Spin City

Giveaway announcement:

Thank you all for entering the book giveaway for Little Crochet. I have messaged the winner through Ravelry. Congratulations. The winner of the Little Crochet book is:

ohdessa said...

This book looks great, I'd love to win it!
ravelry:ohdessa

April 04, 2011

Hi Knitters,

I have to share my latest spinning adventure with you. I decided to join in the Knit Girllls spinalong/knitalong (SAL/KAL) on their Ravelry group. I don't usually do this kind of thing due to time commitments but I figured why not. If I don't get it done, I don't get it done. It's not the worst thing to happen.

The SAL/KAL is a clever idea. Everyone who signed up and ordered the fiber in a certain time frame received the same fiber from Tempted Yarns. After you spin the fiber into yarn you choose from the following patterns to knit the yarn (I linked all of these so just click to see):

Citron Shawl
Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief
Demeter’s Shawlette
Make It work
Boneyard Shawl
Albina
Starving Artist

Some of the patterns are free and some are for purchase. The patterns include a wide variety of required yardage and yarn weight. There are a lot of brand-new spinners and spindle spinners joining in which is fun to see. The other thing is for non-spinners, they can choose a pattern and use any yarn to knit along with the group. Lots of people are joining in with this option. I love all-inclusive things like this. Everyone is welcome.

It is a fun idea so I had to jump in! Last weekend I was spinning like mad. I had so much fun and it is a good break from all of the designing, knitting and writing. I need that. I am so proud of the yarn I came up with using the Tempted Knit Girlls fiber. It is the best I have done yet I think.

I spun 440 yards of about a fingering weight out of 4 ounces of fiber. That's my personal best by a long way. I still have another 4 ounces left because I ordered 8 ounces. I am so happy about it that I might go ahead and spin the rest this coming weekend. I am dying to make a pair of socks but that isn't part of the knitalong so I am thinking of making the Boneyard Shawl (it's a free pattern) by Stephen West. The Boneyard Shawl requires 654 yards so after I spin the rest of the fiber I will have plenty to knit this up.

Here is half of the fiber after I pre-drafted and rolled it into these giant fluffy roving balls. TC loves it when I do this. She can't keep her hands off of the fiber.

The colors represent the Knit Girllls favorite colors, blue, purple, white and pink.

The yarn took forever to dry but it finally did. I carried the drying hank around with me all day on Monday just so I could look at it at all times. I draped it over anything I could find. That is funny. It doesn't take much to make me happy.

Spinning is a wonderful addition to my crafty life. I am so glad I started to spin this winter. You should all give it a try if you ever have the urge.

On another topic, I whipped up the cutest little character that I will be posting on Spud says! hopefully later today. It will be a free pattern and uses the Hi-Bounce Pinky Ball which I also used in the Flamingo pattern. You don't have to use the ball, you can just use regular stuffing but the ball gives it a fun twist. The yarn is the same yarn I used in the Flamingo as well. It is Spud & Chloë Sweater in Watermelon and Popsicle. I linked to The Loopy Ewe for the Sweater yarn. Did you know she is carrying the full Spud & Chloë line?

I have lots of pattern writing to get done today. It's not my favorite type of day.

I'll be back soon with lots more!

best, susie