Felting
I built the lampshades I felted a week or so ago. One is now in the spare room and the other was going to go to the shop but I wasn’t 100% happy with it, so it’s gone into the sunroom.
Knitting
My yarn to finish my Fine Sand cardigan arrived. The ‘short’ row section on the back is misleading…these are long short rows lol. I finished casting it off on Friday and there’ll be a separate FO post for it once it is blocked.
My husband’s fingerless gloves made some good progress whilst I was waiting on the jumper yarn to arrive. They are knitting up quite quickly. I’m using a 3mm needle with 4ply/fingering weight yarn. I’m used to using a 2mm needle on socks and the speed of progress difference is quite noticeable.
I think most fingerless gloves I’ve owned only go up to the first joint, but he wants them to have long fingers, so I’m going up to the 2nd finger joints. They should be called fingertip-less gloves.
Spinning
At Tuesday night’s spinning group meeting (via Zoom) I decided to make a start on my breed project. I used 25g of Polwarth from John Arbon. It was incredibly soft, feels lovely as combed tops. I spun 25g aiming to spin a little thicker than usual. I then wound it on my Andean plying tool (handy Andy) and plied it. In hindsight I overloaded the tool and so my plying was not very even as it kept getting tangled. I have ended up with ~40m of DK/light Worsted weight yarn. I have some more Polwarth fibre so may dye it and try felting it too. Its white so a bit boring to post a photo of.
On Friday I did a little yak & silk spinning on my Traveller wheel. Much prettier!
Weaving
My Aran weight Wensleydale Longwool yarn arrived so I was able to make a start on weaving the houndstooth fabric, which will be used for making a bag! Fingers crossed. The wool is quite sticky (in weaving terms) so it isn’t ideal for weaving really but I like the teal and fennel colours together and interested to see how it will turn out. I’ve done the fabric for one side of the bag and so just need to weave the same amount for the other side.
Other News
In the garden, I chopped back the definitely dead Minion bush and my husband dug it out so I could plant some of the lupins and columbines that had been in our old raised beds. I like the look and now tempted to remove a couple of the other Minion bushes from the opposite side and just leave 2 either side of the step. I did some other pruning and our 2 garden waste bins are totally full which always lowers my pruning mojo as I hate filling the car with garden waste for a trip to the tip, as it always ends up being a car full of spiderwebs next time I get in it.
I finished The Midnight Library by Matt Haig on my way for my 2nd jab. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much. When I get a new Audible credit I shall be getting another of his books.
This is a Year of Projects post. Officially the Group is in its 10th year, but this is my 3rd year participating. If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry.
HighlandHeffalump 
Nice to see how busy you are with your projects. I like the pink lampshade very much. Would look nice in my bedroom. 😉
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I was playing with the drum carder. The sari silk ended up quite hidden but appears when illuminated so I like it.
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I’ve not added sari silk fibers in a batt before, just usually put them on top as they stick like glue and you get some nice textures. I’ve heard that you can spin with it also. I really need to learn how to spin.
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Yes you can spin it. I’ve spun it once for a single that I plied with some wool. Start spinning practice with something like corriedale will be easier than merino and silk is more advanced. Take your wheel in the garden on sunny days and that may help motivate you practicing. I learned under a sun umbrella in the garden a few years ago.
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Photo is quite small but you can see a bobbin on sari silk on this post https://highlandheffalump.com/2020/02/06/leaving-things-to-the-last-minute/
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Your shades are beautiful and I love the weaving. The fabric will make a great bag. Short rows can be very long I find – sometimes almost the whole round!!
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Your cardigan looks great! The yak and silk is gorgeous. Can’t wait to see the fingertipless gloves knitted up! And I always love your lampshades.
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Thanks
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Busy and productive week, Liz. You must be feeling happy!
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Gorgeous projects. I’m in the same camp as your husband with the longer mitts. Love your fingertip-less name!
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Great progress. Love the cardi, and the weaving. Wow. You are the second person to mention Matt Haig to me this past week, so clearly I need to check him out.
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My gosh you got a lot done this week! Your weaving, spinning, knitting and gardening are all looking wonderful! The fingertipless gloves are coming along really well 🙂
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Hit Enter too soon. Love the colors of your houndstooth fabric – that is really lovely! What kind of bag are you making with it?
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It’s called a town bag…it’s kind of what Americans may call a tote 👜
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Oh, very cool!
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I’ve spun Yak before, it came as a cloud, oh my such short fiber!! But I made a nice cowl for the winter in the mid west!
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The long strands of silk help to capture it in the twist making it much easier. Your cowl was I’m sure soft and warm 🙂
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I LOVE that Houndstooth you are weaving, both pattern and colors. Also, I’m curious if you have to knit the fingers for the fingertip-less gloves or not. And lastly, there you are in Scotland and your garden looks like it’s coming along while we are just getting leaves barely here on Cape Cod!
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Your lampshades are gorgeous! I thought you said gloves not fingerless last week and I thought…”WOW”….how brave you are. Now, I see they are fingerless and I applaud you! Your sweater looks good without being blocked. Your spinning and weaving are all so pretty and on top of that you are gardening. Looking good in your yard! I need to get busy outside now that the rain has stopped for a bit. Have a great week!
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I’m so in love with your spun singles! I can’t wait to see what they become. Your sweater turned out really nice, I look forward to the project post. Nice progress on the fingerless mitts too!
Making a “tote”/town bag makes it so you don’t have to do a lot of cutting to your fabric, right? I love the fabric that your two colors are producing. “Funny side note” I first viewed your post on my phone, and it was 3 colors. But on my computer, the 2 colors are clearly delineated.
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I love houndstooth and your colors are so pretty. I have never heard of a minion bush before. I am fortunate. I only have to put my yard waste at the end of my yard, and the village picks it up. Makes pruning a joy.
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Last year I trimmed 5 conifers into Minions (the characters from Despicable Me and Minion movies. I don’t think the conifers appreciated it. Oops!
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Oh yeah!! I recall seeing this in a previous post. You were worried they wouldn’t make it after the pruning. So. What is the prognosis, doctor?
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Well one went black so that’s the one I chopped the others are being closely monitored for changes in vital signs 😉
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Maybe add some Holly-Tone to the soil.
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You have been so busy and worked on so many great things. What a thoughtful, kind wife you are to make him those gloves.
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Thanks Sarah 😉
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As always, I enjoy seeing your felted lampshades. That pink one is just gorgeous. Your spun yarn is pretty, too, and I really like the pattern in the fabric you’re weaving. So many lovely talents you have, Liz.
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Thanks Becki
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Finally got around to reading YOP posts. Those fingerless mitts are great. I like mine to cover my fingertips and then I fold them back when I need more flexibility. Your houndstooth cloth will make a gorgeous tote bag. The yak/silk fiber is oh so pretty. Has a great sheen to it. Your Fine Sand cardi looks very functional. Perfect for chilly spring or fall days.
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