Diagonal Shell

This "Diagonal Shell" vest has been completed for quite some time. I started it back in November after years of being intrigued by this particular design. It's worked diagonally from one hip across to the opposite shoulder, front and back worked separately. That diagonal stitch pattern creates a really nice drape to the fabric. 

Sorry for the very dark photos, they were taken on a gloomy day and I haven't gotten around to taking better ones. This next photo shows the colour a little better. It really is quite pretty, with diagonal ribbons of colour that are ever changing.

The edging is a crocheted "crab stitch" which gives a delicate picot looking textured finish.

This is a pattern I may make again some day. I purchased yarn for this one, but it would also work up nicely for a destashing of little bits of this and that.

Barnstaple Vest

From the great long blogging break that I have taken you would think I hadn't done anything at all creative in a long time, but that isn't the case. During the 2 hour breaks I get each morning while the puppy, Teddy, goes down for a nap, I have been able to accomplish quite a bit. This new vest is a recent finished project.

It's the "Barnstaple Vest", pattern by Sandi Rosner.

The fit is perfect and I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

I respaced the buttonholes. I have 5 buttons with 12 stitches between each buttonhole rather than the 7 buttons with 8 stitches between each buttonhole as suggested in the pattern. I find fewer buttons, placed farther apart a more pleasing look.

Since my last post in November I have been working on several other projects, some are finished, some are still works in progress. More on that over the next few days -- if my blogging ompf holds out and Teddy-pup gives me a few moments to myself.

Won't Fit For Long!

 I'm almost finished this sweater for Teddy.

I just need to find appropriate buttons for the belly straps and get them sewn on.

But I don't know if he'll get much wear from it. 

The weather is just starting to get a bit cold here, 

and Teddy can't walk in places where other dogs may have roamed until he's had his next vaccinations 3 weeks from now.

By then he may have outgrown the sweater! 

While I was knitting it it seemed like it was going to be too large.

Teddy's First Hallowe'en

 Happy Hallowe'en everyone, from Li'l One-eyed Teddy!

This is his very first Hallowe'en, and he's a little bummed that he didn't get a costume to go out Trick-or-Treating. 

He figured costumes like "Cyclops", "Flying Purple People Eater", "Long John Silver" and "Mad Eye Moody" would be perfect for a uniquely handsome guy like himself.

But he is only a little over 12 weeks old and until he has been fully vaccinated it's not considered safe for him to be out and about where other dogs may have been.

Maybe next year Teddy. I know at least one neighbour who would be sure to have a little treat for you -- costume or not. 

Where Does a Teddy Sleep?

 Where does Teddy, our new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, sleep?

Officially? -- in his little kennel. At least that's where he sleeps at night and occasionally during the day when he feels so inclined.

But if everyone is downstairs and keeping an eye on him he also has a little bed there. 

He really appreciates sleeping on laps or cradled in someone's arms too.

And if a "walk" happens when he is sufficiently tired he'll sleep in a sling too. Today (cue ominous music) he wasn't sufficiently tired and the walk was no nap. For me it was more like wrestling with a 5 pound many toothed shark or a tiger! Next time I'll be bringing his teething ring just in case!

Teddy's Homecoming.

Teddy came home with us this morning! He was a very good boy for the whole trip, not a whimper! He's also the first puppy we've ever brought home without a barfing-in-the-car incident.

Teddy's blind left eye doesn't stop him from being curious about the world around him.

He doesn't like the grass though. That might make potty training a bit tricky.

I took him out in a Snuggly-like puppy sling and he immediately fell asleep and seems quite content in there.

Do you think he might end up a bit spoiled here? 😄

 

Two More Sleeps!

 Young children, when excited about an upcoming event, often express the counting down of the days as a number of "sleeps". Well, I'm counting sleeps! Two more to go before the big day. On Saturday little Teddy will be coming home with us!

Teddy's vet visit went well. His eye abnormality is due to Microphthalmia. He has one eye that is smaller and underdeveloped. He is blind in that eye. It can't be corrected or "cured", but he can live a normal and otherwise healthy and happy life. Everything else about his health looks good.

Here's a photo of him with his siblings at the vet's office. He's the second from the left.

He was being such a good boy --- so tolerant of the antics of his rowdy littermates.

Sewing In My Remaining Time

Time is short so I've been getting some necessary things done. One of those things is the addition of a couple of needed night shirts. I've made them before so no learning curve, and the confidence of a good fit means getting a couple more into my drawer didn't take long. Good thing, since if all goes well there will be a distraction that makes finding sewing time difficult. Well -- he will make ANY hobby time difficult for at least a few months I think! 

If his vet check up goes well on Wednesday, this little guy, an 8 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, will be joining us on the weekend. He has an eye problem that needs further investigation, but baring any other complications we will be welcoming him with open arms. Please send your prayers, well wishes, good energy, whatever positive thoughts you can muster. We love him already!

So after shamelessly using a puppy photo to drag interest to the blog, here's the two nighties. 

Adding Ribbing

 Although the original pattern, Drops 51-21, did not have ribbing on the bottom hem, I have added some. I think it will look and fit better this way. I picked up the 1x1 ribbing from a provisional cast on and knit it top down, ending with a tubular cast off.

I've also chosen to carry the cabling pattern all the way across the whole sweater, rather than just on the fronts as instructed in the pattern. I want the back to be as impressive as the front!

Here it is, pre-ribbing, laid out flat so you can see the intricate patterning. These long long rows that go all the way around the body are very slow to knit. 280 stitches per row!

Yubinuki and Temari

 This is not my work, these were gifts from a very talented friend and fellow guild member, but I wanted to show you. Aren't they beautiful?

The spheres are Japanese Temari balls. They are balls of thread wound and needle woven into intricate patterns. They were traditionally a gift given to children on New Years Day but have become a collectable art form.

The beautifully patterned rings displayed on the fingers of the hand mannequin are decorative Yubinuki, a traditional Japanese paper and silk thimble-ring worn on the middle finger and used during stitching or embroidery to push the needle.

Still Spinning

The Tour de Fleece has been over for a month already and yet I still continue to spin on a near daily basis. I ended up helping out at the Chilliwack Fair by supervising the Needle Arts displays for the entire weekend long fair and during that time I got a lot of spinning done. I finished spinning these drum carded batts of Superwash Merino mill ends ---

--- and made them into 8 rather large 3 ply skeins. Although I haven't yet weighed them, I estimate that there is over 3 pounds of wool there.

I have now started knitting them in to a cabled cardigan for myself. This was an early picture, I have more done now --- a full repeat of all the charts --- and it is going well.

And while I'm knitting that large batch of spinning into a sweater, I am still spending a little time each morning spinning on my next project. This is a BFL hand dyed by Jude of Ewesful Creations. I bought three 4 oz. braids of it and will make a 3 ply. I have no specific plans for the finished skeins but 12 oz. should be enough for "something" worthwhile.

 

 

End of the Tour

Today is the last day of the Tour de Fleece. It won't be my last day of spinning though. I'm hooked! I really love spinning outdoors each day using my Electric Eel Wheel 6 (EEW6), so that will likely continue, at least in the mornings, all summer long.

Above is all of the spinning that I accomplished during the 23 day Tour de Fleece. The last skein was the drab green one. The colour doesn't excite me, so the Superwash Merino mill ends have languished in my stash for many many years. I finally got around to drum carding them during the tour. I have enough remaining to spin another large 3ply skein. I'll get started on that today. 😄

Still Spinning Daily

The daily spinning for the Tour de Fleece continues. This 50/50 merino/tencel blend, hand dyed by Jude of Ewesful Creations, is on my EEW6 right now. I'm almost finished spinning the last of three 4 oz braids of it and then will likely get to the plying this afternoon. 

When that is complete I'll dive into this huge pile of fluffy batts. Both the white and the green were carded on my Patrick Green "Deb's Delicate Deluxe" drum carder from Superwash mill ends I purchased many years ago. I'll likely start with the green since there is less of it to get through and then I can recycle the cardboard box I have it stored in.

Somehow I totally skipped posting these two completed spinning projects. Both are BFL hand dyed by Jude. 8 oz of the green, 4 oz of the yellow. I love the vibrant colours!

Modified Long Draw

There was some discussion in a spinning forum about different drafting methods. I mentioned that with the ability to put an e-spinner to the side, rather than directly in front of me, my method, a form of modified long draw, has become very comfortable and ergonomic. I was asked for a video of how I spin and my husband made this short video. 

With the foot switch of the EEW6 up by my feet I am able to stop or start the e-spinner without moving my hands from the drafting in progress. 

Too Busy for Updates

 I've been lagging behind in photo updates of the ongoing spinning for the Tour de Fleece. As pledged, I have been spinning every day of the tour. This is what I've accomplished so far:

6 skeins of BFL in the "Crayon Box" colourway, from 4 oz. braids hand dyed by Jude of Ewesful Creations. The two on the left were spun and plyed as a fractual. The remaining four were chain plyed. I think I'll use all of them together in a Saori weaving.

These three skeins are also BFL wool from 4 oz. braids hand dyed by Jude and then spun and chain plyed by me.

I've now started in on a lovely wool/tencel blend. No pictures of that one yet.

Day 2

The second day of the Tour de Fleece was quite productive. The family was hiding out from extremely hot temperatures by staying indoors in air conditioned comfort. I spun through a movie and then a long visit with family and got quite a bit done.

I finished the first braid, all of it on bobbin one, and I'm now about 1/2 way through the second braid. 

Even with central air conditioning running constantly it is 80°F (26.67°C) in our house this evening! I feel so sorry for those suffering through this extreme heat without air conditioning! We've only had it ourselves for the past few years. 

Before the Start

Before the start of the Tour de Fleece yesterday I needed to clear my bobbins of another ongoing project. These two skeins are the result. They are 3 ply Superwash merino (of about a fingering weight I think) spun up from batts I made from mill ends I purchased years and years ago.

I have way more batts to spin and a lot more to card -- pounds of the stuff~ I'll get back to it after the Tour de Fleece.