Knit or Crochet Texan [Part 2 of 3]

I'm continuing with my series of blog posts on Knit or Crochet Texan. Here's a link to Part 1 if you missed it! I am really having A LOT of fun researching local yarn industry folk to include.

Local indie dyer: Little Monkeys Stitch n’ Spin
I ordered a kit last week from Little Monkeys using a Christmas Etsy gift card.  Don't you love it when your family buy you a yarn-related gift!? Dena is Houston-based and specializes in hand-spun yarn, custom crochet and supplies for fiber artists. I found Dena on Etsy using the handy shop location option at the bottom left hand side where you can refine your search. The kit has arrived. It looks amazing and I am being very strong and not starting it before finishing at least one or two of my current WIPs (works in progress). I have put the cute stitch markers to use straight away though on a scarf that I am knitting but that doesn't count as starting a project obviously.

 

Local designer: The Crochet Dude Drew Emborsky
On his Instagram profile Drew writes "A couple of years ago I started a blog and now I'm really busy." which I find rather amusing. When I've been teaching boys I tell them all about the Crochet Dude. He really is super famous. He has his own yarn line and his tools are available nationwide. I do actually own a set of his hooks. I've just lost myself on his website for the last half an hour and I think I have a new project. What do you think of this free crochet purse pattern: Chic on the Halfshell. Don't we always need a new purse?

Local podcast: Kitchen Stitches
I do love my podcasts. I wrote about five pleasing podcasts back in February. I included Kitchen Stitches which features three crafty ladies who I have actually met and crafted with in person: Somer, Katie and Darcy. They are long podcasts, over an hour, but there is a lot of content in there. They talk about current and finished projects and casting on soon, acquisitions, local events and what they are reading and watching and what's in the kitchen!! I have not listened to the last two episodes so I better bring this post to an end, get out my current project and catch up.

How to untangle yarn [try it yourself or find a yarn wrangler]

Every now and then a yarn-related story will hit the mainstream news, be shared around social media and become a topic of conversation even amongst your non-yarny friends. How fun! In late December, the Wall Street Journal published "Knitters with hopelessly knotted yarn call 'Detanglers' for help".

"Many knitters find their craft a tranquil and even meditative pastime - until knots and tangles in their yarn send them into a fury. But for one group of fanatics, there is nothing more satisfying than a hopelessly tangled web. Daphne of Melbourne, Australia, once paid about $50 on eBay for a 25-pound box of snarled yarn, simply for the pleasure of untangling it."

I loved reading this article and was already aware of the therapeutic benefits of untangling yarn for some. However at the time of reading I thought I'm not one of those silly people who would ever get my yarn in a tangle. I'm far too careful.

But last month I was merrily winding a skein of expensive lace weight yarn on my swift and ball winder. I've never worked with lace weight yarn before I realize. Then the yarn breaks and I start a new ball. And then it breaks again. And in one of those rather vacant moments I just decide rather than start a new ball I'll wind on top of the ball and all will be well. Later when I start to crochet with the yarn the ball collapses leaving me with the worst tangle I've ever witnessed (see above). Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I now realize I should have wound my yarn very slowly because lace weight yarn is so very delicate. And winding a ball on top of a ball was just downright silliness that I will not repeat.

Anyway I decided I would see if detangling was relaxing for me and found the following tips on what to do:

Jessie Rayot from Jessie at Home has a helpful photo tutorial that I rather like on how to untangle yarn. Katrin Kania gives tips on how to untangle yarn using your swift how to untangle a skein of yarn I particularly love Katrin's instruction on how to calculate the time required:

"To get an estimation of how long it will take you, make a wild guess. Then multiply the time of your wild guess by two - that's the pessimistic wild guess. Now multiply that by ten, and you have an estimate."

I spent several evenings on my untangling project and I can report that it was very absorbing. But now it has been put aside, still on my swift, looking just as tangled as when I started. Perhaps I will need to bring in a Yarn Wrangler from the Knot a Problem group on Ravelry. Roving Crafters describe how to get the experts involved in their article: never fear the yarn wranglers are here

Blocking

Working onward with the swatches for my crochet certificate. Just about there. Bought a set of blocking boards from Knit Picks.

Silk for 12 year wedding ann

My dear husband knows just what I like :)