Episode #16: Fiber festival!

The podcast is also available on Blip and iTunes! Thanks for watching!

Thank you Zena aka "knittingnatterzena" for gifting me the Fruit Cloths by Kris Knits!

Congrats May Toy KAL - George the Giant Squid - WINNERS!
LindaMNoble - Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Waltz Worsted "Bot Bucket"
lindse - Anders Mill Pattern Guide Magnets
trainergirl15 - Anders Mill Stitch Markers & WWEZ? Sticker

May/June Shawl KAL
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall
Henslowe by Beth Kling
Ruffled Fichu by Jane Sowerby

Finished Objects
Synchrony by Chrissy Prange in Twisted Fiber Art, Ariel Double Evolution "Talisman"

Works In Progress
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall in Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Tweedy Sock "Into The Forest"

Yarny Goodness
None

All Spun Up
Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Superwash Merino "Kermit" 116.7 yards 2.72 oz/77 g worsted/heavy worsted

On The Bobbins
Loop, Bullseye Bump "Stripey Spectrum" 7 oz

Fiber Goodness
Western Sky Knits, UK Shetland "Bella" 4 oz

Great Lakes Fiber Show
Gale's Art, BFL "Proud Peacock" 4 oz
Gales Art, Corridale Mix "Random Colorway" 4 oz
Gwen Erin, Romney "Fire Dancer" 4 oz
Gwen Erin, Columbia "Koi" 4 oz
Fiber Optic, Polwarth "Robin's Egg" 4 oz
Fiber Optic, Merino/Silk 80/20 "Cranberry to Evergreen" 4 oz
Fiber Optic, Merino/Silk 80/20 "Nutmeg to Celadon" 4 oz

Episode #15: Lots of chatter

The podcast is also available on Blip and iTunes! Thanks for watching!

Ruby the Lovable Huggable Monster is available for purchase!

May Toy KAL
George the Giant Squid

May/June Shawl KAL
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall
Henslowe by Beth Kling
Ruffled Fichu by Jane Sowerby

www.DoodleBugYarn.com save $5 off of a $25 or more purchase, use code "RetroLemon" at the checkout!

Finished Objects
None I can show

Works In Progress
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall in Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Tweedy Sock "Into The Forest"
AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman in Fibernymph, Bounce "Good N Plenty"
Synchrony by Chrissy Prange in Twisted Fiber Art, Ariel "Talisman" - May 2012 Club Colorway

Book Review
The Knitter's Book Of Wool by Clara Parkes

Yarny Goodness
Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Twist "Lorax" MMM1 May Club Shipment

All Spun Up
None

On The Bobbins
Loop, Bullseye Bump "Stripy Spectrum" 7 oz

Fiber Goodness
Highland Handmades, Shetland "As You Wish" 4 oz
Gnome Acres, Superwash Merino "Knitabulls Franklin" 4 oz
Greenwood Fiberworks, Polwarth "Downton" 4 oz May 2012 Club Shipment
Into The Whirled, Romney "Inara" 4 oz May 2012 Club Shipment
Loop, Bullseye Bump "River Safari" 4.8 oz
Loop, Bullseye Bump "Early Autumn" 5.3 oz May 2012 Shipment

Great Lakes Fiber Show this weekend! May 26 & 27!

Episode #14: Knit & Spin

The podcast is also available on Blip and iTunes! Thanks for watching!

www.DoodleBugYarn.com save $5 off of a $25 or more purchase, use code "RetroLemon" at the checkout!

May Toy KAL 
George the Giant Squid

May/June Shawl KAL 
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall
Henslowe by Beth Kling
Ruffled Fichu by Jane Sowerby

Finished Objects 
None

Works In Progress
AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman in Fibernymph, Bounce "Good N Plenty"
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hampsall in Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Tweedy sock "Into The Forest"
Arabian Nights Rectangular Shawl by Lidia Tsymbal in Knit Picks, Gloss Lace "Rouge"

Yarny Goodness
Dancing Dog Dyeworks, Glitter Lace "Kiwi"
Fibernymph, Bounce "Summer Wild Child"
Fibernymph, Sunshine "Good N Plenty Gradient"

Magazine Reviews
Interweave Knits Summer 2012
Your Knitting Life June/July 2012

Tools Of The Trade
"Balls" Bag from LittleLippyEwe
Schacht Lazy Kate from The Woolery
Spinners WPI Gauge from Girl On The Rocks
$1 deals from Target
Garden Bucket from Walmart

Charity
BrandAndersonFund.com

All Spun Up
Chinera, Merino "Sea Glass"
Bon*Fiber Merino "Green Tonal"

On The Bobbins
Nothing

Fiber Goodness
Fibernymph, Plowarth "Fruit Loops" 4 oz
Chimera, Merino -I'm calling it "Rainclouds and Lemons" 4 oz
Loop, Bullseye Bump "Tropic of Capricorn" 4.5 oz

Episode #13: Lots of spinning

The podcast is also available on Blip and iTunes! Thanks for watching!

www.DoodleBugYarn.com $5 off a $25 or more purchase, use code "RetroLemon" at the checkout!

Thank you's
Tina aka KnittingBlooms for picking me as the Featured Designer
Pam aka SheepTherapy for the Bon*Fiber "Green Tonal" Merino
Laurie aka Maddiesmama for the Chelsea the Chatterbox Monster
Laura aka Veelau for donating some Dancing Dog Dyeworks yarn for the May KAL prize

Pattern Giveaway Winners!
LiddyLee
rebeccaj9
Starkie81

May Toy KAL
George the Giant Squid

May/June Shawl KAL
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall
Henslowe by Beth Kling
Ruffled Fichu by Jane Sowerby

Finished Objects
None

Works In Progress
AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linnamen in Fibernymph - Bounce "Good N Plenty"
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall in Dancing Dog Dyeworks - Tweedy Sock "Into The Forrest"

Yarny Goodness
None

Charity
BradAndersonFund.com
Love Knit shirt pre-orders (as seen in Episode #11) by Linsay aka LittleLippyEwe for her 3-day Breast Cancer Walk

Tools Of The Trade
Schacht Lazy Kate purchased from The Woolery

All Spun Up
iLash Designs - 100% BFL "Fall Harvest" 2-ply (iLash Designs no longer dyes fiber)
Gnome Acres - Superwash Merino "Froggy Monkey" 2-ply
Loop - Bullseye Bump "Tweedledee" 2ply

On The Bobbins
Chimera - Merino "Seaglass" 4 ounces

Fiber Goodness
Highland Handmades - Pitch Pine Top Corriedale Cross "Ripening" 4 ounces
Highland Handmades - Pitch Pine Top Portugese Merino "Growth Spurt" 4 ounces
Greenwood Fiberworks - Merino "Peacock" 4 ounces
Greenwood Fiberworks - BFL "Vintage" 4 ounces

Great Lakes Fiber Show coming up soon! May 26 & 27!

Episode #12: 300 Group Members!

The podcast is also available on Blip and iTunes! Thanks for watching!

www.DoodleBugYarn.com $5 off a $25 or more purchase, use code "RetroLemon" at the checkout!

Thanks to Tina aka KnittingBlooms for picking me as the featured designer!

Congrats April/May Shawl KAL WINNERS!
trainergirl15 - Knit Pink Shadow "Spring Green"
EmilyK3661 - Small Project Bag
LorrieP - Knitter's Bible, Knitted Accessories book

May Toy KAL
George the Giant Squid

May/June Shawl KAL
Hogwarts Express by Ashcroft-Hempsall
Henslowe by Beth Kling
Ruffles Fichu by Jane Sowerby

Finished Object
AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman in Spinning Fates - Toula "Lemonhead & Grey"

Works In Progress
Spring Awakening by Paulina Popiolek in Cascade - Heritage "Butter" & Grey"
AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman in Fibernymph - Bounce "Good N Plenty"

Yarny Goodness
Dancing Dog Dyeworks - Tweedy Socks "Into The Forrest" & "Beach Glass"
Dancing Dog Dyeworks - Waltz Worsted "Royal" mini skein
Lollipop Yarn - 75/25 Sock "You're Making Me Dizzy"

Charity
BradAndersonFund.com

All Spun Up
Loop - Bullseye Bump "Happy Day" navajo plied, 82 yards, 4 ounces
Woolgatherings - 100% BFL, I'm calling it "Fruity", 2 ply, 91 yards, 4 ounces

On The Bobbins
iLash Designs - 100% BFL "Fall Harvest" (iLash Designs no longer dyes fiber)

Fiber Goodness
Loop - Bullseye Bump "Stripy Spectrum" 7 ounces
Into The Whirled - Superwash Merino "It's Bigger On The Inside" 4 ounces
Gnome Acres - Superwash Merino "Froggy Monkey" 4 ounces

I love spinning!!!

I knew it was a bit of a gamble when I ordered a spinning shell without ever trying it. I also knew it was going to take a lot of practice to get good at spinning. What I didn't know is that I'd fall madly in love with it, and have spinning on the brain!

It all started when my Schacht Ladybug arrived 3 days ago. In no time at all, I had it assembled and ready to go. I had watched the Start Spinning: The Video a couple times, read the companion Start Spinning book by Maggie Casey, and watch dozens of YouTube videos on spinning.

I had bought some beautiful hand dyed fiber on Etsy, but wanting to wait until I got used to spinning I started with a 50/50 wool alpaca blend I bought from a spinning and weaving guild a couple years ago that I had recently dyed with Kool-Aid. It was a fail! The staple length was waaay too short and was a complete pain to draft. So, out of desperation, I grabbed a Loop Bullseye Bump out of the small fiber stash I recently acquired, and started spinning! 

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking! I started spinning my first handspun with Loop! Am I crazy?!?! Maybe, but it drafted like a dream! All of a sudden my confidence shot throughout the roof! I was was spinning! And, having fun while doing it! 

I spun the whole 4 ounces of fiber in one night. I was over the moon with excitement! I couldn't wait to get up the next morning and ply my fiber. I decided to navajo ply it, since I wanted it to be a gradient, little did I know, navajo plying isn't a beginner technique. It took me a little while to get a rhythm going, then it went really well.

I have to admit, my yarn is far from perfect. There's lots of thick and thin, over spun parts, and some parts are just a mess. So imagine my surprise when I pulled my yarn off the niddy noddy, and it was balanced! Holy Cannoli! I then washed it, soaked it in vinegar, then soaked it in some Soak, and thwacked it and hung it outside to dry.

I only got 82 yards out of 4 ounces, but I'm really looking forward to working on getting consistency, and learning many more techniques. As a matter of fact, I have another  4 ounce skein that I spun as a 2 ply drying, and half of another fiber bump on a bobbin. I wish I could spin all of the time! But, I have a lot of deadline knitting, and KALs, and several other things to knit. I do plan to try and set aside 15-30 minimum everyday just to spin. I find spinning unbelievably calming, and just what I need when I need a break from knitting.

My biggest piece of advice to any other beginner spinners is: spin fearlessly! Don't be afraid, listen to yourself and your fiber, and most of all- it's okay if it's not perfect!