Making A Difference with Leftovers

I finished my neck cowl made out of mill ends!!
What are mill ends??  They are basically yarn leftovers.  The stuff  left over after a skein of yarn has been wound into the length needed. I bought some of these leftovers at a fiber mill near my house in Michigan. I thought the colors were cool and even though some of the yarns were different sizes, I really liked it. I especially liked that the mill owner was using up something that might have been waste and making it into something use able! Talk about recycling!

I really hadn't thought about mill ends before. Honestly, I really didn't think too much about yarn.  I usually go to the yarn shop, drool over the yarn and pick stuff I  love based on texture, weight and of course color. I hadn't really given a whole lot of thought how the yarn gets into my hands.  I knew where it comes from (sort of) and of course how retail works, and spending time with my new spinning wheel has opened my eyes a  bit, but..... what about the leftovers?

Here's just a little thought for a cold Monday morning.....

A sheep grew the fleece.  A farmer sheared it off and then cleaned it. It then had to be carded  and then either hand processed or sent to a mill for processing. So far it's a lot of work!  Once it's cleaned, carded, whatever else,  it gets turned into roving or yarn!  Our favorite stuff!!   The perfect stuff we see on the shelf.
What happens to those pieces of that fleece that aren't so perfect? A little short in the fiber department perhaps? Not the right color after it's been dyed. Just a little too short to get wound into a ball?   Let's just toss it into a corner for now and continue.... 
So our yarn has been wound into a ball. Once it gets measured to the desired length (220yds?), it's cut. IF there is enough, it's wound into another perfect ball.... the remainder, the leftovers... where does that go?
In my case with this particular yarn - Mill Ends!! The smart fiber mill owner takes all those leftover pieces and winds them up and sells them! No being tossed out into a landfill for the pieces in this  hank!!   If it hadn't been "saved" I wonder where it would have ended up?  Knowing a little about the people who own the mill, it would have probably ended up as something useful.  I can only imagine that in a large scale operation it may have ended up in a landfill. How sad.

Because of the way we are programmed (AND A LOT OF US ARE CHANGING!) we don't like those not so perfect pieces of yarn. The ones that aren't spun just right and aren't just the 'right' one for our project. We throw them away.  Even those little leftover pieces from a ball of yarn... what did you do with those?  Our society seems to do this with everything! Even with food.
I grew up not wasting anything. Recycling was just what you did. It wasn't a new thing, it wasn't cool... it's just what we did. Your food scraps were put outside on the garden for compost and everything that was re-usable WAS.  I don't remember having a garbage truck pull up in front of our house and haul away the trash. Ever. Not so now...
I have been trying to think about everything I buy.  Pre-thinking of what I can do with the packaging, that kind of thing. Sometimes I don't even buy it (whatever it is) just because of the packaging.
 Oh I admit, I'm still a work in progress!!

I'll keep trying to do my part - reduce, reuse, recycle and here is my mill end cowl just to show what I did with my mill ends!

The finished version on Boy Wonder!














It seems that the 3 R's - reduce, reuse, recycle are a new way of living. It shouldn't be that hard!  I just need to get back to my humble beginnings and do things like we used to do! It was pretty easy to reuse the things we had because we didn't have much.  If  we didn't have something to begin with.... we reused what he had!!  I wonder how I've gotten so far from where I started....

I did some searching online and found a few places that sell mill ends and what we can do with them......
http://www.thesheepshedstudio.com/Roving.html -
Here you can buy mill end rovings!  Their website says this:  THESE ROVINGS ARE MILL ENDS!!They are not perfect, they have been tossed in boxes, put in boxes, hauled, stored in bins. They are top spinning and felting fibers, but may not be exactly as pictured...  

I for one wouldn't mind spinning some not so perfect roving! You should see my spinning......... it's not so perfect to begin with!!

http://www.shopcaron.com/Mill-End-One-Pound-Bag-Yarn_p_30.htmlEven a big company like Caron has gotten on board with it.  Here you can buy their yarn in one pound bags. No guarantees on color but if you were buying for charity knitting or teaching groups... might be a cool way to go.

Spend some time this spring & summer at a fiber festival. See how people are getting back to where this stuff all started!  Spend some time with a spinner & see how complicated it can be to make a perfect skein of yarn. Believe me... it ain't easy!
http://fallfiberfestival.org/ I went here last fall & had an absolutely wonderful time! This fall I'm planning on taking the kid! Maybe then he won't give me such a hard time about spinning!

I think the moral of this little story I just gave you is this.... spend some time thinking about what you are doing. Make a small difference every day in just one thing and it leads up to bigger things!

What a Busy Week!

Wow. I really didn't think that I would continue to be busy during the winter months. Especially didn't believe that I would get more busy. What is it with January anyway? I want to just stay home & snuggle up with a mug of tea, a book and maybe (just maybe) some knitting. Think that's happened lately? Um... no. Not at all. I don't think I've even been home for more than 2 hours at a time- except for the time between Boy coming home from school and bedtime of course and that totally doesn't count!
Between appointments, volunteering at school and the USO I have no idea where my day goes, but it certainly does not go over (or anywhere near) my yarn stash! Not to mention that I haven't even blogged this week. For me... that's busy!
Lucky for me the weather this morning is not so nice! How lucky is that huh? I went for a walk this morning and didn't even have to work to make my heart rate increase! Every time I slipped and felt my feet try to slide out from underneath me... I'm sure my heart rate went way up!!  Now that I have that out of the way for the day, I'm staying in!! Working on a few (too many) projects around here. NONE of which include that dreaded word.... housework!! That can wait! I am calling an Ice Day!!
I think I will stay in... the coffeepot is on, the coffee is ground and I have a billion tea bags for when that's empty! Woohoo!
So for now I'm finishing this......

It's a cabled (yes! I said cabled) soap cover. It needs to be sewn over a bar of soap, felted and then thrown into the shower! It will help make the bar of soap last longer and I can use all those itty, bitty pieces of soap that tend to get left in a pile...

 I think I might even have time to finish this  lacy knit cowl for me! Finally something for me! I bought some mill ends (the stuff that's left over after a skein of yarn has been made at the mill) from my favorite fiber mill when I was home in Michigan and have finally now gotten to the point where I'm almost finished~!

Stonehedge Fiber Mill is less than 2 miles from our house in Michigan so I always try to buy my fiber for spinning directly from them. Their yarn is available even here in Virginia! http://www.stonehedgefibermill.com/

I also need to finish this!  A baby hat for "Mo". His baby shower is in two weeks and I had some yarn left over after his blanket so.. now I'm making a cabled (yep! dreaded cable word again!) hat!

AND tp tubes! Oh yay!! I have a project in mind for these babies... but without a lot of behinds using up the tp at our house I had to beg the neighbors for theirs. Which is pretty funny if you think about it!

LINK to what I'm trying to make!

So it's shaping up to be a great day in! Hope you have fun with yours!

Mo's Blankie!

One of our favorite couples is having their first baby in May!  Yay! Baby knitting can now begin!!

Baby Mo isn't 'scheduled' to be here until May but his Mommy's baby shower is in just a couple of weeks! Shh... don't tell his Mommy..... I just finished a blanket for the new little dude........

Meet Mo's Blankie~
Baby's real name is a secret until after his parents meet him first so we've all been calling him 'Baby Mo'!

It's a super simple basket weave pattern using soft worsted weight yarn & size 8 needles.
I can't even remember where I found the pattern but here it is......
800yds soft worsted weight yarn
#8 knitting needles (Gauge 8sts & 12 rows = 2inch basket weave pattern)
CO 92 sts. Knit 8 rows
Begin eyelet section
Row 1: k4, *YO, k2 tog, repeat from*across to last 4 sts. YO, K4 (93 sts)
Row 2: k2, P across to laast 4 sts, k4
Row 3: k4, YO, ssk, K across to last 7sts. K3 tog, YO, K4 (92sts)
Begin basket weave
Row 1: Wrong side! k2,p2, *k4,p4, repeat from *across to last 6sts, p2,k4
Row 2: Right side! k4, YO, ssk, *K4, P4, repeat from*across to last 6sts, k2tog, YO, k4
Row 3 &5 - repeat Row 1
Row 4 & 6 - repeat Row 2
Row 7: k4, p2, *p4, k4, repeat from * across to last 6 sts, p2, k4
Row 8: k4, YO, ssk, *p4,k4, repeat from *across to last 6 sts, K2tog, YO, k4
Rows 9 & 11: Repeat Row 7
Rows 10 & 12: Repeat row 8.
Repeat Rows 1-2 until blanket measures approx 35 inches, ending with Row 12 (right side)
Ending Eyelet Section
Row 1: k4, p across to last 4 sts, K4
Row 2: k4, YO, ssk, *YO, K2tog, repeat from *across to last 6 sts. K2tog, YO, K4
Row 3: K4, P across to last 4 sts, K4.
Knit next 8 rows ~bind off.
[Yo=yarn over, SSK = slip, slip knit]

It really is a super simple and fast knit - IF you pay attention and change directions when you're supposed to! Just ask me how mahy times I started the first part of the basket weave and then had to rip it out......... oh well! It sure looks good now!
Now I'm off to make Mo a hat!

Can't forget to add it (and all of my 2012 projects!)  to my Knit Meter

Spinning Paper

So Boyo and I started playing around with newspaper and our drop spindles the other day. After being inspired by (Link to previous post) and hours spent on the Internet just goofing around!
Our goal is to re purpose of our newspaper into "yarn" using newspaper of course and our drop spindles.

These pictures make it look so wonderful! Look at at all that paper that could have ended up who knows where!   Boy Wonder was all for using something that may end up in a recycle bin (if we're lucky) and making it into something else! He's really worried about the recycling system here - mostly because the recycle trucks don't look much different than the garbage trucks and we think sometimes the garbage guys get the wrong cans........! 

This little project makes us feel better about waste and the environment but it really makes me happiest because it keeps his hands busy (and off my big spinning wheel!)

So totally running with a burst of inspiration and anticipation....

 We whipped out the paper, the scissors and of course the spindles.... we didn't get very far........

It's hard!

 We tried to do it the 'regular' way... using the weight of the spindle to pull the fibers and elongate them... rip! The newspaper isn't as flexible as sheep fiber! Hmmm....

We kept going (for a little while!) but I think Boyo got frustrated (oh really?). I'm serious. This is hard. You have to want to do it! You have to have results to keep a very busy 8 year old interested.... see what I was up against? My own frustration, his frustration and both of our very set .... this is how you do it ways! LOL

Oh don't worry... we're still working on it! I tried again this morning and I may have it figured out! I just gotta get my hands used to holding the drop spindle rather than uh.. dropping it! I just have to twist it while holding the paper.... hoping the paper doesn't rip..........

Here I am starting again............

and yet again...
BUT I think I've got it figured out!!! I just have to remember that it doesn't have to be perfect! No way it's going to be! AND to hold the spindle with my right hand, twist it counter clockwise ~cuz' that's the way I started and twist, twist, twist!
Boy just left for school and I can hardly wait until he gets home today to show him how to do it! I hope he will jump right in and try it again!

Progress... (or lack of)

Well? How are your New Year's Knitting & Crafting Resolutions going?
 You did see how I capitalized Knitting and Crafting, right? Yep! They are that important!! Really.....
How are mine going you ask?  Well....
Did you hear a big crash? A sound like broken glass tinkling all over the place? You did? You heard it?!
Me too..........
I'm still sweeping the remnants of those resolutions right under the rug! Don't want anybody to notice that they are broken!
Let's just recap here (1/1/12 Blog Post)
#1 Finish a project before starting something else............ um..... yeah...
#2  I want to sew more! I have! I joined a Sew Along & have made a couple of things. So this one is still in the running!
#3 I really needed this one! I want  to spin without dropping F bombs. Or as many F bombs as usually get dropped! This one is still in the running as well! HONEST!   I spun this morning before Boyo woke up and managed to spin for over 30 minutes and I'm not sure that I dropped one bomb.  I'm not really super duper excited about the quality of what I spun, but it's progress!
#4 This one was/is the kicker. The catchall.  For #4 the resolution was to stick with my resolutions until at least February. Well? Two outta four aint bad. Right? Man I hope February will hurry up & get here!
In all honesty, I don't think I'm doing that bad! I technically haven't started anything new........ because the one hat I cast on has been cast off just as much so it's really going nowhere. Nowhere in a hurry.... grrrrrr. I am still finishing up a hat I started for Big and I'm almost done. A L M O S T. That counts right? BUT! I haven't started the block for our mystery KAL yet so... I'm finishing up somethin' before I start that! Woohoo! Go me!!
Yeah... I know... doesn't quite get it. I need to accept the fact that a) my resolutions are busted and 2) the little hat in the KAL on here, well.... it might not get done!
I've ripped that baby out more times than I can count. AND (insert whine here) it is really simple. It's done flat, seamed up afterward and only has 4 different stitches! Knits, purls, YO's & SSK's. All of which are super simple and IF I could follow the pattern correctly, I could have made at least 7 of these hats by now!!
Here's what I have so far....... which I'm getting ready to rip out, because I'm off. Somewhere. Somehow. I've ended up with the wrong number of stitches and well, I'm tired of it!

I really like the pattern... how the little leaves will pop out.... if (IF) I ever get that far...

My friend Christen has completed her hat, sent it on its way and is now changing it up by doing it again, except using two colors. I think this is amazing. It kind of stinks though, because my progress isn't nearly (ha!) as good, but.....I may just have to "girl up"  & tell her she she wins.

  It's amazing isn't it! Yeah... I know.... not contest so Christen.... You Win!

(*this one*)

Just another project...........

So you all remember that New Year's Resolution I made? The one where I was going (try to anyway) to finish something else before I started something new? Um... yeah.... that one.
Well? Did you hear that little tinkling? Sounded like broken glass off in the distance somewhere? Yep. That was my first shattered New Year's Resolution! Gone! Broken into a million pieces!
But...
 I'm trying to figure out a way here that may save at least this one of my resolutions!
IF it's not a project for me? Does it count? If it's a project to get my kid started on something then it's really not a project that I'm starting before I finish one of my other projects? Right?
Yeah.. I didn't think so...... sigh.....
Anyway... it's recycling so that's good. It doesn't require me to purchase anything ~which is the bestest ever! AND it may help my kid leave my big spinning wheel alone! Yay! AND keep his little hands & mind busy!
He's been wanting to learn to knit but I just don't have the patience. I tried the finger knitting with him last week & he got it, but when he saw me spinning, he lost all interest!
He's used the drop spindle before & was actually pretty good at it. But, it's been a long time.  I know he would rather use the big wheel to spin, but we have these handy dandy little drop spindles sitting right here AND a whole bunch of newspapers just lying around.... off we go! ~hope I don't end up saying 'Off with his head'!!!
I was looking online for spinning classes and although I didn't find any that were close.... I did find this.........

"yarn" made out of recycled newspapers! Spun just like regular ol' fiber! Here is the LINK if you're interested! You fold & cut the paper into strips and then using a drop spindle (HERE is a link for that), you spin it into lengths which are then made into yarn stuff!

Attached to the spindle (left) & spun (right) into fiber.

Which is then wound into a ball...

And knitted into this. Which can be made into a rug.

Sounds kind of interesting huh? Yeah... I know what you're thinking... just when am I going to find time to add that into my already spinningly (har) busy schedule? I'm not! I'm going to get the kidlet started on it.... see if it fits into his schedule! It might only last 15 minutes (if I'm lucky) but I will be letting him participate in something I'm doing, have him doing something constructive, have him learning something that should be active enough to keep his hands busy......

See? It's all about me!!

Stay tuned for our progress................or lack of!!

Baby Hat KAL

My friend Christen is making this hat as a baby shower present and invited us (the KAL group over on FB) to join her. So I did. Shhh... I haven't started yet!

I'm also inviting you.....without clearing it first... tee hee! She won't mind! She likes a little competition and I just know this is her way of getting out of finishing her sweater!

Christen is using a cream colored Shine Sport  that she bought from KnitPicks.com

and I think she's making a navy colored hat too for yet another baby shower!

There seems to be babies popping up all over the place!

I have a friend who is having a baby, my grandson isn't even a month old yet, Christen's cousin is having a baby and yesterday I made a new friend having twins! Yikes! They are everywhere!!

So in honor of those babies and to get our year off to a bang with a KAL ~ here we go!

This is an extremely adorable hat ~ I've seen it on a very cute little baby the day she was born! See? Isn't she adorable?  This isn't a good picture of the hat but it sure is a good one of Ms. Butter!

The pattern looks very simple ~look it only has 54 rows! It's not knit in the round so that means some seaming; which will be good practice for those of us who don't seam that well!

All right... practice for me who doesn't seam very well.

I'm not sure what the book is, or what the hat is named other than 'cap' just as it's shown on the picture above, but it does look like a fairly fast knit.

I don't know the yardages you will need - as you can see that info isn't listed on the pattern page, but I do know this............

It's  made with straight needles and seemed together. 

 Needle Size 3 & 5 for Newborn  and  4 & 6 for 3-6 mo.

It's a baby hat so it shouldn't take more than 50g of any sort of yarn!

I'm going to make twinsy hats out of Sean Sheep 'little grins' using the color Violet.

This stuff right here.....

I love the violet color and can you see that price tag? Oh yeah! I bought this stuff a while ago & have been saving it!

Did I tell you that I haven't started yet... well.. I haven't, but Christen did and is done! This is a super fast knit so I better get cranking!

This is what the top looks like! You start at the top of this hat & make the leaves first.... I'm already thinking about how I can change it up!

Here is what Christen's hat looks like all done - posted the same day as the above picture... sigh... oh well! Guess I really will have to get my knit on!