The Christmas Knitting Race is On

I’ve finally gotten around to checking out some new podcasts/videocasts and found a few that I like. Some, like The Knitmore Girls, Yarnspinners Tales and Fiber Beat have been around for a while. Others are new or relatively new, like The KnitWits Podcast, SpinDoctor podcast and The Knit Girllls. I’ve downloaded all their back epidsodes and have been diligently listening my way through them (only 102 to go). Added to my regular weekly lineup (Sticks and Strings, Round the Twist, Cast On, Craftlit, KnitPicks Podcast, Sweaters for Dragons) plus audiobooks, I’ve got plenty of material to listen to while spinning and knitting and/or commuting.


On/Off My Needles

Finished the second sock of the cotton purple marl socks I unearthed last month. They are SFS leisure socks I’ve been working on (on and off, mostly off) for two or three years (egad embarrassing much?). I believe the yarn is Opal cotton.

In November I partially frogged the Risata “Dusk” toe-up socks I’m making for Mom to change from a Cat Bordhi pattern to a simpler (and therefore hopefully faster – xmas is coming fast ya know) basic Wendy Johnson toe-up pattern. I’m up to the heel turn on the second sock and progressing nicely. This is the first toe-up sock pattern that I’ve actually completed a sock and had it fit. I’m very pleased and will be trying some more patts from her book.






Also cast on another pr of socks for Mom (also for xmas), this time cuff down in an Austermann Step yarn in woodsy colors. Nice self patterning yarn so just a plain vanilla sock. Almost finished with the first sock for this pair.


I’m just finishing Part IV of the Shetland Pi Shawl. At 576 stitches, it’s taking me about a half hour per round, a little less if it’s a plain knit round. Even so, I’m enjoying this project. I’d forgotten how much I like knitting lace patterns. Of course, now that I’m almost finished, I’ve been thinking: a) I should’ve used bigger needles, and b) how is the bamboo and silk content of the yarn going to affect blocking? Is it going to be big enough? I have plenty of yarn so I added one more pattern repeat for Part IV. Better too big than too small.



On/Off My Spindle

The Montana Targhee in the “Rivers of Belief” colorway from Crown Mountain Farms is done. Spongy is how I’d describe how it feels. It’s easy to spin and I’ll be adding Targhee to my list of “like to spin” breeds. I chain plied but kinda wished I’d stuck to a plain ole three-ply, mostly because I’m annoyed that I can’t chain ply suspended but have to park and ply. Anyway, it’s done. Just needs a good soak and twhack and then I’ll see what I’ve got by way of wpi and yardage.

The MBT Blendis all spun up but not all plied. Plying balls are done but I’ve been spinning them up on an as needed basis.

I’ve spun up all the “Rosewood” colorway but I haven’t finished plying. It’s merino top from Godiva Yarns at MySweetSpot2 that I’m doing as a 2ply. It was very nice to work with and the colors were lovely.






I bought some hand carders (Ashford) a couple of weeks ago and some washed Corriedale fleece to practice with. I keep watching online videos and I think I’m getting better. This is a picture of early rolags (rolled side to side instead of top to bottom) that I was using to practice spinning worsted. I have other rolags rolled the regular top to bottom that I’m using to practice spinning woolen on a different spindle. I want to see if I can tell the difference. I’m not seeing a difference in my singles but maybe I will after they’re plied and finished.