This month we talk about FINISHING! I'll show you some of my recent finished objects; my favorite bind off; weaving in ends; soaking and blocking your finished items; adding buttons; and what do YOU do with all the finished things?
You can find me on Ravelry and Instagram as denmoma; join the group on Ravelry and Facebook, just search DenKnits; or subscribe to the YouTube channel. My Etsy store is at etsy.com/shop/DenKnits
Welcome (back)! This video begins season 4 of DenKnits and a new format. Videos will be uploaded on a monthly basis and have a focused topic up for discussion.
This month we talk about HANDSPUN! I'll show and discuss all the finished skeins from January along with finished knits out of handspun, other patterns good for handspun, fiber acquisitions, tools and tips!
You can find me on Ravelry and Instagram as denmoma; join the group on Ravelry and Facebook, just search DenKnits; subscribe to this channel or follow along at denknits.blogspot.com
Shawl design out of handspun 3-ply to 2-ply from SpunRightRound
Spinning
It's Tour de Fleece! Somehow related to a bike race that I don't know anything about, I decided to join Team Phoenix Rising 2015 because she created a Facebook group and I like her fibers :-) My goal is to spin all of my two Spin This Box fibers and I started with prepping some of the braids on Friday. I'll mostly wheel spin but since I have some days I won't be able to use my wheel, I will also be using my TurtleMade spindle.
Christmas in July / Birthday Month
Like my Facebook page and / or follow my business Instagram account to see the daily highlights. Patterns that are free will be highlighted as well as paid patterns that will be discounted. I'll also have specials on finished knits for sale for non-knitters and maybe even some handspun or other items knitters would like!
I purchased a fun inspiration jar from Mielke's Fiber Arts in 'royal' colors and finally got brave enough to dig in!
Taking all the fibers out of the jar left me with a rather intimidating pile of different materials and colors to decide how to combine.
It was tough so I just dug in, picking about 3 different strips that I though would go together nicely. I used the hand carders to comb them together adding pieces in different spots and combing more. Then I would roll the fiber off the carder. That may have been one of the more tricky things to figure out. I knew how to make rolags off the carders but I really just wanted the strip or piece of fibers not necessarily all rolled up.
So they weren't very pretty to look at to begin with, but they spun pretty nicely!
I was going for a thick'n'thin that wasn't to dramatic or perfectly consistent in the thick spot placement.
These rolls were really just super lose rolags but, also great to spin from.
So far I was using many of the same colors, not too much sparkle or contrast, thinking this would be the first half of a 2-ply created with the inside/outside of a cake.
I'd spin up what I'd estimate to be about half so now it was time to add the sparkle and contrast!
These starting turning into mini batts! I think carded fiber in this format would be easier to transport than al my previous forms! These also had some pops of blue and pink, along with playing the white and black as a contrast and including more of the sparkle that my jar came with.
Now it's starting to look fun!
Spinning is finished so I wound it off into a cake...
It would've made a nice singles also but since I'd put all of some fiber types on one end, that wouldn't have looked as nice in my mind.
Holding the ends from the outside and insidetogether, I kept my thumb in the middle so it wouldn't collapse on me.
I ended with a very full bobbin! And it was late so lighting wasn't the best...
I used my niddy noddy to wind off and see my yardage...
Then sat the skein down to admire it!
And a close up...
Then I had to take more pics today in somewhat better light...
And a close up...
Now I have just under 230yds (presoak) of a bulky weight 2-ply thick'n'thin!
I hadn't realized previously how many people watch my video through this blog, so I wanted to say Thank you! to all of you as well as apologize for slacking on the last video being blogged so late :-(
The Usual... podcast content is within the first 37 mins
DaizieKnitsPolwarth/Tussah blend was a great spin! I credit Jennifer :-) Spun consisitent, thick single and 2-plied it on itself using a center pull cake
There will be a giveaway for Facebook fans as I have reached 100 likes! Join us for a chance to win :-) YouTube subscribers have continued to climb slowly as well but I'd love to see the Ravelry group grow!
I have a little bit of spinning I'm working on... Two braids from a Got Fiber? Friday sale on Facebook by Phoenix Fiber Co. spun together using a tip from Debcquilts
GIVEAWAYS!!! It's that time of year for gifts, right? There are three possibilities for you to win!
I don't know if I've ever digressed so much :-D This is a long one guys, but the last video was short, making up for it preemptively!
Finished Objects - I finished a Yoda hat for my cousin's toddler, it's a combination of this earflap hat and this Yoda hat. The fingerless mitts have been received, they're my creation with a touch of a MelTran pattern. I also got the Bender hat in the mail. This was all my design and I hope to write up a pattern because there weren't any knit choices on Ravelry already! The recipient of the Bender hat (who has also gotten other hats from me) happened to be by the Jagger Spun factory for work and thought to stop in and pick up a skein for me! Yay!!!
Works in Progress - The Easy Ripple Afghan is being crocheted for my son's teacher who is expecting a baby boy next month. I'm also still plugging away on my Highland Handmades socks, just my usual vanilla sock. My cousin's toddler is also getting a Mickey Mouse hat, I just need to figure out the ears! I'm also working on a test knit for CoggieTM, KaRi from The High Fiber Diet.
Spinning - Finished the merino from TreLiz, my favorite Greek fiber artist :-) The fiber spun on the wheel turned out deliciously but not the same weight as the spindle spun fiber.
Spinzilla - Go Team HappyFuzzyYarn!!! I finished two 4oz braids on the wheel, one was 242yd (presoak)(968yd submittable) and the other 282yd (presoak)(1128yd submittable). I also spindle spun on the road trip and managed to get through 3oz of another 4oz braid! I was able to 2-ply 178yd (presoak) and had 68yd of singles (presoak) (for a total of 602yds submittable). My total Spinzilla contribution was 2,698yds!!!
Stitches East - There was so much... I don't know what really needs to be notated here! Well, it was amazing to finally meet Darn Good Yarn and just soak it all in. I'm anxiously waiting for Stitches to post Fashion Show pics so we can all get a better look at our item as well as all the other gorgeous knitwear. I saw Wendy from Knit1Heart2, I chatted with A Riot of Color and got a sock blank & a button, I picked up a few minis from White Birch Fiber Arts and some fiber from Highland Handmades along with a button for being a podcast fan!
DGY Designing - A sweater I designed is being released soon from DGY, along with a felt ball CaPOWl (it's a cape/cowl type thing) and I have two items in progress and one more to get started! Expect lots from me through Darn Good Yarn over the next year or so :-)
KALs - RAL finished, Stashless group won, our group winner is...
- May-June is summer tops, any garment you would wear on top in the summer is eligible! Dip everywhere this is a popular KAL now :-). Consider making my Tulip Top and purchase for 1/2 price using the coupon code mentioned.
My Favorte Things - Current listings for buttons/pins and 3mo subscription to Knit Kits, includes pattern, yarn(s), and notion for 'That Sunset was Bananas', 'His and Hers llama hats' and 'Two in one' cowls along with a little surprise!
