Wind proof mittens

Winter is here...

It's been here for over a month but I didn't post anything after loosing my cat and I didn't feel really good for over 2 weeks.

It was time to pick up the needles and make something useful ... mittens.

Winter here is quite long and usually very cold and windy, mostly regular mittens don't keep your fingers from freezing.

Using some of my hand spun to make those mittens, pretty easy fair isle design no big deal but this wouldn't be enough to keep my hands warm.

There was a locks sampler that were waiting to get into some action.

It took me few tries and errors to find a good way to secure the locks at last it worked great.

Now I'm the proud owner of real wind proof mittens.

These locks will felt with wear and time making a nice warm and fuzzy lining.

 I'm ready to head out whatever this winter is bringing.

Le poinçonneur des lilas...

I was looking at this skein and

though it would make a nice shawl, it's only 100 grams

I did a search on Ravelry and found this pattern:

Mousseux

A nice shawl with a lacy border, fast and easy to knit on the go you can put it down and take 

back exactly where you were at easily.

Before blocking.

While blocking

The little ball is what I got left from the skein. 

After blocking

While knitting all those little holes this made me think of Serge Gaingsbourg and his song

Le poinçonneur des lilas.

I found this video on youtube with the English translation.

Lavender Merino

This was a TDF prize

from: Fiber Detours Boutique

Ashford

100% Merino Lavender  100 grams

Really soft but I found the fibers were quite irregular on the short side.

Not what I'm used to from Ashford.

 It was a little tricky to spin fine as there was some very short fibers mixed with longer ones,

 after washing the skein I whacked it good to full the fibers, I think it turned out ok.

Made almost 400 yards. The color is nice and it is soft as a baby skin.

I don't know yet what I will do with it yet.... back to the wheel for more spinning.

Christy's Challenge part 2

Of course I couldn't wait long to start knitting the beautiful yarn.

I have picked the same pattern I have knitted last as it was on the list of patterns to choose from.

Dragonfly wings by Boo Knits

It was just a perfect match for my yarn.

I have started it on Friday September 4th as it was a long weekend I knew I could be done quite fast.

It was finished by September 9th.

The blocking went well and with the weather collaboration it was dry in about an hour.

I just love how it turned out, feather light with a nice drape.

It took me a while to post it as my computer was having hiccups now it is fixed, I'm glad to have a geeky son that could help installing the hardware for me and clean the dust bunnies.

Now it runs like new.

Gail... aka Nightsongs

This was my first attempt at a shawl without a spine...

Here is my project bag and the pickwick yarn I used for the main body.

A very entertaining knitting and reading...

I really enjoyed how the yarn luster keeps giving with this design.

It is completed but the weather is not cooperating today and probably for few more days...so no blocking yet.

For the border I have been using a skein of my "unloved" handspun merino.

The garden fabulous poppies will be taken down by the rain too...

Wishing the sunshine and some quite warmer weather soon, because it's been cold even the tomatoes and cucumbers are refusing to grow much.

More Corriedale...

I have been spinning... and spinning and spinning.

I made a second skein 2ply  and this skein is 16wpi (fingering weight).Over 500 yards total for this colorway

Then I went silly Navajo plying making about  44 yards.

How about some more fun... 82 yards Navajo plying.

I like Navajo plying making a 3ply  from one single, no worries to weight the fiber and splitting.... freedom

I really like how this one turned out.

The weather wasn't really nice so I was enjoying spinning this joyous yarn. I'm calling this skein Carnaval de Rio... Dreaming of some south warm sandy beach...

Next I will be playing with a little bit of this,

I wonder what it will look like Navajo plying, this should be softer on the skin too.

Comfortable socks

I finally washed and been taking few pictures of my winter socks, they are simple no lace, no cables but the most comfortable socks.

I used the over spun yarn and the same template as usual except I made them longer so for the last part of the ribs I used two sizes larger needles, that way I can turn it into a cuff or not.

I'm very happy with the result and the yarn is feeling like silk shiny and soft and they will last longer than regular yarn even without nylon, it's really the pleasure of pure wool, warm and dry.

It worths the effort to have cozy feet next winter :)

Pickwickflock...cotswold lamb fleece to yarn

Test skein

It was lovely to spin. It's soft, lustrous and a little fuzzy.

Test knit

I knitted it with 4mm Knitter's Pride Dreamz, as it got some fuzz I did try larger needles as I would do for mohair to see how it would react.

Now the real deal!!!

376 yards/150 grams

It is very nice, soft, lustrous... still need a good wash.

The final result...

washed with shampoo and rinse with some hair conditioner, then I used the salad spinner to drain off all the water and to finish a good whack.  The photo is showing it drying.

I named the first skein Big Pearl... and I think it deserved some little ribbons.

This one is even softer as I didn't twist as much as the test one, and it really does make a difference.

It even got a twin!

Fun under the sun...

I have been spinning  all summer.  Since last spring my right arm has been in pain so no knitting for me :(  I only been spinning merino giving a rest and some time to heal to that injured arm.

 Now I have lots of merino 

2 pounds of dark brown, 1 pound of golden and 1 pound of powder blue.  This was from the fibers I posted on this blog earlier, it's all washed and whacked then dried outside, now it's all waiting for some needles or crochets.