Hand Spun Yarn - Green Sample

This picture does not do the dark green justice - I don't think it's possible. The green is so vibrant and beautiful, I can't believe it came off my spinning wheel.

It's a sample from Funky Carolina. I had ordered something from her, and it took an unusually long time (apparently she marked it as shipping, but never actually shipped it). So I got this extra braid of roving, some other samples and a coupon for my next order. I'm working on what I actually ordered now (and it's just as lovely).

There's only 80 yards on this, so I'll probably make some hand warmers with them from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.

FO - Pro Bono Hat

Here is my latest FO - The Pro Bono hat pattern. It's made out of my own handspun, and it was a little hard to knit. The yarn is spun like rope, it's so thick. But the hat took a little less than 88 yards, and was knit on size 10.5 US needles. It took about 4 hours to make.

WIP - Mark's Christmas Present

Since buying the stables pretty much tapped us out, we are keeping the holidays low key this year. So I'm making Mark a sweater for Christmas. It's made out of Plymouth Encore and the pattern is Beau by Kim Heargraves. It was published in Rowan's Vintage Knits. It's a really easy pattern. The 10x10 ribbing keeps things more interesting than a simple stockinette stitch while watching TV. So far, I'm really happy with it.

Stitch and Bitch in England

Emma

Sarah and Fiona
Jo, Sonia, and Louise
And of course, me.


I was so remiss! I failed to mention that I we invited to a Stitch N Bitch in Britain. It was with several people in the Archeology department at Bradford. They all got to laugh at the silly American who liked the clouds and rain. It was nice to see people doing cross stitch - not many people do that here in New Mexico. I was so inspired that I picked up a sampler kit in the Bronte Parsonage.

FO - Hooded Baby Blanket

Mark's friend's wife is reproducing and so I made this baby blanket for her. It's the Hooded Baby Blanket from Lionbrand Yarns. I used Baby Bee DK yarns in the green camo colorway. Yes, they make baby yarns in camo colors. It's done on 10.5 size needles, so I doubled the yarn to make it chunkier. It took about 1000 yards of yarn and 2 weeks of non consecutive knitting.

Some Pictures of England

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday this year I once again went to England to see Sarah. It was a blast. I got to stay in her new apartment in Saltaire (it's beautiful). We went to Haworth and the Bronte Parsonage. It's a remarkable story about sanitation and howling moors (yeah, I didn't see that one coming either). The Vicar Bronte was concerned because the town had no sanitation and a much lower average life span than the rest of England. So he petitioned the government to put in proper sewage systems and privies. It's really a remarkable story.

Then we spent a day in London in Fiona and Michael's aparmtent in Westminster near the Parliament. Sarah and I spent the day walking along the Themes, hitting a few yarn shops and I watched the closing arguments of a murder trial in the Old Bailey. It was two brothers who were accused of murchering a woman with a knife. It was so cool - they wear wigs and robes and have posies in the courtroom.

Then Michael suggested I go to the Liberty shop in Oxford Circle. He claimed it was "a cross between Diagon Alley and Hogwarts". I was not disappointed. There was a Rowan shop in the store and I picked up some yarn that is hard to get in the United States - brilliant!

Overall, it was a great trip and I had a blast. I can't wait to go back next year!

Cats for gold

www.catsforgold.com
Yeah, it's my dream...

PS. Sorry the link didn't work