Teresa | April 19, 2012
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Committed

Remember the topper I started in January?  I’ve been making slow progress on it since.  I have the back and both sides of the front done.   Then I started the sleeves.   They are 3/4 length sleeves that start at the bottom and have increases spaced evenly to the top.  The row stitch pattern is a repeat of 4 stitches, so as I was working on the sleeve when I had increased 4 stitches on each side I added a new pattern to the edges.  I had finished 43 rows of the 60+ that I needed when I decided I didn’t like the jagged, zig-zaggy look of the sleeve.  So I tore it out - after much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair.  I wasn’t sure I would like NOT adding the pattern to the edges any better.  I wish I had taken a picture, but I didn’t.

And I started again.  This time I have not increased the stitch pattern, doing a plain stockinette on the edges of the new stitches.

hand knit sleeve

First sleeve

I’ve nearly finished this sleeve.  I have about 6 more rows to go which will include one more set of increases and get me very close to the goal of 13 inches. What do think?  Can you imagine what it looked like with another set of the pattern added in the edges?  I did not like that look, but struggled with not following the pattern. (I’m just that way, I guess!)  But at about row 40, I decided I like this look and am sticking to it! 

And that brings me to this:

sleeve and yarn

The end!

Yep, that is the end of my big bobbin of hand spun yarn.  It will come close to finishing this sleeve, but I have 2 arms.   And it is a good thing I do as I will have to go back to the wheel and see if I can match the thickness and spin enough yarn to knit another sleeve and do a crochet border. 

I think I’ve overcome my frustration with this and the excitement to see it finished has returned.

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Teresa | April 11, 2012
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Hang no more

I know I left you hanging with the mitten situation.  To refresh your memory, I had finished dyeing with purple yarn.   I had yarn to make mittens in 6 colors. 

mittens in a circle

Before felting

Here they are!   Sixteen pair of mittens, knit and ready for the hot water treatment!

mittens in a circle

After felting

After being felted, they are all about one inch shorter, fuzzier and not quite as intense in color.  The color does fade a wee bit – after all it is super hot water and strong detergent (even a bit of dish soap!) – but mostly the texture of the knitting gets softened and somehow that makes the color more subtle.   I’m very happy to have these all done!  I hope they all find cold hands to keep warm by next winter! 

 

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Teresa | April 6, 2012
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The making of a felting kit – part 2

Here is the remainder of what I need to do to complete the felting kits with the new alpaca design.   The design needs to be put on the backing.

alpaca design

Design in red

The first step is to trace the design on the back of the paper with a special transfer pencil.  Tracing on the back is especially important if you have lettering, as the design will be reversed when ironed on the destination fabric.  Place the paper with the red tracing side down on the backing and press with a hot iron.

design on fabric

Alpaca design

The backing we use is an alpaca/wool quilt batting which I cut into the proper sized squares.  The pencil will create a couple copies before I need to retrace the picture again.  It did take a bit of practice to get the heat setting that would do the transfer without scorching the batting under the paper.

Next I go to the computer. 

felting kit paperwork

All the paperwork

I insert the photo of the completed design into the template for the front and back of the kit.  I also print a copy of the instructions for each kit.

foam block with needles

Block and needles

Two felting needles are inserted into the side of the foam block to keep them from poking anything or getting broken.

assembly line for felting kits

All lined up

Then I create the assembly line:  Front page, back page, instruction sheet, foam block with needles, printed backing, bag of pre-measured fiber and the perfect size zipper bag to hold everything.

completed kit

Ready to go

I punch a hole in the top and the kit is ready to be hung up for sale.  I will have these as well as our three other designs at Shepherd’s Choice.  I’ll be doing a needle felting demonstration there on Saturday, April 14 during the Yarn Shop Hop.  Stop by, watch the demo, grab a kit and make a cute little picture.  All you need to add is a picture frame.  I’ll soon be listing the new kits online for those who are not local.

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Teresa | April 5, 2012
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The making of a felting kit – part 1

The consensus was to go with the fawn alpaca fiber for the felting kit.  I think it will work the best.   The way to show definition is by needle felting an indention where a line would be drawn – for instance to separate the tail from the body.  These indented areas show up best in lighter colors.  

And so the process of creating the kit began.

washing fiber

Into the suds

 

The fawn for the alpaca will be the natural color of our alpaca Annie M.  I washed a bag of her fiber.  After three washes, a rinse and a spin, it was ready to be dried.

fiber drying

Wet fiber

I spread it out on the drying rack with a sheet under it and a ceiling fan over it to blow it gently dry.   Then I went to dyeing pot.

yellow fiber

Bright as the sun

I dyed some white roving from Araucano into this yellow/orange for the sun.

blue fiber

Fluffy blue clouds

I tied some little bundles of roving and dyed them blue.  The ties kept the dye from penetrating evenly, so there will be fluffy blue clouds.

green fiber

Green as grass

A wee of green is needed for a few tufts of grass.  Once the fiber was all dry, I was able to needle felt the picture.

felted picture

Pretty as a picture

A photo of the completed picture will be used for the packaging of the kit, so I get to create each design.

bags of fiber

Bags of fiber

This is an overhead view of the little bags of fiber that will go in each kit. But there is still more to do before the kits are ready for sale.  Come back for Part 2!

 

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Teresa | April 2, 2012
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Sneak Peak

I’ve started working on the next design for an alpaca felting kit.  I’ll be doing a needle felting demonstration at Shepherd’s Choice on Saturday, April 14 during the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop.   I thought I should have the newest design ready to show off. 

partially completed felted alpaca

What color?

The design was drawn by local artist Kristin of Delightful Day Boutique.  I’m trying to choose the color of fiber for the alpaca.  It is difficult to see the definition created by felting more in certain areas when using dark colors.  I’m leaning towards the fawn.  What color do you think this little alpaca should be dressed in?

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Teresa | March 31, 2012
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Turkeys in the yard

Yesterday, as I went to do chores, I noticed all the alpacas were focused on the back yard where we have a big bird feeder of sunflower seeds.  When I looked over there I saw a small group of hen turkeys.   Could they be the same ones as from this post?

hen turkeys

The hens

 Rolly was so intent on keeping watch over the turkeys that he didn’t even come in the barn for his grain.

turkeys

Look at me

Once back in the house, I saw this guy showing off to the hens.

turkey

This way..

 He was strutting back and forth, dragging his wing feathers on the ground.

turkey

and that way

He was all fluffed up and really putting on a show. 

turkey

Fanned tail feathers

He fanned out his tail feathers many times, but the hens paid no attention to him.  He never tried to eat anything, just spent the time in vain vying for the attention of the lady turkeys - who appeared not to notice him at all.  But his fancy-feathered show was caught on my camera and now shared with you, so perhaps he had a bigger plan all along!

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Teresa | March 30, 2012
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114 F. O.s

Yes!  One hundred fourteen Finished Objects for you to see!

felted soap

Felted soap

I completed the order of felted soap for All Things Herbal and they picked them up already.  It is nice to have them done, but they did make the house smell really good while they were here. 

In a couple weeks, I’ll get an order of soap from Caroldon Soap Company of soap to felt for my store and to have in my booth at Shepherd’s Harvest.  My hands are enjoying the time off. 

Have you ever used felted soap?   Watch this video about my soap.

 

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Teresa | March 28, 2012
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Finished Object

I showed you a new baby blanket that I started here.  Last weekend, I had some car-time and finished the knitting. 

baby blanket

Finished!

 

As you may remember the white yarn was dirty.  It even had a rather stickiness to it when I was knitting.  After all the ends were woven in, I tossed the blanket in my washing machine with nice sudsy warm water.  After a rinse and a spin, I plunked it into the dryer.  It came out grandly!  It was all clean, stains gone, stickiness gone, nice and soft.  It is over 2 feet square and quite heavy.  It will certainly keep a little one warm and cozy when it gets donated later in the year. 

 

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Teresa | March 25, 2012
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Prototype wrap

Remember the peach scarf I made for charity in this post?  I had a plan to make it larger. 

yellow wrap

Full view

 Here it is.  Almost a full arm span, it is 56 inches long and about 21 inches from top to bottom. 

yellow wrap

Another view

 This is my prototype out of acrylic yarn.  The size seems adequate, though it could be a little longer perhaps.

stitch pattern

Stitch pattern of wrap

 Here is the close-up of the diamond stitch pattern used.  So what do you think?  Do you wear wraps?  What size would be comfortable, controllable?  Solid color or multi?  Suggestions are most welcome.

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Teresa | March 23, 2012
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An end to dyeing

Mitten production continues.

orange mittens

Orange mittens

Two pair of orange mittens are knit.  The third ball of orange yarn is waiting to become a hunting hat. 

green yarn

Green yarn

The green yarn has been wound into balls to be knit soon.  The ball on the left was the end of the cone.  There should be a matching headband for that pair of mittens.

purple dye pot

Purple dye pot

And there is purple in the dye pot.  A big contrast here between the first skein in the last!  Should be a variety for the mittens.  This is my last batch of yarn to dye for mittens.  You won’t have to look at them until they are all felted.  Seaming is progressing slowly.

In felting news:

gray roving

Carded fiber

I’ve been felting almost daily on the soap for All Things Herbal.  They wanted some black felting, so as I transitioned from black back to white on my carder, I just let the colors mix.  I got this amazing batt of gray.  I’m inspired to card some white and black together and hand spin some yarn later.  It’s been a long time since I’ve done any spinning.  I think I’m feeling the pull of my wheel.

I also visited my space at Shepherd’s Choice. 

Yarn

Yarn for sale

I added 15 skeins of my 100% alpaca yarn that I dyed myself.  There are a couple bulky skeins, but mostly sport weight.  If you get a chance, stop in and check out the Fiber Co-op in the Loft.  I’ll be adding more things in anticipation for the Shop Hop.  Yes, we are joining the Shop Hop fun.  Grab your friends and come visit us.

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