Fiber Fests, Knitting Nest and Spinning Wheels

Well, I survived the Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival. It was exhilarating. It was exhausting. It was really really hard on my checkbook.

And I signed up to go to another one. Am I crazy?

Don’t answer that!

I did manage to score quite a bit of knitting time as well as spinning time. What handy little tool did I choose to hold my knitting, yarn and accessories while I was knitting? The Knitter’s Nest by Circular Solutions. Very heavy duty canvas, with 4 divided pockets. Also trimmed in a very cool purple! And… this is the grabber… it has a handle! People! Seriously! A Handle! I could pick it up and deposit it into my festival tote with no problems. I could pick it up and take it out of my festival tote with no problems. Very very portable, but.. if it’s not quite portable enough for you…..

Ta..dah…..Circular Solution’s Port A Pocket. Same durable canvas, same ultra cool purple trim, and this one has a velcro attached strap to hang from a belt, belt loop or wrist, it’s also big enough for a ball of yarn and has pockets on the outside for your ‘ccessories.

Too cool!

Now I know people knit while riding, walking, and waiting, but I wanna hear from someone who knits while they are on the treadmill, because that one, well, that one didn’t really end all that well!

On the WIP front, Sunrise Circle is done, well the knitting is done anyway, just have to block it, and sew it together. My current project is Jane Thornley’s Feather and Fan KAL in the Mossy Roving’s variety. I love it!

Gotta go knit…..

Next Pattern:

I know that my posts can be read at different times of year and in different years by different people, but as I write this we’re on teh cusp of summer. And I know a lot of people don’t knit as much, and certainly don’t wear a lot of knits in the summer, but I want to encourage you to make and to wear your makes no matter the temperature.

To introduce you to the joys of summer garment knitting, I offer the Tied Vest from Lion Brand Yarn.

This easy project is great to make and wear throughout the year but it’s especially good for summer. It’s worked flat in one piece from the bottom up, mostly in stockinette stitch with a seed stitch edging. The I-cord ties are worked directly onto the garment so you don’t have to sew them on.

The project uses worsted weight yarn, and calls for a blend of cotton and hemp that’s great for warm weather.

There are eight size options, ranging from a finished chest measurement of 35 to 62.5 inches, or 89 to 159 cm. That makes it sound like it should be worn with at least a few inches of positive ease, but the pattern doesn’t specify.

The ties at the front give it a casual look and make it great to wear over a tank top or T-shirt when the weather is warm.

I also think this one would be good to knit in wool or a warmer fiber, too, to make a version you could wear more comfortably in the winter months, too. Though of course you could layer the summer version over a long-sleeved shirt and wear it throughout the year, too.

The tied vest is a free pattern available from Lion Brand. You can also purchase a kit that includes the yarn and optional needles and stitch markers if you need them.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

Knit an Easy Hooded Vest

Knit Vests to Help Transition to Warmer Weather

Next Pattern:

Have you read?