Spins A Good Yarn

I’m in love again with a new book! It’s Cat Bordhi’s new sock book: New Pathways for Sock Knitters - Book One. This book is tremendous. My employer at Art Fibers gave me a copy for an early birthday present this past week. I had borrowed her copy and had to reluctantly give it back to her and the next day the shipment of books came to the store. I am so happy that I have been bringing it back and forth to work with me rather than leaving it at my house during the day. I knitted the first two baby socks that she has you do to learn the new techniques and here they are:

These little socks were SO FUN to knit and I cannot WAIT to start on the next one!!! I have a couple of other socks in the works for now, but may begin swatching for the Tibetan Socks on page 56 just to get started! This book has some fantastic instructions for left and right leaning increases and wonderful short-row directions. I have used her techniques already in my knitting classes at work. This book would be great for non-sock knitters, also, because of the great tips and techniques that are given. Cat Bordhi sure knows her stuff and explains everything so very clearly. Can you tell that I LOVE this book?!?!?!?!

Well, I’ve been on this computer all morning and need to get some knitting done, not just read about it!

Well, I have finally been able to get back to writing. Life surely intrudes doesn’t it with all the shopping and laundry and cooking and cleaning and banking and errands!!! Phew!!! Now for some fun stuff! I have been making stitch markers using various sizes and kinds of beads for about six months. It has been a journey of trial and error, but I’m finally figuring out what I want and how to get there. I still have some tweaking to do, but they are turning out quite well. My daughter, Meagan, has been having some fun helping me build them. She does the fun part of picking out the bead combinations and then I put them together. She has put together some very nice ones which have already sold. Here’s what the beading table looks like:

Here are some of my stitch markers. Some of them have tiny, colored jingle bells that make your knitting even sound nice!

I have to keep some of the markers (to use as models, right!?!). Some of them I just can’t bear to part with they are so pretty and they sparkle so!:-)

I sell them at the yarn shop where I work (Art Fibers in Chautauqua, NY) for $2.25 each. People seem to like them once they figure out how to use them. I like to call them “jewelry for your knitting”! All sizes and colors can be made for custom orders. Just email me with your request!

These are my newest skeins of handspun sock yarn. I purchased the fiber at a fiber festival at the Lake Farm Park in Kirtland, Ohio, this past June from the Wooly Knob.

I spun the burgundy skein on my Lendrum double treadle spinning wheel that I have had for about 3 1/2 years now. The greyish skeins were both spun on my brand new Louet Victoria wheel that I also purchased at the fiber festival in June from French Creek Fiber Arts. I was trying to spin for socks (I like to get about 8 stitches per inch or more for my gauge) and the skeins in the top photo didn’t have enough yardage separately, but have plenty if I use them together. Now I just need a lovely pattern! The bottom skein ended up having 355 yards so I should have plenty for a pair of socks. I love to knit toe-up socks, especially with my hand-spun, so I don’t have to worry about running out of yarn before I am finished with my sock. I usually use one of Wendy Johnson’s toe-up patterns from her site, Wendy Knits. She writes great patterns and has some new free ones that she has graciously posted on The Loopy Ewe’s website.

Here is a picture of a pair using her toe-up pattern which has a slip-stitch heel. I love this pattern!
These socks were knitted on 2.75 mm KnitPicks needles using two skeins of Zitron Life Style yarn in color 1862, Lot 6605. They were very fun to knit because the colors and patterns changes so often. I don’t usually use self-patterning yarn, but I’d knit this yarn up again in a minute.

Next time I’ll have some pictures of the latest stitch markers that I have been making. Bye for now.

Hi there! Thanks for coming to my brand new blog! I am the wife of a land surveyor and the mother of three grown children, one of whom is married and two who are in college and still live at home. I teach knitting and spinning during the summer at Art Fibers, a beautiful yarn shop in Chautauqua Institution, which is located on Chautauqua Lake near Jamestown, New York. I also work at the Falconer Yarn Loft, etc. during the rest of the year. I love all types of knitting and spinning and am always ready to learn new techniques. My favorite things to knit are socks and lace. I am really looking forward to writing this blog, even if it is only for my own records.

I have three little white dogs, a peek-a-poo and two maltese.

This is Mandie, our peek-a-poo. She is 14 years old.

This is our cutie, Tiffany Starr. She is a maltese and just turned 7 on the 4th of July.

This is Dustin, a maltese. He will be 13 in September.

I guess this is all for today. Please feel free to comment if you think these little pups are too cute!!!!!