Author: Dan

On the Mend

Posted on by Dan

I haven’t been forthcoming with much detail on my hip problem (not exactly scratchcrafty news), but since I’ve mentioned it, I feel like I should at least say things are, as far as I can tell, clearing up. (It’s hard not to be a little skeptical at the process of elimination that is often used by the health care industry in trying to determine a diagnosis, but that’s a discussion for another day–or not.)

At any rate, I must have been channeling some healing vibes (or maybe it’s the thought of approaching springtime), because I made a few more happy-go-lucky felted friends. I think it’s important to be reminded every once in awhile that we should not be taking life too seriously. Having a couple of these guys in strategic places around the house provide a subtle reminder of that.

Felted Swinging Bears

Now that I’m back at work, my spinning production will decrease a bit. I did manage to finish another 4 oz. of sock yarn. This 3-ply yarn (yielding about 300 yards) was spun from some superwash colonial wool that we dyed last summer. It’s always satisfying pulling out and using stash that’s been sitting around for awhile.

Handspun - Superwash Colonial

And, Virginia is back at making socks. She finished this pair a week or so ago. It’s her own pattern, knit using KnitPicks Essential.

Sock #35 (52 Sock Challenge)

Log Cabin Blanket

Posted on by Dan

Several years ago I thought it would be fun to give Virginia the gift of the Palette Sampler. I can’t remember how many balls of yarn they included in the sampler, but I think it was one of each of their colors. It just so happened that one of her friends decided that this would be a fun gift, too. Suffice it to say, she had to do some major rearranging to accommodate this sudden (and large) influx of yarn.

Some of you may remember the Fair Isle sweater she created with some of the yarn.  As exciting as it was to design and knit a sweater like that, she could have knit another 20 sweaters just like it, and still have some of that yarn left over. No doing.

Thus was born the Log Cabin Blanket, a garter stitch extravaganza using the fingering-weight yarn doubled.

Log Cabin

Two years in the making, this blanket has seen a lot of television. I believe it made it through PBS’s entire Jane Austen series last winter, not to mention a collection of several complete seasons of shows like, Flight of the Conchords, Jeeves and Wooster… now that I think about  it, the blanket may have actually witnessed Mr. Darcy’s penetrating looks several times over the course of its creation.

Log Cabin

The final push came this weekend. The last row had been picked up (all 250 stitches of it) and all that was required to move it from its basket to the bed was several hours of heavy knitting (and some crochet around the edges).

It’s done. And, now that KnitPicks has refined their color palette to more heathery and somewhat more sophisticated colors, Virginia has (not surprisingly) opened herself up to the possibility of trying something like this, again. Until then, it’s nice to have some space back, and a significant chunk taken out of her stash.

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The Advantages of Being Confined to a Chair

Posted on by Dan

OK, “confine” is probably too strong of a word to use, but my radius of travel has definitely decreased, as well as the frequency with which that travel occurs. I will still be resting for another week, my employer graciously allowing me to do as much work as possible from the comfort of our home.

Besides working from home, I am so glad that, one, I have a single treadle spinning wheel, and two, my right leg is unaffected. That results of which are shared below:

Handspun - Superwash Merino

These are two, somewhat equal, skeins of superwash merino. The roving was dyed in a 4 oz. bump. I split the roving lengthwise and spun a three-ply (navajo) yarn with 150 yards on one, and 160 yards on the other skein. Virginia, barely waiting for the yarn to dry from setting, has already started a pair of socks with this.

Handspun - Merino/Tencel

Finished yesterday, this fun skein was spun from a 50/50 blend of merino/tencel top. It’s my first time spinning with tencel… not sure what to think. If it’s supposed to be a substitute for silk, I’ll take the silk. Still, fun colors, a gratifying little project, and the 190 yards from a 3 oz. bundle will make a funky scarf.

Lest you begin to worry about the lack of socks being posted, Virginia, filling a special order for someone wanting to show his support for the Vikings (even in post season), knit these using SmartYarn.

Sock #34 (52 Sock Challenge)

I suspect there will be more spinning content in the next several days. For the record, though, I am starting to get a bit behind at work, so this coming week will be a good test of will power and discipline.

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No Pain, No Gain

Posted on by Dan

So I’ve been confined to my house/chair for a week due to a, still to be explained, hip injury. There for a couple of days I wasn’t moving a whole lot, and between doses of vicodin and muscle relaxants there was a lot of time. I really had no excuse but to finish up some languishing projects.

After five years, I finally get to move this quilt from basket to bed top.

Anniversary Quilt

We decided for our third anniversary that we should put together a quilt. Well, we’re nearing our eighth and it’s finally done. Look closely, those stitches are all hand-quilted (but, don’t look too closely, my stitches per inch are probably best read as inches per stitch… ok, maybe not that bad).

Anniversary Quilt

The problem with taking this long to quilt a queen-sized blanket is that you don’t develop the calluses on your finger tips. So, along with a sore hip, I have a couple of sore fingers.

Anniversary Quilt

It sure is nice to have it done. The several quilt ideas we have in the cue are now this much closer to becoming reality.

Not only did I finish the quilt, I was also able to spin through the rest of my llama (injury on left hip, so right leg perfectly capable of treadling).

Handspun - Llama

This was a 14 oz. bat of dehaired llama. In total I spun 860 yards of 2-ply yarn. With the exception of spinning from a bat (a first for me), this acted pretty similarly like alpaca. It’s warm and soft like alpaca, too.

Handspun - Llama

I’m sure there will be more projects in the near future, as I’m still recovering and requested by the doctor to stay close to home… and there’s only so much bad, daytime TV one can watch.

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