Early April Showers

    Its raining today, first rains we've had in a couple of weeks I think. I'm filling the last water barrel ready for summer, will have over 150 gallons which should be enough as it will get replaced as its used.

   I haven't started on my woven clothespin peg bag yet, I was hoping I could sew inkle bands side by side with the sewing machine but have no clue how or even if it can be done. I guess I'll have to do it by hand. I could do one in 3 pieces easy enough on the frame loom, I might combine the frame loom and inkle loom weaving.

  Not got anything to knit right now, think I will start a Iphone sock tonight. I do want to use up that chunky yarn I got before Christmas so I'll dig my knitting book out and have a go at knitting a vest/body warmer/gillet for myself. I also still have those socks on the needles, forgot about those again.

  I spun half a batt last night, could of done more but towards the end the yarn made a grab for the fleece and made a mess. I'll get the rest of that batt spun up today.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Clothespin peg bag update.

    The clothespin peg bag is coming along but I'm not liking the cables, because I'm knitting with cotton theres no elasticity to the yarn and knitting so many stitches in the round is causing me problems. The purl stitches between the cable panels look like there laddering and because the bags going to get a lot of heavy use I think this will become a bigger problem. At the moment I'm seriously thinking of frogging the whole thing again.
    
      If I do frog the clothespin peg bag I'm not sure what to do, I need a peg bag but don't want a plain knit one. I could do one with slip stitch colour work that would look interesting or I could have a go at weaving one. 
    Right now I'm leaning towards having a go at weaving a peg bag, I've weaved a lot but never made anything out of it so this would be a good first project. Ok then thats my mind made up, one of the good things about blogging and writing stuff down helps clarify the mind. Now to decide whether to do it in inkle bands, frame loom or both.

   I unwound the drop spindle at the weekend and wrapped it around a tupperware box until I get the rest spun up. The last time I did some spinning I was getting approx. 150yrds before I had to unwind the spindle, this time I've gotten 379 yards. Not sure if I've suddenly gotten good or if its the blend I've made but increasing the amount by more than double is pretty good either way. I think this yarn will make a nice 3 ply yarn for my aran sweater.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Census fun

   I must confess to a compulsion to colour the white lines in on bar codes, not all of them just random ones. I also like to change numbers and letters, J to I, 7 to 2. I'm also a very messy form filler, usually spilling my coffee then rubbing it vigorously, smudging stuff as I go along. 
   A weired thing too, I'm very neat and stay between the lines when colouring bar codes in but I can't stay in the lines in those little boxes that you have to write letters in. I'm optical softwares worse nightmare. I've obeyed the letter of the law and filled my census in, dated it April 1st. I hope .gov and Lockheed martin are happy.

Belt up

   I tried one of the eyelets in the band I had on the inkle loom yesterday. I might need to rethink the whole belt concept as the eyelet wasn't completely enclosed by the woven fabric. I'll get some of the washer type eyelets and try again, also have a play around with my technique.
    I had a long look around for the sort of buckles you get on canvas belts but didn't really have much luck, lots in china but with min orders and some of the workmanship looked bad. I did find one place in America that I need to look into more, not as cheap as china but I don't think there are min orders. If I can get the military style canvas belt buckles cheap enough I think that will be the way to go.

   I've put the batts. on charge today, I know, I know, its about time but I should have some picture posts for the next couple of Saturdays. Not a lot planned today, I will be having a go at tablet weaving once I figure a good way to put holes in the cards, think a drill might be best. I also want to get some spinning done, I think I need to take off what I already have on the drop spindle and begin afresh. Hopefully I can make a dent in the bag of batts I have so that I can start plying soon.

  Not been getting a lot of knitting done the last few days, I am trying to get at least one full round done a day but I really should be doing much more if I want to finish the clothespin peg bag before winter. Once I start knitting the cables it will probably slow me down even more.

  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Holes on my mind

   Got some 3mm eyelets today and a counter punch for notches in belts but there not working out as planned, think I need to spend a little more and find eyelets with washers for the back. The counter punch would work with the eyelet washers, the pliers I've seen for closing normal eyelets I'm unsure of the sizes. Think the washers is the way to go, would look more tidy too I imagine. I was hoping to make a belt on the inkle loom for mothers day but I'm not going to be able to now. Not sure what I'm going to do and times fast running out.

  Almost finished the band on the inkle loom and have read some of the tablet weaving book and am ready to try that once this band is finished. I think I'll try and set the tablet weaving up on the inkle loom and see how that goes. I'm not 100% happy with the tension bar on my inkle loom, it seems to be bending a little. I've seen another inkle loom on on ebay with a sliding tension bar instead of this twist type tension bar that I think might be better or I could get some wood and try and make a larger loom with a sliding tension bar, not sure that would be any cheaper though.

  If the inkle looms to small for tablet weaving I've got a couple of c clamps I could set up on the coffee table or I could set up a hook on the wall and use a belt and do some backstrap weaving. I think a trip to the lumber yard might be in order so that I could make an new inkle loom and something for tablet weaving thats adjustable.

  All the plants are outside in the afternoon sun again, its getting to be a bit of a chore taking them out and in every day. At the moment I'm leaving the lettuce outside in the mini green house and they seem to be loving it and just bringing the the tomatoes and tobacco inside of a night. Its still a pain though, the weekend is meant to be colder but we'll see.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Still nice out

   Still lovely days out, warm and bright. The temps are meant to drop back down to seasonal averages this weekend which will be a little colder but I hope the sun keeps shinning. Put the solar water batch heater out last night so I might have warm water for a wash this morning but its not warm enough. Theres not enough time for it to heat up yet, unless I have a two hour lie in. Its too warm of a night to heat the water with the kero heater so over my morning coffee I fire up the kelly kettle for some very hot washing water.

  I got about half of the band woven on the inkle loom, I'm very impressed with this pattern but can see how I could improve it slightly. My starts now are very good, even if I do say so myself and my edges are alot better for the most part. More consistency is needed there. I still haven't had time to read my new book on tablet weaving, I'll try and put 30 mins aside today for that.

  Only got two rows knitted on the clothespin peg bag, about an inch along so far. I think another inch of moss/seed stitch and I might start working on the cables. I've been thinking about weaving a clothespin peg bag as well, think it would be much faster than knitting one. I could combine the inkle bands with some frame loom weaving for some very interesting results.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Walking the plants

   Another lovely day out so I've taken the plants out into the garden for some full sunshine. I'll leave the lettuce and the spare tray with more tomatoes, lettuce and salad/spring onions out in the mini green house tonight now that its had a chance to warm up. If the temps drop at the weekend to much I can always bring them back inside. When I get a couple of hours to spare I'll put up the poly tunnel.

   I haven't gotten much else done, did a little knitting but thats it. The inkle loom is warped but I haven't touched it since Monday, I think I'll get that woven today. I got a stack of pub beer mats today that I think will make good tablets for card weaving with, my card weaving book arrived yesterday but haven't had a close look at it yet.

   I might light up the bbq again this evening and finish off the buns I have. Yesterday I did some burgers and wrapped the chicken in foil with butter and lemon juice with a few herbs and let it slowly cook off to one side, then took it out of the foil and let it finish over the coals. Not sure what herbs I used but it tasted very sweet and was really nice. Just burgers tonight though.

  Well I'm off to talk to my plants while the weathers nice. Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Its frogged

   Frogged the clothespin peg bag last night and dropped the two rope cables from the design. Apart from that I will be doing it the same, couple of inches of moss/seed stitch then stocking stitch all around with two simple plait cables and a five fold aran braid cable on the front.

   Dull yesterday has turned into an almost summers day today. I've put all the plants outside and might now start leaving some of the lettuce out, now would be a good time to set up the poly tunnel me thinks or throw the plastic over the mini greenhouse I have already set up as shelving. I'll be back in the garden in a little while, I need to transplant some more tomatoes and lettuce and look at moving some of the tobacco seedlings.

  I got my seed potatoes this morning and there already chitting but I'll wait a week before I plant them and let them chit a little more. Plus theres still always a risk of frosts this time of year and moving pots inside is easy but I wouldn't be able to move the potatoes inside to be safe so its best to wait.

   BBQ for tea tonight while the weather is this nice.I got a chicken quarter before and some buns to go with the burgers. Got lettuce and onion  in already, would be nice to start eating my own grown food again but I'll have to wait. I think this winter I'll try and grow one of the cold variety lettuces.

   I'd love to stay and chat but its too nice out. Have a great day and take care folks.

Dull days

   Its dull again, hope its not going to be dull all year like last year. My plants want sunshine. I haven't done anything else to the garden this weekend. Keeping an eye on my tobacco seedlings, there extremely tiny things and I'm not sure about transplanting them.

   This weekend I pretty much got everything done that I was planning to do. Saturday I did some blending, knitting and some work on the inkle loom. Sunday I did some spinning, knitting and some more work on the inkle loom.

   I'm starting to think about frogging the clothespin peg bag and starting from scratch, its too wide I think. I could decrease some stitches and see how that looks and redesign the cables I wanted to use. But at the moment I'm really thinking frog it and start again.

  Busy day today so this is all I'm posting, hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Spring has sprung

   Another nice day out, nights are still cold though with last night down to -1c(approx 30F). I think I'll set up the poly tunnel next week and start acclimatising some of my plants. Will still have to be careful of any frosty nights but they should be fewer and fewer from now on, I hope.

   Apart from the garden I didn't get much done yesterday, no knitting or spinning. I did do the bookmark on the inkle loom and warped it for another bookmark. I need to work on my starts still and my finishes as well, I'll read my book more today on the finishing section. Warping the loom for bookmarks this way might save some yarn but seems to take twice as long, though this time I was a little quicker as the holding yarns were already cut.

   I'm going to do some blending today with the carder as well as some knitting and weave this bookmark. I'd also like to get some more spinning done if I have time, if not today then I will definitely get some spinning done on Sunday. If I can remember I'll charge the batts. tomorrow and get caught up on some pictures so I can get back to doing some Saturday pictures posts.

  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Sprouts

   Ordered some maris piper seed potatoes today, there a main crop that make great chips(most chippies use maris piper). I'll get them started beginning of next week. My little gem lettuce is coming up great, got a couple of tomatoes coming up too and my tobacco is sprouting as well. No salad onions yet though, wasn't sure if they would or not as the seeds were a little old. Once I transplant the tomatoes I'll plant some more salad onions seeds but use a fresh lot.
  Edit to add I've just transplanted some tomatoes and lettuce to pots,its nice and sunny out so didn't want to sit inside writing this.

   I warped the inkle loom to weave a book mark in a check pattern, the warping took forever and I haven't started weaving yet, I'll make a start on that later today. I think the way I've warped the loom should make an ok sized bookmark and don't see that I'll run into any problems though being new to this I might have overlooked something, time will tell.

   I didn't start an Iphone sock yet but will do soon, promise. I only got a few rows knitted on the clothespin peg bag, I forgot how tangled up you can get knitting in the round. It will be easier once I have a couple of inches knitted.

Off back in the garden now, hope you all have a great day,take care folks.

1, 2, 4, 9, 23, D'oh

     I took a short break last weekend from knitting because of all the simple mistakes I was making. My knitting is now ok but I can no longer count. Made a cast on mistake and added an extra 20 stitches and now my counting has messed up my moss/seed stitch on the clothespin peg bag. Instead of undoing the lot I went back a little bit and have about 1cm of 1*1 ribbing then the moss/seed stitch.

    Today I want to try and weave a bookmark on my inkle loom, I need to figure a way to warp the loom so that I don't use loads of yarn but can also use the heddles. I'm thinking of cutting the warp for the bookmark then tying the pieces to yarns to make a full loop of the loom so that I have room to work and the bookmark will still slide along so the heddles will be easier to use. Not sure that makes sense but in my head I think it will work, I'll let you folks know tomorrow.

    I should get some spinning done today or very soon as I haven't done any in about a week. I've nearly got the drop spindle filled, think another batt or two will have it filled and ready to wind off. Once I start on an empty spindle it seems to make me want to spin more to try and fill it up.

    I'd also like to start a Iphone sock even though I have a knitting project going on right now. I think the clothespin peg bag will take a while to finish so a quick knitting project would be nice to do. I have the design for one and know what yarn I want to use I just hope I can count the stitches correctly this time.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Clothespin / peg bag.

    Made a start knitting the clothespin/peg* bag(from here on out it will be called a peg bag) last night, twice as I messed up my counting the first time by nearly 20 stitches. No idea how I over counted 20 stitches. I haven't written a pattern out but did a couple of drawings and made some notes, I did write out the cable panels I'll be using.

  Decided the peg bag will be knitted in the round using magic loop starting at the bottom with an inch or two of moss/seed stitch then a couple of rows of reverse stocking stitch then I'll knit the cable panels with a couple of stocking stitches inbetween. The back is going to be the same moss/seed stitch then just plain stocking stitch.

   The cables I'm using are 6 stitch rope cable (back), simple plait cable, 5 fold aran braid, simple plait cable and another 6 stitch rope cable (front). I'm going to put the slit to get the pegs/clothespins out in the middle ish somewhere, sort of doing that part on the fly at the moment until I come up with an idea. Not sure if the 5 fold aran braid panel will be wide enough but if it is I'll stop the braid and do a reverse stocking stitch row there then pick up a second yarn to knit with then do another reverse stocking stitch row for the top of the slit and carry on to the top.

  Finishing off the peg bag I'll probably put half the stitches on a bit of string and knit another inch, cast/bind off the front then knit the back an inch and sew the top together with a gap to slip a coat hanger in and leaving the side inch open to allow a coat hanger to pass through the sides.

  I'm knitting the peg bag in a blueish steel colour cotton yarn(dk), the same as used in the bookmark and bib patterns. Using a long cable with 4mm or 4.5mm needles, I forget the size at the moment. Hows all that sound? I'm open to any ideas or comments. Once its finished I'll take pictures and write up the pattern.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

*In the Uk most folks call clothes pins pegs.

Cricked neck

   Woke up this morning with a stiff neck on one side, probably slept the wrong way on it last night or I may have done it shaking the beer barrel about during cleaning. It wouldn't be the first time I've hurt myself cleaning the beer barrel but usually its the shoulders or chest, I really shouldn't put so much water in there and try and shake it about.

   Bottling the beer took a lot longer than I had planned, it always does so I don't know why I never take that into account. I did manage to finish off the 2 inch check cross band on the inkle loom but didn't start another one, I will today though. 
    I didn't manage to get anything else done apart from a little designing for a clothespin/peg bag but even that was slow going. I'm getting distracted with cable designs for it instead of working on the overall design. I have it all worked out in my head now, just need to get it on paper now.

   Nothing else to write really so I hope you all have a great day, take care folks.