So many things to chat about this month on the vlog!
The ‘Socks From The Allotment’ collection, including the Egremont Russett Sock pattern is available for purchase from Ravelry or Etsy.
Projects: Egremont Russett Socks, Vinterskov Jersey, Advent Hexipuffs.
Join the Louleigh Ravelry group for swaps and knitalongs:
Today I’m wearing Marklee and a curl.
We are chatting about The Advent Mini Skein Swap, and #knit1000g in the Louleigh Ravelry group.
I am knitting a Doodler Shawl, and the Allium Cardigan. I also discuss customisations to my Electric Eel Wheel Nano.
I am wearing Exploration Station and a Scout Tee.
Come and join in the Louleigh community:
I chat about my Guthrie cardigan. The freshly cast on Allium Cardigan, and the Electric Eel Wheel Nano.
Check out my destash page on Ravelry.
Fun things in the Louleigh Community:
In sock knitting news, my Ultra-light Ankle Socks, and the Stripey Socks are finished.
I’ve been hand quilting my scrappy quilt, and talk about using a sashiko thimble. I found the demonstration from Sashiko Co really useful.
The jersey I have on is Marklee.
In this episode I’m wearing a shirt made from Liberty lawn cotton, using New Look 6483.
I’ve drawn the prize for the Ankle Sock knit along. Come and join us in the Louleigh community.
The socks segments includes an update on my tube socks, stripey socks, and ultra-light socks.
I’ve finished my A-frame skirt. I also talk about the scrappy quilt I’ve working on, and my scrap management process.
Community News: The Ankle Socks Knit Along will finish on 9 August, and there will be a little prize giveaway. The Magnificent Louleigh Yoke Along continues until 19 September.
I’ve been fractal spinning a braid of Shetland top. The Playdate Cardigan is complete. And I’ve been working on the A-Frame Skirt.
I am wearing my Farrow dress.
Today I’m wearing my Farrow Dress.
Currently in the Louleigh Ravelry group:
In knitting this week, I’ve been working on the Playdate Cardigan.
I’ve finished spinning some beautiful Romney, and have started a fractal spin using Shetland top.
In sewing, I’ve been using my scraps for some fun patchwork, and have made a Tilly Flop tea towel bag inspired by the Knitter’s Backpack from Ritual Dyers.
Today I’m wearing my Custom Fit Cardigan.
Quarter three of the Advent Mini Skein Swap is about to close, and I’m working on a sample for my new Advent Sock pattern.
I’ve been working on Guthrie for the Magnificent Louleigh Yoke Along.
My spinning wheel is back in action. I’ve been spinning some beautiful Romney top. I’ve queued some lovely Shetland top. And I talk about fractal spinning and my Castra Shawl.
While I was at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival this year Jennie (Owl About Yarn) and Zoe (Pins and Needles) revealed their latest woolly adventure. We’d all arrived early for a breakfast meet up, and they thrust a couple of swatches into my hands and told me all about their adventure in creating an all Welsh yarn. They both live in the south of Wales, and had noted a dearth of Welsh yarn. These women are not the types to idle, and went straight to work to create Cartref Yarn. They very kindly sent me a generous sample to test drive.
Yarn weight Double Knitting; Skein weight 100 g; Length 205 m; Fibre content 66% Welsh Mule, 33% Bluefaced Leicester; No. of plys 3; Spun in Wales
Recently I’ve been knitting with yarns that are light, lofty, and full of air. By comparison Cartref Yarn feels much more dense and weighty. When it arrived the yarn felt crisp, and the skeins had a lot of rebound when I squashed them. It’s not a soft yarn. The word that springs to mind is robust.
This is the first time I’ve been sent a sample large enough to actually make something. The pattern is a modified version of Paddle by Tin Can Knits. Mitts turned out to be the perfect test swatch. I wore them all day, every day, for five days; which made for a pretty good wear test. I’d swatched on 3.75 mm needles, and got a gauge of 22 stitches and 32 rows over 10 cm.
Mitts after five days of wear, and before wash number three.
The mitts didn’t change shape at all with washing. I hand washed them three times with Woolly Wash, and the gauge didn’t change it all. They did soften a little in the last wash, but there wasn’t the significant transformation between the yarn in the skein, and the washed mitts.
I wore the mitts almost constantly throughout the day, whilst working at my computer, sewing, dog walking, and gardening. They did get damp, and by day five there was some minor pilling on the palm; however the yarn has great memory and the mitts sprang right back into shape with washing.
I think Cartref Yarn would make a great outdoor garment. It’s doesn’t have a lot of drape, and would hold a tailored design really nicely. Any textured elements, such as ribbing or cables, would be well defined. Personally, I found it to prickly to wear next to my neck, but it was fine against my forehead and bare arms. And I love the colour pallet that Jennie and Zoe have created. There’s a colour that will speak to most folk, and some options for colourwork.
This week I’m wearing my Scout Tee.
We have three knit alongs running in the Louleigh Ravelry group. Please come and join us.
The projects I’m chatting about are Guthrie, the A-Frame Skirt, Ankle Socks With Pinstripes, Ultra-Light Ankle Socks, Featherweight Cardigan, and Playdate Cardigan.
Finally, I review Cartref Yarn.
louleigh 