Knitting
This week has been mostly Elda cardigan knitting, as I really want to try to finish it before we go on holiday. I am concerned I am going to be playing yarn chicken when it comes to doing the Estonian braid section, as my yardage was enough for 3/4 sleeve version and I am doing full length sleeves! I just can’t see me wearing a shorter sleeve.
The indie dyer, Helen from Ripplescrafts, is doing a pop up shop in Inverness next week and she is bringing along her own leftover yarn from her own project, so we can see if its a good colour match. I may only be 200 yards short (if the pattern is correct). I had to go down a needle size to get gauge, does anyone know if that means I’m using more or less yarn? My brain won’t compute it.
I suppose I should have done the Estonian braid section first and then could just knit the sleeves to whatever is left…I’m part way through the first sleeve…I did start a brand new skein when I started the sleeve so I know how much I’ve used so far. Does that help though. I did think of a contrasting colour for the braid, but arrrggghhh perhaps it will be fine and I will have enough!?!
I have thought about not quite finishing the sleeves, doing the Estonian Braid and then if I need Helen’s leftover yarn it would be for both sleeve ends…so may have slightly different tones on the cuffs!
Oh my I am rambling! Anyhoo…advice welcome.
Felting
No felting this week!!!! I still need to dye some sand coloured wool for the other landing lampshade and the others I am going to whiz up some blended batts on the drum carder at felting group next Saturday (After the mad dash into Inverness to pick up Helen’s spare yarn and no doubt another skein of her yummy sock yarn.)
Spinning
Tiny bit of spinning this week, the colour is absolutely gorgeous. The colour on the fibre photo is more accurate to how it looks. After weeks of not doing any spinning it took a while to get back in the rhythm. The fibre is Falklands Merino and will be knit into a mini shawl/scarf. This is my first time using John Arbon fibre, he is vending at Fibre East in July which I am going to.
Weaving
I bought a 2nd heddle reed in the same size as my current one to try double weaving. It took me hours to warp it and to work out where to put my pick up sticks, then realised my sticks are a bit short, so I’ve ordered some slightly larger ones. These sticks, once in the right place enable you to weave the top and the bottom layers, so you end up with fabric twice the width than with one heddle. In my weaving book it says its easier to do than describe, and that’s from an expert. Perhaps next week I will have something a bit more to show you, so that you know what I mean, but on the photo below you can see the open side showing the top and bottom layers, on the left side its closed.
Other news
Since giving up work it seems my brain has retired, that or I’ve eaten too many hot cross buns and I am having sugar overload. Talking of sugar…I bought a 2nd hand copy of the Sugar Addict’s Total Recovery Program by Kathleen DesMaisons. I am a total sugar addict and already have liver problems from it, so I am determined to beat the addiction. I only started reading it on Friday night and on Saturday I ate a bag of chocolate buttons and 2 hot cross buns and we have pain au chocolate to have on Easter Sunday for breakfast!! So this isn’t going to be easy.
I am still enjoying listening to the Desert Island Discs podcasts…one of the guests asked for a blow up s*x doll to use as a raft!!!! I burst out laughing walking down the street listening to it and Kirsty the presenter was all erms and errs, first time she has been lost for words. Some episodes I’ve been walking along crying or smiling or laughing.
Today is my dog, Ylva, 11th Birthday. We took her to Glen Affric on Good Friday, where it was unusually warm for April. She has some yummy things for her birthday meals and a new squeaky snake that she had a good go at yesterday when she spotted it in my shopping bag.
Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin in Glen Affric was unusually low on water so we were able to walk out to one of the ‘islands’, where this photo was taken…she’s not very good at posing for photos and he was trying to get her to face me, but she wanted the treat in his hand! This is part of a set of lochs in a hydro scheme so may have just had a release of water.
Yesterday I did some vegetable garden planning for this year and discovered both water butts were empty! Usually they are full at the start of the year. The lambs on the farm behind us are finally being born, so every day we’ve spotted new lambs…but the streams that come down the hill don’t have much water in them and the farmer says he’s concerned about his sheep getting dehydrated as its so warm and there’s so little water. They don’t usually get sheared until June because its usually so much cooler here. Last year we had a very warm May which was unusual…now its an unusually warm April! I know there are far more important global impacts here to power, wildlife, crops etc., but my selfish gene does make me wonder how short knitwear wearing season is going to become if things don’t change. 🤔
HighlandHeffalump 
I love the colours you are using for your weaving, that is going to be beautiful. I would have said that using a smaller needle would have used less yarn, but my head doesn’t compute these things very well!
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Happy Birthday, Ylva! I would think if you are on gauge it would be the same amount of yarn?
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I love the colours you are using in the weaving and your Elda is looking good. If you are working to gauge the you will use the same yardage as stated in the pattern, it is only if your gauge is bigger or smaller will your yardage change. What a beautiful area you live in and it’s been unseasonally warm here in Ireland also so far this year.
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It’s a good job I reached out to Helen then, as I will likely need those extra 200 yards.
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I hope the skein is a similar colour for you to be able to use it Liz.
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You had me at Hot Cross Buns! I love them. Could you put the sleeves on hold, do the braid, and then go back to the sleeves? Just a thought. Your weaving is lovely – mmmm. could I weave left handed?
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You use both hands for weaving, sending shuttle left to right with left hand and right to left with right hand, either hand can be used for beating the bits you’ve done. 80 rows in on sleeve 1 and I don’t like how tight it is, think my gauge is tighter working in the round, so think I’ll be frogging arm, doing braid, splitting remaining yarn in half and then see what happens. Don’t think this is going to be ready for holiday, but we’ll see.
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Did Helen’s yarn match? I think I would undo the first sleeve, so the braid and then split what is left and make the sleeves as long as they can be
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So I don’t like how tight arm one is, think I’m tighter knitting in the round and should have gone up a needle size, so will frog it tomorrow and then do braid. I won’t see Helen until next week.
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Oh good thing you found that out now and not when you were done both sleeves. Hope it works out as it looks like it’s going to be so cost
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I love all the pictures. Weaving is bit of a mystery to me, but your picture of your yarn on your loom is so pretty. I look forward to seeing more. And happy birthday to Ylva. That, too, is a beautiful picture.
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Happy birthday to Ylva! All of your work is so lovely, as always 🙂 The cardigan is turning out beautiful! I would get both sleeves to the same point so if you do need extra yarn they will match. That yarn you are spinning is gorgeous, and so is your weaving!
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I adore the colors of the Elda, of your spinning, and of your weaving. I just love those rich, jewel tones. I think your plan on the Elda is good (frog the sleeve, do the braid, use half of what’s left for each sleeve). You’re right, if Helen’s extra is even close it will be fine to finish the sleeves with. Happy birthday, Ylva! She is looking very happy.
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As I was looking at the description of the cardi, it did mention to add 100 yards if doing long sleeves. I am with others saying frog the sleeves and do the braid and then the sleeves. I do love the color of Elda. The area you took the birthday photo is beautiful. Love your weaving and spinning too.
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Thanks I frogged the sleeve last night, they were too tight anyway. So I will start the braid today.
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Happy birthday to Ylva. Good luck with ditching the sugar addiction! It’s difficult but can be done. Once you get sugar out of your system, the addiction just disappears.
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I guess I would do the braid first and then see how much yarn I had left. I personally love 3/4 sleeves but then I have my hands in the sink a lot! LOL! Your yarn colors are so beautiful and your new fiber is gorgeous! I’m not a weaver but the weaving you are doing with those beautiful colors has me thinking! At least to spin.
Happy Birthday to Ylva! She’s a beautiful dog. Love the scenery and yes, climate change is real and it’s scary. Have you tried Splenda? You can cook and bake with it and it is 1 to 1 replacement for sugar….there’s even a cookbook for desserts using it. I couldn’t tell the difference. That way you could have your cake and eat it too! Have a great week!
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I’ll see what the book says about replacement sugar alternatives. Now Easter is past it will be easier to give it a proper go. First year ever I’ve not had a chocolate egg. Small steps! The weaving yarn is just cheap acrylic wool blend but I’m getting a more balanced weave with it this time. It’s quite relaxing and I feel my edges are getting a bit neater.
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