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Sunshine and Valentines
What a stunningly beautiful February day. The sun is shining like crazy and there is snow piled high on tree branches and fence rails. The birds even look happy. They flit about with joy and a spring in their step. Just 2 more days until Valentines day and the anticipated arrival of our newest little family member. We are just so excited. I’ve spent the last few weeks on custom work for a few of my customers. Becky was looking for a luxury baby gift with a difference. We decided on a hand spun Angora and silk handknit baby shrug and matching hat. I call it Whisper. I searched through…
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A Second “SWatch Cap” Hat
I’m still working on the wool fleeces. I brought 4 of them in and only one was un-usable. It just has so much chaff embedded in the fleece that I find I don’t have the patience or desire to work with this one at all. I’m trying to decide which of the other 3 fleeces I want to use to make the man’s sweater that I have in mind. I need gauge swatches for the measurements but I also need them to see how each of the yarns will perform for me. I know what I want in terms of softness, drape, body, colour and attitude. For my gauge swatch…
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Quicky Rolled Brim (somewhat slouchy) Hat
Don’t laugh, there were no other heads around and I wanted to show it to you on someone! More photos below :0 Unlike you, I am not very fond of knitting a gauge swatch so … after I spun up some of the fleece I got out yesterday … I decided that I would knit a hat to determine my gauge. I really, quite like it. Great fit and not likely to give me “flat head” and definitely very warm. The textured look from the slubs in the handspun give it a wonderful personality. The simple designs helps to showcase the “hand spun-ness” of the yarn. Order the handspun wool…
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Hello Kitty – Horray!
I don’t know about you but I am almost as opposed to finishing as I am in love with knitting. It took a lot of self-control but I managed to put a face on “Hello Kitty” today for my sweetheart Alice. This is her dream hat for this year and she really appreciates the stuff I make her. What an amazing girl she is. I used Beadwhore Knitting’s pattern and it was very helpful. I just adjusted the stitches to my gauge and cast on. I used coins to help me visualize the best placement for the face and outline stitched around them to show me where to go with my…
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Another One – the Reversible Watch Cap / Skull Cap / Beanie again
Just finished and wanted to show you another version of the watch cap pattern that I originally wrote about here (includes the free pattern). This one is knit with Austerman “Peru” Alpaca yarn (now discontinued, I’m afraid). It’s a lovely soft “sport” weight Alpaca. This shows that although a fingering or sock yarn is recommended a sport weight yarn will work just as well. I used the same needle size (2.5 mm) and the same # of stitches. This one is for Aidan. Hope you like it kiddo? Earl (DH) is jealous. He thought it was for him so I’ll get to work on another one. Since I can’t make…
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The Perfect Reversible Watch Cap The one my Guys like
My guys like a light weight but warm hat, one they can scrunch up and stick in their pocket but when they put it on it needs to keep them warm! The folded over “cuff” should not be too deep and when it’s folder over the hat sits just over the tip of the ears but when it’s pulled down against the cold it goes right over those ears completely. I might call a hat with this kind of fit a skull cap or beanie. This little watch cap fits the bill perfectly. Having knit and ripped quite a few times before I got it right I can now present…
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Polwarth/Silk Roving (Top) – Hand Painted WOW
Loving this wonderful top I just purchased on Etsy from threewatersfarm ! I had recently signed up for a class on Craftsy Spinning Dyed Fibers on how to spin these wonderful tops and so, of course, I had to buy some. I got these 2 amazing colourways and a bar of homemade goat milk soap. I got on the iPad and watched the class and practiced. It was my first time to try Navajo plying and I can’t believe how easy it is after I’ve been avoiding it for all these years! I only have 4 ounces of each colourway so I started with a pair of mitts. I found the…
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An Alpaca Hat to go with the Pullover
Yesterday while watching football I knit this little earflap cap to match the Alpaca Pullover . Ill be writting it up as a pattern soon. let me know if you want to try the untested version and Ill email it to you if you ask before the retail version is ready. Pattern for the Sweater is here Fun and Fast to knit