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.

RIP Jules

May 2002 - December 11 2015

Aurevoir Jules.

Sweet and gentle cat you will be missed.

RIP

Will always keep you in my heart.

Baa-ble Hat

Usually I don't follow trends but this was too cute to not hop on the wagon.

http://www.shetlandwoolweek.com/free-knitting-pattern/

This is a free download.

My own version.

First of all when reading the pattern 96 increasing to 120 stitches was looking more than what I would normally do, I didn't want to modified the pattern, I didn't change to larger needles neither.

I have use John Arbon KBN56 for the ribbing and some of my own handspun for the background, leftover bouclé for the sheep with some black cotton.

Here is the resulting hat.

Fall in Sheep

It was nice but way too large so instead of unravel and redo I have opted for felting/shrinking it.

making it thicker and warmer, so I place it in a laundry bag and in the washing machine it went.

Now it fits perfectly.

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.

West Coast Colour...

This was my prize from Team Canada 

on the TDF2015.

The colourway name is:   P.M.S.

65% Polwarth, 10% Silk, 25% Yearling Mohair.

100grams

It's an absolute soft delight to spin never a dull moment while the colours keep changing and it's keeping you spinning.

This was so much fun to spin.

I have opted for  Navajo plying for this beautiful yarn.

I like this resulting skein, it was a real pleasure working this top.

I would love to buy some more in the future.

I did check the website it's under construction so I guess it would be easier

to contact her directly on Ravelry:   Sheepkeeper.

Thanks for the wonderful prize.

Mill Membership

I'm a mill member at John Arbon Textiles

 My membership spinner package,

Mini skein (knit by number), card/needle gauge, 2 buttons, 200g top

and a cute project bag.

This top included is absolutely fantastic.

200g Top

Captain PolD'arles

80% Organically Farmed Polwarth

10% Merino D'arles driftwood

10% Merino D'arles chestnut

This top is simply amazing soft and bouncy processed to perfection, no nepps.

It's pure pleasure to spin this fiber.

The natural colours are gorgeous.

The resulting yarn is beautiful.

212 grams, 2 plies, 992 yards of bouncy soft yarn.

This was delight, I can recommend this mill for their great tops, way better than the most well known large companies tops I have spun so far.

This is my own opinion and this is not a sponsored post.

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.