WiPs Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!  Two more days until the weekend!

I'm just going to show you my newest WiP today.  I cast on Friday night because I wanted something I could make a lot of progress on in a short time.  I want to finish something fast.  I should have pulled out my sewing machine and done some sewing.

In any case, I saw the Estuary tank in the summer 2014 issue of Interweave knits and wanted to cast on immediately.  I pulled out some cotton yarn that had the correct gauge and got started.

It's worked in panels and then sewn together.  Even after making sure I was following the directions, I managed to sew my panels on incorrectly.  And then didn't notice until I'd knit 4 inches past that point.  So my Estuary Tank is a bit different than intended.  I still like it.  And I will probably make another one.

I've reached the half way point and am about to divide for the armholes.

My lower garter panel should be facing the side-it's not.  I could have started this in the round and kept going instead of the panels and grafting.

The color is a bit more purple than it looks in this picture.

For more WiPs visit Tamis Amis' Blog

Griffin Dye Works RETREAT

I want to tell you about the Griffin Dye Works Retreat and even though it is coming really soon, it's not too late to sign up and go.

This retreat is a fun and relaxing learning experience.  Or vacation at this great resort.  The people are great and always willing to teach you something whether it's a listed class or not.  But the best part is the all inclusive price.  Classes, lodging, and dining all included in the cost.  And to top it off this year the incidental cost or class material fees are being covered by Griffin.

The retreat is June 13-15th.  In Southern California.

An exciting weekend of classes in spinning, dyeing,
weaving, knitting, crafts...fun, friendly, fiber!

RETREAT FEE: $450 for accommodations, meals, snacks, tote, classes,
some supplies. Day-trippers welcome. Contact us for family and partner
prices. Download form to pay by check or just pay online at:

http://retreat.griffindyeworks.com

ARROWHEAD RANCH is in San Bernardino Nat’l Forest, near Lake Arrowhead.
The cabins hold 2 to 7 people, and have showers, flush toilets, TV, wifi.

The site also has a lodge, heated pool, and Jacuzzi. Photos of camp:
http://arrowheadranchconferencecenter.com/

Class Schedule is Online!

Website: http://www.griffindyeworks.com
Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/FiberRetreat/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/griffindyeworks/

*This is my 100th post.  Happy Blog-versary to me.

FO Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend. 

 Please take time this weekend to remember what Memorial Day is about.  It's a day when all of the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces are honored and remembered.  It's the ultimate gift and sacrifice to die for your country and the beliefs of that Nation.  Memorial Day is a great weekend to visit any National Memorials or exhibits; especially some of the decommissioned boats from WWII.  If you're lucky there will be some retired guys or gals that served and if you are respectful and polite, sometimes they'll chat with you and you will learn more and appreciate more than you ever did before.

For FO Friday I have a finished object.  The Shallows Cowl.  I knit this cowl for a friend who, until recently, did not knit.  She purchased the yarn and bought the pattern.  She choose the Mini Mochi yarn.  It was awful yarn for this project.  Really light and airy-but also splitty.  It's a single ply yarn that is close to really really thin roving.  In grafting the ends together the yarn broke at least five times.  I am so glad to be done.

It turned out to be really beautiful.

Here's Bessie modeling the cowl for me last night

The colors are most accurate in the top photo.

For more FOs check out Tamis Amis' Blog

And so it begins...

I bought a spinning wheel.  I learned to spin last year at the Griffin Dye Works Retreat.  So many nice people helped me and let me use their wheels.  I learned how to use a drop spindle-on a borrowed spindle because the spindle I bought was too heavy for a beginner.  And then bought my own smaller spindle.  It was fun.  When I got home from the Retreat I didn't pick up my spindle more than a couple of times.  For a little while I looked for a spinning wheel.  And then got distracted by other things.

A couple of months ago I started looking for a wheel again.  I decided to go with the Ashford Kiwi Wheel.  It was suggested as a great beginner wheel.  The price can't be beat and Paradise Fibers had them in stock and offered free shipping.

It arrived in a tiny tiny box on a Tuesday.  Wednesday my friend Lisa and I opened the box and started painting.  It was a really hot day with high hot winds-and the plastic paint tarp kept sticking to the wheel and various parts.  Lisa's husband Alex saved the day by stringing up the wheel along side the house to dry properly.  Then sanding down the extra paint from the tarp and applying the final coat of paint.  We put together the wheel over the weekend and attempted to spin.  After countless attempts to get the leader to wind onto the bobbin and reading on Ravelry for tips I pulled out the instructions for putting the wheel together and discovered we put the brake band on incorrectly.  Once that was moved, it worked like a charm.

My spinning is bad.  Really bad-totally what you would expect from a newbie.  I'm currently making some over twisted rope with the softness of hard wire.  I know that with practice it will improve.  Last year I was spinning fairly consistently without over twist after a day or so.

So my plan is to follow the advice everyone has given.  15 minutes a day.  I'm keeping notes and by the time I work through 2 pounds of fiber I should be good to go.

Here's my wheel:

The tension knob isn't painted because it was wrapped with all the hardware.  I haven't decided whether I should paint that or not.

Some of the dragonflies got smudged-I think it gives it character.  Plus I'm way to lazy to sand that off and start over.  And I want to spin not paint.  I don't collect dragonflies.  I just liked the stencil over the others available at Michaels when I went looking for paint.  the colors of the flies are a little muted.  They are pink, purple, green and turquoise.

Have any tips for a new spinner?

WiPs Wednesday

Happy Wednesday Everyone!  Only 2 days to go until a three day weekend!!!!!  Yay!!!!

I have a pile of WiPs this week.  I ripped out the Ravello sweater because I decided to re-cast on using a provisional cast on.  Why?  Because the Ravello has a large boat neck.  I don't like boat necks.  Actually I don't like boat necks that show off my bra straps.  When I was growing up we would be mortified at our underwear or bra straps showing.  I could have revised the pattern from the beginning to knit a v neck or a scoop neck, but decided to do the provisional cast on.  When I'm finished I will pick up the stitches and do short rows until the neckline will cover my straps.  So the Ravello is currently an inch big.  Nothing to show you.

The Emelie sweater came with me on the train today.  It is about two inches of 3 x 2 ribbing.  Also nothing to show.

The Hitchhiker looks about the same.  I cast on a new pair of socks for my Mom and have about an inch of cuff past the ribbing.  More on those next week.

I am just about done with the shallows cowl.

The colors are a bit more muted in real life.  It is actually off the needles and blocking currently.  If it is dry tonight I will graft the live stitches and finish the cowl.  So you'll see it on Friday.

I received my copy of Interweave Knits summer 2014 in the mail this morning.  I love the color Tee.  And I am going to dig into my stash to see if I have yarn that will work for the Estuary Tank.  Tonight.  It looks like a fast knit.  Bulky cotton and wool yarn.  Size 10 needles and most of it is garter stitch.  I want to cast on something new.  I'm going to change the neckline in this tank too.  It's a really high scoop neck.  I want something a little lower.  Maybe v-neck.  Maybe just a lower scoop.  It's too warm here in Southern California to have a high neckline.

For more WiPs go to Tamis Amis' Blog

Something a bit different Blog Week Day 5 5KCBWDAY5

Google 5KCBWDAY5 for more blog week
And visit Tamis Amis' Blog for more FO's

A Conversation with Miss Addi 5KCBWDAY4

It's Day 4 of blog week and today's assignment is to create a conversation between coworkers.  We are to choose a tool that we use and create a conversation between us and it.

Miss Addi is a lovely size 3 Addi Turbo circular needle with a 40 inch cord.  Mrs. Tweed is the gorgeous older, but wiser sparkly tweed project bag that Miss Addi is currently residing in.

Miss Addi: I've said it before and I will say it again I am the most important person involved here.  I think you should just admit it.

Mrs. Tweed:  You are important, but you are not the most important.  Everyone has some value.  For example without me, you would be lost or hopelessly tangled about and a complete emotional mess and you know it.  And without the yarn neither of us would have a purpose.

Miss Addi:  You just think you're important because you carry me everywhere.  Without me, there would be no end result.  So I am the most important.

Mrs. Tweed:  Why are you overly concerned with your importance?  Why don't you try to think about what is special about others?

Miss Addi: Everyone likes to think that they're special.  I know you have value.  And you're a lot prettier than I am.  But I still think I am the most important.  If I was gone and you were left, then what would happen to little hitch?  Think about that.  And until you admit I am the most important, I'm not making another stitch.

Mrs. Tweed:  Very well.  In this instance you can be the most important.  Now can we get back to work?

Google 5KCBWDAY4 for more conversations between tools...