Front at Last!

Over the course of the last few weeks I have spent many, many hours knitting while commuting and sitting around waiting and waiting. At long last I have the front of the "Boxy" sweater completed.


(Colour in the picture is WAY off. It's actually a pretty, bright blue denim colour).

There are over 41,000 stitches just up to the point of the neckline division! It's an incredible amount of knitting because it's done in fingering weight yarn and the piece is 34" wide. That's just the front! The whole thing is 68" in diameter when complete. Sounds huge hey? But that's the way it's supposed to be. The body piece in this unusual sweater goes from elbow to elbow with tiny little sleeves tacked on. The schematic for the sweater is the oddest thing I've ever seen! Those who have already knit it seem to love it though. They said it is super comfortable to wear and, of course, a very easy fit. Certainly should be forgiving if a few pounds are lost or gained!

First Bobbin

The first bobbin of weft took me a little over 3 feet into the scarf warp.



I also knit a while on the "Boxy" sweater I'm doing in handspun.With 195 stitches in a row and 8 rows to the inch, and all stockinette stitch, it's starting to feel like the never ending sweater! This is less tedious if I'm reading at the same time. I have no problem reading on the internet while knitting, but I wish my current read was available as an audio book or even an eBook. I can be READing and knitting stockinette at the same time but I can't hold the book open when I have neither hand free.

A Change of Weft

I managed to get the scarf warp tied on at the front this morning and started weaving. After a few inches I realized that the weft yarn I had purchased for the purpose was just not having the effect that I desired. I "unwove" those few inches and started again with a couple of different yarns I had dug from my stash.



The blue is a sock yarn. The multi-coloured yarn is a thick and thin novelty yarn. I've had it in my stash for years now just waiting for the right project.



I'm really liking the effect. When the scarf is complete and the wet finishing is done the tails showing there above the surface will be cut off.

Books Have Arrived

This is the first book of the "Potluck Yarn Trilogy" (and the book of patterns inspired by the novel), by Cheryl Potter, founder of Cherry Tree Hill Yarn. I've been asked to review it and to possibly publish that review on my blog. I guess getting free books is one of the perks of having a long standing blog! Yay!



The great thing about this pair of books is that they are actually ones I would have been interested in reading anyway. I've only read the Introduction and Prologue so far but my interest has been piqued for sure. Looks like it will be a fun read!

Three at Once!

My daughter and I visited the Fibre Art Studio in Langley today. Lots of lovely hand made articles were on display and for sale. It wasn't just weaving, though there was plenty of that. There was also knitting, sewing, crochet, hand made cards, and farm grown flowers.

I was particularly intrigued by this set up.  Three scarves being woven simultaneously! I would have really like to see this in action, but the weaver was away for the day.



I'm hoping to be able to go back one day to see her in action on this kind of multiple project.

Rekindled Interest

When I first started this blog many years ago it was primarily about my knitting. I then added weaving and spinning. Over the past 3 years or so my interest in ball jointed dolls had pushed the other hobbies aside except where my fibre arts complimented my doll hobby. I was still knitting and sewing, but with an aim to do such things for the dolls, or to develop patterns for them.



Lately I've felt my interests change again. My passion for weaving is once again igniting. My interest in the dolls is subsiding. Not completely mind you, but I'm less passionate about them now. I think the waning doll interest is due to over-moderating of the Den of Angels forums to the point where it's not as much fun spending time there. Add to that the recent reorganization of Flickr that makes viewing friends' doll photos there more problematic and less inviting, and you have the makings of a fizzle for me of the doll hobby.



For those readers that were always here to see the knitting, weaving, spinning, and crocheting, that is likely great news. For those new readers that were here primarily to see the dolls, not so much. Oh well, can't please all of the people all of the time so I will do as I have always done --- I'll blog about whatever is currently interesting me. For the past several weeks I've been obsessed with the idea of getting back to weaving!

Progress So Far

I've only been working on the "Boxy" sweater sporadically, in between other projects. For the most part is has been the project I pick up when I have a fair bit of waiting to do.

I'm now eleven inches into the front piece and have used up my first skein of handspun, which was 312 yards. The second skein, which I'm starting now, is 579 yards. It will be interesting to see how many yards this sweater will take --- with this particular style the body section is SO wide!

Happy Birthday Jordon

Eleven candles. Two on one side and nine on the other, it's supposed to represent 29 years. Wow, is our youngest really that old now? Seems like just yesterday I was celebrating my own 29th birthday!

Along with the candles and the sparkler I like to decorate birthday cakes with a thick layer of loose chocolate shavings ---- which of course fly all over the place and make a big mess when the candles are blown out.

Luckily there is no shortage of people willing to scoop up their fair share of the "mess" ---

--- and gobble up the bounty. It's all part of the birthday party fun.

Sometimes a long standing tradition starts out unintentionally.

FS Woolhouse Tools 8 Shaft Carolyn

Edited to say: This loom has been sold.

I have for sale a beautiful Woolhouse Tools 8 shaft Carolyn table loom and stand. This sale will also include a raddle, lease sticks, an 8 dent reed, and a “which one” for remembering the order of lever selection.




I am the original owner and the loom has only been used a few times. It is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship but I spend all my weaving time with my floor loom or rigid heddle looms.



I am asking $600 for everything. I would prefer local sales as I have no idea how I would ship this! I live in Chilliwack BC and would consider delivering anywhere from Langley to Hope, BC.



I will consider accepting a 12” Ashford Knitters Loom with extras such as a stand and additional heddles in partial trade. Additional cash from you would be expected.

New Pattern

I've been working on this project for quite some time,



but life has been very busy and filled with interruptions.



It's a pattern I've developed for Nappy Choo dolls.



It not only includes the knitting pattern for the well fitted hoodie cardigan,



but also the sewing pattern for the simple, pull on pants.



I haven't found a lot of patterns for Nappy Choo.


Hopefully this will help fill the void.

Nappy Choo Hoodie pattern (and sewing pattern for pants!)
only $4.75 for both!

Leah Siblings

Pumpkin and Gourd, Littlefee Leah sculpt siblings.



I've been pretty busy lately. Dropping a few photos off is about all I can manage at the moment!

Witness Boxy

I started a new project today. In the coming week I may be spending an awful lot of time sitting around bored and yet under a great deal of stress at the same time. I have been subpoenaed as a witness in a criminal trial. I need something mindless to do with my hands while I wait. "Mindless" because there will be a lot of other things crowding in on my thoughts. Miles and miles of non-stop stockinette stitch should do the trick!



These are the first few rows of the front piece of a sweater pattern aptly named "Boxy". It's the oddest thing! A big wide square with narrow little sleeves seamed onto the sides.Most people who have knit the pattern have loved the finished sweater if not the endless hours of stockinette stitch. I'm hopeful that the end result will be worthy of the time and hand spun yarn that will be going into it.

The wonky looking stitches are due in part to the handspun I am using. It's a bit over spun in places. The fabric is also intentionally very loose to provide the needed drape for the style. Hopefully a good blocking of the finished garment will improve it's appearance!

On the 5th Draft!

Lately I've been working on designing a knitting pattern for a Nappy Choo hoodie.



Every time I think that I've got it aced I knit it up again only to find that there is one more small bit of tweaking to be done.



Sleeves shortened, body shortened, placket extended, hood reshaped, ----



I'm starting on my 4th knit through now.



This time I think I'll be taking another 4 to 6 rows off the length of the hood.



As it is now, unless the yarn has a lot of drape to it, the hood stands up too high over the head.



Hopefully the next revision will be the final one!



I'll likely include the pattern for the sewn pants as well.

Muckle John

This fanciful guy arrived yesterday. I purchased him secondhand off the DoA Marketplace and named him "Muckle John", after the last court jester of England.



His unusual faceup is rather roughly executed and it's done with acrylic paints rather than the usual pastels, but I was after the Littlefee body more than anything else and he came at a good price and with some fun extras.



Though the two boys are very different, he and Gourd seem to get along okay.



In fact Muckle John has been teaching Gourd a few things about the entertainment industry.



Still, I think Peanut will be happy when Muckle John retires to his box and Gourd takes over the male body so she can have her female body back. While sleeping in her box she has been having nightmares that the two boys gang up and refuse to give her body back.



Peanut may have a point! These two are looking more and more like a tag team by the minute!



Hopefully the boys aren't thinking those outfits would make great pro-wrestler attire.



Maybe Peanut will have a chance to get her body back when both of the boys fall asleep?

That's Better!

I've been meaning to get to organizing this weaving and craft storage room for quite some time now, but I'd walk into the room, look around not knowing where to begin, and walk back out again in disgust.

Part of the problem was that I just didn't have enough storage to organize the room the way I would like. I solved that yesterday by going out and buying 3 more packages of wire cube shelving and 15 "banker's boxes".

I had been using an assortment of baskets that admittedly looked prettier, but these sturdy cardboard boxes are a little bigger, more uniform, and much more practical --- not to mention less expensive to buy in quantity.

If you're interested in what's IN those boxes click the pictures and it will take you on through to my Flickr account where I've "labelled" the boxes with what is stored in them. 

The Next Generation

This is my six year old granddaughter, Kaylen. She comes from a long line of knitters. Of course you know that I knit. I have also taught both of my daughters to knit, as my mother had taught me.



Knitting is a legacy that has been passed from mother to daughter for many generations in my family. My grandmother, aunt, great-grandmother, great aunt, great-great-grandmother, .... and so on were all knitters, and now Kaylen knits too!



Kaylen was first handed knitting needles and shown how to make the knit stitch when she was only three years old. Curiosity satisfied for the time being she never continued, but now, barely turned six years old, Kaylen is enthusiastically taking up the hobby. Her first project is a scarf for her constant companion, a stuffy named "Lambie". So far she has knit six full rows of ten stitches.

Yay! The legacy continues!

So Much For the Nap!

I guess when I told Serenity and Neelie to go play ---



--- I should have been more specific, ---



--- and ruled out Penny's room ---



--- when I had just put her down for her afternoon nap.