning code. Whatever grabs my interest at the time. 

In September, my goal is to walk everyday.  By the end of the month, it might be jogging or running. There’s no real end goal but I know want to start with walking 1 mile a day. One day a week, I’ll push my limits and see how far my feet take me. On another day, I’ll rest. As for the days I’m walking, I have a plan with bullet points. Bullet points make everything official. 

• Wake up in the morning when the air is still cool.
• Get dressed and pull on my trusted Five Fingers.
• Head out the door and start walking the neighborhood or the local park.
• Get back home, stretch, and drink lots of water. Also, breakfast.

I’ve been adventuring this weekend but I’m pretty sure I walked around Ikea yesterday for at least a mile. Today’s looking like a day of rest. I hope you’re enjoying your Monday too whether you observe Labor Day or not.

Adventure!

I’m in Atlanta this weekend to go on the great, geeky, sci-fi adventure that is DragonCon. The pre-pre-parties last night were a awesome start. I dressed up and headed out for a night on the town with The Bearded One and friends. Of course, I brought knitting - the in progress Cotty Socks - because my hands care not if I’m sitting at my desk or in a bar. The fingers get bored even if the conversation is interesting. So, I knit and bound off even though I was certain that I’d be ripping it out in the day time. 

The pattern, which is written from the cuff down, starts with a picot edge; however, I’m knitting up from the toe and have absolutely no interest in making or wearing a picot edge. I decided to improvise the last few inches of the cuff by knitting 5 repeats of the lace chart, 1 row of 1x1 rib and finishing every thing off with Jenny’s Super Stretchy Bind Off. Not one of my better ideas. I’m blaming the Gin Gin Mule. The top edge, while stretchy, rolls and doesn’t look all that great. 

I knew the edge probably wasn’t going to work but I did it anyway because it was something to keep my hands busy. Something to knit for the sake of knitting. Usually, I can hold off and wait but I really wanted to finish this sock. What if my crazy idea worked? No such luck there. If you’re out and about, do you stop knitting if you don’t know how it will turn out or do you chug along and rip out the problem later?

In a few days I’ll rip out that sock and make everything right but, in the mean time, I need sock knitting for standing in line at DragonCon. A simple rib and self-striping yarn will do the job just fine.

Let There Be Socks

This post brought to you by a severe case of finish-itis which is defined by the urge to knit and finish all projects currently on the needles. I haven’t cast on anything new in weeks but I am getting a lot of knitting done all the same. The first project to enjoy the benefits was Hitchhiker and now I’m digging in to a pair of socks. 

The pattern: a modified version of Cotty by IrishGirlieKnits. The yarn: Yarn Pirate Tencel/Merino Sock - Herron which was a gift from BrokeKnits.

I started this pair way back in June to keep me occupied during a 12+ hour roundtrip drive to Georgia. Before heading out, I knit the toe to make sure the stitch count and gauge were spot on to save me from ripping out en route. There turned out to be so much knitting time that my wrists hurt and demanded a magazine break. Unfortunately, there were still hours to go after I read the magazine cover to cover and skimmed through it a few more times for good measure. Out came the socks again and, by the time the truck was back in the driveway, I’d had my fill of this pair. The next few months saw the socks as reluctant purse knitting until I finished my Hitchhiker shawl. Then it was full steam ahead. The gussets were knit, the heels turned, and the cuffs are several inches tall.

At the speed I’m using up yarn, I should have a new pair of socks by the weekend. It’ll be time to cast on for a new pair of socks too since I'll need some purse knitting for DragonCon. 

Drawing Incrementally: Week 4

Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started.

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I can only take some many “artful” photos of sketchbooks, erasers, and pencils to cover up a lack of progress on the sketching front. Last week I sketched exactly one thing, a self portait, and didn’t pick up the pencils again. Thankfully, August is has 31 days and I’ve got one more week to accomplish something. Let’s see if I can pull this off.

Any hints and tips to keep me motivated during the home stretch?