So, I have a TON of Nutiden. And it is becoming a bit of a problem because it is growing out of its storage place (my second closet, which will eventually need to be repurposed as Jeremy’s closet…). However, that didn’t stop me from purchasing almost all the colors in their latest update. BUT, in order to try to keep myself in check, I tried to figure out projects for half all the colors I bought, and figure out plans for a few others.
One of the new colors I bought is FLAMMAKAREN. I had been seeing this little cropped cardigan all over pinterest and am obsessed with it. I think this color will be perfect for that.
The next color I got was DRAKEN. I actually wasn’t originally planning on getting this color, but after seeing the photo below that really shows the 50/50 red/blue mix, I fell in love. I also think I got a sample of this with my latest fiber order, and if that’s true, then the color is amazing. I’ve always wanted to knit the Na Craga by Alice Starmore, but haven’t really found the right yarn. I think this color will be ideal.
This is a color I already had called Iver. I have been going to my local knit night, and another attendee was talking about making a Dagmar Zip, which has been on my list, and I think this color will work well. However, I only have 500g, and if I want an oversized fit like how it is designed, that wouldn’t be enough (held double, to get gauge). So I’ve ordered some different light green mohairs to see if I can get an interesting marl for this sweater (which will end up being ridiculously expensive, but it’s fine…)
Next is this Aprikos. Originally, I wanted to make my Dagmar Zip in this, but unfortunately I only have 300g (I’ve since decided to always buy at least 500g of a color because this has happened more than once). But, I think it would be nice as a Vika. The Vika is the first sweater I ever finished! And I wear it a ton. I think a pink version with mohair would get a lot of wear in the winter.
I don’t know where this sweater is from, but ever since I’ve seen it on Pinterest I have been o b s e s s e d. Unfortunately the orange Nutiden isn’t quite as VIBRANT as what is in the inspo sweater, but I think this combo will be really nice and allow me to use up some of my misc gray Nutiden scraps.
Next is KARL. This is a color that I absolutely LOVE. I just have a vision of creating something similar to my Secale sweater, but not exactly the same stitch patterns. I want something that matches the fit, since it is very wearable, but maybe uses a 2×2 cable instead of the seed rib stitch and seemed raglans.
Another Alice Starmore pattern that has been on my list ever since I started knitting is the St. Brigid. Again, I couldn’t really think of a color I really wanted for this, but then I saw this new Nutiden color VÄRMEVÄKTAREN and I actually envisioned a version of it for Jeremy (since this color really suits him). He didn’t really feel like he wanted another pink sweater, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. I haven’t decided if I will hold it double, or if I will hold one strand with something else. I’ve been wanting to try Nutiden + 1 strand of a lace weight non-mohair yarn, so maybe I will spin a nice gray (my Romney fleece?) to create a subtle marl for this.
I hadn’t intended for these colors to go together when I bought them, but when I was reorganizing my Nutiden stash, the ended up in the same bag and I LOVED how they looked. They almost make each other glow, which made me think of creating a nordic sweater that emphasizes that glow, kind of like a Bohus Stickning effect (without the angora).
And lastly, we have the Cloud Sweater. I already know what Nutiden + Mohair combo I want to use, but I’m trying to get through some projects I already have all the yarn for before buying a sweater’s quantity of mohair. But I think this will just be a super luxurious winter sweater.
So that’s what I got! I still have a few sweater quantities of Nutiden in stash, plus a ton of Höner Och Eir spinning fiber, but having these plans and setting these quantities aside will help me have some projects ready to go when I’m ready to cast on something new.
Over the weekend, Jeremy and I started the more involved parts of refurbishing the Macomber. I had already wiped down the wood with Murphy’s Wood Soap (based on other online recommendations), so the next step was to start de-rusting.
We used both liquid and gel Evapo-rust. We found that the gel worked really well, but it had been sitting in the jug for a while so it took a LOT of shaking to get it back to a gel consistency.
We made it through about half of the bottom lamms and all of the upper jacks. We definitely should have taken more care with removing the upper jacks, because it was only after removal that we realized they were on there in a specific order…and unlabeled…haha.
But, after cleaning, we laid them out and I think I got them back in the right order. They’re not precision machined items anyway, so I think the order we have them in will work. I also reapplied vaseline on the rods and between each of the jacks for fresh lubrication.
We also removed the old apron strings from the front and back beams – they were weak and dried out. We then needed to attach new string, and saw from this blog post that we needed a way to keep the loops very close to the exact same length. We used my knitting machine as our “pins” to loop the the string, and I think that worked well.
I tried to get the rust off of the old apron rods, but they’re pretty gunked up. I opted for buying new stainless steel rods since the yarn will be on there directly and I will be handling them a lot.
All of this took about 1.5 days. The majority of the work was applying the rust remover, waiting, and then reapplying. We found that two rounds of the gel worked best on the lamms.
The next weekend we get to work on this, we’re planning to do the rust removal 2nd half of the lamms, reattach the lamms and the necessary the rods that join the jacks and lamms, and start the rust removal on the shafts. We’ll also attach the new apron strings to the back beam, and the new apron rods if they’ve arrived.
The last step, after finishing rust removal and reassembly, will be re-engaging the brake. My Harrisville Designs loom has basically an identical brake set up, so I’m going to use that as my guide for the brake. I’m wondering if I need to replace the cord used for the brake. It is still solid, but it seems kind of kinked, and I’m wondering if that will cause issues.
I may also try to sand and reapply the clear finish in a few places, but that will be last and may not be while in this apartment (since I will need good ventilation).
Fingers crossed this will all be back in working order soon 🤞🏻
I’ve been going through my (too big for my apartment) yarn and fiber stash. I often feel overwhelmed by it, but still find myself buying new yarns and fibers. A goal for me this year is to use up a large portion of it. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what that amount looks like (maybe net -5 sweater quantities? net -3 fleeces?), while also avoiding using things up for the sake of using them and rushing through projects. While going through all of this fiber, I have figured some things out about what I like and don’t like in my knitting/crafting that can help guide what I do (and don’t) bring into my stash going forward.
I don’t like everything when it comes to knitting and that’s ok. In going through my stash, there have been moments of looking at yarn and thinking “Oh god, what am I going to do with this?” but then also moments (like when going through my fleece) of being super excited and wishing I could take 4 days off work just to spin. That is a CLEAR message to me on what I want to keep working on:
Colorwork with commercial yarn (especially J&S/Jamieson’s)
I absolutely love colorwork, and I love knitting it with Shetland yarn. I (currently) don’t see a point to creating my own handspun heathered yarns to knit “traditional” colorwork with (except for maybe a natural colors set). I want to prioritize reducing other yarn consumption, so I can feel free to add more colors to my stash and complete a bunch of colorwork sweaters I have in mind.
Unspun cozy and “workhorse” sweaters
Even though my Fisherman’s Raglan didn’t have the exact fit I was going for (I imagined it more fitted, and in hindsight should have done a split hem), I wear it a ton. I love these sweaters that feel wooly and cozy, but I’m also not afraid of cooking, washing fleece, or hiking in. They’re also a bit looser of a fit than I’ve been knitting to date, which fits a lot better with my style and how I want my clothes to fit right now. I’ve seen a few versions of the Cloud Sweater by PetiteKnit that look like the viral Toast sweater, so that is something on my list.
Colorful cables (Noro, handspun, etc.)
My Noro cable sweaters are some of my favorites. A goal of mine is to make a handspun Na Craga or St Brigid by Alice Starmore.
Working with raw fleece
I think the most excited I felt when going through my stash was reopening my fleeces. I LOVE fleece. I love seeing the different qualities of different sheep and trying different forms of prep and spinning with them. The main drawbacks are that it is time consuming and it is hard to wash in my apartment. I tend to default to knitting, so I usually want yarn faster than I can get out of spinning. But I would like to prioritize finishing some of my planned fleece projects this year.
Dyeing my own fibers
I have this massive bag of fiber I dyed with Jeremy over the summer and it is BEAUTIFUL. This, along with the fleece, is what brought me the most excitement when going through my stash. The complex colors I was able to achieve with natural dyes, and mixing and matching dyes and fiber, was so fun. I loved the experimentation and not having a set result in mind – it helped me avoid any expectations and feelings of disappointment, which I think is something I struggle with in my crafting.
More of everything with handspun yarn, especially cable sweaters, socks and weaving
I never thought I would be a sock knitter, but one thing I have found is that it can be great as a functional swatch for handspun blends. I made one batt with the intention of making socks, and the yarn is probably my favorite yarn I have ever made. I would absolutely love a sweater with it. By making one sample batt and knitting it into socks, I was able to test out a blend without committing to a full 1lb needed for a sweater. I’d like to keep doing this going forward. Jeremy also loves handspun socks.
Mohair-only projects and in more colors
I have a few ideas for projects that require multiple colors of mohair, but mohair is expensive. I’d like to build up that stash as I can
Try different commercial yarns I’m interested in
There are some commercial yarns I’ve always wanted to try, but I usually default to buying things I know (ex: J&S, Harrisville Designs, etc.). I’d like to reduce my stash enough so I don’t feel guilty buying new yarn. I also want to try to get myself to try a sample first, instead of buying a whole sweater’s quantity right away, in case I don’t like it. I definitely want to try making a Toast sweater replica in Manchelopis, and I’d also like to try some thin alpaca yarn like Cascade Alpaca or even Drops Alpaca.
Stop buying variegated hand-dyed yarn
I simply just don’t like the final result. I find that the look I’m always going for is more heathered, or even variegated in the way handspun can be over dyeing whole skeins
Prioritize hand-dyed spinning fiber over hand-dyed yarn
Like I just mentioned, I’ve realized I don’t like variegated hand-dyed yarn. However, sometimes I like the colorways and if/when they are offered as braids of fiber, that could be a worthwhile purchase. I still want to minimize this type of purchase and focus on my own fiber dyeing.
Look for thin farm yarns to hold with other yarns
(as opposed to holding mohair)
I like the look of marling, but I don’t always want to hold things with mohair, and I also prefer knitting at smaller gauges, so holding two fingering weight yarns together often feels too bulky
Keep a yarn wishlist
I want to keep my yarn wishlist up-to-date. I think this will help with not feeling like I have to buy things I see in YouTube videos (or keep a million tabs open) for fear of forgetting about them. I also think this will bring focus of things to buy when I have the urge or need for yarn for a new project, or go to festival. This will be both concepts (ex: lace alpaca yarn, lace wool on cones) and specific yarns.
Try one fiber subscription
As I’m trying to get better at my fractal spinning and understanding color and spinning, I think this is a good choice for me. It will expose me to colorways I may not naturally gravitate towards in the braid, but may create yarn I enjoy (or vice versa). I’ve always loved the yarns I see people make from the Hello Yarn fiber club, and she just had some spots open, so I grabbed one. It is $26/mo, and that is a budget I’m comfortable with for this.
Things I will continue to bring in (but try to keep it reasonable)
Continue improving my understanding of fit and achieving the sweaters I want
I am a good knitter. I know some people would consider me an advanced knitter, but I wouldn’t. For me, being an advanced knitter would come with having a better understanding and execution on fit. I have made a few sweaters in the past couple of months that have be about 75% of the way there when it comes to matching what is in my head, but they fall short when it comes to the nuances of fit. In order to get better at this overall, I think I need to focus on a couple of things:
Figure based on the types of yarn I like when I see other’s handspun
I know I like fractal yarns, but I also know I don’t like all fractal yarns. Most of the ones I have done, I loved how the dyed top looked, but the final yarn had a dominant color that wasn’t what I want. I would like to get better at understanding how the colors a dyed top or batt will translate into the final yarn based on the spinning technique. One person that really inspire me in this area are @linthegrey on instagram and her handspun overshot weaving. That is a HUGE goal for me.
Find more time for other crafts, especially weaving and sewing (and also deeper dives into spinning)
Sometimes it can be hard to prioritize diving deeper into different crafts. I often don’t feel like I have the capacity to do something that requires more thinking, which is why things like weaving and sewing get the least amount of attention. I would really like to try to substitute fulfilling the need for something new with buying supplies with focusing on learning. I bought myself a subscription to Jane Stafford’s weaving school, which is awesome so far, and a Sew Liberated pants class, which I haven’t tried yet. I’d like to make use of both of those this year.
How to avoid feelings of overconsumption and letting myself relax
And lastly, I have been having conflicting feelings around the joy I get from knitting/crafting – picking colors, figuring out the math, executing the project, problem solving along the way, etc. – and the fact that I don’t need 500 sweaters. I think there are a few things to help with this:
This was a long one, but it feels good to write down some of my goals and lessons learned from going through my stash. I’ve definitely had a big spending month so far, so I’m hoping to use the next few months to focus on (intentionally) using my stash, and diving deeper into different skills I want to improve.
I hadn’t finished any projects for a while, but I’m slowly starting to complete things.
I’ve been prioritizing both a) using things from my stash; and b) making sweaters that I can incorporate more into my daily wear.
For the latter, it has led to me either redoing parts of sweaters, or working on things that tend to be a little more slow. A lot of these sweaters are plain stockinette or ribbing, so I lose steam and cast on something new to get a little boost. But, I think I’ll have a lot of new, wearable sweaters in early 2025.
All that being said, I have finished a few things.
One of the things I’ve finally finished is Jeremy’s blanket. I may do a longer post on this – I ran out of warp and had to find some way to attach more “seamlessly.” In the end, it isn’t perfect, but now that it is done I already want to do another in colors that are more “me.”
When it first came off the loom, I was a bit disappointed in the colors. I don’t really know what I expected, but it wasn’t really exciting me. I think if I do another, I will do something more similar to this sample I did at Harrisville:
But, even with the colors not being my favorite, Jeremy loves it, so that’s great.
I’ll definitely write more about the process of knitting this sweater at some point because oh my god was it annoying. But finally I think I have a version I am happy with.
I really like the cropped look for a fair isle sweater and will definitely knit more like this, but work on having a slightly looser gauge so the fabric is more comfortable. The gauge on this sweater ended up so tight that the fabric is a bit stiff. I do love heavy fabrics like, tapestry and upholstery, but it isn’t as ideal for a little sweater like this.
I think the sweater is beautiful, but if my body changes in any way, it will be pretty impossible to wear. But, maybe it can be an heirloom if I have kids who also love knitwear.
Lastly, I’ve just finished my Fisherman sweater. At first, I felt like the fabric was too thick and sproingy, but after some steam blocking it really relaxed. It still isn’t drapey, but it is a nice toothy, lightweight fabric. It’s also incredibly warm. It doesn’t match exactly what I had in my head based on Carmen from Knitting a Good Yarn’s version, but now that I have worn it a few days and it has sort of “found its shape,” I’m happy with it.
With those completed, I’ve been working on a few new sweaters, plus looking to pick my handspun and alpaca slubbing sweaters back up.
Yesterday, Jeremy and I cooked one of the roast chicken recipes from the new Julius Roberts cookbook. We’ve tried cooking a whole chicken before and it didn’t turn out great (the infamous Jamie Oliver Milk Chicken – disgusting. I’m pretty sure Jamie Oliver doesn’t know how to cook).
But this recipe was simple and delicious. Neither of us are a fan of fennel, so we swapped that out for yellow onions. Otherwise, we followed the recipe as is and got a really moist, delicious chicken. The potatoes absorbed a ton of the lemon flavor and tasted almost like greek potatoes. My one complaint was that the chicken tasted relatively plain compared to the potatoes. Jeremy suggested that next time we put some additional lemon inside the chicken and see if that helps it imbue the flavor.
We, well I, also took this as an opportunity to practice some photo and video. The kitchen and dining room in my apartment have almost no natural light, which make them horrible for photos. I worked on trying a few things with my flash to try to emulate a more “natural light” look and I think some of the kitchen photos came out pretty good.
The final dish photos were less successful – I think I incorrectly adjusted the angle of the flash and the light ended up harder than in the kitchen.
I also have been wanting to try out more videography. Unfortunately, my canon, while amazing for photos, isn’t as good for video. But, I’m trying to test things out and make due before investing in a video camera. I’ve also never found a video editing software I found very intuitive until trying out DaVinci Resolve for these clips.
Music: Build by AvapXia from the Free Music Archive
Nothing special here, but having some fun trying something new and excited to try more. I’d love to do some knitting project videos, and, if we can figure out the lighting, some more cooking videos.
I’ve also been watching a ton of DIY cabin/homestead videos. I’ve really enjoyed roaming wild rosie – she’s doing everything herself, doesn’t take herself too seriously, and, most importantly, doesn’t feel like I’m just watching a stream of endorsements for random products.
I also started (but still haven’t finished) watching this other DIY cabin video, which is more in the ambient/asmr area, and have really enjoyed it so fr.
One day, I hope to be able to take beautiful videos like this on our farm.
With the election results in, I am thinking a lot about what I can contribute that is meaningful and fulfilling. I am not destined to be a large organizer/leader, but I think I can contribute in other ways.
I don’t have a lot of fully formed thoughts now, but the thing that pulls at me most is hosting and cultivating a space for people to meet.
I hope that wherever I move, knowing it will be more rural and likely more “purple”, I am able to contribute towards cultivating a studio/general store/meeting space where people can gather on shared interests in fiber and farming and appreciating our natural environments, but also for education. Education on how to take care of each other and our planet; education against disinformation and propaganda; education on who our neighbors are and encouraging us to work together and take care of each other as a means to all having a better life.
I saw a click-baity pinterest post that was like “how i moved away from being interested in self-sustaining to community-sustaining” and I think that idea (in a less-click-baity way) really resonates with me. I think change begins at the personal level – in recognizing the humanity in others and building upon that for a shared future.
All I can do right now is keep working towards the goal of being able to all of that, little by little, as I can.
Something I’ve been trying to do for a while now, but especially with a move (hopefully within the next year) in mind, is use up yarn and fiber in my stash.
I have a massive amount of fiber, including whole fleeces, and yarn, but have the classic problem where I don’t always have enough for a sweater, or at least not the right sweater. But, I’m doing my best to pull things together with a pattern and get some projects set up for the rest of the fall and winter.
Right now, I am primarily working on fixing my Primrose sweater, which is knit from a (very expensive) kit, for the third time. Yes, I have put the sleeves on and knit the yoke twice. Then I realized the sleeves were like compression socks so I ripped them out and re-knit one. Realized it was still too small, knit the 2nd sleeve in a custom size, and ended up with something that is still fitted but feels good (I can wear a thin long sleeve under it if needed…but I won’t need to because this sweater is so warm).
So yes, I’m trying to finish that, but also work on it slowly/intentionally so that I end up with something I’m really happy with. I’m intended for it to be a bit cropped and hit nicely at the top of my high-waisted jeans. Fingers crossed I’ll have that before the end of the year.
I also have a few other sweaters I already started, but they’re primarily plain stockinette and I’ve stalled out a bit since they’re a little boring. One is knit with this beautiful unspun from Uist – it is an alpaca mix and so delicate. I’m knitting with just one strand and am getting this ethereal yet rustic fabric. I haven’t decided how I want to end the sweater yet, but I’m thinking of having a pretty deep split hem with a basic 2×2 rib.
The other basic raglan I started is with some handspun. I love this yarn – it is a little rough, but the mix of color and texture is something I’m really excited about. I like that it is variegated through the mix of fibers, as opposed to dye on the same base. It is a mix of Lincoln, Icelandic, dyed Polwarth, and some Harrisville Designs roving.
Another sweater I’ve had plans for for a while is the Fisherman’s Raglan by Lív Ulven. I really liked how Carmen (from Knitting a Good Yarn)’s came out – the fabric seemed very light (due to it being unspun) but toothy. I have this brown-gray Nutiden in my stash that I decided would work well, but unfortunately my first attempt at knitting this was way too dense. I held it double on size 7 needles and it was like a lead blanket. I decided I wouldn’t be happy with it as is and re-swatched on size 9 needles. I feel like the new fabric is much closer to what I had in mind, and I’m hoping this will be a relatively quick knit.
I also finished my Halloween sweater for this year. I had been thinking about making a chart of this famous(?) woodblock for a while…
…and knit it up on a simple, set-in sleeve Plötulopi sweater (based on some notes I took when knitting the same sweater in solid black, and then again in red Nutiden with a little lamb).
For some upcoming plans, I have these two skeins of indigo over marigold yarn I dyed that I’d like to try making into a basic, fitted, cropped, set-in sleeve sweater. I have this old American Apparel sweater that I think I’ll model the fit after, and I’ll try using Jessie Mae’s 1993 Tee pattern as a template.
I also have a sweater’s quantity of Harrisville Designs Daylights mill ends that I want to use to knit up a vintage fisherman sweater like the project Fringe Association did years ago.
I also have been dreaming of a fall colors Lovage forever after seeing gummywormybelly’s version on Ravelry years ago. I have some Uradale farms orange that I plan to use for the main color and then a mix of J&S/Jamieson’s colors for the rest. I also swapped out a few motifs to get a photoshopped swatch I’m excited to work with:
There are one or two colors that I could use a backup ball of, and I’ve told myself that when I get through all of these WIPs and 1-2 of the stash sweaters, then I can put in a J&S order for yarn to make Jeremy a fair isle sweater and to make myself this amazing sweater:
Jeremy and I are starting our farm search and I am so excited. I’m using the term farm a bit loosely – there’s a lot we don’t know, and where we end up will be a combination of what we feel we can handle and what becomes available. As of right now, we’re looking for more of a “homestead” than a farm. We have some basic criteria:
We also have some bonus features:
I already started daydreaming about the types of chickens and ducks I would love to try out, and obviously the breakdown of sheep I want to have eventually. And bees!! And goth vegetables!!
Anyway, I want to keep some notes here as our search evolves, and also put it out into the world in case people have leads or shepherding-related advice on what to look for or avoid in a property, if our acreage seems too low, etc. – we’d be happy to hear as much advice as possible.
