Misc Summer 2020 Stitching Chat!

Faroe

Un-spun

(hope that huge link works)
Anyone working with Patton's yarn? Looks like a viable economy yarn. My budget is going to shrink considerably in the coming months, but I still need yarn! This is about half what I usually spend for the yardage. While worsted wt. is a bit heavy for me, it will do. $6 for 200plus yards, 100% wool, not superwash (hate that), and looks like a nice round yarn that will highlight stitch definition. Not many colors available, but I'm not a color person - two greys and a brown should cover it.
 

Faroe

Un-spun
Turns out Brown Sheep is a mill in Nebraska that has yarn closest to what I want, and they sell directly (and on economical cones), although it'll be a while before I order some. Also, so far, their website isn't screaming "We be Woke!" Fingers crossed they keep it that way. Working out of the Frangi stash for the next sweater. I just have the neck band to finish on the current one. Plan is to knit another that is better than what is about to come off the needles. ...a sweater only it's maker could be fond of. I'm still dis-owning it; anybody asks, it was picked up cheap at a thrift store, "so hard to find anything in real wool these days..."

The heat has been intolerable. I'll be fabric stash diving to find some linen for some simple sleeveless blouses. Purchased knit tops just get soggy.

Been listening to YouTube's produced by this lady.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pFLQPsIN48

She has been around for a while, but I only ran across her channel this week. Has a few wheels as well. Good teacher. The one above is 50-something min. run time.

ETA: 4:20 PM, Knitting is DONE! I'll weave in ends, wash and block tomorrow.
 
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Faroe

Un-spun
Underwear, 18th Century style:

People used to boil linen clothing to clean it. Modern elasticized underwear isn't going to hold up to that. The stash had a few yards of light weight 60" white linen. Sweating like a pig in a nylon full slip just sucks (TMI - tough cookies); they all seem to now be permanently...funky. New foundations are called for.

Four day project, because I always make things too complicated, but I like the way it turned out and fits, and will make more (could use about half a dozen). No pattern was used, and made it with added straps (due to a mis-measure that was several inches too short, and I needed it sleeveless, anyway), but it was hand sewn while watching endless variations of every YT costumer's 18th century shift.

In other endeavors, been support spindle spinning, because it is sometimes the only thing I can mentally handle. Chronically fidgety, but too stressed to concentrate. Fruity knitting had an interview with a designer who works with marles for color gradients. One strand of all this endless single ply off-white homespun should match well with a partial cone of light fingering I have left over. Would make a pretty shawl. I would have already begun it, but am too scattered lately to even attempt something as flat out basic as a garter stitch triangle, one stitch c/o shawl.

Maria Tuscan of hand-dye yarn fame has a new interview with Politically Incorrect Knitters. Good show. I was familiar with her mis-adventure opposing the knitting SJW cry-bullies. She mostly dresses herself in 1940's styles, so the conversation went to the virtue signalling in vintage/historical costuming community. Odd, I was totally unaware of that situation; apparently, if one is not on Instagram (I'm not), you miss out on EVERYTHING.
 

Melodi

Disaster Cat
Sock one (of two) for the client is done except for a bit of embroidery on the kitties to make them stand out, the grey I used was really too light but that is fixable.

Brown Sheep Company - when I first started spinning about 1984 they were one of the only places selling clean wool fleeces. I remember calling them and they actually "went out to the barn" to see what they had and sent me some.

It was a lot cheaper than the tiny bits sold at the yarn/spinning shop in Denver at the time.

They are really great people and I love their yarns, sadly I've never seen them over here though I've bought several times when in the US and brought skeins back.
 

Faroe

Un-spun
Yes, the embroidery will make them charming. :)

Would love a clean fleece! Washing is the hardest part. I am currently spinning lace weight with past purchased cream colored roving that I like - but, I would have gotten rid of ALL of the noiles and plant bits if I had been the one to comb and diz it. It's been fun to just work through another person's huge ball of fiber, but my spinning is much more consistent when I'm the one who does the prep. Anyway, been working on a swatch to see how it pairs up with the cone of grey Shetland. Combined with the thicker fingering, those spinning inconsistencies completely disappear. The knitted fabric in plain garter is heavier and firmer than expected, but I do like the color-play (if want to call that combination "color").

Got VERY distracted with penny rugs this week. I knew they existed, but never really noticed them before. I have some high end flannel men's blazers that I picked up at the thrift store several months ago ($5 for the stack of them). Gorgeous fabrics, was originally planning a traditional pieced quilt in squares, but now I think I'll felt the fabric once I cut them apart. I like how the penny stacks are just blanket stitched together in embroidery floss - all the fun and charm of a quilt, with none of the tedious stuff I hate doing. Probably a rabbit hole I could have lived without, but no going back now.
 
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Faroe

Un-spun
Lap bowls, and supported spinning.

Was spinning fine singles on my usual pretty blue and white china bowl, and decided that I didn't want to risk loosing it slipping off my lap. Scrounged two other alternatives, one is glass cover to a thrift store jar, and the other is a bit of translucent marble (?) stone with a dimple in the center of it (I think these are used as little stands for polished stone eggs and crystal spheres - long ago yard sale purchase for 25 cents).

The latest commercial solution seems to be fixing the bowl to a little bean bag sort of pillow (see Straddlecreek Spins), but the whole thing to me still looks unstable. I spin mostly on my knee, and wouldn't use a bowl at all, but the point will drill holes in your clothing. I sewed a wooden diz to a bath towel, and that was very secure on the lap, but diz's come with holes, much as I would have otherwise liked that solution - also, being my only diz, I'd like to keep it free for it's intended purpose of drawing out slivers in roving.

I'm thinking of making a little mat, roughly the size of a generous pot holder. so the base edges of these spinning surfaces like the bit of marble, and the glass lid, can be tucked directly into flaps or a drawstring as part of the mat. Then, the mat can be pinned onto a lap rug of sorts (like the bath towel) for extra stability. Felted wool would be pretty, with crazy quilt style embroidery, paisley applique, and little mica mirrors. Given that I never finish quilts or afghans because I hate working with any projects once they get much bigger than a bath towel...well, I have several to choose from.
 
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skwentnaflyer

Veteran Member
Sock one (of two) for the client is done except for a bit of embroidery on the kitties to make them stand out, the grey I used was really too light but that is fixable.

Brown Sheep Company - when I first started spinning about 1984 they were one of the only places selling clean wool fleeces. I remember calling them and they actually "went out to the barn" to see what they had and sent me some.

It was a lot cheaper than the tiny bits sold at the yarn/spinning shop in Denver at the time.

They are really great people and I love their yarns, sadly I've never seen them over here though I've bought several times when in the US and brought skeins back.
I used to live close to their shop/warehouse. I couldn’t imagine working in the dye building, it smelled terrible just driving by on the way to town.
 

Faroe

Un-spun
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5W-S_qC5GY

8:49 min

The Tipsy Spinster came up with another way for supporting the dish, this from January. According to her, Distaff Day (Rock Day, Jan 7??), is real. Who knew - or, she is pulling our leg? I think this woman is an absolute hoot, but ...YMMV. She has other videos on supported spindling (and and impressive collection). I have a small metal bowl, I'll have to scrounge for a strong enough magnet.

I am in complete agreement with her about aprons. She has a different one on every "episode." I want links to some of her patterns!

For those who find The Tipsy Spinster a bit abrasive, Lisa, The Soulful Spinner is a little more soothing. Also on YouTube. Both are very knowledgeable.
 
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Melodi

Disaster Cat
Distaff Day is real, it is one of the many "days" on the old Medievil/traditionally Catholic calendar (there's pretty much a saint or day for everything).

It was also the day that traditionally, the ladies who had put aside their wheels for the Yule celebrations were expected to get back to spinning again.

The second sock leg is done, now for the heal, foot and kitty embroidery.

Then I can finally start some weaving..
 

Faroe

Un-spun
Melodi, Did the client like her socks?

Ran out of yarn on a shawl I've been working on, not sure when I'll get more for it, so put away for now. The knitting is perfect, the yarn has a lovely structure and soft hand, but am kind of ho-hum on the dull mushroomy shade of grey.

Started another gansey style pullover off a stash cone of Frangipani. Three's the charm - took that many c/o's to get the count correct, and not twist the round. 302 sts around, and 7 1/2+ sts per inch. Size US 0 Hiya needles. I want a densely knitted boxy sweater. So far, 1/2 inches in. I still haven't woven in the ends or blocked the last one - too hot to deal with a full size sweater. Just looking at it in this heat makes me itchy and sweaty. I don't recall any other summer being this miserably hot for this long a time.

Cast on for this one is German Knotted. I really like it. Was never happy with the Long-tail from the earlier sweater. One thing for 300 tiny stitches on something boxy - you DON'T need stretch. A bit tedious to do, but very clean, proportional, and neat.

Mostly finished spinning up a big ball of white roving into 2-ply. Planning to just knit up swatches of Barbara Walker's Charted Knitting Designs (the book with the yellow cover) with this. I need more spindle sticks, but my own never come out balanced, when I whittle them myself. More practice, I guess. It is easier to keep a dozen or so, and only remove the yarn when you are ready to skein them. For those interested, big cheap glass beads make the best whorls. They also have a tapered hole from how they are made (?) and if the fit isn't perfect, just push some a bit of raw fleece in there for more friction. That squishy gridded shelf liner can work too - just cut a small piece and roll it. Since I mostly spin supported, I no longer use a tiny rubber band at the base, but I would recommend that for drop spindle use.
 
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Melodi

Disaster Cat
I got kind of stuck on the socks because my hands were hurting, and I really-really-really wanted to do a bit of weaving so I made one band in a technique I'd only done a couple of times before (15 years ago and only did really one pattern) the first attempt was so-so.

Then I tried a warp that obviously was too thick and not going to work, but yesterday and this morning I made about three yards of this - I am very happy with it and husband now wants some with a rune pattern on it (there's a "fish" pattern that is the same as an Othala rune in one of my books).

I'll probably warp that and then try to finish the socks since the client is in Spain and moving to the mountains there and will need them for Winter.

But I learned a long time ago that while sometimes you have to push things (if there is a flat deadline) it is usually better to switch projects when one gets tedious or painful at least for a few days and then come back to it.

Here is my second serious attempt at band weaving since I burned out on it making yards and yards and yards of one dang pattern 15 years ago when husband surprised everyone by winning and SCA tourney and bam we had to have coronation clothing to "step up" as Prince and Princess.

I'll probably use this on a "high status" garment at some point since because he won that tourney in the SCA I'm a "royal peer" which means I get to pretend to be an important person when we are not under lockdown and I can go to events *sigh*

p.jpeg
 

Samuel Adams

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Faroe, see LambsPrYarns

or.....


.....for excellent pricing and selection on Lambs Pride yarn seconds by Brown Sheep Co.

I’ve done extensive business with both, (and both have phenomenal selections of many other yarn types and manufacturers) and am thoroughly impressed with their service and shipping speeds.....

Been slowly building stash all summer, and the first nights in the upper 40s are in the ten day forecast.....

It won’t be long, now !!!
 

Melodi

Disaster Cat
Today's fun, this design was Nightwolf's request it is an Othalla rune but also called "fish" in the weaving book

He wants it for a bag, I'll put another section of a different design tomorrow and then probably get back to the socks as I need to get those sorted too.

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