Finally spinning again!

, a photo by mom2rays on Flickr.

I picked up spinning yarn in 2008 after my sister introduced me to the concept via a spindle. Thankfully heavenly Handspinning made affordable spinning wheels or I wouldn't have picked up the hobby very well. I didn't get spindle spinning until about 6 months ago! I started with their single treadle wheel, the Fidelis. Some months later I had the pleasure and joy of going to meet Jan of Heavenly Handpinning in person. When I did she and her husband upgraded my Fidelis for their double treadle wheel the Bellus. I spun many lovely yards of yarn on Bellaranea (beautiful spinner). Now I have a Vespera, their espinner and a Spinolution Bee named Melina (Honey, because she spins so smooth). I haven't named or finished my Vespera yet, I got her inFebruary and honestly my life has been in such a whirlwind through getting her until now that I really haven't gotten much time with her,
She's FAST! Not that I spin super fast, but when I spin on her, she's going so fast! Her bobbins are also huge, that bobbin in my hand has 4 oz of fiber on it and it's not even close to being 1/2 full. This is only the 2nd yarn I've made on her. 33wpi for my singles. It's Polwarth from Urban Gypz that I purchased at Stitches South 2011.
Currently I'm spinning some Gale's Art Blue Face Swirl into similar singles so that I can ply them together. I had almost forgotten how much I love to spin!
Sometimes it's hard to be multi craftual because it's hard to decide which craft gets time and attention.

My momma poncho is done

I have always worn my children. It's something I believe in. I started with Charmie from the beginning and it's become somewhat an addiction for me. I love all of the different kind of cloth carriers out there for helping us to be able to bond and care for our little ones. After researching different slings and carriers for Charmie I came across outerwear for mommas and babies who are slung. I really wanted one then, but could not and would not afford the $100+ price tag. . . so alas I had no sling wear.
That is until now!
I had found a knitting pattern on Little Turtle Knits for The Babywearer. It spoke to me, but I couldn't get the motivation, etc. to make one. I decided I needed one though for Zuri and I to wear. She's a little to small to be in it now since she can't hold up her head so Mardie makes a great model. I still sometimes sling him anyway.

It's reversible so here he is on the back.

Here's the poncho flat

And Mardie on the front.
I can see that the opening gapes a little more than I'd like so I will devise some sort of closure probably with either a drawstring or knit on ribbing. I have to decide.
I started this 3 knit nights ago so it's been about 7 weeks in the making. I took plenty of breaks for nesting, having a baby, finishing up other projects, etc.
I'm very happy with how my color combinations in the yarn worked up. I wanted a variety of color, but nothing too bright, loud, etc. I used a single strand of chocolate brown wool held together with one of 4 different hand painted yarn and changed colors every two rows. I had a main handpaint that was used every 4 rows. So the color went like this: always one strand of MC, row 1-color a, row -2 color b, row -3 color a, row 4 color c, row 5 color a, row 6 color d, repeat. This gave me continuity of my main strand and main handpaint, but then tastes of the other variations.
This was a great experimentation for me in mixing various handpaints/varigated yarns. Without the main color they didn't match each other and didn't go together, with out repeating the main handpaint the color would have jumped around more than I would have liked. This effect produced a mottled look, there isn't really any pooling and there are subtle stripes. All things that I love.
I'm am looking forward to Zuri and I getting a ton of use from this garment, it was definately worth the knit.
My only regret is that I didnt' get it finished in time to wear as a maternity poncho.

I altered the baby neck opening. I added 4 rows of 2x2 ribbing in size 10 needles and then bound it off in the original size 13 needles for stretch. It's stretchy enough to fit over Mardie's head still, but acts like a moc turtleneck and tapers in nicely. I'm sure with Z it will still be large for a little while.

Zuri getting light therapy at home, and modeling on the side

Light therapy. . . seems like all we do these days. The yummy cashmere blend soaker is so soft and very nice with the flat diapers. At this size all of Zuri's diapers give her bubble but. It's hard for them to be absorbant and trim. This soaker looks like capri's though.

Big brothers look on as Z gets some zzzzzzzz's. Glo baby glo!

Lights off, for a diaper change. Since this thing is plugged in and we use water with wipes we don't want to really "light" her up!
These longies came out much better than I thought and since they do still fit Mardie I'm sure she'll get plenty of use out of them. . . that is until she out grows the rise. M doesn't wear a dipe anymore so I guess thats why they still fit.

Sooooo soft!

I got some wool interlock fabric that is so soft. I cannot begin to explain how soft this double knit fabric is. I plan to make some diapering accessories for Zuri and some goodies for me. I'm plugging along though these days just beign pregnant so not very much is getting done. Here's the first thing I made. I need to practice serging in a circle with interlock so the edges don't lettuce.
These pads when lanolized will absorb 40x their weight in breast milk hopefully keeping my clothing nice and dry! They are also naturally antibacterial and anti microbial, they will be self cleaning and lastly but definately not least they will be warm and comfy to help prevent clogged milk ducts. I had two pair of these from breastfeeding Charmie and Mardie by LANA care and cannot find them anywhere. I'm glad I was able to find some soft interlock to make a new pair.

barter socks

This is the first pair of socks I made for someone else. . . For some reason I had a hard time finishing them. Other projects kept getting started, and then finished. I knit them on two circular needles which was a learning experience, and I also did a short row heel which was a new experience too. Both of those proved challenging as I knit these socks from my mind, vs. from a pattern and for new things I'm an instruction kind of girl.
These are for my dear friend Vicki. We bartered for some great Haba toys for Zuri that her daughters are done with and this is the first "installment" of payments. There will be more payments to come as I get the things done.
I hope Vicki likes them. I know it's tempting at this point to keep them for me!

I felt like dying today. . .

I didn't feel like or have time for anything major.
I did get some housekeping done.
I went through some baby things to pull out more gender neutral things that I will probably use for Zuri. . .
We ran some errands as a family.
I shopped for groceries.
I decided I felt like dying



I had to make my potion.
I took some white distilled vinegar.
Some water, more than the vinegar.
And some cheap store brand drink mix.


These I combined into a glass casserole and mixed well.
I figured this concoction might just do the trick.
Then I got out two of the first soakers I ever knit.
They are knit with undyed, LB Fisherman's wool.
I started with Fruit Punch.
I chased it with Berry Punch.
After they were dyed I threw them into the wash on the short hot cold cycle with 2 dryer balls and the pretty stitch patterns turned into
felt. The colors are more vibrant that the photos show below

This soaker was a size large and is now a size small.
The one below was already felted some from large to medium and it is also now small.

I need closure

I finished this up tonight too. . . the hat and tucking in all the ends. I just need to find closures, probably buttons for the kimono and the diaper wrap. The hat and kimono patterns are in the One Skein Wonders book. I modified them both. For this kimono I made the sleeves a little wider than the pattern called for. I also made the cross over panels wider and used a scrumtiously soft wool/silk blend yarn, Frolich Silky Baby Lambs vs. the Bamboo. I used Karabella Aurora Melange 100% extra fine merino for the Scallop-Edged Hat and wool diaper wrap. I made up the pattern for the diaper wrap from looking at other diaper wraps that I have and like. I added crochet edging around the leg openings to stabilize the stockinette stitch and build a poo containing guesset. This cover is nb to small size with plenty of stretch.
I need to now go shopping for buttons for the kimono and diaper wrap to keep them closed on little Z. The picture doesn't really capture the yarn very well imho. The set does match. The Karabella yarn has three strands (plum, pink and grey) twisted together so when knit it looks heathered. The kimono is the same bright plum that's in the other yarn, vs. purple. I'm trying to decide if I have enough for some booties or mary janes. . .

NB recycled longies

I found another wool sweater. I've been looking for one like this for a while. Nice and soft with pretty pattern. It was a 3/4 sleeve small GAP merino wool. So after felting the sleeves were only big enough for a nb, maybe a small if stretched. I love these tiny pants. I'm going to use the rest of the sweater later to make a soaker in a larger size.

Nano Necklace

My latest accessory needed an accessory of it's own. I wanted something to protect it but to also facilitate wearing it so that I can use it. I am pretty mobile being a mom of 2 soon to be 3 and I don't have too many pockets on my clothes these days. Thanks Kristi for making your pattern free. It was enjoyable to knit, easy to understand, and will be super functional!

knit night work

Last knit night I bought some NZ pure wool to knit into a wet pad for Zuri. Last night I put it onto the knitting machine there and zipped out this large rectangle. It measured 50"x36". Originally I wanted to get a sheep skin or fleece, but after researching them I decided I'd let some poor lamb live and knit one. Since this was to just be a rectangle I saw no need to knit it by hand. Once I got it home I bound off the ends and added a crochet edging at the sides. Since it's stockinette stitch and my side border isn't very wide it wants to curl up

Here's the pad after felting. It's almost a square. 24.5" x 26.5" after two cycles in the washing machine, one to felt with a small amount of laundry detergent and my dryer balls for agitation and one with lanolin wash and conditioner no balls. It did shrink and felt denser with each wash. I think I want to lanolize it again in the sink since a lot was going on and I didn't stop it from rinsing in time.
The ends curl because they are a different yarn and I didn't use a stretchy bind off, the sides are more so, they have the crochet finish and it felted at a different rate. All in all I'm very pleased with the finished product. It will be great for her hammock or for just about anywhere I want a soft, cushiony pad that also has water resistancy.
It didn't fade by the way, the colors are just as vibrant as the first pic. I just took this pic in poor lighting.

sweet dreams

Thanks Jenny for the idea of stars. I think they suit this color soaker well.

girlification

Last night I discovered 100% wool felt at my craft store so I splurged and picked up some to play with. I hand knit these longies for Mardie I started before he was born. . . I found out many months later I was twisting my stitches, and I made them up as I knit so I had to improvise for the crotch. . . Anyway these were sitting all boyish in Zuri's NB stash and I decided this would be a great opportunity to girly them up. I needle felted this appliqued flower using my 100% wool felt. I think I'll be doing many more. This was freakin' fun! Many of our wool soakers are boyish or gender neutral. This is the perect way to bring them into the time of Zuri!

lap of luxury

Here's a soaker I finished up knitting for Zuri this weekend. It's 0-8mos size. It's a merino, alpaca, silk blend yarn that is so yummy and soft. This yarn was made possbile by Janet, see previous post of how I begged her for it. I was thinking of dying it, but the more I see it the more I love it undyed. I hope I have enough leftover to make a matching cap.