Same Old Song

Trying to finish some projects, trying not to start new projects, trying to stop signing up for test knits and trying to get some spinning in.

I did managed to finish my Rhinebeck Hat.

It still needs to be washed and blocked.

I started another test knit.  I wanted to use some of the lovely yarn I won from Backyard Fiberworks.

I see another test knit that I want to do for AMBAH and I have the perfect yarn for it.

I joined another KAL.  I got yarn for this shawl for Christmas.

I've managed to finish a pair of socks but not from the same pair.  I got one of each done. LOL!

I got yarn.  It was my birthday this month so of course that involves getting yarn.

My latest handspun and what is on the wheel right now.

Chicken Boots USA

This is going to be a fan girl post.  Instagram is a bad place to get introduced to new yarn, new dyers and new companies to buy stuff from.  My friend Angela has this great Neo Atsume bag that she posts in a lot of pictures.  She often gets asked where she got her project bag and her answer is Chicken Boots USA. www.chickenbootsusa.com.  Now the sad part was that her bag was part of a limited run and not available any more.  The happy part was when Chicken Boots decided to do something called Egg Crates.  You had 3 choices:  chick, teen and Head Hen.  The chick was just the wallet, teen was just the tote and Head Hen was both with some bonus items.  The January Egg Crate is sold out and the next one will be in March.

This is a picture of my collection of Chicken Boots.

Here is a picture of the head hen with all the goodies.  There are different versions of the pin and pad.

Go to this page to find out the future egg crates coming. https://www.chickenbootsusa.com/pages/new-egg-crates

This is the wallet (inside and outside).  This will become my travel wallet.  My every day wallet is huge with lots of cards and items.  I love that the pocket for the bills is large so it would work for those foreigner bills that are different sizes then the USA dollar.

Look how much the tote will hold!  That is 3 skeins of yarn and a fairly big shawl.

I lovely pocket in the front.  Perfect for my pattern card.

I didn't even notice there was a pocket in the back!

This is a charm keeper.  This wasn't a part of the Egg crates but extras people could get with the egg crate or separately.  I wasn't going to get this bag but I'm SO glad that I did.  I love the tote but the cute cat fabric is on the inside.

Look how much this bag can hold!!  That's why I'm glad that I got it.  I have plenty of smaller project bags that can pretty much only hold one skein of fingering weight and a sock project.

Cute fabric inside too.  You can get other fabric charm keeper here:
https://www.chickenbootsusa.com/collections/new/products/charm-keeper

This was my first Chicken Boots purchase.  It was in the sale section and I got it for the yarn washi tape that came with purchase.  I have a thing for cats if you haven't noticed.  Love that its so HUGE and that it has a zipper pocket for my pattern card and tape measure.

There isn't anything there right now but don't forget to check out sale items too!
https://www.chickenbootsusa.com/collections/sale-and-seconds-items

Plugging Along!

Almost done these socks for my youngest.  Just turned the heels on the 2nd pair.  These are made with  Knit Picks Felici in the colorway Rainbow.  It's done with my go to Wendy Johnson pattern.

This is my first Dee O'Keefe shawl (Ashton Shawlette).  The yarn is by Gourmet Stash which no long sells yarn or fiber.  You can't see the sparkles in the yarn.

This is Watchet by Hunter Hammersen.  I'm knitting it with a self striping yarn so I'm not sure how it will turn out.  Right now it looks cool.

I had hope to finish this for the County Fair but the deadline will be September.  We will see.  I have plenty of shawls and hat to enter.

This is Alivia by Vanessa Smith.  I can't wait till its finished.

I'm almost done this braid.  I can't wait to see how it n-ply.  So far I love the spin!  It's The Big O by Gale's Art.

Next Long Term Project

Since I finally finished my last of 3 robots, I decide to start another long term project.  I bought yarn to make two of these scarves.  It should make room in my yarn bin!

Needles:  Size 8 (I will be using size 6)

Yarn:  Knit Picks Swish DK

Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/neck-kraken

Sorry For the Lack of Posts









 

 

Tour De Fleece has kept me busy.  I even brought my spindle with me to a trip so I could start spinning!

 

On my spindle which is customized with my name on top.  You can get one from here:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/HeavenlyHandspinning  I have Odds and Ends from Into the Whirled on the spindle.  I try to get two bundles done.  I'll be plying it on the mini spinner though.  It's hard to ply on a spindle.

On the mini spinner is Woolgathering.  It's 40/40/20 Merino/SW Merino/Silk and the color is the Adventure Club Jul 2013.

I also got some yarn today.  This is to re knit the too small felted slippers.  They were suppose to be for my Father-in-law's birthday (which is coming up soon).  Now I have to re knit and re felt them.

 



 

 

I couldn't stop myself from getting this special self striping yarn.  I have some but its an orange and pink.  They will become socks for me.

Jewel Blanket

Needles:  Size 5 circulars
Yarn:   Knit Picks Brava Sport in red, black, Celestial, Dublin, Eggplant, Fairy Tale, Grass, Marina, Rouge, Solstice Heather, and wine
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hue-shift-afghan

Progress on my blanket.  I seem to have a bunch of really big projects going.  A friend of mine knitted this blanket in a month (mine you it was a baby shower gift).  I want to start new projects and finish them before finishing off my current WIP.  Is there a word for that?

Hue Shift Afghan

Needles:  Size 5 circulars
Yarn:   Knit Picks Brava Sport in red, black, Celestial, Dublin, Eggplant, Fairy Tale, Grass, Marina, Rouge, Solstice Heather, and wine
Pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hue-shift-afghan

I really shouldn't be starting this besides the fact that I have at least 20 WIP.  I have a sample knit that is coming to me and a month deadline.  Once it arrives I'll be working on that.  I have a friend who is working on this afghan right now in the rainbow kit.  I got the Jewel kit with extra yarn (I always run out).  If I don't need the extra yarn, I will have enough to make another.

Now I Have a Horse Request!

It took me an hour to make this last night.  Good thing I know about how a shark looks to put the fins right.  I think the designer meant them to be knitted in the row but the instructions weren't clear.  I would have stuffed it earlier but was waiting for the instructions to say when.  I managed to stuff it while I still had 3 stitches on the needle.  It's done in size 6 with worsted weight.  Pattern is here:  http://mimulusknit.blogspot.com/2009/12/im-dreaming-of-great-white-christmas.html  I've been asked to do a horse next.  Off to search Ravelry for a pattern!

Knitting Process

I have a tendency to use a lot of index cards.  Lost of times there is no need to print out a pattern.  If its short I can just write it out on an index card which goes right into the project bag.  Here is one.  I write the needle size so I can remember where to return it.  Some are so well used that the needles doesn't have the size on it any more.  I also write down how many rows and any changes so I can note it down on my Ravelry project page.  I helps me if I do the same pattern and a few people have found it helpful seeing my notes.  This pattern didn't tell me how many decrease rows so I wrote it down.  I also noted the hours so I can figure out my rate to price my handknits.  Here is the finally project.

Here is my project page:  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/AtPlayWithFiber/blank-canvas
Here is the pattern:  http://emmasanimalcreations.weebly.com/1/post/2014/05/free-pattern-blank-canvas.html