Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Of yarn, sock, mittens and a hat

Now that we have been talking about mittens, this is a good place to talk about one good yarn...

Quite some time ago I came across the Troubadour Range Organic Poll Dorset yarn by Renaissance Dyeing. I remember, when I was feeling it the very first time, thinking, that this yarn would be perfect for color work mittens.  When I was trying to think a perfect yarn for my Katrilli mittens I remembered this Poll Dorset 4ply I had somewhere in my stash. And I started ripping out the boxes feeling quite obsessive that it was my yarn. I found the tiny skein and set out to make a pincushion out with it.


The yarn feels very thick even though it is only a 4ply, it felt thick because it has ability to fill all the given space, there is more yarn or fiber there than you think... And it is very springy, so you start to get the feeling that it will bounce back and never lose its shape... sounds like a perfect yarn for socks too, don't you think.  I finished my pincushion and wanted to full it just a bit for it to keep its shape well. I poured hot water and soap all over it, I gave it a good go and after a while I thought that I was done.  I washed it and to my surprise it had not really felted at all. I had to soap it all over again and this time I worked for a good while, washed the soap away, and I had managed to touch its surface just a bit. This was the yarn. I had to get more of it. And I did.

I have not yet used the mittens, but I have a strong belief that the mittens will wear beautifully. There is quite a lot of information about this yarn in Renaissance Dyeing website. Take a look... and should you like to see the flock of sheep this wool comes from, there is a blog post about it.

Ever since I knitted the Wallflower socks,I have been wanting to knit more socks with colorful patterning. Finding a good all wool yarn has been a bit of a problem... Most of the all wool yarns are too soft for socks (my family is quite hard on their socks, blame the cold weather) but I have a feeling that this Poll Dorset just might be a good sock yarn also and I have cast on for a pair of socks - ok, I have cast on for one sock, too early to talk about a pair.

This is just a beginning. I have been knitting and ripping and knitting and rip... you get the idea. I would love to find a way to shape colorwork socks in a nice way. Stranded knitting, as we know, is not very stretchy and for that reason, I need to shape the cuff a bit and building a shaping into a pattern requires some serious thinking and thus starting all over again. I am happy at the moment with the shaping around the ankle but am not sure how to take it from there, how to work a beautiful heel and transition towards the toes.


Knitting this sock has been very demanding, so I wandered off to an "easier" pattern, and cast on for this mitten. It uses the same technique as Katrilli mittens and I must say, I kind of like it a lot. And then I hit a wall with the mitten (which I think is worked through now) and made a little baby hat.


I am not sure what it is with these baby things, but I just love making small things.

I guess, this is it for now... until next time, wool with you.

Lene

11 comments:

  1. I must tell you Lene, that I love the orange line along the seam of the pin cushion. Your explanation about ripping so much is encouraging too. I am glad I am not the only one that rips and I see from your work the beauty that comes from the effort. Have a good day!

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  2. Séverine / Cidrolin on Ravelry19:17

    I don't know why you knit all those lovely baby things, but I know why I do it these days – I'm due in november, and I'd love to make such a little hat for my little one. Are you contemplating writing the pattern ? I would gladly be a test knitter should you want one…

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  3. Oh I love the hat and would love to make it for my little boy. He's now 7 months, are you thinking of writing it up?

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  4. Your colorwork is gorgeous I'm a bit envious.

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  5. Susan01:40

    I'd love to have the hat pattern, too: my family just welcomed three new members this month.

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  6. I am also admiring the baby hat. I am long past the baby stage...and not yet at the grand-baby stage (if, indeed, I ever get there as it isn't really my decision)...but there are lots of new babies in my office. And I love baby hats in that head-hugging shape.

    As always, your knitting is both lovely and inspiring.

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  7. I'll join the other comments and hope you will indeed share a pattern!
    Blessings,

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  8. Anonymous05:18

    I took a class from Nancy Bush this morning and the kit that we had to buy included yarn from Judith MacKenzie called Elemental Affect Shetland Fingering. (You can find it on Nancy Bush's website.) It is a very wooly yarn and might be something that you would like.

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  9. Love the baby Hat.My very first Grand baby arrived Sept 21.Little boy Timmy.Love to knit that hat for him this winter.Please make pattern available.

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  10. Annie04:52

    Hi,Lene,I only just discovered your blog and I want to tell you that I like it a great deal so far and that the pincushion is quite nice.I should like to make one myself.

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  11. Anonymous20:56

    Gosh that baby hat is beautiful. I would love the pattern.

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