synestheticknits

so i succeeded in spinning only 725.25 yards of yarn for spinzilla week. but, that is still more yarn than i have spun in months and certainly more than i've ever done in one week. so i think i can still declare spinzilla 2014 somewhat of a success. first off was spunky eclectic 's panda top in road trip . was lovely to spin, and her colorways are always tasty. (it looks a bit warmer in the photo here than in real life.) i got this braid at the massachusetts sheep & woolcraft festival in 2010, and it had been sadly languishing until now. soon to be socks! second was another random yarn generator thing , which i always have fun with. i was not too excited about the colors it came up with (black, white, and purple), but when it was done it reminded me of a dress that's been on my modcloth wishlist... lastly (and unfinished-ly), is some traveling rhinos merino top . so soft and squishy. only got about 177 yards of it in before the time ran out. it...

so, i did it.. i signed up for spinzilla this year. i've been away from the wheel for far too long, and this is a pretty good impetus. i figure i should have some spin goals to aim for. * definitely planning on another random yarn generator -type project. as for possible project goals... * 11oz bulky for the body of cathode * 7oz dk/sport weight for tappan zee * 3.5oz sport weight for arlen i think this, however, may be destined to be yet another pair of socks. why do i get keep getting sucked in to handspun sock yarn? pre- and post-drafting, and a single on the bobbin go team happy fuzzy yarn!

new handspun. inspired by the random yarn generator : (on ravelry ) merino top dyed by play at life fiber arts : (on ravelry ) okay, almost wordless.

and how much of it has actually been knit with? erm.. two. 2010?

hellooo poor neglected blog! finally, my work schedule is going to be way more normal, leaving me time to do things like finish up old projects and spill orange juice on my flash drive. *sigh* really, i can't wait to do some more spinning. my last completed yarn was this: ( on ravelry ) again, the boyfriend took notice after i was done spinning. actually said he thought it was pretty. since he's more of a word person, i asked if he could think of a name for it. he says, "intestinal lining?" what. so anyway , i'm thinking it will be a thorpe , as soon as i finish these legwarmers from my hackled yarn. too many wips around here. also been knitting for blythie.. ...who still has no name. how can this be? it was never this difficult with my pullips. i've been thinking of some nice irish names, but haven't settled on one. hmm...

* not enough knitting. i did just finish up a new hat for the shop though.. i'm reworking my stocking cap pattern, and came up with this nice roomy stretchy one that should be big enough for blythes! my quest for blythe herself has not been going so well, however. still looking for the right one (that i can justify spending the money on right now...). i thought the prima dollies were supposed to be cheaper?? * typing up my basic pullip hat pattern.. anyone want to try it out? * hackling! i put together a diy hackle and blended some of the tan wool/black wool/white mohair roving that i got from the sheep shed. ta da... before, after, and yarn! so much better. and here it is on ravelry . i would like it to become these lovely legwarmers but the gauge is slightly different. will require tinkering. *losing knitting needles left and right. seriously, what is the deal here?

so here is the stuff i mentioned in my last post. four ounces of superwash merino/tencel blend... which i spun into this! (here it is in my ravelry stash .) i didn't trust my instincts and it came out thicker than i meant it to, more like sport-weight. still going to try for socks though. i'd never spun anything with tencel in it before and i have to say, it is tasty. i have to resist ordering some more. okay, so i did put in another order with susan's spinning bunny . got some alpaca/merino/silk, which i have been admiring and not spinning. this must be remedied. anyway, they are supernice there and i kind of want everything in their shop. other spinnings: i dyed up some of my plain wool from the sheep shed, threw in some easter grass and got: this was one of the few times the boyfriend took notice of my spinning, and said it reminded him of ecto cooler . i really can't wait to knit it up, but other things must be finished first. (sigh) here it is on ravelry...

i got four ounces of natural llama roving a few weeks ago.. time for some dyeing mishaps! i used a tutorial for steam-dyeing (which i of course can't find right now, sigh), but it is similar to the cold pour method described in the twisted sisters sock workbook . here i have the roving laid out on plastic wrap. i've been using easter egg dyes and wilton's cake dyes, since the only space i have for this sort of thing at the moment is the kitchen. all food-safe stuff! i pour the dyes on from a bottle, this time using purples and yellows. when you're done, you fold up the plastic wrap on the long sides, then roll them up into little bundles. one thing i learned: be sure the ends are closed up well! then you boil a big pot of water, and place your wool bundles in a colander over it. the water level should be just under the colander. let it steam for about 45 minutes. i placed a cookie sheet over it for part of the time, to hold the steam in. here are the bundl...

what i've been up to lately: *turning this into this (delicious fiber batt from knittydirtygirl ) *knitting tiny things *trying to destash and declutter *hoping for things to get better and better...

hello everyone! december was crazy busy for me, but now i'm back working on stuff for the shop. i just listed this little tunic made from my hand-dyed yarn... though the big news is that i now have a spinning wheel! it's an ashford kiwi and i lurrve it. we have been spending a lot of time together... that right there is made from some wool batts that have been waiting to be spun up since 2002. seven years almost!