Sorry for the lack of updates!

This has been a blanket a long time in the making. It never had a recipient, I just knew someday I would want to be able to give away a blanket in a moment's notice...I had that notice last week so I finished it up and it will be mailed out today.

The yarn is Caron Simply Soft.

Here are a custom pair of shorties, going out today, knitted in Berroco Ultra Alpaca (one of my fav yarns!)
A hat I knitted last month.

I've been busy with tons of projects lately, just not taking the time to update the blog! I know, I need to be better about it!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Check out the above link for a very cute giveaway!

Northern Lights Longies

I may not have seen the Northern Lights, but this is a little how I'd imagine they look :) The imagination is a powerful tool.

These were custom knit capris and I love the way they knit up!

The pics are off the camera :)

Here's what I've been up to lately!


This is my second skein of handspun yarn. It is SO much better than the first (see below). I did the yellow single first, then the red and you can definitely see a difference between the two...the yellow has some thick slubs in it and the red is much more even...so I had more of the red leftover. Not sure what I'll do with that little bit! But overall I am thrilled with how well this came out! It's about 80 yards.Here are the two singles before I plied them together. Oh, I should mention that my drop spindle is really too small to ply well on, so I improvised (hubby is supposed to make me a decent spindle to ply on but he was gone and I was impatient!)...I traced a cd onto cardboard, cut it out, and speared it on a size 11 needle. I then used it as a bottom whorl spindle. I did it, but it took a LOT longer that way...I am a spindler who needs a hook at the top! It worked, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Mittens I knit for a friend's son.
Hat I knitted for Lucy. It matches her sweaterdress.
My first yarn barf. It is now a coaster...need to take pics of that one still. Actually quite decent as a felted coaster...and I really love the felted coasters as decor!

Now I am working on a circular sweater for Lucy, but have put it on the back burner for a few days to work in a pair of wool capris. Fun!

Sorry!

I've been sadly neglecting my blog as of late! But don't take my lack of posts as lack of progress! January has been a busy month for my needles.

1. Baby blanket, hat, booties, and mama socks for a friend were all done and shipped in January. Pics to follow (they are on the camera)

2. Baby socks supposed to be for Lucy but they are too small so they will go to another baby.

3. Baby beret for Lucy - ADORABLE! Done but pics are on camera.

4. Mittens for a friend of Toby's - done, pics on camera (seeing a theme here?)

5. On the needles now - a jacket for Lucy. It's a really neat and original concept and I am excited about it!

6. On the spinning front, I finished my first skein and plied and set it. AND knitted it into a felted coaster (it's all it was worth doing with it, it was the ugliest skein EVER!)...but made a very cute coaster :) It's still drying. Have started my second skein. I have one single of yellow done and am working on a single of orange/red, and will ply the two together. Hubby is supposed to make me a big plying spindle, but we bought all the supplies and he never touched it :( So I am on hiatus waiting for him. I still have to finish my red single though so I will work on that a little every day. I also ordered more fiber today...I really shouldn't, but it was 35% off! Who can resist a sale like that?

Oh what aTangled Web

Ok, spinning, not weaving, but I liked the literary allusion.

So I finally tried out my drop spindle and I LOVE IT!!! I'm not very good yet, but I had low expectations and it actually turned out much better than I feared. I've done more reading and think I know some things to fix for next timem but so far, FUN FUN FUN!!!

These are my first two singles, spun from the practice roving that came with my spindle. I did them in one evening and then let them sit for 24 hours before I plied them together. I put each ball in a coffee mug, threading the single through the handle and used the drop spindle to spin them counterclockwise (opposite of what you do to spin the single). Then I soaked the yarn and it is hanging to dry now - that sets the twist. Once it's dry I will take more pics. Some areas are overspun and some are underspun, but overall I was happy that it does look like yarn!


This is a picture of the singles before they were plied. I should have taken a picture of the roving before spinning...I will have to do that the next time!

I am also working on a blanket that has been in progress for a long time...it had been set aside months ago still needing an edging so I'm working on finishing that right now.

Baby It's Cold! Sweaterdress

This is the dress I knit for Lucy over Christmas

“Baby It’s Cold!” Sweaterdress

Yarn: Any fingering weight or sock yarn, about 175 grams.

Gauge: 32 sts and 36 rows to 4” in stockingette stitch

Needles: Size 4 circulars and Size 4 double pointed needles

Cast on 70 sts on size 4 circular needle loosely. Join the circle, being careful not to twist the sts. Mark the beginning of the round. Work even in stockinette stitch for 8 rows.

Round Yoke:

Round 1-5: Work even on 70 sts

Round 6: K3, M1, *K2 M1, repeat from *15 times (104)

Round 7-12: Work even on 104 sts

Round 13: K4, M1, *K3 M1, repeat from * 15 times (138)

Round 14-18: Work even on 138 sts

Round 19: K5, M1, *K4, M1, repeat from * 15 times (172)

Round 20-25: Work even on 172 sts

Round 26: K6, M1, *K5, M1, repeat from * 15 times (206 sts)

Round 27-33 Work even on 206 sts

Split the yoke into front, back, and sleeve sections: Starting at the beginning of round, slip sts for each section onto separate holders: 38 sts for right sleeve, 65 sts for front, 38 sts for left sleeve, and keep the remaining 65 sts on needle to work the back.

Body (Armhole to hem):

1. With right side of back facing and st st, start where back joins left sleeve. Cast on 6 sts for underarm, work sts frolm front holder, cast on 6 sts for second underarm, and work across back section. Total 142 for body. Mark the side seams at the underarm midpoints (after sts 3 and 74)

2. Shaping: Work even for 12 rounds. Inc 1 st at both sides of both seam markers on next round (increasing 4 sts per round), and then every following 21^st round twice to 154 sts.

3. Hips to Hem. Inc 1 st at both sides of seam markers on every 10^th row 4 times. Total 170 sts. Work even to 15 inches from underarms.

4. Hem: Work 8 rounds in garter stitch. Cast off remaining sts loosely.

Sleeve:

1. With right side facing and double pointed needles, rejoin yarn and work sts from right sleeve holder. Cast on 6 sts for underarm. Total 44 sts for sleeve. Join the circle, taking care not to twist sts. Mark the sleeve midway on the underarm.

2. Dec 1 st at both sides of the marker on every 10^th round once, then every 11^th round twice to 38 sts.

3. Work even until sleeve measures 6 ins. Dec 4 sts evenly across last row (34 sts remaining)

4. Hem: Work 8 rows in k1p1 ribbing. Cast off remaining sts loosely.

Finishing:

1. Graft or sew the sleeve and body sts together at the underarm.

2. Weave in loose ends.