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YOP10 Week 6/52 – Crochet & Samoyed dog hair yarn

Crochet

I have been practicing ‘how to follow crochet patterns’, with some of the Samoyed dog hair I spun for my neighbour’s parents. They’ve asked for a rose, snowman, heart and snowflakes.

I started with a rose pattern from Ravelry and it was turning into a huge rose, so I ripped that out and made a smaller one, using the Basic Rose pattern by June Gilbank. This worked out much better and the rose is just 5cm/2″ across.

I then started on the Snowman Friends pattern by Rupinder Kaur. Once I’d done the head I worried it would be very big, so I turned the head into the body and made a smaller head. He is softly stuffed with some unspun dog hair.

For his scarf, I had a handspun Corriedale single in my stash that was too short to bother plying, so I crocheted it (double crochet/US term…I’m only learning US terms as they make more sense than UK terms.) For his nose I’ve just used some orange fibre from my stash. It isn’t felted or stuck on yet so he looks a bit odd. I’m not sure about his mouth yet.

I then made a snowflake. It was very curly so I’m blocking it and will see if that sorts it. I perhaps should have gone up a needle size? I’m too new to crochet to really understand issues.

I’m impatient to start the Havana Afghan but won’t be until next year when I can justify buying lots of yarn for it. So instead I’m making a miniature version to be a notebook cover! I’m also testing how I like it with one main colour and different accent colours. I’ll then make another sample with different colours. I like both types I’ve seen on Ravelry and the designer’s Facebook gallery. This is some free acrylic yarn I was given.

Knitting

On Thursday I did a detailed post with much better photos of Reyna. I love it now it’s blocked.

On Technique Tuesday. I watched some tutorials on helical knitting, jogless stripes and mosaic knitting, but haven’t practiced them yet.

With more of the Samoyed yarn, I knit a heart shape using the Don’t Break My Heart by One Lone Tree pattern and I added a loop for hanging. It is stuffed with some of the unspun dog hair. This pattern used Judy’s magic cast on and this is the first time I’ve got it right.😀

I also cast on a pair of Rose City Roller socks for myself (well they’ll have a Hermione’s everyday sock heel and toe, but have a rolled cuff). I did a few rows with some dark blue and then switched to the gorgeous bluebell time of year yarn, my plan is to also do the blue on the heel and toe as well, so my first pair with contrasting heel, toe and cuff. But as you can see I’ve barely done anything and these are using leftovers from other socks.

Sewing

My Winnie the Pooh fat corner packs arrived from Aldi. I’m impressed at the quality considering they were a good price. I’ve ordered a kit to make some beeswax wraps and will use the others to make some items, so once they’ve been turned into something I’ll photograph them.

Spinning

The fibre I won during TDF arrived from Laura (from The Corner of Knit & Tea podcast). It is super fine merino from Three Waters Farm. I may felt it, rather than spin it…or maybe do a fractal spin…we shall see!

Ravelry are holding a Tour de Fleece part 2, when the postponed TDF is actually happening this month. I am only joining the dog hair spinning team this time, as I would like to spin some of my own dog’s hair and want to make a heart and perhaps some other things. I think it’s a nice way of having something physical to remember them by.

Weaving

I have started a secret project on my 10″ loom and will be warping my 32″ loom this week. So it is going to be secret squirrels for a while. I’ve been experimenting with the design a bit, so if it isn’t a success I’ll keep it.

Other News

A day and a half this week was spent on Guild matters including a committee meeting via Zoom. We also had 2 days where it was actually dry and summer weather!! So I did some weeding and deadheading flowers. During July it was cold, grey and damp (literally jumper and hat weather some days!) so it was nice to have 20⁰C and some sunshine for a change. It is supposed to stay warm for a few days!

I’m very annoyed at myself, yesterday afternoon I was trimming the cucumber leaves from around the bottom and accidentally cut through the main stem….arrggghhhh!

This is showing half of the beach in Dingwall! It’s sinking sand on the right and there’s the same sized sandy beach behind…it is basically tiny! Our house is on the hillside somewhere, as we can see this beach from our bedroom window.

This is the Year of Projects Group’s 10th year, but my 3rd year participating. The details for the Year of Projects Group are on Ravelry*. Once there, please click on the latest weekly folder and follow the links to the members’ blog posts for that week. The YOP year runs from July to June and posts are shared on Sundays (usually).

*Some people have experienced some visual problems with the new Ravelry style, so if you are prone to problems then I recommend changing to Classic Ravelry view.

26 comments

  1. All your projects look great! The dog hair items are lovely, and you’re right – that is a nice way to have something to remember a loved pet. The Havana afghan is a really interesting pattern – can’t wait to see your progress!

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  2. wow, another very productive week!
    That samoyed hair looks so lovely, the owners will be bowled over, I certainly would be, it is so difficult to decide which one is the prettiest!

    A view of that beach from your window sounds spectacular – tiny, yes, but it looks so secluded, that really could be your very own private beach!

    Are you in the Scottish guild, I guess?

    Now, that secret weaving project does make me curious…

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      • sounds great! I only stumbled upon the online guild as they were offering free membership (journal excluded) during the covid crisis, and I love it! Will look into the Scottish ones, though attending meetings is unrealistic given my long distance commute 😦

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  3. All of your projects look lovely. The dog hair projects are really pretty I’m sure your neighbour’s parents will love them.
    The Havana looks great in those colours.

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  8. Your crocheting is coming along fabulously! I think the star looks perfect the way it is. The snowman and rose turned out cute too. The heart is a great idea for a remembrance of one’s fur baby. Love the colors of the socks you are doing. RCR are the best socks to use up dribs and drabs of leftover sock yarn. Well that and my granny stripe sock scrap blanket LOL. Now you have me wondering what is on your looms. How long do we need to wait to find out?

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  9. I love how the samoyed is crocheting up – so fluffy and you have chosen the right projects to highlight its texture. Good idea about the small book cover out of the Havana pattern. I think I might do something similar rather than tacking the blanket. I need to purchase a lot more yarn for the Wrapped in Jamie so I think the Havana will be put on hold.
    You have had a very productive week and oh my I was sorry to here about the cucumber mishap.

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  12. I swear you succeed at everything you try! Your crocheting is great and what cute little ornaments. Love the snowman! How can you wait a year? LOL! When I find something that really inspired me I am all over it! Well, if I have the funds. 🙂 You do a lot in one week!

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    • The crochet projects are only tiny. I am now thinking of buying Havana yarn with Chris money from my dad and that makes it a keepsake even more. We shall see if I can hold off that long 😂

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  13. I love your Samoyed Rose and the knitted heart! And those colors look really nice together in your Havana pattern. Your Reyna is beautiful. How soft and cozy that must be. Really well done, Liz.

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  14. Your crochet looks great! It’s so fuzzy. Generally speaking, if it’s curling a lot then you could do with going up a hook size (or maybe two, depending what kind of fabric you’re after), but if blocking fixes it then I say carry on as you are!
    The fibre you won is so beautiful, you lucky thing.

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  15. Wow you’ve been mega busy! The crochet looks fantastic. I adore both the rose and the snowflake. You could go up a needle size but I think it looks perfect. Snowflakes always need blocking so don’t worry about that. The blanket is going to be stunning when you do it.

    Congrats on the prize. Looks amazing g

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  16. The crochet looks great. That blanket is going to be stunning. The snowflake and rose is great. You could go up a hook size but I think they look perfect. Snowflakes always need blocking so don’t worry about that.

    Congrats on the prize

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