Monday, February 4, 2013

Quick Update!

I have been spinning again. January brought an all day spinning date at one of my guilds, the one in Mountain View. This is the fiber that I bought at the last one, sometime in the spring, I think. The thing that is always discouraging about spinning is the "second-bobbin-syndrome". I don't mind that first bobbin, but the second one is just torture for me. By that time, I am ready to move on to a different fiber. I have found a solution for this problem. Spin one bobbin of singles and ply it with the new "String Me Along" sequin yarn. It is a polyester chain that has sequins along it. You use this as your second ply. It produces a lovely, blingy yarn. 
My new favorite way to make yarn!

This is one of my little sweethearts in a tutu that I made her.  She is just so cute. 
She is the one that I made the Celebrating Christmas Cardi for. 
I even made her ballet slippers.
I do boy gifts, too. This one was for Silas Paul. I just love these little Grayson Loafers.
 This is my go-to gift for precious baby boys. 
We had a large group at the Spin-In at Mountain View. 
My dear friend, Glenda, and a new one who raises pygora goats. 
I have discovered an easy, quick felted slipper. They are called 19 Row Duffers.
In the past, I had used the felted clog pattern by Bev Galeskas. I had given my copy to a friend and had not gotten around to replacing mine. They take a lot longer to make than these 19 Row Duffers and are hard to felt to a good fit.
I can make these in one night. 
Here they are felted. These are mine. I made Ben a pair, then mine with some tweaking, then Michael's with more tweaking.
Here are Michael's. I am trying them on to show how huge they are before felting. I wear a 9 1/2 shoe.
Here they are felted and being worn by Michael.
These are Michael's old ones. They mocked me every time I put them away in the morning. They made me ashamed for not making my dear husband a new pair. The old pair were not easy to make or felt to a good size. These new ones are so quick and easy. I can whip up a new set quickly, when he starts wearing them out. 
 Although they are called 19 Row Duffers, I did add 2 rows to the body of the pattern and did about 8 short rows on the next to last row to make the top of the foot come up higher on the foot. That is one of the requests that Michael had for his new set. Then I knit two rows to give me a garter ridge at the top before binding off.
I am ending this post with some book recommendations.
The Law Of Kindness, serving with heart and hands by Mary Beeke
A Golden Treasury of Puritan Devotion, Selections from the Writings of Thirteen Puritan Divines
I hope you realize how important it is to feed your soul with good biblical books like these.
Getting to know God through His word is so important to your spiritual growth and books like these are such a wonderful blessing and privilege to read.
Off to finish my ironing, it is Monday, after all!

2 comments:

Delighted Hands said...

Love the spinning single-I have never heard of that so will check it out for some spinning pleasure!

Baby sweaters/ accessories are adorable-the model steals the show!

I make the slippers, too, these look like just the kind of project to make both knitter and recipient smile!

As always, I appreciate the book suggestions.

millymom said...

Hi Kay,
I have been reading your blog but not commenting just due to sheer business but wanted to say thank you for 19 row duffers recommend and for the option to play with a commercial yarn when spinning. I learned how to spindle spin this summer and started with a wheel this far. I love it but I do get tired of some fibers at the single bobbin stage and your suggestion was a reminder to consider my options when plying. Have a good week, your blog is such an encouragement to me.