Tour De Fleece Day 6

While I'm still in shock about Tourchwood, I'll post what I've done today!
Not managed to do much today, been out for the first time since last Friday, to shop for Callums 6th Birthday, he opted for a Skateboard (those who know him will know how dangerous he is without wheels (for festival going friends, Callum is the little blonde one who bounces every where..)) and a new set of clothes and shoes to complete the "look" (half price sale in asda..) so he's a happy bunny!
So any way, you want fibre...






Half my fibre is done, not bad for two hours work! This is going to look good when it is plied because its already a mix of black and what ever colour is there at the time, so when its plied its going to look very cool!
My bathroom is resembling a yarn finishing room tho, at the moment I seem to have some thing constantly in the sink and/or hanging to dry in the shower, good job only I go in there, or else things could have been difficult!
More progress tomorrow!

Tour De Fleece Day 5

Bored yet? I'm not! Enjoying this spinning every day lark, not that I'm knitting much...

Todays efforts where from a 64g batt called "The Mexican" very cool name..


All torn up and ready to go! I divided this in to two again, and kept the order in an attempt to match it up..




Very happy with my plying today! Colourmatching didnt quite work out but who cares!


Well I like it any way!!

Tour De Fleece Day 4

Quick one before Torchwood comes on! (what do you mean you are not watching it?!)

Nice progress for today, its currently twist setting in the shower as we speak (next door must wonder what the hell I'm doing when I whack it against the wall!

More tomorrow!

Tour De Fleece Day 3

Slow day today as not had the energy, but still managed to get half of my fleece done, looks pretty nice if I do say so my self!

Hope to finish it off tomorrow!

Spinning thru the flu..

So the Tour De France has finally begun and I have decided to take part in the Tour De Fleece (idea being you spin on every day of the race, set your self goals if you want etc etc Ravelry users see here!)
But as my title suggests, I have a tiny wee problem, some one, some where was kind enough to share Swine flu with me *sigh* Now the doctors won't confirm it because I don't actually know which kind stranger it was by name but because I've done a few high volumes of people things in the last week or so (Woolfest and a Nine black Alps concert) I'm on Tamiflu as a precaution! Which also means I'm not allowed to leave the house, joy! (Good job the kids no longer go to school eh?)
But despite that, I started spinning yesterday, only got a tiny bit done before I gave up (and collapsed in a sweaty heap!) but today I'm feeling perkier and so have finished my first lot of fleece!

(Thats before setting, its soaking as we speak!)

Was concerned the colourway wasn't looking too great but its turned out rather nice! I do have a different blend of fibres (this is shetland tops) in a similar colourway so its nice to see how it will eventually turn out!

Also finished some more yarn just before TDF started, as I had to clear off my bobbins so I could spin! This stuff nearly made me loose the will to live because it was so fragile! The shetland I've just done was so easy to handle, I had minimal problems with it, but this was merino and silk, and I swear at one point I was ready to unwind the whole lot and bin it, but I persevered and it has turned out lovely, good job too!


Not knitting much at the moment, just haven't got the inclination, don't ask me why, but the TDF will give me an excuse to blog, so look out for progress reports as the weeks go on!

Woolfest 2009

You know, if I only did one thing every year, it would be Woolfest! Its just such a fab day out, the people there are just so nice, stall holders and buyers, bumping in to people you "know" from Ravelry and other forums, its weird spending the day staring at peoples chests to see what their name is!
So here it is..the haul..



Oh so many nice things! So from top left, there is some black alpaca roving from UK alpaca & fibre harvest, a selection of naturally dyed fibre from Artisan Threads, dark grey broken tops from Uk Alpaca, from botton left, hand dyed merino from Limegreenjelly, hand dyed merino sock yarn from The Laal Bear, 3 Skeins of sock yarn from Knitwitches, and finally hand dyed shetland tops from Wheeldale Woolcraft.
I'm seriously wanting to have a spin of the alpaca, it is super super soft and the colour is just wonderful, the fibre from Artisan threads is going to be interesting to use as its uncombed but can still be spun in to a textured yarn, I was just taken in by the colours and seeing what was possible with it, I wanted to try!
The whole day was just fantastic, spent several hours at woolfest, wish I could have spent longer! Not that the day was over when we left, we drove down the road to St Bees, unloaded our extensive picnic and was still on the beach playing in the sea till 6pm! Didn't get home till gone 10pm!


All I can say now is, roll on next year!!

I come bearing gifts!

Yes, I know, I've not blogged for a while, feel like I'm forever apologising for not posting! There has been alot going on, internet problems, kids switching to home schooling and just a general lack of some thing to say, but, I bring a peace offering, I've written a pattern :-D
I knew my stash would come in handy one day, I certainly was taken by a moment of inspiration whilst staring at my shelves one day, well that and a lack of right needles for a pattern I did want to knit!

Show off Stranded Cowl

(It is an adult sized cowl, Ewan was just my nearest model!)

Inspired by the Show off Stranded Socks (which are very cool also, so go make them too!) this quick knit uses up that odd ball of dk yarn, either left over from a project, or like me, that must have skein of malabrigo! The cowl is knitted flat, with a provisional cast on at the start, which you use to graft the two ends together when finished to give the cowl a seamless look, naturally you can use a normal cast on and seam both ends together when finished, but I like it this way (read as I'm terrible and seaming, but I like grafting lol)

Download a PDF version of the pattern here

You will need:
50g Variegated DK yarn, I used Malabrigo Merino Silky in Bahia

4mm Needles

Waste yarn

Tapestry needle

2 Stitch markers (optional I use them to mark the first and last two stitches, so I remember to do them!)


Gauge, Doesn't matter!


Stitch pattern is in multiples of 4


The pattern:

Cast on 40 stitches using a provisional cast on (I like this one )

Row 1, K2, purl across till last 2 stitches, K2

Row 2, K2, *YO, K2, pass YO over the two stitches, K2, repeat from * till last two stitches, K2

Row 3, K2, purl across till last 2 stitches, K2

Row 4, K2 *K2, YO, K2, pass YO over the two stitches, repeat from * till last two stitches, K2

Repeat these 4 Rows, until piece measures 21inches from cast on edge.

Set up for grafting, leaving your stitches on the needle, take your other needle and carefully unpick your provisional cast on edge, so now you have 80 stitches divided over two needles, with your working yarn on the back needle, on the right hand side, just as you would for a sock. This does mean you have the wrong side of your work facing you, so you have to do purl side kitchener stitch, which sounds scary, but its not! I found these directions here to be very helpful, it is easy once you get in to it, basically instead of knit 1 off, purl, purl 1 off, knit, you do purl 1 off, knit, knit 1 off, purl, its the opposite of normal kitchener. Very clever is grafting!

And voilà! You are done!


If there are any problems in the pattern or you have any questions, give me a shout and I'll do my best to sort it out!
Hope you enjoy the pattern, you never know, I might do some more one day :-)

(Its Woolfest this weekend, and you can put good money on the fact I'll blog about that, hopefully it will give me a good kick up the bum to blog more!)



Naturally this is a free pattern, and you are free to use it for your own personal use, but you are not allowed to sell any finished items, or distribute the pattern without prior permission or crediting the work to my self!