Spring Stashdown

On Ravelry, the Spunky Eclectic group is having a stashdown, where you spin as much of your stash as you want to between April 1st and May 4th. I was overly optimistic as usual and decided I could spin 45.2 ounces in a month. Here is what I pulled out of the stash to spin:

• 3.2 oz wool silk cotton mohair blend (light teal on the left)
• 6 or 8 oz merino (?) braids in Autumn Oak colorway (top)
• 4 oz Border Leicester in Golden

• 4 + oz white Blue Faced Leicester (currently on the spindle)

• 8 oz black llama and Border Leicester blend (top)
• 8 oz Border Leicester and Romney blend (bottom)

• Border Leicester and Lincoln blend in blue (left)
• 4 oz BFL combed top in Saturn (right in second picture)

To be fair, I started with the natural-colored BFL on a drop spindle, so it went more slowly than I anticipated. I'm just about finished with that though, and everything else will be done on the spinning wheel. Even if I don't get everything spun up, it was good motivation to keep me spinning regularly and it's improved my spindle spinning a lot. It's also a good reminder of what a large fiber stash I have, with New Hampshire Sheep and Wool coming up in a few weeks.

Spring Wardrobe: Fenimore Tam

I may have said it before, but I love the Shelter yarn from Brooklyn Tweed. It's a lofty blend that knits up beautifully at several gauges, and even though it seems light and fluffy and feels as if it would break easily, it's actually very strong. I also love that it is spun at the historic Harrisville mills, just an hour away from me.



The Fenimore Tam pattern caught my eye the last time I was at the Harrisville Designs shop.



It calls for two balls of Shelter, but I only used up one ball (there was very little left, so I recommend purchasing two balls, just in case). I was thrilled to have one ball left over, because it meant I could finish my Terra Shawl. The pattern is also from Brooklyn Tweed, and also in the Shelter yarn, except a different color. The pattern I purchased a couple of years ago had a misprint and stated that only four skeins were needed when it actually requires five. I was almost done and just had the lace edging to go, so when I purchased the yarn for Fenimore I decided to get a color that would go well with the plum color I had used for most of Terra. I was able to finish Terra with the second ball of Shelter in the color "Sweatshirt" that I had left over from Fenimore, and I think it looks great.



Pattern: Fenimore Tam by Brooklyn Tweed
Yarn: Shelter by Brooklyn Tweed, two skeins in "Sweatshirt"
Needles: US 5 and US 8
Modifications: I blocked it on a slightly smaller plate than recommended, so I might try to reblock it at some point



It's perfect for spring, not that we've had a normal spring here in New Hampshire (although more than any other season, I'm not entirely sure what "normal" is for spring here). It's been great for those blustery days that have popped up out of nowhere, and I think it will be great against the fall chill as well.

Winter Wardrobe: Bandana Cowl

I love just about every pattern that The Purl Bee posts, but some of them just grab me and demand to be made immediately. The Bandana Cowl was one of those patterns.



The short rows are a little tricky, but not too bad.



Pattern: Bandana Cowl from The Purl Bee
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, 1 skein in Faded Quilt
Needles: Size 10 (the pattern calls for size 10.5, but they also used a bulky yarn; I'm happy with the gauge and drape I got with a size 10, but it did turn out very slightly smaller than The Purl Bee's version)
Modifications: Other than going down a little on the needle size, none



I considered this part of my winter wardrobe because I finished it in January, but I think it will work very well through spring and fall. We are still having cool mornings and evenings here in New Hampshire, and it's perfect for warding off the chill.




A close up of the short row shaping at the back:



This was a nice quick project that was easy but still kept my interest with the shaping. Though it looks slightly grey in these pictures, it's really a lovely light blue that goes with most of my wardrobe. I love Brooklyn Tweed's Shelter yarn. It is soft and lightweight, and the colors are full of subtle tweedy changes--so beautiful.

Brattleboro Hat

In between two snowstorms, I finished my Brattleboro hat.


The construction is interesting--first you knit the lower band, then you block it to relax the ribbing. Then you pick up and knit around the top of the band (which I dreaded, but it turned out fine), knit fewer rows than you think you need, decrease at four points around the crown, and then pick up and knit the short button band. I was worried the decreases would look funny, but I think they look fine:



Brattleboro Hat from New England Knits
One skein of hand-dyed, handspun yarn from Woolly Beers Yarn, purchased on last fall's Wool Arts Tour
Size 8 US needles
No modifications




I mostly enjoy winter (yes, even at this point in February), but I'm looking forward to spring, too. Especially getting my garden started again. I miss the smell of dirt.