28 June 2013

Let's Quill ~ guest blogger Annette

Hey everybody,  I finally picked my colors and now I have them!

This is what I chose.....

For my main color I chose snowbound, then long john, almanac, tent and embers.  I haven't quite figured out what order they will be.  Wow did that take along time to pick out.  So many colors so many decisions!

I have a question though,  has anyone ever used the loft colors before?

 I started to think about the colors running.  I was talking with Melissa and she suggested to color test them before using.  I'm going to do that for sure but I just was just wondering what you know or think.

Thanks & happy quilling (I haven't even wound anything yet, so I'll probably be the slow poke of the group)    Annette 

22 June 2013

Time to Quill~ guest blogger Andee




What better way to kick off the Summer than to have a fire in the back yard, some beer and work my my Quill. Happy Summer!!!
 
If you are counting the colors of yarn I have there are a few extra. I will narrow down the final colors when I need to. I am using prime alpaca and loving this mindless knitting so far!
 
~Andee

19 June 2013

folk art & quill ~ posted by Melissa

I'm ready.  This is my inspiration:
 
 
We have this print in our front room.  Someday I hope to visit this place.  I love how all the buildings are numbered ~ here's a close up of the key:
 
 
My favorite is building 8 ~ 'Sisters Shop' ~ maybe a yarn shop for Kelli & I?  I can always dream :)
 
I took a page from my sketchbook covered with colored pencil markings that matched this print to Churchmouse Yarns and Teas today and in a few months these yarns:
 
left to right: MC pumpernickel, C1 Fossil, C2 Sap, C3 Embers, C4 Long Johns
 
will be a lovely blanket for my husband (who patiently waited for an hour while I changed my mind again and again before settling on these colors).
 
Thanks to the awesome staff at CM who helped me wrap my head around how to estimate how much yarn I needed to upsize this pattern from a shawl to a large throw.  Your patience and determination to not let me leave empty handed was very much appreciated!!
 
Phew ~ I don't remember ever putting so much planning into a knitalong before!
 
Ready to cast on?  I am!  And there is always room for more knitters if you'd like to join us ~ all the info can be found here.  We'd love for you to knitalong!
Melissa


17 June 2013

I am trying to find my color comfortzone...by guest blogger Steph

So this is it my very first blog post. I am thrilled to be part of the Quill KAL, that starts in the upcoming weeks (with my pace will last months;) )I placed my order from some yarn from th Plucky Knitter on 5/22 and will be waiting for it to arrive. The yarn is for the center square of my project which leaves me with the difficult decision of what to use for the border...Decisions!decisions! decisions! what's a girl to do? This girl has decided to request some help. Would you please let me know what your favorites are?




16 June 2013

Shall We Quill? ~ a post from Kelli

                  

  Everybody getting ready?  Here's my choice, Loft.  Snowbound for the main color, CC 1 is Old World, CC 2 is Long Johns, CC 3 is Almanac, CC 4 is Storm Cloud.  A big box with these yarns were sitting on my porch waiting for me yesterday from Portland Maine.  This is partial  payment from my test knit, at 25% off.  Which was received to Jared emailing me my work was "great!"  This test knit chapter is final.   I'm hoping a picture of my sample  makes the cut...I believe  will be in the Brooklyn Tweed fall patterns collection.  But for now we will start the beautiful Quill~

(here's a link to the Summer Solstice Knitalong ~ Quill ~ info if you still want to join in!)

10 June 2013

surfacing & a new kal ~ posted by Melissa

 
As promised, it's time to catch up!  Lots going on at home so there has been little time for blogging.  Thanks again to everyone who posted in May about their Shetland Shawls ~ they were all amazing and it was so much fun to follow everyone's progress.  I think there are 3 knitters left who have yet to finish, but I know at least 2 of them are really, really close to being done.  So, let's keep the ball rolling and start thinking about the next knitalong.  We've missed Jared Flood and are going to do another of his wonderful patterns, QUILL , to keep in the Shetland tradition.  Here's the link to the page (also on the sidebar) with all the info!.  Add a comment if you're joining us and you're a repeat guest blogger, and if you're new send me a note on Ravelry and I'll get your info from you there.
 
Now to explain my absence during the May KAL.  No excuses.  I had the yarn wound, beads picked out, needles at the ready...but I lacked the motivation to cast on.  Then day after day your beautiful finished shawls were posted and I kept thinking 'today is the day I get started', but I still couldn't seem to muster the excitement.  Finally towards the end of May, I buckled down and cast on.  I knit for 2 days, beads and everything.  And then I took a look at my work and...yuck.  So with a pang of guilt, I ripped it out and decided not to beat myself up about not participating this time around.  Take my word for it ~ it was not pretty.  'Hot Mess' kept popping into my head the entire time I knit it (it was madelinetosh yarn, you know, so it was definitely a HOT mess!). 
 
I was productive in May, though, and up to things unfamiliar and unlike me! 
 
 I entered a photo contest for the first time.  Two photos, each with a caption ~ and that's all I'm going to share right now.  I wrestled with some self-doubt and waited til the final hours to submit my pictures, but they have been sent and received and now it's a waiting game til August to find out how I did.  Regardless of the outcome, the hurdle for me was entering at all so I'm proud!
 
 
 
...and then immediately knit another with leftover scraps from other projects:
 
 
Pattern : Sandness by Gudrun Johnston (Wool People 5)
(for more information, project links are above each photo)
 
I also dipped into the 'almost finished basket' and completed this lovely:
 
 
Pattern : Smocked Lace Wrap from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas
 
And after knitting two of the same shawl, I started a pair of socks (shocker!!!).  After all, I can't really use my standard 'I don't like to make the same thing twice' excuse anymore as the reason I don't knit them.  And how could I not cast on a pair, after our blogging friend Jeff was so nice (!) to send me this wild skein from his trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival:
 
 
  Thanks, Jeff!!!!  And here's proof that this is really happening:
 
 
But that's only one sock, Melissa...  I can hear you all thinking that :)
 
I just finished it this morning and true to my word, I have already cast on it's mate:

 
These socks are fun, fun, fun (although not a beginner pattern - there's much that's intuitive or implied) and after struggling a bit with the first one, the other will be a breeze (my massive note taking will certainly help!)
 
Pattern : Aquaphobia Socks by Crystal Flanagan (the link is to my project page on Ravelry)
 
I think that's everything noteworthy that I have to share.  I probably won't resurface until the start of the next knitalong ~ we've been prepping for fence staining and house painting for weeks and the crew, weather permitting, will be here tomorrow to get started.  So, until then, happy knitting and see you soon for Quill!
 
~ Melissa 


06 June 2013

Jared ~ posted by Melissa

 
Penny ~ this one's for you.
 
I was taken by surprise when I read your comment about 'googling this Jared Flood guy'.  Ah, grasshopper.  No need to google.  You just haven't been hanging around with us for very long.  You could just type his name into our blog search bar and you'd have hours of us gushing, and knitting his patterns, and gushing, and talking about what we'll knit next, and more gushing....
 
I think you get my point?
 
I wrote a love poem to him 2 years ago...
 
a haiku for jared:
 
hooked on hemlock rings

left breathless on rock island

juneberry in may
 
 
We've had four knitalongs using his patterns and here's a shocker...
 
In case anyone is wondering, our next knitalong is just around the corner (I'm thinking 'Summer Solstice KAL' 06/21/2013) and guess who we'll be knitting?  You only get one guess :)
 
Stay tuned ~ I'll post more this weekend and also 'fess up about my disappearing act for the May Day KAL.  Thanks everyone for keeping the blog so much fun last month while Kelli was test knitting like a madwoman and I was, well...doing nothing near as fun but I'll fill you in later.
 
Hope everyone is well!  ~ Melissa
 


05 June 2013

I think we're done showing off now! Guests... Carolyn and Penny

Thanks everyone, for helping us on the KAL...


I Can Hardly Believe It! ~ a post by Kelli

A couple a weeks ago I was asked to 'test knit'.~  This package came straight from Jared Flood's mill!

I haven't been doing much since.  As some of you already know I met Jared Flood in February at the Madrona conference in Tacoma WA.  I saw him again at Vogue Knitting in Bellevue WA, in April, where he asked if I'd ever wanted to test knit for him!!! (Melissa, should we tell the folks what I said to myself, in my mind?)

Early May I got an email from 'his people' asking if I'd like to test knit...my journey started, the first half of May and now into June we've been corresponding!!!... along with getting paid for my work, I get any of his patterns for free and 25% off his yarn!...and we all know I'd of knitted it for free~

I wish I could tell you all about the amazing piece I just finished,  I'm thinking this fall or winter I can.

I've seen all the fabulous lace shawls you've created, and from pictures and words it seems like most of us have a new favorite or favorite 'go too' project when needed.

Thanks for letting me share my excitement , and I hope to see everybody around this summer.

Kelli