Tag: wool

YOPday, YOPday

Posted on Posted in knitting, sewing, Year of ProjectsTagged , , , , 20 Comments

Knitting

Arrowhead Cardigan gets a little bigger every week!

Sewing

Today I applied fusible interfacing to half of the fabric on my Clare coat. Dan Bill helped by hogging the sewing chair so I wouldn’t sit down. I’m not a fan of fusible interfacing, but since I’ve never made a coat before, I thought I should follow the instructions the first time. Applying fusible interfacing with a steam iron is hard work. I’ll do the other half next weekend.

Spinning

I bought a small amount of merino and angora fiber to try. I have a couple of bags of raw angora fiber from my bunnies that I used to have, and I want to card it with some other fibers to spin. I thought sampling a small amount of a blend would help me get the feel of it. I’m still working through my “wool top” that came with my wheel.

Felting

Before: 36 stitches and 42 rows on size 10 US needles
After

I knit a swatch with some felted wool yarn, then felted it in the washer. I’m planning to make a wide brimmed hat. I might try to felt the swatch a little more.

This has been a Year Of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.

It’s the Most Wonderful YOP of the Year

Posted on Posted in finished objects, hats, knitting, Year of ProjectsTagged , , 18 Comments

Knitting

I finished knitting Henry’s Unbearable Hat. It’s very large (I made the biggest size) but he does have a very big head (for his big brains). I tried blocking it, but it’s superwash wool, and it grew even bigger! Luckily, Marilee told me to put it in the dryer, and that helped. Yarn is Valley Superwash DK.

I’m off next week, and I’m going to focus on finishing up my Celtic Myths Shawl and working on my Arrowhead Cardigan.

Sewing

I finished piecing together my coat pattern. I’m not sure about the wool flannel jacket now. I may jump right into the wool melton coat, because that’s what I do.

Spinning

I’m waiting for my class so I don’t get used to making mistakes that I have to unlearn.

Gardening

There’s still some arugula and lettuce in the garden! The greenhouse seems to be working. Also, winter arugula is much milder tasting than summer arugula.

This has been a Year of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.

Coat Update

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After researching coat making, I realized my wool flannel fabric is too lightweight to use with a wool prefelt interlining, which is bulky. So I went ahead and ordered two yards of Thinsulate to make a warm jacket for spring and fall, which wasn’t very expensive.

While I was on the Vogue Fabrics site getting the Thinsulate, I took a look at their wool coatings. I have been researching them online, and they go anywhere from $30 to $70 per yard. I figured I would need to save up for that.

But Vogue Fabrics had a royal blue 100% wool melton on clearance for $12.50 per yard! I couldn’t resist at that price. (Plus my Mom is sending some Christmas money, so I’ll put mine toward the coat materials.) I can use the prefelt as an interlining with it, and I’ll get some practice on the flannel jacket before having a go at the coat later next year.

Today is the first day of my 10 day vacation! I’m going to make a Christmas pudding, knit on Henry’s hat, and piece together my coat pattern.

60 Miles of Yarn and a Wool Coat

Posted on Posted in knitting, sewingTagged , , , , 25 Comments
My 2022 Knitting Planner

I’ve been spending some time this week organizing my knitting projects by spreadsheet and cataloguing my yarn. All said in total including stash, I have over 60 miles of yarn to knit! That should keep me busy for a few years.

Based on my project completion goals, I will knit about 8 miles of yarn in 2022. I think my goal is reasonable compared to the projects I’ve knit each year over the past two years. Which means I have enough yarn for 7 years.

This doesn’t mean I will never purchase yarn, because that’s not realistic. But my plan is to save my creativity budget and only spend from that account, and to use what I have as much as possible.

Unfortunately, I haven’t really felt like knitting the past couple of days.

Clare Coat (big snaps version) image copyright Closet Core Patterns

I’ve decided to sew a Clare Coat from my navy wool flannel fabric. I have the lining fabric too. I had planned to line it for warmth with Thinsulate, but I have plenty of wool prefelt I could use instead. Have you ever lined a coat with wool? I think it would work between the flannel outer fabric and lining fabric if I planned to quilt it, because it’s a lot like quilt batting. But, I don’t like the look of that, and I’m worried it will sag or tear as a lining without quilting. So, I’m wondering if I could felt it first and then use it. Or, maybe I could quilt the lining fabric to the wool prefelt instead of the outer wool flannel?

I could save for the Thinsulate, but I’d rather use wool if I can, anyway. Plus, I wouldn’t have to spend my budget on that.

Anyone have experience with this?

Wovember Year of Projects Update: All The Wool

Posted on Posted in knitting, sewing, spinning, Year of ProjectsTagged , 22 Comments

Knitting

I finished something and frogged something and updated my list. In the meantime I’ve been looking for something shiny to bring my knitting twinkle back. Something new, in Christmas Red.

I have some gorgeous Fibre Company Arranmore that’s been languishing in my stash. The color is a beautiful red named Ruari. I think I’m going to make a Ranunculus. I looked at other projects for this pattern, and some have been made in Aran weight. It looks just the thing: top down, festive lace at the yoke for holiday cheer, and then loads of stockinette.

Sewing

Me wearing my wool Plateau Joggers

I’m really on a roll with my sewing. I have a bushel basket on my sewing table that I keep my current WIPS in, and it’s empty! I think I will pull out that plaid flannel that want to make into a wrap skirt. Having projects out inspires me to work on them. However, I am having trouble finding a pattern. It looks like I will have to take measurements and make my own pattern. This is a good exercise for me, as I haven’t done it in over a decade.

Spinning

My first attempt. I’m going to keep practicing on the merino top they sent until I get something usable. Progress not perfection!

This has been a Year of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.

Wool Plateau Joggers

Posted on Posted in finished objects, sewingTagged , 17 Comments

I finished my second pair of Plateau Joggers. The fabric is 100% merino wool interlock from Nature’s Fabrics. I may have enough to sew a matching Mile End Sweatshirt. This fabric was expensive, so I want to use up every little bit.

I’m not sure what I’ll sew next. I do have some navy wool flannel that I’m either going to turn into overalls or a jacket. I also have some plaid flannel I want to make into a wrap skirt. I guess I have plenty of options!

Back Porch Shawl

Posted on Posted in finished objects, knitting, shawls and hapsTagged , , , , 18 Comments

In my previous post I linked to my Back Porch Shawl on Ravelry, and I’ve just realized not everyone can view my project page. D’oh!

Pattern is Back Porch Shawl by Diana Poirier. Yarn is Weekend Wool from Green Mountain Spinnery in Pumpkin, Lichen, and Poppy, I used three skeins of each color.

The yarn really makes it. Every stitch was scrumptiously soft and the autumnal colors are rich and warm. It was a relaxing, mindful knit. A perfect vacation knit! I will be wrapping up in this all winter.

Soft: A Year of Projects Update

Posted on Posted in art, finished objects, knitting, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs), Year of ProjectsTagged , , , , , , 33 Comments

Fiber Art

My art show reception was last night, and it was wonderful to visit with family and friends who ventured out in support. I sold two pieces, which I’m over the moon about! Here is a gallery of the pieces in the show.

  • Haze Over Maize
  • Hay for Days
  • Blue Moon
  • Winter Sun
  • Coxheath
  • Iona
  • Iona 2
  • Louisburg
  • Ingonish Beach
  • Highland Village

I’m proud I was able to produce this body of work, and was really pleased with the feedback. Many people were surprised to see artwork made from wool. Someone said the work was really comforting, which was my goal. I think we all need a little bit of softness in our lives right now. The gallery’s website is at this link.

In other fiber art news, I experimented with fresh leaf indigo printing, which I shared about yesterday.

Knitting

I’ve been working on my Point Edwards Mitts, which I am really enjoying. I finished my Cemetery Drive Cowl, which I posted about on Thursday. And I finished a super secret birthday present for my MIL Margie, which I posted on Wednesday. It was a banner week for knitting FOs!

My DIY Fall Advent bag yesterday was the Ixchel Cowl in Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Moon Sisters. I don’t know if you can see the bronze sparkles in this yarn, but it’s beautiful. However, I just finished a colorwork cowl, and I’m not in the mood to start another one. I’ll store this for another time.

Sewing

I’m currently working on some Pietra Pants in dark blue chambray. I also sewed a dress last week. It was not horrible.

This has been a Year of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.

My Milkshake Cardi Brings the Knitters to the Yard – Friday FO

Posted on Posted in finished objects, knitting, sweatersTagged , , , , 24 Comments

I finished my Milkshake Cardigan (Rav project link)! Pattern by Joji Locatelli for Madeline Tosh. Yarn is Kelbourne Woolens Scout in Gray Heather. Buttons are natural horn from Lithuania (Etsy link).

My goal was to make a cardigan to replace my favorite thrift store Marks and Spencer lambswool cardigan that started unraveling at the elbows. I definitely succeeded! I will be wearing this over my favorite t-shirts, fall through spring.

In other news, I reorganized my craft room. All the fabric is now in a big tub that used to hold wool fiber. I’ve used up enough on my art that I was able to consolidate that to one tub. Moving the fabric freed up several smaller tubs, so I was able to put all of my yarn stash into tubs by size. I feel much more in control of my stash and projects now.

Have you finished any projects, or done any craft organizing lately? I would love to hear about it.