A big change!!

This feels sooo good! I have been thinking about cutting my hair for a while and it finally drove me so crazy, getting in the way, that I did it! I wanted to grow my hair so long that it was Mermaid style (see Sandi's blog). It got there and then I promptly chopped it off. I may even go shorter next time.



It is really hard to take a picture of yourself. I took at least twenty shots that made me question what I really look like- they were so awful! This was the best I could do.



Isn't it funny how we knit so many things and then go out and buy something someone else knit? It is supporting our knitting community. My husband may hang me for buying something handknitted when I have a room full of yarn! It's cute though, isn't it? I saw it at least six months ago and passed on buying it, but when i went back to the store it was still there, so I knew it was meant to be. It even works with the new hair.

FO's!!!

This is the second one of these headbands I made out of this nice merino from Uruguay. It is also the second one I gave away. I now have to make one more for me because I really like it! It is a pattern from Knitty and it is a great first cable project- it has a few different stitches and it is easy to see how they work.



These mittens are made out of some handspun I bought on ebay a year or two ago. I am really trying to stash bust right now as I have the winter yarn buying bug! I feel better about adding to the stash if I use some up at the same time. The wool was a heavy worsted and I knit it on size 7US DPN's so it is a nice, tight, warm mitten. I love the bright colors for this time of year too. We have so much snow here in Vermont that it is hard to get around the yard or driveway. I went for a snowshoe yesterday and my feet were sinking 2-3 feet even with the snowshoes on! That's alot of snow!!!

I finally finished theses socks that have been on the needles for almost a year. The yarn is a soft wool dyed by Mama E in a colorway she dyed exclusively for the store I bought it from, Knit Happens in Alexandria, VA. I love the orange and bright purple blend of color.
I have been needing new socks as I had a hard winter where four pairs got holes in them and I am not a darner. I did find a tutorial online but I have yet to use it so the pile just grows. I am gearing up to cast on for a new pair but I have alot of other projects in queue right now.


I started this last night and it is a big stash buster. I bought a sweater kit from Morehouse Merino years ago for my son and I am finally making it! The yarn is discontinued now- I can see why- it has alot of hay particles in it. There are too many to pick out as I knit so I will just do a big pick when I am finished. It is soft though and the pattern is nice and easy for me to knit.



I am on a week long break from school and it is much needed. I have had so much work to do lately that I felt like I may have a nervous breakdown. I am looking foward to decompression with alot of knitting and spinning so I hope to have fun things to show you by next week!!

Handspun!!!

Two posts in a month- it's almost unheard of for Big Yarn Mama! I just had to show off my new spinning wheel. I have been breaking it in- every Saturday is spinning day. Here it is...


(I have got to figure out how to turn the pictures!! Sorry!)

Please ignore the mess in the background. By the time I finish my Saturday spinning the kids have efficiently demolished the house. They are nothing if not thorough!!! The following pictures are all of the yarns I have spun up since Christmas.





It is amazing how unique each roving turns out to be and how you never know how the yarn will actually end up. I have a few single color rovings but I am not as inspired to spin those yet. I would like to mix the single color with the variegated and try some new ideas I have. I just have to get up the courage and get over the fact that I may not like what I create.

And, Just so you see that I have been knitting... these mittens are made out of handspun. I have whipped out four pair this month. I spent a day this week cleaning and organizing the stash (no small project!) and now I am on a mission to finish all the WIP's I found. I did a little ripping and so far a little finishing. I'll keep you posted!