Bella's Mittens are Mine

I decided it was time to knit something for me. Everything I knit either ends up as a gift or in the shop. I don't knit for me very often. These caught my attention.

The pattern is called Bella's Mittens. I think they were inspired by one of those Twilight movies. That could explain why they are so popular. There are more than 7500 projects listed in Ravelry using this pattern!

I just loved the way these mittens looked and they seemed like a good way to start cables. I've never done any cables while knitting. It's not that they looked difficult, I'm just not a real fan of how most of them look. They tend to be too busy looking. I liked these though.

Luckily I had some bulky yarn mixed in my sock yarn stash and it was even a color I could live with. That doesn't always happen.

I cast them on and finished the first mitten in 4 days. Now I know some of you could have knit one of these in a fraction of the time, but for me that's really, really good. I normally only knit at night for an hour or two.

The second one is about 3 inches long and I can't wait to finish because I love these mittens. Now if only the weather would cooperate.

Has anyone told the weather man that it's supposed to be December? It was 50* here in Michigan again. It supposed to be 30* and snowy by now, but we've had barely any snow. In fact it's only gotten below freezing a couple times.

Is the weather weird were you are?

I love to see what you've been working on.

FAF: New Pattern - Snowfall

Remember that pattern I talked about writing last Friday? I finally released it into the world yesterday.

Sending a pattern off into cyberspace is terrifying. Really, really terrifying. Will people like it? Could I have done any more to make it better? These questions kept me up most of the night. No matter how many patterns I create, these same fears assault me every time.

I get over it thought because seeing the pictures of my pattern pop on Ravelry is such a thrill! And then seeing people favorite the pattern and queue it and then make it.......awesome!

I know I did my best creating this and the test knitters loved it and gave great feedback so I know there shouldn't be much to worry about, but still, I'll probably stew about it for a while.

I am excited to share it with you and the weather almost cooperated so I could take pictures. I would have preferred some snow on the ground, but mother nature wouldn't listen to my pleas.
 
So here it is......Snowfall. Fingerless mitts inspired by the first snow of the season. The pattern can be found in Ravelry and in our Etsy shop.

WIP Wednesday: Georgiana Shawl and Maluka

My Georgiana shawl is coming along great!! This is the first project in a long time that makes me want to knit all the time. Lately it seems that knitting has been a chore, but I've found my love of knitting again in this shawl.

Currently I am working back and forth on what seems like a million short rows to shape the shawl, but they are easy. I think I could be sleeping and not screw these up which is a nice change from the lace charts. Only 20 some-odd rows to go before I get to the next lace chart. I might even make it there by tonight.

I'm trying to behave and not cast on another project before this shawl is done, but it's very hard not to. I recently received an awesome skein of alpaca blend yarn in a swap and it finally told me what it wanted to be.

 Isn't it pretty?

I will be making this shawl/scarf/wrap thing (not entirely sure what to call it) that I found on Ravelry. It's called Maluka and looks like this.

This will be my very first project with cables! I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. It's only little cables though so I think it'll be ok.

Spin in Your PJs Day Follow-Up

Spin in Your PJs Day was a rousing success!!


Several of us from around the world came together and spent at least part
of the day spinning in our jammies. Some of us were even brave enough to post pictures in our pjs.

For many of us, this was a day to enjoy spinning again. In our busy lives
it can be difficult to find the time for our fiber hobbies and we occasionally need a push in the direction of relaxation. Coming together in a group where we can encourage and nudge each other helped me get back to my spinning wheel and I know a lot of others felt the same way.

The day was so successful that we've all agreed that we want to do it again next year! I'm already super excited and planning some fun. I'll be sure to let you know in plenty of time in case you want to join in. In the meantime, you can read through this year's thread and see some of the great pictures posted.

FAF: Spin in Your PJs Day

Happy Friday! I hope your Thanksgiving was a happy one!

How are you spending your day after Thanksgiving? Did you brave the dark and stand in line for great deals? Did you sleep in and do your shopping online? Or did you skip the post holiday shopping altogether?

I did a little shopping online yesterday after the big meal and was able to score the couple of "doorbuster" deals I wanted. I really liked the fact that most retailers were offering their sales online yesterday instead of waiting for today.

So today I am celebrating a day that I have officially declared "Spin in Your PJs Day". It's a simple concept. Just spend the day relaxing in your jammies and do something you love. In this case, spinning.

I started a thread on Ravelry so people can gather together and it's taking off. At least I'm not celebrating it alone! I've even offered a prize drawing for anyone that posts pictures of themselves spinning in their jammies.

 I was a good girl and posted this picture taken of me this morning spinning in my Christmas pjs.

Today will be a day of relaxing. I needed one and I suppose it's a little sad that I had to declare my own holiday to get it. I'll enjoy every second of it though and hope to get some yummy silk yarn spun. Maybe I'll even get a few more rows of my Georgiana shawl done.

Have a great one!

Crafty Friday 5/20 - Spinning a Project

Happy Friday! I am so glad the weekend is almost here.

This week I am trying something completely new. We were at a fiber festival last weekend and I bought almost 11 ounces of Icelandic wool. It's really dark gray and super soft. I keep petting it!


I wasn't sure what I would do with it when I bought it. I just knew I had to get some. I brought it home and stared at it for a day or so hoping it would talk to me.

Normally I spin yarn by letting the fiber tell me what it wants to be. I have no real goal in mind. I just enjoy spinning it. Most yarns I spin get put up for sale and rarely do I keep one. Occasionally I will knit something with a yarn if I get an idea when I'm done, but even those projects generally go into our shop.

The wool finally spoke to me and decided it wants to be a sweater for me. :o) I found the cutest sweater that could be worn with anything and during most any weather. It looks simple enough. It better be since it'll be my first sweater. The pattern is called Abalone.


The thing is, now that I know what I want to make, I have to spin this roving with the specific project in mind. This is a totally new idea for me. I need to spin this into a worsted weight yarn and I'm worried I won't be disciplined enough. What if it wants to be something else?

I'll start this as soon I finish another project I'm working on and let you know how it goes.

So what have you been up to this week?

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Are you on Ravelry? Come join our new group.

All of you knitters, crocheters and fiber artists....have you ever poked around Ravelry?

Ravelry is such a wonderful place for fiber artists of all types to come and meet up, discuss what they are up to and of course the patterns are fun to search through.

Well, we have finally started a Ravelry group for our farm. Actually, we started it almost a month ago and it's freakishly quiet over there. I'm feeling lonely. :(

Currently we've got discussions going on class ideas for 2011 and have scheduled a dyeing day here at the farm in a couple weeks. Soon I hope to have a place for everyone to show off what they've made using our fibers, yarns and patterns.

I'd be honored if you'd stop by and say hello. Maybe even join if the mood strikes. You can find the group here.