Slinging Stitches: 2013

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Slinging Stitches...in Color: Episode 24 -- Short but sweet

Only a couple days late this time! And, good news, it's back on the regular server, which means this episode (and last week's) will shortly be available on iTunes as well as picked up by the RSS feed, I hope.

It's the little things that make me smile.

I didn't have a lot to talk to you about this week, so it's a super short episode, but I didn't want to miss another one. As I've said, you guys keep me honest, so, there you go.

Mostly I talked about the fact that I am doing Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred (ow! but Day 7, baybee!) and that I did get in to the Epic Craft Fair and Festival.

April 13, 2013 in Granite Bay, CA. If you can make it, swing by and say hi!

And really, that was it.

So I'll talk to you next week!

How to Contact me:

Ravelry: creaturecomfort
Ravelry Group: Creature Comfort Craftwork Fans
Etsy: Creature Comfort Craftworks on Etsy
Email: sarah.hawke [at] gmail.com or sarah [at] thecreaturecomforts.net
Twitter: creaturecmfts
Facebook: Creature Comfort Craftworks

Thanks for listening!

Friday, March 1, 2013

Slinging Stitches... in Color!: Episode 23 -- Catching Up

Yes, another schedule bobble. I freely admit it. Last week, I had nothing to share with you. No progress on anything, so, though I recorded an ...eight minute episode, I decided not to share it.

This week I have stuff for you! But! The server where I usually host said stuff is down, so I'm even more delayed in getting this up. This week, the episode is here, and will probably not show up on the RSS feed. If I can fix that in the future, I will. If not, we'll figure something out.

I know some of you went to Stitches West last week, like I did. Did you have a good time? Did you get anything fun? Tell me all about it!

I went with a couple of friends, mostly to look around. I did some shopping, though, of course. How can you resist? My favorite purchase?

This little project bag from A Needle Runs Through It. I saw the cat fabric and had to have it. Adorable, no?

Not a lot going on in the dyepots this week. Because I skipped last week, though, you didn't get to see the second colorway in my Bardic Circle SAL. This is "Exit, pursued by a bear" in both yarn and fiber.

I also dyed a new colorway called Rosalind:

And some Royal:

There's spinning to report as well. Most importantly *drum roll and trumpet fanfare* I finally finished the Loop! batt:

That's 450-ish yards, my best yardage ever, helped by the fact that it was a big bat. Fingering weight and perfect for making the Sea Level by Odessa Reichel. It's for a SAL/KAL in the Spin a Shawl group on Ravelry. It's supposed to be finished by the end of the month. I probably won't make that deadline, but at least I have the yarn ready. Isn't it pretty?

I also started plying my Secrets Kept, from the first round of my Bardic Circle.

I made progress on the Fiber Optic fiber for the KnitGirllls SAL, but missed the deadline, as I predicted. I said in the episode that I'd show you pictures, but the colors are next to impossible to get right, even with editing, so I left it out. Sorry!

And here's a couple more progress shots of my Bear's Paw socks and my llama scarf! socks (Bear's Paw colorway, Panache base).

How to Contact me:

Ravelry: creaturecomfort
Ravelry Group: Creature Comfort Craftwork Fans
Etsy: Creature Comfort Craftworks on Etsy
Email: sarah.hawke [at] gmail.com or sarah [at] thecreaturecomforts.net
Twitter: creaturecmfts
Facebook: Creature Comfort Craftworks

Thanks for listening!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Slinging Stitches...in Color: Episode 22 -- Fiber problem? Yes.

Hey, check it out. Back on schedule and in the groove.

The spinning groove, apparently. I have been doing a -lot- of spinning. Hence the title of this week's episode. Yes, of course, I've been dyeing and knitting, too. But for the most part, I have gotten somewhat lost in a fibery world.

...which is really not a complaint. :)

Episode 22 is here! You can download it here, on iTunes or the podcast service of your choice. There's an RSS feed link over on the right hand side of the blog.

The big news from the dyepot this week? I finally dyed and carded up my first ever batt set to be sold. This one's Iago. Feel free to boo the character, but please don't boo the fiber. :)

But that's not all.

Touchstone

Snowshoe

Plying has begun on the Loop! batt. About 2/3 left to go.

My Secrets Kept is now finished! Well, the single is finished anyway. Only a week or so late. Plying will start soon.

And I've started spinning a bump of merino/silk from Fiber Optic Yarn in the rouge-violet-cerulean colorway for a SAL being hosted by the Knit Girllls.

I'm about halfway up the foot on my Fishknits socks (Bear's Paw colorway, Panache base).

And there's more progress made on the llama scarf. (Even if I keep calling it the alpaca scarf. Nope, I don't know why.)

And the next project for someone else (once the Llama scarf is finished)?

As for those other things I mentioned?

The year-long self-striping KAL can be found in the Stockinette Zombies group on Ravelry.

The Sea Level shawl by Odessa Reichel. This is what I hope to do with my Loop batt eventually.

And that gorgeous Fiber Optic gradient?

Was I right or was I right? :)

How to Contact me:

Ravelry: creaturecomfort
Ravelry Group: Creature Comfort Craftwork Fans
Etsy: Creature Comfort Craftworks on Etsy
Email: sarah.hawke [at] gmail.com or sarah [at] thecreaturecomforts.net
Twitter: creaturecmfts
Facebook: Creature Comfort Craftworks

Thanks for listening!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Slinging Stitches...in Color! : Episode 21 -- Overdue

Another late episode. I have reasons! Not that they're particularly relevant, but they exist. Regardless, here's what's going on with the dyepots, the spinning and the knitting as of late.

Episode 21 is here! You can download it here, on iTunes or the podcast service of your choice. There's an RSS feed link over on the right hand side of the blog.
If you're interested in the Bardic Circle SAL/KAL, listings for Round #2 are up and will be until midnight PST on February 7th, 2013. Check them out in the shop!

Fresh out of the dyepot this week!

Othello

Sugarplum

The Loop! bump is all spun up, but not yet plied. This was the Blackberry colorway with sparkle.

My Secrets Kept is in progress but not yet finished. Nor are the apple batts. They're coming soon!

My red/magenta/purple/pink socks are done! This is my Kate base (70/30% merino/silk), socks were knitted two at a time on an Addi Turbo circular, US 2/2.75 mm. They're plain vanilla socks from the toe up.

And then I got started on my Fishknits socks (Bear's Paw colorway, Panache base). These are also being knit on Addi Turbos, two at a time, toe up, on size 2/2.75 mm needles.

And I finished Day Four of the Advent KAL scarf! This is an undyed merino/silk/stellina laceweight yarn, being knit on US 2/2.75mm Addi Lace Turbo needles.

And the next project for someone else (once the Llama scarf is finished)?

The Effortless Cardigan by Hannah Fettig for Mom. Wish me luck!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Slinging Stitches...in Color: Episode 20 -- Impending Parental

...this post is late. This podcast episode is late. This life is crazy. What can I tell you? That's what happens when your mother comes to visit. :)

There will most likely not be a podcast next Tuesday, but the week after? I'll be babbling with a vengeance. For now, enjoy the mini milestone!You can download it here, on iTunes or the podcast service of your choice. There's an RSS feed link over on the right hand side of the blog.

Feel like joining in on SAL/KALs? Try any of these links.

The Bardic Circle SAL/KAL (I'm hosting this one!)
Dripping Fiber Studios colorwork KAL (Doing this one, yep.)
Spin a Shawl Designer KAL(A definite maybe.)
The CTA Fauxlag-Along
The FiberOptics SAL (with the KnitGirllls)
The new Loop SAL

Is that enough? That's enough.

Fresh out of the dyepot this week!

Sunshine and Ice Cream

Desdemona

The striping yarns will appear in the next episode's post.

I started spinning my Secrets Kept for the Bardic Circle SAL...

And finished spinning the first mini knot on my Apple batts from Dripping Fiber Studios

(but I accidentally deleted the picture, so I'll have to take a new one)

I got some cooool self-striping yarn from Fishknits:

Kathy's scarf proceeds apace...

As do my socks!

See you all on the other side of the family visit! :)

How to Contact me:

Ravelry: creaturecomfort
Ravelry Group: Creature Comfort Craftwork Fans
Etsy: Creature Comfort Craftworks on Etsy
Email: sarah.hawke [at] gmail.com or sarah [at] thecreaturecomforts.net
Twitter: creaturecmfts
Facebook: Creature Comfort Craftworks

Thanks for listening!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Slinging Stitches...in Color! : Episode 19 -- Tastes Change

It's another week and another podcast! You can find the latest episode here or download it on iTunes or the podcast service of your choice. There's an RSS feed link over on the right hand side of the blog.

This week I talked about a few companies local to me that do self-striping yarn. If you're in the market, be sure to check them out:

LadyBug Fiber Company

Fishknits

I also mentioned a couple of podcasts that I am currently following. There's good stuff and an established routine from these ladies. I think you'll enjoy them if you watch an episode or two.

The Knit Girllls

Stockinette Zombies

I talked about some of the colorways I put in my shop in Delving the Dyepots this week:

Iago

Shiver Me Timbers

I mentioned the "fauxlag" technique, in Spin Me a Tale this week. The link to David''s (of Southern Cross Fibre) post about it is here.

And these are my first attempt!

I also mentioned making progress on my Loop batt:

As well as the llama fiber I spun:

And my batt yarn, destined to be a part of the Wild Hare mittens:

In Knitting: Necessary and Not, I mentioned that I'd finished day 3 of the 2012 Advent Kalendar Scarf:

And using the llama fiber to make a simple scarf for Kathy, the llama owner:

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Slinging Stitches...in Color!: Episode 18 -- Resolutions

Happy New Year, everyone!

And surprise! A blog post -and- a new podcast. The first new episode in more than a year. It feels good to be reaching out and to get back on the air, so to speak. I've missed talking to everyone. Hope you're still interested in hearing what I have to say. :)

As promised, here are the things I talked about in this episode:

Delving the Dyepots

Secrets Kept: 80/20% merino/tussah silk