Yarn on the Brain

the weather is so beautiful outside, sunny and warm with a light breeze from the SW,  the bay tree is in flower and the garden is filled with the sound of insects. perfect weather for spinning in the garden and walking around barefoot on the grass.

I finished the scarf, something I've needed since before Christmas as the one i have just isn't enough, just in time for all this warm weather were having...typical. never mind though, once id got the hang of not YO for the last stitch (and subsequently causing me to be very confused as to why i had 13 stitches on the needle and not 12)  it went like a dream. its so comfy to wear and is warm as toast. the cowl project I've been planning to do next may get postponed though as if the weather continues on in the same vein i wont get to wear it till October.

I spent most of yesterday trying to distract myself from the beautiful handspun silk/wensleydale  DK sitting dripping in the garden. i sat there trying not to think about how much i wanted to finger crochet it into a summer hat or imagining how it might come out (slouchy, lots of big holes, maybe something like fishnet stitch).  this morning i come downstairs all chirpy, thinking "it has to be dry, its had two days now, including one spent hanging in the sunshine for hours, it has to be dry" and what do i find? damp yarn that's what. looks like today is going to be yet another day of trying not to think about finger croched, summer hats patterns or that wensleydale silk handspun in the garden.

at the moment (in an effort not to think too much about aforesaid yarn) i am halfway through spinning this

its going to be lovely, ive added lots of beads in and i hope my friend, whome its intended for, will like it. it should make amazing pixie hair when its done.

Suprise!!

yes, i know. you didn't expect another blog entry quite so soon. well I just had to share the good news, I've finally got my head in gear and photographed some of my freeform finger crochet hats, which also means everyone gets to have a look at what I've been up to for the past month. Enjoy!

Sleigh Bells

I don't know if its the cold making me sluggish, but all i want to do at the moment is curl up with my crochet/spinning in front of the fire. It snowed again in the night, and the garden is dusted white with it, looks like we may get a white Christmas! I've put all the decorations up in my room and am feeling really christmassy, I may even spin a Christmas yarn to celebrate (I'm thinking something along the lines of "sleigh bells")

I finished the Hat/Scarf (still haven't come up with a better name for it though), and I'm so happy with it. its really comfortable to wear and really really warm. just what the doctor ordered in this cold weather. I sewed some lovely vintage buttons on it and also left some of the ends on as little tassels, which i think gives a really nice effect.

I had my birthday at the beginning of the month, so have a lovely new pile of fibre (and some books) to add to my stash. right now I'm half way through Debbie Stoller's "Happy hooker" crochet guide ( i thought i  might as well see what I'm actually supposed to be doing as up 'till now all I've had is an A4 sheet with the basic stitches on it and a couple of very nice ladies who taught me the basics), I'm really enjoying it and have even bought one of her other totals "Stitch and bitch, the knitters hand book" to see if i cant get a hang of this knitting lark.
I must have made about 10 hats by now the scarf/hat is number 6 or something (I'll take some photos next week of some of the others), some I've given away, but I'll have to start doing something with them very soon, before they take over my what little space i have left that isn't full of wool, yarn or fibre equipment







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A Crocheter at Heart.

the snow has been coming down in sheets..well sheets for round here anyway. we've had at least 2-3", and its bitterly cold. everything is frozen, even the doors and hand brake on the car were frozen yesterday, and my father had a rather nasty moment with the brakes as well. thankfully I'm keeping myself warm with hot drinks, copious amounts of clothing and the toasty cat sitting on my lap. I've also been finger knitting neck warmers and hats to keep myself busy. I'm halfway through making a hat with a scarf attached (I know, not the catchiest name in the world. I'll come up with something better eventually).

me in my finger crochet hat from last week and my snazzy new neck warmer which is super toasty, now if only i could work out how to make gloves with fingers and id be set.

my half done scarf/hat thing. its the first hat I've crochet from the top down, rather than from the bottom up, and i think i definitely prefer this technique. you get a hat that fits much better.

the bag i knitted ages ago, but neglected to photograph till now

I feel like I've really hit my stride with finger crochet. its funny, it never really clicked for me when i was using a hook. I suppose i just work better when i get hands on. with knitting, I found I'm doing it for the end object, with finger crochet, I'm doing it to enjoy the process of making something. Ive heard people say that your either a knitter or a crocheter (a saying i always thought couldn't be right, why couldn't you be good at both), I just suppose I'm a crocheter at heart.

Buisy, buisy, buisy

Life has gone nuts recently, Ive got a couple of fairs coming up and I suddenly realised i didn't have enough stock. so, as is traditional, I've been working like mad to make everything I think I'll need. the good news is that there should be some up dates to the shop very soon as I've been spinning skeins, dyeing top and knitting some pretty funky gloves. as i cant fit everything I've made into a post i thought id put up a small selection of my favourites for everyone to drool over. enjoy!

these are some of the Mad Mitts I've been knitting, their so textured and gorgeously soft. the ones on the right are hand dyed by me, the others are going to be my mothers Christmas present.

some of the Falkland I've been dyeing

one of my newest hotch potch batts, which will make an awesome hat when its done.

anyway, back to the madness that is currently my life.

If you fancy seeing my shop in person I'll be at the following fairs.

23rd Nov, Lizard Christmas market, Lizard reading room.

6th Dec, Helston Eco fair, coinage hall.

If any ones passing by, stick your head in and say hi.

It's that time again

Yes, Lady's and gentlemen. I have finally got my head in gear and pulled my finger out to get spinning. There are only a couple of items, but it's my intention to get another post out soon. I just need to finish carding the last of the batts, taking some photos (weather permitting) and packing everything and then it can all go up. so, for now please enjoy the delicious selection of fibery goodness available.

But enough of that, I have even bigger news. I Finally finished the hat!!! and i did it with no help so I'm very chuffed. I still cant quite believe I managed it as i had to learn loads of new techniques, but whats more amazing is i think may actually have developed a taste for knitting. so expect more knitting projects here soon. possibly a hat if i can find a good pattern.

 but anyway, on to the piccies.

Doesn't it look lovely. Just  incase anyone wants to make one of they're own, here's a

link to the pattern on Ravelry. Enjoy!

these arm warmers are what i went on to do after the hat, they're so toasty and soft. I had such trouble taking a picture of them though.

All I have to work out now it what to knit next...any idea anyone?

After the Rain

I have officially fallen off the band wagon with the spin-a-thon, I've been at it a little (which does count I suppose) but the enthusiasm just isn’t there right now. but today the sun is shining (which is nice as recently we’ve been having that much needed rain, and when it rains in Cornwall it really goes for it) and I’m going to get out and have a good walk which should cheer me up no end.
The knitting is coming along as well, though its still at the uninspiring stage, cant wait till it actually looks more like a hat and a little less like an amorphous mess. But in the spirit of optimism I’ve included a photo for everyone to enjoy.

Yarn Dreaming

I've been spinning like a daemon, well, except for yesterday where i got slightly caught up in carding some beautiful batts. I usually name my yarns after the blend, so the first is called candyfloss carnival. I haven't named the second one yet, I usually don't name hotchpotch batts, but this one is so special i think it deserved one...have to have a hard think and see if i can come up with something appropriate.

I've also started the knitting project with the the green yarn (subsequently decided to name it sea green), no pictures as yet though as its at the visually uninspiring stage. I feel a bit like I've jumped in at the deep end. previously all I've ever knitted are scarves, and the typical plain all the way down variety at that. this is a hat on DPN's and I've also had to learn to cast on, which was rather intimidating to say the least. haven't quite got the hang of the juggling you have to do to knit with 3 needle's in your hand at once, its trickier than it looks. anyway, hopefully it will be far enough along soon that i can take a couple of pictures to share with everyone. hopefully it wont drive me nuts before then (this is my first attempt at actually enjoying knitting, so far its going quite well as i haven't thrown it across the room yet),hopefully this will continue.

My Favourite Hat

I thought it would be nice to show you something made with my hand spun (mix things up a bit), so this is my favourite hat. its made from a skein of my own hand spun (unsurprisingly), and its spun from one of my hotchpotch batts, (the first hotchpotch batt i ever made actually).

 My hotchpotch batt mixes are made from all the little goodies that get left over from projects, like pieces of top, yarn scraps, spare fiber from the drumcarder. I swear it must have at least 15 different ingredients, its definitely got at least 3 different silk preparations in there. anyway, I love it to bits, the pattern is by Ruth Stewart and was free on Ravelry. I should probably mention that i wear it inside out (i prefer the pattern of the stitches like that).