Felting

Well I felted the Icelandic fibre test sheets and decided to join them first, to see if there’s a noticeable join.  Also I was testing whether I like the feel of the fabric, as it was bought to make a waistcoat.  The results are in…I don’t notice the join but this fibre is definitely not what I was after for a waistcoat.  It has a bit of a hairy look and it seems like it ate the sari silk I placed on it!!! 

 

So instead I used a good amount of the fibre to make some slipper booties.  This collage shows 1) the template I made, 2) post initial felting and cut, 3) slipper on the polystyrene foot where most of the felting was done and 4) them ready for drying.  I would say, this is a sneak peak of them so far, as they are still wet, need defuzzing, need the soles sewing on and non-slip gel squiggles adding and I will add some needlefelted decorations on top.  I partially lined them with some merino wool and put some detail on the outer side of each cuff, so I know which is left and right!  I will post a new photo when finished.  

This week I also made a scarf with the autumnal colours I had blended on my hackle last week, plus some more I did on Sunday.  I was keen to try to make a more rippled edge and decided to also make some points too.  I don’t have a coat it goes with so I may sell it at some point.  It is nice and soft and when folded over it has some nice detail.  The colours look much better in real life, considering one of my hobbies is photography I am a bit rubbish/lazy at taking pictures of my creations.

Knitting 

I did a few pattern repeats on Void before deciding I had procrastinated long enough about my January socks.  

So I divided my yarn into 2 cakes for making 2 at a time socks.  I did the legs, heel flap and turned the heels and then got in such a muddle trying to do the gussets using the one circular needle…so I moved one sock to the sockwunder needle and now I am doing one pattern repeat on one, then switching to the other, so on 2 separate circular needles!!  I think when I have finished the gusset I will be able to move them back to the same long circular needles again…but not sure.  Definitely sockwunder needle is quickest, no need to stop to move the cables, just round and round you go.  Considering I started them on Tuesday I have made great progress and definitely should finish before the end of the month.

Pattern is Hermione’s Everyday Sock.  As I have small feet (UK3/US5) I have gone down a needle size and should be fine.  The yarn is from Ripplescrafts, 4 ply Reliable Sock Yarn base (75% merino 25% nylon) in the “It is Bluebell Time of Year” colourway.  I absolutely LOVE this colourway and of course it was a limited batch.  This happens a lot with Helen’s yarns, I fall in love with the colour only to not be able to get any more!  Now I have switched from being a monogamous knitter to having multiple projects on the go, I felt I deserved a new project bag from TattyDesigns on Etsy.  So I bought this cute bag for holding sock projects. The photo shows my progress on the socks by Friday afternoon.  I was at the ballet on Friday night and wet felting group all day Saturday, so just a bit of further progress made Saturday night.

I have a sweater quantity of a thicker special blend she had done for her 10th anniversary.  Lintilla is being knit with the same sock yarn and I have crocheted a number of hats, 2 pairs of fingerless mittens and my first pair of socks with Helen’s yarns in various colourways.  Anyway, her yarn is reasonably priced for an Indie dyed yarn and she is great with colour.  

One of the hats I crocheted years ago and it is still going strong and not pilling, so I hope the socks will last well.  Since casting them on I haven’t touched my other knitting, I love this yarn colour sooooooo much!  I nearly made long socks and then thought what a waste, I’d rather try to get 2 short pairs out of it, even if 2nd pair needs contrasting yarn for heel and toe.  

Spinning

I did some rolag making practice with various scraps of colours.  I will use these as art yarn practice at some point.

When I started spinning it was really fat yarn I was producing, in my practicing to draft thin amounts for fine yarn I thought I would go back to making a thicker yarn…seems thicker yarn will now take a bit of practice!  I made a bunch of rolags out of one of the bags of North Ronaldsay sheep wool in natural white and brown (humbug) and have started to spin it.  Not sure what I will use it for when its finished, but it is good for practice and won’t go to waste.  Perhaps some woolie socks for inside my walking boots or when I am watching TV!  I’ve started on my 2nd bobbin so should have it all spun next week.

If you would like to see what the other YOP members are up to check out our Ravelry group for the links to their posts.