Again with the Socks

More socks.

I know.

This is really strange to me, because until 2014 I *wanted* to knit more socks but didn't. And this is the first year I didn't set a focused on goal on socks, and yet.... socks. Eight pair, so far, seven for in my own drawers, and another two pair on the needles. I don't dare set a goal for the rest of the year, because I've already blown out my previous yearly sock knitting totals by quite a ways.


I finished these vanilla socks Sunday night while watching the first episode of Outlander, and had to cast on for the House Targaryen Socks as soon as I freed up the needles. I'm trying to move away from vanilla socks for a bit and into some patterned things, but nothing too scary yet. I love pattern suggestions!


I'm about 25% from the end of Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon on the kindle, and not really sure what I will move on to read once I'm finished with it- I've been reading the series since around the first of the year (with some other books in between), but once I finish this current one (which came out last month) it will likely be 4-5 years before the next one comes out. It's been nice to be invested in a significant series like this, but it always leaves me longing for another series to read.

Midnight Fiber and Fabric Podcast, Episode 17: Making All the Plans

I'm still working on spinning the grey Shetland (from Spunky Eclectic) for the SPAKAL project.

I finished my Bright Lights Socks (Nerd Girl Yarns colorway: Glassical Phantasm)
working to free up needles so that I can work on the Braid Hills cardigan by Kate Davies that I mentioned in Episode 11. My new travel knit is House Targaryen in the NGY colorway Regenerate on the Astral base.

I *love* habitrpg- gaming for your daily accomplishments.


I'm excited to have the opportunity to go to Stitches Midwest this next weekend! I'm planning on two classes, one about pattern design and another about sleeve caps. The hardest decision has been how to pack my bags- I'm so excited for all the possibilities here!


My New Things this week are the NGY Random Fandom Yarn Club and hunting for sock patterns. I mention a few patterns:  Sock Recipe: A Good Plain Sock,  Leyburn Socks, Nutkin, Hermione's Every Day Socks, and Baroque. Please share your favorite sock patterns in comments!

You can join in on the podcast conversation on:

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Tour De Fleece: Final Tally

Tour de Fleece finished up on Sunday and I learned so much about my spinning over the course of this event. I am so very happy with my progress!

By the Numbers:

:: I started with 32 ounces of grey Shetland from Spunky Eclectic.

:: I decided on a 3 ply, and I'm still very happy with this decision The yarn is wonderfully round, which is exactly what I wanted.

:: I decided to ply as I went on the advice of a more experienced spinning friend, and I am really glad I did.

:: I was able to spin 24 ounces and it is all plied.

:: I still have 8 ounces to spin, and my goal is to finish that by August 6.

What I Learned:

1. I'm still spinning fairly densely. Even though my yarn is the desired worsted weight when plied, it is *dense* and won't give me the yardage I had hoped for. I will get better at this as I go, but this means that Harvest is likely off the table as a project for this yarn. I'm completely fine with that and I'm looking for a different project instead.


2. While this felt like a gigantic project up front, it really hasn't been. I worried that I'd be bored with the fiber after spinning 6-8 ounces of it, but that hasn't been a problem. In fact, it's been a beautiful and calming part of my day to sit at the wheel without figuring out the next steps or watching color work it's magic. It's a much-needed meditation with this fiber.


3. Making spinning a priority lessened my time for other creative pursuits, but in a way I am happy with. In fact, I'm working on fall schedule things and building very regular spinning time in is part of that fall build.

How did your spinning work during the tour? 

Did you accomplish as much as you hoped for?

2014 Goals, 6 months later

I shared my 2014 fiber goals back in January, and thought we'd check in with them today.

1. Finish 15 knits this year. It's the middle of July and I've finished 8 knitted things, including 7 (!!!) pairs of socks. On the needles: 4(!!!) sweaters, 1 pair of mittens, 2 pairs of socks. Do I go ahead and declare this the year of socks? 




2. Learn to spin with more control. I've been happy with my progress this year in spinning. I'm almost done spinning for my SPAKAL sweater, and I can't even say how I excited I am about how this project is going. Actually? More on that tomorrow!


3. Participate in the Ravellenic Games and in Tour de Fleece as I am able. I started a Ravellenic project,  but my arm did not hold up well. Tour de Fleece has been much better, and I'll have final numbers and photographs from my Tour spinning for you tomorrow.

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4. Maybe actually write out a pattern or two this year? I've charted a few things, but no fully written patterns yet. This particular goal is the most exciting to me, but also the most terrifying.


5. Make 75% of Ellie's spring/summer and fall/winter wardrobes by hand. I have not even been close on this, mostly because of my arm issues. But those are clearing up and I'm finally back to spinning and knitting fully. I'm hoping to be back to my sewing machine in August.


6. Make more for the boys through this year, making at least 3 items for each of them. I have some things in progress or planned for the boys, so hopefully I'll be sharing some finished boy items soon.

How are your fiber-y goals going so far in 2014?

Spin Share

I'm working on spinning a little each day, and sharing my progress in this space on Fridays. 

Please join me! Share your spinning progress in comments- I'd love to see your work!

Last night I plied the 5th skein of Shetland so far. I have another 3 oz. waiting to be plied today, and I'm attempting to get another 1.5 oz. of singles onto the bobbins today to rest until I'm able to ply again tomorrow night. 

I will not get through all 32 oz. that I {secretly} wanted to get through, but I think I'll get close. I can reasonable expect that I might have 2 more skeins plied by late Sunday night, and maybe even another 2-3 oz. of singles complete by then, and I'm very happy with that. I have made so much progress this month, and I'm thrilled to have come through this project this well so far.

2 of the 5 skeins are different looking than the others- I used my new swift to wind the two longer skeins up so they aren't quite as short as the others. Each skein has very similar yardage, but the difference in how I formed the skeins makes them look significantly different. They've all had a soak, but I'm going to re-wind the shorter skeins to match the longer ones.

Have you been spinning this week? 

Share a link to your spinning progress in comments so that we can come visit your beautiful work!