Tour de Fleece

Is your wheel out? Oiled? Ready to spin through the stash? Incase you don't have enough fiber to power you through all the stages I have two new wools to share. Both are Oregon grown and support one of my favorite shepherdess. I love to support women owned businesses!

Romeldale is a cross between Romney sheep and Ramboiullet sheep. Rambouillet is a French merino and a lovely soft springy wool. Romney sheep are a hearty breed. After breezing through the Wiki description I'm going to guess that farmers crossed the two to increase the health and diversity of Ramboiullet's but still managing to keep the fineness of the fiber. Feel free to correct me if I'm way off! I should really get up and consult my Fleece and Fiber Source book, but the couch is just a little too comfortable at the moment. Romeldale is a rare breed. Yet another reason to support the farmer. I can't wait to get more fleece from her! Next time I'm going to try a white one.

The other fiber I have to offer is Blue Faced Leicester. The staple is so long and the roving is such a open lofty pleasure. This a beautiful white fleece. BFL is a long wool and a great fiber to start with when learning to spin. The staple length is long enough that it doesn't feel like the fiber is slipping through your hands. Because the staple length is long it also provides a more durable yarn. Great for socks or any other garment that will get lots of wear.

Enjoy these beautiful new wools, fresh from central Oregon!!

Feature Friday and KAL

Hello summer! Can you believe we're a week and something into summer?! My boys have definitely been enjoying the sun being up later. O is starting to potty train so there's been a lot of naked tush running around. And by potty train I mean I tell him to go pee on the tree every once in a while. Nothing too serious around here : )

The boys enjoying the photo shoot!

This weeks Feature Friday is Cypress Hollow Yarn. I love this yarn! So springy and squishy! 100% Ramboiullet yarn, it's grown and processed in Wyoming. CHY is sport weight with 350 yards a skein. It usually retails for $25 a skein, but I can't share the featured sample knit pattern with you, so it's $22.50 a skein! Enjoy the discount and cast one on!!

Eliza's Wedding Shawl, by Rosemary Hill

I love this shawl! It is so comforting to wear with it's spongy texture. If you're looking for a cozy knit, this one is a winner! And the pattern just happens to be in on of my favorite authors book, Wishes & Stitches, by Rachael Herron. What? You haven't read them yet?! Get on it! 

I just had to share this sweet little apple. Our apple trees and plum tree are crazy full, it's going to be a good harvest!

This is Jorge, the hydrangea. 

Remember how we're doing a  Knit A Long? Yeah, me too! I have my yarn all wound up and I'm ready to cast on. What about you? What color did you pick? I'm going with Peacock. It's my go to color.

Yarn with Lavender

Time to print the pattern, wrangle the right needle size and get going? Have you cast on? How's the pattern treating you so far? 

WIP Wednesday

The days need to slow down! Why don't we slow down right now and take a tour through my endless WIP's! We'll start with my latest cast on that's almost finished. I'm using Rasta to make a Cape (this is a pattern from Twisted but doesn't appear to be on Ravelry)! I've had my eye on this pattern since I started working at Twisted. I'm making this for Risa, she could use a little something to keep her warm! (Quick update on Risa: She's doing well with her treatment course and is ticking along just fine! Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts for her.) I am planning on knitting until I'm out of yarn and calling it done!

I stayed up last night and cast off! Now to weave in the ends and sew on the button! 

Next up: Goodale Cardigan. I love this sweet little sweater. I'm using DK, and I'm now trying to think of all the things that need to be knit out of this yarn! I'm planning on getting very far on this during the drive to Arcata California this weekend. This will be my first trip with Knitted Wit to California where I won't be doing all the driving! I'm going to try not to bring all the things to knit! Will you be in the Aracata area? This weekend is the Redwood Yarn Stomp. I'm so excited to hang out with Chicken Boots all weekend!

Seeing this picture, I can't believe how far I am! I also noticed that I need to bring more yarn with me so I can keep working on this!

Then there's the Larch Cardigan. Sweet, sweet cardigan. I think I have a sleeve done. Need to get going on the next one I suppose. There was a stockinette slog in the middle that slowed me down, but after the speed of Goodale I think I'm ready to go back!

Wow! Seeing this picture I'm really far! Yay motivation to finish!!

You know I have more, but those are the ones seeing the most action these days! Because I'm going to be gone this weekend I'll be putting the shop on vacation Friday morning and redoing inventory on Tuesday hopefully. Hop on the fiber sale because it's going to California with me and I doubt much will come back! Also, lets just keep the same Feature Friday, ZigZag Pedicure Socks! But the yarn and get the pattern for free.

New Colors!

Happy Monday morning! How was your weekend? I've been knitting away, but instead of finishing projects I've been starting projects! How about a WIP Wednesday report? I'll update you on a few oldies but goodies!

I have some new colors and they're ready for their blogging debut!

Beaujolais

 Whew, this has been some work. I've recently changed some dye methods making it more efficient and using less water. All good things!

 Possibly a future Color Affection in Cashy. s.o.d.e.l.i.c.i.o.s. Yellow Brick Road, Peacock, Picante

 Canopy

I dyed all the yarns in the same pot, but because they all have different fiber contents they take the color differently.

 Carbon

Thistle

What color do you want to knit with?! I don't have stock in the store, but I'm happy to get you the color on the yarn base of your choosing.

French Kiss

Today I dyed up peacock on DK for the KAL. Have you gotten your yarn yet?

Peacock

Go here to see all the colors. There's 12 all together! What's your favorite?

Feature Friday

How is it Friday already?! We're mixing it up around here and doing a sock this week!

Thank you to Michele Bernstein for generously sharing her pictures. 

Grass is Greener

Grab a skein of super wash Falkland sport weight and you'll get Seafoam Socks pattern free! You might get addicted and make a rainbow! While PDXKnitterati might not knit socks that are fingering weight, she's made a great pattern for sport weight! Yay for faster knitting socks!

Thank you to Michele Bernstein for generously sharing her pictures.

I'm not limiting the colors to five, so pick any skein and get the pattern free. Knit on! Be sure to check out Michele's other patterns, she has a few socks in sport weight!