Arizona State Fair 2017 Results

I didn't get a chance this year to go see the fair and see how I place.  I did pretty good.  My handspun got 2 first place and 1 second place.  My knitting got a first place and a fourth place.

It's That Time Again!

Time for County and State Fair.   I'm entering 2 shawls, 1 hat and 3 handspun yarns.  I hope I can get best in show or best spinner for State.  It's going to be hard since I got it 2 in a row already.  Here is a group shot.

The dark shawl is done with my handspun yarn.  It was suppose to be 3 different yarns but I ended up using 6 yarns.  The bright shawl was a shawl I did for a knit along.  I do love it.  It's bright and happy.  The purple hat was last minute.  I had a test knit hat but I thought it wasn't complicated enough.  I love how the cables showed up.  Wish me luck!

Sample, Sample!

I seem to be working full time on samples for Backyard Fiberworks.  Here is the finished Spotlight.  Luckily, Alice likes to block and weave in ends.  Which is a good thing because I can wait over a year to do that. LOL!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spotlight-2
Backyard Fiberworks Sock in Silver Spring and Shell

I'm currently trying to finish up another 2 samples. 

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dot-shawl
Backyard Fiberworks Sock in Stormcloud and what I call After The Stormcloud (don't know if Alice will name it that).

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/la-cumparsita

Backyard Fiberworks Orchard in Arbol

I will be working on:   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spokes-baby-blanket and http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/everyday-shawl

Meanwhile I did finish this hat and started on a shawl.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/astrea-hat  I've made 4 of these hats.  I should know the pattern by now but manage to mess up with each one!

I've had the yarn wound up for this shawl for a long time.  JulieSpins Vera Fingering in Pansies and Ruby.  I haven't gotten tot he Ruby part yet. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/AtPlayWithFiber/carson

After 2 years, I'm finally getting somewhere with this shrug.  I've been watching Netflix at night and needed something simple to knit on in the dark and watching.  I had rows and rows of just knitting and purling.  Now I need to pick up stitches and knit the body.

First or Second and A Surprise At Fairs!

Here is a group shot.  All the items with their ribbons at Arizona State Fair.

Here is a group shot with all the ribbons from Arizona State Fair and Cochise County Fair.

This shawl got First place at County and Second Place at State.  Yarn:  Alisha Goes Around Panoply of Peacocks Fingering in Mark Anthony.  Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jaali-2

Ever year I knit up one of my hand spun yarns into a shawl to enter the next year's Fairs.  This was last years First place winning yarn and I got Best Spinner for it.  I got First place at State and County.  Yarn:  JulieSpins Merino Yak Silk in Colonial.  Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sunshine-and-shadows-2

I got First place at State and County for this test knit hat.  Yarn:  The Verdant Gryphon Traveller in Hot Pink ELC and  madelinetosh DK Twist in Carnation  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bridge-walker-hat

This was another sort of test knit.  It's was knitted in my hand spun yarn.  It got First at County and Second at State.  Yarn:  Wool Gathering July 2013 Fiber Adventure Club and JulieSpins Targhee in Glacier.  Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/anemone-hat-2

This won Best in Show at State and First Place.  It was also First place at County.  Into The Whirled 50/30/20 Alpaca/Merino/Silk Blended Top in Sentinel.

This won First place at State and County.  Bee Mice Elf BFL Top in Nile.

This only got First place at County and nothing at State.  It's Loop!

Self Striping Spontaneous Spinning Roving BULLSEYE Bump in Quantum Leap.

Here is my bag of ribbons.  I had to get a bigger bag to put them in.  I've been entering the County Fair since 2013 and Arizona State since 2014.

Wish Me Luck!

It's that time of the year again, County and State Fair!  Since I've won First Place in both fairs, the pressure is on to win again.  Last year I won Best Spinner.  I hope to win that again.  Below are my spinning entries.

On the left is Bee Mice Elf 100% BFL.  In the middle is Into The Whirled 50/30/20 Alpaca/Merino/Silk Blended Top. On the right is Loop! bump  Merino, nylon, and Angelina.

I didn't finish a pair of socks.  I've been just knitting vanilla socks so for the first time I didn't enter socks.  The socks usually win so I'm a bit worried.  I decided to submit some of my test knit hats instead and 2 shawls.  The dark blue green one is huge and took a long time (no rest rows on the back).  I hope to find out the results in November.

Pictures of Spinning Progress

This is 4.4 oz of 50% Merino and 50% Silk from JulieSpins in the colorway Raspberry Swirl.  Here is a series of pictures I took of the spinning every time I finish spinning for the day.

All that is missing is the finished plied yarn!

All Done Testing For Now

I finished this sort of test knit.  I've test knitted for Stephanie before.  She gave us patterns to knit up by Aug 30th that needs some more projects (3 or less).  For doing this "test" knit, I also got a pattern.  This basically meant I got 2 patterns for free!  An awesome deal for me.  I don't know why this cowl isn't more popular.  It wasn't too hard and it looks really complicated.  Another bonus for me was that my daughter requested a cowl so perfect!

Needles:  Size 3 and 4

Yarn:  Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted Solids & Heathers in 1033 Medium Lavendar

Pattern:    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tiltawhirl-cowl

This was a double knit cowl test.  For some reason it came out bigger but my gauge was smaller then the project called for.  I also went down 2 sizes of needle.  I ran out of the dark yarn (which is actually dark purple like below) but I ended up using a dark brown for the last couple of rows.  I don't think you can tell the different color and weight (it was sport instead of DK).

Needles:  Size 2 circular (cast on with Size 4)

Yarn:  Cephalopod Yarns Traveller in Detour and Peshawar, The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! in  Rhinocerous Beetle - Chocolate

Pattern:  Coming Soon!

What I need to do is work on my current 19 WIP.  Instead I keep wanting to start new projects.  This is a cardigan that I started Jun 2014.  I'm on the easy but long part of plain knitting.

Needle:  Size 5 and 6 circulars

Yarn:  The Sanguine Gryphon Free Range in  Delegorgues Pigeon

Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tidal

This is what is on the wheel right now.  It's my favorite 50% merino and 50% silk.  This is fiber from JulieSpins and its in the colorway Raspberry Swirl.  I think I have 3 more days before I ply.  I can't wait to see how it turns out.

More Testing

I am doing 2 more tests and trying to finish some knitting for the fair.

 Both are cowls.

This is yarn from JulieSpins.  It was from her Unclub.  She doesn't have club yarn but occasionally she will have yarn and colors that you can order as much as you want from her.  I've been wanting to get some of this Stella yarn.  It really does sparkle as much in real life!

This is yarn from HeyHollyHoHum.  It's another sparkly yarn.  I been on a sparkle yarn kick lately

No Test Knitting For Me!

I did test knit a hat before Christmas but otherwise no test knitting for me.  I finally finished a test knit I started last year.  Luckily the author wasn't in a rush for me to finish.  There wasn't anything wrong with the pattern.  Just 14 repeats of 12 rows.  I get bored easily so I kept putting it down.  I also ran out of yarn.  You would think with over 1000 yards I would have enough.  NOPE!  I only did 13 repeats of the first chart and then only 3 out of 7 repeats of the 2nd chart.  I ran out as I was casting off.  Luckily I had some handspun that was about the same color and thickness.

What I have been doing?

I am ready to ply this 5oz of JulieSpins Rambouillet in the color Northeast Kingdom.  I am expecting very bouncy yarn from it and hope to get good yardage.

I finally finished these socks!  They almost too me a year.  I like to start projects but easily get distracted.  In fact while washing some knitted projects, I almost started another handspun shawl.

Details here:  http://lilieknitting.blogspot.com/2014/10/cherry-socks-wip.html

This is the shawl that almost got me caking up some of my handspun to begin another one.

I love this pattern because you can basically knit till you are done then bind off.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diving-in-recipe

I started another sock.  These are part of my project I take with me everywhere so if I end up waiting around, I have something to do.

Details here:  http://lilieknitting.blogspot.com/2015/09/bright-rainbow-socks-wip.html