Stitched Together Video Podcast Episode 30 - Worst Podcaster EVER!

As always, show notes can be found at www.stitchedtogether.co.uk. Come and join the conversation on the Stitched Together Podcast & Patterns Ravelry Group board.


Stuff and Things

Self Indulgent Craft-A-Long (#STSICAL2015) started on Christmas Day and ran to February 29th 2016.  All prizes were drawn randomly from the FO Thread.  I apologise profusely for delays in drawing the prizes.

Prizes were all kindly donated and are:

A project bag from Knit and Stitch Bits.

.
The Wool Barn Alpaca Sock (grey) in the Denim colourway. The is a sock/4ply weight yarn, comprised of 70% Natural Light Grey Baby Alpaca/20% Silk/10% Cashmere and it weighs 100g and has 400m/436yds.

From a generous viewer, who wishes to remain anonymous, The Uncommon Thread, Silky Merino Fingering in the Pern colourway. The yarn is a sock/4ply weight yarn and is comprised of 75% Superwash Merino/25% Mulberry Silk, it weighs 100g and measures 400m.

Prize Winners are:

Project Bag Prize:

Modelwidow, Jane from Kent UK.

The Wool Barn yarn prize:

CeeGeeKnits,  CG, from "The South", USA.

The Uncommon Thread prize.

hazysummers, Hazel from Ghana.

Again, many apologies for the delays in drawing for this CAL. This WON'T happen again!

Done and Dusted

New shawl pattern (as yet un-named) knit from Countess Ablaze Lady Persephone 4ply in the Eccentric Geeks colourway.
Second version of the new shawl pattern has been started using The Wool Barn Alpaca Sock (grey) in the Denim colourway. The is a sock/4ply weight yarn, comprised of 70% Natural Light Grey Baby Alpaca/20% Silk/10% Cashmere and it weighs 100g and has 400m/436yds.
Knitting Goddess Socks, my usual vanilla pattern using The Knitting Goddess 4ply merino nylon that I got at Fibre East 2014.
Spindrift Shetland fibre by Jamieson & Smith from Barber Blacksheep and Shetland from The WoolBothy was spun up and knit into a shawl.
Gretchen Windward - Windward by Heidi Kirrmaier in Posh Yarn Gretchen Heavy Lace in the Even He Doesn't Know How He Does It colourway.
Bad Nut - Bad Nut by Josh Ryks in handspun merino dyed by Countess Ablaze.
Soundwave - Soundwave by Meghan Jackson knit in Fondant Fibre Hardy High Twist in the Gunpowder and Shield Maiden Wannabe colourway.
Ingot - Ingot by Lisa Mutch using handspun Spun Right Round Targhee in #144 Colorplay colurway.
Knit Night - Knit Night by Louise Zass-Bangham in BabyLongLegs BFL/Nylon in Lalique.
Bella Vista - Bella Vista by Anthony Casalena in handspun Rambouillet dyed by Hello Yarn in the Anne colourway.

Nose to the Grindstone

Sandbank - Sandbank by Lea Viktoria using Wollmeise Lace-Garn in the WD Graue Eminez colourway.
Groovy - Groovy (Lace or Fingering Weight) by JumperCables using The Yarn Yard Pentland 800 in the Toffee colourway.
Shine - Shine by Janina Kallio in Countess Ablaze Lady Persephone Sock in Girl At The Rock Show
Countess Ablaze BFL/Masham in Bad Girls Club

Plotting

Spinning up Shetland fibre from Woolbothy and then knitting it into a sweater. I need to sample. Thinking of doing a Spin-A-Long again.

Splashed Out

Fondant Fibre Timothy Rolags and Rambouillet in Secret Garden and Alpine
Wollmeise Lace-Garn in Feldmauschen and Pure Xaverl und Rosi
Eden Cottage Yarns Pendle 4ply in Algae and Dark Oak

Online Community

A very kind anonymous donor has topped up the prize cupboard in stupendous style. I need to think of some more KALs!

Thank you for everyone's well wishes and words of support during my hiatus. It means the world to me to be part of such a wonderful community.

Stitched Together Video Podcast Episode 29 - A Sprint Through The Crafting

As always, show notes can be found at www.stitchedtogether.co.uk. Come and join the conversation on the Stitched Together Podcast & Patterns Ravelry Group board.



Stuff and Things

I went to my first meeting of the Leicestershire Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild. This is part of the Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.

Self Indulgent Craft-A-Long (#STSICAL2015) started on Christmas Day and runs to February 29th 2016. Enter a photo of your FO in the thread before it is locked. One entry per person. You must be a member of the group.  Chat is very welcome over in the group.

Full details of prizes are given in the show notes for Episode 28.

Done and Dusted

New shawl pattern (as yet un-named) knit from Countess Ablaze Lady Persephone 4ply in the Eccentric Geeks colourway.
Heavenly Wools New Zealand Halfbred Wool Roving in the Dragon's Breath Over Natural Grey.It was spun as a semi-worsted 3ply and I got 285m in total, and  I have 191g of this worsted weight yarn.
Knitty and Color Superwash Targhee in the Early Fall colourway. I spun it as a worsted style 2-ply and got 375m of a heavy sock/4ply weight yarn. The skein weighs 110g.

Nose to the Grindstone

Knitting Goddess Socks, my usual vanilla pattern using The Knitting Goddess 4ply merino nylon that I got at Fibre East 2014. It's moving slowly.
The Doodler by Stephen West was the 2015 MKAL. I am using Countess Ablaze Lady Persephone Sock in the Persia colourway, Eden Cottage Yarns Pendle in Steel and The Yarn Yard Clan in Waverley.
Second version of the new shawl pattern has been started using The Wool Barn Alpaca Sock (grey) in the Denim colourway. The is a sock/4ply weight yarn, comprised of 70% Natural Light Grey Baby Alpaca/20% Silk/10% Cashmere and it weighs 100g and has 400m/436yds. This is the same yarn as is being given away as a prize for the Self-Indulgent KAL.
Fondant Fibre Superwash Merino/Nylon in the Campfire colourway. I've spun the singles and made a plying ball to even out the tension for a 3-ply and I'm hoping to make socks from it.
Spindrift Shetland fibre by Jamieson & Smith from Barber Blacksheep and Shetland from The WoolBothy and Sara's Texture Crafts.

Plotting

I want to write up the pattern for the large Refraction Shawl I showed in the last episode and plan to use 2 skeins of Posh Yarn Gretchen Sock in the Titania's Couch colourway. This yarn is 50% merino/50% silk.
I also need to make a gift for my nephew!

Splashed Out

Countess Ablaze Viscount of Spark in the Urbex colourway. 75% merino/20% nylon/5% stellina sock weight yarn, weighing 100g and measuring 400m.
Scrumptiouspurl Stripe Me Up in the Tuxedo Junction colourway created for The Golden Skein's Power of Three club, Winter 2015. The yarn is 80% superwash merino/20% nylon and measures 365m from 100g.
Northbound Knitting Grey Merino Combed Top in the Warm Spell colourway (4oz).
Knitty and Color Superwash Targhee in the Trance colourway (4oz)

Online Community

A very kind anonymous donor has topped up the prize cupboard in stupendous style. I need to think of some more KALs!

Stitched Together Video Podcast Episode 28 - Honking Big Shawls

As always, show notes can be found at www.stitchedtogether.co.uk. Come and join the conversation on the Stitched Together Podcast & Patterns Ravelry Group board.



Stuff and Things

Self Indulgent Craft-A-Long (#STSICAL2015) started on Christmas Day and runs to February 29th 2016. The thread will be locked when I get up and get online on 1st March. The CAL is for anything new and exciting that makes your heart sing after all the responsibilities and hard work of the run up to the end of the year, so it shouldn't be a WIP.

Prizes were all kindly donated and are:

A project bag from Knit and Stitch Bits.

.
The Wool Barn Alpaca Sock (grey) in the Denim colourway. The is a sock/4ply weight yarn, comprised of 70% Natural Light Grey Baby Alpaca/20% Silk/10% Cashmere and it weighs 100g and has 400m/436yds.

From a generous viewer, who wishes to remain anonymous, The Uncommon Thread, Silky Merino Fingering in the Pern colourway. The yarn is a sock/4ply weight yarn and is comprised of 75% Superwash Merino/25% Mulberry Silk, it weighs 100g and measures 400m.

Enter a photo of your FO in the thread before it is locked. One entry per person. You must be a member of the group.

Chat is very welcome over in the group.

Done and Dusted

My project for the #STSICAL was knit using 40% Alpaca/40% Merino/20% Silk from John Arbon that I spun as a worsted 2ply to get a heavy sock/4ply weight yarn. I got 740m from 216g. I made Eyeblink by Heidi Alander. Decided to unpick the bind off and the last wrong side row. I then knit 8 rows and then did a beaded bind off using the technique in this video, by YarnFairy. I like how this technique means there are no holes under the picots.  I used Toho Metallic Iris Purple size 6/0 beads from JillyBeads.
Eclipse by Lara Smoot using Yeomans Yarn Sport in the Birch colourway and The Yarn Yard Clan in pink.
Refraction Shawlette Plus in DyeForYarn Sock BFL Superwash in the Wooden Treasure Chest colourway. The centre panel is made using some of the charts from Refraction Shawlette, with a different final chart.
Regia Snowflake Color Socks in the 07709 colourway.
Superwash Merino fibre, from World of Wool, that I dyed using Wilton's Food Dyes, I spun it as a worsted 2-ply and the resulting yarn was 282m/308yds of sport weight yarn.
KraftyKoala merino silk fibre, was spun as a worsted chain-ply yarn. It measures 124m/136yds of a worsted weight yarn. Fibre was bought in a de-stash and I don't think she is dyeing anymore.
A LOT of blocked squares for my Sock Yarn Blanket, which is based loosely on Shannon Geddes' Sock Yarn Square.

Nose to the Grindstone

Knitting Goddess Socks, my usual vanilla pattern using The Knitting Goddess 4ply merino nylon that I got at Fibre East 2014. I don't think she uses this base anymore.
The Doodler by Stephen West was the 2015 MKAL. I am using Countess Ablaze Lady Persephone Sock in the Persia colourway, Eden Cottage Yarns Pendle in Steel and The Yarn Yard Clan in Waverley. I referred to a great set of tutorials by jkimisyellow, which were really helpful.
I've been prepping some Heavenly Wools New Zealand Halfbred Wool Roving in the Dragon's Breath Over Natural Grey. I have 200g and want to spin it as a true 3-ply. It's mainly a merino breed with 24.5 micron count.

Splashed Out

My first Fat Squirrel Bag (I think it's a Small Wedge).
20g Mini Skeins from Sara's Texture Craft
Some bargains from EasyKnits; Lush in Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Smoke in Dabloon (150g skein) and Twinkle DK in Berry.
Unwind Yarn Company Journey Sock (150g skein) in Jimmy Angelov.
Fondant Fibre Winter Wonderland Rolags.

Online Community

Katya Frankel is holding an Anything Goes KAL from 20th February to 20th March over in her Ravelry Group, and is offering a 20% discount on all of her self-published designs from 8-29 February with the code anythinggoeskal.

I really like her new shawl pattern Sidereal but I might join in with the Vector pattern from Flatland.

Stitched Together Video Podcast Episode 27 - Itchy Nose

As always, show notes can be found at www.stitchedtogether.co.uk. Come and join the conversation on the Stitched Together Podcast & Patterns Ravelry Group board.




Stuff and Things

Lara Smoot kindly offered to give away a copy of one of her most recently released patterns, Journey to Atlantis, which was previously an exclusive club pattern on Miss Babs Knitting Tour. It uses around 500m of a worsted weight yarn to make. The winner was drawn at random using random.org and is Entry Number 2, ThisPianoGirl.

Self Indulgent Craft-A-Long (#STSICAL2015) started on Christmas Day and runs to February 29th 2016. The thread will be locked when I get up and get online on 1st March. The CAL is for anything new and exciting that makes your heart sing after all the responsibilities and hard work of the run up to the end of the year, so it shouldn't be a WIP.

Prizes were all kindly donated and are:

A project bag from Knit and Stitch Bits.

.
The Wool Barn Alpaca Sock (grey) in the Denim colourway. The is a sock/4ply weight yarn, comprised of 70% Natural Light Grey Baby Alpaca/20% Silk/10% Cashmere and it weighs 100g and has 400m/436yds.

From a generous viewer, who wishes to remain anonymous, The Uncommon Thread, Silky Merino Fingering in the Pern colourway. The yarn is a sock/4ply weight yarn and is comprised of 75% Superwash Merino/25% Mulberry Silk, it weighs 100g and measures 400m.

Enter a photo of your FO in the thread before it is locked. One entry per person. You must be a member of the group.

Chat is very welcome over in the group.

Done and Dusted

My project for the #STSICAL was knit using 40% Alpaca/40% Merino/20% Silk from John Arbon that I spun as a worsted 2ply to get a heavy sock/4ply weight yarn. I got 740m from 216g. I made Eyeblink by Heidi Alander. I used 620m, which has left me with 35g/120m of yarn.
Sockhead Hat by Kelly McClure, using left over Hilltop Cloud BFL/Cashmere/Silk from the Foolproof.
Handspun Monster using 110m of Fondant Fibre Falkland Silk, a worsted weight yarn.

Purple Kitty using Cascade 220 Superwash.
Windward by Heidi Kirrmaier knit from Posh Yarn Miranda Heavy Lace (70% Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere)
Barley by TinCanKnits in Cascade 220 Superwash.`
Hobbledehoy merino/tencel in the Lagoon colourway was spun as a worsted 2-ply. I got 383m/419yds from 114g/4oz in a fingering/4-ply weight yarn.

Nose to the Grindstone

Regia Snowflake Color Socks in the 07709 colourway.
Orange Mittens using StarCroft Nash Island Light in the Lobster Bake colourway. I want to add a convertible top as seen in Stonybrook by Wendy Poush.
Refraction Shawlette Plus has been frogged and re-started using extra increases and making the "wings" in stocking stitch instead of garter. Uses DyeForYarn Sock BFL Superwash in the Wooden Treasure Chest colourway.
Spinning Superwash Merino fibre, from World of Wool, that I dyed using Wilton's Food Dyes, on my new spindle.

Crafting Library

750 Knitting Stitches: The Ultimate Knit Stitch Bible (UK Link) (US Link)

Increase, Decrease (UK Link)  (US Link) by Judith Durant.

Splashed Out

Just Ducky Handspun Pierced Heart Spindle made with Lignum tip, Black Ebony whorl, Padauk shaft. Weight: 1.2 oz/34g Length: 11 3/4”
Hello Yarn Falkland in the Ghastly Silence colourway.
Into The Whirled 50% merino/25% bamboo/25% silk in the 221b colourway.
JOMA Yarn Cash-A-Rino (70% Superwash merino/20% cashmere/10% nylon) in the Humingbird colourway. 115g/4oz of fingering/4-ply weight yarn, measuring 371m/406yds
Unwind Yarn Company Journey Sock (80% Superwash merino/20% nylon) in the La Grande Jatte colourway. 100g of fingering/4-ply weight yarn measuring 365m/400yds.
Countess Ablaze Lord of Silk DK (75% Falkland merino/25% mulberry silk) in the Nightmare colourway. 100g of DK weight yarn measuring 240m/262yds)