September Sample Knitting

Lorajean of Knitted Wit put out a call for sample knitting a while back ago and I put in my needles for the option. I love her colors and like helping out friends, especially when you get yarn or fiber in return. ;-)

We got a list of choices of projects to knit and I threw in for a baby sweater and thick yarn cowls. I am still recovering wrist wise from the mad knitting I did on my Dragon Stole. First came the yarn for the baby sweater. A nice seamless sweater with cute details. Lora Jean had an idea, I just had to make sure we were on the same page. As I had leftover yarn, I made up a little hat to go along and a small bit leftover. I had planned to try out a Baby Jane booties and was using the detail yarn when I thought I'd go ahead and try my luck with the small bit. I was extremely lucky and had just a few yards in the absolute end.  Nadine was kind enough to take them to OFFF so that Lorajean could have them up in the booth.

Sweater - I didn't have enough of the orange flowers, so alternated with red flowers

Newborn hat

Baby Jane booties

The full sew. I put them on a hangar and sewed loops for the hat and booties to keep them all a set and not wander off during the event.

These were knit with her Cypress Hollow Yarn a nice bouncy Rambouillet handspun like yarn in Sport Weight.

The other project was the Cowl by Debbi Stone - Faye in Lace. It was very reminiscent for me of the Mystery KAL socks I did last month. So it was a very easy knit up. I did the large size and its long enough that it can be kind of a coat scarf and do either two or three loops to be a cowl of varying closeness. The yarn is a lovely DK in polworth and silk:

I really do hate having my picture taken.....I think Brandon was saying something pithy, thus was getting 'the look'.

Three loops of softness

Two loops, kind of casual, imagine with a jacket

Knotted scarf like (maybe I should wear scarfs more often?)

Lorajean I think is off to California for another show so her Etsy store is currently down. If you haven't tried Knitted Wit, you're truly missing out on lovely colors and yarns/fibers!

State Fair Wrap-Up

When I picked up my items from the drop-off for the State Fair I had a couple of pleasant surprises. An item that I thought hadn't won a ribbon actually did win one! The Poppy hat had a white third place ribbon on it. Going back to look at the picture I took of it in the display case, I can see where it was hidden by an item below it.

The Camel spun Fan Shawl that received the Best in Class was given the additional prize of a fleece:

Crimpy fleece! Three colors in the fleece, still in the grease. The box says 5lbs and I haven't weighed it so will have to find out after its washed.

I have been washing the fleece and its turning out wonderful. Using the Unicorn Fiber Scour, Wash and Rinse to get it ready for spinning. I'm almost done washing the box, and will have to decide if I just want to flick the locks or borrow/rent a drum carder to get it ready for spinning. I will also probably divide up the colors so they can be spun separately. I have no idea what it will become but hope that I can spin up a sweaters worth.

No OFFF this year

I wasn't able to make it to Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this year. Until someone comes up with a cloning machine, I couldn't be at two places at the same time. So instead of hanging out with my fiber friends and visiting the sources of our fiber delight, I as hanging out with my SCA friends at a place where I used to hang out with my Scout friends. It could have all been very confusing. ;-)  We attended Boar's Head Hunt and Feast 2011 up at Scouter's Mountain in Golda's Kitchen.

The geographical location that we live in under the SCA is in the kingdom of An Tir and until Saturday was known as a Shire. On Saturday we were raised up as a Barony and had our Baron and Baroness crowned:

Baron Refr and Baroness Svava

Then it was on to the rest of court where the different awards were being handed out. A lot of friends were receiving their Award of Arms (first level award - can now be called Lord or Lady), Goutte de Sang (in recognition of service) and Jambe de Lion (recognition of artistic ability of some kind - sewing, fiber, leather, beads, etc or science). People have to write in letters recommending you for these awards, they just aren't handed out willy-nilly. ;-)

So imagine my surprise when the Herald mangled my name, just as I had learned it was possible the night before, Brigitte Giesen Riegers von Wolfratshausen. I then was escorted by Brandon - aka - Lord Ignatious:

Remembered my bow to the King Thorin and Queen Dagmaer and already starting to cry:

 Talking with the King Thorin and Queen Dagmaer

Lovely pic of me with my Award of Arms by Kristin, still stunned:

I now have to work at getting my name registered, and develop my heraldry. So I can feel comfortable with being called Lady Brigitte or Lady Reigers. ;-)

Brandon, Dawn-Marie, Larissa and Andrea have all been asked to be part of the Barony Retinue in our Household. This will leave Scott and I to keep ourselves out of trouble while at events where they are off helping court to run smoothly.

Brandon made the boxes that the Baronial Crowns will be stored while not in use:

He received a nice flask in recognition of his work from Baroness Svava:

During the day Brandon taught a couple classes, though no one showed up for his constructing drop spindles class, the other class on Period Encampment Construction was well attended. I did a drop spindle class and had a couple of people attend. So I did have my fiber! I spent part of the morning with my wheel working on some guanaco I was trying to finish up and did.

Besides becoming a Barony, the other intent of the event was to have the Arts and Science competition where the new defender is chosen. Osaa is the new Defender until next year when the position will be known as a Champion (difference between being a shire and a barony - defenders vs champions).

September knitting

I started it the end of August but finished it on the first of September, so it counts for this month:

Pattern is Encompass, Yarn is Cascade Yarns Eco-Duo - Alpaca/Merino, knit with one extra repeat for a total of four of the pattern.  I had sneezing fits when working on this, so it most likely will end up becoming a gift.

Bordered Heart Dishcloth

Leaf Lace Wash Cloth

Pattern: Flippant by Sivia Harding is a great way to use up some of the left over sock yarns I have. Top is Plymouth Happy Feet and the bottom pair is Shibuiknits.

Current work in progress from early on is Pimpelliese. Its a scarf/shawlette that you start at one end and work sideways working the body and edging all at the same time. Its delightfully simple and easy to memorize. You weigh your yarn before you start and increase until you have half of the yarn left then start doing your decreases. I'm half way done with the decreases and sure I'll have it done in time for the month. 

I do have a bit more knitting to show off but that's for another post. ;-)

World Wide Spin in Public 2011

This is our third year having this event and the second year in a row its rained on us. Luckily, it only rained part of the day. We were tucked under the overhang, near the stairs and by the Starbucks. Close to the Starbucks is handy on a rainy cool day. ;-)

We received awesome donations of fiber from Knitted Wit, Upstream Alpacas, Urban Fiber Arts, Opulent Fibers and a little ball of superfine merino from Pear Tree Yarn of Australia through Urban Fiber. Unicorn Fiber sent us samples of all three of their products - Scour, Wash and Rinse. Bethany gave a lovely cowl pattern as spinning inspiration.  The bags were donated by Angela, Duffy and Tracy. Finally, I made drop spindles out of yellow heart, curly maple, black walnut and purple heart.

The bags already to be scooped up by eager spinners

The drop spindles drying, before they were put in bags.

Some of the contents in the bags - drop spindle, Knitted Wit big bag o fiber, Upstream Alpacas and Urban Fiber Arts, bookmark for Beyond Toes Up

Opulent Fibers donation, each of the bags had three superfine merino bumps

Pear Tree Yarns of Australia purple-ish superfine merino bump

We had a destash/trade table and I scooped up some Ashland Bay 50/50 Silk/Alpaca that Rachel C brought to trade. I had brought llama and hemp. I have a LOT of alpaca, I must like spinning it. ;-)

I think I might try overdyeing these since there's not a huge amount of them. I think if I try for like a red on both I could try spinning together or in stripes.  We'll see.

Lisa C teaching Terrie how to use the drop spindle from her goodie bag. She liked it a lot more than her big clunky spindle and is now looking for a used wheel to purchase.

Tracy taking a break from her wheel with her Turkish Delight, giving advice to another new drop spindler (I'd gotten her started, but have forgotten her name). Nicole had her Turkish Delight.

Jess, Rachel and Kristy

Melissa and Duffy with her new wheel

We were not wheel heavy this event so I think that made it interesting for the people who stopped by to see what we were doing. Nadine (her picture came out horribly blurry) had her espinner, so we were well represented by the variety of spinning that can be done. 

I think it was an awesome day and look forward to organizing next year's!

What I saw at the State Fair 2011 (picture heavy!)

Everyone was out of the house with one thing or another, so I took myself down to Urban Fiber Arts so that I could pay for my fiber for next week's drop spindle class at Acorn War. It was pretty busy with women pawing through bins for destash deals. I admit, I was drawn in and brought home three bags - two of yarns and one of fiber. It's a pretty red merino that looks like an Ashland Bay Merino-Silk blend. It's two and a half ounces of pretty that I might have to spin up soon. ;-)

The day was getting warm but after a few side tracks I was able to get myself on to I-5 headed south. Darn one way streets and trying to head closer to the river before trying to get on a freeway.  My father had assured me that things had changed and parking was free for the State Fair in the surrounding fields. So I followed his directions on how to find the field closest to the freeway and was near the outside edge of that field. They were having a good day. It was a bit windy, but I was still grateful for my parasol providing some shade from the sun.

Once inside I headed towards where I thought I wanted to be, and turns out I was right! I bypassed all rides, food, and those booths selling things. I was on a mission. The Textiles were tucked in an alcove towards the front of the building, in a lovely air conditioned area (less bodies, meant it was cooler).

Here are some of the cases I photographed (click on picture for larger image, then use your back button to see more of the post):

The Cascade Lizard Ridge afghan didn't win a ribbon.

I missed it the first time through, they have it like a hat - felted bowl top right and two skeins in bottom right - Exotic Fibers - Alpaca and Other animals - Pygora

Poppy hat to the left - no ribbon; Hydrangea socks - third place

Pygora single - first place upper left

Chocolate bunny covered by its tags, holding down the Pretty Thing Cowl - first place

Zen Rain Shawlette - third place, mid left; The center two items and the top right were knit by a man using lace for the beige and crochet thread for the other two. Most impressive work!

Polworth 3 ply first place, bottom left

Kelly Cabled Capelet, bottom right - second place

My SCA colorwork bag - upper right, second place

Sorry, didn't know it came out blurry, until I was home! Yellow Shrug This - Center, second place; Crimson Haruni mid-right - first place; Alpaca Bear to the right of it, second place

Handspun Camel Fan Shawl center right - first place and Best in Class

Aeolian Shawl (beaded item) - center, third place; Any other handspun - merino-silk - in chair, first place

I took nineteen items in and three did not receive a ribbon, nine received first place, four received second place and three received third place.  Very nice!

An example of another winning spinner (+5yrs - I'm under 5yrs):

My poppy hat wasn't the only one there! Someone from else also sent theirs in and also didn't get a ribbon:

There were racks with the crocheted afghans (where most of the crocheted items were) and the machine knitted and the one hand knit afghan I could find:

You can see why it might have gotten a first place ribbon!  There were a few more cases that I didn't photograph. I think they may have had the crochet items and the embroidery stuff.

I didn't take photos but I did check out the rest of the building and the quilts.  I thought my friends with cats might like this one in partiucular:

Egyptian cats

 

I think I spent two hours in the Creative Living building. By that time I was in sensory overload and not really looking forward to the walk back out to the car and the ride home. It was hot outside and the smoke level was increasing. I'm glad I went though!