Thursday, whatever.
I’m feeling a little scattered (scatter-brained) right now, finding it difficult to concentrate on one thing at a time. I mean a little knitting, a little spinning, a little dyeing. Tonight, we’re planning on going out to a movie so I’ll be able to get my sock finished — knitting plain stockinette in the round, in the dark, is the best. And I am but inches away from finishing the sleeve cap of the Manly Sweater, so hopefully that sweater will be blocked, seamed and done by the end of this weekend.
But anyway, while my mind is racing between current projects and future fall projects, here’s the sock yarn I dyed a few days ago:
Over the past few weeks since the trip to Salt Spring Island, I spun up a bit of angora fibre that I bought there. I found this fibre kind of “high-maintenance” — I mean the staple length is really quite short and the fibre itself is slippery, so I found that it would break often or I would lose my spinning… But here it is, plied and skeined.
It’s not yet finished — I’m planning on felting it a little as I’ve heard is good with angora. You alternate between washing the skein in hot water and ice cold water to shock it and then whap it against the table to agitate the fibres. All this helps the little slippery fibres hold together better. I guess it is all worth it though, this yarn is so soft!
And finally, I’ve gotten to the end of the first ball of KSH on Birch. It’s nearly six repeats. Notice the new needles? They are blue! (And the 5mm ones come in lovely lavendar!) They are Boye circulars — less than half the cost of Addi’s. I bought these on Wendy’s recommendation and they are actually quite nice for KSH. The tips are pointier, the painted aluminum finish is not as slippery, and the join is sufficiently smooth. I like. The only thing I don’t like is the cord — it’s stiffer and has a mind of it’s own.
Tags: angora, Birch, crock pot dyeing, handspun, sock yarn
Beautiful dying and I love how birch is looking!
Ooooh - that pink sock yarn is gorgeous! Birch is looking good too…
Beautiful yarns! Movie theatre knitting, eh? I’ve got to try that sometime. Don’t know if I’m quite dexterous enough yet with the needles to do it in the dark though!
HMMMM - Dewberry Birch looks great ! I really think you got something going on with purple hues..
pink and purple yarn. so beautiful. i’m interested to see how the angora yarn would turn out!!
that’s a really lovely pattern for lace. very different from other things i have been seeing on knit blogs. are those the boye needlemaster kit needles? i have the kit where you can make them of any size and length. i like them for some knits and not for others so i also got a denise interchangeables kit and the two together pretty much give me all the circs i could ever need! (though i REALLY love the slippery feel of the susan bates needles.. that powder finish is to die for!)
Fabulous sock yarn. That pink/purple combo is to die for! I’m impressed with the angora handspun - sounds tricky, but I’m sure will be lovely when you get finished wacking it on the table!
Pretty Birch too - you’ve been busy knitting or spinning for lace lately it seems.
Your photos are always so beautiful! The yarn you dyed in the crock pot, is that Knit Picks color your own yarn?
Oh my, your spinning, dyeing and knitting pictures are so gorgeous! Love the colour you chose for Birch… it’s going to be beautiful!!!
it’s so beautiful!
Thank you for your tip on KSH. I wasn’t able to reply to the address you gave me. You did a great job spinning that fiber, it looks very pretty.
I have a tip for you for that cord. put your knitting on a another needle and take your cord and soak it in almost boiling water. Just when the tiny bubble appear on the bottom of the pot. leave it for a min or two and then take it out and hold it straight until it cools, a min or two. repeat to make it looser so it doesn’t curl so much. then go back to your knitting. hope this helps.
I bow before you and your ability to knit with KH.
Beautiful yarn and gorgeous Birch progress.
That sock yarn is beautiful, and Birch is looking fabulous!! I just picked up some Boye circs for myself to start Birch (lol -also on Wendy’s recommendation!)
Birch is fetching in Dewberry!
Your pictures are always so lovely, Felicia. They capture the yarn and knits so well! Love the crock pot dyeing results, and your Birch is lovely! Glad those needles are working for you too
Gorgeus colors and gorgeous angora. I can’t stay away from Angora, I love it.
Be careful to not rely on colors to distinguish sizes in Boye needles. Different sizes may be the same color and different colors may be the same size, I thinks it’s pretty random.
Jayme
The pictures are beautiful as usual, same for the yarn color.
Birch is coming along very nicely, I must add. Ready for River?
Wow! You’re handspun is just gorgeous!! I hope to get there some day. thanks for the inspiration.
Your pink & purple sock yarn is gorgeous! And so are your photos for that matter.
The dyed sock yarn is so pretty..love the pink/purple. Birch is looking mahvelous!
you always take such awesome pictures! you have such a wonderful eye! i wish i could see things the way you see them. beautiful yarn, btw!
Is your crock pot yarn dyed with KoolAid or did you use something else? It’s just beautiful.
The Birch shawl is coming along swimmingly too. You’ve been very busy!
Birch is looking gorgeous! All your yarn looks so yummy…great job of dyeing your yarn. You are a very talented spinner!
Your Birch is sooooo pretty. Why can’t I bring myself to like this yarn? Because I sure as you-know-what like Birch.
your birch shawl is amazing …
Lovely work.
I hope you don’t mind me asking your advice, but you seem very informed about all knitting matters and I hoped you might know the answer to my question. I’ve searched all over but not had any luck.
I’m trying to work from a Japanese-style knitting pattern and most of it I get but there’s one symbol that I don’t know. It looks like this -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/samuelLsamson/747461d7.jpg
Thanks so much in advance for any help you can give.
A group from my office want to knit the Birch Shawl by Sharon Miller. We are so anxious to get started, but would like to know which version (Stocking Stitch or Garter Stitch) you used in the August, 2005 picture.