Thursday, November 29, 2012

Ashland Bay Fibers Restock!

I just received my fiber reorder from Ashland Bay.  We've got some unusual fibers to whet your appetite!

100% Certified Organic Polwarth Wool Top from the Falkland Islands
75/25 Organic Polwarth/Mulberry Silk Top 
Blue Face Leicester
Superwash BFL 
Milk Fiber
Hemp 
Merino Angora 80/20
Corriedale Cross 
Polwarth
Wensleydale
Masham
Alpaca / Merino / Silk 50/30/20 
Tencel
Superwash Merino

Happy Spining!
Regards,
Karen
One Planet Yarn and Fiber










































































Friday, November 23, 2012

Something You Might Like - Finished Objects

Yes, I do manage to get something totally off my needles and in to use.  I needed something to carry my new/used little camera that my husband gave me a few weeks ago, so I made a sock for it.  I used a magic loop cast on and once I felt it was wide enough to cover the camera I knit it up in ribbing.  Near the top, I changed the ribbing pattern so it would be a little more snug and I finished off with Jeni's stretch bind off.  Cute, huh?




My daughter has been after me to make her a hat in neutral colors.  Here hair is currently blue and purple, so neutral is good, right?  This is Natalie Larson's Spring Beret, available at Ravelry as a free download.  The cotton yarn I used for this is made from recycled denim.
I taught a sock class and was finally able to get these off of my needles and on to my feet!
What have you finished recently?
Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
One Planet Yarn and Fiber

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Something You Might Like- Finished Trapeze MKAL

OK everyone, here is the finished Trapeze Shawl that I made during Laura Nelkin's Mystery KAL.  I am very pleased with how it turned out.  I can grab my daughter quickly enough to get her to take a picture of me wearing it though!

Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
One Planet Yarn and Fiber





Monday, November 19, 2012

Something You Might Like - Critters And Fleece

I went to the farmers market and spotted these 2 cuties at my favorite stand that sells handmade soaps.  I didn't think you would mind seeing them, but after going to the market I realized that I needed to stop lollygagging around and wash the 2 fleeces from ZZ and Cocoa that I received this past spring.

 
I went over to my friend Terri's and she judiciously pulled out several felted spots from ZZ's spring coat.  Cocoa didn't fair so badly, but the fiber is very short, only about 2 inches.  I will drum card all of that soon.  ZZ's fleece is sill drying on racks on my kitchen counters, but at least the house does not smell like a wet barn anymore. 
Cocoa before washing

Cocoa

ZZ before unrolling

ZZ right after skirting

Drying on the kitchen counter

Cocoa, all cleaned up and waiting for the carder

ZZ, still drying.

City Girl's Fiber Farm, one last image of ZZ taken the day before his accident.  Such a cutie!

Regards,
Karen

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Something You Might Like-New Books For Me

As promised, here are the books and patterns I added in this past month.  Yes, I had a gift card to Amazon.


I first saw Knit Red at my friends store.  I leafed through the book and found several patterns that I could easily see myself making.  There are 30 patterns in this book by Laura Zander and was published to promote good heart health for women.  There are even some recipes in the back as well as several pages of knitting tutorials.



I purchased A Gathering Of Lace by Meg Swanson.  She is Elizabeth Zimmerman's daughter.  I was looking for a book that would help me design some lace projects that I have in mind.  There are 42 patterns in this book and charts are included.  If you can't read charts yet, this is not the book for you.  There is a pattern for a pie shawl that I may just have to make someday.
This book is an old classic called The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffman by Nancy Nehring.  This is a great resource for lace patterns.  The lace designs include the patterns written out as well as charted.  It is intended for people who want to include lace in their designs.  The photos show more than enough of each lace design to understand the intent.  That's one of my beefs.  Some of the pattern dictionaries for kniters on the market today do not include a large enough sample to see what the overall material will look like.
The Harmony Guides- lace & eyelets edited by Erika Knight is next on my list.  It has 250 stitches to knit.  The photos are of smaller swatches, but I felt it was worth my effort to have this one to help me with future designs in my head.  No charts, but the text is well written.

My last book that I purchased is Super Stitches Knitting by Karen Hemingway.  As the cover says, "essential techniques plus a dictionary of more than 300 stitch patterns".  The swatches are big enough to see how they will look in any pattern you might choose to use them in.  If you are doing a plain vanilla design and want to add a little panache to it, this book is the one for you.
And finally, here are 2 patterns that I bought.  I really want to do some Fair Isle, but I have not quite made it there yet.  I think either of these projects would be fun to start with.  The Horatio and Oren owl mittens are so cute, but I think I would probably start with the Woodlands Collection of hand warmers first.  Short and sweet!
Horatio ans Oren from Twist Collective
The Woodland Collection from Knit Picks
Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
One Planet Yarn and Fiber

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Something You Might Like - Christmas Sweaters

Every year, my friends Cheryl and Dan host an after the holidays Ugly Sweater party.  It isn't always easy to find something that is over the top, but on a recent visit to Steinmart I spotted these beauties.  Which on do you like best?  Do you have any interesting sweaters that you'd like to share a picture of?  I'll post this blog over on the Ravelry page for you to share yours!

Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF




Friday, November 09, 2012

Something You Might Like - Annie

I have to confess that I am an avid podcast listener of Never Not KnittingI love listening to Alana's adventures in knitting as well as the stories she shares from people around the world.  Alana and her daughter conceived the idea for a book about a little girl learning to knit.  The last podcast had Alana's daughter reading from the book.  It was so charming!

Alana has a pre-order special package right now that includes the book and several other goodies.  I ordered up 2 copies for future gifts for little ones of Annie and the Swiss Cheese Scarf

Alana has some great ideas to make this even a more interesting gift, like adding in knitting needles and yarn, or making the scarf and the sweater that Annie wears in the story.   I've included some pictures below to entice you.

Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF







Wednesday, November 07, 2012

In Which I Needed A Quick Fix

A couple of weeks ago I was working on so many projects and it seemed like it was taking so long to finish what I was working on.  I needed to have a quick project to do, but it also needed to be something useful.  I decided to make a pair of duffers.  They teach a class on this at The Fiber Factory.  The samples look great and the pattern is a very fast knit.

The pattern is called Duffers - revisited by Mindie Tallack.  I ordered the pattern from her Rvelry shop.  

I quickly went through my leftover yarn stash and zeroed in on some remnants of Cascade 220.  It was the perfect match for this design.  Each duffer is only 19 rows of knitting and uses two strands held together.  I knit up one duffer in an hour or two watching TV.  The second one was finished a day or two latter as time allowed, between other projects.  

On October 29th I through them in to the washing machine to felt and viola!  I have a new pair of duffers!


Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF

Monday, November 05, 2012

Something You Might Like - Book Review

OK, I broke my promise and bought 2 new books.  But I used store credit, honest!  I was at The Fiber Factory teaching and spotted these 2 and had to add them to my collection.

I purchased 60 More Quick Baby Knits because I love the patterns in them  I own the first book in this series also.  Now I just need to wait a few years for my kids to find permanent companions ans decide to have little ones.  Some of my favorite patterns in this book are the Elephant Onesie, Ruffled Pants, Wave Motif Pullover, Tie Front Cardigan, Lace Blanket, Striped Top and Pant, Lace & Cables Cardigan, Octopus Beanie, Apple Tree Sweater, Bear Hat, Barnyard Play Mat and the Pocket Vest.  With 60 patterns to choose from, I am sure you can find a few in this book for the little ones in your life.
I started designing patterns last year.  The Swirl Beret was my first stab at it.  I really enjoyed the process.  My next pattern is waiting for a photo shoot, and there are several more projects on my needles.  I am always on the hunt for a good reference book for stitch patterns.  My friend Terri at The Fiber Factory put this on in my hands.

What I like about this book is that it doesn't just show a tiny 4x4 swatch of a design.  The samples are knitted over a large enough swatch, that you can actually see what it will look like in an overall pattern.  There are also several pages in the front of the book that are knitting tutorials.  I know I will love using this book for inspiration.

Happy Stitching!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF