Episodes
Friday Jun 26, 2020
For Spacious Skies
Friday Jun 26, 2020
Friday Jun 26, 2020
Episode 81 - Recorded Thursday, June 26th 2020
New pattern, end of be-a-helper kal, wips, knitting fail, spinning, wearables, out and about and if we have time I’ll do an on the run segment.
New Pattern alert!
As of the time you’re hearing this, I have a new pattern available through Knotions Magazine! The pattern is named For Spacious Skies and is knit using a gorgeous muted red, blue and white colorway from Birdies Knits named Old Glory and a small amount of white yarn for the star.
I found this yarn and this indie dyer at the very first Stitches United in Hartford, CT several years ago. I was so excited – I’d never met a hand-dyer who worked in anything other than wool. Being highly allergic to sheep, wool is not an option for me. This colorway reminded me of 4th of July parades with my grandparents and great-grandmother, of summer beach days and Friday night band concerts at the local park all summer with my family.
The star is worked first, from the center out, then short rows make the circle into a square. The remainder of the top is worked top-down – the bust area is worked back-and forth to the underarm, then the whole piece is joined in the round.
Recommend -1 to -3 inches of ease (negative ease). This means if you’re targeting a 38 bust, that you should choose a 36 (38-2). Bust: 32 - 60” , [81.5 - 152.5) cm]
Be-A-Helper KAL
Last 2 prize winners announced!
WIPs
Laceweight Boxy – Now about 16” long
Papillon – Started 2nd section. Using Berroco Medina that I bought at The Yarn Patch in Crossville, TN last year and a gold Tencel yarn from Artisinal Yarns that I bought at Rhinebeck 2 years ago.
Goldberry – I started a new crochet pattern this week.
Triyang – an old WIP that I started as SSK in 2017, I tend to keep this pattern for travelling and since we have 2 small kids we don’t travel much anymore.
Star Wars scarf for Thing 2 – I’m still working on the Blasters section of the Light Side section.
Ozone Sweater – worked a little on the Ozone Sweater, a crochet sweater, which leads me to…
Knitting Fail
I tried to work on this last Thursday during my stitching group, but apparently I cannot join crochet and talk at the same time. The medallions are linked in 5 places along one side, and I screwed it up 3 times. At the end of 1:45 I had completed (and successfully joined) 1 medallion and started the center of a second. That’s all. In nearly 2 hours.
Spinning
I finished my Pride Month spin! I pulled apart 2 braids from Hipstring’s cotton club from 2019, and spun them color by color to make a rainbow. Then two nights ago I started to learn to chain ply, which I finished yesterday. It’s not my best yarn ever, since it’s my first-ever chain ply, but I’m proud nonetheless.
Wearbles
It’s tank top season finally here in MA so I’ve recently wore my Out Tonight pattern, which is a sleeveless top inspired by the musical Rent. We had a cold windy day last weekend and I wore the Taking Flight shawl, a pattern by Katherine Belisle and inspired by Captain Marvel.
I recently wore my Strawberry Blossoms top, which I still love, but I’ve noticed after washing that the CoBaSi yarn tends to stretch more sideways than vertically when knit in garments. I have an extra skein of the yellow left, so I’m considering pulling out the turned hem, knitting a few extra inches, then re-doing the hem. I’ll let you know if I decide to go ahead with it.
On the Run
No exercise this week, poison ivy sucks
Out and About
Tour de Fleece 1 Sat Jun 27 – Sun Jul 19
Tour de Fleece 2 Sat, Aug 29, 2020 – Sun, Sep 20, 2020
Here in MA we’re slowly opening back up while keeping our new cases of COVID19 low, and I went to a yarn shop! This is my first visit to a LYS since January. I visited @agreatyarn in Chatham, MA, a store I love to visit.
Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
80 - Let's Be Real
Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
Recorded Wednesday 6/10/20
Let’s start with the basics: black live matter. Black people should matter just as much as any other person but the fact is, in American society, they do not.
If you have any doubts about that I am including a link to an old video of Jane Elliot that you should watch. I think all white folks should watch it, it’s only 1 minute and I wager a few of you have seen the clip before. But it speaks volumes.
The fight is not over. We still have work to. Vote, support businesses, make donations if you can, write to your lawmakers, sign petitions. Not all of us are able to attend protests but there’s a lot we can do. Most importantly educate yourself. Listen. I will be donating 50% of the profits from my self-published patterns for the month of June to the Southern Poverty Law Center who work to combat racism across the country. I also personally donated to Black Girls Code, a group who supports black women in computer science. Many of you may know that my background is in computer science, I have a BS in computer science from St Michael’s College and a MSc in Computing and Internet Studies from King’s College London, UK. My field really, really needs diversification. For undergrad I was one of two girls in my grade in my major and there were no black folks at all. I know it’s changed some in the past 15 years, but our field needs to change more, so I’m putting my money where my mouth is.
Also you may have noticed sound quality has changed. My husband surprised me with a new podcast mic for mother’s day, it arrived a few weeks after and I am finally recording with it today. Also Cally the deaf cat is here.
FOs
South Woods - pattern by River Road Knits. First handspun sweater complete! So proud of it. Great fit. I want to make a sleeveless version of this.
Aggregate 2 – Pattern by JimiKnits. Knit in Tencel yarn by Artisinal yarns. Kinda want to start another already. Love this pattern.
Go With the Flo shawl – pattern by Jennifer Lassonde Designs, knit in handspun.
WIPs
Sassy Wrapitude – Part of the Wrapitude collection by Megan Williams, Just Run Knit. Using yellow CoBaSi by Hikoo and bamboo/cotton blend dyed in peachy oranges with speckles of pink and yellow from Great Adirondack Yarn that I bought at Rhinebeck. On section 8, lace.
Laceweight Boxy – Now about 14” long
Papillon – Started 2nd section. Using Berroco Medina that I bought at The Yarn Patch in Crossville, TN last year and a gold Tencel yarn from Artisinal Yarns that I bought at Rhinebeck 2 years ago.
Ankle socks – using Fish Lips Kiss heel and 52 sts, finished the first sock, just finished toe of second sock.
Out and About
Rhinebeck officially cancelled for 2020.
“After much deliberation, the DCSWGA board and festival planning committee have decided to cancel the in-person 2020 NYS Sheep & Wool Festival. In its place, we will host a virtual festival online. More details on that to come.
If you have any questions, please contact our Festival Manager, Nena Johnson at festivalinfo at sheepandwool dot com”
Be a Helper Craftalong
I will close the FO thread on June 20th. Thank you SOOOOO much for your participation.