Ep 123 recorded  10/4/23 

FOs

2 knitted knockers in Bamboo Pop from Universal yarns

Ban Bigots Not Books hat.  Knit in 5 colors of CobaSi, a wool-ree sock yarn – indigo, neutral, red, orange and yellow

WIPs

4th knitted knocker in bamboo pop

Runaway Shorties by Sarah Jordan, aka Knit/Wit designs.  

Summer Happiness by Concept Creative.  

Vivian by Ysolda Teague knit in Lana Grossa Elastico in the Dark Green colorway.  

Out and About – upcoming Fiber events in the NE USA (and there are lots this fall)

Pigskin Party Ends after the Super Bowl in February.

Fryeburg Fair, Oct 1-8, Fryeburg Maine

Rhinebeck (NY Sheep and Wool) Oct 21-22, Rhinebeck, NY

Vogue Knitting Virtual Oct 27-29

Fiber Festival of New England Nov 6 & 7 at Eastern States Exhibition in Springfield, MA

Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival, Nov 11-12, West Friendship, MD

Pennsylvania Fall Fiber Festival,  Nov 18-19, Leesburg PA

Vogue Knitting Virtual, Dec 1-3

Vogue Knitting Live, Jan 24-28 2024

Maryland Sheep and Wool May 4-5, 2024

I’ve Got Sunshine

Ice Skating lessons

Ep 122 recorded  9/20/23  I love modern medicine

FOs

Summer Happiness by Concept Creative.  This is a flexible garment that can be worn as a sleeveless top or a poncho.  It’s knit in two pieces then seemed.  I’m using 2 rainbow gradients from Scheepjes Whirl (1 for each piece).  I finished the first piece!

Summer Dream (Songe d’ete) designed by Armelle Robert.  Knit in Linea Pura Unico by Lana Grossa in a peachy-orange shade.

1 knitted knocker

WIPs

2nd knitted knocker in bamboo pop, doing a series of these in a variety of skin tones

Runaway Shorties by Sarah Jordan, aka Knit/Wit designs.  I’m making these for Thing 1 in CoBaSi, a wool-free sock yarn made of cotton, bamboo, silk &Nylon and I’m using the Indigo colorway, a rich, deep blue

Summer Happiness by Concept Creative.  I started the 2nd piece

Vivian by Ysolda Teague knit in Lana Grossa Elastico in the Dark Green colorway.  

Out and About – upcoming Fiber events in the NE USA (and there are lots this fall)

Pigskin Party Ends after the Super Bowl in February.

Vermont Sheep and Wool Sept 30-Oct 1, Tunbridge, VT

Fryeburg Fair, Oct 1-8, Fryeburg Maine

Rhinebeck (NY Sheep and Wool) Oct 21-22, Rhinebeck, NY

Fiber Festival of New England Nov 6 & 7 at Eastern States Exhibition in Springfield, MA

Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival, Nov 11-12, West Friendship, MD

Pennsylvania Fall Fiber Festival,  Nov 18-19, Leesburg PA

I’ve Got Sunshine

I love modern medicine!!  Anaphylaxis is no fun.

Ep 121 written 8/29/23 recorded  9/7/23 Where did summer go?

Stash

I stopped at Ewe And You Fiber Arts in Windsor, CT and picked up some yarn.

3 skin-tone shades of Bamboo Pop by Universal Yarns.  Knitted Knockers put out a call for knockers in D/DD in neutrals and skin tones and these three skeins will be all knitted knockers.

1 skein of Baby Alpaca Brush by Plymouth Yarns, an Alpaca/acrylic blend.  

2 skeins of Araucanis Huasco Coton in the Perito Merino and Inca Del Sol colorways

WIPs

Hitchhiker #8? 9? In Lion Briand Shawl in a Ball (discontinued) in the purple/gray/white fade colorway.  This is a simple garter stitch shawl by Martina Behm.  I have less than 30% of the yarn left!

Snowflake Sweater Scarf using Big Twist Heather in Grey bought at Joann’s, I’m almost to the central section

2nd Sock for Thing 1.  

Summer Happiness by Concept Creative.  This is a flexible garment that can be worn as a sleeveless top or a poncho. 

Vivian by Ysolda Teague knit in Lana Grossa Elastico in a dark green color. 

Summer Dream (Songe d’ete) designed by Armelle Robert.  

Out and About – upcoming Fiber events in the NE USA (and there are lots this fall)

Pigskin Party starts today!  Ends after the Super Bowl in February.

Pennsylvania Endless Mountains Fiber Festival Sept 9-10, New Milford, Pennsylvania

NJ Sheep and Fiber Festival, Sept 9-10, Ringoes, NJ

Western NY Fiber Festival, Sept 17, East Aurora, NY

Vermont Sheep and Wool Sept 30-Oct 1, Tunbridge, VT

Fryeburg Fair, Oct 1-8, Fryeburg Maine

Rhinebeck (NY Sheep and Wool) Oct 21-22, Rhinebeck, NY

Fiber Festival of New England Nov 6 & 7 at Eastern States Exhibition in Springfield, MA

Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival, Nov 11-12, West Friendship, MD

Pennsylvania Fall Fiber Festival,  Nov 18-19, Leesburg PA

I’ve Got Sunshine

Summer’s last hurrah!  

Ep 120 recorded  8/2/23

FOs

Sock for Thing 1.  This is the sock I’ve reknit 4 or 5 times.  I’m now making him a tube sock and I’ll measure his foot and add an afterthought heel on Christmas morning.

WIPs

Hitchhiker #8? 9? In Lion Briand Shawl in a Ball (discontinued).  

Snowflake Sweater Scarf using Big Twist Heather in Grey bought at Joann’s, by Knitatude

2nd Sock for Thing 1.  

Summer Happiness by Concept Creative.  This is a flexible garment that can be worn as a sleeveless top or a poncho.  

New cast on, Vivian by Ysolda Teague knit in Lana Grossa Elastico

Spinning

Tour de Fleece is ove and I complteted my 4-ply yarn of some old, cheap cotton that I bought 1 pound of (just under half a kilo) at a festival many years ago.  Not my favorite to spin, but it spins thicker than most cottons, so I’m made a 4-ply DK and I’m going to dye it. 

Out and About – upcoming Fiber events in the NE USA (and there are lots this fall)

Happening now: Interweave Yarn Fest, Lancaster PA

Pittsburgh creative Yarn Festival August 24-26

Pennsylvania Endless Mountains Fiber Festival Sept 9-10, New Milford, Pennsylvania

NJ Sheep and Fiber Festival, Sept 9-10, Ringoes, NJ

Western NY Fiber Festival, Sept 17, East Aurora, NY

Vermont Sheep and Wool Sept 30-Oct 1, Tunbridge, VT

Fryeburg Fair, Oct 1-8, Fryeburg Maine

Rhinebeck (NY Sheep and Wool) Oct 21-22, Rhinebeck, NY

Fiber Festival of New England Nov 6 & 7 at Eastern States Exhibition in Springfield, MA

Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival, Nov 11-12, West Friendship, MD

Pennsylvania Fall Fiber Festival,  Nov 18-19, Leesburg PA

I’ve Got Sunshine

Museums!  My kids are at my parent’s house and I am headed into Boston to go visit the Museum of Fine Arts all by myself! 

Ep 119 recorded  7/14/23 - Tour de Fleece

FOs

Tanwen cowl for my neighbor, the winner of my prize drawing for all the Knit For Food Knitathon donators

WIPs

Hitchhiker #8? 9? In Lion Briand Shawl in a Ball (discontinued).  This is a simple garter stitch shawl by Martina Behm.

Snowflake Sweater Scarf using Big Twist Heather in Grey bought at Joann’s, I’m onto the 3rd section

Davit designed for Berroco by Amy Palmer, knit using Silk Noir by Great Adirondack Yarn Co bought at Rhinebeck last year. This was a project from before my wrist surgery.

Spinning

Tour de Fleece is in full swing and I’m on my 4th bobbin of some old, cheap cotton that I bought 1 pound of (just under half a kilo) at a festival many years ago. 

On the Run

Ballet class got delayed but started up again last week

I’ve Got Sunshine

Cheers to finding a new veterinarian.  

Ep 118 recorded  6/29/23

I can knit!  I can even Purl!

FOs

Pride Shawl I finished it about 20 minutes ago.  Pattern is Willowbrook by Brenda Castiel.  

WIPs

Hitchhiker #8? 9? In Lion Briand Shawl in a Ball (discontinued).  This is a simple garter stitch shawl by Martina Behm.

Snowflake Sweater Scarf designed by Knitatude using Big Twist Heather in Grey bought at Joann’s

On the Run

I’m very excited that my wrist is healing nicely and I’ll be back in ballet class next week!

I’ve Got Sunshine

Date night in Boston!  

Ep 117 recorded  6/5/23

Back from break, had wrist surgery

WIPs

Socks for Thing 1 – turned the heel (again!)

Davit finished the body and blocked!  I need to seam the shoulders and hopefully I’ll be able to knit sleeves soon because I am SOOOO CLOSE

Find Your Fade designed by Andrea Mowry, knit in Midori Bamboo from The Fiber Lady in a discontinued colorway, plus cotton/bamboo sportweight from Great Adirondack Yarn Co.   I’m nearly back to the 2nd lace section after the Knitting Fail from last episode

Tanwen cowl (Ravelry)– designed by Thayer Preece Parker.  I finished the knitting and blocked it!

I have tried a tiny bit of knitting since the surgery.  I’ve knit a total of 3 rows on my latest Hitchhiker in Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball.  It’s a fuzzy yarn in a garter stitch pattern, so gauge does not matter.  Which is good, because I’m not getting gauge at all ha ha

Knitting Fail

More drama with Thing 1’s socks – I was on the third version of these blasted socks.  

Spinning

Finished spinning the green fiber from Buchanan Fiber after the surgery.  Orders were to move my fingers 10 times per hour so I decided to be productive.  Plied on my Lendrum to give that wrist a break and have 933 yards 3-ply heavy fingering.

Startes some old, cheap cotton.  Not my favorite to spin, but it spins thicker than most cottons, so I’m planning a 4-ply DK and I’m going yo dye it.  1 bobbin done, bought several new bobbins from Etsy

Started purple silk that I bought at Wayland Farm and Fiber Days

Started bamboo/faux cashmere blend bought from the now-closed Maine Top Mill

On the Run

Finally started exercising again this past week.  Went for a 1.5 mile walk around the block and really enjoyed it.  

I’ve Got Sunshine

Rain on the Nova Scotia fires!

Ep 115 recorded  4/30/23 All the Fails

WIPs

Socks for Thing 1 – I turned the heel and ran into trouble, more on that later.

Davit designed for Berroco by Amy Palmer, knit using Silk Noir by Great Adirondack Yarn Co bought at Rhinebeck last year. I finished one side’s short rows and all I have left to do is the other side’s short rows and sew the back edges to the shoulders.  So close!

Find Your Fade designed by Andrea Mowry, knit in Midori Bamboo from The Fiber Lady in a discontinued colorway, plus cotton/bamboo sportweight from Great Adirondack Yarn Co. 

Tanwen cowl (Ravelry)– designed by Thayer Preece Parker.  This is the prize for the Knit For Food Knitathon winner.  I’m working it up in Lana Grossa Elastico, a plant-based yarn with elastic in it so it works cables beautifully.  

Summer Happiness Crochet Top designed by Concept Creative in Scheepjes Whirl in the color Sherbert Rainbow, a pastel rainbow from pink to blue.  

Knitting Fail

Thing 1’s socks -so proud of myself turning the heel walking from the Washington Monument to the Capitol Building when I realized the sock didn’t look right.  I’d grabbed the wrong needles!  I meant to use US 2 (2.75mm) but I grabbed US 1s (2.25mm).  

Tanwen – I worked on this a lot riding the DC Metro and while driving with friends to the Air and Space Museum out at Dulles, the one with Space Shuttle Discovery.  This pattern is an 8-row repeat that is easy to memorize, but the cable pattern is tight.  It’s easy to think, oh, the next right side row is the cable row, it doesn’t need a cable yet.  Wrong, it is the cable row, rip it back.

Summer Happiness – I’m on the 3rd of 4 repeats that make up this top and at this point the rows are getting long.  And while on the train to DC I finished one row and got nearly to the end of a second when I realized that I had screwed up way back near the beginning of the previous row.  And it wasn’t a mistake I could fudge around, there weren’t enough holes in the resulting fabric to place all the next row’s stitches.  So I had to rip back alllllll my work.  Grrrrr. 

Spinning

More progress on my current spin, some beautiful green lightly-speckled cotton from Buchanan Fiber. I brought my Nano2 on the trian on our visit to DC. It worked like a charm!  I finished the 2nd bobbin and as of today I’m nearly done with the 3rd.  I hope to finish it this week.

On the Run

We walked soooooooo many miles in Washington DC – 9 miles alone our first full day!  

Out and About – upcoming Fiber Events around New England

NH Sheep and Wool – May 13 & 14

MA Sheep and Woolcraft Fair - May 27-28, Memorial Day Weekend

Maine Fiber Frolic – June 3 & 4

I’ve Got Sunshine

As I’ve mentioned several times, we went to Washington DC last week for school vacation.  What I didn’t say is that one of my childhood besties lives down there.  We got to hang out at least a little every day and it was marvelous.  She and I even snuck away for dinner one night, leaving all the kids with our husbands, and we got a little girl time in

Ep 115 recorded  4/28/23

FOs

Socks for Thing 2, the second sock is done!

Crochet square for Liberty Crochet Mural.  Today I mailed my square to Vermont. 

WIPs

Socks for Thing 1 – I knit socks for him for Christmas and already they don’t fit.  

Songe d’été – Ravelry Link (Summer Dreams) designed by Dreaming In Chocolate Designs, knit using Linea Pura Unico yarn by Lana Grossa (discontinued) 

Davit designed for Berroco by Amy Palmer, knit using Silk Noir by Great Adirondack Yarn Co bought at Rhinebeck last year. I’ve reached the short rows for the back, I’m nearly done!

Find Your Fade designed by Andrea Mowry, knit in Midori Bamboo from The Fiber Lady in a discontinued colorway, plus cotton/bamboo sportweight from Great Adirondack Yarn Co.  

Knitting Fail

About ½ an inch down I’d missed the dropped YO and that made a corner I didn’t want.  

Spinning

More progress on my current spin, some beautiful green lightly-speckled cotton from Buchanan Fiber. 

On the Run

Not much fitness this week.  I pulled a muscle.  Did you know you have muscles in between each of your ribs?  I totally didn’t.  

Out and About – upcoming Fiber Events around New England

CT Sheep and Wool - April 29

NH Sheep and Wool – May 13 & 14

MA Sheep and Woolcraft Fair - May 27-28, Memorial Day Weekend

Maine Fiber Frolic – June 3 & 4

I’ve Got Sunshine

We’ve had lovely weather the last few weeks, so I pulled out my deck planters early and put a few pansies in them and it’s really cheered me up.

Ep 114 recorded  3/31/23

Suddenly it’s April and wow, where has this year gone already?  Knitathon update - $340,000!!!! That’s $85,000 each to Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.

FOs

Socks for Thing 2 – his Christmas socks -  I unraveled the leg on both and I started re-doing the legs in 2x2 ribbing.  The first sock is done!

WIPs

Socks for Thing 1 – I knit socks for him for Christmas and already they don’t fit.  

Socks for Thing 2 – 2nd sock leg restarted

Songe d’été – Ravelry Link (Summer Dreams) designed by Dreaming In Chocolate Designs, knit using Linea Pura Unico yarn by Lana Grossa (discontinued) a linen/bamboo blend bought at Webs a few years ago.  

Davit designed for Berroco by Amy Palmer, knit using Silk Noir by Great Adirondack Yarn Co bought at Rhinebeck last year. 

Summer Happiness Crochet Top designed by Concept Creative in Scheepjes Whirl in the color Sherbert Rainbow, a pastel rainbow from pink to blue.  

Find Your Fade designed by Andrea Mowry, knit in Midori Bamboo from The Fiber Lady in a discontinued colorway, plus cotton/bamboo sportweight from Great Adirondack Yarn Co.  I’m fading on my own schedule and not on the one written in the pattern.  

Frog Princess Dress Blanket designed by Carol Hladik, a Princess Tiana-inspired  blanket crocheted using Joann’s Big Twist acrylic yarn.  Making this for a local charity to raffle off this fall.  

On the Run

Walking in warm weather – saw a housefire!  Family and dogs are fine.

Out and About – upcoming Fiber Events around New England

Stitches @ Home – April 1&2 – this weekend!

CT Sheep and Wool - April 29

NH Sheep and Wool – May 13 & 14

MA Sheep and Woolcraft Fair - May 27-28, Memorial Day Weekend

Maine Fiber Frolic – June 3 & 4

I’ve Got Sunshine

Seed starting with my youngest.  He’s my gardener.  10 days ago we transplanted 20 lettuce seedlings then started 184 herbs, veggies and greens.