highlandheffalump

YOP11 Week 9/52 – FO Lake Reed hat #2

Acquisitions

I wasn’t going to have a fibre or yarn advent this year. I thought ‘I have enough yarn and fibre!’ 🤣😂. Cookston Crafts (yarn) and Adelaide Walker (fibre) released their advents and I managed to resist.

Then on Wednesday Coastal Colours released their fibre advent and it is baby camel and tussah silk blends. If you are a long time follower then you will know this is my absolute favourite fibre to spin. So how could I resist?! Well I couldn’t, I bought it and let my husband know he’s bought one of my Christmas presents 😂. I already have two shawls and a hat in this fibre.

If you are a fairly recent follower and intrigued about this fibre then click here for posts about it. I’m it’s #1 fan.

Felting

Well it’s been months since I did anything lampshade related but I did start some prep this week. I have cut out lots of Shetland pre-felt for some 20cm and 25cm shades. I then pulled out larger bits of vegetable matter (VM) from the pre-felt. (The thicker imported merino pre-felt doesn’t have any VM in it, but I use the UK made Shetland one and it does.)

Fibre Prep

I managed to soak and do some washing of the Shetland X fleece this week. I do not enjoy fleece washing at all. I still have a fair bit to wash and suspect once I’m finished I won’t acquire any more raw fleeces.

Knitting

I finally got around to steam blocking my Quick Sand #2 so that has its own post with more details and photos.

This week I finished the Lake Reed (free Ravelry pattern) hat for myself. I mentioned before, but I really do love knitting this pattern.

Yarn is Ripples Crafts Oldany DK yarn in crushed blaeberries colour. I’ve used lots of Helen’s yarns before but not this one. It has great stitch definition and is nice and squishy but isn’t super soft. I enjoyed knitting with it and it is comfortable against my forehead.

I then wondered about knitting a jumper with cables, twisted stitches or similar patterning. I like Heidi Kirrmaier’s Winding Down cable jumper pattern and as she offers discount if you buy 4…well I bought 4! (I’ve already knit 4 of hers and now own 9 in total). The others I have just bought are Shellseeker, Ship Shape and Maestro. I have enough West Yorkshire Spinners Croft Shetland Aran wool for Winding Down so can make a start on that soon. Don’t faint but it isn’t purple! Or pink! The swatch is slightly off from the pattern so I need to do some sums.

Other News

On Tuesday afternoon I went out on my SUP with a new friend and it was a gorgeous day. I was back in my summer wetsuit, there was blue sky and sunshine. We stopped on the opposite side of the loch and ‘parked up’ and went for a swim/paddle to cool down.

I was back out on Friday with another friend and remembered to take some photos, which I popped on a separate post.

I have paperwork, tree and shrub pruning, weeding, housework and kitchen planning to catch up on, so next week won’t be as creative/crafty.

This is a Year of Projects post. Officially the Group is in its 11th year, but this is my 4th year participating. If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry.

29 comments

  2. Not purple?! Is that even allowed? You certainly have been busy, and into every life paperwork must fall. (Mine, too.)

    That SUP was one great idea. Being out on the water like that in such beautiful places — wow.

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  3. That’s a really lovely hat, and such a great colour. I know what you mean about camel and silk, it is such a pleasing blend to spin. I’ve not come across Coastal Colours before but they certainly have some beautiful colourways so there goes my afternoon! I love spinner’s advent calendars and hadn’t realised Adelaide Walker did one.

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  4. Your hat looks great and looks great on you. I love your attempt to resist an advent calendar and can relate only to well to ending up buying one anyway. I’m sure it will bring you much joy. Have fun with the Shellseeker. I’ll be interested to see if you do the pouch pocket. By the way, my son did take his inflatable kayak out yesterday. As expected it’s pretty tippy but he still enjoyed it as way to determine if he likes kayaking enough to buy a much more expensive fiberglass one.

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  6. Those patterns you purchased are wonderful. I can not believe you have non purple or pink yarn. So, what color is it? I can not imagine prepping to make 25 lampshades. That sounds like a lot of prepping.

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  10. I love that color purple on you!! It looks so good. I think you have inspired me to design another cabled hat, simply because one cannot have too many cabled hats.

    Nothing terrible about branching out with colors, because purple is a neutral, and everything goes with purple. Therefore you’re new sweater will look great with everything you already have.

    I also love reading about your SUP adventures!! I’m pretty awful about leaving a comment however.
    Do the Loches freeze up in the winter? I’m not very familiar with Scottish weather, outside of it being quite a bit cooler in the summers.

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    • Some lochs do freeze yes. This one partially froze last year, but last year the edge of our firth (like an estuary) sea water froze around the edge which is unusual. We are heated a little during winter by the jet stream coming up from the Caribbean, so although we are same latitude as Alaska we don’t get as cold as them.

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  11. Your Quick Sand #2 is pretty, Liz. I thought I left a comment there, but I may have backed out before publishing it. I’m leaving a comment here in case I did leave it and it just hasn’t shown up yet. This Lake Reed Hat is beautiful in purple, and it looks great on you. Looking forward to seeing the color you’ll be knitting your next garment with. 🙂

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  15. I love those hats!!! I think I will try that pattern. Winding up is a beautiful pattern and I like the others too especially the striped ones. I love the scenery you photograph from your SUP. I am late this week reading blogs….lots going on here too! Good luck with all your chores!

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