End of September Contest

The winner of the Starmore book and the Naturegarn yarn is none other than Wendy! Since she has always been so generous herself with her knowledge, contests, and patterns, I think she is very deserving, and the random number generator agreed. Congratulations to Wendy, and thanks to everyone for their insightful comments!

The comments on the knitting for men contest were especially interesting to me. There is  quite a bit of angst out there about knitting for men, and there are just as many horror stories as successful ones. Dave talked about perhaps the most common problem I have noticed - there just aren't that many great patterns for men's garments. When I was getting ready to make a sweater for Dan, I searched through every magazine and book that I own (which is a considerable number of patterns) and found only one or two that were even remotely possible. I'm hoping that the increasing number of male knitters will eventually result in a better selection of garments - especially sweaters - for men, because the pickings are still pretty dismal. But Margene pointed out perhaps the best advice - if you're knitting for a man who is not yourself, let him pick the yarn and pattern for the best likelihood that he will like the resulting sweater.

Since we are now at the end of my birthday month, I'll just go ahead and announce the last birthday blog contest today. If you've been thinking about learning to spin, this one is for you.

The prizes:
The prizes are 8 ounces of pink merino roving, an Ashford student drop spindle, and a copy of "Spin It: Making Yarn from Scratch" by Lee Raven. Everything you need to get started spinning in one package!

To Enter:
Leave a comment to this post and tell me about the fiber projects you have lined up for fall. The winner will be chosen by random number generator on Saturday, September 30. Good luck everyone, and have a great week!

Comments

[Wendy]

A HUGE thank you for the contest win! I am beyond delighted to have won the only (I think) Starmore book I did not own! Woo!

I think I will press my luck and go buy a lottery ticket.

[Scribbles & Bits]

There's a new knitting book coming out called Knitting With Balls that was written by a guy. Mayeb there's hope yet!

In terms of fiber projects for the fall: I have so many planned. I'm participating in Socktoberfest, so there will definitely be a pair of socks in my future (assuming I can ever finish the ones I'm working on right now they may just carry over for that month). I still havea cardigan on the needles. I also really really really wanted to knit that pretty top from Loop-d-Loop (I don't remember what it's called, but in the book, it's yellow and made out of some really expensive cashmere for which I will have to find a sub). And (I think this counts since it invovles wool) I'd laike to start trying crewelwork and stumpwork. I've loved that style of embroidery all my life, so I really ought to buckle down and give it a go. I'm so slow, so we'll see how much of it I get to!

[margene]

Spread the spinning love! Someone will enjoy such a lovely gift.

[trek]

I just was taught to spin last night and the pink roving contest is too good not to enter!
For the fall, I'm knitting socks in autumn sunset colors, a sweater for my child, and more socks. And learning to spin respectable yarn...

[Marina]

Still thinking of doing a couple of lace projects for Christmas presents which reminds me, what happened to your lace/leaf scarf project?

[Beth]

I hope the random numbers god smiles on me.
I'm planning a couple of skeins to spinn to enter at Rhinebeck, some fingering weight yarn for the Twisted Knitters KAL for some socks hopefully, and last but not least I need to finishe washing my cormo fleece and get my laceweight finished for some beautiful shawl thing which is yet to be determined.

[Jessica]

I'm just starting to spin some Romney/Coopworth/Angora that will hopefully become the Highland Triangle from Folk Shawls. If I don't end up spinning it too thickly.

[Ina]

Happy Birthday!

I'm working on a Rose of England shawl and My So-Called Scarf for others and EZ's Nether Garments (footless tights) for me. I'm swatching for a scarf for DH. Socktoberfest socks and divers small Christmas projects are in the queue.

Thanks for a great contest!

[gail]

I wish I knew how to spin, but there are so many things I still want to knit in my lifetime.... My knitting projects that are lined up are: 1) finish the unfinished objects that plague me. Such as, the aran sweater for my brother that I started 3 years ago; the lace shawl I started 4 years ago. 2) two lace alphabet baby blankets for my daughter's choir director who is expecting twins!! 3) A Dale of Norway sweater for my husband. he picked out the yarn last February and I stopped working on it during the summer--to hot to hold all that wool in my lap!!

[Lazuli]

Let's see... for fibery projects... well, I'd like to try a fair isle hat for the husband. Speaking of knitting for men, I'm hoping this will be the goldilocks hat: the first two have been too small and too large, and I really want this one to be just right! Other than that, I have a few WIPs and UFOs to check off the list, and then a gazillion sock patterns I'd like to get my needles into. And finally, I'd like to continue practicing spinning with my little CD spindle, and probably somewhere along the line move on to a "real" spindle and actual spinning classes or lessons of some sort!

[Karen blome]

I am in the process of knitting a doll and clothing for my granddaughter for her birthday. Each time we see each other she asks if I am done. She will be eight and I am also giving her her first set of needles, yarn and Grammy's knitting lessons!! She will be thrilled.

[Rhonda]

M-m-m-m, I wonder how lucky I might be this time. I'm dying to learn how to spin! My Fall knitting involves mittens, hats & socks. Even season contains at least one sock right? But this time I'm knitting for others... like grandchildren & the DH.

[Necia]

Geez, do you have enough room for me to list my fiber projects?
Well, I want to finish drop spindling some sheep shed mill ends, and make a very dear friend of mine, new baby a sweater.
Of course I'm participating in the dye, spin, knit out. Even though I have a lot of fiber already suitable for socks, I'm going to use other stash fiber. I think I'm going to use my Kona Superwash merino, dye it, and then ply it with nylon.
A major part of my fiber plans is to go to Rhinebeck and drown myself in all the fibery goodness. I want to buy fiber, yarn, and hopefully a wheel. Can't plan to far in advance, because I always change my mind. I'm a typical Libra.

Necia

[Mary-Louise]

First time commenter, I mostly just stalk your blog, but couldn't pass up the oppertunity to learn to spin.

Fiber Products include trying to make the Harlot's Snowdrop Shawl for my mother in time for christmas, considering how long it takes for me to knit lace I'm delusional, also participating in socktoberfest, trying to get out socks for my dad. Need to make mittens for my brother, and am picking wool for Knitty's Mariah for myself.

[Lisa]

I think I am glad that my husband doesn't wear sweaters. Ther's just not enough time. For my daughter I plan on knitting mittens and a hat for this winter and hopefully a sweater since I've made her one each year for the past few years. I am frantically working on my Diamond Fantasy shawl in the hopes that I may wear it to Rhinebeck. And of course there is always a sock on the needles.

[Jodi]

Hello! This is my first comment ever. I have been watching your sight for a long time, even when you went on haitus! I have too many projects to count for fall--I'm finishing a Noro scarf, a handspun hat and sweater for my baby son, and a shawl in Collinette Parisienne for myself. Then on to some slippers for my son's day care helpers. They are in their socks all day so I thought that they would appreciate some handmade slippers to wear while they work. I just recently bought a turkish drop spindle and a few batts of roving, and I am eager to begin a new project. Your site continues to inspire me, and I especially love your vintage knitting pattern links!

[Deb]

I have joined Margene's Twisted knitters group and have a spinning wheel on order. I am hoping to take a dying class this fall as well. I have always had a dream of a sheep to sweater project.
I would love the spindle as there is a group of ladies that get together once a month for a spin. Carrying a spindle versus the wheel would be so much easier.
Knitting wise--socks, enterlac shawl, silk shrug, gansey for hubby, Estonian mittens. I think I need to quit my job. It will only get in the way;)

[JoAnne]

I'm trying to finish Rogue right now and I'm on a Girl from Auntie kick....so Eris is next while doing the Dragone Be Herre shawl and that doesn't include ALL the washing, carding, possibly dyeing, and spinning of all the wool i have. Lots of stuff to work on...definetly want to get a few sweaters in.

[Kim]

I am a first-time commenter - got here from the Twisted Knitters KAL site (I was just visiting to see what people were doing). I want to learn to spindle-spin, and my husband is interested also.

My fall projects are:
- Finish my purple Green Gable (just the sleeve finishing!)
- Finish seaming aran baby sweater
- Debbie Bliss baby bolero from Baby Cashmerino 2 (barely started)
- 2 twin baby sweaters TBD
- Gentleman's socks in Mountain Colors bearfoot, for the sweetie
- Finish gansey sweater for the sweetie (I had just gotten to the yoke 5 years ago, when I got scared and put it down; now I'm pretty sure I can do it because I know so much more about knitting now) -- Maybe not finishing it avoided The Curse? He married me....
- Finish ivory lacy stole in Dale Baby Ull (put it down 5 years ago when I ran out of time to spend, but now I've done lacy things I should be able to memorize the pattern)

And, if I finish that, I get to start a lacy project, probably something from Lavish Lace, with my red "Rosa Parks" similar skein of Schaefer Anne.

Whew!

[Denise]

Happy birthday!
Fiber projects for fall: A scarf which is almost done already, a stole on which I can't concentrate and keep making errors, my Kiri shawl and 2 pairs of socks. When done with that, I have a bit of wool dyeing to do.

[Scott]

An 8 foot long black and white scarf for my boyfriend and a long lace stole for a friend. Maybe another sweater for my boyfriend too.

[Kristi aka Fiber Fool]

I'm having a bit mre trouble finding a pattern that DH likes that I would consider knitting, LOL! Eventually I'll knit him a sweater, but I still haven't completed one for myself.

I'm knitting with my own handspun right now and finding that quite satisfying. As soon as I wrap that up I'm hoping to finish my Wear Everywear Pullover and then onto Dale's Gerbera. Then there will of couse always be socks on the needles...

[Gloria]

I just realized that your blog is still active! I used to read it before, but then I stopped checking back when you took your hiatus. I'm so glad I decided to surf by randomly.

Anyway, I have one big project I'm hoping to tackle for the rest of the year (and probably for most of next year too!). I'm trying to knit a few shawls as gifts for members of the wedding party at my wedding, which will take place in the summer of 2008. I just hope I can finish them!

Looking foward to reading more of your posts! (I've missed way too many already.)

[Noémie]

Hi!
This fall is going to be very busy. I'm trying to knit Eunny's Bayerische socks... I'm also knitting a mystery stole along with a french group, with very thin yarn (900m for 50g)
And then I have some 30+ UFO's lying around, some of which I hope to finish this fall and winter. But as usual there are plenty of temptations lying around, and I might just start something new!

[keri]

I just joined the twisted knitters group, determined to make spinning work for me...I've tried it before, with plain spindles made of cd's and never quite got the feel for it....I'd love to make enough bulky handspun yarn to make a crocheted blanket similar to the colinette one in marmalade...I love that blankie =)