yarn – Ruth E. Hendricks Photography

A Tea Wallet

One birthday, my friend Donna mailed me a teabag in a little fabric envelope. Here’s how I learned about another Tea Wallet.

Last week at the NY Public Library, my sister found a murder mystery with knitting on the cover and thought of me. (Yarned and Dangerous by Sadie Hartwell) see cover image below

In the back of the book she said there was a knitting pattern for a Tea Wallet. I found another Tea Wallet pattern for one by Diane Trap on Ravelry. I knit one for my friend Vincie because I knew she carries her own tea bags in her purse. In a little plastic baggie. Not any more!

I made a modification on the front flap and made it a triangle shape, decreasing at each side.

The quilted knitting motion bag serving as a pretty backdrop for the photo shoot was stitched by my Woolswap partner, Catherine, in New Zealand.

Knit with scraps of organic cotton yarn –Made in America Yarns, the Wildflowers Collection . from Philadelphia

(Modified the front envelope flap- shortened it by half and made a triangle by knitting 2 together on edges while in one row BO 3 then next row CO 3 to create a button hole.)

These were photographed vertically on my phone and I attempted to adjust them on the computer before publishing. And of course they look perfectly aligned and oriented to me but I can’t tell if I’ve gotten them correct for some viewers. Trying

December 10, 2018December 10, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: book, cotton, crafts, friend, handknit, knitting, Library, Made in American Yarns, murder mystery, mystery, Sadie Hartwell, sister, tea, Tea Wallet, teabag, teatime, yarn, Yarned and Dangerous 21 Comments

McWalker Yarns Sweater Challenge Fashion Show

Saturday afternoon McWalker Yarns in Millvale PA hosted the November Sweater Challenge (NaKniSweMo) Fashion Show.

All of the sweaters were made with yarn from McW Y, had at least 50,000 stitches and were knit between 12:01 on 11/1 and midnight 11/30.

Knitters were to wear their sweaters if they knit them for themselves.

One sweater knitter had to be at work today and was unable to attend the fashion show but we’ll try to add a photo.

Margaret “Maggie” Toth brought her husband Chris who was modeling the sweater she knit for him – Berocco Man’s Sweater free pattern “Dan”.

She used Cascade ECO yarn– colorway Shire.

Here’s Lauren Eicher modeling Jamestown Sweater knitty.com by Amy Christoffers

Yarn Malabrigo Rios “Archangel”

Christine’s niece Rebecca baked Gingerbread Men cookies sporting Holiday Sweaters

And here is Christine modeling her Free Range Kimono Corner to Corner Crochet

Pattern by Jess Coppom Yarn Cascade Wave “Nightshade”

Christine standing by the display showing yarn she used for her Free Range Kimono

Meet Barb McAbe modeling her Sideways sweater designed by Joji Locatelli in Laine Magazine #6 Autumn/Winter 2018 Wow, look at those cables!

She used Shepard’s Wool in the Mint Colorway

Here is Denise Kaliowski wearing her Kimono Cardigan by Linda DeRuiter

Yarn is Painted Mist in Misty Rainbow (6 skeins) She made notes that it is very drapey and soft and she loves the colors. We did too.

Amy McCall (owner of McWalker Yarns) knit Selenity by Annie Rowden Laine Magazine #6 Yarn Scout Colorway Blue Heather

How about this detail?

Here I am sporting Humulus Sweater designed by Isabell Kraemer

Photographed by Amy McCall

Yarn- Lore by The Fibre Company (Earthy colorway) and Sunflower Heather is by Scout

Aimee Benswanger cheered us all on as we modeled our sweaters and here she is with her Entrelac Scarf www.frecklesandpurls.com Berocco Remix Colorway Pool

Denise is working a baby hat

Already onto the next sweater. Amy McCall inspired us to complete our November sweaters. We had a fun afternoon. The challenge produced a lot of creativity and camaraderie. Amy gave us all a sheet of Temporary Knitting Tattoos for participating.

There was a grand prize drawing for a $50 store credit and the ticket was drawn by a Sock Club member. I was fortunate to win so am planning my next sweater to start AFTER Christmas.

December 1, 2018December 6, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: design, fashion show, gingerbread, hand knit sweater, handknit, knitting, Laine Magazine, McWalker Yarns, Millvale PA, sweater, sweater challenge, yarn 17 Comments

Maura Made an Ohio Welcome Just for Me

Tuesday morning I drove out to Columbus to visit the family.(ies) Halloween I’ll split my time between both families so I can photograph everyone in their costumes. We won’t let the predicted rain prevent the photography.

Here’s what I found when I arrived.

Maura collected the sock monkeys (I didn’t make the giant one or the ones sporting Ohio State or U of Florida hoodies)

And all her knitting projects and yarn AND a jumbo size box of Cheez-its. Mmmmmm. My favorites. (No judgment please)

My grandma name is Froo Froo Ruthie thanks to Anna now 15.

Thanks Maura for the festive welcome. Love that you created this happy scene for me to find upon my arrival. Xxoo❤️❤️❤️

October 30, 2018 by Ruth Categories: Family, PhotographyTags: Cheez-its, childhood, Columbus OH, family, granddaughter, home, knitting, photography, postaday, sock monkey, travel, welcome, yarn 12 Comments

Wash Separately Even After Six Years

Wash separately even after six years. My six word Saturday post.

These are handknit socks I made at least six years ago and they still turn the water pink every time.

When I was a kid, my mother called a red flannel nightgown that bled in the wash “a sinner”.

Have you ever had a laundry disaster with a color item that ran onto light items?

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: color, handknit socks, knitting, Laundry, laundry instructions, pedestal sink, photography, postaday, Six Word Saturday, wash, washing, yarn 12 Comments

Orange Scarf Day in Norway

Z from NY, Joan from NJ and Clare from NZ with the scarves they knit, ready to donate

(Scarves in Window design above by Z)

Pretty soon it will be Orange Scarf Day in Norway. In all the yarn stores there were bins of orange yarn for knitters to buy and knit up a scarf.

Three fellow Knitting Cruise Members knit orange scarves during our trip. It’s good to think of the scarves keeping someone warm.

“an annual event by The Church City Mission (Kirkens Bymisjon) to emphasize caring and inclusiveness while approaching winter and Christmas season. The scarves are left on the sculptures for those who need in cold winter days.”

You can see photos of the scarves on statues in Oslo at this link

https://www.tnp.no/norway/panorama/behind-orange-scarves-oslo/amp

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Arnecarlos, Hurtigruten, Kirkens Bymisjon, knitting, Knitting cruise, Norway, Orange Scarf Day, Oslo, photography, postaday, travel, yarn 21 Comments

Rauma Yarn Factory Tour

We docked in Alesund. There were two buses taking our group of knitters from the ship to the yarn factory-an English speaking one and a Norwegian one

The factory founder’s grandson gave us the tour of the factory his grandfather started in the late ninteen thirties.

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Arnecarlos, Hurtigruten, knitting, Knitting cruise, Norway, Norwegian yarn, photography, postaday, Rauma yarn Factory, tourism, travel, wool, yarn 14 Comments

Knitting in Nebraska

Thursday I arrived in Omaha. After lunch my friend Joanne took me to a couple of local yarn shops. I like to buy souvenir yarn from places I visit, usually a single skein of local sock yarn.

I got in the peacock pen to photograph the skein of Acid Peacock yarn by One Twisted Tree at ImagiKnit.

Today at her friend’s farm and I tried to take a photo of the yarn AND the peacock. You can see the focusing issues I experienced.

Joanne took the next four photos. A trunkful of yarn. Hotel morning selfie she took with her timer on. Me coming out of the peacock pen.

Photo by Joanne

August 25, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: acid peacock, farm, friendship, ImagiKnit, knitting, Omaha Nebraska, One Twisted Tree, peacock, photography, postaday, sock yarn, travel, yarn 14 Comments

Aubergine Yarn Color in Two Lights

Aubergine yarn in two light- a great color name, isn’t it?

A friend gave me a sweater’s worth of Harrisville Designs Highland Yarn. Wooly warmth for next winter! I never worked with it before and it is nice to wind and knit. I’d like to finish it before summer’s full heat kicks in.

I used my iPhone to document progress of the sweater (pattern is Larch by Pam Allen, available on Ravelry).

I snapped the front, then the back. Ooops, the flash went off in the second shot.

Sweater in two lights

Available light-

Electronic Flash below –

some of you will want to pick off the little fuzzy lint in the photo There’s a bit of vegetative matter in this wonderful yarn

Watch this two minute video to see how wool is milled and spun into yarn – Harrisville, New Hampshire.

A Day in the Life of an American Woolen Mill

From their website-

“Highland is one of our flagship yarns, available in 64 tweedy, heathered, woolen spun colors. This yarn is perfect for a cozy New England sweater, or a favorite pair of mitts. The yarn was engineered to wear better and better with every wash. Don’t let the crunch fool you. After 10 years of constant wear, you’ll know why we spun it this way.”

May 14, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: aubergine, available light, design, eggplant, friend, Harrisville Designs, Harrisville New Hampshire, iPhone photography, knitting, Larch sweater, New England, Pam Allen, photography, Ravelry, skein, sweater, wool, woolen mill, yarn 17 Comments

Millvale Welcomes McWalker Yarns

Millvale welcomes McWalker Yarns A wonderful new LYS (Local Yarn Store) Opening Day tomorrow, Saturday April 21st at 9:30. I had the pleasure of photographing the owner, Amy Walker McCall today. How nice she made time to give me a tour when she was super busy, readying the store for opening tomorrow. 303 Grant Avenue is just across the street from the gas station. Tuesday and Wednesday the store will be CLOSED but open every other day of the week with the tagline “Yarns at a variety of price points with hours for working crafters.”

Stitch Party Yarn dyed locally in Millvale.

Three Pittsburgh area LYS have closed in recent months and what a loss to our community. How fortunate that Amy created a business plan and put in a lot of preparation and hard work to make her creative vision a reality. Millvale is a happening place, you’ve read many posts of mine before featuring all it has to offer. And it is just over the Allegheny River, not a long ride at all.

The store is laid out by the weight of the yarn which is so helpful when you are trying to find just the right yarn for a project you are dream knitting in your mind.

Need help finding something specific? Check out this thorough colored labeling system.

A basketful of possibility

These O- wool yarns are organic “yarn that is environmentally responsible, affordable, and made locally in Philadelphia and the USA.”

Allergic to wool? Lots of alternatives to choose from. Here is some soft cotton with a hint of nylon in it Check out the Cumulus below

Be sure to see and feel the variety of Swans Island Yarn from Maine. The Bicycle Hat is a bit blurred but if you know a cyclist, I know they’d love you to knit them the hat!

Ceramic Yarn Bowls

Gradient Cakes

Good Water & Co Project Bags

Knitting Needles

Looks like an inviting couch and chair to sit and knit a bit! Wishing you all the best, Amy, as you launch your wonderful McWalker Yarns store tomorrow!

April 20, 2018April 20, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: #knitting, #MillvalePA, #Pittsburgh Photography, #PittsburghKnitting, #yarnstore, handdyed yarn, knitting, Local Yarn Store, LYS, McWalker Yarns, Millvale PA, mohair, organic fibers, silk yarn, yarn, yarn and fiber 6 Comments

Pittsburgh’s Indie Knit & Spin

You know how much I love different yarns and all the possibilities they inspire.

Last Saturday I went with a friend to the Ace Hotel in East Liberty to check out the Pittsburgh Indie Knit & Spinevent, held in the former YMCA gym. The “boutique hotel” was hopping, serving lunch and drinks and coffee, while eager knitters perused the booths.

A vendor at one booth was wearing this pin.Two dinosaurs winding yarn!

Although the vendor preferred anonymity she was more than happy to share the story of her quirky and creative pin. She told me to google Malojos So fun. Meet the designer of the pin who lives in Chicago About Natalie Have you seen the 14K gold gauge rings she makes?

I limited myself to purchasing a single skein of sparkle yarn named “The Shire” ( my first sparkle yarn) HandDyed by Trisha Eliason of Gypsy Stardust Yarn and Fiber Shop.

Good Water and Co. is a mother-daughter team dedicated to bringing the world a better knitting bag. Based in central Pennsylvania, each Good Water and Co. bag is handcrafted from start to finish, with no two bags being exactly alike. We are dedicated to providing knitters and crocheters with funky and innovative solutions to everyday problems. – from their Website

They had many great bags and had repurposed dresser scarves sewn into project bags to hold knitting projects or whatever else you might think of-

The Ace Hotel hosts Knitting in the Knook every third Tuesday, too. Offering tea and a cozy place to sit and knit. My friend Ann and I went to knit in February and everyone was so nice. That’s how I learned about the Indie Knit & Spin Event.

March 31, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: Ace Hotel, Ace Hotel Knitting, art, Chicago, creativity, design, dresser scarves, gauge ring, hand dyed yarn, handdye, Indie Knit and Spin, knitting, knitting bag, knitting community, Knitting in the Knook, photography, Pittsburgh Knitters, postaday, project bag, sparkle yarn, yarn 8 Comments

Tag: yarn

A Tea Wallet

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McWalker Yarns Sweater Challenge Fashion Show

Photographed by Amy McCall

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Maura Made an Ohio Welcome Just for Me

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Wash Separately Even After Six Years

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Orange Scarf Day in Norway

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Rauma Yarn Factory Tour

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Knitting in Nebraska

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Aubergine Yarn Color in Two Lights

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Millvale Welcomes McWalker Yarns

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Pittsburgh’s Indie Knit & Spin

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Photographed by Amy McCall

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