Spring Bloom

When the lovely knit wear designer Janina Kallio

of  'Woolenberry' asked me to do a test knit

I couldn't help to snag a skein of "Glacier."

I dyed it a soft companion in "Ball Jar".

As always, Janina's pattern did not disappoint!

"Spring Bloom" is available as part of her 2018 Woolenberry Shawl Club.

It is a fun and beautiful knit.  I can't wait to see what she has

in store for the rest of the shawl club!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my booth at the Raggz Fiber Event.

It was a lovely day full of fun ~ new friends and catching up with familiar faces.

~

Catching up..

Because I do most of my updating on Instagram, 

this journal space tends to be left behind...

Thought I'd pop in for an update.

Couldn't resist keeping two skeins of the new

chicka-dee-K base for a booth sample.

Colorways: Delilah and Purple Sage

Kemper Wray has a lovely pattern called 'Color Field Shawl.'

It comes in two sizes, below is the small using one skein of each yarn.

Her pattern is available on Ravelry.  It is a fun and fast knit!

The Etsy shop is a little lean at the moment as I prepare for the

next event.  I'll be updating the shop after the 

Raggz Fiber and Wool event on April 21, 2018.

~

Fractal

Our guild hosted a wonderful spinning workshop with

the lovely and talented Jillian Moreno.

We had a wonderful time experimenting with color in her

'Color Play' class

Knitting up some mitts with some fractal spun fiber from class.

Loving the way the stripes are knitting up!

~

Fiber: Into the Whirled: color way 'Captain Tiuhtpants'

Pattern: Part Ann Budd's recipe for mittens, part mine

Double Pointed Needle holder: Steel City Stitcher

Moon Dust

My favorite knit wear designer asked me to pre-knit

one of her new patterns back in October.

'Moon Dust' by Janina Kallio is a lovely shawl.

I've been having computer issues and just realized this post

never published.

Better late than never!

Be sure to check out all of Janina Kallio's beautiful patterns

on Ravelry.  'Moon Dust' was such a lovely knit ~ I can't

wait to make another!

~

Yarn Along..

At the beginning of the the year I ripped out all my unfinished knits.

Kind of cleans the slate for the new year..

Then I happened upon a bag of yarn in a thrift store this week.

It contained one (almost) finished mitt,

One and a half balls of yarn,

and

(gasp)

the pattern.

Of course I bought the bag!

The yarn is fabulous ~ The Fibre Co. : Road to China

So I sat down and studied the mitt.

Rip it ~ or ~ knit it.

KNIT!!

It was so much fun trying to figure out the size and gauge the knitter used.

I got to thinking about the lone mitt and how it ended up in a thrift store.

Why don't I feel so much love and curiosity for my

unfinished knits?

The other mitt will be finished soon.

I'll be a bit sad when they are finished but the journey was sure fun!

~ Happy Knitting ~

February

Cheering on Spring.

Knitting with my mentor's gorgeous hand spun yarn.

Perfect ear warmer for someone who can't get a hat over her bun of hair.

(Pattern: Blue Leaf Headband by Adrienne Krey)

Springtime coffee table:

Seed catalogues, thrift store finds, and casting on my first garment.

Planting ideas...

~

Yarn Along..

Slowly chipping away at the unfinished object pile 

of knitting projects (UFOs)

Adore this scarf pattern by Janina Kallio

~ Terrain~

Knit with some of my naturally dyed yarn:

Golden rod over-dyed with Indigo.

I find myself impatient for the Queen Anne's Lace

and Golden Rod to come this year...

Reading some lovely natural dye books from the library.

Trying hard to finish the UFOs before casting on something new.  

Knitting on a 3 year old wrap from hand spun now, but 

couldn't resist casting on the Moto Vest by Shelli Westcott.

So simple and chunky yarn..

Looking wonderful from all the 

Woolful podcast chatter...

I said trying right?

~

Joining Ginny

(PS - Ellen .. If you are out there.. can you please send me an email? I can't seem to email you with the address I have  xoxo)

Yarn Along...

Chipping away at the "Terrain" scarf by Janina Kallio.

Loving and craving this brilliant green yarn.

naturally dyed with Queen Anne's Lace and Indigo that I took from the shop : |

Reading a vintage copy of "Beard on Bread" that 

was found at a local antique shop.  Snagged

a vintage book on woven garment construction

 and those cute miniature weaving shuttles as well.

It is an icy, 

sloppy, 

knee deep slushy, 

with more snow on top,

grey,

did I mention grey, 

kinda day.

Guild meeting was cancelled due to the poor weather, so time 

to photograph some yarn for the shop..

and knit.

..  dreaming of green..

Happy Wednesday

~

Joining Ginny

Yarn Along..

Goldenrod over dyed with Indigo..

Had to knit it up for myself.

For some reason I am in LOVE with brilliant green lately.

Probably because it it so gray here.

Scarf pattern:

'Terrain'

by

Kallio Knits

Reading:

Uppercase Magazine

I've been wanting to subscribe to Uppercase for some time now.

When I read that this issue had a feature on feed sacks, 

I knew it was time to jump on board.

Uppercase is absolutely wonderful.

Savoring 

every

single

page.

There are a lot of familiar fabrics in the magazine.

These little quilt squares were sewn by hand, while I was camping, over

20 years ago.  Ironed them with a coffee pot as I went.

So much fun to pull them out of the attic and see them again.

Dad even remembers a shirt made from one of the fabrics as a child.

Any other feed sack fabric fans out there??

~

Joining Ginny

Yarn Along..

Knitting on a "Nori" shawl with some

naturally dyed yarn from the summer dye pots.

Logwood.. gosh I love Logwood.

This little skein was accidentally cut during the re-skeining process

so I got to keep it...  y a y ....!

Reading from the guild library:

A Handweaver's Pattern Book

by Marguerite P. Davison

My mind is a sea of pattern and color fueled 

by reclaimed fiber, textures outside my window,

the dye pots..

..it's endless really.

Wishing you a most happy, healthy, creative New Year!

~

Fair Isle

Cold and rain.

Sitting by the wood stove.

Working on my first fair isle project.

Color work.. why have I waited so long to learn?

What do you have on your needles?

~

Yarn Along..

Hats..

I haven't had much luck with them in the past.

After talking with a friend at the guild, she was kind enough to loan me this book..

Elizabeth Zimmerman.

Need I say more?

It's like she is talking to me...

Some first hats.

The brown and pink is a hand dyed chunky hand spun.

Thanks Linda for making hats fun!

Do you have a favorite hat pattern?

~

Joining Ginny..

Yarn Along..

This week I have been working on dying "similar" color ways.

While the colors are similar, the dye still finds its own path to the yarn 

creating a truly unique skein of yarn.

I love that.

I am calling this

"Late August"

Couldn't resist purchasing this book.

I am feeling the need to let my fingers be free and explore.

~

Joining Ginny..

Go-to..

Ah...The Antarktis..

How I adore this pattern.

This is the third time I've knit it and it won't be the last.

It is the first thing I grab when heading out the door.

Perfect size..

Perfect drape..

Just plain cozy.

Knitting this one with a skein of my hand dyed yarn.

Had the hankering for for chartreuse and purples.

Do you have a go-to knit that you love?

~

Antarktis: by Janina Kallio

Pattern available via Ravelry

~ joining Ginny~

Yarn Along..

Hand dyed Pile-O-Fluff..

..tucked in my bag for some Easter spinning at the cabin.

Cabin window complete with Easter bunting.

Tossed the drop spindle in my pack and hiked to our favorite spot on the river.

Sun!

River spun.

River otter and porcupine.

This fiber is part of a two ounce challenge for my spinning group.

Spin two ounces on the drop spindle and make something with it.

Cast on this week for a small shawlette..

Will post the pattern once I have a bit more done.

Library love:

Reading this to curb spring wanderlust.

~

Joining Ginny..

Yarn Along..

KNITTING:

Couldn't resist the call of the Zauberball..

Gosh their yarn...

Loving the Turkish Bed Sock Pattern from 

Churchmouse Yarns and Teas..

Working on the second sock now.

So happy to say that the first sock actually FITS.

YAY!

Only mentioning this because the last sock I tried (years ago)

could have been used for a golf club cover.

FROM THE DYE POT:

"Rose Cottage"

and

"Desert Solitaire"

have flown off to their new homes.

MAIL CALL:

The gorgeous set of hand carded punis I ordered arrived from 

Turquoise Owl Fibers.

Colorway: "Seaweed"

Holly's work is beautiful and I can't wait to spin them.

Saving them for when the Turkish spindle is free.

READING:

Just ran across a used copy of Spin to Knit by Shannon Okey.

Looking forward to checking it out.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Creating..

~

Joining Ginny

Quaker Yarn Stretcher..

Not really feeling my current knit so I decided to take a break..

Hand spun always makes me feel better!

The pattern is the Quaker Yarn Stretcher on Ravelry.  It is

a quite enjoyable knit.  Fun to mix in several balls of hand spun

and watch the colors change.

..feels better already!

Happy Knitting..

~

Yarn Along..

Reading back issues of British Country Living magazine 

dreaming of summer pies with some of my hand dyed yarn.

Calling this one.."Bleubarb"!

Still working on plying.  The jumbo 

flyer has been wonderful so far..

Then there is Boo.

Boohumbug: A mystery knit-along from Christmas,

which is no longer a mystery as I am behind in the knit.

Moving on to the next clue today.

There are beads.

I've never knit with beads.

Should be interesting!

Hope you are keeping warm and happy knitting!

Joining Ginny..

~

Flying colors..

Flying in the new year with lots of color!

Dying..

Carding..

Knitting with hand spun..

Last year I was "spinning into" the new year..

This year..?

 I am diving into the new year with "flying colors"!

So excited for what the new year may bring.

Thanks for joining me

and wishing you a 

most happy start to this new year!

~