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I have a WIP - no kidding! Between all the bajillion things that must be done - both at work and at home - I’ve started a knitting project. As I mentioned in the previous post, I do like the side-to-side idea and began a simple vest. For those of you who asked about my “knitting math”, I am happy to report that so far - it seems to have worked out just fine. In attempting to get a photo of my vest, I found myself struggling to get a decent shot. And I never did manage to get a good one, but maybe a poor photo will at least serve as proof of my knitting?
I wanted this vest to be made solely out of handspun. That can’t happen because I don’t have enough yarn/fiber to get it done. So am using this purple tweedy/nubby silk yarn (Chelsea silk?) to assist. This handspun was a natural dye experiment from last year. I dyed some mohair and some cotswold lamb fiber using 1. lichen from my backyard, 2. logwood, and 3. cochineal. Then I drum carded all of that in with some great chocolate brown Romney roving I had purchased years ago. I’m hoping this will become a nice, warm vest. I’ve been spinning for only about 7 years - but I think it’s time I had some sort of garment out of handspun yarn. Heck! Maybe next time I’ll have enough yarn/fiber to do the entire vest in handspun yarn! I am enjoying this project - it is rather simple. I do love lace and more difficult knitting - but with all the turmoil at work on a daily basis - and a need to reduce stress in my life - this kind of project fits me just right.
Other farm news! My dear hubby Gary is busy converting the second half of our “old” barn into more studio space for me. We built this building almost 20 years ago ourselves (I remember helping pound nails in the pouring rain, slipping in the mud while holding onto the trusses we were making….ugh!). Gary is a fantastic carpenter - and I found that I’m NOT. He truly enjoys it. So when both my looms and all spinning stuff threatened to take over our living room last year - I asked for the old barn. We used to raise rabbits in half of the building and stored our little tractor in the other half. We have no more bunnies and the tractor is stored in the new shop. He converted half the barn into a studio for me last summer! It’s been great fun, but it soon became apparent I needed the other half of the building as well. So as of this week, the old double barn door is gone and I have a second door and another window! Yay! (Pardon the messy looking piles of junk in this photo - it’s a work in progress!!
And last - but certainly not least! It’s shearing time around here. We’re almost done with everyone that needs shearing. Remember Susan’s cute little wethers that were born this spring? It’s time for their first haircuts. Stay tuned for some (hopefully) good photos of this event!!
Terry
I need an easy knitting project and like the idea of a side-to-side vest. I found what I was looking for in the Knit Stitch - one of Sally Melville’s books. It’s an asymmetrical vest (mine will be symmetrical) but my gauge isn’t anywhere near what the pattern calls for. Now this is a very easy, unstructured pattern and I want to use some handspun that I made up last year. So! Fiddling with math is not a problem - and it all sounds like it should work…..but I was wondering how many other people have futtzed with a pattern like this. Success or another entry in the “flop pile”?
Gauge is 9 st/4 inches and 9 garter ridges for 4 inches.
My gauge is square, but is 14 st/4 inches and 14 ridges/4 inches
If 9/4 = 2.25 st/in and my gauge is 3.5 st/in - couldn’t I just do a little basic algebra?
If the pattern calls for 48 st, I would just do this: 48/2.25 * 3.5 = 74 st.
So! Am I oversimplifying this?? Why wouldn’t that work? I figured with such a basic pattern as this - that all should be well. Heh. We’ll see!
Going to the Cowlitz County Fair tonight (my hometown county fair). We are having a “lads & lassies” event similar to what they do at State Fair. Young guys and gals will lead their sheep around the ring while wearing something made of wool (people wearing the wool garments, not the animals!). Should be cute and I’ve been asked to be a judge. Ha! Gotta remember to take my camera.
Terry