Sunday, April 29, 2012

Great fun at...

...Yarnover!! It was an energizing day for me and has me refreshed to hit the dye pots again. My customers and fellow spinners and knitters know how to do this well :)

I started the weekend Friday afternoon at the hotel with my husband and kids. We were greeted at the hotel with warm chocolate chips cookies and knitters in the lobby. It's so fun to see knitters in public, it doesn't happen much for me.

We went for a swim, the kids love swimming and can't wait until Grandma & Grandpa open up the pool for the summer! I grew up with pool, so we love it that we still have one to go home to, especially since we don't have one ourselves (yet!).


My husband and I were up at 5 the next morning to get ready for Yarnover. Hotel sleep is never that great and I was probably too excited about the next day to sleep well anyway, it wasn't too hard to get up.

My dear husband put together all of the grid walls, really a mans job, even though I could do it, I really didn't want to. He was great help all around, thinking of things I wouldn't have.


I made connections with new yarn shops and I'm excited for the prospects with them. Watch out Twin Cities, it might be coming to a shop near you!

I met the wonderful and talented designers, Sivia Harding, Anne Hanson and Rosemary (Romi) Hill! Romi and I have some things cooking up for you! We are both very excited about it! She made me blush with her compliments.

I was able to see some of my drop spindle students and was tied up with someone else and unable to see their spinning progress, I missed seeing it and talking with you and sharing your excitement. Come to Shepherd's Harvest, I want to see you and what you've been up to!


 I love hearing my customers feedback and you have given me a renewed energy for dying, I sometimes get in a rut and you really help that! Thank you. It was so much to see old faces again and reconnect! I look forward to seeing you again at Shepherd's Harvest!
Angela


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

2 new...

...pattern releases in 1 week!! I impress myself sometimes :)







Tuesday, April 24, 2012

As promised...

...but sorry it's so late! I've been very busy getting ready for Yarnover this weekend and Shepherd's Harvest in 2 weeks!

I intended to make this sweater for myself, but after blocking it grew severely!! About 2 sizes at least. I'm very happy that it fits my Mom wonderfully! At least someone can wear it well!

Lesson Learned: WASH YOUR SWATCH!!! As if I didn't know this - I know I should have, why didn't I? Too anxious to cast on and get knitting I guess, I over looked it, but will NEVER to do it again!!  So, get gauge, measure your swatch, wash and block and measure again. Then determine what size you need to make.

I used both my handspun and hand dyed.

I spun up 5 skeins of this yarn, fingering weight around 400 yards each!

I had planned to use it for a different sweater, but didn't like a thing about it, gauge was way too loose and I didn't really like the color! Believe it or not, after all that spinning I don't even like the yarn it produced!


I had to use it, so I began pairing it up and found this, Resplendence 50/50 merino/silk to be a great combination. I love the results.




The pattern is Tea Leaves Cardigan - if I knit this again, which I may for myself for real this time :) I will add some length to the yoke; we don't really like how wide the neck is.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Hot off the needles...

...are 2 sweaters in 1 month! I started my daughters last May and it got pushed aside for other projects that needed to get done. It turned out fantastic and we all love it! Katya is very proud to wear it!


The entire sweater is made with my own handspun yarn (spun on a wheel) and I'm very pleased with how it all turned out!

Here's the details:















Stay tuned for the next sweater...it's a drama in the knitting world for sure, at least it was for me, from the thought of it to the trying on!