We have exciting finished projects to talk about and updates on current projects. Our Home-A-Long and Winter Weave-A-Long are in full swing and we have project ideas to share

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

Marsha's Projects

Deer Scarf: Finished! Ben and his roommates rescued a concrete deer lawn ornaments. I made a red scarf for the deer to wear this holiday. Including fringe, the scarf is about 9' long.

Socks: Using Red Heart Heart and Sole in colorway Black Jack. Finished first sock and knitting on leg of the second sock.

Mountain High: Heidi Kirrmaier. Using my handspun Flowers From My Garden. I decided to put the body on waste yarn and knit the sleeves. Of course color work is different because sleeve circumference is smaller than body. Occasionally breaking yarn to manage color.

Sheridan Flats Spinning: Purchased 24 oz of 80/15/6 wool/mohair/silk roving in the colorway Kaleidoscope. The owner said to spin at a worsted weight for best results. Mill is Olympic Yarn & Fiber located in Cosmopolis, WA. I've filled two bobbins to date.

Rag Rugs: Wound warp for four rag rugs and yesterday started warping loom. Warp will be 4" and 6" stripes in royal blue, green, and orange.

Weaving Studio: It's a work in progress. 

Kelly's Projects

Natural Dyeing Experiments 

I started spinning the orange CA Red fiber dyed with toyon that had been steeped for 24 hours. 

Spirit Yarn Hat #9 is finished. I did some free style color work with the rest of the white and the bright pink. Made Xs and Os and some border designs.  Solid pink hat #8 and color work hat #9 were both gone in two days. 

Finished two chenille rugs. Still have warp, but no more chenille. I need to figure out the best way to use up the remaining warp (weft-faced rug, resley for towels?) and then make more chenille for more of these rugs. 

Started my Sleeveless Vest by Lone Kjeldsen with handspun from Jazzman, "Judith says perfect fleece." I've finished the bottom ribbing, the lateral stitch and I'm a couple inches into the body ribbing.

Home-A-Long

October 1st to December 31st

Make a home decor item in your craft of choice…knitting, crocheting, weaving, or any way "you can think of to play with string."

Recent ideas: pumpkins in the bundle, lots of gnomes in the thread, two Lindas in PA are both making Christmas ornaments, and Autumn is making a bunting with swatches. WEFT magazine has a whole issue out devoted to items for the table. 

Winter Weave-a-long

Now through March 31

Our Home-A-Long is underway. Join us as we create home items for ourselves or someone else's home. We have finished objects and updates on our projects.

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

Listener Caroline recommended the movie Alive and Kicking. Here is a link to the movie on YouTube.

Marsha's Projects

Elinya by Ambah O'Brien: Finished! I started this shawl in March 2018. I was about ¾ done with the picot bind off when I stopped and I have no idea why. I used Hazel Knits IArtisan Sock in the color way Sassafras and Jorstad Creek Cornwall in the colorway Flamingo.

Simple Shawl by Jane Hunter: Finished! Used Michael's CWD in colorway San Francisco Fog. Again, no idea why I stopped. The shawl was finished except for washing and blocking. I started the shawl in March 2018 and finished the knitting in August 2021.

Socks: Using Red Heart Heart and Sole in colorway Black Jack. Finished first sock and knitting on leg of the second sock.

Mountain High: Heidi Kirrmaier. Using my handspun Flowers From My Garden. About to start the garter stitch edge with measures about 3.25". Managing color when I change balls.

Deer Scarf: Ben and his roommates rescued a concrete deer lawn ornaments. I am making a red scarf for the deer to wear this holiday. Added fringe to beginning edge. I have knit about 8 feet.

Sheridan Flats Spinning: Purchased 24 oz of 80/15/6 if wool*/mohair/silk roving in the colorway Kaleidoscope. The owner said to spin at a worsted weight for best results. The mill is Olympic Yarn & Fiber located in Cosmopolis, WA.

Weaving Studio: It's a work in progress. 

Kelly's Projects

Moose Hat for Moose It was a fun, one week project that I started on his birthday and finished a week later. The pattern would also make a good pillow. Cathy suggested to decrease faster than the pattern calls for so the hat wouldn't be pointed. I used that suggestion and got a traditional beanie/toque shape.

Natural Dyeing Experiments 

Elderberry leaves gave me a very light yellowy tan. I was hoping for green. I may have heated the dye pot too quickly.

I simmered and then soaked a dyepot of walnut shells and hulls for about a week and then dyed with it. Heating and cooling the pot twice over the course of a day. Then I left the wool in to soak for a couple days. I got a darker brown than with the leaves, but not as dark as I thought I would get. Sort of a medium brown.

Next up is loquat leaves. 

Spirit Yarn Hat #7 is finished using mostly a white skein of acrylic DK. A small amount of striping with a purple leaning brown and a pink. Hat #8 is at the crown. It is a bright pink. 

Wound the warp and dressed the loom for the chenille rug project. This project was inspired by Kelli who made one for her travel van. Instructions are in Summer 2024 Handwoven. 

Swatched with handspun from Jazzman, "Judith says perfect fleece." Haven't decided on the vest I'll make, but I've done a search with my gauge to find the patterns that might work.

Home-A-Long

October 1st to December 31st

Make a home decor item in your craft of choice…knitting, crocheting, weaving, or any way "you can think of to play with string."

Some ideas for projects could be pillows, afghans, rugs, towels, teapot or mug cozies, potholders, dishcloths, bags,.....

Winter Weave-A-Long

Now through March 31

We have both been busy with non-fiber activities, but we still managed to finish some projects, including some cheeky ones.

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

Quilting the National Parks: 20 Original Designs Inspired by the Beauty of Our National Park by Stephanie Forster

Marsha's Projects

Hedgehog: Finished! Pattern by PurlSoho. In the destash room at the NoCKRs retreat I found a ball of Louisa Harding Luzia and thought it was the perfect yarn to make a hedgehog.

The Weekender: by Andrea Mowry. Using Cascade 220 in colorway Wine. I haven't picked it up since I got home from the retreat. Lost my motivation after all the discussion at NoCKRs.

Socks: Wisdom Yarns Wacki Saki in the colorway Batty Berlin. About to start toe decreases of first sock

Spinning: Into the Whirled roving in colorways Welcome to Litchfield and The Traveler. BostonJen messaged me that she used the same braids, plied them the same way, and made a hat. What a coincidence!

Weaving Studio: It's a work in progress. I think I have finally fixed the problem with the brake band falling off. 

Kelly's Projects

Spirit Yarn charity hat (gray wool/acrylic blend) started at the retreat This hat is done and I've also completed a second out of a tweedy moss green that was cotton and modal but felt a lot like Berocco Remix. It was great yarn! Both hats were gone in less than a day. 

Potholders from the potholder loom. I'm a 63 year old woman making my mom a potholder for Mother's Day. I've made two for myself. 

Almost finished with the second bobbin of spirit roving from Pat. Gray Corriedale x Merino fiber that is beautifully prepared (Morro Fleeceworks). Fiber Frolic, Duren Dyeworks

Spring Buckens and Owls (Ms and Os): Woven, washed, pressed and waiting for hems. Another successful batch of dishtowels! 

Chenille rug project: The weaving of the chenille strips has begun.

Winter Weave Along

Prizes drawn next episode.

Summer Spin In 

Memorial Day - Labor Day

May 31 - September 1 

More discussion about shots (not from a glass) and needles (not for knitting). Sorry! We finally get down to knitting, bored dogs, and new projects. We end by laughing at own ridiculousness when read in a transcript.  Show notes with full transcript, photos, and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

If you'd like to become a patron and support the show financially, visit our Patreon page. 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android or Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Marsha's Projects

I'm still working on the pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought in San Luis Obispo.

I've knit about 6" of my Walk Along tee by AnkeStrick and I'm using Little Fish Stitches fingering. Beginning to worry if I will have enough yarn.

Spinning on and off with olive green merino roving. We had one beautiful sunny day this week that I could sit on the deck and spin. Heaven! I'm combining it with another merino I ordered from Paradise Fibers in Spokane, Washington in a dark brown called Bitter Chocolate. Making a 3 ply with two green and one brown single. I've spun two skeins.

Swatching to make the Abington Mitts by Jennifer Lassonde as part of our Extremities Knit/Crochet Along. Using Dale Garn Helio that I got from Kim's bag of yarn headed to the thrift store. Enough yarn for a brown and a burgundy pair.

Kelly's Projects 

I finished the pair of socks for Robert! 

And another Ice Time Hat! The Ice Time Hat is a pattern given to me by BostonJen of Down Cellar Studio podcast. I used two different yellow and purple variegated skeins.  Check out my project page. 

Started the Iced Matcha Socks by Dots Dabbles. I'm using handspun wool mohair yarn that I spun from batts I carded. The wool is Charlotte (a gray sheep whose fleece I bought twice in the early 2000s). The mohair is a similar vintage mohair fleece that I bought and dyed. 

Both of these patterns are from the designers who have donated prizes for the Extremities K/CAL. 

I also started Frog and Toad from frogandcast.com.  I've finished Toad and now need to start Frog. Then there are clothes to make.

Extremities Knit/Crochet Along

This KAL/CAL was inspired by the generous donation of these patterns:

Abington Mitts, Jennifer Lassonde, Down Cellar Studio

Coffee Socks Collection, Dotsdabbles Designs, Deborah

It ends on April 25, 2021. Knit anything for your extremities (hands, arms, legs, feet).

Winter Weave Along

Ends on March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution.

Ep 157 final

Mon, 3/8 5:41PM • 59:38

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

yarn, knit, socks, laughing, transcript, marsha, appointments, pattern, talking, extremities, vaccine, people, thought, podcast, weaving, hat, crochet, pair, fun, vaccinated

SPEAKERS

Kelly, Marsha

 

00:03

Hi, this is Marsha and this is Kelly.

 

Marsha 00:05

We are the Two Ewes of Two Ewes Fiber Adventures. Thanks for stopping by.

 

Kelly 00:10

You'll hear about knitting, spinning, dyeing, crocheting, and just about anything else we can think of as a way to play with string.

 

Marsha 00:17

We blog and post show notes at TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

 

Kelly 00:22

And we invite you to join our Two Ewes Fiber Adventures group on Ravelry. I'm 1hundredprojects,

 

Marsha 00:29

and I am betterinmotion.

 

Kelly 00:31

We are both on Instagram and Ravelry. And we look forward to meeting you there.

 

00:36

Enjoy the episode.

 

Marsha 00:43

Good morning, Kelly.

 

Kelly 00:44

Good morning, Marsha. It's Friday. Yeah. I'm not sure Friday means much to to a lot of people during a pandemic, but it means a lot to me.

 

Marsha 01:01

Yeah, it doesn't really mean... it doesn't mean... Friday, in fact, well, yeah. Friday doesn't mean that much to me anymore. But yeah, if you're retired, yeah. And you know, Ben does his own school thing. Idon't... I'm not involved in that. And and

 

Kelly 01:14

I hope I should hope not.

 

Marsha 01:16

I know at the age of 23. I should not be involved in it. I'm not. Such a relief.

 

Kelly 01:23

I have students whose children are involved in their college education, helping them but

 

Marsha 01:31

Oh, yeah, yeah,your children appearing in zoom meetings and stuff. Zoom.

 

Kelly 01:35

That too. Yeah. I have a couple of students that come to my office drop in hours, and their children are usually in the background, or you can hear you can hear the schooling going on in the background, while the children are on their own zoom, their own zoom meeting. So. So yeah, I have a class for kind of a beginning level math class, you know, basically no prerequisites. You know, anybody can take it. And some of those students have their kids helping them. "I got confused, and I watched your video, and then I got my kid to help me."

 

Marsha 02:14

So yeah, it's a family, a family affair. Sweet.

 

Kelly 02:20

When parents talk about, you know, having school and kids and all of that, I always, I always tell them how, how much I think it's great. Because it's such a role model for their children, you know, that you continue to learn, but it's rough. I can't imagine the students I have, who are, who are parents who are going back to school, who are working, who are helping their children do their school, I always admire, you know, the parents who are coming back to school and the amount of work that they have to do. But in this pandemic, it's just been, like magnified. Yeah, very impressive. Yeah. their commitment to education.

 

03:01

Oh, yeah.

 

Marsha 03:02

It's a struggle, but it'll be worth it in the end, you know?

 

Kelly 03:07

Yes. And some of us in the struggle, I'm not including myself in that us really, some people in the struggle will be able to talk about it in the same way that, you know, of the sacrifices that people made during war time. Or, and some people are not, are not stepping up in that way. I sort of wonder what it would be like if they were having to live through war time, or, you know, like, the Greatest Generation they talk about, that, you know, lived through World War Two and made all those sacrifices. And our society is not quite measuring up, I don't think, to that standard.

 

Marsha 03:47

Well, I don't know. I mean, well, you mean, in terms of wearing masks?

 

03:52

Willing make a..? Being willing to make a sacrifice?

 

Marsha 03:55

Oh,

 

Kelly 03:56

for the good ofeveryone.

 

Marsha 03:59

It may sort of depend on where you live.

 

Kelly 04:01

Yeah. Yeah.

 

Marsha 04:02

You know, because if you're talking like masking specifically, everybody masks up. In fact. I mean,here...

 

Kelly 04:10

what I'm specifically talking about here, I guess I should I should be clear. What was specifically talking about here in California, is all of the complaining about teachers not going back and the teachers unions not wanting to go back and parents can't get their kids back in school. And, like, I understand that, I understand that it's hard. But you don't get to have your same old life. Right? I mean, this is what I want to say to people, right? You don't. None of us gets to have the same life we had last February, none of us does.

 

Marsha 04:16

My mind was going... Well. And I say even with the vaccine, it sounds like we're not going to have our same lives, right?

 

Kelly 04:55

For a while at least.

 

Marsha 04:56

it's going to be a different version of our of our of our same You know, yeah, so,

 

Kelly 05:02

I think I talked about the whole, you know, push to get teachers vaccinated which is happening, and that's really good. But what was being said about what was happening and what was really happening were two different things. And so it makes it seem like, you know, well, all of you teachers are all vaccinated. So why aren't you wanting to come back? Well, we're not all vaccinated. I have my appointment, though.

 

Marsha 05:26

That's good.

 

Kelly 05:27

Yeah. Quick shift of the subject to be more positive. Okay. Just to be clear, I was finding myself going to an ranty place and I don't want to do that. So

 

Marsha 05:45

well, just before you shift, let me just say here, like, I think that where I live in Seattle, everybody's wearing a mask. And so like, it seems to everybody's very compliant. I'm not going to restaurants. Stores that I've gone to, I always go in and say like, you check, how do you want me to do this? Everybody seems very on board with this in my world. In fact, so much so like, when I take Enzo for a walk, I always bring a mask with me. Because even though I don't come in contact with anybody, everybody's masked up even walking through the neighborhood. Yeah. Which I don't even know how necessary that is. But I think it's sort of it's becoming kind of a sign of solidarity, you know, but anyway, yeah. Yeah. But yes, on to more positive things. You're getting your vaccine. Yay.

 

Kelly 06:27

Yeah, yeah. So my first dose is the 13th. And honestly, it felt like I was trying to get concert tickets. We had multiple alerts coming out on the faculty email at work, saying, Oh, I just checked the site, and they've got vaccine appointments, and then I go and no appointments. And when I got up in the morning, I get on the computer, I always check and I go through the whole thing. And the dumb thing is that you had to go through the whole process of putting in all this information. Not all of your information, but you had to click a whole bunch of places, just to be told that there were no appointments available. Like, okay, I'd rather on the very front page, right when I, you know, right, when I click on to the front page, you tell me there's no appointments available. But anyway, I do that every morning, and nothing would be available. And then the other morning, the other morning, I got on and I checked, and there was nothing. And all the dates were old. And I mentioned to Robert Oh, they haven't even updated this website yet. You know, they've still got all the old, all the old dates, they don't have the newest dates. And so then I went on to do my you know, play on the computer, read Ravelry, read my email, that kind of stuff. And I'm reading my email and one of my colleagues had emailed that there were now-- there was-- our county office of education was hosting a vaccine site. And so I went to that. So get this. She, she so it came on, it came on the screen, sometime in like a 10 minute timeframe of when I had looked and when I got the email that it was there. So I went there. It was I mean, at most 10 minutes after it had been live on this website. They had multiple appointments, like six to eight appointments every four minutes, from 10 until 4pm.

 

Marsha 08:32

Mm hmm.

 

Kelly 08:32

So that's a lot of appointments.

 

Marsha 08:34

Yeah.

 

Kelly 08:36

And I made mine. So I got it. I was like, Okay, I'm going to pick a time that has, you know, five appointments available as opposed to two because I don't want to be cart-jacked. You know, I don't want to get to the end and find out my appointment was already taken. So I do that. And then I texted some other people to let them know. And then I went back to look and they were all taken.

 

Marsha 09:01

And you were cart-jacke? I mean they took that one.

 

Kelly 09:05

Oh, no,no, no, I got mine. Okay. But I I texted and then I went back to check on it to see to see like, how many more appointments there still were, and nothing! Okay, so like within 15 minutes. All those appointments, you know, eight, five to eight appointments every four minutes, from 10am to 4pm. All of those appointments were taken within probably 15 minutes. Wow. It felt like I was... or like I was trying to get yarn from a super super popular dyer! Wake up in the middle of the night when the update happens and like in the early days, the Wollmeise I think was one of them. Yeah. You know, people used to get up in the middle of the night to try to get Wollmeise yarn. And anyway, I felt like that as I was trying to get my point. I've never been this excited for a shot in all my life, not even a shot of bourbon!

 

Marsha 10:07

So then, so you'll have, I'm assuming this is the two part vaccine.

 

Kelly 10:14

Yeah, yeah.

 

Marsha 10:15

So then how do you know when you get your second one?

 

Kelly 10:18

I don't know. Yeah.

 

Marsha 10:20

Okay, how that's gonna work?

 

Kelly 10:22

I'm not sure how that's gonna work. Yeah, I'm assuming that the same site will have the second round. And then all of us who got appointments for that first site will go to the second site, go to the second round at that same site, but I don't know for sure. I don't think we know for sure.

 

Marsha 10:41

I was gonna say the thing about the websites, too. So let me just say, you know, in the state of Washington, I don't know what this is, all states have this. But we have Find Your Phase where you can go and find out. And you know, I'm not...I'm not eligible yet. But I went back. They say, well, they will, they will email me when I'm eligible. And I've not received any notification. So I thought, well, I'll go back and to see where I am. Maybe there's more. Because it said, when I when I registered for it, they said they don't know when my category would be eligible. No information, check back. So I thought I'll go check back. You have to register again, there's no way to go in and just log back in and find your own status, even though I've registered. And so this is a long way of saying I think they've... they've thrown these websites together as quickly as they can. And they didn't have I think... Normally with websites don't they go through for companies, they go through testing, right? Everybody uses them to check them all out. I don't think they've had any time to do that. And so there's problems in the system. Yeah Because I have no idea. You can't... Right now, I'm sure if anybody lives in the state of Washington, any of our listeners, they can tell me what's really going on but I couldn't find my status in there. I just had to reregistered again. So and then just add to all of this hearsay, rumor, confusion. Um, my brother registered in Find Your Phase and never got notified. But he's he has medical insurance with Kaiser Permanente. And so he went to the website, and he just started poking around and, and he was able to make an appointment through their website to get the vaccine. And he's never been notified that he was eligible by the state of Washington. Yeah. So I don't know. And he said, also their website, too, again, I think that they are doing the best they can sort of getting something in place, right? But he said that there isn't, like, on the website, if you want a vaccine, click here and make your appointment. He said, You have to dig down through the site, you actually have to say that you want to make an appointment to get like a flu shot or any kind of shot. And then you have to go through the and then it gets you to the part where say what I want is the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Kelly 12:33

Yeah, like they should have just a big button right on the front, a big button that you push to...Yeah, right. So I bet you're right. I mean, I'm complaining.

 

Marsha 13:08

No, I mean, I mean,

 

Kelly 13:10

it's something that had to be put together quickly.

 

Marsha 13:13

Well, and I should say cuz I'm not... I have no idea. Now. The President came out two or three days ago saying that pretty much everybody who wants a vaccine will have it by May. So I think I will get it soon. I mean, I just it's just a matter of being patient. But I will say again, rumor hearsay, guessing, all this. It is interesting like people posting on Facebook or Instagram that are getting the vaccine. There's somebody who posts on Facebook, I know who posted that she was getting the vaccine. And as far as I know, she doesn't meet any of the criteria-- multi generational household, age, underlying health, as far as I know. And so like, how did she get it? I don't know. It's like, you know, let it go. Just let that go.

 

Kelly 14:08

It's possible there's something you don't knowabout?

 

Marsha 14:10

It's possible there's something I don't know. Because like, it could be an underlying health condition that I don't know about. So. So it's not about-- you can't sit there going like, well, how come they got it? You know, but yeah, that's-- Yeah, we're human. And that's where our mind goes, right? But it really, you know, vaccinate as many people as possible it doesn't really matter even.. you know?

 

Kelly 14:33

I'd be and in my thinking,...Gosh, we've been on this topic for a long time. Sorry, everyone.

 

Marsha 14:39

Yes, I know.

 

Kelly 14:40

But my thinking you know, at first was well, I'm not in contact with anyone. I'm not teaching face to face yet. I don't really need to get the vaccine. You know, I wasn't too worried about jumping.... I wasn't sitting on the computer like it was a rock concert that I wanted tickets to or you know, Hamilton or something big. Cuz I thought well I'm home, you know, I'm not teaching face to face, I'm not going to be teaching face to face in the fall. I don't have to rush. But what you want is everyone, everyone who can, to get it.

 

Marsha 15:13

Yeah,

 

Kelly 15:14

Everyone who can get who can't who can, by whatever means really should get it because that's how you get immunity in, you know, community wide, right. So in the mathematics, there's an interesting-- there was an interesting article about mathematical modeling. And the mathematical model was, what if we do it in phases versus what if we do it as whoever wants it, come and get it? And it actually was more effective in the mathematical modeling, to make it available, you know, to make whatever was available available to whoever wanted it.

 

Marsha 15:52

I know, that's what I was kind of wondering if that would actually make more sense.

 

Kelly 15:55

It was, mathematically, it was more effective. Yeah. But politically, you know, like, I'm getting the vaccine, even though I'm not going to be back in the classroom. Robert goes to work every day. He doesn't work directly with the public, but he goes to work every day, and he's not eligible yet. Yeah. But politically, I mean, they're not distinguishing between educators who are going back to the classroom and educators who are not, it's just easier not to do that. And they, you know, and the the political reality is they needed to make sure that educators got vaccinated because there's such a pressure for our schools to reopen the K 12 schools to reopen. So anyway, yeah, this is a long topic. We're probably, we're probably, we're probably treading on the boundaries of what our listeners are wiling to listen to

 

Marsha 16:46

people are gonna be listening to this walking the dog driving the car going. "Oh, for goodness sakes, stop talking!"

 

Kelly 16:53

Where's the knitting?

 

Marsha 16:54

Where's the knitting? Well, yes, while we wait... So anyway, patience is a virtue. I will get mine soon. I I'm looking forward to it. My vaccination. I'm excited. So anyway, and grateful that we have one. Yeah, pretty speedy the process.

 

Kelly 17:12

Yes,so...and apparently CVS, this part of the email I got this morning. The CVS website is already doing appointments for the Johnson and Johnson one shotvaccine. So all right. That was cool to see. Yeah. That's a lot of very fast science.

 

Marsha 17:30

Yes. Yeah. Okay. Ah, so we talk knitting?

 

Kelly 17:37

Yeah. That's what they're here for. Right?

 

Marsha 17:43

Yeah.Let's give...

 

Kelly 17:43

Sorry, you guys!

 

Marsha 17:44

Let's give them what they want!

 

Kelly 17:46

Yes.

 

Marsha 17:48

Okay, so how about you? Do you want to talk about your projects?

 

Kelly 17:51

Sure, yeah. Okay. So I finished Robert's socks. They turned out really nicely. I'm actually Oh, I'm calling them finished. And I'm actually weaving in ends right now. But, but they're finished. And I've marked them as finished in the project page. He hasn't worn them yet, because I haven't woven in ends. But he tried them on. I did end up making the toe of the first sock bigger than I had done before. The look so funny! I, I have a picture of them. And because of the toe is made from my hand spun it's thicker. It's a little-- it's not quite fingering weight. It's a little bit heavier than that. Plus, it's a, it's a denser yarn. They have the most bulbous toes, but they're not pointy. So he loves them. And I'm like, they look so big. And he said, No, no, they look perfect. So

 

Marsha 18:51

yeah. Are they comfortable? The

 

Kelly 18:52

Yeah, he likes them.

 

Marsha 18:53

The big poofy toes. Yes, he has room for his for his toes. So they're not

 

19:00

pointy, and they and they are big enough, but they do kind of bulge out while the sock is ribbed. So that's part of it, too. So the ribbing sucks in the foot of the sock. And then I added stitches when I made the toe because it was too dense and stiff and tight. So anyway, yeah, it's they're interesting looking.

 

Marsha 19:25

Well, you'll have to share a picture of them.

 

Kelly 19:27

So I will Yeah, the leading men fiber arts yarn is really nice. I'm gonna get myself some more of this. Maybe not this color. I don't know. I like this color! But it's just a really nice sock yarn. This is-- I think this one might be bfl sock, I can't remember now. But it just it feels nice. It was nice to knit with and the put up is very large. You get a lot of yarn in a skein of this.

 

Marsha 19:59

[Laughing] Okay. Sorry, I'm interrupting. I'm just looking at the

 

Kelly 20:04

you see what I'm talking about?

 

Marsha 20:05

Yes. Yeah.

 

Kelly 20:10

The toes are quite bulbous.

 

Marsha 20:11

Yeah, but they look comfortable.

 

Kelly 20:14

Yes. And they aren't--I mean, they aren't baggy when he wears them. They actually do fit it. Yeah, it's really more of a function of the, the ribbing on the foot, making the ribbing skinny

 

Marsha 20:25

It's when they're lying in repose. [Laughing]

 

Kelly 20:31

But they don't have pointy toes when you fold them top to bottom. [laughing]

 

Marsha 20:36

Yeah,

 

Kelly 20:37

Speaking of starting socks, I did start the Iced Matcha socks by Dots Dabbles. And the yarn I'm using is a handspun. It's a gray. It was... the sheep was Charlotte and I bought her fleece a couple of times. It's the same fleece that I used for the funky grandpa sweater.

 

Marsha 20:56

Okay.

 

Kelly 20:57

And I finally had used both. I bought two of her fleeces two different years back in the early 2000s, late 90s. And I finally spun up the end of it a couple of years ago with some mohair. So these are mohair wool. It's only a two ply. So I don't know how hard wearing they will be. But the mohair should help. It's probably a little bit thicker than a fingering weight. But not not, not so much bigger that I won't be able to use like a size one needle. And I usually use size zero, I'll probably use a size one. And anyway, I decided to make the iced matcha sock pattern. It's like ribbing, you know, has kind of a ribbing effect, which I like. And then it has a little bit of detail, but not so much detail that I won't be able to knit on them during school meetings and that kind of stuff. So and then I'm going to start another pair of of socks. I don't know which ones. I think maybe one of the cabled pairs from either from this collection, or maybe one of the Louise Tilbrook. I have quite a few of her patterns. And I have one pair of socks that I really like that was one of her patterns. So I might make one of hers. They're very involved. So, so the the Iced Matcha of socks will be sort of a medium-involved. Not not super involved, which will be good. So I'm enjoying, I just barely started those. So that's there's not much going on there. Except basically a cast on. I did also finish another Ice Time hat. The first one that I made I don't remember if when I talked about it last. But the first Ice Time hat that I made her pattern. This is from the pattern is by Jennifer Lassonde, Down Cellar studio, BostonJen. And she gave me as a gift, a copy of this pattern. And so I thought, oh, I'll try it. And I mean, I used two variegated yarns. And I looked on the pattern because it came out a little small, my gauge, you know, I usually knit pretty tightly. And so I thought, Oh, this is a little small. But then I looked on the pattern, and she has as the head circumference 18 inches, I think, which is smaller than what I normally do for a hat. Plus the cross stitches, I think have a tendency to make it tighter. Yeah. And plus, it's like a beanie.

 

Marsha 23:41

Yeah.

 

Kelly 23:42

And so, so I thought, Okay, well, this is good, because it's the size for a kid and that was my plan. But I want to make a bigger version. So first, I was gonna, I was gonna just add, you know, like, one pattern repeat or two pattern repeats. And, and then I thought, well, it's when -- when you do the decreases, you divide it into fou. Into four groups to do your decreases. And so like the decreases make an X on the top of the hat. And I thought, okay, that's going to make those four groups different sizes.

 

Marsha 24:18

Yeah.

 

Kelly 24:19

And I just thought, you know what, I'm just going to add four repeats, because 18 inches is small to me for hat circumference.

 

Marsha 24:26

Mm hmm.

 

Kelly 24:27

So that's what I did made it a lot easier to do the decreases and then made the slouchy version, which is more like the kind of hat--again, this is nota hat that I'm going to keep-- but more like the kind of hat that I wear. Doesn't smash your hair as much, you know, hat head. So anyway, I really like it. It came out really great. And so now I have a pair like a mother and daughter a pair of hats.

 

Marsha 24:57

Sweet

 

Kelly 24:58

Yeah, in purple. purple and yellow.

 

Marsha 25:02

So I don't they're not in your project page yet, though, right?

 

Kelly 25:06

Oh, you know, the first one I finished a long time ago. And I just put the second one in the same. So it's farther down on the project page. Oh, I'm, I'm suddenly distracted, because there's someone on the roof right outside.

 

Marsha 25:19

Oh, really?

 

Kelly 25:22

We had the roof put on. And then they had to replace some flashing and replaced--we have these like scupper boxes that the water goes down. They replaced those. And so apparently they're here to do something else with with the flashing. So I suddenly looked up, and there's a stranger on my roof. Right outside the window. Because the

 

Marsha 25:49

and he's wondering why you're talking to yourself?

 

Kelly 25:51

Yes. [laughing] Because the kitchen window or the kitchen roof is right outside the vanity area where I record so anyway. Life at the Locke household!

 

Marsha 26:03

Yes.

 

Kelly 26:05

So both of the designers, dots dabbles of the Iced Matcha socks and Jennifer Lassonde from this Ice Time hat have donated prizes for our extremities KAL that we'll talk about. So it's fun to be using. It's fun to be using their patterns. Although a hat does not count for the extremities KAL.

 

Marsha 26:25

Yes.

 

Kelly 26:27

I looked it up. It's not an extremity. several I looked actually I looked at several dictionaries. When you you know, I looked at I put in extremities and then I looked under several online dictionaries. And none of them included heads. So

 

Marsha 26:46

it's a headless knit along.

 

Kelly 26:50

Exactly! I started something really fun.

 

Marsha 26:54

Oh, yes.

 

Kelly 26:55

Yes. Frog and Toad. Oh my gosh. So cute. And you know, I was talking about socks. The socks being only medium-level involved. Then I started with toad. that's involved! Okay, that kind of knitting is involved, right? I mean, it's kind of sorta like your rabbit.

 

Marsha 27:20

Yeah, lots of increases, decreases. And it's just like a blob until you... it starts. And then they begin to take shape. But originally, initially, you don't really know what you're making,

 

Kelly 27:31

Right!

 

Marsha 27:31

you know, it's the legs but what?

 

Kelly 27:34

It's pretty much one piece, you do have to go and add the arms at the end. It's pretty much one piece. So that was good. You don't have a lot of sewing to do for the extremities. But you do have to do sewing for the eyes. Okay, and you do, you do like afterthought heels where you cut your knitting to make the holes for the eyeballs.

 

Marsha 27:58

Oh, Dear!

 

Kelly 28:00

Yeah, so it reminds me of... I looked at the pattern and it reminds me of when I did the afterthought buttonholes. Because it's a real small thing that you open up, you know, you cut open a piece of your knitting. And

 

Marsha 28:14

so this type of knitting I have to say I'm, I always think the same thing. The mind that can think this way. , To create these very--just adorable and just so creative. I mean, to think like, they can figure out you have to put your decreases here, your increase there and your short rows here and like how they can do all that? How many frogs did the designer make to get the final pattern? You know?

 

Kelly 28:45

Right.A lot of experimentation.

 

Marsha 28:47

Yeah.

 

Kelly 28:48

In the creation process. In fact, her website is frogandcast.com. So as of today, March, what is it March 5 2021. The front page of her website is this little bear and the whole article is about about how she, how her design process for this bear worked. So I highly recommend it as a very interesting read. And it's also a cute pattern. But I'm not going to make this bear I'm going to stick to my Frog and Toad. So I've made toad. And I'm going to.. I want to start on frog soon. I'm gonna wash him, the toad, because I'm using the Ruama. Now I can't remember how that is pronaunced. Finnulgarn

 

Marsha 29:42

Oh, right, right, right

 

Kelly 29:43

that we bought. So this is yarn that Marsha and I bought at stitches one year because we, I was taking the Argyle sock class and so at lunch during my class, during a break, and Marsha and I went down to the floor of the marketplace. And we just started putting color combinations together. And it's Ruama Finnulgarn is what I'm using. The frog is going to be our Toad is in a brown color. And then I have another one of these Ruama Finnulgarn that is alpaca and I have a green, like a limey, goldie... Lime is not the right word, kind of a goldy, green color, kind of an avocado. You know, like 1960s, avocado, refrigerator look or something. Anyway, it's kind of a goldy green that I'm going to use for Frog. And I have the books. And I've been getting the books out and comparing the pictures on the book to the My yarns and stuff to to try to get the right combination. So but this yarn is the the one I use for Toad that doesn't have the alpaca in it is a little bit. It's toothy. You know, it's a woolly wool. And so I know those soften up when you wash them, so I'm going to block him before I stuffed him. And also the yarn will kind of bloom and help keep the anything is stuffed, you know, help keep the stuffing from showing. So yeah, but I'm using size zero or size one needles. I think I'm using size zero and the let me just double check. Yes, it calls for size one. And I'm at I'm using a size zero needle because my yarn is a little thinner. The pattern calls for a DK yarn. And I'm using a thinner yarn its more like a sport.

 

Marsha 31:43

I'm sorry, it calls for DK and size zero needles?

 

Kelly 31:47

It calls for size one needles.

 

Marsha 31:50

Oh one, ok.

 

Kelly 31:50

and it has a I mean,

 

Marsha 31:52

that's still that's really small. Because it's you want to have a really dense, right?

 

Kelly 31:56

Right, , so the stuffing doesn't show. Yeah, so anyway, I went down to size zero. And actually it was worked out well, because the size zero needles that I have are short. And the size one needles were longer. And it's so tiny, that it's really nice having the I don't know, they're just like maybe four inch needles, double points. They're they're small. They're small double points. And, and I don't use them. I can use them on socks. Like I bought them for socks. And I use them for socks for me. They're not my favorite sock needles, because I like using the wooden ones. But I can use them for socks for me. But for socks for Robert. With 72 stitches. They're just too, they're too short. Yeah, but they're perfect for this. I think magic loop would work. You know, you just have to keep track of where where she says to place the markers. Yeah. So that you can make all the all the little adjustments. Yeah, but super fun. His little fingers! You do little you do on his on his on his hands. You do little PicoT bind off. So you get little fingers. It's so my gosh, so cute.

 

Marsha 33:20

Again, Igo back to what I said. It takes a certain kind of mind. Yes, like amazing mind. This kind of stuff

 

Kelly 33:27

His little knees. He has nice has a little frog legs have little knees. So very fun. Very fun. I can't wait to start Frog this weekend. I'm hoping I'm hoping maybe I can have I can have them done by Easter would be kind of a fun thing to do for to give to Faye for Easter. So yeah, that's kind of my that's kind of my plan. We'll see if I am able to do it. But but that's what I'm hoping. fiddley definitely worth it. So that's my, that's the extent of my projects Marsha.

 

Marsha 34:08

Well, and I just have to ask the the, the Afghan the Oh,

 

Kelly 34:14

I have been working on it. The last the last time we recorded I hadn't done any significant work on it at all. But I have been working on it. Now I've made probably maybe five of the squares. Not the big octagons. But the smaller, the smaller ones that can connect and kind of... I made about five of those. And then I made another I have I have done one of the octagons but then.. I was... One night I was just focusing on something simpler. And so it's basically just a granny square. And then it has an edge that has a little bit of detail something a little more complicated. So I was just doing the basic granny square part and I did about I did about five of them and then I started...Another day, I picked them back up and started doing the outer edge of each of the squares. So yeah, I made made some progress on that. So maybe sometime in the late spring, I'll be done. I'll be done with that one. But I'm not going to make any promises.

 

Marsha 35:15

Yeah. Yeah. Never make promises.

 

Kelly 35:20

So what about you?

 

Marsha 35:21

So my Walk Along Tee, I've knit about six inches of the body. And I love the technique that we have discussed the Helical, right, we discussed? It's, it's great. There's some times when I get to the... there's fake side seam on the sweater and where you do you hold the yarn in front, and then slip the stitch through the back loop. And sometimes if you have any details, something like that, that's just not straight stockinette then you have to do a little fiddling around. Yeah. So like, as I said, in previous episodes, you know, this would not work for cables, or Yeah, this technique, it just has to be stockinette. But so I'm, that's just sort of my knitting when I watch Netflix. I just go around and around and around and around on them. I think you do about... you start doing increases on the way down. And I think I talked about this before, I'm not sure if I'm gonna put all of them in it. It ends up being a total of 20 stitches, which is fair amount, so I may not put all those in. I'm also beginning to worry about if I'm going to have enough yarn.

 

Kelly 36:37

Oh. Another one of those

 

Marsha 36:41

I know. It could be just illusion.

 

Kelly 36:44

Yeah, yeah.

 

Marsha 36:46

Because I have now... I had three skeins which I divided into half, right. So I had six cakes. I've used up two cakes. And I am probably halfway through the second set of two cakes. And I'm six inches of the body. And then I also have to do sleeves. So I-- but I'm going down to-- we're going down to Seabrook. I think we leave the 13th. So and that's where I bought the yarn at the string theory yarns in Seabrook, Washington. So I'm, when I'm down there, I'm going to have a better idea and I can maybe pick up another skein. I'm hoping I don't have to, but we'll see. Anyway, so I'm making progress on that. And I've been spinning on and off on the olive green Merino roving that I have that I'm combining with the dark brown, that's called bitter chocolate. And I've I had made two skeins and now I'm just filling up the bobbins again, so I filled the two green and now I'm filling up the brown bobbin. So I had-- it was-- we had a couple of nice days this week. And so I think it was Wednesday. It was nice. And I just sat on the deck. My new deck.

 

Kelly 38:13

Yeah.

 

Marsha 38:15

And spun. By the way, thinking that I was sitting out there spinning, Did you see my Instagram post of Enzo, staring at the dog.

 

Kelly 38:26

Yes. Yes.

 

Marsha 38:27

Isn't that the funniest thing that was so cute. Anyway, if you don't know what I'm talking about, go to my Instagram. And you'll see the picture of Enzo looking at the neighbor's dog. But the neighbor's dog is in the window peering out and they stare at each other for a good 15 minutes. It was pretty funny.

 

Kelly 38:45

I feel bad for Bailey because I think she's, I mean, she spent a good a good part of her life before she came to live with us living at a dog boarding kennel right? Doggy daycare and boarding kennels. So, so she was around other dogs all the time. And now it's you know, it's just her. And we have neighbors and they have... one of our neighbors has dogs that they fence fight, which I don't like so I keep her away from that. But the other neighbor has a lab that sometimes I can't find her in the backyard and I go looking for her and she's down at the fence and they are just like nose to nose at the fence talking to each other. Like, you know, not barking. Just like somehow communing. They're like keeping company with each other next to the fence. I feel like ohhh.

 

Marsha 39:36

I was gonna ask that, put this question out to people and to our listeners later on in the podcast, but since we're on this topic, I'm just going to mention it. Because Enzo has been acting really weird recently. I've been doing long walks, I take him out and he just drags towards the end of his walk. I have to pull him along to get him home. And he's very lethargic. So I thought and I was like.. I wonder if I had to take him to the vet, you know, he's not it. Maybe there's something wrong with him. I finally thought, I think he's bored.

 

Kelly 40:08

Mm hmm.

 

Marsha 40:09

His life is basically sleeping around the house while I do things. One long walk during the day, and then back to sleeping around that house.

 

Kelly 40:16

Yeah, he doesn't want the walk to end.

 

Marsha 40:19

Yeah, that's what I'm kind of wondering. And so I, I'm varying the route. I also am playing with him every day because I realized I wasn't playing with him. And Ben doesn't live with me now who would have time playing with him. So I, every day I take, I either chase him around the house, chase him around in the backyard, which he loves. Or I, the other thing I do, which he loves is that down in the basement, I take the ball and he stands at the top of the stairs, I throw the ball up to him, and then he kicks it, he knocks he pushes it down the stairs. And then I throw it back until we do that for about 40 minutes, 45 minutes, depending on how long we want to do it. And then I also decided to get him back into agility. But I'm having a difficult time getting him into class because I think so many people have dogs now. I went like all of the... We've done all the obedience classes, but they're all full till April or May. And so I signed him up for agility, but I can't get in until I think the end of April. Yeah. So I'm going to put it out to listeners if you have any ideas what to do to keep him... because he does seem depressed, kind of or bored.

 

Kelly 41:30

I'm going to give a suggestion. I am interested to hear what people have to say, but I'm going to give a suggestion. tricks. Teach him tricks.

 

Marsha 41:40

Oh, yeah.

 

Kelly 41:41

Well, you took a class, right? You did a trick class.

 

Marsha 41:44

Yeah. But I can't get into it now. So. Oh, but I can just do it on my own.I don't need to go.

 

Kelly 41:51

Yeah. So I mean, yeah, you know how to, I mean, you have some ideas for how to teach some of this stuff. But it's kind of fun. Is it a little more entertaining? I'd do that, at least for me, it'd be a little more entertaining than throwing the ball up the stairs for 40 minutes. Yes, for the human part of the partnership, it's more interesting

 

Marsha 42:13

well and use his mind more you know, I because that also, you know, he just needs to use his mind. But like, my brother came by yesterday said what's wrong with the dog? And so like he saw I was like, okay, you're here. He's usually excited. He's super excited to see Mark. But he was excited and then like, laying on the sofa. And then Mark came back in the house and he didn't even get up off the sofa. I have a towel down on the basement sofa and doesn't even get up to the greet him. He's like, That's weird. I mean, cuz he usually... Like they say poodles are smart. I sometimes wonder because he's super excited to see you. You go out to the garage, you come back into the house, and he's like, Oh, you've been gone. He's so happy to see you. Like literally two minutes, but, okay. Yeah, so anyway, people, listeners, if you have suggestions for how to get my dog, I don't think he's really depressed. But I think he feels like he's depressed and bored. And like the rest of us in the pandemic, you know. But anyway, yeah, so I'll go back to projects. so I've been spinning and I'm enjoying that I just find the spinning so meditative. And just that one day where I was able to sit out there on the deck was so nice in the sun. It just sort of gives me hope that spring is on its way. And then I, as we're talking I am swatching to make the Abington Mitts by Jennifer Lassonde and as we talked in... that's our segue into our, the knit along. But I just tell you, the yarn I'm using is Dale Garn Helio.

 

Kelly 43:53

Is that like a Dale of Norway yarn?

 

Marsha 43:54

Oh, I'm sorry. It's it's a Heilo. It's H E I L O, and it's a, I believe it's DK weight, which is what is required for the mitts.

 

Kelly 44:04

Something from your stash. Okay. Your Spirit yarn.

 

Marsha 44:07

No, no, it's not from my stash. It's from Kim's stash. I went and had dinner with her one night and she had a bag of yarn that was going. She had gone through her stash and she had yarn that was going to the Goodwill. And I said do you happen to have anything that's this weight because I don't need a lot for the mitts and I don't really want to go out to a store so... and I didn't have... I have DK weight but I didn't have anything that was not painted. I want a solid or semi solid. I thought it would look better with this pattern. And so she had this yarn, a whole bag of this yarn in two colors. The one I'm going to use is kind of milk chocolate color, brown, like a natural color. And then also she has another color in here a kind of a burgundy. So I think there's another yarn I can make two pairs, one in each.

 

Kelly 44:59

Oh, that's fun!

 

Marsha 45:01

So anyway, I'm swatching for that. And so for our knitalong, so we should talk about the knitalong

 

Kelly 45:08

So we are having an extremities knit along, and it was inspired by two offers of prizes. One is the Coffee Socks Collection that I already talked about, by Dots Dabbles Designs, Deborah. And the other gift that we got-- offer of a prize--was the Abington Mitts that Marsha is making. And so with these prizes when they came at the same time, and one was for feet, and one was for hands, and so we just decided, oh, let's have an extremities knit along/crochet along so you can knit or crochet anything for your hands, arms, legs, feet.

 

Marsha 45:45

We've had lots of discussion about this, but it's not your head. Because Kelly did lots of research and your head apparently is not

 

Kelly 45:55

according to the authorities on the internet [laughing]

 

Marsha 45:58

Yes. According to the internet, your head is not an extremity!

 

Kelly 46:02

That's no no hats in this time. Yeah, but legs, feet, arms, hands, you know, there's lots of lots of possibilities there. Mitts, socks are the most...

 

Marsha 46:15

And even though we're saying it's called a knit/crochet along you can weave, you can macrame.

 

Kelly 46:24

Okay, I don't know macrame sock? That

 

Marsha 46:28

Yeah. Interested in any you know, like any? We were also talking in the last episode, what is it called the

 

Kelly 46:35

Nalbinding. Now, that's how you say it? That's a that's a close facsimile of how it's pronounced at least. Oh,

 

Marsha 46:45

you know what I think would be really cool. Do you know those lace the little lace gloves that Ruth Bader Ginsburg would wear?

 

Kelly 46:53

Yeah,

 

Marsha 46:55

That'd be really fun to make.

 

46:56

Oh, you know, as we're sitting here, I'm sitting in the vanity area of our spare bedroom. And at the vanity table normally... not right now because I move everything when I want to record. But at the vanity table, I have a little, one of those little vanity mirrors with perfume bottles. And then I have a pair of crochet gloves. Do you remember Marsha when I bought those at the antique store?

 

Marsha 47:24

Yeah,

 

Kelly 47:25

I have no idea how old they are. But they're teeny tiny still little crochet stitches. And they have the little buttons. They're long gloves though. They go up your arm and they have the little ...they have the little buttons and the buttons are crocheted. And the little button loops are all crocheted. The button holes don't go all the way up the gloves. Like the whole gauntlet part of the glove doesn't open up. There's just a section of buttonholes. Yeah, that would be fun. A knit or crocheted set of fancy, old fashioned.

 

Marsha 48:01

They were kind of like fishnet kinda.

 

Kelly 48:04

Yeah. Like afternoon tea gloves.

 

Marsha 48:06

Mm hmm. I'm as we're speaking, this is bad podcasting, but I'm just looking at online and there's like a, there's a crocheted pair. From J and P coats. It looks like it's very old because it's a black and white photo with an old car. Okay. I don't know if they're Yeah,

 

Kelly 48:25

that's a that's a company that makes like the crochet cotton. Yeah. Oh, that would be fun. Well, and you know, the other thing that I thought of is our we had bought the silk to make silk socks. Last year at Stitches. I haven't started those yet either. But I'm gonna-- I'm gonna stick to the socks that I have for right now. But yeah, the mesh gloves. There's there's a lot.

 

Marsha 48:50

We'll search, Yeah. And apparently you can buy this on on Amazon. It's not that old a book. It was published in 2009. I guess that is old. Well, no. That's right.

 

Kelly 49:03

I'm thinking of like, gloves from the 1950s or something.

 

Marsha 49:08

Yeah, that's what it kind of looks like but it's a it's like those lace gloves like she wore in that really fine cotton. And so and there's other patterns here too. So

 

Kelly 49:15

cool.

 

Marsha 49:16

Yeah, I don't know. Okay, well, we went we went down a rabbit hole on that. Okay.

 

Kelly 49:23

But you know, you can have a, you could have a nice pair of gloves for Easter. So lots of possibilities. Join us. There's a chat thread and there's a finished object thread. Quite a bit of chat going on about the projects that people are doing not very many finished objects yet but there are a few I noticed.

 

Marsha 49:42

So,

 

49:43

and then our Winter Weave Along, not much time left. I have hopes of getting at least something else started if not finished. But we'll see. The only reason I still have hope is because I have spring break. Coming the third week of March, so two weeks, two weeks from now I have spring break. Yay. So maybe I could do something during spring break in terms of the weaving, but otherwise, I'm almost, I'm almost sure that I don't I, I'm almost sure I won't get something finished. But I might get something else on the loom. Because it ends March 31. So another year of weaving coming to an end for us. But if you're in the Jane Stafford Guild, her year of weaving is just starting. So that's kind of fun.

 

Marsha 50:37

Okay, one ends and one begins so you get you get to truly a full year. Well, I guess it's been a full year.

 

Kelly 50:44

I haven't ever kept up with hers. And like woven the thing, the projects in the guild, at the time that everybody else, you know, at the time that the the videos come out? I wanted to do that this year, but I'm not sure. I don't know. This might not be the year teaching online. It's getting better. I have to I have to admit it is getting better. But well, you know. It's it's not my favorite thing.

 

Marsha 51:11

Well, we should not end the podcast on the same vein as it started. Listening to Kelly rant about stuff she doesn't like! Yes. So anyway, the winter weave along is, is ending March 31. So get your projects in, put them in the finished objects thread. Then we'll be doing a drawing and one of the things that we have as a prize is a class that was donated by Erika from Weavolution. So. And then the other thing that I just wanted to say, before we end is I wanted to thank our new patrons! We have three new patrons. Jane, Heddi, and Jan since the last time I mentioned new patrons. So if you'd like to be a patron, how you do that is you go to patreon.com/twoewes. And you'll see our... I guess it's a channel or a page. I don't know, our account. And then and you can you can become a patron and support the show. So really, thank you so much Jane and Heddi, and Jan for for contributing to the show. It allows us to provide, you know, the podcast hosting and prize mailing and all those kinds of things and something new, Marsha! Something really exciting that we're able to do because of the patrons. Transcripts. Oooh! Oh, yes.

 

Kelly 52:41

So we now have a transcript of our podcast. Having used the transcription service for my classes, I learned a little bit more about the company that's powering the transcriptions for our for work on our classes. It's otter.ai. And so I went to their website, and they have regular accounts for regular people. And not you know, not just education and and such. And so I found out a little bit more about it. And so we just when the when the podcast is done, you submit it, it creates a transcript. You have to edit it because it's not entirely... It's not entirely accurate. It doesn't always understand when Marsha and I talk over each other. So there is a little editing to do for that. But But now we have a transcript that is attached. It's in the show notes at the end. So we have our regular show notes posted on the blog. And then at the end of that show notes post is the transcript. Okay, I have to say it is almost as an nerving to read as my math. My teaching transcript. I don't know if you read if you had a chance to read?

 

Marsha 54:06

I didn't read it. And now actually as you were talking about all this I was sort of thinking to myself, I don't know that I want to read it because...Oh, here it is. Okay. Here. I'm sorry. I think this is what we say every every episode. Kelly: hi Marsha. Marsha: Hi, Kelly. Kelly: How's it going? Marsha: Pretty good. Kelly: Good.

 

Kelly 54:28

Yes. It doesn't... I have to say, yeah, it made me laugh to read how it sounds, but it makes it available to people that wouldn't be available to otherwise.

 

Marsha 54:41

So Kelly, we need to edit this. Because you say you know "good," and then I say "had pretty exciting weather here in Seattle. A little unusual for us that we had a huge snores" Oh! This is what I said "Excuse me, snore a huge snowstorm came through. [laughing} I did actually say that! Okay, [laughing]

 

Kelly 55:06

yeah.

 

Marsha 55:07

Okay, This is terrible. This is embarrassing. I'm gonna have to do a much better.

 

Kelly 55:14

So now remember when we talked about how I was like, Oh my god, how could I have been teaching this long and not make any sense?

 

Marsha 55:23

Yes. Well, what I'm just laughing about is is that it was not the episode where I'm trying to explain helical knitting. Yeah, and I'm waving my hands around in the air trying. Yeah, but so

 

Kelly 55:39

it's been an interesting process, we'll probably get better. The transcripts will probably get better as we go along. But, you know, I become more aware, it would never have occurred to me a year ago, two years ago, it would never have occurred to me that you would need a transcript for a podcast. My thinking would have been well, why would someone who can't hear even think to listen to a podcast? Right? And, and my, my eyes have been opened, you know, having to make my class accessible to my students. And then other things, you know, the conversations about racism and structural, structural racism. And all of those conversations have just kind of opened my eyes and made me think about things that, that I didn't think about before, I would not have thought about a reason for making a podcast, an audio experience, available to someone who couldn't hear.

 

Marsha 56:40

So I'm not.[laughing] I'm sorry, I am not laughing about what you're saying. Just so you know, I'm sort of chuckling because I'm listening to what you're saying. But I'm also kind of scanning the transcript. So I'm sorry, I am not laughing at all at what you're saying.

 

Kelly 56:52

What are you laughing about now?

 

Marsha 56:54

Okay, so um, so it was very pleasant to sit out there on a snowy day because you have heat but anyway, period. Then that night, it just started coming down and it snowed all day period. I mean, all Friday night, Friday morning, or excuse me, Saturday morning, all Saturday into Sunday. Just It never stops. And we have I mean, eight someplace about eight inches probably at my house. Snow, that's a lot of snow for us. We don't usually get that much. But of course then Sunday, late Sunday afternoon or evening. It just turned around. [laughing]

 

Kelly 57:36

Marsha, this is what we talk about.

 

Marsha 57:38

Oh my gosh. [laughing] And then it just became soup out there. You know? Kelly? We have to do a better job. This is terrible! So eye opening what sounds okay in normal conversation is not okay. The transcript it's unreadable. Pretty much. Oh, my gosh, it's too funny. [laughing] Well, anyway, I have work to do. On clarity,

 

Kelly 58:15

We both, we both do, I think, having having read through it last last time to do the editing. Yeah, we both do. So anyway, now we have transcripts. And I'm very happy that we're able to do that. And it's thanks to the contributions of our patrons. So thank you very much for contributing to the podcast.

 

Marsha 58:41

I'm still laughing I'm sorry. I will stop laughing.

 

Kelly 58:48

Okay, Marsha. [laughing] Are we done?

 

Marsha 58:54

This reminds me of those times over the course of our friendship where we'd have those laughing attacks.

 

Kelly 58:59

Yes.

 

Marsha 59:00

And have accidents. So I better get off the podcast. We better get off the phone before I have an accident.

 

Kelly 59:07

All right. Bye! [laughing]

 

Marsha 59:13

Okay, bye bye. [laughing]

 

Kelly 59:16

To subscribe to the podcast visit Two Ewes Fiber Adventures dot com.

 

Marsha 59:21

Join us on our adventures on Ravelry and Instagram. I am betterinmotion and Kelly is 1hundredprojects

 

59:29

until next time, we are the Two Ewes doing our part for a world fleece!

 

We talk about captions, speaking clearly, vaccinations and our pitifully small batch of knitting projects. Full show notes with transcript, photos, and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android or Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Marsha's Projects

I'm still working on the pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought in San Luis Obispo.

I'm making progress on the Walk Along tee by AnkeStrick and I'm using Little Fish Stitches fingering. I've put the sleeves on waste yarn and knit about an inch on the body. I lost the tags on the half cakes of yarn that I had set up so I could alternate skeins and avoid pooling. I think it will be ok, but I spent so much time documenting my strategy. 

I started a spinning project with olive green merino roving I bought at the Whidbey Island Weavers meet up in April 2019. I'm combining it with another merino I ordered from Paradise Fibers in Spokane, Washington in a dark brown called Bitter Chocolate. Making a 3 ply with two green and one brown single. I've spun two skeins.

Kelly's Projects 

I'm almost finished with a pair of socks for Robert. I'm using leftovers of Leading Men Fiber Arts Show Stopper, Independent Will colorway. I had 90 grams left after using it for argyle socks for my brother-in-law. I'm using gray handspun leftovers from his Civil War Socks for the toes and heels. 

I also started an Ice Time Hat. The yarn is Lady Dye craftivism kit singles (19th Amendment colorway) in cream, purple and yellow, held double with Duren Dyeworks fingering in a brownish purple and gold. The pattern is really fun and it's looking great! Check out my project page. 

Extremities Knit/Crochet Along

This KAL/CAL was inspired by the generous donation of these patterns:

Abington Mitts, Jennifer Lassonde, Down Cellar Studio

Coffee Socks Collection, Dotsdabbles Designs, Deborah

It starts now (February 2021) and will end on April 25, 2021. Knit anything for your extremities (hands, arms, legs, feet). Some examples include socks, leg warmers, mitts,  mittens, gloves, and wristlets. There will be a giveaway thread in the Ravelry Group for you to post your FOs. 

Winter Weave Along

You can join in with your weaving projects anytime until March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution. Check out this great website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning.

Lots of tangents and a new KAL/CAL inspired by some new patterns for your hands and feet generously donated by the designers as prizes. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android or Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Marsha's Projects

I'm still working on the pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought in San Luis Obispo.

I'm back to working on the Walk Along by AnkeStrick and I'm using Little Fish Stitches fingering. I was having problems where I was alternating skeins at the beginning of row which was at the back of the sweater. A huge thank you to MyBlueGirl and Sarahjhill for suggesting Helical knitting. This solves the problem of the messy looking change.

I started a spinning project with olive green merino roving I bought at the Whidbey Island Weavers meet up in April 2019. Combining it with another merino I ordered from Paradise Fibers in Spokane, Washington in a dark brown called Bitter Chocolate. Making a 3 ply with two green and one brown single.

Kelly's Projects 

Finished!  I hemmed the Christmas Candy dishtowels and put them away! 

I also finished With Friends Pullover using the pattern Rachel by Josée Paquin.  It still needs ends woven in and blocking. I'm really happy with how it turned out and I'm looking forward to wearing it. 

The Persian Tile Blanket is coming along, but I didn't work on it as much in the last two weeks. Instead I started a pair of socks for Robert. I'm using leftovers of Leading Men Fiber Arts Show Stopper, Independent Will colorway. I had 90 grams left after using it for argyle socks for my brother-in-law. Not sure I'll have enough but I'm planning to use toes and heels of a different yarn.

Extremities Knit/Crochet Along

This KAL/CAL was inspired by the generous donation of these patterns:

Abington Mitts, Jennifer Lassonde, Down Cellar Studio

Coffee Socks Collection, Dotsdabbles Designs, Deborah

 

It starts now (February 2021) and will end on April 25, 2021. Knit anything for your extremities (hands, arms, legs, feet). Some examples include socks, leg warmers, mitts,  mittens, gloves, and wristlets. There will be a giveaway thread in the Ravelry Group for you to post your FOs. 

Winter Weave Along

You can join in with your weaving projects anytime until March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution. Check out this great website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning.

Preventing pooling, planning with paper, and a dilemma about how to hide where you are alternating skeins. These are the topics of the day! Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android or Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Marsha's Projects

I finished Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein and it fits beautifully. This is a great pattern.

I am continuing to work on a pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought in San Luis Obispo.

Along with my friend Kim I cast on a Tee called Walk Along by AnkeStrick. I'm using Little Fish Stitches fingering that I got at the yarn shop in Seabrook. I have a bit of a dilemma about alternating skeins. The yarn is variegated and I want to prevent pooling. So of course, I'm alternating skeins. The problem is how to hide the place where it is happening, especially while working on the yoke.

Kelly's Projects 

The Persian Tile Blanket for my grand niece is coming along well. I have about a dozen octagons finished and I'm planning to get some of the squares and triangles done before I finish up the octagons. I want the yarn colors to be well distributed.

I'm still working on my With Friends Pullover using the pattern Rachel by Josée Paquin.  However, I am planning to modify the ribbing on the bottom of the split hem by using the larger needle size and also by using garter stitch instead in the reverse stockinette sections of the ribbing. That will keep the ribbing from pulling in at the bottom, I hope. 

Paper, Planning, and Plotting

We had our drawing for the giveaway and Marsha identified several themes in people's responses. Here's what she has to say:

I went down a rabbit hole watching videos about Bullet Journals, Hobonichi Techno, and Elfinbooks. :-)

Paper still seems to be the most popular...wall calendars, journals, dayrunners, notebooks for lists. Graph paper seems to be a favorite. Notebooks for keeping ideas for craft projects.

Most people seem to keep track of patterns, projects, stashes, etc on Ravelry.

The solace of creating order, a nice button band technique, and plans for 2021. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android or Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Marsha's Projects

Finished the body and ¾ of the sleeves of Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein. Bind off is a really nice I-cord bind off. Sleeve width seems okay but need to decrease faster on the way to cuffs. It will be touch and go with yarn amount

Working on foot of first pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought in San Luis Obispo.

Swatched with Little Fish Stitches fingering for a Tee called Walk Along by AnkeStrick. 

Techniques for neat button bands: 

1. pick up stitches with #1 needle and then knit with pattern size - Cocoknits
2. Pick up exact number of stitches in body and then decrease to number of stitches called for pattern.

Marsha purchased the Lady Dye Yarns kit: Schitt's Creek 2.0. 

Kelly's Projects 

I've been working a lot on the Persian Tile Blanket for my grand niece. I'm following the color choices (sort of) of a project by JenasaurusWake that I saw while watching FO radar. I'm using Knit Picks Brava Worsted in lots of fun bright colors and making color choices to make all the octagons look like they have different sized flowers in them. 

With Friends Pullover. I'm using two patterns:  Rachel by Josée Paquin, and Fresh by Josée Paquin. I've put on the front hem 

The weaving is finished on the Ribbon Candy Christmas dishtowels and they have all been washed, but not yet hemmed. I had a rocky start, but was able to correct a warping mistake that made one of my white stripes bigger than the others. I also was inspired by the Jane Stafford Guild videos to go off my pattern and play with some twill treadlings. 

Plans for 2021

We talked about our 2021 plans and discovered that we are oh, so predictable. You don't even really have to listen to this episode! We said exactly the same things in Episode 106 in January 2019 and Episode 127 in January 2020.

Recommendations

Kelly recommends two YouTube knitting shows

Sweet Tea, No Shade with John and Scott

Needles at the Ready show with Kevin and Ray.

Marsha shares videos (created by the tour company) from last year's Iceland trip.

Video of our Icelandic cooking class

Video of our visit to Icelandic geothermal plant and lava tube

 

Ongoing Giveaway--Paper, Planning, and Plotting

We are giving away two items to one lucky winner! Two Sheeps Calendar: A Celebration of Independent Yarn Dyers. Each month features an exclusive skein from an indie dyer and the link to order the yarn. It's not just a calendar!

Pack of three Field Notes notebooks in the Snowy Evening design. 

To enter, answer this prompt: How do you keep your plots and plans straight? Paper, digital, other? Do you use a calendar? What kind? A notebook? What kind? Do you use a notebook for your projects or just Ravelry? When do you use paper and when do you use digital?  Enter in the thread in the Ravelry group, or you can send a comment from our website, you can send us an audio file by emailing us twoewes@twoewesfiber.com, or send us a dm on Instagram From all the responses we'll draw a winner on January 20 and you'll hear the winner during the second January episode.

Holiday fun has exhausted Marsha while Kelly has been busy making a butt-shaped divot on her couch. Plus we have a patron giveaway and a surprise Winter Weave Along prize today! Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Marsha's Projects

I haven't knit a stitch on the Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein,  but I did wind the fourth skein. I plan to bring it on a New Year's trip and make some good progress. But I am the boss of my knitting, so I might choose to work on something else instead!

I turned the heel and started the gusset of a  pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought at the San Luis Obispo yarn crawl back in 2014. 

I also finished a holiday tea cosy in red and green using the pattern Nanny Meiers Tea Cozy by Amelia Carlson published by Fiber Trends. I used spirit yarn from Sears! 

Finally, I'm swatching with Little Fish Stitches fingering for a Tee called Walk Along by AnkeStrick.

Kelly's Projects 

I've been working a lot on the Persian Tile Blanket for my grand niece. I'm following the color choices (sort of) of a project by JenasaurusWake that I saw while watching FO radar. I'm using Knit Picks Brava Worsted in lots of fun bright colors and making color choices to make all the octagons look like they have different sized flowers in them. 

With Friends Pullover. I'm using two patterns:  Rachel by Josée Paquin, and Fresh by Josée Paquin. I've put the hem on waste yarn and picked up for the first sleeve. I'm going to start with the dark green at the top of the sleeve and then move into the stripe colors. I'll do the sleeves similarly to the Fresh pattern where the sleeves are mostly one color and then there is a little bit of striping. 

I finished 14 dishcloths in the Triple L Tweed stitch from the Purl Soho Slip Stitch Dishtowels pattern. I cast on a multiple of 3 stitches +1. It's usually 34 or 37 stitches because I like a compact dishcloth. I totally used up four different 108-yard skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic 

Ongoing Giveaway--Paper, Planning, and Plotting

Enter on Ravelry, through the website comments page, or through email (twoewes@twoewesfiberadventures.com) by Jan 20th. Or email  us a voice memo and we'll play your response on the show!

The winner will get:

Two Sheeps Calendar: A Celebration of Independent Yarn Dyers. Each month features an exclusive skein from an indie dyer and the link to order the yarn. It's not just a calendar!

From twosheeps:  

Working with each dyer, we have obtained a limited supply of each exclusive colorway. The yarn in each month's photograph is available for purchase on the first day of that month. 

We are grateful to each dyer for creating, dyeing, twisting, and labeling these amazing skeins and are thrilled to showcase their talent in our company's first calendar! 

Pack of three Field Notes notebooks in the Snowy Evening design. 

From Field Notes:  We've limited this 49th Quarterly Edition to 33,333 3-Packs. Each Memo Book cover features a unique snowflake illustration rendered by our friend and co-conspirator, Brendan Dawes. Each snowflake is different, so every book is different, and so for the first time in a Quarterly Edition – we've individually numbered each book.

To enter, answer this prompt:

How do you keep your plots and plans straight? Paper, digital, other? Do you use a calendar? What kind? A notebook? What kind? Do you use a notebook for your projects or just Ravelry? When do you use paper and when do you use digital?  Marsha and Kelly will put up a thread in the Ravelry group, or you can send a comment from the website, you can send us an audio file (for example using voice memo phone app and emailing it, send us a dm on Instagram or email us twoewes@twoewesfiberadventures.com. We'll draw a winner on January 20 and you'll hear about it during the second January episode on about January 25. 

Patron Appreciation Time!

Stuck at home we are reliving memories of travels. For the next few months we will be having a once a month patron giveaways to remind everyone of faraway places. 

The prize is a hat kit from Marsha's trip to Iceland. It is from the Uppspuni Mini Mill. The yarn is black with purple contrast color. 

If you'd like to go back and listen to the Iceland dispatches they are in Episode 129 and Episode 130.  

The winner of the Icelandic yarn is Barbara G., a patron since January of 2019.

Winter Weave Along

We're brightening up the winter by having a giveaway from the Winter Weave Along chat thread.

Nan4now is the winner of a cone of Sally Fox cotton. Contact me ASAP as her 2020 stock is dwindling!

Vreseis is the website and she has been documenting her history on her Vreseis Instagram 

You can join in with your weaving projects anytime until March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution. Check out this great website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning. 

Remembering our Amy with a Caps for Kids KAL

To honor her memory, we are having a Caps for Kids KAL from now until February 15th, to knit or crochet caps in any washable yarn, any pattern, any size, and donate them to a kids charity. Please post a photo of your cap(s) here before donating them.

We celebrate the life of a fiber adventurer we've lost, plus we talk paper, planning, and plotting. How do you keep your life in order? Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Memories

In Memory of Greenhook (Amy from Salem, OR)

From her local Ravelry Group: Remembering our Amy with a Caps for Kids KAL

To honor her memory, we are having a Caps for Kids KAL from now until February 15th, to knit or crochet caps in any washable yarn, any pattern, any size, and donate them to a kids charity. Please post a photo of your cap(s) here before donating them. 

Marsha's Projects

I haven't knit a stitch on the Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein,  but I did wind the fourth skein.

Finished socks for myself using Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock in Coconut Grove. 

Started another pair of socks for myself using Drops Fabel Print that I bought in San Luis Obispo.

I have the book, Tea Cozies 3 by Sian Brown, Alison Howard and Vanessa Mooncie and have made the Pineapple and knitting Devon Violets. Started another tea cosy in red and green using the pattern Nanny Meiers Tea Cozy published by Fiber Trends. Using spirit yarn from Sears! Made the same tea cozy for my friend Gary. 

Kelly's Projects 

I'm making progress on my With Friends Pullover. I'm using two patterns:  Rachel by Josée Paquin, Fresh by Josée Paquin. To view the changes that I made to the striping sequence, see my project page. I'm back on track after ripping out about 10 rows and I have about an inch or so to go on the body. 

I started the Persian Tile Blanket for my grand niece. I'm using Knit Picks Brava Worsted in lots of fun bright colors.

I'm continuing to knit dishcloths using my favorite stitch pattern, the Triple L Tweed from the Purl Soho Slip Stitch Dishtowels pattern. I cast on a multiple of 3 stitches +1. It's usually 34 or 37 stitches because I like a compact dishcloth. I'm using four different 108-yard skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic and I'll make as many as I can with this amount of yarn. 

I have my table loom dressed with one of the Christmas dish towel warps.  It is a red, white, and green warp that reminds me of ribbon candy. The pattern I'll be using is Textured Stripe from the Marguerite Davison Handweaver's Pattern Book. 

Recipe I referred to: Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts from NPR

Giveaway--Paper, Planning, and Plotting

Two Sheeps Calendar: A Celebration of Independent Yarn Dyers. Each month features an exclusive skein from an indie dyer and the link to order the yarn. It's not just a calendar!

From twosheeps:  

Working with each dyer, we have obtained a limited supply of each exclusive colorway. The yarn in each month's photograph is available for purchase on the first day of that month. 

We are grateful to each dyer for creating, dyeing, twisting, and labeling these amazing skeins and are thrilled to showcase their talent in our company's first calendar! 

Pack of three Field Notes notebooks in the Snowy Evening design. 

From Field Notes:  We've limited this 49th Quarterly Edition to 33,333 3-Packs. Each Memo Book cover features a unique snowflake illustration rendered by our friend and co-conspirator, Brendan Dawes. Each snowflake is different, so every book is different, and so for the first time in a Quarterly Edition – we've individually numbered each book.

To enter, answer this prompt: How do you keep your plots and plans straight? Paper, digital, other? Do you use a calendar? What kind? A notebook? What kind? Do you use a notebook for your projects or just Ravelry? When do you use paper and when do you use digital?  Marsha and Kelly will put up a thread in the Ravelry group, or you can send a comment from the website, you can send us an audio file (for example using voice memo phone app and emailing it, send us a dm on Instagram or email us twoewes@twoewesfiber.com. From all the responses we'll draw a winner on January 20 and you'll hear the winner during the second January episode on about January 25. 

Winter Weave Along

You can join in with your weaving projects anytime until March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution. Check out this great website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning.

We're recovering from Thanksgiving dinner preparations and cleanup. Even with a small gathering, there was more to do than we thought. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Thank you to  3GreenSisters Etsy shop for providing prizes for the Summer Spin In.  Use  the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping until December 31, 2020. 

Marsha's Projects

I haven't knit a stitch on the  Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein,  but I did wind the fourth skein.

I'm about to start the toe of the second socks for myself using Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock in Coconut Grove. Perhaps they will be finished during the episode!

I talked about possibly returning my spirit yarn to the universe. As I looked at it again I got inspired to make tea cozies. I have the book, Tea Cozies 3 by Sian Brown, Alison Howard and Vanessa Mooncie and have made the Pineapple and knitting Devon Violets.

Kelly's Projects 

I finally finished the Sonny Bono jacket. The real name of the pattern is Crescendo and I bought it from Amazing Yarns. The yarn I used is called Curly Locks and is a tailspun mohair yarn. I love this jacket as much as the one I tried on at Stitches in 2018.  

I'm making progress on my With Friends Pullover. I'm using two patterns:  Rachel by Josée Paquin, Fresh by Josée Paquin. To view the changes that I made to the striping sequence, see my project page. I'm back on track after ripping out about 10 rows and I have about an inch or so to go on the body. 

I' m continuing to knit dishcloths using my favorite stitch pattern, the Triple L Tweed from the Purl Soho Slip Stitch Dishtowels pattern. I cast on a multiple of 3 stitches +1. It's usually 34 or 37 stitches because I like a compact dishcloth. 

I finished dyeing the CVM 3-ply handspun for another handspun cardigan. I still haven't selected the pattern but I've already made a gauge swatch and I have a few possibilities that I'm pondering. 

I have a few weaving projects. One is a repair to an unusually constructed rug that we have in the living room. The rug was made by sewing down narrow woven strips of wool weft on thread warp to a carpet backing. Our dog Nash had ripped up several strips in a few places on the rug. After investigating the construction I was able to sew the strips down. In some places it looks good as new, in other places it is just stabilized to prevent further damage. 

The other weaving projects are just at the wound warp stage. I have two 7 foot warps that I've wound for Christmas dish cloths. As inspiration I used two free patterns from Gist Yarn.  One set of towels is a white warp with a narrow red stripe on either side and reminds me of candy canes. The pattern I'll be using is Tidal Towels.  The other set is a red, white, and green warp that reminds me of ribbon candy. The pattern I'll be using is Textured Stripe from the Marguerite Davison Handweaver's Pattern Book. 

Winter Weave Along

You can join in with your weaving projects anytime until March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution. Check out this great website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning. 

For Rigid Heddle Looms, check out Amy D. McKnight.  She has a blog and free resources. 

Liz Gipson, the Yarnworker also has lots of online resources for rigid heddle weaving. 

Blazing Shuttles has pre-wound warps and from there I found the Friendship Towels pattern at Schact. 

Gist Yarn has some beautifully subtle kits and also has supplies and free patterns.

Jane Stafford Textiles has kits, supplies and the Online guild. 

We each have new cast-ons and Marsha has a new appreciation for her spirit yarn. Plus there are new project plans, and even a new nonfiber interest. And what the heck is going on in Marsha's yard? Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Thank you to  3GreenSisters Etsy shop for providing prizes for the Summer Spin In.  Use  the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping until December 31, 2020. 

Marsha's Projects

Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo. Haven't knit a stitch in two weeks. But I'll get back to it. I just have a little thinking to do about alternating the skeins on the sleeves for the two different dye lots. 

Finished the first of a pair of socks for myself using Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock in Coconut Grove. Knit about 6" of the second sock.

In our last episode I talked about possibly returning my spirit yarn to the universe. As I looked at it again I got inspired to make tea cozies. I have the book, Tea Cozies 3 by Sian Brown, Alison Howard and Vanessa Mooncie and have made the Pineapple and knitting Devon Violets.

Kelly's Projects 

I'm making progress on my With Friends Pullover. I'm using two patterns:  Rachel by Josée Paquin, Fresh by Josée Paquin. To view the changes that I made to the striping sequence, see my project page. I've made a mistake in the dots section so I have to rip out about 10 rows. 

I finished a solid blue charity hat using Cloudborn worsted and started another using two sock yarns held double. Both yarns are the second ball of Drops Fabel from our very first yarn crawl in San Luis Obispo. They are 50 gram balls and I bought two each for making socks. I made short socks with one and the paving mitts with the one ball of the other. The leftovers were perfect for a marled hat. 

I completed a dishcloth using my favorite stitch pattern, the Triple L Tweed from the Purl Soho Slip Stitch Dishtowels pattern. I make it smaller so it is a dishcloth rather than a towel, but I use the same stitch pattern and casting on a multiple of 3 stitches +1. It's usually 34 or 37 stitches because I like a compact dishcloth. I cast on at the beginning of the camping trip and bound off on the ride home. 

I decided to make a crochet blanket for my grand niece and made a yarn purchase. The pattern I'll be using is Persian Tile Blanket. But instead of making every square the same, I'll be doing something more like Jenasauruswake's Persian Tile Blanket. I got a huge box of yarn in a wide variety of colors from Knit Picks. I'll be using Brava worsted. 

A New/Old interest: Fountain Pens

Kelly has used a fountain pen off and on since college and got a new one for Christmas last year. Meanwhile, a young colleague talked about discovering the fountain pen hobby and that made Kelly start thinking. Could she get her old pen repaired? Yes! Was there a podcast? Yes indeed! There is The Pen Addict blog and podcast.  From there she started looking online and found Peyton Street Pens, an online vintage pen store based in Santa Cruz. A vintage pen and some ink were ordered! What a rabbit hole!

Winter Weave Along

Or Summer Weave Along if you're in the southern hemisphere! Starts November 1. It will go through March 31. We will have prizes, including a class generously donated by Erica at Weavolution. Check out this great website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning. 

For Rigid Heddle Looms, check out Amy D. McKnight.  She has a blog and free resources. 

Liz Gipson, the Yarnworker also has lots of online resources for rigid heddle weaving. 

Blazing Shuttles has pre-wound warps and from there I found the Friendship Towels pattern at Schact. 

Gist Yarn has some beautifully subtle kits and also has supplies.

Jane Stafford Textiles has kits, supplies and the Online guild. 

Two (count them two!) therapy sessions on this episode! Plus we talk design--both architectural and knitting. And wait, there's more! A live FO and Winter Weave Along talk round out the show topics. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Also, we have a coupon code for 3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. Offer good until December 31, 2020. 

Marsha's Projects

I've stopped knitting on Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo since I'm running out of yarn. I've been perplexed why when the pattern calls for 1500 yards and I have 1600. I think the problem is row guage. I'm getting 37 rows instead of 35 rows per inch. Apparently, that makes a huge impact. I've learned my lesson and will check row gauge from now on. I ordered another skein which arrived this week so I can start again on the sweater

I finished the Arne and Carlos socks in Pairfect.

I cast on socks for myself using Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock in Coconut Grove. This is yarn I picked up at the first NoCKRs retreat destash room. This project was finished live on the episode! 

Kelly's Projects 

I finished the green socks I was making with Yarns from the Plain yarn. 

I started the new pullover and ended up using a combination of these patterns--Rachel by Josée Paquin, Fresh by Josée Paquin.  I decided not to use Muriel by Josée Paquin. To view the changes that I made to the striping sequence, see my project page. 

Get Your House Right is a book that we both recommend for information about architectural details. Just like in knitting design, it's the little details and bits of knowledge that can make a design look just right. The Fibonacci sequence is another one of the tools that relate to both architecture and knitting. I used the numbers from the Fibonacci sequence to make sure that the stripes in the pullover look balanced, even though I had to modify them a bit. 

It's Winter Weave Along Time!

Or Summer Weave Along if you're in the southern hemisphere! Starts November 1. We'll talk about it more in the kickoff in the next episode! It will go through March 31.

Planning a weaving project: How do you know if you have enough yarn?

Quick and dirty method from Jane Stafford. 

Jane Stafford's Project Planning 101 pdf has additional information, plus some things to think about if you're planning linens. 

Weavolution is a website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning. Erica, the owner of Weavolution is generously offering one of her classes as a prize for our Winter Weave Along! Stay tuned to hear more about that!

Weaving Suppliers and Kits

Webs has dishtowel and wrap kits, 

Yarn Barn of Kansas has a LOT of kits, including holiday themed items,

Halcyon Yarn has kits for table linens and a variety of scarves and cowls. 

We're together in this episode and we have lots to discuss. Lots of finished projects, the NoCKRs retreat, spirit yarn, weaving, and more.

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

An interesting article about the closing of Vidalia Mills, the last weaver of denim in the U.S. 

https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-business/vidalia-mills-auction-preserve-american-heritage-looms-1234740849/ 

Marsha's Projects

Ames Beanie: Stephanie Larson. Finished! Used Purls Before Swine Hometown Worsted in colorway Seaglass.

Socks: Finished! Used Knit Picks Felici in the colorway Hawaiian Shirt. 

Morgan's Pinwheels & Checks: Finished! 

The Weekender: by Andrea Mowry. Using Cascade 220 in colorway Wine. Finished first sleeve and picked up for second sleeve.

Socks: Cast on with Wisdom Yarns Wacki Saki in the colorway Batty Berlin.

Spinning: Into the Whirled roving in colorways Welcome to Litchfield and The Traveler.

Weaving Studio: It's a work in progress. 

Kelly's Projects

Graphito Done and worn! The fit is great! 

Sewing with handwoven: All curtains done and hung!

Spirit Yarn charity hat (gray wool/acrylic blend) started at the retreat.

About a half dozen dishcloths from spirit yarn–royal blue and a sunny yellow and orange variegated cotton yarn. Using Triple L Tweed stitch. Some have been given away, some will stay with me. Almost finished with them. 

Spun on two different projects at the retreat. Using  up the last of the Wensleydale x Cormo x Merino from last summer. I had forgotten I still had a box of batts so I brought them to the retreat to spin with some purple silk held along with the fiber. The other project was spinning some gray Corriedale/Merino roving. One bobbin into the first project, two bobbins into the second project. 

Loom refurbishing project. Front apron has arrived from The Woolery. Not yet installed

Spring Buckens and Owls (Ms and Os): One towel to go! Maybe a second small one depending on how much loom waste I have.

Winter Weave Along

We'll draw prizes next episode when Marsha is back home. 

Two (count them two!) therapy sessions on this episode! Plus we talk design--both architectural and knitting. And wait, there's more! A live FO and Winter Weave Along talk round out the show topics. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Also, we have a coupon code for 3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. Offer good until December 31, 2020. 

Marsha's Projects

I've stopped knitting on Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo since I'm running out of yarn. I've been perplexed why when the pattern calls for 1500 yards and I have 1600. I think the problem is row guage. I'm getting 37 rows instead of 35 rows per inch. Apparently, that makes a huge impact. I've learned my lesson and will check row gauge from now on. I ordered another skein which arrived this week so I can start again on the sweater

I finished the Arne and Carlos socks in Pairfect.

I cast on socks for myself using Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock in Coconut Grove. This is yarn I picked up at the first NoCKRs retreat destash room. This project was finished live on the episode! 

Kelly's Projects 

I finished the green socks I was making with Yarns from the Plain yarn. 

I started the new pullover and ended up using a combination of these patterns--Rachel by Josée Paquin, Fresh by Josée Paquin.  I decided not to use Muriel by Josée Paquin. To view the changes that I made to the striping sequence, see my project page. 

Get Your House Right is a book that we both recommend for information about architectural details. Just like in knitting design, it's the little details and bits of knowledge that can make a design look just right. The Fibonacci sequence is another one of the tools that relate to both architecture and knitting. I used the numbers from the Fibonacci sequence to make sure that the stripes in the pullover look balanced, even though I had to modify them a bit. 

It's Winter Weave Along Time!

Or Summer Weave Along if you're in the southern hemisphere! Starts November 1. We'll talk about it more in the kickoff in the next episode! It will go through March 31.

Planning a weaving project: How do you know if you have enough yarn?

Quick and dirty method from Jane Stafford. 

Jane Stafford's Project Planning 101 pdf has additional information, plus some things to think about if you're planning linens. 

Weavolution is a website for weavers with projects, discussion, classes, and lots of resources. The website has a handy Weaving Calculator that you can use for project planning. Erica, the owner of Weavolution is generously offering one of her classes as a prize for our Winter Weave Along! Stay tuned to hear more about that!

Weaving Suppliers and Kits

Webs has dishtowel and wrap kits, 

Yarn Barn of Kansas has a LOT of kits, including holiday themed items,

Halcyon Yarn has kits for table linens and a variety of scarves and cowls. 

Moving, organizing, dog training, and surprisingly only one real project each! Nevertheless we persist with the chatting! Row gauge issues might solve the mystery of running out of yarn. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Also, we have a coupon code for 3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. Good until December 31, 2020. 

Marsha's Projects

I've been busy knitting Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo. I've reached 21" from the neck and still have to knit another 80 rows plus 19 rows for bottom band. That seemed too long so I stopped knitting and moved onto the first sleeve. I've knit about ¾ of the sleeve but not see I'm running out our yarn! Time to start rethinking the project.

Still knitting the Arne and Carlos sock in Pairfect.

Kelly's Projects 

I'm working on a charity hat with the puffy rib stitch I liked so much on the socks. I'm using Cloud Born worsted that I got for free at Stitches last year.

I failed on my goal to finish the  Sonny Bono Jacket.  The sleeve is clipped in place, ready to be sewn in. In my defense, we've been having our summer in October season here on the Central Coast. 

I finished a Ripple Bralette by Jessie Maed Designs. It was a quick knit and I had a lot of yarn left in the skein. It comes out so small it's hard to believe it would fit, but it does. Possibly I could get two out of one skein. Still haven't tested whether it will make me itch or not. I need a cooler day before I wear a wool bralette!

I'm planning a new pullover and I'll be using a combination of these patterns--Rachel by Josée Paquin, Muriel by Josée Paquin, Fresh by Josée Paquin

I'm also still fantasy knitting the handspun cardigan out of the CVM that I want to dye. There are now two patterns on my list--Breckon by Amy Christoffers, Anna's Cardigan - My Size by PetiteKnit

It's Winter Weave Along Time!

Or Summer Weave Along if you're in the southern hemisphere! Starts November 1. We'll talk about it more in the kickoff in the next episode! It will go through March 31. 

We chat about bonsai trees and sled dogs, recap the Summer Spin-In, and draw lots of winners!  Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Also, we have a coupon code for 3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. 

Marsha's Projects

The deck project is almost done. Just those last pesky details.

I've been busy knitting Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo. Knit about 12" of the body. 

Knit an 1898 Hat for Dave who came and helped on the deck. Used Hazel Knits Cadence (worsted) in the colorway Atmosphere.

Kelly's Projects 

I started and finished a Dissent Cowl in memorial to Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Pattern by Clarissa Browning. 

I also knit another charity hat using scraps from my stash--this one with colorwork. I used corrugated ribbing, lice stitch and then did stripes on the crown. 

I finished the second sleeve of the Sonny Bono Jacket and have clipped it in place, ready to be sewn in. 

What My Sled Dogs Taught Me About Planning for the Unknown

Summer Spin-In and Patreon Appreciation Drawing!

The Summer Spin-In has ended and there were so many participants! Thank you!

Two lucky winners were announced from the Summer Spin and one additional winner was drawn from the Patreon patrons to win bags from 3 Green Sisters.  If you didn't win you should still check out their shop! They make project bags, spinning wheel bags and loom bags. They are offering a 15% savings for any bag in their shop. Use the coupon code TWOEWES.  They also provide free shipping in the US. The coupon code is good until December 31. 

We also offered three $25 gift certificates at Sheepspot. She's a great source of dyed fiber from the more unusual breeds of sheep. All winners should contact me so we can get you your prizes.  

Kelly dreams of an extreme shawl collar and Marsha takes on a daring knitting repair.  Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.

Also, we have a coupon code for gorgeous bags from  3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. 

Marsha's Projects

The deck project is moving along. I visited a blacksmith for information about a gate using salvage iron parts. 

I've been busy knitting Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo. Knit about 8" of the body. Realized that I had missed a garter stitch rib on the front band, so I did a trick Kelly taught me to fix the mistake. The pattern has increases on the front and back but on different rows. I had to make myself a chart to keep track of the increases. 

Here is the Rainey Sister's blog showing the technique of dropping back to fix a section of knitting. 

I did not finish the cotton spinning in time for our Summer Spin In. Too much going on here!

Kelly's Projects 

I've finished the knitting for the Targhee Lamb handspun sweater using the Dark and Stormy pattern by Thea Colman.  The vintage buttons are perfect and I've even worn it, but it still needs to be blocked. 

I finished the socks from handspun as we are finishing up the Summer Spin-In. I'm using the yarn I spun out of the Shaky K fiber that I got at Stitches this past February. 

I also cast on a second charity hat. The existing one is purple and pink yarn held doubled that I used for the Raticorn. The new one is turquoise and red handspun along with a ball of turquoise/teal leftovers from stash.

I met my pledge and did two rows on the Sonny Bono Jacket. Once I finish this second sleeve and sew it in, then I only have the collar to finish.  (Note: after recording I finished both sleeves and they are ready to sew in.)

Potential Projects

Marsha and I are both interested in the Buttoned Wrap by Paula Marshall. It's a crocheted shawl that would be perfect for a combo spin. I first saw it as a picture in an ad while I was reading the newspaper online. I thought it was a commercial product, but thought it would make a great project. I posted it on the Ravelry group. A group member went looking and discovered that it was a hijacked photo from a Ravelry project page! 

Vote Forward Letters

Get out the vote! We are both adopting voters and sending letters encouraging them to vote. If you want to participate, go to voteforward.org and sign up to adopt voters. 

Summer Spin-In

The Summer Spin-In has ended and there were so many participants! Thank you!

We'll announce winners in two weeks.  There were 126 entries in the handspun skein thread and 38 entries in the made from handspun thread. This is our best "along" yet!

Two adventurers will win bags from 3 Green Sisters.  Check out their shop! They make project bags, spinning wheel bags and loom bags. Even if you don't win a bag as a prize, they are offering a 15% savings for any bag in their shop. Use the coupon code TWOEWES.  They also provide free shipping in the US.

The bags are made from recycled, upcycled, repurposed, vintage and rescued fabrics.  They have many sources to obtain our fabrics including an incredible fabric shop in NYC which lets them "dumpster dive" remnants, generous upholstery and drapery making shops who save their scraps, yard sales, Estate Sales and of course, second hand shops.  Each bag is a one of a kind.  It is their small way to give back to Mother Nature.  

Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. www.etsy.com/shop/3Greensisters 

Lots of home improvement talk (and some power tool noise) before we get down to the knitting this week. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.. Also, we have a coupon code for 3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. 

Marsha's Projects:

The deck project is moving along, but it's slower than we originally thought.

I've been busy knitting on Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo. I joined the body and have knit about 6". Really fun pattern and interesting details.

Almost done with the bobbin of cotton fiber. Kelly and I discuss plying options and decide that it would be best to put the fiber on two bobbins and ply from the two bobbins. Singles management can be tricky with cotton, especially for a beginning cotton spinner.

I'm planning to knit Walk a Long by Ankestrick using Little Fish Stitches fingering in the Seabrook colorway Mocrocks Beach. This is a custom colorway for String Theory yarn shop. 

Kelly's Projects 

I've finished the knitting for the Targhee Lamb handspun sweater using the Dark and Stormy pattern by Thea Colman.  Weaving in ends, sewing on the vintage buttons that I found in my stash, and blocking will happen this week. 

I cast on another pair of socks from handspun as we are finishing up the Summer Spin-In. I'm using the yarn I spun out of the Shaky K fiber I got at Stitches this past February. This might be one of my fastest purchase-to-FO conversions if I keep moving along on an don't stall out on the sock.

I also cast on a charity hat using the same purple and pink yarn that I used for the Raticorn. I'm holding the yarns doubled. One is a hot pink Stunning Strings fingering weight and the other is a sport weight merino cashmere. Both of these yarns are left over from Robert's neon argyle socks.  

Summer Spin-In

The Summer Spin-In ends this Monday! (Sept. 7). We will announce winners in our next episode. 

This is our best "along" yet with 34 posts in FO made with handspun thread and 144 posts in handspun yarn thread.

Two people will win bags from 3 Green Sisters.  Check out their shop! They make project bags, spinning wheel bags and loom bags. Even if you don't win a bag as a prize, they are offering a 15% savings for any bag in their shop. Use the coupon code TWOEWES.  They also provide free shipping in the US.

Here is some information from the 3 Green Sisters:  My sisters and I have been making purses and bags, knitting bags and project totes, loom carrier totes and spinning wheel bags for 19 years.

We come from a long line of seamstresses.  My great grandmother, Cecilia, sewed sequined and fancy dresses for the elite in San Francisco in the early 1900's.   Cecilia passed down the craft to my grandmother, who taught my mother, who taught us.   We take great pride in the quality of work-woman-ship in every product we make.

Our bags are made from recycled, upcycled, repurposed, vintage and rescued fabrics.  We have many sources to obtain our fabrics including an incredible fabric shop in NYC which lets us "dumpster dive" remnants, generous upholstery and drapery making shops who save their scraps for us, yard sales, Estate Sales and of course, second hand shops.  Each bag is a one of a kind.  This is our small way to give back to Mother Nature.  

Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. www.etsy.com/shop/3Greensisters

Yarn in the Shop

Our shop has new colors in fingering plus two new bases of Climate Beneficial(™) Replenish Rambouillet! 

We have a new sport weight 3-ply Replenish Rambouillet. Marsha created these colorways as part of the Iceland Collection

We also have an Aran weight 5-ply Replenish Rambouillet, in a variety of greens. Look for more colors in the future. 

Besides the Replenish Rambouillet, We have silver gray Romney and a white Corriedale/Romeldale cross milled by Marcaile at Valley Oak Wool Mill.  These are Aran to Bulky weight yarns with a nice ply twist for a durable yarn. Both are currently available as natural colors, with some dyed versions available in the future. 

The shop also has some spinning fiber. Check out the Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Shop. 

Rats, Arctic Char yarn, using buckets as stepstools, and other foolishness along with the sweater knitting this week! Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.. Also, we have a coupon code for 3GreenSisters Etsy shop. Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. 

We talk about the Iceland Collection of colorways on our new sport weight 3-ply and Aran weight 5-ply Replenish Rambouillet yarns. Marsha was inspired by the colors of Iceland (and some colors she imagined would be there in the summer months) while she dyed these beautiful yarns. Check out the episodes where she and Kim sent dispatches from Iceland, Episode 129 and Episode 130.

Marsha's Projects:

I've been busy knitting on Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein using Elemental Effects Cormo. Finished back and right front of yoke and picked up stitches for left front of yoke. Really fun pattern and interesting details.

I have spun about a third of a bobbin of cotton. Interesting, but not my favorite fiber so far.

Kelly's Projects 

I'm continuing Targhee Lamb handspun sweater using the Dark and Stormy pattern by Thea Colman.  The cable pattern is interesting and fun. I use a cable needle and have a pretty wooden one that I love. 

I also started knitting rats. The pattern is really realistic. It's Rats! by Sarah Elizabeth Kellner.  She has some really cute patterns, including The Scullery Cat, that are really appealing to me. Suggestion: when knitting something with a realistic look, I find it useful to look at the project pages and really analyze the ones that look wrong. So often it is a small detail of stuffing amount, eye placement, or contrast yarn choice that makes the designers project look so good. Without the contrast of other projects with different choices, it isn't always obvious what the designer did that makes the object so appealing. 

Total spinning yardage finished this summer: 4662 yds, 4265 meters. I still have the desire to do some fleece washing and carding and a little more cotton spinning, but I'm not sure I'll get that in before the end of the Summer Spin-In.

Summer Spin-In

The Summer Spin-In ends on US Labor Day (September 7). 3 Green Sisters makes project bags, spinning wheel bags and loom bags and is providing prizes for the Summer Spin-In as well as as a coupon code for listeners!  They are offering a 15% savings for any bag in our shop with free shipping in the USA with the coupon code TWOEWES.

Here is some information from 3GreenSisters:

Our bags are made from recycled, upcycled, repurposed, vintage and rescued fabrics.  We have many sources to obtain our fabrics including an incredible fabric shop in NYC which lets us "dumpster dive" remnants, generous upholstery and drapery making shops who save their scraps for us, yard sales, Estate Sales and of course, second hand shops.  Each bag is a one of a kind.  This is our small way to give back to Mother Nature.  

Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. www.etsy.com/shop/3Greensisters

Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO threads. We have a thread for finished spinning projects and we'll also include a thread for finished projects made with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too! 

Yarn in the Shop

Our shop has new colors in fingering plus two new bases of Climate Beneficial(™) Replenish Rambouillet! 

We have a new sport weight 3-ply Replenish Rambouillet. Marsha created these colorways as part of the Iceland Collection

We also have an Aran weight 5-ply Replenish Rambouillet, in a variety of greens. Look for more colors in the future. 

Besides the Replenish Rambouillet, We have silver gray Romney and a white Corriedale/Romeldale cross milled by Marcaile at Valley Oak Wool Mill.  These are Aran to Bulky weight yarns with a nice ply twist for a durable yarn. Both are currently available as natural colors, with some dyed versions available in the future. 

The shop also has some spinning fiber. Check out the Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Shop. 

We finished knitting, crochet and spinning projects. But the deck construction is still in progress! Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

We have a coupon code for listeners! 3 Green Sisters makes project bags, spinning wheel bags and loom bags and is providing prizes for the Summer Spin-In as well as as a coupon code for listeners!  They are offering a 15% savings for any bag in our shop with free shipping in the USA with the coupon code TWOEWES.

Kelly's Projects 

The Mariannes Cardigan by Trine Bertelsen is FINISHED! 

Robert's Pandemic Socks are FINISHED! 

150 grams of Columbia fleece to yarn project is FINISHED! 

I think the amount that was listed on the bag of fleece wasn't up-to-date. It said 3 lbs and I washed up half of it and carded about half of that. So I just guessed it was about ¾ pound or 12 ounces.  I know I didn't lose that much to waste and washing to only get 150 grams (5 ounces). That would be losing more than half. That would be expected with a high lanolin fleece, but not with this Columbia. I think my fleece record-keeping isn't quite up to snuff!

Targhee Lamb sweater is now on the needles and I am through one cable chart repeat. I am using the Dark and Stormy pattern by Thea Colman

Marsha's Projects:

Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. Finished! Washed, held my breath, and put it in the dryer! The drop sleeves were perfect so I completed the ribbing according to the pattern and did not lengthen the sleeves. May give another trip though the dryer.

I finished the first Arne and Carlos sock. The yarn is patterned to change color as you knit the different parts of the sock. However, the toe color changes quite early so the toe is similar to the socks Kelly made for Robert.

I cast on Holey Comfort by Hinterm Stein with Elemental Effects Cormo. I love the coral color of this yarn!

I finished spinning the Huckleberry Knits and Sauked in Farms roving. Have about 850 yard Dk to light worsted weight yarn. This is a 3-ply with two plies of variegated and one ply of solid.

I started spinning cotton top. This is a challenge!!

Summer Spin-In

3 Green Sisters makes project bags, spinning wheel bags and loom bags and is providing prizes for the Summer Spin-In as well as as a coupon code for listeners!  They are offering a 15% savings for any bag in our shop with free shipping in the USA with the coupon code TWOEWES.

Here is some information from the 3 Green Sisters:  My sisters and I have been making purses and bags, knitting bags and project totes, loom carrier totes and spinning wheel bags for 19 years.

We come from a long line of seamstresses.  My great grandmother, Cecilia, sewed sequined and fancy dresses for the elite  in San Francisco in the early 1900's.   Cecilia passed down the craft to my grandmother, who taught my mother, who taught us.   We take great pride in the quality of work-woman-ship in every product we make.

Our bags are made from recycled, upcycled, repurposed, vintage and rescued fabrics.  We have many sources to obtain our fabrics including an incredible fabric shop in NYC which lets us "dumpster dive" remnants, generous upholstery and drapery making shops who save their scraps for us, yard sales, Estate Sales and of course, second hand shops.  Each bag is a one of a kind.  This is our small way to give back to Mother Nature.  

Visit their site and use the code TWOEWES to get 15% off and free US shipping. www.etsy.com/shop/3Greensisters

The Summer Spin-In started on US Memorial Day (May 25) and will continue until US Labor Day (September 7). Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO
threads. We will have a thread for finished spinning projects and we'll also include a thread for finished projects made with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too! 

Yarn in the Shop

Our shop has new colors in fingering plus two new bases of Climate Beneficial(™) Replenish Rambouillet! 

We have a new sport weight 3-ply Replenish Rambouillet. Marsha created these colorways as part of the Iceland Collection

We also have an Aran weight 5-ply Replenish Rambouillet, in a variety of greens. Look for more colors in the future. 

Besides the Replenish Rambouillet, We have silver gray Romney and a white Corriedale/Romeldale cross milled by Marcaile at Valley Oak Wool Mill.  These are Aran to Bulky weight yarns (my gauge is about 3.5 st/inch on size US 10 needles) with a nice ply twist for a durable yarn. Both are currently available as natural colors, with some dyed versions available in the future. 

The shop also has some spinning fiber. Check out the Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Shop. 

Negative test results, a DIY deck, walking, spinning, and knitting, and an updated shop are all on the show this week. Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha's Projects:

Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. I finished the body and decided not to put in the short rows to make the back longer. I now need to pick up for the sleeves. I had planned to make the sleeves longer but think I will wash and block the Tee before making my decision about the sleeve length. 

I spun two skeins of Huckleberry Knits (40/40/20 Targhee, bamboo and silk) and Sauked in Farm (50/50 alpaca/Babydoll Southdown Wool). It is a three ply with two singles of the multi colored Huckleberry Knits and one of the solid Sauked in Farm. Based on weight and ounces completed so far, I think I will have about 900 yards of DK weight. Enough for a vest?

Kelly's Projects 

The Mariannes Cardigan by Trine Bertelsen is still on the needles. I'm ready to be done and have challenged myself to have this finished by the next episode. That will give me time to wear it during summer weather. 

I'm continuing with Robert's Pandemic Socks using Twist Fiber Studio Pisgah Fingering and Drops Fabel (same combination as the Paving Mitts). Robert and I have a different view of what looks like running out of yarn and what looks intentional. I wanted to add stripes in the contrast color. He says just start the contrasting toe color in the middle of the foot when I run out of the multicolor. Since his version is easier, that's what I'm doing. 

I finished the rug yarn Combo spin using Lincoln roving. I have about 900 yards. 

I started a Columbia fleece to yarn project. I washed and carded about half of the 3 lbs of fleece that I have and I've spun one bobbin. I'm planning a 3-ply in this fluffy woolen spun yarn. 

Summer Spin-In

We have lots of new spinners in the Summer Spin-In. Quite a few of the veteran spinners shared pictures of what we made with our first handspun yarns--several spinning oil pouches and a couple of coasters/hot pads. 

The Summer Spin-In started on US Memorial Day (May 25) and will continue until US Labor Day (September 7). Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO
threads. We will have a thread for finished spinning projects and we'll also include a thread for finished projects made with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too! 

Yarn in the Shop

Our shop has new colors in fingering plus two new bases of Climate Beneficial(™) Replenish Rambouillet! 

We have a new sport weight 3-ply Replenish Rambouillet. Marsha created these colorways as part of the Iceland Collection

We also have an Aran weight 5-ply Replenish Rambouillet, in a variety of greens. Look for more colors in the future. 

Besides the Replenish Rambouillet, We have silver gray Romney and a white Corriedale/Romeldale cross milled by Marcaile at Valley Oak Wool Mill.  These are Aran to Bulky weight yarns with a nice ply twist for a durable yarn. Both are currently available as natural colors, with some dyed versions available in the future. 

The shop also has some spinning fiber. Check out the Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Shop. 

The Summer Spin-In is in full swing. Add in exposure to a scary virus, a little knitting, and some deck building, and it becomes a really full episode! Full show notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Kelly's husband has been exposed to Covid-19 through someone at his workplace so we talk about that and how strange and scary it feels. Marsha is working on replacing the deck in her backyard and we talk about the project and what it has entailed so far.. She will put up a Ravelry entry for this DIY deck project. She recommends the Fine Home Building youtube channel for DIY videos. 

Marsha's Projects:

I have finished the body and started the ribbing of my T-shirt,  Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. 

I spun the first skein of Huckleberry Knits (40/40/20 Targhee, bamboo and silk) and Sauked in Farm (50/50 alpaca/Babydoll Southdown Wool). It is a three ply with two singles of the multi colored Huckleberry Knits and one of the solid Sauked in Farm. It will probably knit up with long color repeats. Kelly has inspired me to spin the cotton roving that I bought the first time I attended Black Sheep Gathering. Thank you so much to our listener you suggested the Summer Spin In. I find the spinning meditative and soothing.

Kelly's Projects 

I'm back to work on the Mariannes Cardigan by Trine Bertelsen. The faux seam is working to hide the alternation of skeins better than when I didn't have the faux seam. 

I finished a pair of socks in handspun (Falkland in a colorway called Tomato and Mink.) I spun the yarn in a long color repeat fashion. Just end to end from one end of the roving to the other. It was chain-plied to preserve the colors and there is a nice color division between the rust and the gray.  The stripes are very large.

I finished a skein of the green cotton that I was spinning. Once I boiled it with baking soda, the color shifted from a goldish green khaki to an army green color. I didn't have any washing soda, so I used baking soda and a little dish detergent. Marsha asked, "baking soda vs washing soda? What is washing soda, anyway?" Here are some links with information.

Borax vs Washing Soda

Baking Soda vs Washing Soda

What is Washing Soda

I also ordered more cotton! Check out Sally Fox Vreseis cotton lint. That led to more discussion about natural colored cotton and a promise to put some information in the show notes. This Color is Alive, on the Vreseis website is a great explanation. Also the Wikipedia entry on naturally colored cotton says, "Natural color in cotton comes from pigments found in cotton pigments and produce shades ranging from tan to green and brown.[3] Naturally pigmented green cotton derives its color from caffeic acid, a derivative of cinnamic acid, found in the suberin (wax) layer which is deposited in alternating layers with cellulose around the outside of the cotton fiber.[4] While green colored cotton comes from wax layers, brown and tan cottons derive their color from tannin vacuoles in the lumen of the fiber cells.[3]

I started two new projects since the last episode, Robert's Pandemic Socks and a rug yarn Combo spin using Lincoln roving. 

Patron Appreciation! 

All patrons active as of the beginning of June get a Ravelry download pattern of their choice up to a $7 value. Contact Kelly (1hundredprojects) through Ravelry, Patreon or email (twoewes@twoewesfiberadventures.com)

Summer Spin-In

The Summer Spin-In started on US Memorial Day (May 25) and will continue until US Labor Day (September 7). Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO
threads. We will have a thread for finished spinning projects and we'll also include a thread for finished projects made with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too! 

Another fun episode recorded with live visitors. We have big spinning plans and a finished Tunisian crochet project. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry to participate in the conversation.

Marsha's Projects:

I am continuing to knit on Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. 

I finished  a camel, merino and silk braid from Huckleberry Knits for our Summer Spin-A-Long.

I also started another spinning project with Huckleberry Knits 40/40/20 Targhee, bamboo and silk and Sauked in Farm 50/50 alpaca/Babydoll Southdown Wool. It will be a 3-ply yarn when I'm finished.

Kelly's Projects 

I finished the Paving Mitts by Ellen Silva (twinsetellen). This is a fun, fast, Tunisian crochet pattern for mitts with a thumb gusset. Two thumbs up!

I'm back to work on the Mariannes Cardigan by Trine Bertelsen. The faux seam is working to hide the alternation of skeins better than when I didn't have the faux seam. 

I started a pair of socks in handspun (Falkland in a colorway called Tomato and Mink.) I spun the yarn in a long color repeat fashion. Just end to end from one end of the roving to the other. It was chain-plied to preserve the colors and there is a nice color division between the rust and the gray.  The stripes are very large.

I re-started and finished spinning a tricolor cotton roving. I spun about 4 oz. and I already had some from previous spinning. Plus I found another skein as I was preparing to record. It's about 2 oz. I have a total of about 8 oz and 1600 yards that I plan to weave into fabric. 

I am planning more cotton spinning since I have such a large (and old!) cotton stash. A good portion of my cotton stash is Sally Fox Foxfibre. Sally Fox is a very interesting woman and you can hear an interview with her on the Weave Podcast Episode 52 or a two-part interview with her on Yarn Stories episode 201 and episode 202. Definitely worth a listen if you are interested in fiber and recent fiber history.  Sally's current farm is growing test crops of cotton, organic wheat for flour, and merino sheep. Check out her Vreseis website to purchase any of her products, including yarn, roving, and fabric. 

Finishing Cotton Yarn

I finished my cotton yarn by bringing it to a full boil and then turning it down to simmer for about 30 minutes. I had Borax in the water to make the solution more basic. Baking soda and washing soda are other alternatives.  A basic pH can intensify the color of the natural cotton. The Ask the Bellwether blog has an informative post on finishing cotton handspun. Schacht Spindle company also has an informative post on spinning cotton and includes some information about finishing the yarn by boiling. 

Bellepoint Rescue Farm--Wool Available

A listener shared that Bellepoint Rescue Farm in Ohio has fleece that they would like to get rid of. The owners are willing to give it away if the receiver will pay for the shipping. They have a Facebook page where you can contact them for more information. Or contact me and I will put you in touch. Free fleece can be a lot of work, but it can also be a great fiber adventure. I made lots of very usable yarn from some free fleece from meat sheep that a farmer once gave me because he wante to get rid of it. 

Patron Appreciation! 

All patrons active as of the beginning of June get a Ravelry download pattern of their choice up to a $7 value. Contact Kelly through Ravelry, Patreon or email. 

Summer Spin-In

The Summer Spin-In started on US Memorial Day (May 25) and will continue until US Labor Day (September 7). Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO
threads. We will have a thread for finished spinning projects and we'll also include a thread for finished projects made with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too! 

A trip to the desert, a chicken update, and a big increase in active projects. Kelly makes Marsha record the morning after she gets home from a trip, but we have to squeeze it in between her travels.  Join in the fun and hear about our knitting, spinning, and weaving projects. No photos this week, but lots of links to all our projects. 

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

Marsha's Projects

Ames Beanie: Stephanie Larson. Using Purls Before Swine Hometown Worsted in colorway Seaglass. I was about to start the decreases when I noticed I had crossed one of the cables the wrong way. I've ripped it back and corrected my mistake.

Socks: Using Knit Picks Felici in the colorway Hawaiian Shirt. Knitting on foot of first sock.

Morgan's Pinwheels & Checks: Finished the third of four towels. I had hoped to be finished by this episode, but alas, life seldom goes as planned. 

The Weekender: by Andrea Mowry. Using Cascade 220 in colorway Wine. Finished the body, split for the armholes, and finished the front. Now working on the back.

Kelly's Projects

Graphito sleeves are in progress. Started with double points but did a full search of circular needles and found a short cabled one. Used a needle gauge from Invictus Yarns with multiple gauge holes for size US 2 and US 3 needles due to the varying mm that don't track completely with US sizes.  

Finished a two ply skein of tunis. 

Sewing with handwoven: All curtains zigzagged, cut, and hemmed. Next up is to put in the rod casings but before I do that I think I may have to cut some of them down. So probably more zigzagging and cutting. And of course, before that, another measuring session with the panels inside the trailer. 

Loom refurbishing project. Took out heddles and metal flat stock that they were hanging on and cleaned in vinegar with a scrubby. Didn't finish all the flat stock "heddle racks." So this is still in progress. Decisions about cords vs apron and how to attach cords had been made in favor of cords on the back beam, apron on the front beam. Thanks to Mary and Cathy who showed me how this looks on their looms.

Spring Buckens and Owls (Ms and Os) I've threaded the reed and heddles and ready to wind on so I can start weaving this last project of the Winter Weave Along. Probably won't quite finish by the end of March, but maybe! The colors are like Easter to me so I'm eager to finish them at least by Easter weekend. 

Winter Weave Along

Last push for the Winter Weave along with less than a month until the end. Show us your projects in the Ravelry thread. If you aren't on Ravelry consider joining just so you can talk with us about your weaving!

Thoughts on the recent tough days precede our project talk in this episode. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Before the project talk, we spend some time talking about the protests for justice for Black Americans and against police violence that were sparked by the murder of George Floyd. Since we recorded there have been even more protests and maybe even some signs that maybe this time, change really is on the horizon. To find a list of organizations involved in this fight, check out the Ravelry front page dated May 31, 2020 with links to places you can contribute. And be sure to vote!

Marsha's Projects:

I continue to work on Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. I've finished the yoke and knit about 8" of the body. 

I'm working on foot of first Arne & Carlos sock. These ultra bright socks are for my brother, Mark.

Simple Shawl will probably stay on the back burner for awhile since I am swatching with Elemental Affects Cormo for the Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein. I haven't measured my gauge for the swatch yet, but will be doing that and starting the sweater soon.

I spent a glorious afternoon with my spinning wheel out on the deck. I am spinning  a camel, merino and silk braid from Huckleberry Knits for our Summer Spin-A-Long.

Kelly's Projects 

I finished the   Babydoll Southdown socks. I am much happier with the finished socks than I was with the knitting. The fabric is sturdy and warm, and I love the color. 

I also started, finished and even wore my  Handspun Targhee Hat. This hat may end up in the donate pile since it was slightly tighter than I like for a hat. It's nice and warm, but I find that a looser hat prevents "hat hair."

I thought I finished spinning a brown targhee lamb fleece that I had carded and it was ready to go in the stash. I've spun about 1500 yards of a 3 ply (DK to worsted), although I lost about 100-200 yards in shrinkage when it was washed.  I was thinking of knitting The Grandpa Cardigan by Joji Locateli, however, I'm unable to knit a swatch with the correct gauge and I'm not willing to do the modifications needed to use my tighter gauge for the pattern. So, I'm going to be swatching in stockinette and looking for a new pattern.

I started the Paving Mitts by Ellen Silva (twinsetellen). This is a fun, fast, Tunisian crochet pattern for mitts with a thumb gusset. This is a great pattern for using scraps, although I'm using two yarns from my stash.

I finally ripped and restarted Mariannes Cardigan by Trine Bertelsen. I've added a purl stitch in the center of each group of underarm stitches. This purl stitch will continue down the side of the top as a faux seam and will allow me to hide the alternating of skeins. The area where I was alternating skeins before was turning out to be very noticeable. 

Summer Spin-In

The Summer Spin-In started on US Memorial Day (May 25) and will continue until US Labor Day (September 7). Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO
threads. We will have a thread for finished spinning projects and we'll also include a thread for finished projects made with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too! 

Get ready for the Summer Spin-In! Wash and card fiber, spin yarn, knit with handspun. It all starts Monday, May 25. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha's Projects:

I cast on Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. Kelly and our friend Janis both have yarn to cast this on, too. We got it last summer in the clearance bin at Tolt. 

I'm working on foot of first Arne & Carlos sock. These ultra bright socks are for my brother, Mark.

I recently picked up a Simple Shawl by Jane Hunter that I started March 2018! Using Michael's CWD in San Francisco Fog, to put it back in the knitting rotation, but I haven't made much progress since the last episode. This will probably stay on the back burner for awhile since I am swatching with Elemental Affects Cormo for the Holey Comfort cardigan by Hinterm Stein 

Kelly's Projects

I'm still working on the handspun  Babydoll Southdown socks. I'm not really enjoying the feel of the yarn, though. It's a good workhorse yarn and the gauge is nice and tight for a hard wearing sock. It's 100% wool--no nylon, silk or mohair for added strength, so that's good. But the fabric doesn't have the bounce of the yarn as I knit it. 

I finished plying the Fleeber's Farm Tasmanian Comeback. Light brown wool overdyed with red-orange. It's 210 yards and 129 grams. That sounds like a heavier weight than worsted but it also feels like a heavier fiber--more like a longwool. 

I started spinning a brown targhee lamb fleece that I had carded and ready to go in the stash. I've spun about 1000 yards of a 3 ply (DK to worsted). It was two boxes of carded batts. Now I have to card more of this fleece to get enough for a sweater. I'm thinking of knitting The Grandpa Cardigan by Joji Locateli . Also a possibility, but not quite as high on the list is  Que Sera by Kirsten Kapur.  This spinning (and now carding) project is really inspiring me for the Summer Spin-In. 

Show us your pattern!

This giveaway is closing June 4th! How do you use your patterns and how do you store them?  Check out the Ravelry group to participate in the thread. We will be drawing winners on June 4th for some beautiful Duren Dyeworks worsted weight skeins. 

Summer Spin-In

Starting on Memorial Day (celebrated this year on May 25 in the US) we will have a Summer Spin-In. Join in the chat thread and show off your finished projects in the FO
threads. We will also include a thread for knitting with handspun. So non-spinners can be included, too.  

Other News

Kelly is doing an online dog training class with Fenzi Dog Sports and one of the things she is learning is how to do shaping with Bailey. This video shows a dog that is already skilled at figuring out a shaping training session learning how to do the shaped skill of putting two feet into a box. 

It was a fun chat this episode after a long week. Knitting, old cookbooks, vintage Norwegian sweaters, and a few tangents! We also announced the winner of the Cosmic Crisp giveaway. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha's Projects:

I finished the John O Groats socks made with Yarns From the Plain sock yarn.

I also cast on Summer Fjord by Trin-Annelie using Quince & Co Sparrow in three colors. Then I picked up a Simple Shawl by Jane Hunter that I started March 2018! The yarn I'm using is Michael's CWD in San Francisco Fog.

There's a new project coming, too. I'm swatching with Elemental Effects Cormo for either Holey Comfort by Hinterm Stein or Waits by Bristol Ivy and I'm swatching with North Ronaldsay DK for a Phrancko custom sweater for Ben.

 Kelly's Projects

I started a pair of socks using handspun Babydoll Southdown yarn. First sock is done and I went through some gyrations to use up as much yarn as I could while still doing a top down sock. I can see the benefit of toe up socks, but the problem solving gave my brain something to focus on that was kind of a fun puzzle.

I started another spinning project with some Fleeber's Farm Tasmanian Comeback. Light brown wool overdyed with red-orange. I'm planning a 2-ply dk to worsted weight yarn. One bobbin is spun.

Vintage Norwegian Sweaters

Marsha talked about finding photos of her family living in Norway in 1959 and the sweaters her parents bought.

Marsha has also been finding fun little cookbooks that companies would giveaway to promote their products plus old clipping from her great aunt.

Show Us Your Pattern. Closing June 4th!

Show us your pattern! In the Ravelry thread show us how your used patterns look and tell us how you store your patterns. Marsha's patterns are folded and mutilated by the end of a project. She has friends who keep their patterns pristine.  Check out the Ravelry group to participate in the thread. 

Summer Spin Along Starts May 25 (US Memorial Day)

There's currently a thread in the group for planning for this. It will start on May 25 so there is time to think and plan. 

Recording with a Zoom audience again this time! Two finished knitting projects, some "show and tell" and some finished spinning.  Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

This was another live episode so Kelly had the opportunity to "show and tell" her 1958 Lace Cardigan. This sweater was started before I was much of a knitter and had to be put away for quite a long time while my knitting skills caught up to my plans! 

The discussion about how little instruction there was in old patterns reminded Marsha of a series of videos by Arne and Carlos about Norwegian sweaters and their history. 

Marsha's Projects:

I finished my Dusk Into Twilight Shawl by Rosemary Hill. I used Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Replenish Rambouillet fingering dyed by Kelly in three colors, Bourbon and Suede, Falling Leaves, and Aquamarine. 

Finished the heel flap of second John O Groats. Using Yarns From the Plain sock yarn.

Finished  Goro Anamara hat by Valeria Garcia. Using Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool Worsted. 

Correction: Frank Jernigan's website is Phrancko.com this is a correction from a previous episode show notes. Frank upgraded my account to premiere and I can get custom patterns for $1. Thinking of using Frank's program to make a sweater for Ben out of North Ronaldsay yarn.

 Kelly's Projects

I've finished my spinning using a mixed wool roving from Shaky K fibers. It was a multicolor braid or Corriedale, Columbia and Rambouillet. Such a bouncy blend of fibers and the colors worked well for a 3-ply.

I've also finished spinning a two-ply of merino and silk from Alexandra the Art of Yarn. It is burgundy and gold and as I started spinning I noticed that the singles  matched well with two skeins of Wandering Wool Udaipur (also a merino silk) in Cranberry Bog. So I think this spin will join those two skeins and become something. A sweater would be nice and maybe it would be my first wool pullover? 

The  Mariannes Cardigan, a pattern by Trine Bertelsen may not be completely fine, unlike Eleanor Oliphant. I tried it on and although the "seam" where I am alternating skeins starts out under the arm, it seems to be skewing and twisting so that the seam is more to the front of my body down at the bottom of the tee.. Will this block out? Do I want to find out the hard way? Or do I want to rip back to the underarms and try again? If I put a faux seam on each side I could more easily hide the place where the skeins alternate and the "jog" happens. 

Duren Dyeworks Spring Skeins Drawing

Laura from Duren Dyeworks was having a sale AND she threw in an extra skein. The yarn is targhee heavy worsted to aran weight. We'll be using it for prizes for a new giveaway. In the Ravelry thread show us how your used patterns look and tell us how you store your patterns. Marsha's patterns are folded and mutilated by the end of a project. She has friends who keep their patterns pristine.  Check out the Ravelry group to participate in the thread. 

Summer Spin Along?

Fiber Adventurers have been talking about the possibility of a summer spin along. We both have plenty of fleeces and think it's a great idea since we have so many fleeces needing to be processed and spun. There's currently a thread in the group for planning for this. It will start at the end of May so there is time to think and plan. 

It could be worse and Marsha's dreams prove it! Marsha has dreams of camping, training a horse in her house, and a line of people, six feet apart, waiting to rent rooms in her boarding house.  Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Kelly recommends Girl Beer from Strike Brewing in San Jose, CA, Made for International Women's day by her niece and her women brewer colleagues, it is a hazy double IPA. This pint sized woman is not too bitter and very strong!

Marsha's Projects:

I'm done with the stripes on my Dusk Into Twilight Shawl by Rosemary Hill and have started the final stripe of lace. I'm using Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Replenish Rambouillet fingering dyed by Kelly in three colors, Bourbon and Suede, Falling Leaves, and Aquamarine. 

No knitting on my John O Groats socks since we last recorded. Using Yarns From the Plain sock yarn.

I finished my Isle au Haut ("eye la hoe") pullover by Beatrice Perron Dahlen in Imperial Yarn Columbia. Last episode I talked about changes I made for ease. Sweater fits great!

Started a hat called Goro Anamara by Valeria Garcia. Using Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool Worsted. Its been a slow start. First time cast on with the wrong size needles. Second time by tubular cast on was super loose and funky. Going to cast on a third time with regular cast on.  Lots of problems getting started, but all of my own making and nothing to do with pattern.

 Kelly's Projects

I continue to slog along on my size three needles on the  Mariannes Cardigan, a pattern by Trine Bertelsen that combines crochet and knitting. Not a lot of knitting time in the last two weeks so I've made limited progress. Plus, I'm getting tired of all this stockinette in the round… I think I have about 2 more inches before I can do the crochet hem treatment.

I've started doing some spinning using a mixed wool roving from Shaky K fibers. It is a multicolor braid and it's been a delight to spin. 

The most exciting thing is that I finished the Cotswold Ruana! I fulled it carefully in the washing machine and I love the way the fabric looks. The handspun yarn marinated for 20 years and then found the perfect project!

Events

The Ewes will do "Zoom Baaaah" for their next episode.  We'll be recording live on April 23. Check Ravelry and Instagram for information about recording time.

It's not too late to join in for a chance to win a skein of Cosmic Crisp! Enter in the  Thread in Ravelry (finally!). Deadline is April 12th.

Our first episode recorded while livestreaming! It takes a really long time to talk about nothing… Because we are recording live people will actually see how long it takes! 

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha's Projects:

I've knit a bit on my Dusk Into Twilight Shawl by Rosemary Hill. I'm done with the short row shaping and on the last row of stripe before I start the final stripe of lace. I'm using Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Replenish Rambouillet fingering dyed by Kelly in three colors, Bourbon and Suede, Falling Leaves, and Aquamarine. 

No knitting on my John O Groats socks since we last recorded. Using Yarns From the Plain sock yarn.

Learned from a listener Sarah (salpal1) that the correct pronunciation of Isle au Haut is "eye la hoe". The pattern is by Beatrice Perron Dahlen. I'm using Imperial Yarn Columbia which is an aran weight in the color Juniper Green. We discussed in the last episode that the yarn has lots of knots. About 10-15 per skein. I learned from a listener, Sue, that the ranch no longer owns the yarn line. It's great to get listener feedback! Since the last episode I have finished both sleeves, attached them to the body and knit a little over half the yoke. I added eight stitches to the body for 4" of ease and I then had to remove those stitches in the yoke. The yoke has raglan shaping with a two stitch decrease at the four raglans which equals 8 eight stitches. Perfect! I did one extra row of decreases at the beginning of the raglan. Should be hidden there.

What Marsha is currently watching:

Arne and Carlos Daily Quarantine Knitting Podcast

Kelly's Projects:

I decided to keep going on the  Mariannes Cardigan after looking closely at the place where I am alternating skeins. It actually is under my arm when I try it on and it looks ok. It is a pattern by Trine Bertelsen that combines crochet and knitting. 

I've made great progress on the Cotswold Ruana and may even finish in time for the Winter Weave Along end (March 31). I have about 18 inches to go before it is ready to come off the loom for finishing. That will go fast since there are only about 8-10 picks per inch. Then I will hem it and wet finish it. I might not finish that part by the end of March.

I started another scrap hat using sock scraps. I'm down to very few tiny scrap balls. But I have some larger sock yarn leftovers.  I'm using the rest of the skein of Little Fish Stitches Seabrook Sunset yarn that I got at Seabrook and holding along with a cream colored sock yarn that I'm surprised I have in my stash.

Events

Cosmic Crisp yarn giveaway. Thread in Ravelry (finally!). Enter by April 12th.

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until March 31, so it ends in just a couple days. 

Marsha and Kelly are taking an online dog training class from Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. It starts on April 1. 

Yarn talk, pandemic talk, and an eye-opening airport security experience.  Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha's Projects:

I haven't touched my Dusk Into Twilight Shawl by Rosemary Hill since we last recorded. I'm using Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Replenish Rambouillet fingering dyed by Kelly in three colors, Bourbon and Suede, Falling Leaves, and Aquamarine. 

I'm knitting on my John O Groats socks as we record. Using Yarns From the Plain sock yarn.

We talked so much in the last episode I forgot to mention that I cast on a pullover called Isle au Haut by Beatrice Perron Dahlen. I'm using Imperial Yarn Columbia which is an aran weight in the color Juniper Green. The yarn has lots of knots. About 10-15 per skein. Really surprising that the company thought this was okay. Maybe this is why the yarn was on sale! My bust is 40" and the finished size choices were 42" or 46". I decided to cast on the smaller size but add eight stitches (2") to get 4" of positive ease. We'll see if my math works.

Kelly's Projects:

Finished the Dew Drop Shawl crochet shawl by Silke Terhorst.  My project used a gradient handspun that I made from a Loop Bump in teal, purple, and gray. 

While at Stitches I made great progress on the Mariannes Cardigan that I am making as a tee. It is a pattern by Trine Bertelsen that combines crochet and knitting. I've split for the sleeves and I'm several inches down the body. The pattern calls for no waist shaping and I'm thinking about whether to do a little bit of increasing for a slight A-Line. 

Events

Cosmic Crisp yarn giveaway. Thread in Ravelry (finally!). Enter by April 12th.

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so get your projects into the FO thread this month. 

Silberman & Brown is the stationery store Marsha talks about where she bought her desk blotter.

An extra large episode about a trip to Stitches West and a lot of projects and news from Kelly. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha

I finished a pullover called Seven Sisters by Sarah Pope using Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone. Love the fit!

I made lots of progress on my Dusk Into Twilight Shawl by Rosemary Hill. I'm using Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Replenish Rambouillet fingering dyed by Kelly in three colors, Bourbon and Suede, Falling Leaves, and Aquamarine. I cast on the night before I left for Iceland and it was bus knitting. I am a little over halfway done. The shawl is going to be big using 1,500 yards.

Haven't knit a stitch on my John O'Groats socks. 

Kelly:

First, my  newest project: Bailey, a 1-year-old German Shepherd (possible German Shepherd mix). We adopted Bailey in January and we've had her a little over a month. She had a rough first 11 months with about half of them spent fostering in a boarding kennel after the first half of her life landed her in the shelter with no hope of being adoptable.  She is doing great and making remarkable progress. She is also a lot of work! But I'm ready to play dog games again and I'm looking forward to having a young dog in training. We've started doing some training, but we start class next week. 

She likes listening to the podcast! Thanks to whoever it was at Stitches who suggested it as a solution for her anxiety in the crate when the house is empty.

It's been a long time since I've reported in about my fiber adventures. I finished my Habitat Cardigan, a crochet cardigan by Jess Coppom that I made with Lion Brand Heartland. I finished it in time for the first day back for spring semester for professional development. I got more compliments on this sweater than I have on anything in a long time. I wore it belted and with boots. I've since also worn in around the house unbelted and to work with and without the belt. It's a great sweater! 

I also finished Never Have I Ever Socks--Fix or Nix project. I decided to Nix the socks I had started, but instead of destashing the gradient sock blank, I decided to cast on a bigger sock cuff (80 stitiches) and make them long socks. So I started with 80 stitches and decreased with a little calf shaping and they are now finished. I used almost all of the sock blank. What is left is going to be used to reknit the foot of Robert's SF Giants argyles from my argyle class at Stitches 2018. 

Since the last episode I was in I've started and finished a Hat for Walking out of a mini-skein set that I got as a door prize at the retreat. It's a sockhead hat using the full amount of slouch so I could use as much of the yarn as possible. It is replacing my old sockhead hat that is faded and developing holes from sun damage. 

While at Stitches I made great progress on the Mariannes Cardigan that I am making as a tee. It is a pattern by Trine Bertelsen that combines crochet and knitting. I've split for the sleeves and I'm several inches down the body. The pattern calls for no waist shaping and I'm thinking about whether to do a little bit of increasing for a slight A-Line. 

Stitches West 2020

On our way to Stitches, we stopped in San Jose to visit Fillory Yarns, owned by Andrea Haws, who was on Marsha's Iceland trip.

We had a great time! We met fiber adventurers and connected with friends from previous years.

We took a Tunisian crochet class taught by Cindy Craig. Here is a video about the technique.

The marketplace was great again this year. The vendors we spoke with said yellow and orange were the most purchased colors this year. Dusky burgundy continues to be popular.

Some of the booths we thought were interesting were:

Baltic Linen Designs and The Yarn Dynamic

Loop Fiber Studio

The Royal Bee Yarn Company

Red Fish Dyeworks - We both bought skeins of lace weight silk to make socks.

Saraba African Art - We both bought ikat fabric.

We also met Frank Jernigan of Phrancko Designs. He has designed a program to create a custom fit sweater pattern using a top down, seamless "set in" sleeves. On his website is a video explaining the process. There is also a video of Frank being interviewed by Suzanne Bryan.

Apple Fiber Studio  donated a skein of their Cosmic Crisp yarn. Participate in the prize drawing by going to the thread on Ravelry. We'll draw prizes during our first episode in April.  

The second in the Iceland Fiber Adventures series! Marsha and Kim finished their trip and some projects and then head for home.  Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Kim (KMDesigns) and I had great plans to record every 2-3 days but time, and the need to sleep, meant that we ended up recording Dispatch #2 on the night before we headed home. Therefore, we only discussed what we did that was fiber related but below are links to everything we did.

Fiber Things:

Uppspinni Mini Mill

Haafell Goat and Sheep Farm

Ullaverkstaedi Wool Shop

Hespa Iceland Colors

Reykjavík:

Einar Jonsson Museum

Culture House

National Museum of Reykjavík

Outside Reykjavík:

Thingvellir National Park

Fridhamer Tomato Greenhouses for tour, lunch and Icelandic horses.

Gulfoss Waterfall

Geysir

Farm House and Ice Cream

Lava Tunnel

Geothermal Plant

Selfoss Falls

Black Beach

The Settlement Museum

Glacier Lagoon

Diamond Beach

Djupivogur Fishing Village

Janine Bajus, Pattern Designer,  designed two patterns for us to knit, the Convivencia Cowl and Snowflower Hat. These patterns were free to us but I don't see them on Janine's page so you will need to contact her for the designs.

Events

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you still have plenty of time for weaving projects. 

Stitches West is February 20-23 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. There is a podcaster meetup hosted by Yarniacs and 2 Knit Lit Chicks on Saturday the 22nd in the lobby bar area of the Hyatt (connected to the Convention Center). 

A dispatch from Iceland with Marsha and her travel buddy KimFull notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Their hotel was right near the large Church in Rekjavik-Hallgrimskirkja Church.

Rekjavik Food Adventures! Marsha and Kim recommend a food tour as a great way to orient yourself to the city and find out about restaurants you can go back to during your stay in Rekjavik. They visited a famouse Hot Dog stand in Rekjavik, had a fantastic Artic Char at Messin, ate Icelandic rye bread, Lava cake, ice cream, and frozen carmel corn. 

They bought yarn at a few places including the Handknitting Association of Iceland and FK Supermarket in Iceland. All grocery stores should stock yarn! Wouldn't that be great?  They went to more yarn stores, including Handprjon Yarn Shop, Litla Yarn Shop, and Alafoss Yarn Shop.  One of the yarns they saw was a Polish hand-dyed yarn called Martin's Lab Yarn.

The tour was originally planned with Cat Bordhi leading it but the tour leader was changed to Janine Bajus, Pattern Designer.  She designed some patterns that the group can knit along the way.

They visited Blue Lagoon Iceland and tried a few facial masks. 

The group spent a day at Salt Eldhus taking cooking classes while the wind howled outside. The view was beautiful and they were able to see the windstorm while they cooked lunch. 

Events

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you have plenty of time for weaving projects. 

Stitches West is February 20-23 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. There is a podcaster meetup hosted by Yarniacs and 2 Knit Lit Chicks on Saturday the 22nd in the lobby bar area of the Hyatt (connected to the Convention Center). 

Answering listeners' questions, doing a little podcast housekeeping, and catching up on project progress. Marsha has lost track of time and Kelly is losing track of broken rib stitches. You know, the usual antics!  

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

Marsha's Projects

Socks: Finished! Use Regia 4-fadig by Arne & Carlos in colorway 03760. I got this yarn from the NoCKRs destash room. A big thank you to the knitter who donated it as I love the colors and pattern.

Ames Beanie: Stephanie Larson. Using Purls Before Swine Hometown Worsted in colorway Seaglass. I ripped back to correct a mistake in one of the cables.

Morgan's Pinwheels & Checks: Started the fourth towel. 

The Weekender: by Andrea Mowry. Using Cascade 220 in colorway Wine. Did not get gauge with the suggested #9 needles. Went down to #8 and still off by ½ stitch. I think the fabric would be too dense going down to #7. Decided to make size #2 which, if the math is correct, will give me the suggested 10" of positive ease. Fingers crossed! I have knit 15" of the body and about to spit for armholes.

Weaving Studio: It's a work in progress. I met with a weaver who answered my want ad in the Seattle Weavers Guild newsletter. She sold me a LeClerc loom bench which is working great. Plus five shuttles for making rag rugs.

Eugene Textile Center

PlaidMaker.com

 

Kelly's Projects

Finishing the ribbing on the body of Graphito and ready to pick up for the sleeves. 

Bought the pattern for Solomon Poncho. It's been in my queue since 2023. 

Also interested in a new Thea Colman vest coming this week named The Last Word.

Winter Weave Along

Last push for the Winter Weave along with less than a month until the end. Show us your projects in the Ravelry thread. If you aren't on Ravelry consider joining just so you can talk with us about your weaving!

Knitting, crochet and weaving are all in full swing! Also a frenzy of casting on for a trip to Iceland. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Kelly's Projects

I'm close to finishing the crocheted sweater! It's the Habitat Cardigan, crochet cardigan by Jess Coppom. I'm making it with the Lion Brand Heartland that is called for in the pattern. The sleeves are on the hook right now and it should be done by the end of the weekend.

I'm still hooking along on the Dew Drop Shawl crochet shawl by Silke Terhorst.  My project is using a gradient handspun that I made from a Loop Bump in teal, purple, and gray. Once the sweater is finished I'll work on this more and get it finished. 

Stashbuster Weaving. Warp problems are fixed! Crowd-sourcing works!  Several listeners helped with this problem. The bottom line is that when warping multiple threads at the same time I need to make sure they don't twist as I put them on the warping board. Winding onto a warping reel rather than a warping board can somewhat alleviate this problem, it seems. That would explain why the warping process in the video didn't talk about this potential problem. I could also use a warping paddle as another potential solution. Or I could go back to warping with one or two threads at a time instead of 4. 

I finished my Christmas cast-on of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. It was from a fun kit that my mom found at her Joann store. The pattern is by Ann Franklin. 

Never Have I Ever Socks--Fix or Nix project: I have resurrected and fixed these instead of nixed. I am knitting them in tandem on dpns and making them longs socks using a larger stitch count to fit on my calves. So far I am really enjoying them. The double sock blank gradient from Invictus Yarns was too beautiful to nix and destash.

Marsha's Projects

I finished Shared Rib by Anne Hanson as a cowl and love it! The yarn,  Old Maiden Aunt fingering in the colorway Crimson Lips, is wonderfully soft. 

I finished the first sock of my John O Groats Socks and have knit about 2" on the second sock. I'm using Yarns From the Plains fingering weight in the colorway Cumbrian View. I bought the yarn from the dyer at the Caithness Craft Retreat in May. The pattern I'm using is the sock recipe from Nancy Lindberg, NL7 Knit to Fit Socks.

I'm getting ready for my Iceland trip from January 17 to February 3. I'm still mulling over what clothes to bring, but I have my projects ready to go!

I'll be bringing a sweater called Seven Sisters by Sarah Pope using Dovestone Baa Ram Ewe from my stash. Pattern starts with a tubular cast on and is straight stockinette until I stop, knit the sleeves and join them to body and begin the yoke pattern. Should be good airplane and talking knitting.

Also bringing a shawl, Dusk Into Twilight, by Rosemary (Romi) Hill. I'm using our Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Replenish Rambouillet in fingering weight. It's a  three color shawl and I'll use Falling Leaves (multi), Bourbon and Suede (Rust), and Aquamarine (aqua). I think the pattern will also be good for knitting and talking.

Because I was in the mood to cast on a sweater and use my stash, I cast on a second sweater called Isle au Haut Pullover by Beatrice Perron Dahlen. The stash yarn I'm using is Columbia from Imperial Yarns. It will be an unusual project for me: an aran weight pullover with a high collar. 

Daphne's Skull designed by Ellen Sibelius of Wooly Wonders hasn't been worked on at all since we last recorded. I thought I would set a goal to finish it by Stitches West the end of February. But that's unrealistic since I will be in Iceland. I will be lucky to get it done in time for the NoCKRs retreat. If I do, I can bring it to Kelly's and use her washer to felt it. 

Giveaway Winners!

Fix It or Nix It Winner won a pattern of her choice up to $12.00

Quarterly Patreon Drawing winner won yarn from Quintessential Knits: Intrepid Otter northwest dyer, Superwash merino sock yarn. Green with navy speckles. Colorway "12" referring to the Seattle Seahawks football team. 

Thank you to patrons who supported us in 2019. Thanks also to the newest patrons Nathalie and Martha. To support us on Patreon go to patreon.com/twoewes.

There are threads in the Ravelry discussion board if you have questions that you would like us to answer. Also, we are soliciting ideas for the kind of contests and "Alongs" that you would like to see in 2020.

Events

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you have plenty of time for weaving projects. 

Iceland January 17-February 3 Marsha and her friend Kim will be travelling to Iceland with Janine Bajus, who will be replacing Cat Bordhi as our guide and teacher on this trip.

 

Stitches West is February 20-23 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. There is a podcaster meetup hosted by Yarniacs and 2 Knit Lit Chicks on Saturday the 22nd in the lobby bar area of the Hyatt (connected to the Convention Center). 

Part two of the Mega Episode! Marsha's projects, an upcoming trip, and hopes for the New Year. If you haven't heard episode 126, please go back to get all the fun! Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

When last we heard from the Northwest heroine she had a dilemma. To rip back and use the correct needle size or keep going and bind off, leaving a mistake that probably no one would notice. What did she do? Read on and find out!

Marsha's Projects

Almost done with Shared Rib by Anne Hanson as a cowl.  Old Maiden Aunt fingering in the colorway Crimson Lips. I finished the six rows of ribbing and was about to bind off when I realized the ribbing was suppose to be worked with the smaller needles. Ripped back and knitted ribbing again.

Daphne's Skull designed by Ellen Sibelius of Wooly Wonders is not quite finished.I haven't picked it up since we last recorded. I've set a goal to finish it by Stitches West the end of February because KnittyBarb wants me to bring it to the show.

I'm about to start the toe decreases of the first sock of my John O Groats Socks using Yarns From the Plains fingering weight in the colorway Cumbrian View. I bought the yarn from the dyer at the Caithness Craft Retreat in May. The pattern I'm using is the sock recipe from Nancy Lindberg, NL7 Knit to Fit Socks.

Thinking about casting on a sweater either using New Lanark DK or Dovestone Baa Ram Ewe. Need a project for my trip to Iceland in January.

Fix it or Nix It   Ended the first of January. Neither Marsha nor Kelly got their button bands reinforced, but there were a few fixes for each and Kelly nixed a few pairs of half-finished socks. 

Events

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you have plenty of time for weaving projects. 

Stitches West is February 20-23 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. There is a podcaster meetup hosted by Yarniacs and 2 Knit Lit Chicks on Saturday the 22nd in the lobby bar area of the Hyatt (connected to the Convention Center). 

Fiber Goals--do you have them?

Kelly is interested in the tension between goals, challenges and to-do lists, and the idea that fiber crafts are a hobby that we do for fun. Do you have more fun when you have goals and challenges or when you have wide open choices?  We can discuss this on the Two Ewes Fiber Adventures Group on Ravelry. Come join the conversation!

Marsha's Hopes for 2020

• Health (weight, walking, core, knees, vitamins, attitude)

In this part of the conversation we talked a little about developing habits and the book The Power of Habit

• Fun (fibery stuff, travel, cooking, agility)
• Fiber (colorwork class, Mark's afghan, spinning, more projects for others)

Here Kelly said that she is looking for balance in her hobbies so that she is able to do all of them.

• Decreased governmental chaos

Marsha's distress and anxiety over the state of the country transcends political "sides"  and led Kelly to add the following resource.

Bryan Stevenson on Hope

To hear an excellent discussion on hop by Bryan Stevenson, jump to about 55:30 in this episode of the  Stay Tuned podcast.  Bryan Stevenson is a death penalty attorney who founded the Equal Justice Initiative. He is the author of the book Just Mercy (also being made into a movie). Kelly highly recommends listening to this short discussion on hope. 

Marsha was a Marvelous Hostess for the Holidays and Kelly is considering a career as a Gingerbread Architect! Holiday shenanigans meant the Ewes haven't talked in awhile. This was a MEGA episode but polling in the Ravelry Group led to us splitting this into two regular episodes. This is the first of the pair.  Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

We had lots of catching up to do so the fibery content starts late. Skip to about the 27:30 minute mark if you'd prefer to get right to the fiber adventures. In our conversation about Christmas I promised the Spruce Eats blog links to the gingerbread house recipes. Here they are:  

Structural Gingerbread

Royal Icing

Gingerbread House Tips

Kelly's Projects

My newest cast on is a knitted Nativity from a Kit that my mom got me for Christmas.

I'm close to finishing the crocheted sweater! It's the Habitat Cardigan crochet cardigan by Jess Coppom. I'm making it with the Lion Brand Heartland that is called for in the pattern. I'm doing the ribbing right now and I've made some modifications to the pattern due to my tight crocheting and maybe my choice of sweater size. I don't think that the positive ease is built into the pattern. 

I'm still hooking along on the Dew Drop Shawl crochet shawl by Silke Terhorst.  My project is using a gradient handspun that I made from a Loop Bump in teal, purple, and gray. The rows are getting bigger and bigger as I go so they are taking a long time. 

I finished four towels (out of a warp of six) of my  Stashbuster Weaving. These dishtowels have yellow/gold/orange/brown tones in warp, and I used mostly a cream/yellow cotton weft. My favorite of the four towels I alternated wefts. I used the pattern LDLLD with the cream as the light and a gold cotolin as the weft. I also used pebbleweave and another twill variation so each towel was a different weave structure. They were given as gifts for Christmas. I will have to straighten out my warp before I tie back on. I had some tangling starting to happen and I'm not sure what I did wrong. It's my first back to front warp and also my first time winding warp threads four at a time. Somehow in each bout of four there was twisting and tangling and it was ok until the end of the fourth towel. By that time the threads were so twisted it was affecting their ability to pull through the heddles as I advanced the warp. 

I've made two of the Mash it Up hats from the pattern Marsha talked about in a previous episode. I'm using sock yarn scraps that I had been saving for baby socks. I was tired of having so much and I wanted to deplete the jar. They will be charity hats. 

Marsha's Projects

I finished a Mash It Up hat for Ben's girlfriend using this free pattern by Babs Ausherman that uses sock yarn scraps. Great stash buster pattern. The first hat was too big so I knit a second (middle size) that fits great.

I also gave Ben and Bar each a skein of Shepherd's Wool worsted to knit them an 1898 Hat. I hope to finish Bar's before she leaves on January 9th.

I'm almost done with Shared Rib by Anne Hanson as a cowl.  Old Maiden Aunt fingering in the colorway Crimson Lips. Had a mistake and debated ripping back. Check the next episode to see how this ends!

The sequel to this cliff hanger episode will be published the weekend of January 4th!

Eggnog, Syllabub, and more. Talking holiday drink traditions with Kelly's husband, Robert. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

The Uncle's Eggnog

When Robert's Uncle Phillip died, his dad gave him an envelope of family pictures that Uncle Phillip had. The eggnog recipe was in the envelope so presumably it was part of Uncle Phillip's things. Uncle Phillip and Uncle Jerry had lived together for some years before Uncle Jerry died so we call it The Uncle's Eggnog. We really don't know where it came from or how they used it.  I cut it down to a household size that makes about two quarts before you add in the eggwhites. After adding in the eggwhites it makes about 3 quarts, but if it sits in the refrigerator for a time before you give it away to friends the eggs will deflate and you can use the third quart to make the first two quart jars full again.

Syllabub

This recipe came from a story Robert heard on NPR in 2009 about making Syllabub at Colonial Williamsburg. We made this over the holiday season and were enchanted. It is pretty magical how it turns out.  I highly recommend this for dessert on New Year's Eve. If you wanted to bring a gift of syllabub you could make it in some glasses that you would give to the recipient filled with the finished dessert. Here are three different recipe versions from the Colonial Williamsburg website. 

Podie's Manhattans

The key is a 2:1 ratio of bourbon to vermouth. Another key part of this recipe is to keep the whiskey in the freezer so it doesn't get diluted by ice when mixing! Robert also keeps the glasses chilled when he is planning to make Manhattans. Podie taught him to use Maker's Mark, but he also uses Bulleit Bourbon to make them. The cherries that Robert uses are Tillen Farms Bada Bing cherries. 

Tree Trimming Drink for Kids of All Ages

When I was a child, our family tradition for tree decorating was a punchbowl full of 7-Up and lime sherbet.  Robert and I continued this tradition for years but it became more and more difficult to find lime sherbet. And, let's be honest, we found other drinks! But if you can find the sherbet, or if you want to make your own lime sherbet, put it into a punchbowl and pour cold 7-Up over the top. It's pretty and festive and makes an occasion out of tree decorating!

Thank you, Robert, for contributing to this bonus episode! 

Thank you all for the reviews on Apple Podcasts! It's so nice to hear from you!  Marsha and I will be back next week for a regular episode.

Crochet projects on the hooks and knitting projects on the needles! We're finally back but not with full technology just yet. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Kelly's Projects

I finished two gnomes for my mom using the Oh Gnome You Didn't pattern by Sarah Schira.  I added beards to the gnomes instead of using a scarf. They are really cute with their hands in their pockets and tassels on their hats!

I started a new crocheted sweater! It's the Habitat Cardigan crochet cardigan by Jess Coppom. It's big and cozy and I'm making it with the Lion Brand Heartland that is called for in the pattern.

I've also started a crochet shawl. It's called the Dew Drop Shawl crochet shawl by Silke Terhorst.  My project is using a gradient handspun that I made from a Loop Bump in teal, purple, and gray. 

The Sonny Bono Jacket is once again on hold and in need of another skein of yarn. One sleeve is done,(twice because the first one was way too wide), but I don't think I have enough yarn for the second sleeve and the collar. 

I've also been doing some Stashbuster Weaving. These are dishtowels with yellow/gold/orange/brown tones in the warp, using cream/yellow cotton weft.

Marsha's Projects

I'm working on Shared Rib by Anne Hanson as a cowl.  Old Maiden Aunt fingering in the colorway Crimson Lips. About halfway done.

Daphne's Skull designed by Ellen Sibelius of Wooly Wonders is not quite finished. I finished the teeth on the bottom jaw. Need to knit 16 teeth for the upper jaw. Slow going. Using 000 needles.

Meanwhile, I started a new project! John O Groats Socks are a pair of socks using Yarns From the Plains fingering weight in the colorway Cumbrian View. I bought the yarn from the dyer at the Caithness Craft Retreat in May. The pattern I'm using is the sock recipe from Nancy Lindberg, NL7 Knit to Fit Socks.

Mash It Up is the newest pattern on my needles. Started a hat for Ben's girlfriend using this free pattern by Babs Ausherman that uses sock yarn scraps. Great stash buster pattern.

2019 in Review

We took a look at our Ravelry project pages using the advanced search button and then filtering by Year Finished.  It's a fun way to look at the data in your projects. 

Kelly's Year in Review--Finished in 2019

5 pair of socks (4 shorties, 1 regular, all for me)

9 charity hats from spirit yarn

2 sweaters

1 shawl, a pair of cowls, a shawlette

2 Gnomes, 1 bee, 1 tarantula,10 bears, 1 sugar skull

3 (K)Not Along projects--quilt top and 2 punch needle projects

No finished weaving, finished crochet projects are Bee, Tarantula, and most of the bears.

Almost zero spinning! That's what happens when you break your foot, I guess!

Marsha's Year in Review--Finished in 2019

4 Sweaters

2 Tees (So that's really 6 sweaters!!!!!)

4 hats

3 pair of socks

Events

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you have plenty of time for weaving projects. 

Fix it or Nix It--Starts November 1st and goes through January 1. Join the planning on the Ravelry group discussion board.

St. Distaff Day 2020 is Saturday, January 4th at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington. It is put on by a Chapter of the Northwest Regional Spinners Association. 

Stitches West is February 20-23 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. There is a podcaster meetup hosted by Yarniacs and 2 Knit Lit Chicks on Saturday the 22nd in the lobby bar area of the Hyatt (connected to the Convention Center). 

Technology troubles meant you almost didn't get to hear this episode. But here we are! Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

This episode was recorded back on October 29 and is just now getting published due to Kelly's ancient Macbook finally showing its age. Learning a new audio software on a different computer platform meant little editing and a long delay in getting this out to you. We know you'll forgive our recording imperfections so we wanted to get this out to you!

Marsha's Projects

I'm continuing on Shared Rib cowl by Anne Hanson .  Old Maiden Aunt fingering that in the colorway Crimson Lips that I bought at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival.

I'm also working on Daphne's Skull designed by Ellen Sibelius owner of Wooly Wonders. To hear more about her designs check out Episode 109. My progress has slowed way down because I got sick with a cold and the teeth have turned out to be very fiddly. It won't be finished in time for Halloween.

I'm thinking of my next sweater project:

Atlas by Jared Flood

Snow Flower Heidi Kirrmeier

Calder Pullover Rebecca Blair

A shawl using Two Ewes Replenish Rambouillet

Kelly's Projects

I finished Seabrook Socks out of Little Fish Stitches yarn in the Seabrook Sunset colorway.

I started Wooly Wonders Sugar Skull. (This has since been finished)

Sonny Bono Jacket is back in active status. I'm working on the sleeves. 

Events

Fibershed Wool and Fine Fiber Symposium, November 16th, 9-5 at Point Reyes Station

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you have plenty of time for weaving projects. 

Fix it or Nix It--Starts November 1st and goes through January 1. Join the planning on the Ravelry group discussion board. 

Troubleshooting a tricky pattern, productive struggle, and planning to Fix It or Nix It are the topics for this week. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Marsha's Projects

I finished 1898 Hat by Kristine Byrnes with worsted weight.  Leading Men Fiber Arts Box Office Worsted in the colorway Wild Goose Chase. The pattern is available for free on the Seamen's Church Institute: Christmas at Sea website. 

I restarted Shared Rib by Anne Hanson as a cowl. I'm using Old Maiden Aunt fingering that in the colorway Crimson Lips that I bought at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival.

I also started Daphne's Skull designed by Ellen Sibelius owner of Wooly Wonders. To hear more about her designs check out Episode 109. Keep your fingers crossed I finished this by Halloween. ;-)

Kelly's Projects

My only project is the pair of Seabrook Socks out of Little Fish Stitches yarn in the Seabrook Sunset colorway exclusive to String Theory Yarn and Fiber. Using a pattern of traveling purl stitches inspired by Hermione's Everyday Sock pattern.

I moved the spinning wheel into the bedroom but still haven't done any spinning. 

Exciting Shop news

The Ewes have several new bases coming soon to the shop. Besides the fingering weight Replenish Rambouillet, the show will also have a sport weight and a worsted weight. In addition, there will be two small-batch yarns available--one Romney and another Corriedale x Romeldale. We'll keep you posted about a coming shop update. 

Events

Fibershed Wool and Fine Fiber Symposium, November 16th, 9-5 at Point Reyes Station

Winter Weave Along--Started October 15 in the Two Ewes Ravelry Group. This weave along goes until the end of March so you have plenty of time for weaving projects.

Fix it or Nix It--Starts November 1st and goes through January 1. Join the planning on teh Ravelry group discussion board. 

Reviewing the WA Coast Meetup, a fiber mill, inspirations to cure a knitting funk, weaving plans and patron appreciation prizes round out this episode. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Thank you to Jean Chambers at  String Theory Yarn and Fiber for helping us put on the Washington Coast Meetup! We had a great time meeting new fiber friends who felt like old friends right away. The unexpected theme of the meetup was dogs! All the attendees were dog owners, the shop has a new puppy, Marsha brought Enzo, and two of the attendees also had their dogs with them. So a beach run with the dogs was a highlight of Saturday afternoon.

On our way to Seabrook we stopped by Olympic Yarn and Fiber Mill for a tour by the owner Lynn Lipski. She is also the creator of Lina Yarns. We toured her current mill and had a sneak peak at the new fiber spinning mill that she is opening in Cosmopolis, WA. Her operation is very impressive and her vision for providing a mill for local fiber and helping to build the fiber supply chain is definitely infectious. 

Marsha's Projects

I finished Lounging Top by Joji Locatelli. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Juliet. 

I also finished the first sock with  Schahenmayr Regia Design Line by Arne & Carlos. I'm using  Knitted Wit Smarties for the toes and heels. Note: 45-yard mini skein is enough for heel and toe of one sock.

I'm making another 1898 Hat by Kristine Byrnes with worsted weight. This time using Leading Men Fiber Arts Box Office Worsted in the colorway Wild Goose Chase. The pattern is available for free on the Seamen's Church Institute: Christmas at Sea website. 

Marsha's Plans

I started Shared Rib by Anne Hanson back in February. The pattern is for a scarf, cowl, or infinity cowl. I've knit about 4" of the scarf but think I'm going to rip out and knit the cowl instead. The yarn is from Old Maiden Aunt fingering that in the colorway Crimson Lips that I bought at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival.

Halloween is coming! I'm thinking about making the Daphne's Skull designed by Ellen Sibelius owner of Wooly Wonders. To hear more about her designs check out Episode 109.

Kelly's Projects

I'm participating in the Oh Gnome You Didn't MKAL by Sara Shira. I was keeping up with the clues until I went off to Washington for the meetup. The clue that week involved stuffing the gnome so I put the project on pause for the trip and I haven't picked it back up. The mystery KAL is now over so I know how the gnomes look and they're very cute. I'll finish my two in time for Christmas and add a couple more traditional looking gnomes to the bunch, but  right now I'm not in the mood for small pieces, stuffing or sewing. 

I did start a pair of socks at the meetup. They are out of Little Fish Stitches yarn in the Seabrook Sunset colorway that is exclusive to String Theory Yarn and Fiber. It's a very pretty orange and purple combination. 

Other than that, my knitting has hit a stall. I'm in a funk. Maybe that's for the best since it's almost time for the 19-20 Winter Weave Along! It will start on October 15th and go until March 15th. For handouts from the last two years, go to the pages section of our Ravelry Group.

Third Quarter Patron Appreciation drawing!

We so appreciate all of our generous patrons who support us with monthly contributions through our Two Ewes Patreon page. We have patron tiers starting at $3 per month. The money is used to help pay our hosting fees, as well as to pay for the purchase and shipping of podcast prizes. While we always appreciate prize donations, we also like to support makers and purchase their wares as prizes for our giveaways. Patron support contributes to our ability to do that. Thank you so much for your support! We announce two winners in the patron appreciation drawing! 

We also appreciate the support we receive from listeners in the form of podcast recommendations to others, prizes, donations, and participation in our community on Ravelry!

Kelly is making crochet charts and modifying a cardigan to a pullover. The (K)Not Along was a smashing success with beautiful projects and fun prizes. Hear some great listener feedback about non-gaping button bands. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Save the Date for the Two Ewes Washington Coast Meet-up at  String Theory Yarn and Fiber in Seabrook, Washington, September 20-22.

Friday 9/20 late afternoon/evening wine and cheese.

Saturday 9/21 knitting and walking the beach. Shop opens at 10 am.

Sunday 9/22 morning knitting. Shop opens at 10 am.

Come for the day or knit the weekend away!  Here is an RSVP form so you can let us know if you're coming! We want to make sure we have enough goodie bags for all.

Find lodging for the weekend at Seabrook or in nearby Pacific Beach or Ocean Shores. Or join us for a day if you are nearby!

Seabrook, Washington

Thank you to Jean Chambers at  String Theory Yarn and Fiber for helping us put on this fun event!

Marsha's Projects

Working on socks with  Schahenmayr Regia Design Line by Arne & Carlos. I'm going to use Knitted Wit Smarties for the toes and heels.

I recently ripped out the Neskowin Shell by Kay Hopkins. I changed her pattern and it didn't work. Too heavy and too short. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Juliet and I am knitting the Lounging Top by Joji Locatelli. Finished the yoke and about to join for the body.

Almost finished with 1898 Hat by Kristine Byrnes with worsted weight  Hazel Knits Cadence in the colorway Woodland. The pattern is on the Seamen's Church Institute: Christmas at Sea. This seemed to be the perfect pattern for an adventurer and yarn is from Seattle.

Kelly's updates

I started crocheting the yoke for Mariannes cardigan by Trine Bertelsen. The pattern has a crochet yoke, button band, and sleeve edging. I will modify it to be a pullover. I'll be using Blue Heron Egyptian Mercerized Cotton spirit yarn from Tracy (littletownknitter). The yoke is my crochet swatch.  If the yoke isn't the right size I'll rip out and choose a different size.

(K)not Along

There were so many creative fiber related projects that were not kniting, not crochet, not weaving and not spinning.  From needle felting to nalbinding, from chair upholstery to sewing, the Fiber Adventurers didn't disappoint! We talk about the projects and pull prizes for three lucky winners. Take a look at all the projects on the (K)not Along Finished Object thread on Ravelry. 

Adventurer Feedback

The Fiber Adventurers also didn't disappoint with their feedback about sweater closures. There are some great photos and explanations about grosgrain ribbon and button bands and buttonhole bands in the Episode 119 thread on Ravelry. 

New puppies, cute babies on pattern photos, and LOTS of discussion and conjecture about button bands, zippers, and grosgrain ribbon. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Save the Date for the Two Ewes Washington Coast Meet-up at  String Theory Yarn and Fiber in Seabrook, Washington, September 20-22.

Here is an RSVP form so you can let us know if you're coming! We want to make sure we have enough goodie bags for all.

Find lodging for the weekend at Seabrook or in nearby Pacific Beach or Ocean Shores. Or join us for a day if you are nearby!

Seabrook, Washington

Thank you to Jean at  String Theory Yarn and Fiber for helping us put on this fun event!

Marsha's Projects

I finished the Lace Market T-shirt by Marie Green using Schoppel-Wolle El Linio several weeks ago. The neckline was too big and yesterday I finally reknit it. Fits perfectly!

The Schoppel-Wolle Das Paar socks are finished and they match just as promised.

I also finished Fine Sand by Heidi Kirrmeier. Using Fibra Natura Unity. Fits great!

I also cast on another pair of vanilla socks for my brother. Using Schahenmayr Regia Design Line by Arne & Carlos. I'm going to use Knitted Wit Smarties for the toes and heels.

I recently ripped out the Neskowin Shell by Kay Hopkins. I changed her pattern and it didn't work. Too heavy and too short. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Juliet and I am about to cast on the Lounging Top by Joji Locatelli.

I'm making a hat for a friend that is going to be working in Antarctica. I plan to make 1898 Hat by Kristine Byrnes with worsted weight  Hazel Knits Cadence in the colorway Woodland. The pattern is on the Seamen's Church Institute: Christmas at Sea. This seemed to be the perfect pattern for an adventurer and yarn is from Seattle.

Kelly's updates

I swatched for Mariannes cardigan by Trine Bertelsen. The pattern has a crochet yoke, button band, and sleeve edging. I will modify it to be a pullover. I'll be using Blue Heron Egyptian Mercerized Cotton spirit yarn from Tracy (littletownknitter).

Also joined the Oh Gnome You Didn't mystery gnome knit along. Pattern updates start in early September.

Billions of baby socks!  Well, maybe not billions.  Six pairs are finished and I have another pair on the needles.

Method 1:  I often use the same sock formula that I use for my own socks and do them top down with a heel flap of half the stitches. I usually use size US 2 needles and 32 stitches. To turn the heel I go two stitches past the center do a decrease, do one more stitch and turn. Then slip one, go five stitches, do a decrease, do one more stitch and turn. Now every row I slip one, knit to the gap created by the decrease, do a decrease across the gap, knit one more stitch, and turn. Repeat until all stitches are used. Then I pick up for the gussets and keep knitting.  A pattern, if you want one is Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks 

Method 2: For the most recent socks I've been using a short row heel and it seems faster. I've been using Basically Perfect Baby Socks by Diana Burch as a guide for the short rows. 

Listener Questions

Yarngirl52 (Debbie) asked about adding a zipper, adding a shoulder button band for a toddler sweater, and finishing a button band. Should you use grosgrain ribbon or not; backer buttons or not.

There are two ways to add a zipper to a sweater that doesn't have one. One way is steeking to add a zipper to a sweater designed as a pullover, another is adding a zipper to a sweater instead of a button band.

Kelly responds: 

I haven't ever done a steeked sweater, but I steeked for the Clover, Bee, and Revery pillow. The pillow was knit in the round with an extra 5 or 7 stitches that were where it was cut and folded over to create the left and right edges of the pillow top.  I did a crocheted steek where I crocheted up each edge before cutting. If I ever made another Cowichan-style sweater I think I would do it in the round and then steek it to put in the zipper. That way you avoid colorwork while purling. 

I added a zipper instead of a button band to the Mielie vest that I made (pattern by Hilary Smith Callis). I made the button bands a little wider because I liked that look. I also changed the order of putting on the collar and button band so I could fold the collar down over the top edge of the zipper. I sewed the zipper in by hand and I actually just used yarn to do it. The zipper on the Orcas Run was sewn by hand with sewing thread. I pinned it on, zipped the zipper up to adjust the pinning if needed, then unzipped it again and made small stitches all around the edge of the zipper.

What about adding a shoulder button band to a toddler sweater that doesn't have one?  Bluebell Pullover doesn't have a shoulder button band but has the envelope neckline that onesies have. To put a button band on a bottom up sweater would be straightforward. Instead of joining at the shoulders, just bind off (to provide structure) and then pick up for the button bands. One will need to have button holes put into it. I think I'd make it the front one, but it doesn't really matter I don't think. Putting a button band on a top down toddler sweater would be more tricky and would really depend on the construction of the sweater. 

Another trick I like when I want to alter a pattern is to find a pattern with the thing I want to add and either make it first to figure out the construction, or read through it and see if I can visualize how to make the changes I want in the original sweater. For example Diggory from Berroco is an example. It has the neckline with button bands and could serve as a great model of what to do. Besides, the baby in the pattern photo couldn't be cuter. Go take a look--we promise it will make you smile!

Marsha found some resources about adding grosgrain ribbon to the button bands of a sweater. Neither of us have ever done this, but we spend a lot of time speculating and decide to experiment with the technique on two of our sweaters. 

Tips for adding ribbon to a sweater button band by Olive Knits. 

Adding a ribbon backing to your knit button band by Ms. Cleaver

 

Finished projects! Also weaving, the loom restoration project, aging, and our usual chit chat. 

Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Subscribe on Android.

Marsha's Projects

Graphito: by Heidemarie Kaizer. Finished! Used Purls Before Swine Robusta in colorways Good Jeans (blue) and Toxic (pink).

Ames Beanie: Stephanie Larson. Using Purls Before Swine Hometown Worsted in colorway Seaglass. I was about to start the decreases when I noticed I had crossed one of the cables the wrong way. I need to rip back.

Socks: Using Regia 4-fadig by Arne & Carlos in colorway 03760. Finished first sock. Finished gusset and knitting foot of the second sock.

Morgan's Pinwheels & Checks: Finished the third of four towels. I had hoped to be finished by this episode, but alas, life seldom goes as planned. 

The Weekender: by Andrea Mowry. Using Cascade 220 in colorway Wine. Did not get gauge with the suggested #9 needles. Went down to #8 and still off by ½ stitch. I think the fabric would be too dense going down to #7. Decided to make size #2 which, if the math is correct, will give me the suggested 10" of positive ease. Fingers crossed!

Weaving Studio: It's a work in progress. I met with a weaver who answered my want ad in the Seattle Weavers Guild newsletter. She sold me a LeClerc loom bench which is working great. Plus five shuttles for making rag rugs.

Kelly's Projects

Done with weaving on the fifth warp for the trailer curtains! Still need to wash, cut, and sew.

Started back on Graphito. Still knitting on the body for about 3 more inches.  

Winding a new, spring colored warp for dishtowels.

2025 Challenge Thread:

Are you creating any challenges for yourself for 2025? If so you can share them here. 

Winter Weave Along

Going until March 31. Show us your projects in the Ravelry thread. If you aren't on Ravelry consider joining just so you can talk with us about your weaving!

Lots of travel knitting, a natural dye workshop with fiber friends and some listener questions about spinning and stash are the topics for this week. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of  our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com Come join the community on Ravelry or become a patron and support the show on our Patreon Page.

Save the Date for a Washington Coast Meet-up!

September 20-22.  We'll be meeting to knit and chat at String Theory Yarn and Fiber. Find lodging for the weekend in Seabrook, Washington or in nearby Pacific Beach or Ocean Shores. Or join us for a day if you are nearby! Click here to RSVP so we can reserve your goodie bag! Here is a link to the Ravelry thread about the meet-up.

We just spent a week together in Seattle! Kelly came up to join Marsha and some fiber friends for a natural dye workshop.  The dyes used were coreopsis, lichen, avocado, and cochineal. They were dyed on a variety of natural colored yarns using different strengths of dye. We also used an ammonia modifier to change the color of the dye. Very inspiring. 

Marsha's Projects:

I finished the Lace Market T-shirt by Marie Green using Schoppel-Wolle El Linio several weeks ago. The neck is too big and I had planned to re-knit picking up fewer stitches, small needles, and slightly less loose bind off. Where did the time go?

I turned heel and worked gusset of  Schoppel-Wolle Das Paar socks. About an inch of the foot is completed.  I also finished body and neck band of Fine Sand by Heidi Kirrmeier, using Fibra Natura Unity. 

Knot a long: Nothing!!!! But that doesn't mean you shouldn't enter. So far we have 38 FOs, our biggest along ever! Enter by August 31st. Remember, it's any fiber related item that is not knit,  crochet, spinning or weaving. We'll draw for prizes in our first September episode.

Kelly's Projects

The most significant FO for this week is my 5th metatarsal! Bone is 90% healed and the boot is off. Now on to the physical therapy!

I also finished Two cowls from Alchemy yarn 100% silk. The pattern is Simple Yet Effective from Tin Can Knits. I finished the first one on the road trip to Seattle and the second one I almost finished on the trip back home.  

The Silk Cardigan from Dragonfly Fibers Dance Rustic Silk is also finished. The pattern is Koru by Aroha Knits. I got some good wear out of it during the trip to Seattle. The fit is good and the armscye works ok with some of my short-sleeved tees. 

I also finished the Tarantula that I was making for my grand nephew. Did you know that Tarantulas have 8 eyes? Two larger eyes and 6 tiny ones. I tried to make this tarantula as realistic as possible. The grands are keeping the class tarantula for the summer, so they are a little tarantula-obsessed!

Finally, I finished the miniature punch needle rug. The kit by J. Conner Designs was a gift from Tori (wideanglemind). It was so fun and fast to do and turned out so cute.  I will definitely try more of this mini-punch work. The fabric is thin and flexible compared to the regular punch needle. It is more like embroidery and is often called punch needle embroidery. 

Questions from Listeners

PegofmyHeart (Peggy) asked about keeping her handspun yarn consistent. 

"When I returned to spinning I must have changed my gauge. Now I have a sleeve that needs to be ripped out. New fiber spun, hopefully at a better gauge, and knitted again. HELP!"

Suggestions: Take a piece of freshly spun singles off the bobbin and let it ply back on itself to be stablized. I hang this on my wheel so I can keep checking my spinning against this yarn. Unply it so you can see the single if you need to. You can also make a "Spinners Control Card" where you wrap both freshly spun singles and the plied-back-on-itself yarn around a stiff card and keep that with your spinning. This will help with consistency in spinning. Don't wrap it too tightly or it will seem thinner than it really is. 

Other tricks are:

Spin all the singles before plying and put them all on storage bobbins and ply them first bobbin to last bobbin, second bobbin to penultimate bobbin, etc.  This presumes that the most widely differing bobbins are first and last and plying them together will average out the inconsistencies. 

Spin all the yarn before starting the project and calculate the yards per pound or yards per gram. This will help you see inconsistencies in the skeins and allow you to use the most similar skeins where gauge is important. Any that are significantly different can be used where it matters less or maybe they won't be needed at all.

Cindy (CindyQ)  and Valerie29 (Valerie) asked about stash busting, and stash organizing.

Marsha suggests: I organize my wool stash by weight and store them in labelled plastic bins I pick up at the Goodwill. I have a separate bins for cotton and handspun. Braids for spinning are stored in those plastic covers that bedding comes in.

Yarn/fiber I buy at stores is listed in Ravelry. I tried posting yarn I pick up at thrift stores/destash rooms in Ravelry, but it honestly got to be too much.

As for using up the yarn, I made a scarf called Mini Mania using leftover sock yarn. I also made a Steven West afghan called Garter Squish that used up about 5,700 yards of worsted weight yarn. I made a shaw called Sunny Delight using yarn from the NoCKRs retreat destash room. Socks and hats are another great way to use up stash.

Here are some other patterns I have been looking at to use up leftovers.

Lily's Scrap Blanket

Vintage Crocheted Throw & Afghan

Briochevron Blanket  (not sure I can do that much brioche)

Stashbuster Blarf

Stashbuster Sweater

 

Kelly says: Right now I have yarn all over the place.  Larger weaving cones are on a shelf in the garage and the smaller cotton, linen, etc. cones are in boxes in the garage since my only available looms are out there.  Usually most of my knitting yarn is in baskets and bowls and sorted however I think looks nice. It varies.  Sometimes by color, sometimes by type, sometimes by weight. Because of the electrical work mess, some of my yarn is also in boxes/bags in the living room (where big piles of stuff are being stored). 

After using an already created warp from a destash, I've been thinking that winding warps and storing them as warps would be a great way to have weaving projects ready to go. When the inside studio is available again I've thought of a system for threading cones onto chains that drape across one of the walls. I like to see my yarn in different combinations to get inspiration. The downside of this system is that there could be sun damage to the yarn if I don't use it regularly. I'm also not quite sure of the system for getting yarn down easily without having the whole string of cones come down on my head!

My stashbuster projects for using leftovers are bears for the Mother Bear Project , charity hats, and baby socks. I also find that having yarn out on display gives me other ideas for combining yarns that weren't originally planned to go together. Another possible project for using up waste (thrums from weaving) and other leftovers are to make hot pads. One technique is to use multiple strands that are twisted and plied to create a square that is then sewn together and felted. Another technique is to wrap rope with yarn using a coil basketry technique to make a spiral the becomes a round hot pad. Both would be perfect projects for the (K)Not Along that is going until August 31).

Crochet critters, punch needle projects, finished sweaters, and listener questions are the topics for this episode. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry,  or email us with your thoughts at twoewes@twoewesfiberadventures.com

Marsha's Projects

Finished Lace Market T-shirt by Marie Green using Schoppel-Wolle El Linio. The neck is too big. I intentionally didn't weave in ends because I thought this might be an issue. I'll reknit the neckline with smaller needles, picking up fewer stitches, and doing a slightly less loose bind off.

I finished first sock using Schoppel-Wolle Das Paar. Cast on for second and knit about 3 inches.

I cast on for a summer weight sweater, Fine Sand by (of course) Heidi Kirrmeier. The yarn is Fibra Natura Unity. The yoke and about 7" of body are finished. Nice yarn with some thick and thin sections that give it character. 

Kelly's Projects

My Assam Cardigan is finished and I didn't run out of yarn! The seaming I used was mattress stitch and a variation of duplicate stitch since it was knit sideways. Pull the mattress stitch tight, but make sure the duplicate stitch has your seaming stitches the same size as your knit stitches so it shouldn't be pulled tight.

The Knot Along practice punch needle project is finished. I learned a lot. I used handspun rug yarn leftovers and it's a good example of different colors with the same value not really having enough contrast for color work. If you look at the piece in a black and white photo you can see that the colors don't have enough contrast in value.

I have several crochet projects finished! Beeyanka Honey pattern was put on my radar by a listener and I snapped it right up and made it during a camping trip. I also finished 8 Mother Bears (2 were knit, 6 orcheted).  

Actively in progress I have a crocheted tarantula for my nephew, the Koru Cardigan, and I'm getting ready to start a miniature punch needle project with a different kind of punch needle than the Oxford Punch Needle brand. I'll be using crewel weight yarn. It's a kit. 

Listener Questions

Fiddlewitch (Joanna) asked about "how to get more out of ravelry and tricks on using the site." She also wanted "leads on who else is doing wonderful work out there. Who are your (who are our) favorite unsung designers? "

Kelly: One of my favorite Ravelry features is the advanced search. You can do an advanced search on almost anything--forum posts, projects, your own stash, patterns.  Just look for a link saying advanced search. 

For example, recently I've been using the advanced search to find patterns from lesser known designers, particularly designers of color. First I favorited some bundles that were created by others: Solidarity Swap Designers, POC Designers to Lift Up. Then I go to patterns and select " pattern browser and advanced search." Once there, the category My Notebook on the side has "favorite bundles" as one of the filters. I also like to use gauge as a filter in order to find a pattern that matches my swatch, rather than trying to make my swatch match a particular pattern.

Finding bundles to favorite in the first place is a little trickier. You can find bundles on a group's main page or in an individual's favorites. Ravelry VP of Operations MaryHeatherB has a great set of bundles on her favorites page. Once you favorite/heart a bundle, you can use it as a search filter. 

To support makers who are people of color, you can also follow @bipocinfiber and @bipocmakers on Instagram. Also @ladydyeyarns on Instagram has been posting independent dyers and other makers of color and who are not always as well known.. 

Seine1 (Kathleen) asked "I'd like to hear about some of the Rav groups you belong to."

Kelly: I belong to a lot of Ravelry Groups and you can see them all by looking at the side of my profile page. On the forum page of Ravelry you can organize your forums by clicking on the wrench on the upper right of the forums page. This allows you to adjust all kinds of settings to customize your forums page. In my forums I have the ones I'm most active in on the first tab, then I've divided the others into podcast groups, groups for techniques and topics, and the Ravelry main boards.

Events

Save the Date for a Seabrook, WA Meetup at String Theory Yarn and Fiber, September 20-22.

Find lodging for the weekend at Seabrook or in nearby Pacific Beach or Ocean Shores. Or join us for a day if you are nearby!

Answers to your questions about finishing knits-weaving in ends, washing, blocking. There is no shame in not weaving in ends and you can be a little reckless with your washing. Full notes with photos and links can be found in the podcast section of our shop website: TwoEwesFiberAdventures.com.  Join the community on Ravelry  or email us: twoewes@twoewesfiberadventures.com or contact us on our website. 

This episode's topics come from questions in our community on Ravelry:

Finishing Knit and Crochet Projects

Marsha: Two quick stories.

1. In the 80/90's when Kaffe Fassett's colorwork was the rage, he wrote that he didn't bother weaving in any ends because they were on the inside.

2. Bought a shetland hat on Orkney and the woman who knit it just knotted the ends and left them. No weaving. She said after a good wash the ends stayed put. I'll report back after wearing the hat.

I always wash my finished project and lay it out on a towel on the spare bed in the shape of the pattern schematic. I then pin it in that share with T pins. If it is lace I block "aggressively" often beyond the size of the schematic.

Linen goes in dryer.

Here are some good videos by Suzanne Bryan. I met her at Stitches West two years ago. She is a master knitter and very informative. Here is her YouTube Channel

Here are some of her videos on this topic:

How to Block Knitting

Blocking a Sweater (knit in the round)

Blocking a Sweater (in pieces)

Weaving in Ends in Garter Stitch

Weaving in Ends in Stockinette 

On stockinette and garter stitch I weave in the end following the stitch on the wrong side. If it's very fine yarn I may un-ply the yarn and weave in the singles separately.

Kelly:

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On cotton and linen  garments I have the best luck if I weave a little and then leave a tail hanging on the inside.

Duplicate stitch is the way I weave in ends if I don't want them to show on front or back. If you don't want to do duplicate stitch after the fact this technique is like doing duplicate stitch weaving in as you knit:  Knit with two strands together for 4-5 stitches or more for very slippery yarns. This is good for lace and other patterns where duplicate stitch is difficult. Cut the tails on each strand.

Another way to secure ends is to use a sharp needle while weaving in ends and and split the yarn so the end is traveling inside of another yarn strand.

Another tip: Don't cut yarn cleanly--pull a little and rip the scissors blade across making a rough edge. Even with nonfelting yarn the fibers will be able to grip each other a little when this end is woven in.

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