FAIR ISLE ALA NATURAL.....!
I absolutely had to start the new fair isle! I couldn't help myself! Actual peerie pattern courtesy of Sheila McGregors Book of Fair Isle Knitting (Schoolhouse Press), and the yarn courtesy of ME! This is the handspun that I have been working on for about a month trying to spin enough to make this fair isle cardigan in these wonderfully beautiful natural sheep colors! These are 5 colors from local sheep in the northern Indiana area! As you can see, the speckled steek up the center (which is 11 stitches) and I will be cutting it open (of course) to make it a cardigan. I am however using the Philosophers Fair isle knitting method of weaving to knit the body! It just seems to be a bit smoother than regular stranding with this handspun yarn! More coming as the progress continues...... (what socks?) :) 

I couldn't help myself! I started the fair isle! It was just to pretty to put down!  

Look! Mother in the fair isle! It fits her like I made it for her! So, off it goes home with mom! Yeah! Doesn't she look pretty? 

I finished my socks just a second ago! And boy are they warm! This is the gratification that I get for making handknit socks! Other than that, forget it! 

Ok, dug into the stash, and decided to make Katie some socks from this Lion Brand acrylic/wool blend. Why? Because, synthetic yarns tend to hold up a bit longer than all wool socks for kids! So, she gets to have some socks also that she can throw down the laundry shoot and I can just pop in the wash! Yeah! Getting her to wash her handmade wool socks is like pulling teeth! So, this is the next best thing :) 

LOOK AT WHAT KATELYN GOT LAST NIGHT! Another miniature dobberman! Isn't he cute? His name is Sampson. He is 8 weeks old. Her dad took her with him to get a brother for the other miniature dobb named Jack. And these two are from the same mom and dad, so they are blood brothers about 2 years apart in age! I just love doggies.... :) 

I started knitting this pair of socks, and everyone knows that I am not a fan of knitting socks unless there is some colors or pattern or something other than plain knitting around and around! But, when it's as cold as it is here, you forget about what you like to do, and you just do it! And believe me, I am a mad woman knittin these socks, cause my feet are freezin! So, I put down the wheel and the fair isle, and I am on a sock knittin festival for the next couple of days. Of course Katelyn wants another pair, and the boys are buggin me for theirs! Fortunately, I can knit about a pair a day if I really just do it! So, you guys get to see socks for a minute! Sorry.... :) 

I woke up this morning and started spinning this rhomboulliet?/merino mix to finish up the spinning for the fair isle! About half way there with this wonderful color or tannish brown. This is the last of the spinning, but..... low and behold, it's cold! SO.... guess what I started doing last night? 

And here she is....... The ribbing for the new fair isle! I love how the colors are blending together! I think that this was a fabulous pick of naturals to spin and knit up for this one! I've been dying to make a fair isle from my own handspun, and in the traditional method that the fair islanders used years ago when they did not have dyes! Only lovely sheep that had these natural colors! Posting later.... happy knittin and spinnin ladies :) 

This is what I've been spinning! The rest of the yarn for the fair isle. Look at those yummy colors! 

Here is the fab Embossed Leaves sock so far from my handspun! Of course, I put it down to spin! :( Couldn't help myself! I didn't spin for about 9 days from knitting the fair isle. 

And here is a little peak in to the BAG of wool! The dark wool is from a ram named Sebastian! Isn't is absolutely delicious? And do you see the gray? That was underneath the top coat of black! I am sooooo dying to spin this! I might just have to put the sock down for a second huh! :) 

This is the handspun that I am using on the socks! And that is how far I got, because Charlotte came over and brought guess what! Fiber, fibre, fiber, fibre......... and look above! How could I resist? She always knows that I can't ever say NO to fiber! :) 

I love these socks! So, I got some handspun cotswold/merino from my stash and cast on. Good escuse to make meself a pair of socks heh? :) 

 

Finished Fair Isle! It's blocking! Finished the other sleeve and the neck this afternoon! Yeah! Now I can spin.. Charlotte is coming tomorrow with some more fiber. What am I going to do? 

Here is a full shot of the sleeve and the body so far! Until tomorrow, sleep tight! ;) 

Right Sleeve Done!
Yeah, I finished it! Even though it is exactly 1:06 A.M. I had to get it done ! I was too close! Now, I can start bright and early tomorrow and hopefully finish the left sleeve tomorrow!  

Katelyn holding up the sweater for an "all over" shot! I think it's very pretty! Later, happy knittin and spinnin weekend ya'll... 

Just posting the sleeve progress so far as of yesterday! Coming along nicely I should say! I will finish the right sleeve today and pick up for the left later this evening! :) 

And here is the shoulder seam knit together, look at the pattern that was created from the join, continuous xo's! I love pattern knitting, it's just a wondrous thing! Now, have to sign off, time to pick up the stitches around the armhole and get started knitting the sleeves, later...... 

Cutting the arm open (look at those scissors, can you believe it?, here goes....) Yeah, actually, this is my favorite part of the whole thing now is cutting it open. I did not prepare the steeks with machine stitching because the steek stitches are 9 sts. wide, shouldn't be a problem with any unraveling or anything like that... :) 

Neck cut open 

Arm steek to be cut open... 

Body knitting done! Time to cut!