Sarkasmo - posts tagged 'spinning'

There's been a change of plan

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:06:21 GMT

There's been a change of plan
When sleeve-knitting time got here, I realized that I hadn't yet designed the sleeves. I threw together a pattern and was happy with it until I started the decreases. This sleeve has been frogged, and the new sleeve will be started later tonight, probably. If I'm not too enhanced.

Blocking the sweater

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:16:12 GMT

Blocking the sweater
Front on top, back on the bottom.

We're blocking...we're blocking

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:15:34 GMT

We're blocking...we're blocking
The front and back to Ma's sweater are done, so I'm blocking them into shape for to make easier with the sewing together. And watching some old movie. :)

Ma's sweater, the front of

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:25:57 GMT

Ma's sweater, the front of
This side has a single knit stitch in the reverse stockinette between the trellis and each diamond panel. That way, I don't have to (badly) sew a tag into the sweater. Go, Kristen!

The back.

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:26:15 GMT

The back.
Ma's sweater, the back of. I already started the front, and it's motoring along nicely, as well. Yay!

Sweater progress: the back

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:46:17 GMT

Sweater progress: the back
The back of Ma's sweater. I will soon be making room for armholes. Whee!

Progress

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:05:17 GMT

Progress
OK, so this is my favorite part of knitting an aran sweater: I'm far enough along that I can see the pattern emerging. The downside: I'm able to see that the center trellis pattern *siiiiiiigh* is not the same as it appears in the book I got it from. It's supposed to weave over and under, not just go left-over-right at each crossing. I triple-checked both the written and the charted pattern in the book, and I'm following it to a T. I'm still happy with how the sweater is progressing. I'm just going to make some popcorn and mull over whether I should rip and start over or just keep going.

Day 7 - Cablebrain

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 02:30:13 GMT

Day 7 - Cablebrain
I started Mom's sweater today, which means that since I woke up, I've been thinking about it, staring at my badly-drawn diagram, copying down panel patterns into my knitting journal so I have all the stitch info on one page, counting stitches, re-counting stitches, staring at a wall, sniffing the yarn, staring at the progress I've made, wondering if the gauge is right, wondering why people can't spell gauge right, or playing Cafe World.

Day 6 - Another new project

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:48:52 GMT

Day 6 - Another new project
Namely, making a 2-ply yarn out of the blue/green fiber I was spinning all summer. I took this outside and dropped the spindle off the deck rail, which is a terrific way to save time if it's not windy or cold. Otherwise, I'm pretty much limited to plying lengths equal to my own height. Why are spinning wheels so expensive?

Day 5, New project

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 01:19:19 GMT

Day 5, New project
Here I am, rolling around in the yarn (again). Under my hair, I've got my yarn, my needles, and my pattern books. I also have a big smile on my face because it's time to make a sweater!

Mountain of yarn on top of a cat in a computer chair

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:04:11 GMT

Mountain of yarn on top of a cat in a computer chair
Packet and I both prefer that computer chair, so when she sits in it I make a point of tormenting her. She's not a very cuddly-needy cat, so it's pretty funny to see what she'll put up with before she has to escape with her dignity.

Day 2, a big old whiff

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:49:17 GMT

Day 2, a big old whiff
Of wool. Freshly washed, sun-dried, wool yarn. The knitting begins soon.

What a day for hanging your wool yarn outside

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:49:03 GMT

What a day for hanging your wool yarn outside
I washed and whacked the yarn for Ma's sweater and hung it out on the clothesline. Today is gorgeous.

New fiber from Lettuce Knit

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:23:11 GMT

New fiber from Lettuce Knit
I cashed in my last bday gift certificate from my sister for this. 200g of BFL/silk blend. Beautiful!

My current spinning project

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:22:41 GMT

My current spinning project
Mom's sweater yarn is spun and plied, so I was anxious to start a new spinning project with COLORS in it. The braid is three separate colors (one blue, one green, one teal), so I'm randomly ripping off tufts and spinning them in any order and length. I'll either two-ply or navajo-ply when I'm done, depending on which looks better. Meanwhile, I'm actually missing the fluorescent lighting and Darren's black computer chair from the in-laws' basement. That was always a perfect place to take yarn and fiber pictures.

Awesome kittens!

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:22:02 GMT

Awesome kittens!
Can you believe this? I put my spinning down, and the kittens decided they wanted to be near the wool but didn't destroy it!

Spinning off Jenn's porch

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:29:33 GMT

Spinning off Jenn's porch
I can spin about 10' of yarn over the side. Not shown: Sookie, hiding under the porch, waiting for the spindle to get down to the bottom so she can bat it again.

8.7oz of yarn.

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:55:05 GMT

8.7oz of yarn.
I was really happy to get the yarn off this spindle.

Packet is eager to help with the plying

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:54:24 GMT

Packet is eager to help with the plying
She made sure to sit right on my spindle so it wouldn't go anywhere. Even if I wanted it to.

52:04 The cop is wider than the spindle

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:07:46 GMT

52:04 The cop is wider than the spindle
Lat time I weighed it, the spindle and cop together weighed around 9 oz. I don't want to break up the plying ball if I don't have to, so I'm just going to keep piling the yarn on.

Singles party

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:10:25 GMT

Singles party
That's what my living room is right now.

Plying progress

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:13:21 GMT

Plying progress
Argh, darkness by 4:45pm means that I have to photograph things earlier. I'll have to remember that. Anyway, I've been plying Ma's yarn, doing a 3-ply and getting a just-barely-DK weight. I think it'll bloom a little after finishing, though, and I can be sure there will be enough. I weighed this spindle earlier, and it was 7.7 oz. Not counting the weight of the spindle, which I handily printed on the whorl (yay, me!), that's 5.3 oz of yarn. Whew!

52:02 - It will grow up to be a sweater

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:36:08 GMT

52:02 - It will grow up to be a sweater
Over 40 oz of yarn (each TP roll holds at least 1 oz, some hold more, and the spindle has 2+ oz on it) that will become a 4-ply yarn for my mom's sweater. It just occurred to me that the recycling guys will probably wonder why I'm suddenly throwing away 37 TP rolls next week.

Ounce eleventy poses on the ballwinder while Packet continues to ignore

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:14:43 GMT

Ounce eleventy poses on the ballwinder while Packet continues to ignore
For Thebug, to show my method for winding singles off my spindle and onto toilet paper rolls. I actually cut a slit into the top and into the bottom so I can tuck ends in wherever they need to be tucked.

SPINDLE DOWN!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:05:38 GMT

SPINDLE DOWN!
This is what happens when you forget that your spindle is hanging from your ceiling fan.

7 Days - Day 4 (Progress)

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:53:39 GMT

7 Days - Day 4 (Progress)
It's not a sweater yet, but it will be. I'm spinning the wool on the right into the yarn on the left. By hand, because I believe that spinning wheels are overpriced unless they're given to me as gifts. Near the top of the basket, you can see the spindle I'm using. I've been doing this for a little over a year, off and on, with several long breaks. The finished sweater will go to my mom.

365.022 - Decisions, decisions

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:16:05 GMT

365.022 - Decisions, decisions
Getting ready to sit in front of the TV for a few minutes and...wait, did I want to work on the Monkeys or spin some yarn? Mrrrh!

Test skein

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:24:23 GMT

Test skein
I got carried away. This is several yards. It was supposed to be worsted, but it's closer to DK. I think I need to go 4-ply. HMMM.

7 Days, Day 7

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:43:45 GMT

7 Days, Day 7
Day 7? Already? Really? Well, this is pretty much Day 1 all over again, except now I'm spinning yarn and watching hockey (IIHF World Junior Championships). I had a good time this week, and a Merry Christmas, and hopefully everyone else did, too. Thanks again, Sarah and Lauren, for starting this tradition!

7 Days, Day 6

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:38:05 GMT

7 Days, Day 6
I can't believe this Christmas gift! Jenn found a spinning wheel LAMP. We plugged it in, but the lamp didn't work. The legs are too short to treadle, but if you lift it up, you can get the wheel spinning. How hard does this rock?

Christmas gift from Jenn

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:37:33 GMT

Christmas gift from Jenn
A spinning wheel lamp. The legs are too short, but if you pick it up, you can actually treadle. The lamp doesn't work, but I'm going to see if I can't just get another fixture to repair that.

Corriedale fiber for spinning

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:40:35 GMT

Corriedale fiber for spinning
Corriedale spinning fiber, colorway Apple Pie, from Etsy seller christinamariepotter. It arrived on my birthday!

Corriedale top

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:39:46 GMT

Corriedale top
From Etsy seller christinamariepotter, colorway The Ocean.

22! 22 ghetto bobbins of singles! Ah! Ah! Ah!

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:11:01 GMT

22! 22 ghetto bobbins of singles! Ah! Ah! Ah!
The six on the right are the ones I spun in October.

Ounce um...17, maybe

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:03:59 GMT

Ounce um...17, maybe
I haven't counted lately. It's probably more than that.

Just a little scatterbrained

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:25:13 GMT

Just a little scatterbrained
While watching TV last night, I couldn't figure out what to do to keep my hands occupied.

20 oz of wool!

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:48:32 GMT

20 oz of wool!
Well, 20 - .16 for the toilet paper rolls is 19.84 oz of wool. Subtract the 6.6 oz that were spun up last month, and that means I spun 13.24 oz of wool in September! Go, me!

Ounce 14 in repose

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:24:38 GMT

Ounce 14 in repose

Ounce 14 and actual sunlight

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:21:02 GMT

Ounce 14 and actual sunlight

Packet and ounce 14--helping me predraft

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:20:09 GMT

Packet and ounce 14--helping me predraft