Art Yarn to Hat

I've never spun "art yarn" before, but now I can tell you it was fun and I'd like to try it again sometime!

I started by blending several different fibers together with just my fingers.  I did a very chunky type of blend to let the different types of fibers really stand out. I started with a reddish variegated wool batt that had some sparkly metallic fibers blended in. Then I added some snips of recycled sari silk loom ends in red, burgundy, and turquoise. Then I cut up some leftover lavender eyelash yarn I had and threw that in. I also added a pile of curly wool locks that had been individually dyed several colors such as gold, red, orange, peach, pink, blue, and turquoise. 

The next step was spinning the yarn.  It was really fun to watch how it all came together as I was spinning.  I was careful to leave the curly ends of the wool locks hanging out from the yarn for interesting texture.  I  plied the yarn into 2-ply for extra durability.  

Here is the finished skein- fun stuff :)

I made myself a crochet hat that is roomy enough to wear even when my hair is up without getting my hair all messed up.  This isn't a great picture of the finished product, but it'll have to do!  I do enjoy wearing my hat and I've even had a few compliments :)

Crochet to Fit Hat

Here's some more of that chunky yarn I'm trying to use up.  I decided I wanted to make a hat for myself with it.  

I didn't have a pattern for such thick yarn, so I just picked up a crochet hook and started crocheting.  First I crochet a chain long enough to wrap snugly around my head and then I joined the chain so it formed a circle.  After that I just kept crocheting around and around until it was about 2/3 the way up my head and then started decreasing like crazy until it closed shut.  I also added a crochet flower in a contrasting natural color. 

I decided to crochet it, rather than knit it,  because I think crochet is so much easier and faster- you only have 1 stitch to think about at a time, and you don't have to worry about dropped stitches.  Crochet does have some disadvantages though.  It is not as windproof as knitting for one-  I think I will be adding a headband of fleece material around the ear area on the inside of the hat.  Other than that, it had been a fun accessory to wear this winter :)

  

The Unplanned Hat

At one time I had a whole bunch of different wool samples in my stash.  I didn't know what to do with them all,  so one day I just decided to spin them up.  I was going to be smart and spin chunky yarn so that I could get projects done really quickly.  Well, I can get things knitted up quickly, but it's kinda silly to start a project when you don't even know what it's going to be when you finish it!!! I'm still trying to find ways to use all that chunky yarn!  

I just read a book called The Intentional Spinner by Judith MacKenzie McCuin.  It is the best spinning book that I've read in terms of how to plan your project out from start to finish- so that it turns out like you intended.  I got the book at the library, but I think I might have to buy it!  I 'd like to start being a little more "intentional" about by fiber arts projects!  So anyways, here's how this project went:

This is the chunky yarn I spun.  I decided that it was a nice natural color for a guys hat and so I picked up some needles and started knitting.  All was going well until I ran out of yarn and it was still like 3 inches too short!  I didn't have any other similar yarn that I could add a stripe with, so I decided to cinch in the bottom and make it for my daughter.  

Here it is.  I added a little flower out of angora rabbit yarn.   Cute?  Maybe, but it was really too chunky and heavy and she didn't like to wear it for more than a few minutes.  

A few days later I decided to give crochet a try.  Crochet is a lot looser than knitting and so there was enough of the yarn to make a full adult sized hat.  And I did find some thick white yarn  for a stripe of extra interest. I didn't use a pattern to make this, just made a crochet chain long enough to fit my head and worked on up from there, decreasing randomly until it closed shut.   

So there's the finished piece.  I gave it away for a benefit auction- hopefully whoever got it thinks it was worth it  :D

Felted Purse

Out of all my projects so far, this is probably the one that gets used the most often. I use this purse a lot- especially when I feel like showing off my creative side :)  

I dyed the wool for this project at the same time that I dyed the wool for my 2 sock projects which you will see further on down my blog.  

I hand spun the yarn and then crochet it into an open box shape (I don't do patterns!!!).  

I then threw it into the washing machine to felt.  

Afterwards I added a flower and and a button which I made in a pottery class I took. 

 I did purchase the handles for this one!

Before Felting (above)

After Felting- I didn't add the flower until after the felting.  

Oh! I also won Grand Prize on this purse at the county fair this summer :)

Naturally Dyed Crochet Blanket

Here is another project that started out as one thing and ended up as another!  

I spun up a bunch of chunky yarn  out of wool and Angora Rabbit hair (which I raised at the time).  

Then I dyed it using dried Cochineal bugs (pink), and Woad (blue) from my garden.  

The purples come from combining the two colors using over-dying.  

My plans were to crochet a sweater, but it was just too chunky (think heavy!) and not enough yardage.  

I ended up crocheting a patchwork lap sized blanket.  

I think I've learned a lesson about the necessity of proper planning!  Next time I want to try making a sweater I will do some sample swatches before I spin up and entire basketful of yarn!

Crochet Hook Holder

I bought this wonderfully colorful wool and I was going to be smart and spin it into a chunky yarn so I could knit up a hat real fast.  It turned out that it was a bit too chunky and there was not nearly enough for a project!  I should have spun it into fine yarn and then I would have actually been able to make something with it!  

So, anyways this skein sat around for awhile until I just decided to knit up a square and see what I could make of it.  

Then I decided to throw it into the washing machine and felt it.

The colors still looked good! 

I especially like the colors from this angle :)

Somehow I came up with an idea that I needed a place to keep all my crochet hooks, so I hand stitched on some fabric scraps to make the little pockets.  

I attached a ribbon to tie it shut...

... and  now I have a bright colorful crochet hook holder!