Mis Pies Están En Miami

Handspun, finally done! :D It took me about a million months to get these done, but I've finally finished a pair of socks again! Woohoo! This is a handspun yarn, made from Squoosh Fiberarts' SW Merino in the "Crazy Tops 01" colorway, shown below.



I spun this into 364 yds. of two-ply fingering weight yummy yarn.



The socks were knit on size US 1 1/2 Addi Turbo Lace 40" circulars (one at a time). I do a provisional crochet cast-on with a short-row toe, basic stockinette foot, short-row heel, then knit for about 1/2" before starting a 3x1 rib for the cuff. The cuffs are about 6" long, finished with a decrease bind off. Finish, wear, and have fun! ;)

Fall Flowers

I finally got my back deck cleared off. I've had many different transplanting sessions on it over the last couple of years that have piled up. Since there is no easy way to dispose of old containers, soil and spent plants from the back yard, stuff starts to pile after several seasons. Finally, I was able to take some time recently and clean off the entire back deck (all six inches of it ;). That gave me the perfect space to transplant this year's mums and get my first ever tulip bulbs in the ground. I'm excited about the bulbs, but of course I have a while before those will be ready. The chryanthemums, however, get to show off their pretty colors right now. And it's really nice to see them out of our living room every day, I must say. They really enjoy this combination of warm and cool weather. Yeay for fall flowers!

Spinning For Socks

I've been baaaaad. I spun more sock yarn. I couldn't help myself! I know, I know - I already have enough of that without having to make more. I hear ya! But... I just couldn't help myself.

JulieSpins had this roving and I saw it and had to have it and then I spun it and gave it as a gift and then I got more of the same roving and same colorway but a little different and then I spun that up and.... well, I fell in love. Plain and simple. Now I want to make socks out of it. Is that really so wrong?!

Fiber: SW Merino by JulieSpins in "Jungle" colorway (here's my other "Jungle" spin from her)

Detaisl: Approx. 334 yds. of two-ply in fingering weight yumminess.

Plans: Make socks with it and then wear them to the grave. Seriously.

Dawn on My Toes

My first pair of handspun socks! :)

Pattern: Plain ol' sock pattern. Crochet cast-on, short-row toes, short-row heels, decreas bind off in 1x1 rib.

Yarn: My handspun, 388 yds. of two-ply fingering weight in merino, Moonlight Baker's Hungry for Handspun in "Morning Sky" colorway.

Needles: US 1 1/2 Addi Turbo Lace 40" circular needle

These were a lot of fun to do. I love how squooshy they feel on the inside. I swear they feel even more magical than ones that I make from store-bought yarn. ;)

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I hope that y'all had a nice time and didn't have too much traffic to sit in on your way there or back. This is such a nice time of year, I hope that everyone is able to enjoy it and take it all in slowly. Cheers!

A Warm November Spring Day

Sophie's Toes by Emily Parson

My husband and I wanted to get out yesterday morning for some fresh air and sunshine. It has been pretty warm here the past few days so we knew that it would be a great day to go to a neighborhood park that we love. When we got there, at 10:30 a.m., it was about 70 degrees. Yes. You read that right. It ended up getting up to 80 yesterday, but the big deal to me was that it was 70 degrees at 10:30 a.m. on a fall morning. Seriously?!

We didn't do much once we got there. Aron brought his camera to take some random shots and I brought some knitting. We both brought some good reading, too. Sitting on the grass, feeling the warmth of the sun on my feet and the cool grass beneath, I just felt like I was in heaven. I kept on forgetting that it was mid-November. Seriously!

Though I didn't do a whole lot of knitting, I do have some progress pics of a project that I've been doing with the Stitch-It Podcast Listeners Group over at Ravelry. They've started the "Embrace your inner Linus: Shawl KAL" and I've picked one of my favorite yarns in my favorite colorway to make La La's Simple Shawl. I love the way that it's turning out. I can't wait to get it done, though it will take me quite a while. ;)

I'm off to go do some more selfish knitting since it's going to be gift-knitting time in a few days for me. Happy Sunday!

Spinning Mania!

Well, I just went a little bit crazy in a shop update that I've found some fabulous fiber at. At first glance, I wasn't super in love with my first braid that I got from her. Though it was pretty, I knew that she had previously done some amazing stuff. Spinning it up, I still wasn't too sure. After plying it, however, I realized that this stuff is really fabulous. She does some amazing colorways that are unique and make you think outside the box. Colors that you wouldn't think to put together suddenly glow and radiate. This simple skein of fingering-weight is so subtle in comparison to what she usually posts in her shop.

The fiber is by Juliespins and she just did a shop update. Though you couldn't tell by looking at her stock since it sells out in mere seconds. ;)

4.4 oz. of Superwash Merino Handpainted Roving in "Jungle" colorway (she does a new version of that colorway in almost every shop update - I'll show you my next one ;). This was spun into approximately 400+ yds. of two-ply fingering weight. Super fun socks, that's my guess! :D

Witches Brew

Though I missed posting a pair for last month in the Sock A Month KAL, I do have a pair today. Lucky you! :)

Yarn: Knitterly Things' Vesper Sock Yarn in "Crew" colorway, one skein

Pattern: Generic toe-up with short-row heels and toes, using a provisional crochet cast-on

Needles: US 1 1/2 Addi Turbo Lace 40" circulars

Sigh

I just love this colorway so much. I really want to learn how to Navajo ply so that I can keep the colorway's stripes consistent. If I do a 2-ply or a 3-ply, that will mix the colors up. I still might save it for when I've learned how to Navajo ply. Does anyone have a good recommendation for how to learn? Any good books or other resources?

I'm Doomed!

I may be a little bit overly dramatic, but I do think that I'm doomed. I have fallen into a huge smooshy pit of fiber and I don't really want to get out. Is that wrong?!

Here's my latest fall...

But this was the one that started it all...

And this was the one that kept me wanting more.

So you see, there is a slight progression. Sort of. Well, I can't seem to help myself and I don't know that I really want to. If anyone you know wants to start spinning, tell them not to... unless they really really love fiber. A lot. Otherwise, they may not be prepared for just how much they will end up loving it once they start spinning. Seriously.

One More Pair For Team Cabin Fever

Pattern: Olympian Socks by Sheryl Giles

Yarn: Claudia Hand Painted Fingering in "Cabin Fever" colorway, two skeins

Needles: One 40" Addi Turbo Lace US 2 1/2 circular

Mods: None

These socks were knit for the Socktopia Olympic Sock Contest (not related to Ravelympics, but in celebration of the Olympics). I am part of Team Cabin Fever and just could not pass up using the team's namesake colorway. I don't think that the colorway shows the pattern well, but it is a lovely colorway nonetheless. I love how squishy this newere base-yarn is that Claudia is using. This could end up costing me a lot of money if I decide to replace all of my existing stuff with the newer base-yarn. Of course, I need to start stashing more fiber for my new wheel that I'll be getting soon, but I just might have to get one or two more Claudia colorways, too. Hmmm...

How is everyone's summer turning out? My husband went for a crazy bicycle ride for the end of our summer. He rode a billion miles to the Yosemite area. We knew that going the whole way would be a little crazy because of the 6,000 foot ascent during a very short distance (at least short when it comes to going up using your own energy). Though he did not end at the park itself, he made a ginormous distance and burned more than 6,000 calories during the process. It was so much fun following along and supporting him with love and energy (in the forms of beverages and snacks). We kept him well hydrated and well calorated (if I want to make it a word, I can dang it!). He had a great time and surprisingly wasn't sore the next day or the day after. I'm so thrilled that he did so much and that he was so driven. I personally would have collapsed after trying to make it up the hill near our house. ;) What else are you doing to wrap up your summer freedom?