A Sweater for Sheldon

A Sweater for Sheldon

Sheldon the Sheep has been in our shop since the pattern came out many years ago.  He sits and greets my customers as they come in the door, and always receives a warm hello.  This year, Sheldon attended SAFF wearing a new sweater
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The Gift - Glimakra Standard Floor Loom

The Gift - Glimakra Standard Floor Loom

The Gift - Glimakra standard Floor Loom I was contacted recently by a former customer who moved to Virginia.  Denise could no longer weave and wondered if I would like to have her floor loom.
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Hide Edge When Changing Yarns

Hide Edge When Changing Yarns

Don't you hate the edge of shawls, scarves, or whatever when changing colors of yarns?  Here's a little trick that will help you hide those color changes. 

You can take any pattern and make the adjustment easily, just add an I-Cord edge to each side.  It's really quite simple to do... 
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Juniper Berry Shawl

Juniper Berry Shawl

The Juniper Berry Shawl is a nice project to do, and it only takes one skein of the "Colorburst" yarn.  I made two changes to this shawl.  The first is the section closest to the neck.  On page two of the pattern under the section "Establish Pattern," after Row 1, it states:  "WS Rows 2-12: Knit."  I changed this to "Knit 3, purl to the last three stitches, Knit 3."
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The Fleece

The Fleece


This is the first fleece I have had in a long time that I was able to unroll and see the entire body of the sheep from which it came.  Meet Scarlette (or at least her fleece)!  Scarlette is a Montadale.  I must admit that I was unfamiliar with the breed.  I discovered Scarlette's fleece as I was observing the fine wool judging at SAFF.  I was intrigued with the comments of the judge regarding this fleece, and I immediately put a bid on it after the judging concluded.  It won first place in the category, and I was thrilled to win the bid.  Thus, Scarlette's fleece came home with me.
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Gansey KAL - Part 1

GANSEY KAL - PART 1

Fletcher's Gansey
Today begins the first day of our Gansey KAL. The intent is to create your gansey from beginning to end, making it a unique sweater that is one-of-a-kind.

Gansey sweaters (also known as guernseys), were traditionally made from dark, dense, hard spun yarns, which protected the fishermen from wind and rain. There are several books that have been written about these sweaters.

This KAL is going to deviate from the "traditional" gansey in that the knitter can select the yarn of their choice to use for this project. Those who wish to make a traditional sweater, may also do so.

The major intent of this KAL is to give the knitter some new techniques and confidence in their knitting.
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KAL-EZ Coat, Part 5, Final

KAL-EZ Coat, Part 5, Final

The KAL is coming to an end.  There are several knitters who are still working on their final product, but most have completed their fronts and collars.  All the coats are looking fantastic.

There are some items that need to be brought up that may be overlooked by the knitter: .... 


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Presto Loom from Kromski!

Presto Loom


It has been really busy at the shop, especially with getting prepared to attend SAFF.  I finally had a few moments where I was able to complete a project on the Presto Loom.  When Kromski first came out with the loom, I was a bit skeptical.  However, knowing how much time and effort the Kromski's put in to a new product; I knew I had to give it a try...
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KAL-EZ Coat, Part 4

The group dissected the sweater instructions by creating a grid from bottom to top.  It was a good exercise to map out exactly what to do per each section of the sweater.



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KAL-EZ Coat, Part 3

KAL-EZ Coat, Part 3

Time to Begin!

The cast-on method is knitter's choice, but do not use a cast-on that does not have any give or stretch, such as a cable cast-on.  I chose the long-tail method for my coat.  If you choose the long-tail cast-on, remember that you will complete Row 1 of the pattern when you have finished. 
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KAL-EZCoat-Part 2

KAL-EZCoat-Part 2

Gauge Swatch

Cast on 20 stitches using the long-tail cast-on.  Remember that you are knitting the first row when using this cast-on, and knit 40 rows.

I did my first swatch using a size 8 needle.  I ended up having to go up to a 9 to achieve the correct number of stitches.

When I did my gauge swatch, I also knitted one side of the swatch using a garter stitch selvedge.  I like how this selvedge looks, and it also makes it so much easier to pickup stitches.  This is totally optional and a matter of personal preference. 
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KAL-EZ Coat-Part I

As most of you know, Elizabeth Zimmerman is my favorite knitter and designer of all time.  Her daughter, Meg Swansen, grew up to walk in her mother's footsteps and has become an expert knitter and designer in her own right.  We are beginning a KAL (Knit Along) of the "Elizabeth Zimmerman Coat." 

At the shop, we will be doing the finer gauge version; however, you may choose the version you prefer for YOUR coat.

If you wish to join in for this KAL, you may order your pattern from School House Press here.
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Natural Fibers

Natural Fibers

Think about it!  Natural fibers have been around for a long, long time; and they continue to be superior to man-made fibers. They are not newcomers making promises based on brief laboraty tests.  In the big scheme of things, the term "Natural Fibers" is relatively new.  It came about when "manufactured" fibers made it necessary to make a distinction.

Natural fibers come from animals, plants, insects, and minerals...
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Hello!

Bshawl
Greetings!  Thank you for visiting "The Tail Spinner"!  We are a small shop located in Richlands, North Carolina, and have been in business for 17 years.  I have personally knitted and crocheted since I was a child; and along the way, I learned to spin and weave.  It is my goal to give you the best customer service that I can.

We are proud to announce that the online store is now open for business, and we look forward to serving you all in the future. If you have any questions about this store or the products found within, please don't hesitate to contact us any time.
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