Yarn Swift and Ball Winder

There are some tools that a knitter must have and there are other tools which are optional.  Personally,  I could not knit without my knitting needles.  They don't have to be circular or double point, they just have to be the size I need to get the correct gauge and have a pointy enough end to pick up the stitches.  I feel that my crochet hook is a necessity for me.  Many people can get away without one- they are the people who do not drop stitches that fall several rows down, like I do.  Many people have found they can knit cables without the use of a cable needle. 

So where do the yarn swift and ball winder fall in all of this?  Well, they are not necessary.  I have used family members, chairs and banisters as swifts.  The chairs and banisters are not preferred, but, at least they don't complain about the task.  Enough said.

Just today, as I was winding my gorgeous lace weight yarn from Desert Vista Dyeworks, in the Cornflower mono gradient colorway, I thought about how useful my swift and ball winder have become.  In a way, my ownership of these 2 tools makes me FEEL more like a real knitter than a crafter who knits.  Maybe this is because it takes me less time to wind the yarn and gives me more of that precious commodity to spend knitting!

Here is my new yarn, wound this morning, for my Citron KAL, which I am doing with Dramatic Knits podcast:

Progress is being made on my current project- Sunrise Socks by Wendy Johnson in the Fibernymph Dye Works Popeye's Revenge colorway of the Squoosh base yarn.  I finished the first sock last night, as I watched the Cardinals win the 3rd game of the world series.  I just could not go to bed without starting the second.....:

For Spinning, I am still working on the Crown Mountain Fibers As Above So Below 100% Corriedale.  Here is my progress on that:

I am still waiting on my Cloud Lover fiber for Knit Girllls SAL/KAL to come.  That will be in the Haunted Vineyard colorway......looks gorgeous in the pics.


Ok, so let's see how far along I make it before I crash and burn in the time management department!  Because I am starting the Citron a few days late, that will be the first item that I put aside.  In the meantime, I look forward to getting it started because that yarn is so pretty and I have been dreaming of knitting that shawl for quite some time, now.......

Until next time:  Have fun!

Welcome to your knitting fantasy!

We all have fantasies in our lives.  Some of these become goals.  Eventually, a few may even show up in the realities of our lives!  I find this same pattern in my knitting.  I cruise through the pattern search on Ravelry or watch my favorite podcasters talk about their current projects and fantasize about the gorgeous possibilities. Occasionally, I stop and put a few of these in my wait list.  Fewer still make it into my queue.  Every once in while, I find myself knitting one of these patterns, at which time it becomes a reality in my life. 

 My current fantasy has suddenly sprung into the reality of my life- blogging!  Now, my goal is to see if I can keep this up on a regular basis.  I do pretty well with my knitting and spinning- which I plan to use as the central theme of this blog. 

So, here we go!
Spinning:  Currently on my wheel I have the Crown Mountain 100% Corriedale in the As Above So Below colorway.  This combination of different shades of blues and greens resembles a deep water color.  I am spinning on my Louet S10 DT.  I have already completed 8 ounces, which was navajo-plied.  I am currently working on the next 8 ounces.  It is coming out in a fingering weight.  I am dreaming of a warm shawl pattern.

Coming up spinning:  As a member of The Knit Girllls group on Ravelry, I plan to participate in the upcoming SAL/KAL.  I have pre-ordered my roving from Cloud Lover.  I am still dreaming about the pattern choices and have not made up my mind which to knit.  More to come on that....

Knitting:  On my needles I have 2 projects- the Wananananana Bat Shawl! by Emilee Mooney.  This pattern is knitting nicely in the Malibrigo Sock Yarn in Rayon Vert.  I will not finish this by Halloween and that is ok.  It will hibernate nicely until I can spend more time with it (or until I join another stash down that allows me to finish projects....).  I anticipate a completion date prior to 10/31/12.

My second project is a pair of socks for my son.  He is getting the Sunrise Socks by Wendy Johnson knit out of Fibernymph Dye Works Squoosh in the Popeye's Revenge Colorway.  He came by today and approved the project! 

Coming up in Knitting:  As soon as my Cornflower Mono Gradient yarn from Desert Vista Yarns arrives, I will casting on the Citron as part of the Dramatic Knits KAL.  This is a shawl I have admired for a looooong time.  This will be fun to try an new indie dyer, at the same time.

Once my Roving from Cloud Lover is spun, I will be ready to cast on for the Knit Girllls' KAL.  We get a choice of patterns.  I have narrowed the field to the Thorpe hat, Susie's Reading Mitts, Favorite Scarf Ever, or Sugared Violets Shawl.  If anyone reads this blog and cares to share an opinion on this, I would greatly appreciate your input!  The yardage should not be a problem as I did pre-order 2 braids of roving.

Fall is a very busy time of year in our house!  As the days shorten and the dark hours lengthen, so will the time I spend knitting.  Please join me again for more dreams, plans and realizations in our knitting journey!