Friday, February 26, 2016

Weekly spinning: the accountant and the leftovers

When teh last time I was díeing yarn and fiber, my friend asked me to make her some special BAS (in other words dye up some DROPS Baby Alpaca Silk that is Zsuzsi's favorite)...
"And what color you would like? "
"Well, you know... something accountant-ish."
"And what color is THAT? "
"You know....not like your usual I-need-sunglasses-bright-colors, but something more modest,  puprlish, greyings and pinkes.... "
"Right"
I did dye the yarn, but I had some lefovers from teh dyes,a nd we do not like to throw away useful stuff, so I was picking up a braid of wool and poured over the lefotver dyes without and particular concept, plan, or preparation,
It did turned out... not particularly pretty, rather bland, however when I started to spin it, those colores came to life.
During plying as the colors found their way beside each other, they already danced.
The truth to be told, I was never a fan of the barber pole effect (when two different color twists into each other), that is probably why fractal spinning never enticed me, but this time...those soft colors were really enchanting in any combination.
100 gramm merino, about 350 meter 2 ply.


Monday, February 22, 2016

Shhepy-times

As much as I liked the sheepy hat I've knitted, I was not that happy about the green ribbing. I know it represents grass, and (unlike with yellow) I have no problems about green, and that particular green yarn (DROPS Nepal) I actually like so much I have a sweaster's worth amount of.
The shape needed a bit of adjusting to suit my taste as well, so when Adél asked if anyone would knit one for her, I was quick to offer mine :-) (Go, check her blog a couple of posts back she posts a shawl she spun and knit from the wool I dyed).
That gave me the perfect opportunity to knit the hat again, this time using gray for the lower part. After all, it is a winter hat, and there are snowflakes on the crown, and rarely any bright green grass in the winter where I am... It didn't took longer to knit this than the first time, only insted of a one night adventure, it was a Sunday one.
Knitted only 12 rounds of ribbing (instead of sixteen I did the first time), and took out a couple of rounds (no more than two) from the crown.
pattern, Blaa bee hat
yarn: Drops Nepal
Photos: Christopher Laurent Deli

Friday, February 19, 2016

Weekly Spinning - birthday tantrum

I already mentioned that last fall and winter (OK from about August until now) was so extremely busy... Two jobs and university was just about all I could handle, when the offer came to do the magazine,I knew it will throw off the balance that was already hanging on a tiny threas. However I just coud not say no, even if I knew this will mean some... some... how shall I put it... no weekends, sleepless nights, hardly any crafting, and so on.
And then, when my birthday came around I in last december, something snapped. I was like a toddler, it her worst tantrum. I wanted spinning and nothing else. No work, No housework. No university stuff, no study, no paper to write. NO. And I did not care about the possible consequences. Spinning that is what I wanted, and there is one major advantage of being an adult. I can decide if I can afford to put other things aside... and with all the work I've done, I decided that I deserve some fun.

Without any particular plan, I dug out the first fiber I had that was not earmarked for anything particular, I just bought it because I thought it might be pretty and I wanted to try it.

I have a thing for multicolored tops that are striped lengthwise. I love how the colors mixing up during spinning and love the tweedy/heathery effect. (I love tweedy/heathery yarn as well- no wonder).
 The first thing that I managed to gab was this orange, red and pink striped merino.I also wanted to practice spinning thicker than my usual laceweight.
 And I love the result, it is not as uniform as can be, but if I want perfectly uniform yarn I drop in a yarn store and pick it out of the shelf, not working on it for hours, or days, right? I love handspun. because it is so unique, and the tiny "imperfections" gives it a very special character.
This one is still slightly overspun, (I still pedal notoriously fast on the wheel) though much less as it used to be, and for once it is very bouncy. 
100 gramms, 2 ply, and about 350 meters.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The same, but totally different

Among other things, the good thin in working with a knitting/crochet magazine is that I know well before the publication date what patterns will be inside.
When I first received the files for the spring issue of Simple Crochet's Hungarian version I knew at once that I will do this flowery shawl. 
So much, that I made not one but two version , and if my time and stash would allow I would do a few more.
Because this hexaconal motif is perfect to play with colors and shapes.
I love big, sizeable shaws, therefore I made mine a lot bigger in a regtangular stole shape first in brooding wintery shades similar to the original one. .
In the second version I only changed colors a shade or two lighter, used light, pearly gray insted of the dark heathery one, instead of the dark reds choose pink ones, and chaged the petrol to a light turqoise. I put the heaxagons together into a gigantic triangle, and the result is a lovely spring mood.
I could not make a choice, but fortunately I don't have to.
Yarn: DROPS Alpaca
Pattern: From Simply Crochet magazine
Photoes: Christopher Laurent Deli

Friday, February 12, 2016

Weekly spinning...The project from hell

Without going into details, this yarn from raw alpaca fleece project was not my favorite one...
Dragged out way too long...
It was difficult to get the drumcarder...(I know, its hight time I get one for myself...)
In the meanwhile life three me more than a few obstacles...
However, it is done and finished...
Even if I am not that satisfied with the end result...
Even done a bit of extra in laceweight just for the fun of it...




Monday, February 8, 2016

Something ended

Because this is a finished project...
The five year old University adventure ended...
Weekends spent in the shcool, endless trainrides...
sleepless nights
Memories, and new friends will stay with me
And two degree in five years.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Sheeps...first.


I was going to knit this for a while, I even had the yarn bought in the DROPS Alpaca Party...
However, due to exams, and work, this was kept getting pushed back on my to do list...
Until a sheep-fever swept over through the facebook knitting groups...
The I did it in one night
Pattern: Baa Blee
Yarn: Drops Nepál
Needles: 2,75 (ribbing), 3,25 (stockinett), 3,75 (pattern)
Photoes: (wonderwho? ) Christopher Laurent Deli