aspen moon arts and fiber studio
  • Home
  • The Yarn Artisan
  • Art of Handspun Yarn
  • Blog
  • Where to Buy

The Yarnie's Bookcase:  Interweave Knits Winter 2014

11/22/2013

 
Picture
Let me start off by saying that I pretty much own every issue of Interweave Knits since 2005, so obviously I love the publication- along with all the special issues like Knit.Wear, Interweave Knits Accessories, and the Holiday Knits issues which I do own all copies of. 

When I got the new issue I must say I actually got very excited for the first time in a long time.  My favorite section in this issue is by far “Out by the Woodpile.”  The focus of the section is items with knit and purl pattern combos that create a thermal effect in the fabric. My favorite project was the Bucheron mitts.  I’m mostly a quick project knitter and these are easy and colorful.  I also loved three of the pullover projects- Feathernest Raglan, Winnepeg Pullover, and Nunavut Pullover.  All use in the round construction, which is the only way I have ever made a sweater.  The knitting needle sizes for these three pullovers range from size US5 to US8, so they would be (relatively) quick knits.  They have some texture to them which makes them interesting to look at and the pattern not so monotonous, but they are also easy to remember.

The two other sections are “Below the Mesa” and “Crossing Country.”  The first one highlights projects in “Southwestern” colors- muted reds, browns, with a splash of turquoise.  I though the Ojos de Dios Shawl was beautiful but the rest of the projects were not really inspiring to me.  I found the projects in Crossing Country too fussy for anything I would want to make except for one pattern- the Swivel Pullover.  It features cables that move from the front of the back.  I love this one so much I might actually tackle it this winter.

For lovers of lace like me, there’s an article about the patroness of Orenberg lace- Galina Khmeleva.  It has no patterns, it’s about the woman herself and talks about her quest to chart the history of Orenburg lace in Russia.  Piecework (another Interweave press publication) usually has a Khmeleva pattern in it more than not, so it was nice to learn about her and not just her work. 

There is also a handy, short and to the point interchangeable needle directory of the different brands of these knitting tools. 

Interweave Knits is available from http://www.interweavestore.com directly.  I have also picked it up at Joanns, Barnes and Noble, and Walmart.  


Spinning Fibers:  California Variegated Mutant

11/17/2013

 
Breed name get your attention?  This name is not out of a comic book, there is a breed of sheep indeed named California Variegated Mutant.  So let's go back to the 1960s when a sheep farmer found among his flock of solid color (probably white) Romeldale sheep a multicolored one.  Over the years, at random times, the multicolored sheep would be born into the flock.  He bred the colored sheep with each other(each of the sheep had different mothers, so they were not inbred with siblings) and bam!- the California Variegated Mutant (CVM for short) breed was born.  The wool, like it's Romeldale parentage, is matte lustrous, fine, and soft.  

It is a rare breed and wool is not readily available, the skein below if only the second time I have ever spun this breed's wool. 
Picture
Picture

Well, it finally happened

11/15/2013

 
Well, it finally happened.  I opened up a website under my yarn studio's name!  Only took.... years.  I promise to post new yarns I'm working on, what I dyed over the weekend, what I'm crafting, on a regular basis.  

    RSS Feed

    Author

    Yarn artisan, Spinning Gypsy, lover of all sorts of textile arts

    Archives

    September 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    Books
    Favorite Spinning Fibers
    Handspun
    Handspun Yarn
    Knitting
    Spinning
    Spinning Projects
    Spinning Projects
    Spinning Tools
    Spinning Topics
    Wool
    Wool Yarn
    Yarn
    Yarnie's Bookcase

    Visit Aspen Moon Arts's profile on Pinterest.
    Site Meter
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.