Project Spectrum Spinning!

There's been spinning!


I was able to get my hands on some Hello Yarn hand dyed roving last month and I spun it up into about 120 yards of worsted weight 2ply. I just love the colors!



It is very aptly named Turkey Attack! Can't you just see the feathers flying!




Also - I spun my first skein of art yarn!! I love me some Loop - isn't Steph the sweetest most talented person ever! I couldn't resist this lovely batt at the Cloverhill booth at Sheep and Wool - so it came home with me and soon I was breaking open the loveliness and spun it up into this!



Spinning this was a very weird experience! I had to forget everything I usually do when spinning. Make it even? - nah... Make nice thin strands? - nah.... plying? nah.... It took every ounce of my will power - but I allowed chunk after gorgeous sparkly chunk to pass through my fingers to create this.


When I got the string of sequins - I just had to laugh! I was way outside my spinning comfort zone - but I just went with it. I love love love how this turned out! I can't wait to spin up my second Loop batt! I call this one Bling bling :)



I left it as a single to show off it's shiny glowing fibers and because I only have about 85 yards. So what should I make with it!?? I am open to suggestions!!

Right now - I just pet it!

Amazingly enough, even though these two skeins are very different, they are both perfect for the Earth colors of Project Spectrum! April and May's "Earth colors" are brown, green, blue and metallic. Happy Earth colors month!

A walk in the garden

I took a walk through my garden today. There is so much in bloom! I love this time of year!

Petunias...


Peonies....





I call this one the Dr Seuss flower! Aren't they weird! Anyone know what they are called? I think they may be related to Alliums...













Even dandelions can be beautiful - just so they aren't in my lawn!

Charlotte's Web Photoshoot

Coleen and I had a date in the park today to shoot some photos of our finished shawls.

I'm glad the rain held off - we were able to get some great shots!

May I present my Charlotte's Web shawl!



Stats
Pattern: Charlotte's Web from Knits from a Painter's Palette: Modular Masterpieces in Handpainted Yarns by Maie Landra
Yarn: 5 different skeins of Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino
Needles: Addi Turbo Size US 9
Mods: I had to remove the last 4 rows of the pattern in my last color because I was out of yarn! I also added the crochet edging with the first color in my shawl.



I really enjoyed knitting this. The yarn was so squishy and soft and the pattern is really easy to memorize once you get the hang of it. It flew off my needles!

Here are some more pics...









If you know me and Coleen - you know we are just silly girls at heart - so here are our "fun shots"

We did some pole dancing...




and running shots...


It was a great day at the park!

What does Coleen's shawl look like you ask?

Here's a preview













for more details - go to her blog!

Yarn Party pics!

With all the Sheep and Wool excitement - I somehow managed to forget to post about the Yarn Party! Erin threw a little get together at her studio the Friday before Sheep and Wool.

Mama knows how to throw a party!

There were plenty of friends, food, yarn and good times. Here's the whole gang in Erin's studio!



And the knitting side of the party - took place in the vacant studio next door. Stacey, Sarah, Jen, Michelle and I had a great time sitting and knitting.



It was so great to get to spend time with Stacey! I see her so rarely!




Also - I got to meet the fabulous Michelle of The Sweet Sheep! Have you ever met someone and immediately clicked? I feel like I've known Michelle forever. She is the best!




There were yummy pink cupcakes...



and pretty stitch marker favors - made by Dawn... the other half of Cyberfiber!



It was a great time!


Thanks Erin!

I finally finished my Charlotte's Web shawl! She is blocking now. I knit it using a 24" circular, so it was pretty scrunched up the whole time and I really had no idea just how BIG it was.

I had to fold it in half to block it on a queen sized bed!




I just loved knitting this. The Koigu was a joy to work with... so colorful and sproingy! (Is that a word>) If it isn't - it should be!





I can't wait to see how this baby looks after it's dry. Coleen and I are planning a proper photo session tomorrow. My Charlotte's web and her Faux Russian Stole - stay tuned!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy mother's day to my awesome mom and grandmother and all the other moms out there!

Hope you had a great day!

More Sheep and Wool Stories

I told you I wasn't done with Sheep and Wool! I have lots more to share. First up the goodies!! I was a very lucky shopper this year - I found everything on my list (and several items not on my list!).

My goals were to buy enough roving to spin a sweater - check



and check



The first one is from Serendipity Farm and Studio and I have to give a big thank you to Amber for showing me the roving she got from there! It was exactly what I wanted - a nice natural colored roving that could be spun up into the bottom of another colored yoke sweater.

Which is where the colored roving comes into play. I plan to design my own fair isle yoke using these awesome colors. I am already spinning with ideas! (no pun intended!)

I also wanted to get some yarn for some sweaters. I ended up with enough yarn for 2!

This gorgeous orange tweed is Peace Fleece - I just had to have it!



If it tells you anything - Coleen and Sarah bought a sweaters worth too!!!

One day it will be a Sunrise Circle Jacket.

The second sweater purchase was from Fiber Co - I got some gorgeous cranberry colored Organik yarn. This was definitely the deal of the day! Only $4.95 a skein! I got 12 :)



I think it may be another colored yoke sweater - maybe a cardigan this time though. I'm addicted to yoked sweaters I tell you!!

Anyway - those were the big purchases. I did get some other little things... mostly all from the Cloverhill booth. Come on! I had first dibs! It would have been wrong to waste that opportunity right?



From the top - I got a spindle for my friend Heidi who could make it down this year. It's a hand carved spindle by Michael Sturtevant. I also got Heidi some roving - but something has to be a surprise!

Next is Little Traveler by Sanguine Griffin, A Monster hat by Jacey of Insubordinate, Cyberfiber roving, Dragonfly Fiber roving, Handmaiden Sea Silk, a Loop batt, and Peppercorn sock yarn by Spritely Goods.


Here we are leaving with our many purchases...


I love everything I got and I can't wait to start knitting! It's been very hard to keep working on my most recent project - the Charlotte's Web shawl. I'm almost done though and then I can cast on for something new! The only question is where do I start!

Until next year Sheep and Wool!

It came - and it went - and now I'm exhausted! But it was a great weekend!! :)

MD Sheep and Wool festival was this weekend and I've been on the go since Wednesday night helping Jolene tag, scan and get ready for her debut at the Cloverhill booth! I have to say it was a complete success.

The space went from this:



to this:



thanks to help of some awesome people (you know who you are) it all got setup and looked awesome.

Then the crowds came!!


Wow!!



It was a madhouse on Saturday and a calmer pace on Sunday - but overall it was a wonderful weekend.

I did manage to sneak away Saturday afternoon and some yarn and roving "jumped" into my hands....

Here's my haul...


Enough yarn for two sweaters - enough roving for one sweater and some special skeins in between. I will give you all the juicy details soon I promise!

I also got to see some of my most favorite people from Blogland!!



From the top - I was thrilled to see Christi, Pam, Amber, Judy and Amber's mom; Michelle, Rosanna, Ann, Jody, Chelette and Cici , and finally Stacey,Lolly , Isel, and Lolly's pal Jenna.

More pics and stories coming soon! I have to spread out the love :)

Earth Day!

I know I'm late for earth day - but I wanted to share the new tree we planted. It was a gift from my in-laws for our anniversary and a perfect addition to our yard.

It's a Japanese Red Maple - I have always loved the rich red of these trees.



The leaves are gorgeous vibrant red all year.









This week I am also playing with a new lens we rented for my Nikon - from Rentglass.com. It's a 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro.

I love it - check out some pics I took with it...














My neighbors having a water fight!



I love this lens!!

Raglan from the top down is done!

OK so I didn't finish it in in March and I didn't finish it in a month either. But I did finish it! I started this sweater for the March Sweater Madness - knit a sweater in a month challenge. I came close! I cast on March 16 and finished it up April 19th. (Thank you Ravelry - I never would have remembered the exact dates - what did we do without you!)

So - here is my "almost knit in a month" sweater!

I'm calling it my Lucky sweater!



Stats:
Pattern: Raglan from the top down by Stephanie Japel a.k.a. Lucky!
Yarn: My handspun for the yoke and Elann Peruvian Highland Wool for the body in Peridot
Needles: Size US9 (I knit tight!)
Mods: I did my raglan increases with Yarn overs for some decorative details and added handspun trim on the cuffs and bottom of the sweater. I also did a turned hem on the bottom and cuffs.

Here is the handspun I used - I had about 100 yards of this awesome merino tencel from Cyberfiber:



It knit up like a dream and was just enough for the yoke...




with a bit left over for the cuffs and bottom hem...






It's also perfect for Project Spectrum!