Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Ten weeks in Wexford

I feel so lucky that I came across the 1798 Spinners here.
They spin in The Irish National Heritage Centre  ( https://www.irishheritage.ie ) once a month and various other places in addition.
They are a lovely group and I've been spinning away with them since - of note, we went to the Tinahely Agricultural  show ( www.tinahelyshow.ie ) as a group in the woolly corner (along with a variety of sheep and fleece) which was great fun not least as the lunch served there was of very good quality.

Huddie (now 17 1/2 years old) found his spot on one of my old knitted mats

and Connie ensconced amid the clutter

All the biggest house renovations have been completed and the place is quite lovable now - though the garden is a mess and we've had no luck finding Landscaping assistance so far. However many of the worst elements have been tackles.
Great to be able to walk to Wexford fort in minutes.




Sheep fleece is now residing in the very small attic and I do have a fine craft area to spin and prep fibre in without always having to clear everything away owing the the presence of a second table around the corner in the kitchen area.

We have a very short walk to the shops and only a little further to Wexford Harbour. Short drives to Rosslair beach and Curracloe beach are regulars for me and Collie Connie. There a many other places to visit and walk (Johnstown Clatle and grounds, Ferrybank etc).

 The Faithe Window Boxes July/August 2019 (more of a thing for loveTheSeasons really).





The weather has finally changed this September 22 'though we can't complain after the pretty glorious summer we had.
Anyway, I can get on with crafts in my NEW CRAFT AREA :).


I'm on the second sleeve of a top-down knitted cards using my maroon hand-spun Merino.
It looks as though it might Fionn Mac Comhaill when complete yet it seems to kinda fit when I try to on me. Ah well - we'll see.
Adding more ribbing at the end to balance out the heavy top part of the card. - One very good thing about top-down garments, it is possible to provisionally cast off at the bottom and revive the stitches to add more rib later - unlike the situation when one casts on and goes rib-up.


Two of my knitted rugs were sold from Irish Fibre Crafters in Ardrahan, Co. Galway, (www.IrishFibreCrafters.com ) where I left them under the auspices of Sandra, the lovely creator of same. Very glad they were found to be attractive to another and gone off into the world - so I can go right ahead and make more with a clear conscience :).

Irish Fibre Crafter ladies at work

IFC hand-spun yarns;

\IFC Loom:

That will do for now



Reminder of spinning in Wicklo

Before I forget our time in Wicklow earlier in the year (Wexford likely to override previous events having been so hectic), I want to plant a little video of spinning outside the house there. It was exceptionally lovely weather and perfect for outside spinning.






The yarn spun here will make a pair of socks and a knitted cardigan/jacket among other things















Sunday, April 21, 2019

Settling into Wexford and plans for craft room!

Just over a week in new place in Wexford. So far so good - emerged from a festoon of cardboard boxes 'though several still around and mysterious.

Washed fleece arrived hidden in the under-bed drawers - don't know what the movers thought when they caught a glimpse.

Drum carder required assistance - got a bit bent-out-of shape but running well now thanks to OH and youtube.

Attended the market day at Babbles retreat in Tipperary yesterday -(https://www.babblestravellingyarns.com ). Very pleasant - lots of fibre chat and small market. Plus the weather was glorious.

Several hanks of the German roving now complete but plan to start on my rug yarn ASAP now that the drum carder is complete. It will have to compete with house and garden renovations though. Thinking about my neighbour's flock back in our pasture in Ardnacraney. Wish them well - maybe get more fleece at shearing time? NO Catherine, finish what you've got!

Pics later I hope.




Tuesday, March 19, 2019

PAUL SOCKS

OH complains that he cannot get socks with long enough legs in them - knee length as it were.

SO obtained a dark coloured sock yarn - maroon UU hand dyed and set up on 2.5 mm needles.
Based on a swatch and several measurements of leg ankle and foot worked out a simple pattern.

The first sock is a perfect fit but - horror or horrors - not enough for a full length second sock.

What to do?? Knit a second sock as far as the ankle where there were no increases and then ripped bak the first sock (boo hoo) to the same point then shared the remaining yarn between the two, continuing I 1 x 1 rib.

Not as long as I'd like but better than the usual.

Along the way, several knotty problems encountered.
First, the yarn is a nightmare - it splits into 4 + every chance it gets. That means a dropped stitch or picking up stitches along edged or after ripping is a massive chore.

Next, ripping the already made-up sock from the cast-on edge is impossible so a lifeline and cutting an edge stitch was implied with great difficulty.

However, it eventually worked out and I have a template pattern for OH's legs.


Pattern to be added later.


Thursday, February 28, 2019

On The Move

February 2019

Feb 2019
Sold my little flock some time ago as getting too old to keep them now. Sad to loose them but had my neighbours sheep on the land since then.
More recently, we are planning to relocate to Co. Wexford - and will continue to spin and knit there - using my washed stored fleece and other fibres.
Right now, in the interim, I'm staying in lovely surroundings in Co. Wicklow - among the hills and of course, the local sheep.



ANYWAY, currently working on a pair of Knee Socks for OH. He's not enamoured with he ankle socks commonly available in shops. Bought a hank of Sock Yarn by HHF in Athlone. It's hand dyed, 90@ Merino, 10 % nylon. (Very expensive for me but I was in a rush as about to leave for Wicklow and all my stuff in storage). 
At 107 gms, I knew it would be a stretch to get knee socks for a mans foot from that amount but went ahead. I took measurements from his leg and foot and worked out the numbers of stitches to cast on and where to do decreases so it fits exactly.
Finished one and found, of course, there would not be enough for a second one of the same size so now I'll have to rip it to the end of the decreases and split the difference between the two of them.I'll do a provisional cast on for the second on then add rib to both of them and add another yarn to complete both in the end.



Cannot find my little box of knitting accessories GRRRR. Must be in storage. Oh for a crochet hook especially when I drop a stitch and this yarn splits and slip so easily. Must find a craft shop - but where?? 
On a search - seems the yarn room gone - that would have been the nearest. Ah well. 


Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Allsorts mat progressing

I went ahead with my multi-colour mat - "allsorts" - editing it as I went.

By now. it has been soaked and partially dried and is being shaped a little with strings threaded along each side.




I know it will have a non-slip backing when completed but I've a lot of decisions to make about what to do with the long edges - perhaps nothing, perhaps a crochet border - but this risks causing tension and disfigurement when washed later - so....a discontinuous edging???
Hmmm - I'll see