A Lazy Year Posting!

Sunset in Varadero, Cuba

Fishing Shacks in Rose Blanche

Rose Blanche Lighthouse

The now "closed down" town of Grand Bruit

Note the waterfall right in the center of town!

Wow, its been a full year that I have not posted to my blog! I am surprised "blogger" hasn't deleted me...

Been a very busy year, mostly socializing with all my friends; spending time in Codroy this summer and fall; a trip to the now abandoned town of Grand Bruit in early summer; a great trip to Cuba! and much much more.

I haven't been spinning a whole lot since March. I kind of had a lot of wool spun and vowed to use it before starting any new spinning projects. Been knitting on and off when I need something for myself.

My mother has picked up the old habit of knitting these past months and I have been "coaching" her on a few projects outside her comfort zone.

New Directions... sort of!

Over the past few months I have been experimenting with different patterns for hats. And after reading and knitting many different patterns I finally decided I needed something unique to me. But after knitting a few trial hats, I have finally decided that variety is the spice of life!

These are two of my attempts, both are comfortable and stylish. And thanks to Niki, I now know how to fleece line them; although my sewing skills are not the greatest... but that will come with practice.

Fall always brings out the knitter in me and I have also used up all my homespun wool I had spun, so out comes the spinning wheel today.

First Attempt!!!

Second Attempt! From my homespun; and a cozy fleece lining!

Recession: why not barter...

Well I have been very lazy with my blog these past two months. With the warmer weather, work and spinning and knitting, it has gone to the way-side.

But an update...

A friend and co-worker of mine makes pottery as a hobbie. I casually mentioned to her that I would love a set of bowls and after chatting we ended up bartering a couple of my knit-wears (hat and vamps) for a set of 4 of the most beautiful bowls I have ever seen.

Latest spinning adventure.

I finished this yarn on Sunday afternoon. It is a "green moss" plied with a deep red. Turned out to be 280 yards and weighs a little more than 6 oz. My spinning has become more even with practice, and I think it shows. This will once again make for great socks.

I am now working on a wonderful Alpaca/Romney mix compliments of Petra. I am thinking hats for this spin.

Finished "vamps"...

I finished the vamps I was knitting with my hand-spun. I think they turned out great considering I was just experimenting with the wool when I spun it up.

Newest Knits from my spun yarn!

This is a scarf I knit on Sunday May 3. I had a lazy morning and decided to do something with my "white chocolate mint" yarn which I spun a while back. I didn't have a model, so I improvised... It is about 6 feet in length and around 8 inches wide.

Another project are these "vamps" that I started with the yarn from a previous post; it is the coopworth brown mixed with the yellow/gold and red. I don't know how it happened but the colours are knitting up like something I've never seen before. When I spun the yarn, I didn't have any ideas in mind, but yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening at a friends cabin and decided I needed a new pair of socks to wear, so I began knitting. The coloured bands and the heel were an accident. I doubt I will ever be able to replicate it in another sock. Oh well, they will be one of a kind.

Newest Skein

Spent my day yesterday spinning up a skein of mixed fibers; one ply is coopworth dark (compliments of Petra when I purchased my wheel), and the other ply is a mix of gold/yellow with deep red. I hung it to dry on the cloths line after setting the twist in it overnight.

It is approximately 150yards and weighs 5 ounces. I think it turned out good. This is a two-ply that I am quite proud of. Looks like great sock yarn.