BLUE TOE SPINNER

Not that many years ago, I did very tiny needle work. I could see every stitch clear as a bell. Since turning 40, (I'm older than that now), the unthinkable has happened...I can't see little tiny stitches. Mother Nature can be very cruel. I now sport no-line bifocals. So, when my son asked me to knit him a Black Beanie, I cringed. He wanted it to be light weight so he could wear it in the summer, (he is an auto mechanic). So, I tried a couple different yarns, and decided to use 100% Mercerized Crochet Cotton. Due to the weight of the yarn, used size 0 circular needles. Next challenge how many stitches to cast on. After four different casting on episodes, I remembered, that I have heard that you can wrap the yarn around your head three times, and use that length to cast on using the long tail cast-on. Yeah!! Cast-on conquered. Next challenge, trying to see the darn stitches. And when I dropped a stitch, and tried to see the stitch to fix it. OH, MY WORD!! Let's say, it will ...

Wednesday was our annual Dye Exchange at the Wasatch Woolpack Guild. The color for this year was purple. Some are a little out of focus or the color is a little off. But, I was in the front of line at the exchange and I didn't want to hold people up too much. (You know how spinners are around pretty, pretty, roving, you know). Here are the fruits of our labors! This is what Mumsy and I ended up with. Quite the haul, don't you think?! I think, between the two of us, the total was about 52 ounces of glorious fluff. It's just like Christmas! Thanks to everyone for great work and for coming to this event.

These are my very first Magic Loop socks. They are no long the bane of my existance. Aside from the tops of the cuffs being not stretchy enough they fit very well and are super comfy. I knitted them toe up from a pattern I found on the internet ( Knitting 2 Socks at One Time ). They are not perfect but I learned tons! Things I have learned knitting these socks: 1. My handspun sock yarn needs to be more consistent. One skein was thicker than the other. 2. I luuuuuvvvvve short row heels, it uses way less brain cells to do heels this way than heel flap, gusset, not so much. But, can do it. 3. I need to learn the stretchy cast off. 4. Pay attention when you are doing the wrap stitches or else you get funny little string on the outside of your socks. 5. So many sock patterns, so much sock yarn, so little time. (thank goodness they are so portable.

I can't remember the last time I had an entire day to knit or spin! You may think "big deal, I never get an entire day to do..." The difference is I have no children at home, (close by, yes, of course), but it just Mumsy and me and puppy. I'm an empty nest-er for crying out loud! So, today was my day. I had Mumsy full support and enabling. She went to the temple and I stayed home like a heathen. She even brought home Taco Bell for lunch. Puppy napped close by in case I needed anything, like a moment to pet her. And so determined was I to knit, I didn't even take a nap. I finished the "Flower Bud" scarf for my daugther-in-law. I had several unraveling moments...the switching of wrong and right sides. I know it's a special gift, it takes years to perfect this kind of error. But, comes so naturally to me. Anyway, it is finished and beautiful and think she will love it. Now, back to the socks that have been the challenge of the last couple months. I boug...

These are little hand warmers I knitted from handspun wool and silk noils fiber. I’ve always thought that fingerless gloves and mittens are so elegant looking. I have loads of this yarn and fiber still waiting to be spun. It was spun fairly thin and 2-plyed. The pattern is just basic 3 x 3 ribbing and knitted in the round until the thumb hole. Which was, knitted back and forth knit row, purl row until the thumb hole was large enough. Then, knitted in the round, againuntil the final ribbing. I used size 4 circular needles. (I cheated and knitted them in church, but I got them done in two days.) The week of Kristine’s Birthday Party at Three Wishes, I bought some wonderful alpaca and sheep wool blend yarn to knit a scarf for my daughter-in-law. This scarf is to replace a scarf Mumsy crocheted for her a couple years ago. She loved the scarf, but it was lost in her travels last year back and forth from Utah and Arizona. I am knitting a pattern she picked from “365 Knitting Stitches A Year...