Fiber Fairy Tales

he's always searching for the electric cord

Saw this at etsy- think my husband would like this for Christmas? He has everything else! I'm thinking about buying the pattern and making him one.

seriously.

My Name is Calamity Kim and I am a Yarn Snob

I admit it!

I finally figured out why I wasn't feeling the love when I knit. It's because I don't enjoy the machine made yarns. Now, that doesn't stop me from buying them or stashing them away for someday when I am good at knitting and they can come out and get made into something nice. I am just saying that until I actually knit something with some hand spun I didn't know why I felt disinterested in actually learning to knit.

Big revelation to me. What a relief! I thought I just hated to knit!

My friend Kim had a batt (that she made) that was so lovely I had asked to buy it from her once she spun it up. Well, she gave it to me and my other friend Cheryl cast it on for me and I started to knit.

Click

Clack

Went the sticks in my hand and as the scarf grew I began to smile! I said to Cheryl that I was excited- anxiously happily waiting to see what it would look like! This had NEVER happened when I was trying to knit before- the usual frustration and boredom didn't occur! I felt joy!

Wow! Now, this may not mean a thing to you but for me it was quite a revelation. I can make and do many things but knitting was never one of them. I always admired it from afar, holding other people's sweaters and purses in my hands, adoring the way they felted up or wishing hoping praying I could learn to do that some day. Then I learn and nothing feels like it should.

It's just not happening in my head- usually I can "see" the finished quilt, apron, doll, whatever I am making in my mind's eye and with knitting I just can't.

I don't know what it is supposed to look like.

I don't know any stitches except knit and YO and I taught myself to cast on by watching a British Chick on You Tube. I loved her accent, btw and that helped me be successful- lovey, I'm quite certain!

So, this is my second scarf made with KidLin by Louet which is composed of 53% kid mohair/24% linen/23%nylon. I used a vintage loom tool I bought on Etsy from Cathy of California to create the little flowers.

I fell in love with the mohair at Picasso Moon and had Debra cast it on for me. It took me 2 weeks to knit ! I picked it up every now and then when my hands were empty and I had some time. I crocheted on the ends a row or three and then did some dble crochets and then ruffled it up- not knowing really how to do it right- just crocheting with the gray mohair. Then I made the flowers after my friend Cheryl showed me how- we enjoyed a cuppa tea out on the back patio under the shade of the giant ficus tree. Squirrels and birds stopping by to nibble seeds and chirp hello. [We have recently seen a pair of otters on the lake and are trying to get some photos. That makes a long list of wildlife in our back yard- squirrels, rabbits, turtles, snakes, possum, raccoons, otters, cats and dogs! Oh we saw a giant tokay lizard once too!]

I don't have any idea how to charge for something like this if I were to sell it. The cost of the materials plus what- hours of careful knitting? I dunno what good a scarf does in Florida. That's typical of me though, to spend time and money on something totally useless.

It's pretty. It's soft too!

Even though it was made with store bought yarn I still feel proud of it and happy to have completed the project. It was also begun before I knit with the hand spun.

This is what I started last night after learning the cast on. I want to finish up the rest of the yarn. I need the practice. This will be my 4th scarf.

This was my first scarf. I have also made a small pocketbook but am still knitting the handle. I will show you soon. I am working my way up to being able to knit with my own hand spun. I enjoy spinning so much and it is an all around positive experience for me.

Someday maybe knitting will be too.

One can only hope.

Bahhhh, ram, ewe, and back again soon,

calamity kim