Knitting and Crochet Blogging Week round-up

I'm a little bit annoyed that I cottoned on to Eskimimi's Knitting and Crochet Blogging Week half way through the week and only fully appreciated the concept and size of it later on in the week.

Having now realised that it has sparked loads of fantastic knitting and crochet posts and that they're easy to find by Googling 2KCBWDAY1, 2KCBWDAY2 etc, I've had a good riffle through and listed a few of my favourites.

The concept was to blog each day on a given theme.

day 1 - tale of two yarns

for lovely colours:

http://klozknitz.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/a-tale-of-two-yarns/

for two lovely featured projects:

http://www.midnightscribbles.com/blog/?tag=2kcbwday1

for her enthusiasm for a very interesting yarn:

http://yellowbird.typepad.com/yellowbird-yarn-room/2011/03/a-tale-of-two-yarns-2kcbwday1.html

day 2 - skill + 1UP

for making me want to try intarsia knitting:

http://eskimimiknits.com/2011/03/skill-1up-–-2kcbwday2/

for discussing a very interesting skill - learning not to be a perfectionist

http://mysistersknitter.typepad.com/my-blog/2kcbwday2/

for possibly the most impressive list of new skills discussed

http://www.justcastingon.net/?tag=2kcbwday2

day 3 - Tidy mind, tidy stitches

for making me want to tidy my stash:

http://craftycripple.blogspot.com/2011/03/knitting-crochet-blog-week-2011-day.html

for a bewildering collection of bags and tidies:

http://knitabulous.blogspot.com/2011/03/tidy-mind-tidy-stitches-2kcbwday3.html

for coining the lovely phrase "organized disorganization":

http://www.crochetyourway.com/2011/03/tidy-mind-tidy-stitches-or-an-organized-disorganization/

day 4 - where are they now

for a happy story of a beautiful shawl getting much use:

http://minniemoll.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/where-are-they-now-2kcbwday4/

for a sad story of two little piggies:

http://theknittingexploitsofjosiekitten.blogspot.com/2011/03/where-are-they-now-2kcbwday4.html

for the geekery which appealed to me greatly

http://www.midnightscribbles.com/blog/?tag=2kcbwday4

day 5 - something completely different

for putting Simon and Garfunkel in my head:

http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/2011/04/day-five-song/

for making me smile with a photo of taking a photo of socks:

http://knitiotsavant.com/tag/2kcbwday5/

for a complete set of photos of a beautiful project fibre -> finished object:

http://needleinmyvein.blogspot.com/2011/04/kcbw-day-5-progression-of-shawl.html

and finally, because I was delighted that someone had made a knitting version of leekspin

http://eskimimiknits.com/2011/04/and-now-for-something-completely-different-2kcbwday5/

It got rid of Simon and Garfunkel (with something much more annoying) and reminded me that when I first saw leekspin I'd made my own spinning version:

http://handspinner.co.uk/handspin.html

A Quick Scarf—Hand Painted

Here is my latest knitting project. Want to know how it came about? Well, last week, No. 1 and I ventured out in a torrential downpour to visit a yarn shop she likes. Neither of us was looking for anything in particular, but you don't need to walk into a yarn shop with a project in mind, do you? You just need to want to look at absolutely every ball and skein and flip through every pattern available. It could take hours, if you do it right.

We went our separate ways in the small but well-done shop, and decided I must have a project. I found a small book of patterns, all quick projects you could complete in a weekend of diligent knitting. We had planned on knitting for days anyway, so I knew this was the book for me. The problem was, I only liked one pattern, a lacy scarf that required less than 300 yards of a sport weight yarn. I chose a muted blue hand-painted yarn by Freia. Two balls of the 100% wool would be plenty for the scarf—$10.25 a piece. But still, what to do about spending $20 on a book I would use just once? No. 1 had the solution—the pattern was probably available at Ravelry, so I put the book back on the rack.

We each bought some yarn, grabbed our umbrellas and braved the soaking rain back to the car. Once safe and dry back home, I discovered the exact same lacy scarf pattern on line for just under $7. It's called Scroll Lace Scarf by Ysolda Teague.

So, to work. With size 9 circular needles, I went about knitting the scarf, learning a few new tricks along the way. I learned how to do a provisional cast on and was reminded of how to work in short rows. And I learned how to do cable cast ons in order to create an interesting bound edge. When No. 1 was available, I asked her for help, but when she wasn't, I found some great how-to tips on You Tube.

Because I was working with sport weight, and No. 1 was working with fingering weight, my project went much faster, and I actually finished it before leaving town to come back home. I blocked it here and now have a scarf I love. I wouldn't mind making this scarf again, but I have found another pattern at Cocoknits, which I'll make using a skein of handspun, handyed yarn I bought at another shop last week. I'll save that story for another day, though, once the project is complete.

Here is the finished scarf as it looks draped:

Note: No. 1 is my oldest daughter. I visited her in Berkeley, California last week.

Three new yarn bowl designs from Helen.

These are prototypes but if you'd like to buy any of them, please let me know.

Which do you like? We'd love feedback / comments.

what to knit with the camel

Couldn't wait to spin some more of my camel/merino/silk mix but what to knit with it?

I made a sample, trying stocking stitch and a lace pattern - both looked good and felt very soft. it's lovely next to the skin, so I thought a scarf might be good. I picked Mini Mocha Jasmine Lace Scarf

It's always nice to find a stitch on a pattern that you haven't come across before. This time it was the picot cast on (and the picot bind off is waiting for me) which makes a lovely wavy edge.

spinning newspaper

I've seen newspaper 'yarn' but not tried making it. I received a question about it and curiosity got the better of me.

I went for the 70g top-whorl spindle and it worked fine. I found that I couldn't give it a good twist and let it spin as you do with wool, I guess something slightly heavier would be good but anything too heavy and you'd run into problems with the paper tearing I expect.

I had to keep one hand on the spindle and keep twisting it while 'scrunching and feeding' with my top hand. It was quite a fast process.

As I worked I found that it could take quite a bit of twist and looked better with more twist. The 'yarn' starts to get a bit 'springy' when it's got more twist in it.

Note the way I cut the paper to save too many joins - ie one continuous strip from one sheet.

It's not terribly flexible, I guess it'll be easier to weave than spin.

a camel, a sheep and a worm

This was a bit experimental but I love the way it's turned out - I'm going to have to card and spin loads more and make something special from it.

I wanted to try mixing camel top (which is quite short) with something longer - it's 70% 'white' camel, 20% white merino and 10% silk. I carded and carded so that the fibres are really mixed together well, pre-drafted and spun it short draw so that the result is really smooth, silky and well-packed.

Not sure that the colour has come out very well under the flourescent lamp but in real life it's a lovely pale.. well... camel colour, all silky and lustrous.

You'd never guess...

I needed to try out this Kiwi (fitted a new flyer and whorl) and thought it might be a good opportunity to try the sample of crab that someone gave me some time ago.

Yes, crab! very silky and drafts very easily. The result is smooth with a nice lustre, and a very slight fuzzy halo to it.