WIP: Spinning Lessons -- Single Samples

So in-between knitting, crocheting and french knitting, I decided to do a bit of spinning... ok so a lot of spinning. For those who are new to my blog I have two spindles, a high-whorl and my new spindolyn. I do not have a spinning wheel.

My High-Whorl Spindle

So, I finished all of my red fibre I was working on. I don't know what possessed
me to put it back on my high-whorl spindle to store but I did.

Spindoyln:

I just love this single!

Oooh, soo pretty!

This is just pretty and it sparkles slightly.

A static laced house plus this silk
equals one tough spin.

Done: Mom's Presents

I have one more not shown here but I will get a photo of it later. It is a small cord for her angel pendant that I made using my french knitting doll (spool knitter).

Here are the ones I have pictures of:
Using the Manos Del Uruguay Maxima, colorway 6411 Valentine

This Bobble Hat, adapted from a pattern.
I figured out how to do a seamless decrease and tailored it to fit her head.

I call this the Bobble-Mesh Scarf

Want the Pattern? Why not, it is Christmas.

This was done with Manos Maxima using a 6.0mm hook

I have UK terms as (UK: )

Puff Stitch: Yarn over (YO), put hook through stitch indicated, YO, pull loop through (3 loops on hook) *YO, put hook through same stitch, YO, pull loop through* x2 (7 stitches now on hook, for a bigger puff do it one more time for a total of 9 stitches on hook), YO, pull loop through all but the last loop (2 loops now on hook), YO, pull through the 2 loops. 

Sounds complicated but it is easy when you do it.

Pattern:

1. Chain even number of stitches until desired LENGTH. Mine was probably 150 stitches for a nice wrap around scarf. (Foundation row)
2. Ch-3, puff stitch in last chain from foundation row (4th ch from hook at this moment), ch-1 *skip 1 ch, puff stitch in next ch, ch 1* repeat until end. TURN.
3. Ch-3, dc (UK: tr) into ch-space (chsp), ch-1 *dc (UK: tr) in next chsp, ch-1* repeat until end, then dc (UK: tr) into the chsp at the end (the space created by the ch-3 instead of the top stitch of the ch-3). TURN.
4. Repeat Step 3 until desired width.
5. Repeat Step 2. Finish off and weave in ends. Fringe is optional but looks nice.

Next is the gift made with Manos Del Uruguay Lace, colorway 8597 Ariel:

This is my ALL THE TECHNIQUES I COULD THINK OF Scarf.

In this one picture is knitting, lace work knitting,
tunisian crochet (the top and bottom of the picture in the scarf),
filet crochet (the heart), and crochet half-basket weave
(the bottom near the fringe) and fringe. Phew... a lot of techniques.

This is a one off. You can see the other filet crochet
that spells "MOM" and that end attached using a mattress
stitch to the knitted scarf.

Do you want the pattern for this? No... I don't blame you. How about the filet crochet? How hard could it be? I will work on that for a later post!

Inspiration: Alpaca Andean Child Poncho!

So, I was reading in the new InterWeave E-Mag SpinKnit about the Andean knitting techniques. Since it seems the BEST book for this is out of print I am guessing how to do it the way they do. This project is for a friend who will have a 2 year old by the time I am finished with my poncho... The pattern only goes up to 18months... If ANYONE reads this, and happens to have a face circumference and chest width and length of a 2 year old that would be awesome. The closest pattern I could get is 2.99 and well... I really don't want to pay for a pattern I probably wont use. The pattern I am using comes with the SpinKnit E-Mag.

So... Since I really can't spin that much yarn, well if I have any hope of finishing this before next christmas (or at my rate of spinning 3 christmases from now lol)  I bought pure Alpaca yarn. Matter of fact it is Artesano yarn. *Gasp, Artesano in the USA? You may ask* Yup, from OnePlanet Yarn and Fiber. The only online seller in the USA according to Aretsano's website, well it maybe listed as such but I bet there are a few out there.

Here is the lovely box. The yarn was wrapped in blue tissue paper in a clear bag. That was tied with ribbon. It was soo cute!

Lots of Artesano Inca Cloud goodness!

All of these are natural Alpaca colors! It is what the pattern called for in this case.

FYI if you have a business card and I order from you, it will be displayed
and I keep them all on my cork board. I go back to seller's again and again.

WIP: Mom's Scarf

This is version 1: The Filet Crochet spells MOM and I was doing the half basket weave for the ribbing.

Here is the final version: The one mentioned in my Injury post.

~Weekend Fun~

So on top of all of the stuff coming up this week I have a few more projects in the works. If you are a person I have promised a gift to PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER. For all you other people who nicely read my blog, enjoy the rest of this post!

First is that little alpaca I have been working on:

Fuzzy Wuzzy was an Alpaca?

Second, another scarf but made for my friend for christmas:

Now I am not a fan of pink but I LOVE this cotton candy looking skein!

Third, I will be making wrist warmers for my mother and a bear for a friend out of this yarn:

I have TWO of these! So Beautiful!

Fourth, I will be making something special with this yarn (HINT: I use a french knitting doll):

I hope this will make a beautiful addition to the piece I have in mind for it!

Lastly, I have this new beautiful yarn that I will use with the yarn above in a project yet to be determined:

So beautiful! Yes I do realize they look different, they do so in person too.

I love the name: Corryvreckan Blue

I will doing an inventory of all my hooks, needles, and fun things. I will take off my stash yarn since it is on my ravelry page and in my Flickr photos!

Done: Pumpkin Kitty and Baby Kitty

Finally I have finished my baby kitty version of the pumpkin kitty. It was really hard on the fingers with smaller holes to try and get the needle through the holes. But it is done!!