Hi there......can you believe it is the middle of July already? This summer is flying by! This post is going to be more about making yarn then actually knitting with it! I do have a few projects on the needles that I am trying to finish up but this past month has been all about my spinning. I've been participating in Tour de Fleece on Ravelry and it's all about spinning while the Tour de France is pedaling! So we are in our last week and i am really happy with all that I have accomplished so far!

One thing I did challenge myself to do was to finish a spin on my support spindle. And I am very happy to say that this week I did just that! I started with this beautiful Hicaya Alpaca and merino silk blend and ended up with this very fine lace weight yarn......I spun the singles on my support spindle and then plied them on my wheel. My daughter has already claimed this for a shawl project she wants to do.




And here are a few other skeins that I have finished so far.........




I have been having so much fun during this tour in the teams that I am on......if you are a spinner you should join in on next years tour it really pushes you to get spinning!! I'm sure I will be back to more knitting next week and I will show you the sweater that I just cast on for! Because really it will be sweater wearing time again before we know it!!

It has been a busy week........very full of fun and of course a little bit of knitting and spinning!



I cast on for something new yesterday! I have been wanting to start Haligarth ever since I first saw it on Ravelry. I am using some alpaca fingering in a warm cozy brown. After casting on and getting about 20 rows in I was not happy with the very loose yarn overs and so I ripped back and started again but knitting through the back loops of the yarn overs this time. I am much happier with the fabric now and I know once it is blocked those yarn overs will bloom beautifully!

I also cast off and had a photo shoot of this great sweater! It's a test knit for Sezza Knits and it's called Umberto. You can read my blog post all about it here.



I am also gearing up for the Tour de Fleece!!! It starts this weekend! I will be spinning for 3 teams and I hope to get alot of fiber spun up! Here is my pile of yummy fibers that I will be diving into!!


I am still knitting away on my Jaywalker socks......they are a great project to take to the lake where we go to hang out and cool off! Here is my view as I relax and watch the kids........



Summer is in full swing and we are getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July on Friday! Barbeque's swimming and poolside knitting are definitely in my future! Happy knitting everyone!!!


Joining Ginny over at small things for the weekly yarn along......here

Who knew that knitting for this boy could be so much fun....who knew how much he would not only enjoy the knit but the numerous photos mama wanted to take so she could show everyone that knit.

I love it when a project totally comes together and to top it off the person it's for is just as excited as you are  about it!!!

I jumped into this test knit for a boys sweater  Umberto by Sezza Knits. I already have a few of her patterns and have enjoyed the ones I've knit. It's a boys sweater with a nice cable detail on the front. It's also bottom up and has short row sleeves. I have never done short row sleeves but was able to easily follow the instructions in the pattern. I used Debbie Bliss Blue Faced Leiceister in a DK weight. The pattern will not be released for a few more weeks but look for it as it is a fun and great looking knit!

I guess my boys are feeling left out of my knitting lately as they were fighting over who I was knitting the sweater for. There might be a few more Umberto Sweaters in my future.

Christopher is thrilled with his new sweater! After blocking it has a tiny bit of room for growth and since he is growing like a weed I am happy with that. The photo shoot was a blast and he totally worked the camera.... who knew he was model material!







So happy with the way this sweater turned out......now what to cast on  next??

I am here and as usual my resolve to blog more was an epic fail this past month. Oh well what can I say......I am here today and can't wait to share what's on my needles!
I did blog last week about my hand spun shawl project that I just completed! Please look here to see all about it. Yes I may be bragging a little but it really is my favorite project ever!

I also started another pair of socks last week. It's the Jaywalker pattern and they have been a fun knit. I am almost done with one and then will cast on for the other. I'm using a funky opal yarn...my first time using it and it's so fun to see how it knits up.



I got in on a test knit for a boys sweater so that was cast on last week as well and I'm using Debbie Bliss Blue Faced Leicester. I am loving this yarn....very soft and squishy! I am also loving the pattern, it's a Sezza Knits pattern and is very well written. My boys are excited that I am finally knitting something for them!



I have also been gearing up for Tour de Fleece. I spun up this nice skein of BFL in the colorway Beach ball from Three Waters Farm.


 I have also pulled out my support spindle and I've been working on Storm Cloud a huacaya alpaca, merino and silk blend from The Painted Tiger. It's like spinning a cloud and I am really enjoying it.


I am loving Audible and just downloaded a devotional book by Timothy Keller called Galatians for you. It takes you verse by verse through the book of Galatians.
I looking forward to jumping into the Yarn Along and seeing what everyone is up too!! Happy Knitting!!

EEK!! Yes I just said eek! It is finally done And that shawl I envisioned in my head with beautiful hand spun merino and silk is now finished...complete......and it came out even better then I had hoped!

I talked about my vision for this yarn here and I thought I was going to be making a 3 color sweater. But then I saw this shawl and just knew it was the perfect pattern for this yarn. It's the Ashburn shawl.

First can I say I love Three Waters Farm and their gorgeous fibers and colorways. This merino and silk was a delight to spin and I have already ordered more! They ship super fast and their customer service is excellent!

I had so much fun spinning and then knitting this project......the textures and colors were just so interesting and it kept the project flowing and going. What also kept it going and gave me extra knitting time was this little one recovering from surgery. Tonsils and adenoids had to come out and that meant lots of cuddle time on the couch....(and lot's of knitting time for momma)



So get ready for photo overload as I take you through the process......











 
 I wish you could see it for real! The colors really pop and I love the feel of the different textures and it is so warm and squishy. It will be the perfect wrap once fall hits and the temperatures drop. I'm a little sad I have to wait a few months to wear it.  Oh and my little one is finally feeling more like herself so it looks like my knitting and spinning time will be pared back and this momma is ok with that!

I hope everyone had a lovely Mothers Day. I was able to get in some knitting and spinning time and finished up this lovely merino and silk fiber..........Dark Sweet Cherries from Three Waters Farm


And then I began pulling apart another braid that I go to use with it. Scottish Landscape.. I broke the braid into 2 color groupings and will spin them separately. Now I am on the look out for a sweater I can knit up for my littlest girl with the main color being the cherries and stripes of the other 2 color groupings. I think it will make a very cute sweater! I am spinning about a fingering weight......so any ideas on sweater patterns? Please share!




 We drove to Canada to drop Emily off on Saturday. And my car knitting yielded this very funky sock! I love it and will probably gift it to one of my girls who love wearing such colors! When I was in Texas I was able to go to Mad Tosh Yarn Shop and of course they are a store devoted to all things Tosh! That is where I found this colorway, Mansfield's Garden Party. I thought it was different and not something I would normally buy but it made me smile at a time when life was stressful so it came home with me! I'm so glad it did because it is a lot of fun to knit with! One sock is done and I just cast on the other. I used the fish lips kiss heel for the first time and I think I really like the fit of it. Ravelry notes


On Monday I resolved to get back to exercising and headed out for my first run in months. It felt so good to get moving again! My body is protesting but I am determined to get back into the habit of my early morning runs......which are really more like jogs and sometimes fast walks.......but as long as I'm moving I figure it's good! Loki my little dog is loving it too. He has no problem doing 3 miles with me and I like the company! Some days Hannah Grace joins me as well and she loves running with Loki!


I'm joining Ginny today in the Yarn Along and looking forward to seeing what is on everyone's needles! Happy Knitting!!!

Let's talk socks! Does anyone else have a love hate relationship with sock knitting? Am I the only one that is such a loose knitter in the round that most patterns come out too big for me? I can't be the only one can I? I finally figured out that I always need to just knit the smallest size......but why can't I remember that? Sock gauge is crazy stuff! I have ripped out many a sock because what was supposed to fit a woman's medium foot looks like it would fit a dinosaur foot! So I am writing this today to help me to remember that whatever the pattern might say.......just knit the small! All that being said I do love hand knitted socks and my newest cast on (since I took my own advice) is coming along quite well! It's Smokestack and I picked up the yarn last year at the Endless Mountains Fiber Festival. It's squishy and soft and I really like how the colors are coming together.



I also cast on this week for Andee's Penny Infinity Scarf. And I guess I really am a lose knitter because I ran out of yarn......wait for it.........5 rows from the end. Insert loud sigh here. So I am waiting for another skein to arrive. I used her modifications for just one skein of mad tosh lite and even went down a needle size to get gauge but still came up 5 rows short. And no I am not ripping back......it is a lovely knit and I really enjoyed it so I will wait patiently for the other skein to arrive and finish it the right way........I think it's going to be beautiful and something I wear quite often.


I did some spinning this week as well and you can check out what is on my wheel in a post I did earlier this week here. I am on my second bobbin and can't wait to get it plyed and bathed.....such fun!

This week is a busy one as Emily gets ready to head back to Canada for another 6 months. I have really enjoyed having her home this past month. All us girls headed out to Trader Joes yesterday for a fun afternoon of shopping. Having all my girls with me is getting rarer and rarer and so I do treasure those times.

It seems like spring is finally arriving in our area and there are buds on the trees and the grass is getting green. I was beginning to think winter would never leave! I'm looking forward to taking the knitting outside as the kids play and soak up some sun! Joining Ginny today over at Small Things for the weekly yarn along.