3 More for the Drawer and Spinning News

 

Hi, Knitters,

First, please jump over to Angela Tong's blog to join in the Topsy-Turvy Inside Out Knit Toys giveaway. Angela has taken the time to write a wonderful review that includes adorable photos of her daughter with the book and quotes from her daughter as she looked through the book. They are cute and funny, it's definitely worth a read! Angela also knit the Happy Mouse Sad Mouse toy for her daughter. It turned out great. Thank you to Angela for writing such a fun and detailed review. Please leave a comment on her blog post to be included in the giveaway for a copy of my latest book. Remember, if you already own the book you could gift it to a friend or donate it to your local knitting guild or library. Click here for the link to Angela Tong's blog! Angela is a wonderful designer and Craftsy instructor. Click here to see her designs!

Now for some other fun and fibery things.... 

I hope you all had a good weekend. Mine was mainly filled with hosting a potluck for the high school girls swim team and then attending a couple of swim meets. I have been doing a lot of sock knitting on my work travels and going to and from the swim meets and sitting in the bleachers at the meets. Socks are just so good as a take-along project as they are compact and simple. It always works well.

I have finished three more pairs of socks to add to my sock drawer. This is exciting news. Above, the Fab Funky Fibres 15 Colour Rainbow socks literally flew off my needles. This yarn is dreamy, squishy and mesmerizing. You never want to put it down once you start your socks. I did a 7-inch cuff and used my How I Make My Socks free pattern. 

This is one dreamy pair of socks, one of my favorites for certain.

The Tiki Bar socks from Desert Vista Dyeworks are my trip memento from SSK, the retreat I taught at last July in Nashville. I started the first sock while having dinner at Ann Shayne's house if you remember. That's pretty special. Good memories.

This is another dreamy, squishy beautiful sock yarn that I couldn't put down. The colors are just gorgeous. I have two more skeins of sock yarn from Desert Vista Dyeworks. You should really hop over to Susan's shop and take a look at her gorgeous yarns. The cool thing is that she always has yarn available, tons of it, and one colorway is more intriguing than the next. It is an impressive sock yarn shop. What a huge talent Susan is in the dyeing industry.

Click here to hop on over to Desert Vista Dyeworks!

The last pair I finished are knit out of my own handspun yarn. I love them so much and they really are so fun, rustic and cute looking. I will be sporting these with my wool clogs all winter, I can see it now.

A long time ago I spun up the fiber I bought from Moonshine Fiber Co., they are no longer in business. I got great yardage and made extra-long cuffs on these socks as well as the other two pair I finished up. I have been trying to use up more of the yarn in the skeins. I have quite the gathering of leftover sock yarn going as you can imagine.

Here is a photo of the original roving. Half was bright as all get-out, and the other half was black and gray. I spun each half separately and then plied them together to get this wild and crazy yarn.

Click here to see my detailed post about the Moonshine Fiber Co. spinning and yarn!

I'm feeling pretty good with my sock progress. I still have a bunch of new socks on the needles and some with one sock done and one to go. They all get finished eventually. This is my favorite knitting, no pressure, easy, do as I please. Everyone should have a bit of that on the needles, don't you think?

(photo from Highland Handmades)

Next up on the wheel is this beautiful Falkland roving from the lovely Heather of Highland Handmades. I met Heather at KnitEast last weekend. She is a nice and generous soul. When I popped in her booth at the end of the show she generously gifted me this gorgeous Puffin's Landing Falkland top. She let me pick out the colorway and fiber of my choice. I am so excited about it.

You should really check out her shop as it is filled with beautiful yarns and fiber. Heather is a really talented dyer from Maine. 

Click here for the Highland Handmades shop!

Here I have some of the fiber pre-drafted a bit and ready to go. Isn't it pretty?

Now, I have a little something new to share with you ~~~

(photo from Acadia Wheel and Loom)

See this spectacular wheel? It is a handcrafted wheel made by Acadia Wheel and Loom, located in Maine. It is exceptional and interesting and expertly made. The workmanship is beyond impressive.

You can purchase this wheel, called the Artisan Spinning Wheel, or find out more, by clicking right here!

I am so proud and excited to be the new owner of the Artisan Spinning Wheel!! It is a dream come true. 

Someone else you may know owns this same wheel.....
click here or here  or here to see. (This is one of my favorite blogs ~ I never miss it.)

Here is the Highland Handmades fiber on the brand new wheel! The fiber and wheel both are as smooth as silk. I am loving them both so much. The wheel runs so quietly, much smoother than my Ladybug (which I still love just as much).

 I'll keep you posted on my progress. I think this yarn is going to be really pretty. I love the colors.

This hank of yarn is my first spin on the new Artisan Wheel. It is 234 yards of a 2-ply yarn, probably a worsted/bulky weight. The 100% BFL superwash roving was from Unwind Yarn Company. 

Dana, the dyer, had a deal where the proceeds of this fiber, called Tealtember, would go toward some cancer charity. I'm blanking on the specific charity. Dana raised a lot of money and worked really hard getting all of this fiber dyed and out the door. Great work, Dana!! Dana also hosts the podcast Just One More Row. It's a good one that I listen to all of the time.

Click here for Unwind Yarn Company! Don't miss a visit to this shop! Dana's yarn and fiber is breathtaking! 

Click here for Just One More Row!

I love this fresh new skein spun on my fresh new wheel! I could not believe how much this fluffed up after drying. It is pretty incredible the difference from wet yarn to dry. It pretty much puffed up to twice the size. It is so soft and squishy and airy. It was perfectly balanced straight from the wheel, too. This never happens for me. I want to order more of this BFL from Unwind Yarn Co. and soon!

What a perfect way to kick off the fall season.

I hope you are all off to a good start to the week.

best, susie