Stitch by Stitch Videocast

New Year, New Plans, 2014 Recap, Knitting (and Spinning) as Self Care...

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Thu, 8 Jan 2015 17:38:00 -0800

It's been a while since I last visited this space. One month to be exact.

I can say that 2014 was an interesting ride that ended with the realization that I wasn't always the driver. I'm fine being a passenger, as a matter of fact, I enjoy it on occasions, but I didn't do a lot of driving this year at all. And if I did, it was definitely more autopilot than truly active driving. Both challenging and chaotic for a recovering control freak. A lot of things 'got away' from me at the end of the year due to life changes and work obligations, the usual things that bog most of us down when they aren't persistently managed. By the end of 2014 I was worn out, exhausted, frustrated, and in desperate need of recharging and refocusing.

My 2015 focus is simple: live life on my own terms, dictated by things that energize me and recharge my creative battery. Eliminate unnecessary obligations and have zero guilt for saying 'no' more often.

When I'm stressed out, I tend to do the things that I love the most, the things that truly energize me, the least. It's a strange phenomenon, but I retreat. I get paralyzed when I'm overwhelmed and I get indecisive. And the ironic thing about it all is that, doing something productive and creative always brings me down from the ledge, and yet... I shut down. What's strange is that I kept my knitting and my spinning close as I slogged my way through grad school from 2011-2013. It was important for me to keep some semblance of my sanity through that craziness, but yeah... this year got away from me because I all to often allowed other 'things' to dictate my schedule. Fool me once.

In terms of my craftolutions, I'm going to focus on being project focused. Singularly focused, meaning, I'm going to try my hand at monogamy. I ended 2014 with a small basket full of knitting WIP's - 15 to be exact, which ain't bad at all - which I still am in love with that I want to finish and I do plan to wrap up in 2015, but in due time.

NaKniSweMo was a fulfilling knitting opportunity, mostly because it got me to carve out time each night to knit. There's something about routine that is so... soothing and relaxing. I started to really look forward to those moments in the evening when things were calm and all the household obligations were taken care of and I could just curl up off the couch (after stacking all the other knitting projects into a pile onto the other side of the couch) and just sit and knit. Talk about a great feeling of balance.

Anyway...

On to the retrospective... (Yeah, I'm pretty sure you don't care about my 'feelings' and how overworked I've been... just show you the pretty stuff, right? Fine. Hahahaa and Wahhhh!)

My biggest almost finish of the year was my Calligraphy Cardigan (knit in November during NaKniSweMo). I got so close to finishing it. So close it's frustrating. I just needed to sew on the buttons and weave in ends, but alas... no energy to do so. Once December rolled around, my brain immediately wanted to focus on other things like knitting a ginormous blanket for my new nephew at the last minute.

My sweater is awesome though and I'm so proud of my accomplishment, and mostly proud that I focused on one project for a month. Think about how much more productive we could all be with that kind of focus. (A collective 'duh,' from all of you who are monogamous crafters.)

Anyway, I've been wearing this sweater NOW, buttonless, loose ends and all. It is a smidge big around the upper bust... should've listened to Amy Herzog and went down a size on the pattern. Next time Amy, next time...

Where I'm at on the sweater...

Still wearing it anyway! :P

I'm a Honey Badger, and I don't give a damn!!!

Spinning Recap:
For my spinning, I ended 2014 with 3 pending items - one bobbin of singles waiting to be chain plied (bottom right in the basket), 3 bobbins of singles of Cormo that needed to be plied (on my wheel), and 1/2 a braid of fiber that still needed to be spun (yellow fluff).

I'm currently tackling these one-spin-at-a-time. A philosophy I'm going to be utilizing more this year. I started with the Cormo because it is the most daunting. I spun my 5 lb haul of Cormo during Tour de Fleece 2014 and I spun that up so fine that it's taking me hours to finish the plying. Great when the yarn is done and I can knit something amazing with it, but incredibly taxing when I'm plying it for hours and I feel like I'm getting nowhere fast.

Yummy Cormo 2-ply. Slow spin. Slow ply.

Last year I was able to finish plying a 2-ply (above) of that same bottomless bag of Cormo over the summer and I remember that 400+ some odd yards of light fingering weight took me over 4 hrs to finish, so I'm in for at least equal if not a touch more on the 3-ply. But boy is it soooooft. Crazy soft. I can't even bear to think about how I'm going to get through spinning the other 4 lbs of this stuff... I'm not even going to think about it. That will give me the sads.

Ahem... back to the topic at hand, approximately 10 lbs of handspun goodness, mostly fingering-DK weight, vary plies, predominantly 3-plies in the mix, per usual. Lots of bold color from my favorite vendors. A decent amount of deeper stash was spun which always feels nice.

Some of these goodies will be in my Etsy shop soon. Hopefully they will start to appear by the end of the week (so. much. labeling!). Be sure to save my shop to your RSS feed reader so you can stay up-to-date on the latest shop offerings and to see when my awesome handspun starts popping up so you can be the first in line to snag it. And you KNOW you want to! (Thank you so much for your support in advance!)

2014 handspun family photo

I abandoned my goal of trying to finish 14 pounds by the end of 2014 which equated to about 20 braids in about two months. Just not realistic for the amount of pushing myself that I already did throughout the year.

Honestly, after NaKniSweMo, I threw in the towel. I haven't had much spinning mojo (or anything mojo for that matter), but additionally, what am I pushing for? I do love myself a personal challenge but not at the expense of undermining my craft life. My philosophy with practically everything is pick your battles and know when to concede.

Knitting Recap:
I finished ??? projects. Honestly, I don't know and I don't care. I finished a lot of larger, longer term projects which is fan-freakin-tastic. If you are curious about what was done/worked on in 2014, you can take a peak at my Raverly 2014 project page. I'm not an economist so I'm less concerned about final counts and all the numbers. My finished pile is all the proof I need.

My favorite (and most used) project of 2014 is Stella Luna! This shawl is AMAZING.

I don't think there are enough adjectives to describe how much I love this shawl and yarn combo. This was my first time using yarn from Beaverslide Dry Goods stash although I accumulated quite the stash before even trying it out. I really like their business model and because I am occasionally shallow, I like the way their yarn looks. It's pretty as hell all skeined up.

By business model I mean, it's 'local' yarn, made in the US - BDG is located in Montana, they have a flock of Merino's, wool gets shipped about 2 hrs north to Canada for processing, and comes back to Montana, they don't market/advertise their products which means they can keep the cost super low for the consumer) - it's heathered which I love as it adds some depth and texture to solid colored yarn (which I seldom knit with because *snore*), it's affordable (which is relative, but compared to other woolen-spun yarns on the market, yes, it is VERY affordable for the amount of yardage you get which is outstanding), and the range of colors is fantastic. For a color and texture junkie, it's everything I want in a yarn. Go check them out and read more about their process here. And of course, buy some yarn and support this amazing vendor. Don't worry about saving a skein for me. I've got plenty!

If I had any knitting redo's it would be to make my Shaelyn much larger. (I'd also redo this photo, but when you are at the mercy of a husband who is NOT a photographer yet he is mildly willing to appease your photography request, you take what you get.)

Redo, as in, I'd knit at least 2 additional pattern repeats. Granted, I was bound by the amount of fiber I had on hand, which I think was about 5 oz, but still, I definitely would've gone much larger on this one. It's what I would classify as a 'shawlette' with it's wingspan being roughly 4'. I'm a 6' wingspan kind of lady, minimum.

With most of my shawlettes, I just gift them to my mom which, hey... she never complains and she is absolutely the most gracious knitwear receiver ever. She loves all the projects I work on. I would definitely make myself another one of these though. It's a great pattern and you can watch crazy stuff on tv/online while knitting it too. Win!

WIP's I'm carrying into 2015:
First, I'd have to remember how many I came into 2014 with... which, honestly, was probably about 20. That number is not shocking at all to me. I've culled the WIP basket throughout 2014 and I've frogged items that I'm no longer in love with, swapped out items for more suitable yarn, so on and so forth.

My current number of projects that I'm going to focus on finishing in 2015 is roughly 15, which of course is subject to change based on if I just feel like moving on to something else. It happens all the time. I've put a few items on hibernate in Ravelry. It is what it is and none of it is a big deal. I'll work on it if I feel like it, otherwise, I'll cut the cord and move on.

I'll be posting the 2015 WIP count very soon on the slow cloth blog, so if you are interested, stay tuned!

Weaving and Sewing Recap...
Errrr, uh... yeah... maybe in 2015.

Final Thoughts
What I did find out was that I do really enjoy a big, long term, process project. Something that I can focus all of my knitting energy on for about 3 weeks and have a substantial finished item at the end of time period.

I really enjoyed the focus and discipline that I achieved during NaKniSweMo so that was my tipping point. It is also a way for me to focus on monogamy, which honestly, is really the best way to go. But I do have a compromise. I am going to try monogamy out, but always have other things ready to work on for those times where I hit a snafu on my main project but still want to keep my hands busy. That's totally fair compromise, yes? Yes.

And there you have it. Practical, less specific goals for this year, but my most important focus is that of knitting EVERY single day, if only just one row. I'm calling it knit365 and so far, so good.

Knitting is self care and it's so important, not just during the bad times, but also as maintenance during the good times, to take moments for ourselves to soothe, to repair, to relax, to meditate, to reflect.

Spinning Plans
For my spinning, I'm doing the CTA Spin the Bin Challenge again. I'm pretty sure I said I wouldn't do anymore deadline/obligation spinning sometime in October and then all of a sudden activity started happening at the end of December in the CTA group. And just like that I was sucked in. Funny how the new year's planning excitement gives you that zesty, bubbly feeling surrounding new possibilities. *cough* Sucker *cough*

CTA Spin the Bin 2015 Haul

12 Bin Items

This time around (this is my second time participating), I've declared single items. You only need to declare 12 items, each being a minimum of 2 oz. Last year, I declared larger quantity spins as a single item (what was I thinking) instead of breaking my spins up into smaller doses. I also swapped out some items (because I'm finicky). When you swap out an item, the rule is you replace it with two. You can see now that for someone like me, who picks projects based on my mood that day (and I can be moody) how this was a disaster waiting to happen. By the end of October, I removed 3 items from my bin and ended up with 12 more jumping into the pile. (I'll let you try to figure out the math on that.) ;) Total spinning overload. New year, new strategy.

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If you got through all that, pat yourself on the back. I appreciate you revisiting some of my projects from 2014 and allowing me the chance to do the stream of conscious writing you've come to expect and love from me as a blogger.

In a similar vein related to self care, I will be taking a hiatus from the videocast. Again, if you read through this entire post, you understand why. The infrastructure is in place, so I can come back to the videocast at any time, but for now, I'll be spending my time recharging and creating. I just can't promise that you will get the best version of myself right now and there is enough bad garbage going on in the world [insert any news story from the past few months here]. I turn to podcasts/videocasts, not as escapism, but for enjoyment and inspiration.

If the creator is uninspired, you can tell. Or maybe not. But I can tell. And I don't want to be yet another videocaster sitting in front of the camera, sipping on my drink (unless it's a cocktail, in which case, "cheers!"), fiddling, boasting about yarn and fiber acquisition, and filling space with meaningless, unfocused blather. I want to be engaged (I want YOU to be engaged), have (some) focus, have something interesting to share, open up a dialogue about adjacent topics, possibly share interesting techniques I've stumbled upon, talk about process, give shout outs to designers and patterns that truly deserve being mentioned rather than overhyped because everyone else is talking about them... all the things that I hope you've come to enjoy when you watch my videocast.

I will be blogging and documenting my process at my original blogspot slow cloth. I hope to be getting into some new and interesting things this year, for real this time. I hope you will join me on that journey. I'll be stopping by Ravelry periodically to feed my need to queue and favorite everything under the sun and stay abreast with new challenges, but I'm going to be spending less time there so I that I can get more done. If I'm not on Raverly or blogging, you know where to find me.

And on that note...
I wish you all the best in the new year! I hope you are happy, healthy, and taking time to take care of YOU. Thank you for being apart of my fiber journey.

Finger's crossed that this post wasn't riddled with typos and/or grammar errors. Oy vey!

NaKniSweMo 2014 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Thu, 4 Dec 2014 11:26:00 -0800

NaKniSweMo Stats:

November stitch count: 66,604 stitches.

27 days of knitting. 3 days of 'rest'.

Average stitches made on knitting days: 2,715.81 sts

Average stitch time on knitting days: ~40 minutes.

Most stitches made in a single day: 3,876 stitches.

Least stitches made in a single day: 714 stitches done on Day 4. Hey, I was warming up!

Sleeve #1 used almost a full skein of yarn.

The body took almost 3 full skeins of yarn.

Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig. Knit with Madelinetosh DK.

The Pattern:
Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Excellent first-time sweater. This is my 3rd sweater - I have 2 currently on the needles that need finishing - but I don't consider myself a beginning knitter.

This sweater is simple. The pattern is only 3 pages long and it's easy to follow. The sweater has a classic silhouette, the pattern can be easily modified - shortened, lengthened, waist-shaping can be easily modified - and creates a perfect 'base' pattern for those interested in adding texture to the sweater. Great, great pattern.

My only critiques would be for information and a visual on closing up the bottom of the raglan armhole and to name the buttonhole being used so that it's easier to look it up on YouTube for those of us visual learners. That's it. It's a great pattern. It's straight forward and honestly, if you can knit consistent fabric, it's an easy win.

Takeaways and Future Strategies:

Love what you are knitting.
Obvious, but hear me out. If you love what the finished sweater is going to look like and you've taken the time to analyze the pattern and visualize how it's going to fit into your wardrobe and how it's going to fit your body type, you will be more apt to finish the entire sweater in a month. The entire time I was knitting, I was dreaming about curling up in this sweater. It's such a classic silhouette and it's like all of my favorite, longer length sweaters except squishier due to being knit with bigger yarn. This sweater filled a gap in my handknit wardrobe and because of this, I actually looked forward to knitting on this sweater every day. Each evening knitting session meant I was one step closer to my new sweater.

Calculate how many stitches you need to knit each day to hit 50,000 stitches. Knit twice as many.
My estimate was 1,724 which I rounded up to 1,800 stitches a day, which I should have doubled as that would've put me closer to the halfway point on my sweater halfway through the month which then would've given me more wiggle room, time for modifications, rest days, and recovery time from holiday burnout accompanied by Thanksgiving festivities.

Make modifications even if they add more time to the process.
I lengthened the body of my cardigan. I also lengthened the sleeves. Sure the additional rows added extra time and used up a bit more yarn (always buy an extra skein!), but the modifications make my sweater that much more wearable. Why waste time on a quick finish when you aren't going to be happy with the finished product? Who intentionally wants to rip anything out?! Not me!

Know when to concede in lieu of finishing just for the sake of finishing.
At 9 pm on November 30th I conceded. Why the hell would I stay up till midnight knowing that my productivity is directly proportionate to how many cocktails I've got in my system, the time of the evening, pent up exhaustion from the week/weekend, and the total amount of time I've been knitting in a given sitting. It drops exponentially the later it gets in the day. Shutting off at 9 pm was a great decision on my part, and today, I'm much happier that I didn't rush to finish - I would NOT have finished anyway - and now I have time to properly research a buttonhole technique that I think will produce a more polished look and can withstand heavy-usage.

I was slightly disappointed because I really wanted to finish... I was soooo close! I instantly started in with the negative self talk - why didn't you knit a few rows once you got in after Thanksgiving dinner...? Why didn't you knit more at the beginning of the month when you had more energy...? Why did you pick up the buttonhole side of the buttonband first instead of the plain side...? Why didn't you tackle the sleeves sooner?! And so on. And then reality sunk in - it's ONLY knitting. This is what I do to relax. It's what I do to keep my brain stimulated. It's a creative outlet for me who likes to make things. It's not work. Don't treat it like work. I can be a very critical and judgmental person and I'm incredibly hard on myself. I had to take a step back and put things back into perspective. This is supposed to be enjoyable. Keep it fun and light!

Anyway, those are just a few things that jumped into my head after wrapping up my first NaKniSweMo. (Which by the way, I'm totally going to try again next year! I work well under tight deadlines. I blame that on my design background.) There were a million more things running through my head as I was knitting, but I'll save that for another post.

I'm so happy with the amount of progress I made on my sweater and even more impressed at my monogamy. Sure I was climbing up the walls by day 15, but I stuck with it. I enjoyed knowing what was going on in the pattern every time I sat down to knit, I loved the consistency of my fabric which probably would've changed if I were knitting on multiple items, and most of all, I loved seeing how quickly such a large project grew with just a little knitting time each day. Maybe this monogamy thing is worth looking into again... (maybe).

Now that I have an almost finished sweater, it's definitely given me my second and third wind in regards to finishing my other 2 sweaters. I'm also already drafting my plan of attack for my next sweaters. I'm officially a newly-minted sweater knitter!

I hope each and every one of you reading this is enjoying your holiday season. I also hope that those of you who may have been on the fence about sweater knitting considers tackling a sweater next year. The Calligraphy Cardigan has been knit by 546 knitters on Raverly as of today which is a decent sample size. There are women of all shapes and sizes who have knit this sweater and yarns of all persuasions have been used. It's a great simple knit!

Until next time...

NaKniSweMo 2014 [Week 1]

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Sun, 9 Nov 2014 12:48:00 -0800

Hello November!

November is "National Knit a Sweater Month" month aka, NaKniSweMo! This challenge runs alongside NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a challenge to... well, if you can't figure it out, I can't help you.

For the sweater challenge, all you have to do is complete a sweater with a minimum of 50,000 stitches by November 30th. Most adult sweaters knit with DK or Worsted weight yarn probably fit the bill. Smaller yarn - DK, Sport, Fingering - are a pretty solid win with the stitches but larger yarn might be a little sketchy. When in doubt, swatch it out.

The start date is (or shall I say... 'was') November 1st, so anything cast-on prior to this date is not eligible for prizes. Not concerned with prizes? Then you should totally knit along in solidarity. The prize is a sweater. Finished in a month! INsanity!

I am participating for the first time this year. My plan of action was to stick to something basic but with enough interesting 'things' happening to keep my interest.

Twist Collective 2012, Image © Carrie Bostick Hoge

My original plan was to knit Berwick by Kristin Rengren which is a Twist Collective pattern from November 2012. Sooo cute. And the styling in the picture above is the BIZness. I picked this pattern because a) it's knit in the round (win!), b) it's knit on larger needles (not so much of a win for me... but speedier), c) it's knit with Aran weight yarn, and d) well... it's super cute. Totally my steelo. Long story short, my plan was to substitute yarn. I was going to use Malabrigo Rios which is supposedly Worsted (I think), but I wasn't getting gauge at all. I've also been on the fence with Rios as it is more variegated than I like (variegated with white)... and that means absolutely nothing as I just simply don't like variegated yarn across the board.

Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig, Image ©Laurie Savard

In lieu of spending countless hours reworking the pattern, I decided to focus my energy on my back-up sweater, the very wearable Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig, which I've had queued since November 2012 and have had the yarn and pattern purchased since about June 2013. Only one year in the stash. Not bad.

Calligraphy was my back-up mostly because I knew that stockinette stitch, not knit in the round, would slow me down tremendously. I'm not adverse to purling, but purling is more taxing on my wrists with the additional hand movements. Well... the way I purl I suppose. Getting gauge on the second try pretty much sealed the deal on this sweater for me.

Really quick though... can we just drool over this sweater. It's everything I love in a sweater - long length (great for short torso girls!), deep ribbing on the sleeves and hem, clean lines, stockinette body, and knit with DK weight yarn, so it's body skimming, hugs in the right places, and doesn't add to much bulk, it's got the over-sized buttonband and collar which I cannot resist (very face and neck framing!), and it's also knit from the top down, so you can try it on as you go, if that is your thing.

Here is week one's progress ~12,000 stitches (is that all?!):

It will be interesting to see how many stitches it will take to finish this sweater. I'll admit that that may be more of the driving force behind me taking on this challenge. ;)

I'm keeping things simple (per usual) and I'm tracking all my stitch counts in Excel - one column for the date, a column for the # of stitches i'm working across, a column to track the rows I've completed each day, a column to mark decreases/increases, a column to tally the day's total, and a row to sum up the total stitches knit so far. The spreadsheet gets modified periodically as I am still figuring out what works for me, but so far so good.

Initially I thought keeping track with pen and paper would be easier, but Excel is definitely way more efficient (don't forget to hit save!). I was also initially keeping track of increases with stitch markers, but it's unnecessary as it's way easier to do this in Excel as well. (So now I have locking stitch markers for other projects!)

I do have a daily goal of about 1,800 stitches, which I'm a little behind on. I plan on making up for it today (Sunday). I also started on the 2nd. It's all good though. Slow and steady wins the race here. For once, I am monogamous. I am still spinning (I've got a challenge to complete here too!), but this is the only item I'm currently knitting on. Progress is slow-going, but it's progress nonetheless. I'm enjoying the growth, little by little, and enjoying the simplicity of the pattern which allows me to binge-watch Gilmore Girls while I knit. This show was not my cup of tea when it was actually on air... what a difference a decade makes.

If this challenge sounds interesting to you, it's still not too late to join in on the fun if you have already swatched for a sweater and were waiting for a reason to cast on! If you are ambitious and dedicated, I still don't think it's too late to get started. We are only 9 days into November. Keep it simple and set your daily goal. You can do it!

Additional details on NaKniSweMo can be found here on Ravelry.
For more information on NaNoWriMo, click here.

Good luck to all participating!

Stitch 25: [Renamed] Orange & Black!

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Thu, 6 Nov 2014 12:40:00 -0800

Chitty chatty as always, a shout out to 2014 World Series winners the San Francisco Giants (Go Giants!), NaKnitSweMo insanity, and fleece processing. It's a longer episode which means there are some captions (remember my 45 minute rule), so be sure to periodically look at the bottom of the screen for revisions/clarifications/edits. Enjoy!

Check out the Raverly Group for current KAL's and SAL's, contests, and giveaways!

Chit Chat
Kevin & Bean (KROQ)
Singer with the Spider in her Ear (LawdHaveMercy!)
Annual Weaving and Fiber Festival (WeFF)
RedFish DyeWorks

Knitting
FO's (What?!)
Stella Luna | Project Page
Picot Bind-Off referenced in: The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques

New CO's
NaKniSweMo 2014 | Project Page

Super cute durable project bags I'm trying out:
BAGGU 3D Zip Medium Electric Poppy Dot
BAGGU Standard Reusable Shopping Bag Electric Poppy Dot

Spinning
Fiber Goodies this episode brought to you by: Southern Cross Fibre, JulieSpins
What the heck is Tencel? Link here.
My Handspun Project Page (Ravelry)
Cormo X Processing Blog Post + My Campside Project Page

Spinning Resources Mentioned (Perfect for the holiday season!):
I am now an Amazon Associate. Purchases made through clicking on the links below help to offset shipping costs for giveaways. It's an easy, practically effortless way to support the videocast. Thanks so much for your support!

Unicorn Power Scour - Unicorn Power Scour (16oz.)

Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook
The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: More Than 200 Fibers, from Animal to Spun Yarn

The Spinners Book of Fleece
The Spinner's Book of Fleece: A Breed-by-Breed Guide to Choosing and Spinning the Perfect Fiber for Every Purpose

Spinners Book of Yarn Design
The Spinner's Book of Yarn Designs: Techniques for Creating 80 Yarns

Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece
Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece: Custom-Color Your Favorite Fibers with Dip-Dyeing, Hand-Painting, Tie-Dyeing, and Other Creative Techniques

Field Guide to Fleece
The Field Guide to Fleece: 100 Sheep Breeds & How to Use Their Fibers

stitch 24

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Thu, 2 Oct 2014 15:03:00 -0700

New cast-ons, a quick knitting needle review, and a(nother) new segment. Of course you'll have to get through 20 minutes of business chatter first. Enjoy!

Lots of things happening in the Ravelry Group. Come join the group!

Current Goings On:
**Giveaway** Give me 3 TV/Movie Recommendations. Ends Oct.30!
[Ongoing] Handspun KAL and Submission 'Show Off' Thread
Instagram Hashtag: #sxshandspunkal
Handmade Holiday AL - Need more end of the year commitments? Join in!
Polls -- Let your voice be heard!
NEW CONTEST -- WIP Wrangling. Who's in?

New on the Needles:
Color Affection | My Project
Knitters Pride Karbonz Interchangeable Knitting Needle Starter Set - Holiday gift item anyone?
Ten Stitch Blanket | My Project | Frankie Brown Patterns + Donation Page
My Gradient Spin [Want to do this for a future SAL? Voice your opinion here!]
Treat Yo Self --- Indie Dyer Love: Corgi Hill Farm and JulieSpins
VeryPink Knits - Ravelry Group + Ten Stitch Tutorial of awesomeness

September 'Picks & Flicks'
Pattern Picks:
5 Basic Shawl Shapes + 5 Basic Circular Shawl Shapes *New*
Campside [Want to do a KAL for this. Voice your opinion here!]
Brindled + Knitty Deep Fall 2014

Flicks:
The Blacklist (NBC) - 22 hrs of viewing up on Netflix instant. Season 2 is on NBC.
TGIT - Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder! (ABC)
The Lottery (Lifetime) - Season 1 just wrapped. The season finale... sooo good!

Stitch 23: More Extras

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 16:28:00 -0700

Fall is making this lady coo coo crazy for sweaters!
This is another bite-sized episode recorded September 2, 2014 where I ramble about vintage sweaters. Just a little something to tie you over until the next episode. Enjoy!

Knitting Vintage
My 'Panelled Effect Lady's Jumper' on Raverly
via 'A Stitch in Time, Volume 1: Vintage Patterns from 1920-1949'

Buying Fleece Online (Buyer beware and do your research people!)
Wild Hair Studio (CVM/Romeldale Fleece)
Morro Fleece Works (Fleece Processing)

Raw Wool Groups on Ravelry -
Raw Wool Lovers Unite! and Fleece Market are very active boards.

As always DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
My opinions are just that. Opinions. Which are a dime a dozen these days.

I don't make any claims as to which vendors are better than others, I can just speak to my personal experience and interactions with these vendors. With that being said, I am happy with what I have received so far from the above vendor. I will be able to elaborate further on quality once I start spinning these fleeces. :0)

Knitting Dreams for 2015

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:40:00 -0700

I've been participating in the Soak Wash Photo-A-Day Challenge and it's been revealing quite a bit about me as a knitter:

- I don't use a lot of tools. The ones I use most are associated with repair.
- I don't use the trendy knitting bags. I keep it simple, see-thru, and I still use plastic bags.
- Beaverslide Dry Goods is going to bankrupt me. I love wool.
- I like cowls. A LOT. Oversized, lacy, interesting patterns and textures, all the above.
- My handspun is my favorite yarn. Naturally.

The photo challenge is also inspiring me to get cracking on my WIP basket (so I can cast-on new things!). So much to finish, so little time left this year!

One photo challenge prompt was 'Dream Project' and below is the item I picked. It's from the Brooklyn Tweed Spring Thaw collection (shocker!). I am obsessed with this sweater.

Big, chunky, textured, cabled, oversized button band, oversized collar, tweed... *swoon*

Image by Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed

This is Exeter by Michele Wang. It's on my 'Must Knit List' for 2015. I've been eyeballing this sweater for a while now but was slightly hesitant about casting it on. All that texture requires commitment to monogamy for sure.

The other thing is that I still have two sweaters on the needles that need to get finished first. This sweater was also more or less a wish list item that I needed to muster up the attention span and energy to knit. I'm feeling ambitious now. Cooler weather inspires confidence!

Speaking of must knits... I'm already compiling my list for next year.

I've decided that I'm going to host/participate in as many KAL's as I can sanely manage because really, that's how shit gets done. SAL's... I'll probably still periodically participate in those, just not the daunting XX pounds in 20XX challenges. As wonderful as it feels to accomplish such lofty goals as spinning down that much fiber in a year, keeping track of that mess induces madness. And not the good kind!

Shawls will definitely be a mainstay on my needles next year. Who knew I'd be a shawl knitter? I never understood the allure of the shawl. I labelled them as somewhat matronly, something grandparents knit (like doilies), not particularly stylish, and kind of folky. That is until I made one that I really loved. Now they are practically all I want to knit because they are soooo practical for the California temperatures where often times for me, all I need is a light layer to wrap around my neck or over my shoulders. The other thing I really like about shawls is that they are (relatively) portable, they can be as intense or laid back as you want them to be, they are a wonderful way to use (and show off) handspun, and they are such a great way to learn a lot of techniques.

So with that being said, I've added a couple shawls to my 'Must Knit List' as well.
I'm looking forward to knitting Campside by Alicia Plummer (free!)

Image by Alicia Plummer

And the Pebble Beach Shawlette by Helen Stewart

Image by Helen Stewart

Both shawls are incredibly similar I admit, besides the obvious difference in shape and border treatment. Usually this would be a no-no for me as I typically try to avoid knitting the same thing(s) more than once for variety reasons, but also because I like to keep things fresh, I want to learn new techniques if possible with each knit, and I like to have a wide selection of varying items to round out my wardrobe. But clearly, eyelet shawls are calling my name. I'll more than likely knit the Campside first as it's a larger shawl and it's a freebie. If keeping track of all those eyelets doesn't make me snap, I may knit Pebble Beach as well.

Anyway, those are just some of my thoughts...
I wonder what everyone else is thinking about knitting in 2015.

Realistic + Unrealistic

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 00:11:00 -0700

I planned to do a quick and dirty blog post this past weekend. Then I got tired and decided taking a nap was a better option. I'm an introvert, I need to conserve my energy!

I'm still debating on if I want to blog here on the videocast site or on my previous dedicated rambling site, but since there will be a tie in to a near future videocast KAL- that's Knit-A-Long for you slowpokes out there - this post is appropriate.

I've been doing a lot of cleaning... (Go ahead and laugh. I am like a broken record with this.)

Anyway, I've been doing a lot of cleaning and this past weekend I decided to revisit my WIP basket (which I do about every quarter) as we are approaching the final months of 2014 and this is just the sort of self-reflective, evaluative thing I do quite often.

I was taken aback at how little WIP's I have in my pile. What?! Did I burn them all in a fit of rage or did I lose them with all the back and forth to the San Francisco area this year?

I have less than 20 projects currently classified as WIP's. About 5 of those I am actively adding stitches to at any given time. I've pulled needles out of roughly... we'll say 4 projects and I'm reevaluating my pile again with a wool comb (see what I did there...) to make sure that nothing that I am really not in love with follows me into 2015. Where did 2014 go???

Below is my short list of items that I can realistically finish by the end of year and I am making a committment to try to do so. And then later will be another set of photos of WIP's that frankly... either the yarn is just too damn small, the pattern is too damn annoying, or the project is just... ugh, pissing me off! These go into hibernation pile, because I am too invested to frog. I still love them, but they will have to wait for me to be in a better mood. ;)

The Realistic Pile

Panelled Effect Lady's Jumper by Jane Waller and Susan Crawford

This sweater right here...

This sweater was my second sweater attempt four years ago. The first attempt was out of Rowan Big Wool in a very deep, forest green colorway. I had just purchased a Debbie Bliss magazine from my local Barnes & Noble bookstore (are those still around?) and I was incredibly excited to get it going. The sweater was covered in seed stitch with a fat cable running down the center front. It's frogged now, but I do remember even only a few months into my knitting journey that that sweater was destined to be a HOT mess.

I'm almost done with this seamed, vintage sweater. The yarn still looks good - it's DROPS Baby Ull DK - and is in a classic color I can live with - navy blue. The overall silhouette would be flattering on my body type - busty, high waist, and proportionate. The yarn is thin enough where I won't overheat while wearing it, and it is a short, half sleeve which I enjoy aesthetically. Also... now that I'm officially calling myself a sweater knitter (despite not having completed a sweater), there is no way that I can't finish this sweater once and for all before the year is out. I mean, four years is really just ridiculous. So that's what I'm committing to. After the current sweater is done, of course!

Henslowe by Beth Kling

It's knit out of Berocco Ultra Alpaca Light which, if you watch the videocast, you know doesn't play well with me despite me loving all the colors that it comes in. It's like a dead end relationship where you just can't find the nerve to break it off. This yarn is lovely and it's light in the hand hand, it has a faint halo, and it has a very affordable price tag.

I'm already pretty invested in this shawl. At the time I started this project a couple of years ago, the garter felt like it was neverending and now that I look back at this project, there is no way I'm ripping all that pain and suffering back. I must press on! I probably had a lot going on at the time when I was knitting this or at least I had enough going on where it made garter stitch a feel like a burden rather than a soothing stitch pattern.

Long story short, this stays on the needles and I'm going to finish this up and give this to my mom for Christmas. Because I am such a nice daughter. ;)

The UNRealistic Pile [Which really means it's going into hibernation...]

Zig and Zag by foggyknits

This cowl has the potential for greatness. Just not any time soon in this household. It will be in hibernation until I am crazy enough to commit to this much color changing in one sitting. The reality with this cowl is... honestly it's producing a thick fabric which is to be expected. It's DK weight yarn. I'm just not sure how much wear I will get out of a tubular, stranded cowl. I'm in Southern California. I get hot knitting on this!

Daybreak by Stephen West

This yarn feels so small as I spend all my energy counting out stitches in between increases. Why am I paying for a pattern where I have to keep track of something as tedious as the spacing between increases? I'm sick of all the counting it's starting to make my brain (and my soul) hurt. To the hibernation pile it goes. Pretty colors though madelinetosh!

Next!

Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern by Nancy Bush

These socks... *sigh*
As beautiful as they are, I just need to admit to myself that I am not a sock knitter. I'd like to be, but socks just don't excite me like I wish they did. It ebbs and flows with most of my feelings being more of a 'ooh, that is pretty' than a 'I definitely have to knit that.' And maybe it's more that I haven't found a technique that really speaks to me. I'm not willing to throw in the towel just yet with socks because I still haven't completed a pair down toe-up or two-at-a-time using both techniques (one circ, two circs), but oy vey!

The other aspect is that I just really don't think I'll get a great deal of usage out of handknit socks. With all these tiny stitches and the awkward dpn's, my time right now is better spent on cowls and shawls which I will actually wear. Hibernation pile, here they come, again.

For more info on all of these projects, take a peek at my Ravelry page!
At least one of these WIP's will make an appearance on a near future episode.

Stitch 23 Extras

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Sat, 6 Sep 2014 20:08:00 -0700

Some extra bits from episode 23 that I forgot to add in. Short and sweet, but this is what the 'Friends to Knit/Spin With' segment is supposed to look like. Enjoy this little tidbit.

The idea is that I'll compile a list of my top picks of the month and share them on the videocast. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's contributions in the FTKW Giveaway thread.

August Friends to Knit/Spin With
August: Osage County
Super 8
Fruitvale Station
The Butler
World War Z (On Netflix Instant)
Check out IMDB for more details on these picks.

Stitch 23: Smells Like Team Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Wed, 3 Sep 2014 22:32:00 -0700

A stripey, team spirit cowl and a bunch of chopped liver projects. Oh yeah and happy 1-year anniversary Stitch by Stitch Videocast. Enjoy!

New Stitch Markers are available @ thethreeringcircus.etsy.com!
Sea Glass and Facet Glass snag-free stitch markers are fresh in the shop.

Check out the new 'Spooky' Collection, which features snag-free bone and olivewood skulls.
Just in time for Halloween!

Friends to Knit/Spin With Giveaway Thread and Handspun KAL Thread
Social Media Hashtags: #stitchbystitchvideocast #sxshandspunkal #spinnersbelike

A Little Bit of Lovin'
A big, fat, thanks to BarbarJones and donnabriz for future pattern giveaways and ShayBear and YarnderWoman for gifted patterns!

YarderWoman's *Shiny, NEW* Videocast can be found here. Go show her some love!
She also has a Ravelry group that you should join.

Ketchup
Dave Matthews Band
Knitterly, Petaluma, CA
SF Giants + SF Giants Cowl

The [Neverending] Chopped Liver WIP Pile
Stella Luna | My Project
Read about Beaverslide Dry Goods and the Mule Spun process
Imogen Cowl | My Project
Hoorary Cardigan | My Project

My Spinning Projects
More Singles due to the loveliness that is Southern Cross Fibre
Wild Hair Studio

August Update is LIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:50:00 -0700

Here is a sampling of all the handmade goodies that are up in the shop...

As summer is winding down, these jewel-colored Sea Glass Stitch Markers will still remind us of those fun summer festivities that we enjoyed this year.

(Last Call on these!)

Classic and elegant 'Oooh Shiny' Glass Facet Stitch Markers

Making its debut is the 'Spooky Collection' which features creepy Bone and Olive Wood Skull Stitch Markers! **Limited Availability**

These are the perfect addition to any Halloween trick (or treat) bag! Bwhahahaaaaa!

All my stitch makers are snag-free and handmade, one marker at a time with lots of love,

laughs, and fun. And I had a lot of fun with those silly skull markers.

I hope you enjoy the update and have a wonder, fiber-filled week!

Stitch 22 - Triple Dipping in the Ketchup

noreply@blogger.com (the dreamer) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 10:46:00 -0700

On this episode, I introduce 2 new segments and then proceed to forget to add content to one, I have technical difficulties so you get to see me in 2 different outfits, and I recap on my Tour de Fleece and Stash Dash success! A handspun KAL is currently going down in the SxS Ravelry group. Come join along. Enjoy!

*** New Blog Host ***
RSS Feed: http://stitchbystitchvideocast.blogspot.com/
More feed options are located in the right side bar of the website. The iTunes feed has not changed. Fingers crossed. ;)
YouTube Channel: Stitch by Stitch

Past shownotes will still be available on the previous site at:
http://stitchbystitchcast.wordpress.com/

Handspun KAL thread on Ravelry -- This KAL will be ongoing! #sxshandspunkal
Come join in on a perpetual, relaxed, no deadline, handspun KAL with a bunch of folks who love knitting with handspun! Group members, come share your handspun-friendly pattern suggestions here. Share you project with social media hashtag: #sxshandspunkal

Back Stitch
Typos on the captions... not that this is the first time, but Pet "Semetary" (or however I spelled it) should be Cemetery. It happens folks.

New Segments:
Highlight Reel
Renegade Craft Fair (It happens in London too!)

Friends to [Knit/Spin] With
Cujo (Not for the faint of heart!) Bwhahahaa!

Finished Knits:
Simple Garter Stitch Slippers | My Project
My Ravelry Projects

Current Knits:
Stella Luna | My Project
Imogen Cowl
On the Shore

Recaps:
Tour de Fleece page
Stash Dash page