Recent FOs

I listen to a number of podcasts about knitting, spinning and other things. They frequently inspire me to try do more, try new things, join in on create-a-longs, and share their world for a short time. One of the podcasts I’ve listen to on and off for the last year is the Down Cellar Studio Podcast by Boston Jen. She just hit episode 100, which is so cool, and one of the things she does is run a thing during the NFL football season called the DCS Pigskin Party KAL.From her site:

“It is an annual knit, crochet, weaving and spin along hosted in the Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group that runs during the NFL football season. The more you finish, the more touchdowns and field goals you’ll score and the more points you earn. You can also increase your score by using products from our awesome sponsors or meeting other challenges and by recruiting new team members. The more points you have, the more entries you get for the prize drawings.”

Projects have to be started after September 8th, 2016 and finished before February 6th, 2017 to count toward earn points but there are a number of optional mini games to play to earn even more points, including one to finish WIPs.  I watched last year but decided to join in this year because I know I work better with external deadlines, especially ones that might win me prizes and it looks like fun. Since the start on September 8th I’ve completed 4 knitting and 4 spinning projects.

To get me started I knit a quick jar cozy in commercial yarn I had on hand in very Raiders colors. This also earned Team Color Interception points

My next project was spinning 2.2oz of Edgewood Garden Studios mixed fiber batts into 128 yards of 2 ply on my Turtle Made 3D printed Danger Zone drop spindle. I love how this turned out as a lofty worsted weight.

I had won some Knit Circus Lavish yarn in the Twisted Stripes colorway from the monthly Gorgeous Gradients Ravelry group FO contest. It was 350 yards of wonderfully soft Merino Cashmere Nylon blend (MCN) divided into two cakes of matching crazy stripes that was just calling for socks. I knit up some oversized loose weave house socks on US 2.5s with an afterthought heel for myself and they turned out great.

 

My next spinning project was a spin-a-long (SAL) with the Spindlers Ravelry group’s October theme ‘Our Known Universe’.  I was inspired by a Hubble picture of a Red Dwarf Star to pull out HipStrings Merino Yak Silk in the Obsession colorway. I used my Danger Zone and my new Day of the Dead Turtle Made drop spindle. I tried it as n-ply but did like it so I ended up doing 243 yards in a 2 ply fingering.

I also finished my spin for the November Spindlers SAL for the ‘Take Flight’ theme. I spun 1 oz of Rambouillet fiber from Elemental Fiberworks in the Helium colorway from one of her mini Chemistry sampler sets. I spun it bulky thick and thin on the Danger Zone drop spindle and then thread plied it with light pink sewing thread to get 80 yards.

For the WIP finishing Interception I pulled out a single that I had spun this summer  during Tour de Fleece but hadn’t ever plied because I only had 1 oz and couldn’t decide what to do with it. The fiber was another sample from the Chemistry sampler, this one Falkland in the Lithium colorway. I finally decided to use it to practice my chain plying since it was a relatively strong single and got 75 yards that looked like fingering weight but after washing it looks like it puffed up thicker.

My daughter went to the 2016 Shenandoah Fiber Festival with me and at the Unplanned Peacock booth picked out some Aran Superwash Merino in the bright and cheery Citrus colorway and requested a cowl. I managed to finish this Purl Soho Structured Cowl by her birthday with only 160 yards. I still have another 200 yards to make her mitts and/or a hat for her later.

And just a few days ago I used the WIP Interception to finish up the 2nd giant baby blanket I had on the needles for my niece. Her twin brother’s was finished first but now that they are 5 month old I finally bound off the last stich. I used the Hansel hap shawl pattern and 1,065 yards of Miss Babs Yummy 2-ply fingering Merino in Slate and 4 coordinating colors.