Fiber Arts Friday: Fiber Celebration, part 10

As a Program Manager in my Day Job, I know that no project ever goes exactly as planned.  Generally, this isn't a big deal as long as the important things are met.  So checking in with my original plan for my Gunnar Mittens you can see that:

• I wanted to be done spinning and plying by now - I am not
• I was planning to ply everything at once, after all of the singles had been completed - I've already plied everything that was available.
• I prepared far more fiber than is needed for this project, so I only need to spin about 2 more oz instead of almost 6 oz.
• I considered including 2 oz of a contrasting color - Since it was needed first in the knitting process, I decided against it.
• I wasn't planning to start knitting until early December - I started knitting in mid-October, 6-weeks early.  I am currently 35% complete with the first mitten.

So while I don't have to spin as much fiber as I prepared, and I started knitting 6 weeks early, I also have less available time and the knitting is going slower than I expected.

With more holidays coming up, I expect to have some extra time available for knitting and spinning before the expected submission date in mid-February.  But I am concerned that I won't complete this project on time.  Frankly, I felt the plan was aggressive from the beginning.  But that doesn't mean it's not worth trying.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal if I miss this submission deadline.  However, I will be disappointed.  So I will keep working at it.

By the way, I really like the Crook Stitches at the wrist.

Current Status:

• 4-3/4 oz, 277.5 yd complete in 3 skeins
• 7/8 oz in singles
• 5 7/8 (~2) oz remaining
• 5/8 oz in mittens

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Checking Out

Between being a Farmer and a Program Manger, I live a life for others that is very service and task oriented.

I spend a lot of time listening to others and helping them achieve the things they need to achieve.

Listening to and helping others is extremely rewarding, but it's also exhausting... especially as an introvert.

As a Program Manager, I need to be on most of the time.  As a farmer, I need to be watching and listening to the animals to make sure that we're meeting all of their needs.  As such, it's easy to neglect my own needs.

As an introvert living in an extroverted world, it's even more important to take time to check out and recharge.

The long Thanksgiving weekend is a good time to do that.

This year, our large family was dispersed, so the huge and loud meal did not happen.  I had the honor of spending a quiet evening with friends while Hubba spent the weekend out of town with his family.

Once the daily chores were done, I literally checked out for most of the long weekend.  I declined a visit with some great friends that I don't get to see much.  I took an awesome nap.  I watched a couple of favorite movies along with the National Dog Show and some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I did some writing as well as knitting and spinning.

I'm feeling better.

How do you recharge?

Fiber Arts Friday: Fiber Celebration, part 9

Over the course of this project, I've been worried that I don't have enough fiber prepared to complete my opposite-spun Gunnar Mittens.

So now that I have some knit, I weighed my yarn to determine that my consumption rate is ~1/4 ounce per 3cm on the wrist.

Since the palm is bigger than the wrist and there's a thumb.  I am going to assume a rate of 3/8 oz per 3 cm.... yes, I'm mixing Metric and Imperial units.  Sorry if this bothers you.  ;-)

At about 26 cm of total length per mitten, I should need about 6.5 oz (26cm x 2 mittens x 3/8 oz per 3 cm) of finished yarn for both mittens, and I will need extra yarn for the submission.  So my new goal is about 7 oz of total yarn spun.

Therefore, at 4.75 oz, I have ~65% of the needed yarn completed and more than enough fiber prepared.

I'll check my consumption rate again as I get into the palm and thumb.  But at least I know I don't have to finish the entire bag of prepared fiber (11 3/8 ounces).

Current Status:

• 1/4 oz in mittens
• 4-3/4 oz, 277.5 yd complete in 3 skeins
• 1/4 oz in singles
• 5 7/8 oz prepared fiber remaining

Happy Fiber Arts Friday.

ps, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, if you are State-side.

Sunset and Nightlights

I managed to have a window seat on my way home recently...

Fiber Arts Friday: Fiber Celebration, part 8

With my swatching complete and after getting hand measurements from the intended recipient.... twice, because the first set are in an ultra-secure location that even I don't remember where I put them ... I laid out my way points for the mittens.  As I mentioned before, I don't have a detailed pattern for these mittens, but a general guideline and a kitting technique.

The mitts are not a surprise.  She knows I'm working on them.  I promised to make them for her more than a few years ago.

As a general rule, Hubba and I think and talk about things before we take action.  So it frustrates me when people are surprised by our decisions... ie, raising alpacas and dogs, moving to a farm, moving across states.  None of these things happened on a whim.

As a point of reference... the idea for these mitts was added to my Ravelry queue in September 2015.  The first conversation about this style with the recipient happened shortly after, but the first conversation about "Gunnar Mittens" happened well before then.

It is now November 2018.... so we're talking about more than 3-years from the time the idea was first talked about to the point where knitting is in progress.

Now deciding to spin yarn and knit mittens is not a life-style decision... or, maybe it is.  ;-)  But the timing for when this happened has more to do with other projects in progress and my goals related to fiber-related skills than anything else.  But it represents our modus operandi of working on the long game... these mittens will be entered into a competition before they are gifted to the very knit-worthy recipient.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Things that Work: Wheelbarrow

My old wheelbarrow is finally spent.

We replaced the air-filled tire with a solid one about 5 years ago.

The cracks around the fasteners appeared over the summer, but have gotten big enough that the wheelbarrow is no longer reliable.

The new one is about the same size, but narrower and taller, with a longer lever.

I love a good wheelbarrow.  It's such a simple device and extremely useful on the farm... and at 9 years, I think we got our money's worth!

Wheelbarrows definitely work!

Fiber Arts Friday: Fiber Celebration, part 7

Last week I mentioned that I needed to practice casting on with two strands.  The instructions in my book aren't quite clear, so I went to YouTube.

I learned that casting-on with two strands is basically the Long-Tail Cast-on, which is my standard cast on.

The Twined Knit swatch on US2 needles yielded about 6.5 stitches per inch and a dense fabric. 

I think this is it for mittens.  Hooray!  I'm excited to start knitting this project.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Painting

You don't buy a house because of it's color.

You buy it because of it's location and features.  The color can be changed.

Finally, after 9 years, the directions to our house no longer include the phrase, "baby poop yellow."

Making a Difference

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to mentor a young woman who is considering Aerospace Engineering as a career path.

I don't talk about my Day Job much on this blog.  Mostly because what happens there is not for me to share.

I am a degreed Mechanical Engineer and have had the opportunity to work on many flying objects.  But my path to becoming an engineer happened because of one very short conversation with a community college councilor.

I wasn't really prepared for college, and I certainly hadn't been prepared for engineering school.  As a result, I make it a priority to spend time with early college students, high school students, and occasionally even younger people to talk about careers and future plans or goals when the opportunity arises.

I'm not part of any formal program.  I'm just willing to share my experiences and listen to young people whenever I have the chance.

I've always thought it's important for kids to have multiple adults to talk with, observe, and listen to.  I've also always thought that the best leaders do so by example.

I'm very impressed by the STEM opportunities made available to kids these days... and very proud of the progress made for women in STEM careers since I was choosing my direction in life.

We have a long way to go, especially with the current rhetoric in and around our government.

If you are a woman over the age of 18, please exercise your 19th Amendment Right this week.

If you are a non-white man over the age of 18, please exercise your 15th Amendment Right this week.

If you are anyone reading this post, please ensure you are working for the greater good, for unity, for peace, and lifting others up.

Helping others is good for you, but it's especially good for them.

Fiber Art Friday: Fiber Celebration, part 6

I started swatching with my Tibetan Mastiff, opposite-spun yarn  last week.

I found my US3 needles with an alpaca project,

and a cashmere project.

But the short circs were free...  I think we're close with the US3 needles.

So I also tried US2.

Both of these swatches are standard knit.

I feel like the US2 is very close to my desired fabric.  So I'm off to practice casting on with two strands and starting a swatch with twined knit technique and US2 needles.

One awesome revelation: I now spin at a fine-enough and consistent-enough quality, that I can use US2 needles on a 3-ply yarn.  :-D

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!