handmade by stefanie

The Tour de Fleece came to an end on Sunday! I managed to spin through a ton of my fiber stash and spun pretty much every day the tour rode (and even on one of the rest days), which were basically my only goals for this year's event. I spun on Team Sasquatch and here is all of my finished yarn from the entire tour: I spun a total of 1,103 yards (2,315 yards if we're counting each ply's yardage separately)! Not bad for trying to take it easy during the event. Since I've been spinning so much yarn lately, my handspun bins are quite literally overflowing, so I decided to start some fun new projects with handspun yarns this week! First, I used one of my TDF yarns (spun from a crazy batt ) to cast on for a Small Squirrel from 50 Yards of Fun (my latest book obsession): Then, I got inspired to cast on for a squishy hippo using another book from my knitting library, Itty Bitty Toys by Susan B. Anderson: I'm using a pre-TDF skein of handspun; the fiber ...

Today I have something to share that I've been working on in semi-stealth: a turtle made entirely out of Zoom Loom squares! I was given this everything-you-need kit by the kind folks at the Woolery . In August, they are hosting a super-fun Zoom-along featuring the Zoom Loom Critter Kits , which they currently have on sale on their website. The swatch critter kits are made by DJE Handwovens , and there are several animals to choose from: chameleon, dragon, frog, lion, sheep or turtle.  The kit was made especially for the Schacht Zoom Loom, and it includes full instructions and enough Mountain Colors yarn to make the critter as pictured. You'll just need to provide your preferred stuffing to complete the project. I chose the Turtle Kit! I was a little worried about the level of skill needed to assemble the it, but the kit specifically states that if you can sew a button or a hem, you can make a swatch critter. Ok, I can do both of those things....no need to be in...

I sure hope you are all sitting down, because the chevron socks of doom are officially DONE! On Wednesday night, I finished the toes, wove in the ends, and blocked them: Despite enjoying very little of the knitting process (a rarity for me in the realm of sock-knitting), I absolutely love the finished pair of socks. Because they were such a labor of love, I'm sure I will treasure them all the more. However, let it be decreed on this day that I shall never, under any circumstances, knit socks sideways ever again. Seriously. It's just not for me....though I tip my hat to those who dig it. #SockSelfie The pattern is perfect for the variegated colorway, which is Tristan from Bijou Basin Ranch in the Tibetan Dream base. It's a yak/nylon blend yarn that is so incredibly soft and warm. The pattern is The Hub of Fashion by Stephanie van der Linden, which appears in her book Around the World in Knitted Socks . As you can see, they fit quite well (way better than you'd ...

The chevron socks of DOOM are finally getting closer to being done, thanks to an 18-hour roadtrip earlier this month. Basically, I forced myself to work on this project as much as I could while en route to Kansas City, where we visited family and celebrated our 9-year (!) wedding anniversary. We ended up bringing home some beertastic souvenirs, of course! Over the weekend, I finally grafted the second sock together and began the arduous task of knitting the cuffs and toes. I apologize for the all caps, but.....I AM NOW TWO TOES AWAY FROM HAVING THIS PROJECT OFF THE NEEDLES!  Needless to say, I am really looking forward to this project being done. I know I will love the socks once they're done - the yarn is incredible and they will be super-duper warm, too. However, knitting socks sideways is definitely not for me. I can't stress this enough. I have been working on them since the beginning of May, so it will be a huge relief to go into August with a clean slate.  ...

My newest spinning wheel acquisition is from Louet ; last year, I borrowed the S95 Victoria to use during Spinzilla (I was the captain for #TeamLouet). This year, I decided to make it a permanent fixture to my craft room! What I love about this wheel is how easy it is to use. It doesn't require a huge effort to treadle, and it's designed to be virtually maintenance-free, as noted on the Louet website: The fly wheels of all our models are 50 cm (20") in diameter (except for the S45). They rotate on a maintenance free, lubricated for life ball bearing pack to ensure excellent spinning ability by allowing them to turn freely and quietly. The same maintenance free ball bearing is used at the footman connection. Absolutely no lubrication is necessary for the bearings to work correctly. It has Scotch tension, featuring a single belt, flyer drive with an adjustable bobbin brake to regulate the tension on the yarn as you spin. I find it fairly easy to spin finer yarns on ...

I finished a baby sweater last month, but I didn't want to blog about it til I gave it to the parents-to-be! This is one of my favorite patterns from 60 Quick Baby Knits, the Seed Stitch Yoke Cardigan . I used some superwash yarn I'd hand-dyed myself back when I still worked at Lorna's Laces. The pooling turned out to be pretty interesting and almost looks like I planned it that way (though I assure you I did not!): Front Detail  Back Detail However, I think the crowning glory of this sweater is the adorable robot buttons: I recently discovered a new site called Indie Untangled , which is a way to discover awesome new folks in the fiber arts industry. You can sign up for their newsletter to be notified of shop updates, which is especially helpful for smaller businesses whose etsy shops aren't always consistently-stocked. Anyway, through Indie Untangled , I found a really awesome button-maker called Fastenation Studio , which is where I purchased t...

Do you ever come across something at exactly  the right time? That's how I feel about spinning opposing-ply yarns. This is something I first heard about on the We Are Yarn podcast, and since then I've noticed other mentions here and there, to the point where I knew I had to try it for myself. Spinning 101 dictates that yarns are balanced by spinning singles in one direction and plying them in the opposite direction (i.e., two Z-twist yarns would be plied into an S-twist yarn). So what happens when you ply one Z-twist with one S-twist yarn into either of those directions? The answer is as varied as your handspun, however, and there is an entire chapter in the Spinner's Book of Yarn Designs devoted to the subject. When I ordered these 8 ounces of Superwash BFL from Nerd Girl Yarns in the #hashtag colorway, I knew I wanted to make something special with them. My hope was to get a sport-ish weight yarn which could be used for socks, and when I was reading about ...

I'm so excited to share my newest design! I was recently asked to design some accessories for Bijou Basin Ranch's #CountdownToOutlander event which is happening right now! They have a new line of hand-dyed colors inspired the the Outlander  series of books by Diana Gabaldon, which is being made into a TV series which premieres on Starz on August 9. The Outlandish collection includes a spectrum of 27 gorgeous colors and comes in two of my favorite bases: Lhasa Wilderness (a blend of yak and bamboo) and Himalayan Trail (a blend of yak and merino). Himalayan Trail yarn in Lallybroch from the Outlandish color series. Before we get too far, I have to make a confession: I've never read any of the Outlander books. I have managed to glean a few key plot points here and there in my internet research, but I can't claim to be a super-fan, nor would I want to misrepresent myself as such. I chose to draw my inspiration from scenic photos of Scotland, which is where a large po...

Over the holiday weekend, I finished my handspun kerchief-turned shawl ! I still have a few yards left over after binding off, as I wasn't up for playing yarn chicken. The end result is an extremely soft, squishy triangle scarf that will undoubtedly keep me warm all winter long. I used the recipe from Joelle Hoverson's Last-Minute Knitted Gifts , which is a great source of knitting inspiration, especially when it comes to finding the perfect pattern for handspun yarn. I absolutely love all of the colors and the texture: Garter is fast becoming one of my favorite stitches! This week, I also finished my Stegosaurus for the FreshStitches/Spud & Chloë CAL : I have enough yarn left over to make an inverse version of the dino, too, so that will be a fun project to revisit later this month! Incidentally, it's not too late to join in on this CAL - there are prizes you can win just for finishing before the end of the month! Also, on Wednesday night I fi...