TKG SAL/KAL with TWF - It has started!

Today is June the 1st, and the SAL/KAL has begun. I've decided to split my braid in 4 equal parts lengthwise (1 ounce in each part) and spin 2 on each bobbin.

Then I'm planning to 2-ply them together, and avoid as much barber poling as I can. I do love some good barber poling, but it's a greater challenge for me to avoid it.

I'm aiming for a slightly thicker yarn, closer to a sport than my normal fingering. But we will see, it rarely goes as I plan beforehand. I'll just have to wait and see what the fiber wants to be.

Stash Dash FO #11

The 11th finished object for Stash Dash, is the Still Light Tunic that I've been working on for almost exactly one year now.

It's not a hard knit, nor is it unwanted, but it does require some brain power with those increases and pockets. I knit the first part, the raglan, quickly. But when I got to the beginning of those pockets, I wasn't in an emotional state to focus on patterns and numbers. So it got tossed in the basket for a long while. 

After some months I picked it back up again and did the increases. I then knit both sleeves in the matter of 2 quiet night shifts at work, and got real tired of it again. By now it was winter, with only 3 hours of daylight, and all I had left was grey stockinette in the round for an eternity. Back in the basket it went.

I picked it up again for Stash Dash and this week I've been monogamous to it. I've got few WIPs left in the basket and this was by far the biggest one, so I figured I'd finish it before I cast on something new.

Now it's done, and I'm so very pleased with it. I can't wait for autumn to come, because I know I'll get a lot of wear out of this. There is nothing I love more than a grey wool dress to wear with colorful accessories. 

So far I've got 4568,6 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

90% Knitting's Alphabet K/CAL

Do you like video podcasts? About knitting and spinning? Have you tried 90% Knitting?

Lisa is the person behind Fibernymph Dye Works, and that is her podcast. I really enjoy it, I find her to be pleasant to listen to, and I'm interested in what she talks about. From June till September she will have a Knit Along/Crochet Along (KAL/CAL) on her Ravelry group. I'm going to participate in this one, as well as the previously mentioned and StashDash.

This one is a little more challenging in my opinion, because I need to knit a pattern that starts with one of the letters of the month. If the company of the yarn I'm knitting of also starts with that months letter, and the name of the colorway as well, I'll earn additional points. Of course I'll try that! The more challenging the more fun.

June's letters are A-F.

My pattern: Caramel Slouch

Yarn company: Du Store Alpakka

Colorway: Eight Three Four

That should get me 3 points + 1 bonus point

Now to wait for June the 1st.

The Knit Girllls SAL/KAL with Three Waters Farm

My two favorites meet!

From June the 1st till August the 31st, The Knit Girllls and Three Waters Farm will have a spin along/knit along (SAL/KAL) going on together. I've already ordered and received my braid of fiber, some luscious BFL, in the Honky Tonk colorway that is the required braid for this SAL/KAL.

This is my very first spin along knit along, but as far as I've gathered the purpose is to spin the fiber in to yarn, and then knit an item out of the yarn. This KAL doesn't have a knitting pattern that everyone will have to knit, you choose yourself what to knit out of your yarn.

I'm very excited to participate, the community is a great one and I look forward to discussing progress with the others. And of course I hope to win a prize!

This SAL/KAL starts on the 1st of June, and I'm clearing my bobbins, ready to go!

Stash Dash FO #10

The 10th finished item for Stash Dash is the Spring In My Heart I just posted about.

So far I've got 2879,4 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Three Waters Farms Top Of The Month Club - May FINISHED!

Spring In My Heart is finished!

I got 6 skeins of about 54 meters each, to make the striping occur more often. In total I got 388 meters which I'm really happy about. I can't wait to start knitting with it, but I feel like I need to find a really good pattern that will make the most of the yarn.

Targhee was very pleasant to spin, and I will try it out again. The prep on this fiber and the way it was dyed was impeccable, like all the fiber I've got from Three Waters Farm. That might explain why I've bought 2 braids in addition to the June's club shipment that is on the way.

Stash Dash FO #9

My ninth item for Stash Dash is a small hat I just knit.

I'm not sure this will actually fit a child well, so it will go in the "for the future"-basket, instead of being gifted...

I knit the stranded colorwork part first, then I knit the two sides, and then they're seamed together. But they don't fit together like the pattern claims it will, and the seaming also doesn't turn out that nice because of the way the pattern tells you to increase in the sides. I'm not too pleased, but it might look cute on if you're distracted by a super cute baby. 

I do like the crochet scallop edge though. 

So far I've got 2491,4 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #8

My eight finished object for Stash Dash is a skein of yarn I've spun. 

This is a Blue Faced Leicester/nylon blend, that I tossed in the dye-pot to soak up the rest of the dye after some yarn was done. I spun it real thin, because I knew I wanted to chain-/3-ply it. The benefit of a chainply is that I can fill just the one bobbin to the brim, and then make the finished yarn from that bobbin. It leaves my other bobbins free for other projects, because I have only got the 4 bobbins that came with the wheel.

I ended up with 351 meters from 110 grams, so I managed to spin it fairly thin. I'm now a bit tired of this, because it's taken about 6 hours to ply. I do think I'll return to it within Stash Dash though, and they will become a pretty pair of socks.

So far I've got 2363,4 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #7

The seventh item for Stash Dash is a pair of Blueberry Waffle Socks for my husband.

We bought this skein of Zauberball at Retrosaria Rosa Pomar last year. He picked the color himself, and I've really enjoyed knitting these for him. I don't know why I've been dragging my feet to finish these, because I knit them halway really quickly! But the finishing rib was endless (as if the entire sock isn't knit in knit 2 purl 2).

Now they are finished, and going in the wool-bin for next autumn.

So far I've got 2012,4 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #6

The sixth finished object for Stash Dash is a pair of Serpentine socks.

They're knit out of yarn I've dyed and spun. I'm really pleased with these, and how the pattern came out in these. It could have been more obvious in a yarn that's less variegated in color and thickness, but for me I'm pleased.

The pattern is easy to memorize once you get into it, but I did mess up in one place. Luckily I spotted it before I got to the same place on the second sock, so I made the same mistake there on purpose.

So far I've got 1852,6 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #5

My fifth finished object for Stash Dash is a small sweater out of handspun.

I've used handspun in different greens in this sweater, and some scraps of the same thickness to get enough. A real Stash Dashing sweater in other words!

So far I've got 1464,6 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #4

My fourth finished object for Stash Dash was a quick one; the Grantham hat.

I knit it out of Regia sock yarn, and it was a pleasant knit. Very intuitive and enjoyable, the pattern is simple, but easy to understand. The only modification I did was to knit an icord at the top and loop it, instead of a knotted tube. I will knit this pattern again, possibly with some colorwork next time.

So far I've got 1003,6 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #3

My third finished object for Stash Dash is the College Sweater.

The pattern is out of the book Strikk meir til Nøstebarn by Kathrine Gregersen, and it's in Norwegian. I knit it out of Drops Merino Extra Fine, and it's been dormant for a few months. I knit the sleeves and the body just fine, then I joined the sleeves to the body and promptly ran out of yarn. I had to order another skein, but it was out of stock so I've waited a good two months for it to be delivered. It arrived 3 days ago, just in time for Stash Dash! I'm so pleased to have it done, it's a simple raglan and a nice palate cleanser, but I was feeling so over it by now.

So far I've got 864,3 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #2

My second finished object for Stash Dash are my Diamond Gansey Socks.

They're knit out of The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock in the colorway Golden Praline on needles 2.5mm. The pattern is by Wendy D. Johnson. 

I bought this skein at Loop London back in 2013 during our honeymoon, and I've been hoarding it ever since, waiting for the right pattern to come along. I'm glad it's knit up now, because we are visiting London again this summer and I have a feeling my carry on will be rather full on the way back.

So far I've got 468,9 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.

Stash Dash FO #1

The first finished object of Stash Dash are my Almondine socks.

They're knit out of Malabrigo Sock on needle 2.5mm, and they were a treat. I was daunted before I started, because the pattern looks complicated, but it is one simple pattern chart repeated over and over, and easily memorized. 

I knit these in my size, 23.5cm long foot, and used 62 grams/249,4 meters.

So far I've got 249,4 meters/5000 meters for Stash Dash.