halloween – Sisteresque Fibers

Hello October Lovers and Fiber Friends!

Thank you for joining my little circle! Today our topic is the rabbit hole of mini skeins that I have fallen down, and I’m not trying to get up. It started with my Double Double Mini Kit, available now in the Sisteresque Fibers Etsy Shop. I had a sudden need to crochet something simple – I hadn’t crocheted in ages! So I thought, well why not a blanket for the cooler weather that’s coming. And while I’m at it, why not use my own minis to start so I can better show off how they work up.

Double Double Mini Kit crocheted into my granny stripe blanket. Colorways from bottom to top: Cauldron Bubble, Toe of Frog, Eye of Newt, Toil and Trouble, Scale of Dragon.

I bought myself a new set of crochet hooks from Knit Picks just for the project. I wanted some hooks with grips for less hand soreness, and thus far they have been great. I started chaining with my Cauldron Bubble colorway until I thought it looked about as wide as I liked and started a simple granny stripe blanket. Just simple double crochet, chain space, double crochet base; then each row has 2 double crochets in each chain space and one chain space between them. I fell in love! Using my own colorways was so much fun, and the Plump Sock base I use is just perfectly squishy for a blanket!

Black Magic Woman Mini Kit added to my granny stripe blanket. Colorways from bottom up: Double Blind, The Poison You Picked, The Evil Eye, Casting a Curse, Blood Binding.

I was running out of minis from my first kit and wanted to continue in my own Plump Sock Base. What else could I do? I had to create another mini kit! Further down the mini rabbit hole I fell. I created a second kit meant to be a darker version of my Double Double kit and this one I called Black Magic Woman. For those of you who have seen my Instagram feed or previous posts, I loved my green and purple (The Poison You Picked and The Evil Eye) colorways so much, I had to dye up yarn for a sweater! But I was also going to need another kit, so I went to my colorways for inspiration.

Praise Poseidon Mini and my own little beaded ghost progress keeper.

I found a few colorways in various blues that I had in my inventory and decided to dye a few more and put together a kit of blues. However, I also thought I needed a nice transition from the solid mini Blood Binding into my new In The Ether Mini Kit. So just for the sake of my granny stripe blanket, I dyed up Praise Poseidon, a mostly solid blue tonal with just a few little blue speckles. Further down the rabbit hole. Then I started in on my In the Ether Mini Kit.

In The Ether Mini Kit crocheted into my blanket. Colorways from bottom to top: Spell in a Bottle, Phantasm, Speak to Me Spirits, Witching for Water, Patience Like a River.

I’m now fully into the mini rabbit hole with In The Ether, loving all my minis and the Plump Sock squishy goodness of the crochet fabric I was creating! But just as with the other kits, once I got to the my 3rd or 4th colorway and knew I would run out of minis, I had to plan another kit. This time with some glamour!

Monster Minis Kit inspired by Monster High Characters. Colorways from bottom to top: Spektra, Casta Fierce, She Wolf, Miss Cleo, Daughter of the Yeti.

For my next mini kit trick, may I present: Monster Minis on Magic Sock! That’s right, its sparkle!! I was especially proud of how these colorways came out. I took inspiration from Monster High characters – not that I watch the show, but I’m fascinated with the concept of second generation classic monsters.

43666943_261414781181650_3039333379381133312_n — Monster Minis matched to their inspiration characters.

I’ve gotten to the end of my Monster Minis kit, and so off to the dye pots I went! What is the newest set of mini kit colorways? You’ll have to follow me on Instagram and my Etsy shop and right here on my blog to find out! They are drying as I type, and soon they will be available as full skein colorways or in another marvelous mini kit! I can’t wait to add them into my granny stripe masterpiece of my own hand dyed yarns!

Well, that’s all for this week Fiber Sisters and Brethren. Thank you all for joining my circle and sitting a spell! Stay tuned for my Not Rhinebeck Sweater and check me on Instagram @sisteresquefibers for an upcoming giveaway and coupon code during Rhinebeck weekend!

Also, if you’re interested in full skeins of any of my colorways and don’t see it in my shop, feel free to contact me! I’m happy to dye up special orders for any of my special fiber friends!

Wishing you a magical October!

Long time, no blog post! Hello again Fiber Friends!

Its been a while. Truthfully, I’m going through some big life changes and as a result I have relocated back to South Dakota to be close to family for a while. I am stressed, anxious and desperately trying to figure out a job – sadly my creative life is not yet in position to be my day job, though that is always the ultimate goal.

Still, I am working at slowly at my many WIPs.

Bag from KnitForBrains on Etsy, Pumpkin needle keeper from MollyKleinDesigns on Etsy.

These are just a few of the socks I have that I told myself I would have ready for the cooler weather. I may have to push that back to ready for the snow, but even that may be a bit of a stretch. I started these while still in North Carolina, and when I bid farewell to my Podcast friend Barb of Super Stitchy, she gave me the sweet little beaded witch stitch marker she made herself. So if it does take me longer to finish these, at least I have a fun reminder of a fiber friend.

My fun little witch marker from Super Stitchy and my MollyKleinDesigns needle keeper. Madeline Tosh yarn.

I had also told myself I would have a sweater done for the fall by now, but naturally, my latest sweater is not yet completed. Just about done with one sleeve and one left to go.

My own hand dyed yarn in The Evil Eye (purple) and The Poison You Picked (green). Bag by HappyUnicornStudio on Etsy.

I’m loving my new Dense DK base, I have a loose gauge so the more densely spun yarn won’t grow as much as my Plump DK base. I started this in NC as well, and between settling into a new space and the emotions that come with not knowing what my life is right now have slowed me down. I did finish the body while waiting for my baby Jack Russell, Lucy, to come back from teeth extractions at the vet. However, stress knitting, while useful for keeping me from biting my nails and clenching my teeth, is still not my ideal knitting.

Bag by TwistedYarnAndFiberBags on Etsy and Malabrigo Rios Yarn.

Stress aside, I am happy to be closer to family, and happy for the cooler knitting weather in South Dakota. Knitting out of necessity gives me unique pleasure. I suppose my productivity anxiety is quelled a bit by the idea of knitting practical items for myself that I know will go to good use, and soon. I started myself a hat in the Acres Wild pattern by Kniting Pirate on Ravelry. I’m using Malabrigo Rios yarn and toting it in a phantasmically perfect bag from Twisted Yarn and Fiber Bags on Etsy. We have one week of temporary warm temperatures coming and then October will be in full cool swing, and I will definitely be wearing this hat.

My WIPs, my mind and my writing are all a bit scattered, and I would apologize, but that just where I am right now. I am continuing to put my best effort into my Sisteresque Fibers Etsy shop, I have added Pre-Order or Dye to Order yarn in hopes of more sales with less unsold inventory about. I have intentions of creating some colorwork hat patterns and a few cross stitch patterns. I only hope my job search and possible job find won’t interrupt my creativity too much, as it is a large part of what is currently holding my sanity together. Tho, sadly, it doesn’t pay for health insurance. Sigh.

I will end on a lighter note and say that I am grateful to the fiber and crafting community for providing a place to go during the worst of times. Everyone is so supportive and happy to share times in their lives that have been rough – and how the made it thru to the other side. To everyone who reads my blog, supports my content, my shop and my fibery pipe dream, I love you all! I wish you all the most magical fall knitting and I hope your October is full of treats, yarn and many Halloween movies!

Until next circle, Sisters and Brethren,

Love from Haleigh

Tag: halloween

Mini Rabbit Hole

Scattered WIPs, Scatter Brained

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