Thursday, April 19, 2012

Norway Vest for Widget

I still haven't plied that yarn, but I remembered something I could show you was completed in my non blogging period.

I started with this yarn.  It is hand spun Blue-faced Leicester that i got from my Hello Yarn Club days. It was spun up and shared on this blog back in October 2009. It sat in a trunk of hand spun that sits in the upstairs hall until sometime last year. I went searching for something suitable in my stash to knit up a vest for widget. He seems to be drawn to things that are blue and orange - so this seemed like a good yarn to start with - plus there was over 500 yards.

I looked and looked, but cannot find any pictures I took of just the fiber itself before I started working. But I did a quick search on Flickr and found one that the dyer herself took if you are interested in seeing the complete progression.

I didn't take tradition finished object photos - so I decided to dig up what photos I had of the vest in action.

Here it is in all its glory. I love the stripes that the Navajo plying created. It's been awhile since this project was finished- so I don't remember what pattern was used. But I will say that it is a simple v neck vest with a stitch pattern throughout the body.

The stitch pattern gets completely lost in the colors and stripes. It really wasn't worth the effort other than a little entertainment to avoid row after row of stockinette stitch.

The finished size is definitely roomy and it wall last through at least the next fall season. I have a couple skeins and fiber braids set aside for mores vests this next fall and I think I will try for a full sweater for him out of hand spun.

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Anybody out there?

It's been about a year and a half since I've posted on this blog. I'm still active on the internet - I occasionally post on face book, sometimes I stop in Ravelry and look around and I have done some knitting, but for the most part I've been chasing a toddler around. I do love hanging out with the under five crowd, but lately I've really missed spinning and posting on this blog.

I was looking around on Etsy for something for my son and somehow I ended up typing roving into the search field. I ended up looking at some roving from Three Waters Farm. Mary Ann Pagano runs the shop and dyes the fiber; she also happens to be the person that I took my first spinning lesson from - so I decided to buy some fiber. The fiber is a color called stone house and is Blue face Leicester. It will probably end up being a vest for widget this fall. It is a great use of 4 ounces of fiber.

I neglected to take a true before shot of the fiber before I started spinning. One of the things I've always liked about blogging was doing the photos to go along with the posts - but I was too anxious to get started spinning and about remembering how to get started. So as soon as the fiber arrived, I pulled out the wheel, dusted it off and got everything set up. As I was setting up, I was worried I wouldn't remember how to get everything adjusted and how to get started. But as soon as I got the empty bobbin on the flyer and the fiber attached to the leader things seemed to fall into place.

I"ll post a picture once I've gotten he singles plied and skein washed and set. I plan on posting more often - so if you are out thee reading this let me know.