2-2-Tunisian

Finally finished the shop sample for a class I'm teaching in two weeks. Can you say 'oopsie'?

I started this back in May with two totally different yarns, but just wasn't happy with it. Put it in time-out for a month (or two . . . ) before deciding to change yarns for a more dramatic color variation and switch up to a bigger hook. It's hard to go wrong with two colors of madelinetosh pashmina, with its blend of merino, silk and cashmere. And these colors were left over from the Brioche Cowl, so it's almost like using free yarn.

The name - 2-2-Tunisian Scarf - comes from the use of 2 colors, 2 pattern rows, and a 2-ended hook to make a reversible 2-sided scarf. Really pleased with how this turned out. A friend suggested turning up the ends to make pockets (folding it where the solid line of color is in the pattern.) The scarf is long enough so I'm seriously thinking about it . . . . .

Viva la Tour

The Tour de Fleece is done for this year and I love how much I was able to accomplish -

Left to right: 504 yards of superwash BFL from BeeMiceElf; 424 yards of Polworth in 'Caribbean' colorway; 200 yards of alpaca/Romney blend from Morro Fleece Works; and finally - 224 248 yards of a Spinderella mix in the colorway 'Harvest'.

For a grand total of 1352 yards. That's three-quarters of a mile, spun in just 22 days. If you consider that each skein is 2 threads plied together, the total was 2704 yards - or 1.5 MILES of spinning. I *love* the Tour.

Busy Day

Towels, gifted:
Fiber, spun:
Knitting, done.

I've had the woven towels finished for awhile, but was waiting until I'd given them to their recipients to share pictures. The pattern is from Webs (here) and details are on my Ravelry page (here). All three towels were done on the same warp; just the weft color changed in each one.

Started spinning the first of two 3-ounce batts from Spinderella - in 'Harvest' - that have been in my stash since 2006 or so. Love this colorway, especially how it sparkles. I'd been saving it for "special", for when I became a "better" spinner. Finally realized great fiber should be enjoyed (so I have an excuse to get more!)

Both fronts and backs are done on the Scarf Trick Sweater. On to the sleeves!

Spun, Plied and Done

It took every bit as long as I thought it would and maxed out my jumbo plying bobbin to the point that I had to wind the last 120+ yards into a center-pull ball and finish plying by hand. But it's done and I love all 504 yards of it.

Color is accurate in the top 2 pictures.

It hasn't told me what it wants to be yet . . . . a shawl? A vest? A really long scarf? Sooooo happy to have this done.

Wonder if I have time before the Tour ends to spin up another batt or two??

It Made Me

Want to see what jumped out of the stash and demanded to be spun today? I bought this 7 ounce batt from Morro Fleece Works at the Guild's fiber fest last year. I thought the colors were the most gorgeous thing I'd see all day.

I hadn't planned on spinning it for this year's Tour de Fleece but sometimes you just have to listen to the fiber when it calls to you. And once I started spinning, I couldn't stop. The fiber prep was so smooth, so even, so addictive. In less than a day this was spun, plied, washed, whacked, photographed and hung up to dry. 200 yards of 2-ply fuzzy alpaca/Romney goodness.

Wasn't sure what I was going to make with this, but its been whispering all night that it wants to be a scarf. Guess I better start looking for patterns.

Tour Progress

The sweater is coming along; not much done since class on Friday but I did get photographic evidence today. Still hoping to get this finished by the end of the Tour, but since I have little to no idea how to put sleeves in, I may be off by a day or so.

Today's BIG news is that I finished spinning all 9+ ounces of BeeMiceElf's 'Serene'. Whoohoo!! Planning to let this sit tomorrow in honor of the Tour's rest day, then start plying it on Tuesday. Sooooo pleased to have this done.

The colors in the first photo aren't accurate - bad lighting this time of day, I guess - so this is more what the yarn actually looks like. I still think it's Christmas-y.

Big Girl Bed

Hubby and I decided this week that it was time to get Leia into a big girl bed. She's been sleeping in a pack-and-play portable bed; great for us because it keeps her corralled safe in the mornings and when she's supposed to be taking a nap. But little girls who are potty-trained (hooray!) deserve real beds, right? Tonight, hubby and youngest son put the bunk beds together and then I made them up with new sheets as a surprise for the girls. Wonder how long it will be before Leia figures out we mean it when we say Stay. In. Bed!

Scarf Trick Sweater

I love how knit- or spin-alongs get me motivated. For tonight's knit class, I was well ahead of where I needed to be; both back pieces were done and ready for seaming, plus I'd finished one of the fronts. Hoping that by the next class - in 2 weeks - I'll have the remaining 3 pieces done and ready for finishing. At this rate, I may actually have an entire finished sweater to wear this year! Whoohoo!

Tour de Fleece

Finished the first 4.6 ounce braid of BeeMiceElf's 'Serene', spinning a total of 45 grams (1.6 oz) tonight. I'm amazed that it all fits on one bobbin - but that bobbin is a Woolee Winder, which really packs on the yardage. So much yardage, in fact, that the thought of plying two of these monsters together is starting to scare me. Can you say 'spinner's elbow'?

Rest Day

Since it was a rest day for the Tour de France, I decided to work on things other than spinning and knitting, kinda like when the bike riders go riding for fun on their day off.

Potato chip rings were the project of the day - these are going to Marie (blue sparkly one) and Rachel, including this hair clip for Addison. And this batch is going to some of my knit night friends - The part that takes the longest is not the ruffle on top, it's sewing the bands down on the underside. This band was not in the original pattern but one I came up with. I like it much better - it holds its shape without twisting and looks like a 'real' ring.

Not a bad lot for one day's work.

To Each Her Own

While I was busy spinning*, Leia was busy building a house for Princess Tiana. A productive day for everyone.

* 18 grams spun today, which puts me a quarter of the way done.

Touring the Progress

Tour de France KAL - 2nd back piece almost done. Hope to start the fronts tomorrow. Or I may try working this pattern in Tunisian, making a 2nd sweater at the same time as the knit one. Can you say "crazy pants"?

Tour de Fleece - 34 grams/1.2 oz (45.4 grams/1.6 oz total) of superwash BFL spun today. Hoping to get all 8+ ounces spun and plied by Tour's end.

Random Friday

• Hubby had a routine doctor's appointment today. The doctor was running an hour late - no surprise - so I got to spend more grandma time with two of my favorite girls. Leia loves Leanne but she's also just a little jealous. I am, after all, HER "gamma". Glad they're still small enough that I can fit them both on my lap.
  

• Marie wanted some lightweight cotton blankets for Leanne now that summer has hit with a vengeance. A quick trip to Joann's, a little pinning, a little sewing, and voila - colorful cotton blankies. The pink blanket has a turned hem; the red, a satin binding. I love the crayon motif in the red one; may have to go buy more to make a blanket for Bre.
  

• Good thing I love my cats. AJ's trip to the vet today set me back almost $300. Results from the blood work should be back tomorrow. We're hoping it's "only" thyroid disease, which is easily treated in cats.
  

• Tour de Fleece continues - I spun up 3 ounces of Lulu, the Lincoln-Corriedale that I thought would be my main Tour project*. I've decided to experiment with this to see what technique(s) gives me the most bounce and softness. This 60 yard batch was spun using a modified long draw, then 2 strands plied together. Tonight I'm planning to Navajo-ply what's left on the bobbin. Tomorrow I'll try another 3 ounces, spinning it worsted (my usual method) and plying it both ways. Hoping that will give me enough info to decide how I want to spin the rest of this.

* Waiting around to see the Lulu results is kinda boring, so I'm breaking out some Bee Mice Elf BFL from the stash. Yum!

My Little Helper

Leia decided she needed to help me spin.

Click to enlarge

Gotta start 'em young!

Daddy's Girl

Want to see how Naia and her dad spent Sunday night? All of Sunday night? Naia had an appointment to get her hair re-braided on Monday but first all the old braids had to be taken out. Slowly. Individually. By hand.

Before

And since Naia has a lot of hair, it took almost 5 hours for the job to be finished.

Was it worth the effort? Oh, yeah. I love how great she looks with her hair in long braids. And the best part to Naia (and dad) is that it won't need to be done again for several months.

After

Wash and wear hair - a great summer 'do.

Spinning For The Tour

Decided to call it good, skip the last 22 grams of the crap roving, and ply up what I had on the bobbins. And guess what? Love this yarn. 424 yards of Navajo 3-ply goodness that shades from deep purple through blue, into teal. Now I'm feeling guilty about not finishing off that last little bit of roving. Think I'll put this aside for now and use my newly freed bobbins to work on my originally planned Tour de Fleece project. But I have a sneaking suspicion I'll be back to finish this sooner than I thought. Can't you just see it as a shawl?

Tour de Fleece

Happy birthday, America! I spent the day comforting Leanne, who is not enjoying her first teething experience; spinning for my Tour de Fleece challenge;
and working on my Tour de France KAL* project. I need to finish spinning the 7.5 oz of Polworth so I can use the bobbin for my real Tour de Fleece project. I'm down to just a small bump, thank heavens. This stuff is poorly prepared and pulling out all the nepps and VM (vegetable matter) is slowing me down and making me crazy. Just.Want.It.Done.Already. Maybe by tomorrow night.

*KAL = Knit-along