Lately we have been having warm weather. Really, unusually warm weather. Where we live 29c is not something you expect to experience. It is not something I like experiencing either. We are not a household that loves the sun.
Nevertheless. It raises some definite questions around food. I'm never a very enthusiastic cook, but in this weather I am an even less enthusiastic cook.
There are obvious places to go, such as salad and chilled soup. Well, chilled soup is weird to me, I do not like. I definitely like salad, but it is not something that fits in easily with my lifestyle. How so? Well, the way my average week pans out I do not have time to go to the shops a couple of times to get new salad ingredients, and salad ingredients are not something you can buy heaps of on Saturday and still expect to be in a good enough condition to make a salad on Friday. Perhaps salad belongs at the beginning of the week, but what about later in the week? What do we eat then?
I do not get on particularly well with bread and pasta so it is not something I would want to rely on too much for warm weather meals - or any meals! So, this is what I am thinking about at the moment. I would like to find a good solution, if I can!
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Saturday, 19 July 2014
The Gentle Art of Plying
I am a very haphazard spinner. I have never had any real tuition and have basically thrown a barrel full of guess work with a large bundle of instinct and hoped for the best. On the whole, this has worked in that I have created a number of things that are identifiably "yarn". However, the amount of it which has been "good yarn" has been dramatically smaller. Certainly there has been a decided lack of "balanced yarn".
For some time I have been meaning to buy "The Gentle Art of Plying" a DVD presented by Judith MacKenzie. You can buy it as either a DVD or a download from Interweave. And probably from some shops, but in the UK at least, probably not many! I have always felt that plying was my poorest area, skill-wise, and I wanted to improve.
So, a few days ago I bought the download direct from Interweave. I bought the HD version, which I came to regret as the zip file is humungous, 4GB in fact, so several hours of downloading. Frustrated by the fact that the first download failed. However, we got there in the end, and this morning I have watched the first 26 minutes, and I am incredibly excited.
I have learned which type of yarn is good for weaving versus knitting. Which is exciting, as I spin for both. And, perhaps more importantly, I have learned of the extent to which I underspin my singles. Which would go a long way to explaining why I am generally unhappy with my plied yarns.
I am now applying this knowledge to my current spinning project: the blue merino silk I bought at Woolfest 2013. I have one bobbin of singles which, I suspect, I will need to go back and add some twist to. I am part way through the second bobbin, on which I am now trying to increase the twist, which means that the beginning will probably be undertwisted, but for now I will wing it. Adding twist to half a bobbin of singles just sounds irritating. Hopefully the third bobbin will be right first time. You never know, right? This is necessarily going to be a "follow your own adventure" yarn, but that is ok!
For some time I have been meaning to buy "The Gentle Art of Plying" a DVD presented by Judith MacKenzie. You can buy it as either a DVD or a download from Interweave. And probably from some shops, but in the UK at least, probably not many! I have always felt that plying was my poorest area, skill-wise, and I wanted to improve.
So, a few days ago I bought the download direct from Interweave. I bought the HD version, which I came to regret as the zip file is humungous, 4GB in fact, so several hours of downloading. Frustrated by the fact that the first download failed. However, we got there in the end, and this morning I have watched the first 26 minutes, and I am incredibly excited.
I have learned which type of yarn is good for weaving versus knitting. Which is exciting, as I spin for both. And, perhaps more importantly, I have learned of the extent to which I underspin my singles. Which would go a long way to explaining why I am generally unhappy with my plied yarns.
I am now applying this knowledge to my current spinning project: the blue merino silk I bought at Woolfest 2013. I have one bobbin of singles which, I suspect, I will need to go back and add some twist to. I am part way through the second bobbin, on which I am now trying to increase the twist, which means that the beginning will probably be undertwisted, but for now I will wing it. Adding twist to half a bobbin of singles just sounds irritating. Hopefully the third bobbin will be right first time. You never know, right? This is necessarily going to be a "follow your own adventure" yarn, but that is ok!
Friday, 18 July 2014
A Sock Yarny Solution
To my great joy, I have found a solution to the leftover sock yarn conundrum.
The problem I had when considering weaving for a solution was that I was thinking of weaving like knitting. You make an item. A garment, a toy, a household good. The thing is, with weaving, really, you are just making fabric. Of course, you are making fabric with knitting too, but generally it is fabric shaped in such a way as to make an item. In weaving, really, you are just making fabric. Even if you make an item such as a scarf or a tea towel you are just making fabric. It is just that those items are flat pieces of fabric.
So, the problem was that I was thinking about weaving, for example, a scarf. This scarf, though would be a slightly mad looking colour-fest that I really would not wear. So not all that helpful.
When I realised this whole weaving = fabric thing, inspiration struck. I will make some fabric, and from that fabric I will sew something. Currently I am thinking a bag. Either way, I have realised that creating a piece of fabric will allow me to then create an item.
The problem I had when considering weaving for a solution was that I was thinking of weaving like knitting. You make an item. A garment, a toy, a household good. The thing is, with weaving, really, you are just making fabric. Of course, you are making fabric with knitting too, but generally it is fabric shaped in such a way as to make an item. In weaving, really, you are just making fabric. Even if you make an item such as a scarf or a tea towel you are just making fabric. It is just that those items are flat pieces of fabric.
So, the problem was that I was thinking about weaving, for example, a scarf. This scarf, though would be a slightly mad looking colour-fest that I really would not wear. So not all that helpful.
When I realised this whole weaving = fabric thing, inspiration struck. I will make some fabric, and from that fabric I will sew something. Currently I am thinking a bag. Either way, I have realised that creating a piece of fabric will allow me to then create an item.
Thursday, 17 July 2014
How Much Sock Yarn!?
Ravelry is a many splendoured thing. I love it. Sometimes, however, it provides you with information that is...well, horrifying.
This evening, in my ongoing quest to deal with my knitting funk, I was browsing my stash. My sock weight yarns, specifically, and on the filtering drop down menu that I have 90 items in the "fingering" category and five items in the "light fingering" category. See? Horrifying.
31 of these are partially used, meaning I have 64 unused sock weight yarns in my stash. Ok. That is alarming, but I can just about live with it. Although, having realised this, you will not catch me buying sock yarn any time soon.
Talking the horror through with my Partner In Crime, we concluded that I do not want to sell or otherwise dispose of my yarn. There may be a ball or two I could part with, but on the whole I bought it because I love it, and I want to keep it. However, it is the part balls which are causing me the most stress.
I have, in the past, knitted stripy socks out of leftover sock yarn, but this situation is really far beyond that which can be dealt with by stripy socks. Maybe by some stripy or other types of multi-yarn socks, but that will not get rid of 31 part balls of yarn. At least, not quickly. I wondered about what I could weave with left over sock yarn, but have so far not come up with anything. I contemplated some form of sock yarn blanket, but I have started these before and always lose interest. I do not know. Answers on a postcard (or in the comments...)!
However, I do have a short term plan.
First, I am going to have a handknitted sock cull. Some are very old and becoming rather disreputable. Others I never really liked, or fit poorly. These can be dispatched in some way or another.
Second, I am going to keep the luxury socks separately to the every day socks. A pair of socks in a cashmere blend will never go in shoes, but that means I need to keep them where I will find them on a cold winter's day when I want to curl up on the sofa, watch movies and drink hot chocolate. So they will go into the same drawer as my pyjamas.
Between these two actions I will create a situation where I will a) have fewer handknitted socks b) only have handknitted socks that fit nicely and I like, c) be clear on what sort of socks are available for different situations and as a result d) be able to clearly see what I have and where any socky gaps are and e) be able to fit any new socks into my drawer.
On the whole, I am unsure that this is a brilliant plan, it will not solve the problem of the part balls, but it will at least help provide a route for the other 64 items to move from yarn to garment. I also hope it will provide some inspiration to help with this whole knitting funk side of things.
As for the part balls... watch this space. I need to come up with something!
This evening, in my ongoing quest to deal with my knitting funk, I was browsing my stash. My sock weight yarns, specifically, and on the filtering drop down menu that I have 90 items in the "fingering" category and five items in the "light fingering" category. See? Horrifying.
31 of these are partially used, meaning I have 64 unused sock weight yarns in my stash. Ok. That is alarming, but I can just about live with it. Although, having realised this, you will not catch me buying sock yarn any time soon.
Talking the horror through with my Partner In Crime, we concluded that I do not want to sell or otherwise dispose of my yarn. There may be a ball or two I could part with, but on the whole I bought it because I love it, and I want to keep it. However, it is the part balls which are causing me the most stress.
I have, in the past, knitted stripy socks out of leftover sock yarn, but this situation is really far beyond that which can be dealt with by stripy socks. Maybe by some stripy or other types of multi-yarn socks, but that will not get rid of 31 part balls of yarn. At least, not quickly. I wondered about what I could weave with left over sock yarn, but have so far not come up with anything. I contemplated some form of sock yarn blanket, but I have started these before and always lose interest. I do not know. Answers on a postcard (or in the comments...)!
However, I do have a short term plan.
First, I am going to have a handknitted sock cull. Some are very old and becoming rather disreputable. Others I never really liked, or fit poorly. These can be dispatched in some way or another.
Second, I am going to keep the luxury socks separately to the every day socks. A pair of socks in a cashmere blend will never go in shoes, but that means I need to keep them where I will find them on a cold winter's day when I want to curl up on the sofa, watch movies and drink hot chocolate. So they will go into the same drawer as my pyjamas.
Between these two actions I will create a situation where I will a) have fewer handknitted socks b) only have handknitted socks that fit nicely and I like, c) be clear on what sort of socks are available for different situations and as a result d) be able to clearly see what I have and where any socky gaps are and e) be able to fit any new socks into my drawer.
On the whole, I am unsure that this is a brilliant plan, it will not solve the problem of the part balls, but it will at least help provide a route for the other 64 items to move from yarn to garment. I also hope it will provide some inspiration to help with this whole knitting funk side of things.
As for the part balls... watch this space. I need to come up with something!
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Stash Dash
Stash Dash is a thing being run by the Knit Girllls podcast people. From what I gather the aim has been to use up 5000m of stash over the summer. I am coming rather late to the party, but in light of my recent alarming discoveries around the sheer quantity of my stash, I have decided to have my own personal stash dash.
My plan is to use up - either knitting, weaving or spinning, 5000m of yarn between now and the 16th of October that is my goal. I am not going to make any yarn-purchasing restrictions, except to say that I will embark on a period of mindful yarn purchases. That is to say, I will not buy something just because it is shiny. I have a tendency to buy yarns in bright gorgeous colours without any consideration of how I might wear items knitted from it.
So this is my plan, and I will update here as I go along! I am hoping this will also help me make decisions about some long-term works in progress and either finish them or accept that I am going to abandon them.
My plan is to use up - either knitting, weaving or spinning, 5000m of yarn between now and the 16th of October that is my goal. I am not going to make any yarn-purchasing restrictions, except to say that I will embark on a period of mindful yarn purchases. That is to say, I will not buy something just because it is shiny. I have a tendency to buy yarns in bright gorgeous colours without any consideration of how I might wear items knitted from it.
So this is my plan, and I will update here as I go along! I am hoping this will also help me make decisions about some long-term works in progress and either finish them or accept that I am going to abandon them.
Knitting Funk and a Failed Cure
I have mentioned a few times now the absence of my knitting mojo and the existence of a knitting funk. I have tried to solve this with multiple attempts at casting on. Something exciting; something easy; something small. Nothing has worked.
This is the story of my attempt to cure my knitting funk by casting on something easy. I chose this multidirectional scarf pattern. It was cute, I could use a ball of Zauberball. I like Zauberball. It is nice yarn and, most importantly for the mood I was in at the time, it was already in a ball. No winding involved! Easy pattern, effective and cute, let's go!
Of course, however, it did not work. It did not work because I messed up the pattern. I got this very nice ridge all along the decrease line. Which was problematic because going back in the other direction the very nice ridge was appearing on the other side of the knitting, and so was not very nice anymore. I was slipping the stitch, I think, when I should not have been.
I made an attempt at using different decreases to get the same ridge effect on the same side, but was not remotely happy with how it looked, and so I have decided to rip it out. I may or may not knit this again (correctly, hopefully!) but it will not be with this yarn. I think something with shorter colour repeats would be more effective, and in the meantime my knitting funk remains uncured.
If anyone reading this has thoughts on a cure, I would be very grateful to hear it!
This is the story of my attempt to cure my knitting funk by casting on something easy. I chose this multidirectional scarf pattern. It was cute, I could use a ball of Zauberball. I like Zauberball. It is nice yarn and, most importantly for the mood I was in at the time, it was already in a ball. No winding involved! Easy pattern, effective and cute, let's go!
Of course, however, it did not work. It did not work because I messed up the pattern. I got this very nice ridge all along the decrease line. Which was problematic because going back in the other direction the very nice ridge was appearing on the other side of the knitting, and so was not very nice anymore. I was slipping the stitch, I think, when I should not have been.
I made an attempt at using different decreases to get the same ridge effect on the same side, but was not remotely happy with how it looked, and so I have decided to rip it out. I may or may not knit this again (correctly, hopefully!) but it will not be with this yarn. I think something with shorter colour repeats would be more effective, and in the meantime my knitting funk remains uncured.
If anyone reading this has thoughts on a cure, I would be very grateful to hear it!
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Spinning
With my knitting mojo en vacances, my spinning has been getting a bit more of a look-in. I am a slow spinner. For one thing my "automatic" yarn is worsted spun and very fine. So it takes forever to spin. I am also apt to get distracted from spinning by other things: knitting, running and cooking in recent weeks. And watching Castle.
However, I am currently trying to spin more regularly because I really do enjoy it, and I really love working with handspun yarns.
At the moment I am spinning some dark blue merino silk from Wingham Woolwork. I bought this at Woolfest in 2013, and it is spinning up beautifully. Slowly (I started spinning it in April!), but beautifully. I am about a third of the way through spinning this fibre, and am still enjoying it but can see impatience to start something new starting to rear its little head. So I am trying to take advantage of some quiet time to get more spinning done.
However, I am currently trying to spin more regularly because I really do enjoy it, and I really love working with handspun yarns.
At the moment I am spinning some dark blue merino silk from Wingham Woolwork. I bought this at Woolfest in 2013, and it is spinning up beautifully. Slowly (I started spinning it in April!), but beautifully. I am about a third of the way through spinning this fibre, and am still enjoying it but can see impatience to start something new starting to rear its little head. So I am trying to take advantage of some quiet time to get more spinning done.
Monday, 14 July 2014
A New Yarn Shop!
Recently I heard of a new yarn shop opening in my local-ish area. It is The Wool Shop in Spondon, Derby. They do not yet have a website, but they have a Facebook page which can be found here. Naturally I decided to visit it. My knitting mojo may be on holiday, but that does not mean I cannot explore yarn shops!
I went on Saturday, which, I think, was the third day the shop was open. As I am a non-driver, getting there alone looked far too faffy so I engaged the services of my trusty Partner In Crime and he drove me. Which had its downsides, it turned out, because finding somewhere to park was challenging. We don't know the area at all, and the shop is right on the road, so we had to go on a bit of an adventure. We found a car park a few minutes walk away, though, and I abandoned said Partner In Crime reading a book, and I set off to explore.
The shop is oh so small, but is cute, light and airy, has a friendly owner and walls covered with yarn - what more can you want? Yarn shops are an area where size really does not matter. The stock was mostly acrylic and wool blends, which is not for everyone, but there was a pretty good variety of affordable yarn options: Wendy, James C. Brett, etc. There was also some sock yarn, which made me happy: Wendy Roam Fusion and some Regia.
Now, I have yarn snob tendencies. I am upfront about this. I like my wool content and I like my independent dyers (and will be a very happy bunny when a local-ish shop arises that stocks products from smaller producers). But, acrylic and wool blends have their place: knitting for little people; presents for people not mad enough to handwash; charity knitting etc. On the basis of which, this is a yarn shop I would definitely be interested in going back to and trying to support.
I went on Saturday, which, I think, was the third day the shop was open. As I am a non-driver, getting there alone looked far too faffy so I engaged the services of my trusty Partner In Crime and he drove me. Which had its downsides, it turned out, because finding somewhere to park was challenging. We don't know the area at all, and the shop is right on the road, so we had to go on a bit of an adventure. We found a car park a few minutes walk away, though, and I abandoned said Partner In Crime reading a book, and I set off to explore.
The shop is oh so small, but is cute, light and airy, has a friendly owner and walls covered with yarn - what more can you want? Yarn shops are an area where size really does not matter. The stock was mostly acrylic and wool blends, which is not for everyone, but there was a pretty good variety of affordable yarn options: Wendy, James C. Brett, etc. There was also some sock yarn, which made me happy: Wendy Roam Fusion and some Regia.
Now, I have yarn snob tendencies. I am upfront about this. I like my wool content and I like my independent dyers (and will be a very happy bunny when a local-ish shop arises that stocks products from smaller producers). But, acrylic and wool blends have their place: knitting for little people; presents for people not mad enough to handwash; charity knitting etc. On the basis of which, this is a yarn shop I would definitely be interested in going back to and trying to support.
Thursday, 10 July 2014
In Which My Knitting and I Part Ways
Not forever, I hope. However, lately my knitting has mostly been making me cranky. Patterns lack clarity (usually discovered after paying for them); yarn misbehaves; I don't have the right needles (or they are on another project); it just goes wrong. Again. And Again. And Again.
So, I am giving myself permission to not knit for a while. Until I am ready to knit again. It is a hobby, it is meant to be fun, and there is absolutely no gain for either me or the knitting if I am forcing myself to do it. Doing things I do not enjoy but feel I must is something I get quite enough of elsewhere in my life.
So, the upside is what terribly good news this is for the Fimo; mosaic supplies; spinning fibre, books and loom. They all get a bit more of a chance to shine. Lucky them! I can continue working on the housewarming present (very late now) for a friend; I can spin while watching television; I can finally sew the t-shirt I bought fabric for. I can start my summer reading.
Perhaps, after all, a knitting break is very well timed!
So, I am giving myself permission to not knit for a while. Until I am ready to knit again. It is a hobby, it is meant to be fun, and there is absolutely no gain for either me or the knitting if I am forcing myself to do it. Doing things I do not enjoy but feel I must is something I get quite enough of elsewhere in my life.
So, the upside is what terribly good news this is for the Fimo; mosaic supplies; spinning fibre, books and loom. They all get a bit more of a chance to shine. Lucky them! I can continue working on the housewarming present (very late now) for a friend; I can spin while watching television; I can finally sew the t-shirt I bought fabric for. I can start my summer reading.
Perhaps, after all, a knitting break is very well timed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)