spinning fiber SALE!

i’m putting on clearance all of the spinning fiber in the shop! usually $17 for 4 oz, now only $13. they’ve been sitting around my house way too long, and may look a bit tatty… but trust me, they still spin awesome. it is the hazzard of having soft shortish spinning fiber.

if you order 3 or more, i’ll knock the price even lower to $12/braid. after you buy, i’ll refund the money over paypal. i’m only shipping on friday/saturday right now, so you’ll have to wait a little if you shop early in the week ;)

also, if the shipping ends up being way less than charged, i’ll refund after i go to the post office. this especially applies to international.

i still have a couple of pictures to take – 2 colorways corriedale and some muted green/grey/blue falkland. as a special i’ll also be putting up 3 braids of red/pink/orange/purple colorways to be bought together for $30.  i should have those up later today. in the meantime, browse here!

classes in January and February

I’m not teaching at the Knit and Crochet Festival this year (I’ll be 8.5 months pregnant…), but I’m making up for it by offering these classes at the Wilkins School Community Center.

Beginning Knitting
Saturdays the 18th of January and 22nd of February, 9-10:30 – $40

Learn to knit for the first time or get a refresher course. In this class, you’ll not only learn the basics of knitting, but you’ll also come out well on your way to your first finished project! Choose between making simple fingerless mitts, a cute square hat, a short neckscarf. We’ll also discuss gauge and selection of needles and yarn. Register here with the WSCC online or by mail.

Beginning Spinning on a Drop Spindle
one class, Saturday February 22nd 10:30-12:30 – $25

Have a hankering to make your own beautiful yarn? In this class you will learn to spin on a spindle using the park and draft method. This class is mostly about getting yarn on your spindle, but I also cover plying and talk a bit about fiber. Register here with the WSCC online or by mail.

Sweater Workshop: Knit or Design a Baby Sweater
one class, includes support after the class is over via email, or in person if we can make it happen – $30
Saturday January 18th, 10:30-1:00 Class size limited to 6

Interested in knitting your first sweater? Or have you just not found the right pattern and want to figure out how to alter patterns or design your own? This class will focus on the top down raglan style of sweater. This is a super simple, seamless garment that can be easily altered with some basic math. After discussing the basics of how these sweaters are constructed, people can either choose to design their own or choose to follow a pattern. Register here online with the WSCC or by mail.

If you have questions, you can email me at cosymakes (!at) gmail (dot!) com

more small things

same bootee pattern as here.  easily memorized, super portable, and addictive is what i dub these ones. i made up the hats.

mix of 2 ply spindle spun handspun and snapdragon sport – raveled here

pink/purple handspun singles, spindle spun – raveled here

blue green addabootees made out of my hand dyed chard light and snapdragon sport – raveled here

i might keep one more set or the just bootees for my wee babe and the rest will be baby gifts for the next round of winter babies.

handspun addabootees and hat

so… we are having a small project knit along over in the due in april group on ravlery and these are my first finished knit. it took me a couple of bootees to figure out the sizing, but these are down sized Elizabeth Zimmermann addabootees, using size 4 needles with sportish weight yarn, but also made a bit shorter.

aren’t they so flipping adorable? i can’t get over them. on ravelry here.
a completely enjoyable knit. this new babe in my belly will only be wearing them for 2 months at most, but still. how could you not knit these? having only had a summer baby i really missed out on all the little little things, knitwise.

these are made from some handspun singles i’ve had lying around for a long while. i had enough handspun left to make a wee hat too (here on rav). and although i am notoriously not matchy matchy, i guess these might be okay since one is on his head and one is on his feet. now i’m thinking of tiny projects that i can make with other small amounts of handspun… and pondering making more pairs of bootees.

Pacific Tomten

I finally finished this one! There really was no need until it actually fit him, which is now.

The handspun yarn is an early falkland fiber club colorway and the dark brown is some recycled sweater wool that I’ve used in a gazillion projects.  Most useful color ever.

Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Tomten Pattern


Love that hood! Unfortunately he does not. hee hee.

p.s. here’s the latest newsletter if you’d like to read it.

Spinning and Colorwork Classes

I have two classes coming right up this weekend:

Stranded Colorwork Workshop
The basics of two stranded colorwork, plus a bit of colorplay on the side.
We are meeting at a coffee shop in Squirrel Hill
Friday the 22nd of November
9:30-11:30
$20 plus a beverage

email me at cosymakes(!at)gmail(dot!)com if interested.

Spinning with a Drop Spindle
Learn to spin your own yarn!
We are probably meeting at my house in Squirrel Hill. I have cats.
Sunday the 24th of November
3-5
$20

Indie Knit and Spin

IKS is this weekend!  Come check it out if you live anywhere around the Pittsburgh area.  Should be a rollicking good time!

m’s new hat

brrr.  it’s cold outside!  and m didn’t have any hats that fit him, so i whipped this one up.  my handspun, mohair and targhee (i think), dyed for farm wool fiber club, back when that still existed.  i’m going to make a pattern out of this one in multiple gauges – dk to bulky, i think.  it’ll be a great hat pattern for handspun.

i’m going to use the rest of this ball to make ben a hat.   i’ll offer an option for a non-pointy top… but here’s a better view of the pointy top.  ben’s will be a beanie.

finished handspun

just some eye candy.  i’ve spun 2 more skeins since, and now i’m distracted by Indie Knit and Spin and by delivering all of the stripey little sweaters and dresses to new little babes.

niddy noddy

i found the missing piece!  and, clearly, i spun more, although they all still need a bath.  i’m spinning at a similar rate to back when i used to sell a lot of handspun.

left – farm wool fiber club, maybe mohair blend? – aran weight
right – falkland, sport or dk


and it is so much fun.  can’t wait to knit with some of it.  and maybe i’ll have some out for indie knit and spin come november.

left – falkland scraps – bulky
right – batts i made quite a while ago, mostly falkland – aran weight

and also, alas.  we are going on vacation, so this is the end of the spinning spree for now.  also, the shop is closed for 3 weeks.  hope i remember to keep spinning when i get back!