musindigo

It is.  In May.

And I know other folks in different parts of the continent are guffawing about SNOW in May.  (Bad word, snow).  So I’m trying very hard to enjoy our heatwave here even though it slogs me out and makes me feel about as energetic as a snail.

However.  It has been too long since I’ve last typed so despite the heat I am typing.  And I also dyed today because it’s about time I do some of that too.  Especially since it’s nummy new limited edition mill-spun alpaca-merino laceweight I just retrieved very recently from a local mill.  They did a fabulous job and I can’t wait to get it up in the shop.  50/50 alpaca merino.

It’s gorgeous to knit with (I’m working on a pattern in it) and wonderfully soft.  Great for next-to the skin wear.  And it will be very pretty for lace knitting.

As of late it’s sort of been touch and go.  Physically, things are a little better due to new meds.  The trick is finding balance between meds and activity.  Sometimes the meds are the culprit keeping me from moving about and sometimes I overdo it and the meds don’t do as good of a job.  I’m getting there!  Just being able to get into the dyeroom is thrilling.  And I am quite happy to not have to deal with negative temps (again, my sympathies to those of you who are still stuck with frost and other bad words).

Otherwise, I’ve kept myself busy with my usual round of weekly startitis projects (see flyby photos below).  I did manage to finish a few things (or halves of pairs of socks, that sort of thing).  And one shawl is finished.

I don’t have pretty pretty pics of it yet - but here are a few pics:

Specs:  Daybreak by Stephen West.  Medium size, yarn is Oceanwind Knits Merino in various shades.  I think I used 3.75mm needles.  It’s gotten a lot of wear already.

Other bits of recent fibre-y activity (in no apparent order - just pretty fibre pictures :)):

hand-spun merino (Lakehouse Loft) - Wanida sock (Cookie A)

Sylvi

hand-spun corriedale (Lakehouse Loft)

wensleydale roving - potential spinning

wensleydale roving (more) - spinning in progress

Traveling Woman (in hand-spun corriedale from above)

And, due to aforementioned heatwave, plants are coming alive and blooming and just generally growing like mad.

I totally love poppies, don’t you?  This is a shot of the first one to open.

This last photo is Sam’s magic bean plant, which grew from ‘just popped out of the seed pod’ to about 4 inches, as you see, overnight.  Magic, indeed.  :)

So, there we are.  A sort of fly-by update but a blog post, nonetheless.

Hoping to post the new yarn by the end of this week.  :)

Tags: Canada, dyeing, finished, knitting, life, millspun, oceanwind knits, projects, roving, snow, wip, wool, work in progress, yarn

I know.  That’s what I thought, too, when I first started making these little nests for carding.

It’s really a nice soft yummy rich brown alpaca.

It’s part of my latest spinning project, which is, again, to spin enough for a sweater.  The red mix from the last posting is working out very well -

(That’s a shot of the unblocked right front of Kelmscott).  I’ve knitted both fronts, actually.  Back next, then sleeves.

Anyways, digressing.

The alpaca above, plus this -

-DT Crafts kid mohair locks, which I’m hand-carding in the evenings (quite therapeutic, actually), and

from left to right around the clock:  green cotswold, light gray shetland (I find it’s just dandy with just about anything to add a little earthiness to a yarn), the brown alpaca and blue corriedale.  I’ve divided up all the fibre into its requesite amounts, into twelve sections, to make 24 batts.

So far, it looks like this (the mohair hasn’t been added, yet) -

All told, it should work out to about 24 oz.  Which should be more than enough for a sweater in worsted in my size.  I’m aiming to spin a 3ply worsted weight-this time.

It’s good timing, too.  I need a distraction.  My dad is lined up for open-heart surgery later this week or early next.

And, I’ve got about 6 weeks to kill before a CNS appointment at a neuromuscular clinic (but I’m thrilled to have that appointment booked).

In other news (good news) - Oceanwind Knits is finally on Facebook.  I feel like I’m a little late to the party.  But, I’m happy to finally have time to enjoy the fun interactions on Facebook.  I’ve really not taken time to participate in before now.  I’ll be posting updates as new things are added to the shop (a few new yarns went up the other day, by the way).

So, pop by, if you’re on Facebook, and say hello.  :)

Tags: life, oceanwind knits, projects, spinning, sweater, wip, wool, yarn

… things happen.

Such was the case last evening when I found myself in a position to do ‘whatever’, with the youngest more or less asleep, and hubby & eldest out.  It was a stormy evening, with localized squalls (the first major snow of the season around here) and the 100th Anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens was on CBC.

This all combined well with a quiet evening of spinning.  And, so, this is what happened.

The last Oceanwind Fibre Club offering was a batt based on Kandinsky.  As mentioned previously, I’ve decided to become a member of the club myself, this time around, to push my personal spinning boundaries a little.

My apologies.  I realized partway into the first batt I’d (typcially) forgotten to take a photo during daylight so it could be a little better.

The batts are based on this piece (but also on Kandinsky’s work, in general), entitled Farbstudie Quadrate, 1913:

There are 12 colours in the batt, blended in such a way to emphasize gradations but also hiding little surprise ‘bursts’ throughout.  Fibres include corriedale, alpaca, silk and merino.

I have to admit, although I love making batts, I am still quite a novice when it comes to spinning them.

With this batt in particular, Anne has gone before me which boosted my confidence.  So part of my determination and approach was based on her beautifully spun example.  However, being a little bit of a chicken, I wasn’t sure I was quite ready to go the whole hog and spin a completely transitional yarn.  I debated about doing singles for a transitional shawl or something along those lines, but, in the end, I decided to leave that idea for another time.  So I modified her approach somewhat.

I split each batt into quarters (widthwise, across the grain).  Each quarter is then split into thirds lengthwise (with the grain).  I am spinning each quarter in particular order so I have two gradations from ‘reds to yellows’ and two from ‘yellows to reds’ (each repeated) in each batt, reversing the order for the second batt, planning a 2-ply light fingering yarn.

Here’s the first bobbin (first batt):

I’m hoping for gradual, subtle transitions throughout the yarn.  I’m hoping to spin quite a lot today - NHL hockey starts at 1:30.  ;)

We will see how it comes out, if my approach works (I hope I am not muddying up the colours too much).

One of the joys of spinning - there is usually a surprise included.  :)

Tags: Canada, hockey, roving, snow, spinning, wool, work in progress

Woolen Rabbit merino+angora.  (Roving gifted from Anne.)  It feels like velvet.  2ply fingering weight.

Spiral-dyed Austrailian Merino - 2ply worsted weight, from two different colourways.  I still have more of this to spin.  Love.

Shunklies Jacob Humbug.  I have another 3oz to spin.  3ply (not navajo) worsted.

and this:

2ply, light fingering-weight, 800+ yards of hand-dyed merino roving.  These made it into the Oceanwind Knits shop, my first hand-spun for sale.  :)

… some of the fruits of my mini-staycations over the summer.  Unfortunately, it just did not time out to actually get away at any point.  I still have hopes it might happen over the fall before the weather cools off too much.

First off, however, I am dyeing like a little mad bunny these days for the Waterloo County Knitters Fair, next Saturday, Sept.12th.

Hope to see you there!  Sure to be a wonderful time.  I always look forward to it.

Tags: finished, oceanwind knits, roving, spinning, wool, yarn

I’m not really sure how it got to be August, but it is.  It happened.

Lately the days just fill up and flow together.

This is not necessarily a bad thing (I can be heard remarking that one of my biggest fears in life is being bored;  I certainly don’t need to be concerned about it at all these days).

And, I quite like when there is concrete physical evidence of productivity.  As of late, it’s been pretty good around here on that level.

A few notables:

For the past year, we’ve been anticipating some sort of diagnosis for the youngest, given his development is not typical for his age level and hasn’t been for some time.  In July, we received a diagnosis of high level autism.  This is good.  It allows all of us to move forward with confidence we’ve been practicing activities and setting up programs which are going to be helpful for him and have been helpful.  We are on the right track.

In the knitting arena, I’ve gotten a few things off the needles in good time (I can’t show you one of them because it’s the design for the September installment of the ETL Club via Woolgirl).  I am also dyeing the yarn (still a work in progress) for the same installment.  This has been a little challenging this summer (as has been dyeing in general) with our weather patterns in southwestern Ontario leaning towards high humidity and more rain than normal.  But, we’re managing.

This, however, I can show you, now that it’s in the hands of its intended:

Earlier in the year, I was invited to participate in this year’s Handspun Scarf Exchange.  Basically, the premise is to entice spinners to knit with their handspun.  This was good incentive for me; it is the first FO knitted out of my handspun.  I have dabbled and dreamed and prospected with my handspun but have never achieved and full, in the flesh, completed knitted item.

I think it came out fairly well.

I really enjoyed the whole process, as well.  You receive fibre to spin from the intended owner, and likewise, someone else in the group receives your fibre.  You have no idea who you’re spinning/knitting for until the end of the alotted timeframe.

So, I’m not sure who dyed this fibre; I know only it is a merino silk.  Very nice to work with.  It was spun on the Ladybug at 9:1.  My intention was laceweight/light fingering, but with a little bit of bounce, not too drapey but with some ability to show lace patterning.  Larkin requested a wider scarf, and not too long and skinny.  I found Anne’s Butternut Scarf pattern and it seemed to fit the bill.  I think I was also attracted to that pattern in particular because the Anne’s sample was knitted with handspun as well.

Other yarn specs:

Plied 9:1; the roving was divided into 32 smaller ‘nests’ before spinning to spread the colouring around and shorten some of the longer colour runs.  Resulting yardage:  skein #1 - 2.8 oz/80g/405 yds; skein #2 - 1.3 oz/38g/195 yds.  I was hoping for around 600 yds and in the end, that’s exactly what I wound up with.

It really all came together perfectly.

Of course, now I would like one just like this for myself.  :)

Anyhow, finally got around to blogging!  I have more knitting/spinning to share but my hopes are I will be able to squeeze in another blog post fairly soon.

Tags: finished, knitting, lace, life, projects, spinning, yarn

Are these not just the cutest?

They are like little pets.  Colorful bits of hand-dyed, hand-carded mulberry silk, in several colourful flavours.  :)  I would like to keep them all for my personal little pet collection but I will be carding them with some hand-dyed alpaca and merino and bringing them to the Frolic next weekend.  Time is flying.  It will be here fast!

Now that the weather is finally getting nice - yesterday was the first day since last fall I felt was balmy enough to hang freshly dyed out to dry.   And the warmer weather is adding a bit of energy that’s been lacking around here - all the long snowy days kind of get to you after a while.  Now it’s spring!  I’m hoping officially here since I have mosquitoes instead of snowflakes dancing around the front porch (yes, this is Ontario - from snowflakes to black flies in less than a week).

Today I saw a butterfly which I also feel bodes well.

I can see my dad putting his snow-blower away for the winter across the road… I think that’s a good sign, too.

I am really looking forward to the Frolic.  Many new vendors this year, too, although I don’t really get to shop (which is probably not a bad thing for my pocketbook since the takings are usually phenomenal).

The last several months have been spent putting things together.  I’ve got several new designs and lots of spinning goodies this year.

I thought I would share a few tastes of the new lotus shawl (still not officially named… it will come to me sometime soon in the middle of the nigh, I’m sure).

I will have kits for this at the Frolic in hand-dyed laceweight merino in lots of spring colourways.

So, I’d better get back to knitting, dyeing and carding… still lots to do!

I may, a little later, park on the front porch with the laptop for a change of scene… always a sure sign of spring around here.  :)

Tags: dyeing, finished, knit design, knitting, lace, oceanwind knits, patterns, projects, roving, spinning, yarn

Just a few new things posted to Oceanwind Knits today.  More soon!

Check out what’s new.

Tags: dyeing, lace, oceanwind knits, wool, yarn

I think so.

And, i haven’t even wet-finished it, yet.

This is the Ironbark Australian Merino mentioned yesterday.   320yds/96g, light fingering.  I split the roving down the centre to spin each ply from end to end (in the same direction) to preserve some of the colour blocks for intensity.

Even cooler?  I have 7oz more of it to spin.

Tags: roving, spinning, wip, wool, work in progress, yarn

So it’s nearly the end of March.

Yup, occurs to me today.

I guess time flies when you’re busy. I should know that by now!

OK. So, since last time, I’ve (obviously) been rebuilding websites but, what else? When I try to analyze, it’s all a blur so it’s hard to say, specifically.

We’ve had our share of bugs (again - I think working from home has lowered our resistance to some bugs now that Sam is in JK - poor Sammy had pneumonia + ear infection a little while back).

Boys finished hockey last weekend. It wasn’t a stellar year for Ben’s Bantam team but I guess every year is different.

But I do know there was a usual flurry of dyeing and designing and knitting and spinning.

This is the first skein off the Ladybug, hand-dyed merino, 2-ply, about fingering weight.

It’s fairly even but there are a few spots where it’s a little oddly plied since I am still getting used to the wheel.  But, getting used to it is fun.  :)

This is the first (still unfinished) skein of 50/30/20 alpaca/mohair/wool from Wellington Fibres, spun on the Victoria.  It comes pin-drafted so it practically spins itself!  It’s awesome.  I love it.  188 yds/70g, light fingering.  I have a lot of it.  I am pretty sure I will have enough for a large lace project once it’s all spun up.

Then there is this stuff (which is as amazing as it looks, believe me)- Australian Merino, intense deep colours, soft and smooth.  Just perfect (really).  It’s from Spiraldyed by Jacinta Leishman.

It doesn’t really show up well in this photo, but spun up, it’s just gorgeous.  I have one skein plied, 320 yds/96gs.  I’m hoping to knit a rectangular wrap of some sort from it.

So, how are all those sweaters coming, you ask?  Believe it or not, I have buttons in hand for the Tangled.  I do not know what the hold-up is, other than I like to be in a certain mood (calm is always good!) to place and sew on buttons and I haven’t felt that lately.  But, one of these days, there will be buttons.

I’ve finished the body of Wisteria and am working on the sleeves.

And, I’ve managed to sneak in a Noro sweater (in soothing stockinette) which is nearly off the needles.  With any luck it won’t take me too long to finish off the bands and sew on buttons.  ;)

I am working on a few new designs, too:

This one, above, is nearly off the needles already.  I may actually get it published before my deadline (which is the DKC Frolic in Toronto, the last week of April).  In any event, I hope to have them both debuting at the Frolic with kits available, along with a few other goodies.

Hopefully I will have at least one shop update before then, too.

Hope everyone is well.  Happy spring!

Tags: dyeing, finished, knit design, knitting, lace, oceanwind knits, patterns, projects, roving, spinning, sweater, wool, work in progress, yarn

…fly-by blog posting (with lots of pics but I still feel bad).

Time just goes somewhere these days - I’ve given up trying to get ahold of it… I just try to make the most of each and every minute. I suspect things will balance out a little in September, provided, of course, the Little Monster and his new school get along. It will be interesting to see how it all goes. He’s been attending daycare in preparation a few hours a week and is completely addicted (begs to go ‘bucket car’ - back in the car - a LOT - pretty hard to tell the little guy when it’s not a ‘bucket car’ day - thankfully, school happens a little more often than one day per week and I hope he will dig it as much as he does daycare).

I’ve got quite a bit of ’secret knitting’ on the go, too, so I tend to kind of keep quiet, lest I let the cat out of the bag by accident. It will be quite nice to be able to share all of these projects on the go which are happening ‘behind the camera’ rather than in front of it.

I have managed to throw some spinning in (for variety, you know). So with this note, the first pic:

Handspun merino - fingering weight. And another view:

Here’s a shot of the roving, pre-spinning:

I’m really please how it turned out. My hands have finally given over (I can’t think of any other way to describe it) from the neurotic focus I’ve had so far and it’s much softer and more even than my earlier spinning. I’ve also started work on some absolutely amazing natural gray icelandic, currently being spun worsted (I haven’t uploaded pics yet) and slated for a sweater which is going to outlive me by many many years - if I ever get it knitted, of course.

On the dyeing front, I have much new to share - these (among others) are available at the shop for those of you who are interested:

‘firestarter’ merino lace yarn and

‘mocha’ mulberry silk hand-dyed roving… these mulberry silkies are so yummy I really want to keep them all and sleep with them and carry them around with me. They are simply scrumptious.

It would also seem, given the amount of it which is showing up in my dye-pot these days, ‘Seaglass’ is the new ‘black’ :

…who knows… sometimes I just go with the flow. I have to say I like it, tho.

I will be at the Waterloo County Knitter’s Fair in Kitchener in September, which is always a grand time. Please pop in if you’re in attendance. :)

It has been a challenging summer in a lot of ways, with family visiting in July which was very fun (but who feels like working when you can hang out at the beach and on the front porch lol) and odd wet weather which has caused me to rethink some ‘dyeing days’ and postpone a few things, and lately, on a more sad note, several funerals to attend.

MrBear and I did manage to steal a night away at the Waterview Resort (in Wiarton, absolutely awesome if you’re in the vicinity) - the first night, I think, for ourselves, since the Little Monster came along. It was quite novel lol.

In any event, it’s lunch-time, and I have been keen about that for a little while now, so I am going to grab it while it’s still warm. Hoping everyone is well. Are you enjoying the Olympics?

Tags: dyeing, knits, knitting, life, roving, spinning, yarn