highlandheffalump

YOP9 – Week 44/52

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Our weather has turned cooler so my Turtle Dove jumper and Void shawl are getting lots of use.  Originally I wasn’t sure I liked how Turtle Dove looks on, but I must say it is the most comfortable jumper I have ever owned, so suspect I will make another one day!  😀

Knitting

I finished my socks on Sunday after last week’s post.  So here’s a small picture of them finished.

But they are so last week!

This week has been all about Tailfeather.  My 3rd design by Heidi Kirrmaier (Quick Sand and Such a Winter’s Day).  Oooh this is such an interesting construction and it’s fun to knit.  I am having to take breaks though as it is quite addictive and that can give me a bit of arm pain, so I do a few rows and then play Scrabble Go or scroll social media and then do some more rows.  This top is knit all in one, top down with some seaming down the sides at the very end, oh and some sleeve caps.  I’m concerned I will run out of yarn and not be able to get the full length, but we shall see. The yarn is a bamboo linen blend called Limbo dyed by Third Vault Yarns.  I bought all 3 skeins she had available last year at Fibre East.  I don’t have to make a sizing decision until I get to row 114 so we shall see.  Here it is after row 54.

This will be my first garment (not accessory or socks) knit with 4 ply/fingering weight yarn, I’m thinking this may take me a couple of months!  I’ll perhaps cast on something with chunky yarn for a quick fix of making decent progress on something.  Does your mind work like that??  Is that how people end up with so many WIPs?

Sewing

I’m still persuading my husband to let me use his old worn out jeans to chop up and try to make a bag!
In Scotland we are now being recommended to wear face masks in shops and public transport, which differs to recommendation in England.  I have a supply of proper face masks I use when doing fibre/yarn dyeing with acid dyes, so don’t need to sew one.  My husband went shopping on Friday and he said there was only 1 person wearing a mask, which is less than before they made the recommendation??!!  Strange times!

Spinning

I took some twist out of some of my jumper spinning, but now I think one skein needs some twist putting back in!  Honestly this spinning a large quantity for a single project is quite stressful – trying to get consistency.  Not helped by how many months go between my spinning mojo!  Also I think one of the singles in a particular skein of 3 ply has more twist, so I’m not sure it will ever be balanced.  Perhaps I’m just not experienced enough to have tried spinning a jumper quantity, but even if I just wear it round the house it will still be an accomplishment and learning experience.  Only 200g spun is plied so far, so still a long way to go.

Weaving

On last week’s post, I was thinking about what I’d like to do with the cotton warp I’d loaded on my loom.  Well I have ordered some 2nd reeds to give me more options for weaving double width items or patterns. They’ve not arrived yet, but I have a plan in my head and when they arrive we shall see whether it works out.

I have joined two Rigid Heddle weaving groups on Facebook and have seen people weaving Lily Sugar’n Cream yarn, so I have ordered a cone to then try that on the loom at some point.

Other News

Yep my yarn buying ban year is a disaster…but the yarns I’ve bought this year are for weaving and a crochet project…so perhaps another caveat is needed…a ban on just yarn I’d knit with!  I definitely have enough knitting yarn!
I re-organised my yarn storage, and now have drawers dedicated to:
  • weaving yarns
  • crochet yarns
  • jumper quantity yarns
  • yarns to dye
  • yarns already assigned to accessories in my Ravelry queue
  • and a finally a drawer of odds and ends and unallocated yarns.

When I was re-organising I realised I have an accessory queue overload, 3 pairs of fingerless mittens, 2 pairs of gloves, numerous hats, scarves, shawls and cowls, all with yarn in my stash dedicated for them.  I definitely don’t need more knitting yarn and need to ease off this sense of urgency I seem to have to knit everything ASAP.  I need to take a chill pill and slow down and be more realistic about my YOP list for my 3rd year.  I say that but my initial draft is pretty enormous, as there’s going to be lots carried over from this year and some new projects.

So that’s it, another week has flown by!  I hope everyone is keeping well and staying safe.
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This is a Year of Projects update.  If you would like to find out more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry, or you’d like to join in, please follow the link for details.  To read what the other members of the YOP Group have been getting up to please click on the latest weekly folder and follow the links to their blog posts.  This is a friendly group with a wide mix of skills and crafting interests.

 

 

14 comments

  2. I do love that mauve/purple of your sweater, and the stitches look very cool. I am knitting a similar color right now, row 37 on my cardigan. I’ll be using it for awhile which suits me fine, it’s one of my favorite colors. Your socks look great, such a springy bright. 🙂

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  3. The socks look great. Needing instant gratification is exactly why I end up with so many WIPs. If a sweater is taking too long I have to give myself a break and pick up a hat or socks. You have beautifully described your stash and sense of urgency you have when it comes to knitting all the things. I have a similar problem. I have been buying too much yarn this year, and I think I need to only allow myself sweater quantities. In keeping with knitting everything I see on the Grocery Girls, I’m thinking I will make a City Lights pullover. That will allow me to use 6 skeins of stash sock yarn. I just hope I have six skeins that work together.

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    • I think you mean City Limits?? I put that in my queue the other week when they showed it. I won’t do the Mohair version as I’m not keen on mohair. I did think I could make a Frankenstein version of it with all the various odds and ends of spinning I am accumulating. It’s number 36 in my queue! Hopeless.

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  4. I’m curious on how you define crochet yarns versus knit yarns? I use the same yarn for both. Although I do use more acrylic yarn in crochet for amigurami, both otherwise it’s the same….I love the color of that Tailfeather. Nicely done on the socks.

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  7. I will check out the construction of Tailfeather – I here you about spinning and twist. I just always hope that giving it many good thwacks after washing it will smooth things out. lol. I too spin in fits and starts so it is no wonder I never can make progress over the long term. I am always just beginning again.. Love the socks. Knitting fingering sweaters takes much patience, I must admit the one I am knitting in aran is going so fast – already on third skein of yarn. Very satisfying. Can’t wait to see what you learn in your weaving course.

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  8. Tailfeather is so pretty. I love the color you choose. But then I love anything purple.

    Each year, when I make my YOP list, I vow to make it doable. Then I see something I just HAVE to make and everything goes downhill from there. I have done this for years and I still have that issue. So good luck.

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  11. Lovely socks! Yes that is exactly why I end up with many wips! That and I have no will power when I see something I want to make!

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