Showing posts with label Handspun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handspun. Show all posts

Sunday, 16 February 2014

On the needles : Baby Knits

Oscar by Lili comme tout in Malabrigo Merino Worsted

Binic by Solenn Couix-Loarer in Indigo Moon Merino superwash

Raking Leaves (handspun) in Wollen Mills St. spinnin fiber (Merino superwash/Nylon)

[WIP] Ella Funt by Pamela Wynne in Anny Blatt Baby Blatt

[WIP] Evrim by Teresa Cole in Blue Moon Fiberarts Socks that Rocks Heavyweight

[WIP] Little Ivanhoe by Lena Gjerald in Fleece Artist Trail Sock, Earth colorway

I tried to post last week but a nasty, nasty cold took over our household (thanks to all your nice comments on Twitter!). Glad to feel better and to be able show you some of my baby knits!

I almost forgot to tell you that you can now follow me in Instagram. Lots of knitting and cats on the menu!






Wednesday, 13 June 2012

Spin Me A Sweater : The First Singles - 269 days left

Spin Me A Sweater is a crazy idea. I challenge myself to spin and knit an entire adult size sweater... in a year... on my drop spindle. I told you, it's a crazy idea. And I'm crazy.
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Spin Me A Sweater est une idée totalement folle. Je me suis lancé un defi : filer assez de laine pour pouvoir tricoter un chandail de taille adulte... en un an... sur mon fuseau. Je vous l'ai dit, c'est une idée folle. Et je suis folle.


La version française suit...

Almost 100 days went by since I challenge myself to spin enough yarn to knit an entire adult-size sweater. And where am I know? Only 3 singles in. I still have 21 to go. And 6 skeins to ply... 
Looking at that picture makes me realize that yes, I want to do it, that I love to spin, and that I miss it so much... 
I didn't realize that almost 100 days went by. I know I haven't spin a lot lately, but that many days? Really? I feel some sweat running down my back and pearling on my forehead...

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Presque 100 jours sont passés depuis que je me suis lancé comme défi de filer assez de laine pour pouvoir tricoter un chandail de taille adulte. Et où en suis-je? Je n'ai que 3 mini écheveaux de filer sur 24, et il a 6 pelotes à plier...
En regardant cette photo, je réalise que oui, j'ai envie de le faire, que j'adore filer la laine, et que ça me manque terriblement...
Je n'ai jamais vu ces 100 jours passer. Je me doutais bien que je n'avais pas filer beaucoup ces derniers temps, mais pendant si longtemps? À ce point? Je sens de la sueur courir dans mon dos et perler sur mon front...

Monday, 4 June 2012

Random: Latest news and the newest addition to the Falling Stitches' team!

La version française suit ...


Hi guys! Today's blogpost is full of the latest news, so get ready!


The first big new is that ... well ... I'm not Ariane! My name's Laurie and I'm excited to announce that I'm the newest addition to the Falling Stitches' team! I'm truly honored to be part of this project and eager to know all of you! 


What's the story you ask? Well ... the first thing you should know is that Ariane and I are best friends. We have been for a few years now. During those years, I began to help with Falling Stitches. Because I'm into photography, I was able to shoot almost every new pattern she has done over the last two years. With time, I had the chance to help more and more in other areas of Falling Stitches. 

Now, because of Ariane's hard work and amazing creativity, Falling Stitches is doing pretty well. But with knitting picking up and a new full time job in the publishing industry, things are getting a little crazy. So she called in more help and I jumped at the occasion! Don't worry though, Ariane's not going anywhere.

Many great things has happened since the last post. The first one is undoubtedly that Ariane received an invitation from Boucherville's Festival Créatif des Arts du Fil, Quebec's new handmade textile festival, to be their first artist to be featured in their newsletter! I encourage all of you to go check out the video interview they made with Ariane and I a few weeks ago (see the interview here!). It was so much fun! 

Moreover, the beautiful blog Spin Artiste interviewed Ariane this month as their «featured artist» on her creative process and her new found love for her drop spindle (read the interview here). She was also interviewed by Lisa of the Quebec knitting blog Petite Tuques when she visited Mont Tricot a few weeks ago (read it here!). 

Her pattern also received attention this month. The knitting blog Subway Knits talked about Tobias, one of Ariane's hat pattern, in their latest podcast (listen to the podcast here!). I just love the details of this hat. Don't you?

That's it for now, but don't go to long before visiting us again because the next few weeks are gonna be filled with new blogposts. Don't forget to leave a comment to tell us what you think, what you wish to see or blogpost ideas for Ariane! 

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Bonjour à tous! Le billet d'aujourd'hui est rempli de nouvelles fraîches!

Premièrement, je ne suis pas Ariane! Mon nom est Laurie et je suis très heureuse d'annoncer que je serai la nouvelle partenaire d'Ariane dans l'aventure qu'est Falling Stitches! Je suis sincèrement honorée de faire partie de ce projet et je suis impatiente d'apprendre à vous connaître! 

Qu'est-ce qui m'a amené sur ces rivages me demanderez-vous? En fait, la première chose que vous devez savoir est qu'Ariane et moi sommes meilleures amies depuis quelques années déjà et qu'au cours de ces années, j'ai commencé à l'aider avec Falling Stitches. Je me suis d'abord proposée pour l'aider avec ce que je connaissais le mieux, la photographie! Les photos des patrons que vous voyez sur ce blogue sont donc majoritairement prises par moi. Avec le temps, j'ai eu le privilège de m'impliquer de plus en plus dans Falling Stitches. 

Maintenant, à cause du travail acharné et de l'incroyable talent créatif d'Ariane, les choses vont plutôt bien pour Falling Stitches. Cependant, avec le tricot et un nouveau travail à temps plein dans le domaine de la publication, l'horaire de ma chère amie devient de plus en plus chargé. Dès qu'elle a fait mention qu'elle aurait besoin d'aide, je ne me fis pas prier. J'ai sauté sur l'occasion! Je ferai donc partie du paysage, mais ne vous en faites pas, Ariane ne va nulle part! 

Ce mois-ci fut chargé, mais plein de belles expériences! La première est sans doute l'invitation du Festival Créatif des Arts du Fil de Boucherville à être la première artiste à être mis de l'avant dans la section «portrait» de leur site internet. Je vous encourage tous et toutes à aller visionner l'entrevue vidéo qu'ils ont réalisée avec Ariane et moi il y a quelques semaines (Voir la vidéo de l'entrevue ici). Quel plaisir!

Ariane a aussi été interviewée dans le charmant blogue Spin Artiste comme «featured artist» où elle fait part de son processus créatif et de son nouvel amour: filer à la main avec son fuseau (lisez l'entrevue ici!). De passage à Mont Tricot un peu plus tôt dans le mois, Ariane a aussi été interviewée par Lisa du blogue québécois Petite Tuques (lisez le tout ici!). 

En plus, le patron de tuque Tobias a aussi reçu de l'attention. Il a été mentionné dans le podcast du blogue Subway knits (écoutez le podcast ici!). J'adore le motif de cette tuque/béret. Pas vous?

C'est tout pour maintenant, mais ne passez pas trop longtemps sans venir nous visiter puisque les prochaines semaines seront remplies de billet sur ce blogue! N'oubliez surtout pas de laisser un commentaire sur ce que vous aimez ou pas, sur ce que vous aimeriez voir sur ce blogue ou sur des idées de billet que pourrait faire Ariane!





Sunday, 8 April 2012

Handspun : Dawn

Broken Pattern Hand Dyed Sock Roving (Merino/Nylon) in Dawn colorway. 

Handspun on my drop spindle, 2 ply, fingering weight.

One skein, 395yds / 106g

And it'll become a nice pair of socks. Happy Easter :)

Friday, 16 March 2012

Spin Me a Sweater : The Planning - 360 days left

Spin Me a Sweater is a crazy idea. I challenge myself to spin and knit an entire adult size sweater... in a year... on my drop spindle. I told you, it's a crazy idea. And I'm crazy.

One does not simply spin a sweater. One needs to plan ahead, think about how to spin the fiber. 
Rovings!
First, I all had was a pile of 6 unorganized (but gorgeous!) braided roving. A mess.


Aah... this looks better. All side by side. Neat. But yet, my only weapon is a tiny drop spindle! I need to think about how to attack those seductive rovings. I know that my yarn has to be a 4 ply to be a worsted weight yarn. I know how I spin, and the 3 ply I spun turned out to be more of a DK weight than a worsted. So 4 ply it is.

I divided my 6 rovings into 4 equal parts and rebraided them for storage. I now have a lovely bunch of 24 cute mini braided rovings! 


Let the spinning begin...

Monday, 12 March 2012

FO : Cider House



Pattern: Totally improvised, two at a time toe up socks

Damn I love those socks. My first two at a time toe-up socks. My first *real* knit with my own handspun. I love them. I couldn't be happier with the yarn itself; here and there there are small boops of yarn, some fuzzy clogs. But maybe two or three. That's it. Everything is regular, even, smooth...

It makes me less nervous about my Spin Me a Sweater challenge. If I'm able to spin a respectable sock yarn, why not a sweater yarn?

Monday, 27 February 2012

Handspun : Raking Leaves


"Raking Leaves" from Woolen Mill St Yarns, 100% Superfine Merino. Fingering weight, 2 ply, first skein 183yds/53g, second skein 251yds/57g.



I absolutely loved to spin this fiber. First the colors are gorgeous. Muted blues, browns and gold among snow whites. Second, it was my first time spinning merino. It's so soft, cushy, lofty and bouncy! No wonder merino is a luxury fiber!



Now, what to do with those two beauties... any suggestions?

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Handspun : Cider House


"Cider House"
Beautiful greens, browns and reds by Greenwood Fiberworks. Handpainted BFL roving.
235 yds/113 g



I am so happy. I wanted a 3 ply, worsted weight yarn. I separated the roving in 3 equal parts. I spun each part separately. I washed them, dried them, wound them into yarn cake.



And I started to ply. I was proud of myself, because as I was plying, my 3 threads looked the same, same thickness, not thick and thin. I was really confident. I wanted to use every last bit of the 3 singles. Moment of truth, at the end of the 3 cakes. And... to my delight, I had less than a yard left on 2 of the skeins! After washing the yarn another time and drying it, I calculated how many yards I had... you know what? It's a worsted. Now I feel like the sky is the limit.

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Handspun : Two Sisters Stringworks Hand Painted Roving

Seller: Two Sisters Stringworks

Fiber: Handdyed fine Shetland wool top, colorway Light Rain. Handspun on my Drop Spindle.

First skein: 83g/300yds, light fingering, 2 ply

Second skein: 22g/97yds, light fingering, 2 ply

I have to say, I am in love with my drop spindle. I bet that, if I had a spinning wheel, I would love it even more, but as for now, my drop spindle has a special place in my heart. Spinning only brings me joy. Which is not necessarily good, because now I always think about blowing my yarnie budget on fiber. A whole new world of possibilities...

What I think is really inspiring about spinning is that you never know for sure how the fiber will come out as a yarn. I just marvel at the colors twirling together, mixing. It's captivating.

Ok, enough talking, more spinning...

Monday, 7 November 2011

Hanspun : Picking up my drop spindle

Hi guys! I've been a naughty girl lately. I've been cheating on my knitting. My Westphalie and my Aidez are sitting in my knitting basket, waiting for me to work on them. But my mind is elsewhere.


I tried to spin yarn with my drop spindle before, but I wasn't thrilled with the results and got discouraged. At Rhinebeck, I encountered numerous spinners, and watching them spin was my "ah ha!" moment. In a second, I new how to spin, draft, twist.


In a matter of days I spun the rest of my Louet Corriedale fiber, which ended up being a thick and thin single, and ordered some fine Shetland top from Two Sisters Stringworks in two colorway: Hipster (green-yellow) and Light Rain (blue tones).


My first few tries were rewarding enough, and then I could just not stop. I spun the entire roving of Hipster.

Later, I decided to try plying. Althought it is still not perfect, I am quite happy with the way the yarn looks. I decided to ply the Corridale since I am not so fond of thick and thin single yarn. What I have now is a cute 2-ply worsted weight skein of 82 yards/43g.


I separated the Hipster roving in two equal parts. The first skein ended up slightly thick and thin, so it became a 2-ply aran weight skein of 82 yards/55g. The second skein was pretty regular (to my delight) and stayed like it was spun, a single, ligh fingering weight skein of 255 yards/55g.


Finally, don't miss Wednesday's blog post: it's my turn on the Coastal Knit blogroll!
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