Haven't picked a project yet

I'm in, but I haven't decided what my Hop project will be. When I first heard about this, I already had a scarf on the needles using Seattle Mist laceweight.
The stitch is Seafoam from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury.







However, I want to do something new for the hop, so I'm trying to decide. One option is a triangular shawl in a leaf lace pattern. Here is a sample shown on my oh-so-patient Angora goat Morpheous.











I've also found an "acorn" stitch, and I'd like to make a shawl with that, if Carol can possibly get the color done- I think she's a tad swamped right now...

Anyway, more when I know what I'm doing.

OK, so I need some more BBF!

Staying home all day does have its advantages. I finished my Log Cabin Hat during Project Runway and I'm pretty pleased with it. I had decided to try some new things and basically designed it as I went. I thought it would be a little boring to do simple stocking stitch, so I tried to recreate a real log cabin instead.

Restricting myself to the fabulous, yet subtle colorway meant that I would have to work the architectural features using texture alone. The house is built out of logs and includes a door and two matching windows. I tried to do shingles for the decreasing rounds, but I got distracted by the triangles and went for a carousel look for the top instead. As I bound off the stitches, it looks as if I have incorporated a chimney as well! The only time I changed my design is when I laddered two stitches back fourteen rows to change the placement of the door knob. (Anal, I know.)

It fits very well on the head and the chimney does actually flatten out nicely. I also found that I got a different effect by wearing the back of the house up front. Two hats in one!

Here is the finished product from the front:



Here is the different look from the back:



Here is how it would look if he wore it:



Now, I got to get me some more yarn. I forgot how much I liked the Flannel Shirt colorway...

I wanna play too.

Thanks for the impetus to stop looking/petting and to start knitting. My Flannel Shirt will finally become socks.

My name is Dave, and I am a sock ho.
criminyjickets.blogspot.com

The Oregano Arrived!

My BBF sock yarn in the Oregano colorway arrived this afternoon. It is tremendously beautiful, and I can't wait to work with it. Carol's pictures in the Etsy shop did it no justice--I don't normally like greens, but this skein is lovely! I'm thinking I will will turning the yarn into some yummy Pembrokeshire Pathways socks compliments of Brenda from Cast-On. It just seems appropriate since the pathways out here in California have much green and little else in the way of flowers. Thanks for the yarn, Carol!

My Bunny Hop Project

Hello everyone, I'm Gina from San Clemente CA.

I purchased this gorgeous yarn a couple months ago without any idea what I was going to use it for...maybe socks. So there it has been sitting in my stash, waiting for me to do something with it. Two weekends ago I remember I have a baby shower the next weekend and no gift. I had wanted to knit something. I look in my stash and BBF jumps out and says "Use Me, Use Me". Ok, onto the internet to search for a pattern. I find a cute little cardigan, a perfect match for this yarn and a baby boy. At some point while I was ignoring my little boy ... er I mean searching the internet. He decides he's going to help me wind this hank of yarn. What he did was make a giant wad of yarn. After 3 hours of untangling and winding up my BBF yarn I decided that this yarn was too yummy and I had invested too much time into it to just give it away.

I need another project on the needles like I need another hole in my head, but I wanted to join the fun. I've never done KAL. My BBF yarn in Poseidon is now going to become a lacy stole for me. I can't wait!! I love working with this yarn, the amazing colors are my favorite!

That's a lot of yarn, CAROL!

This is a lot of yarn. Did I say that already? I know I asked for it, but...



I think all told it took two of us about two hours to wind this mega-ball of BB laceweight. I wound it once off the skein which I started doing at 2:45 and finished at around 5:00--albeit with many interruptions.

This was the first ball we made. It was so dense I swear you could hear it when I tapped on it. Lisa very delicately wound it two (yes, two) more times. I think she finished winding around 6:30.

I just thought this was so beautiful.

And then it was done. It really is quite a lot of yarn and I have no idea what to do with it.
See for contrast my wrist at the bottom of the photo.

I have been combing through Bauerliches Stricken books to no avail. I had been eyeing one of the same patterns as Joe, the tulip-y one but no. I think this yarn calls for something ridiculous. One of those shawls that makes one want to loose their mind--where the repeat changes 27 times across each row and there is no vertical repeat? Maybe some text thrown in? Maybe not knit--there's a lot of yarn there that could be crochet or even tatted! I need a weekend.

How BBF works.....(i.e., how to score yarn)

Thank you, everyone, for your interest in my yarns. Don't worry -- I'm dyeing continuously; even as I write this, skeins are drying. I do everything myself and I do each skein by hand, so it takes a little longer to get on the market, so to speak. Here's how it works:

I list yarns as I finish them (meaning as they are dyed, dried, reskeined and photographed), on an on-going basis. I'm a stay-at-home mom with three kids, so I work around them. There's always something or other in the dyepot and usually a number of skeins at different stages of the process. Right now, I'm dyeing as fast as I can, several skeins or more per day. Each day, I'll list whatever is done: usually 3 or 4 new skeins, sometimes more, occasionally less. I list them when I get a chance, i.e., when my kids are (temporarily) occupied or asleep. If you check in and don't see anything, check back later in the day, or the next. For my Etsy shop, I regularly dye laceweight skeins of 880 yds/100g, and sock yarn in 4 oz/400+ yd batches (wool/nylon blend, and superwash merino). I also dye 4 ounce batches of roving on a regular basis. I do occasionally dye other things, as I can get them wholesale or find them at fiber festivals. I do some worsted weight yarns, for example, and sometimes some bulkier weights. I sometimes do larger batches of laceweight, too. If I can find good quality, well-priced yarn from small producers or farms, I also offer that.

In addition, I sell yarns via Rosie's Yarn Cellar (215-977-9276). I stock the small laceweight skeins, wool-nylon sock yarn and rovings there. I also stock two yarns that I do not sell on my Etsy site: a bulky weight wool (about 3.5 to 4 sts per inch) and a superwash DK merino (5.5 sts to the inch). I'll be adding some miniloop boucle this weekend, also available only via Rosie's. Because stock changes quickly, and each batch is unique, these yarns aren't sold via the Rosie's website. Call them and ask what they have and they can hook you up with whatever's in stock.

I'm at the point where it's not feasible for me to do special orders unless you can wait a while to get them. But don't panic! The Hop-along won't end anytime soon, and I'll keep dyeing, dyeing, dyeing (and winding, winding, winding). Hope that helps answer some of your questions!

And thank you, sincerely and from the bottom of my heart, for responding so enthusiastically to my yarns.

Hey everybody!

I just wanted to make a quick post and introduce myself!

My name is Lars and I have the requisite knitting blog: Does a Bear Knit in the Woods?

I will be designing my own hat using a skein of hand-dyed Lopi.

Here is a photo of the source material:



Can't wait to see what other people are working on!

Quick Progress

I guess I've gone past just swatching my new hopalong project.

Lace Shawl
Just winding this ball took about 15 minutes of constant winding.



I selected three lace patterns from Barara Walker's second treasury and did the math and before I knew it, I had finished 37 rows of my new lace stole.



The bottom few rows in light gray are just a few rows of stockinette that I'm using as waste yarn/provisional cast on. On each side, there will be a border of more solid lace, and in the center, a looser, more open lace pattern.

Here's a closeup.



I'm really loving knitting this. The yarn is soft and gorgeous, the color differentiations are perfect for this pattern, and the pattern stitch is interesting, but not overly complex.

happy feet

Hi there! I just finished these socks in BBF super-wash today. They are a colorway that Carol custom dyed to match my prosthetic leg. The pattern is "Fancy Silk Sock" from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks, done on US#1 dpns.

More notes about my modifications can be found on this blogpost.

I wouldn't exactly say that I "knitted along," because I was already on the toe of the 2nd sock when I heard about this KAL. But guess what...I have more BBF in my stash:




It's a soft yummy sport-weight called "Purple Pansies," and my plan is to make something out of it that is extremely customized to my particular (ie odd) needs. As an amputee, my residual limb gets totally freakin' cold. I want to knit some shorts for lounging around in (like pajama bottoms) that will serve as a kind of "stump cozy". I want to knit the side that will cover my "super short leg" to be closed and form fitting to keep me warm. Me thinks I'm going to have to design this one myself (ya' think??), but I am looking at my own clothes, patterns for knit yoga pants, and Joe's underwear (teehee) as possible starting points. I'll keep y'all posted ;-)

This is my first KAL. Only Carol and her fabulous yarn could ever make me do it. Wendy & Christina....thanks for setting it up!
Happy Knitting
~bonnie

I'm in!

I bought my BBF Yarn entirely too long ago. At the time, I thought "Socks!" But I still have yet to find the perfect sock pattern for it. Now, with this Hop-a-long, it's high time I found it. Perhaps RPM? Or Happy (not sure since that's such a craptastic photo I don't know if the pattern really shows up in the yarn). Any other suggestions?

Bunny Button

Go ahead, take it!! Our new Bunny Button!



Thanks Franklin!!!!

Why Should Spinners Have All the Fun?

I had BB roving, too, and I was feeling sorry for all the knitters who don't spin and can only gaze longingly at the stuff. (O.k., I was also feeling sorry for myself, who has no time to spin right now.) Then I remembered some article somewhere about knitting with unspun roving, and went to town.

My roving, Juniper, was about 4 yards long. If I split it in half, I'd have 8 yards; in quarters, 16 yards; and so forth. 32 yards isn't enough to knit a hat, and 64 is a very close call. (There's a hat in Colinette Point 5 that only uses one skein, which is about 60 yards, but I was scared.) 128 yards is enough to knit a hat, if the gauge is 4 sts per inch or thicker.

So I started to split the roving. I put one half aside and subdivided the other repeatedly. As I finished each split, I'd roll each strip into a very loose ball. I got 16 cute little balls of fluff.

I cast on at the top of the hat and started in:

It works! This is a US #13 needle, at about 2.5 sts per inch.

This is what the balls of fluff look like:


I'm figuring on a wide ribbed cuff. The best thing is that I'm only on my 5th ball of roving: not only do I have plenty of wool, I might have enough for a second hat! (Or mittens maybe?)

Perfect Timing

I needed to decide on something to knit, and now I can put Carol's laceweight green/yellow yarn to work.



Coming Up With a Project
I want to do something in lace that isn't overly complex.

I never remember the difference between knitted lace and lace knitting, but I want to do something using the easier of the two.

I prefer stoles over circular or triangular shaped wraps.

I think I'll have to pull out my various stitch dictionaries and try to come up with something interesting.

Since my Barbara Walker's Second Stitch Dictionary was sitting right beside my computer, I'm thinking I'll do a long rectangle of a nice open lace like this:



and do something like this on each end:



Crap...now I have to go cast on. This KAL stuff is gonna be bad for me.

I'm in, too ...

OK, even though I am getting ready to start a vest for my husband that is (theoretically, at least) for his 50th bd in November, I'm giving this a shot. I have a few Black Bunny skeins here, and will try to decide what to make for the KAL. Being that I am one of the world's slowest knitters, it will be interesting - at least to me - to see what I can accomplish.

Besides, I do love the Black Bunny, though we have never actually met. After all, he's a bunny, what's not to love???

I Don't Do KALs but...

For Carol, I will. Because she has extraordinary talent and because I'd rather let her make a mess than me, so I'm a dedicated BBF fan and I'd love to see her sell a ton.

I've written extensively about spinning and knitting the BBF Corriedale-type "Pansy" on my blog. But it's worth a repeat performance.

Here's the original bundle o' fiber.


I decided to spin this on my Ashford Joy, using the highest ratio and a worsted draw. The goal was to produce singles that when plyed double would work as sock-weight yarn.

Now mind you, I watch TV and spin at the same time--a bit more difficult to do than to knit and watch TV, in my opinion. But to paraphrase Linda:It spins like buttah.
This is the plyed Pansy, ready to be skeined, washed and then dried. Oh boy.

Once I had it all prepared, I used my handy-dandy stock 60-stitch sock pattern, which is worked at 7 spi on #0 dps. I loved knitting with it and I made this pair of socks in less than a week.
Here's a detail shot of the knitted fabric:
Now that I'm done with these, I still have a beautiful skein of merino sock-weight that I got from Carol, which I will dig out when I have finished moving and unpacking. And that I will work up a new design for, because it deserves it.

OK, Sulcoski, you got a post outta me, with all these boxes surrounding my computer.

Namesake

Behold the black bunny himself, in all of his cuteness:



Does his adorableness not inspire you?

I Had to Do It!!!

I got so jealous of everyone's Black Bunny projects,
that 6 days from the end of the month, and SO CLOSE to actually not casting on the entire month of August (I should have picked February!!!), I couldn't take it anymore. Rather than open up my window, scream to the high heavens, and face the wrath of my presumably unsympathetic neighbors, I decided to burrow into my Black Bunny Stash. Should I cast on the laceweight? Or the sock yarn?
The sock yarn, in a colorway called Poodle, after Lisa at Rosie's daughter, was of course, enticing.


But, at the perfect moment in time, when the desire to cast on met a pattern, I truly fell in love with, I went with the laceweight. Here is Sarcelle.
.

Sarcelle, written by Kristen Geraci
is knit on a bias, with the same progression as the Clap, an increase section, followed by a straight section, followed by decrease rows. The chart, on first glance, appeared to be quite the challenge, what with dropping yarnovers, knitting into them, casting on replacement stitches . . . but after one trip through the 6 row, 18 stitch repeat, it's really very easy, and totally addictive. And, of course, it looks lovely in this colorway, appropriately named "Tree."

I think this will be extremely relaxing Cape Cod knitting, as I'm am off midweek to join Knitty D at the Joy House.

In the meantime, tell all of your friends about the Hop. Carol and I are working on a frappr map - anyone who knows how to add it to a blog - could you email this html challenged girl??? And, if anyone comes up with a better button, please feel free to email me with that as well - I will not be insulted if my button is replaced by a more attractive one. Any suggestions about the blog template? - again, bring it on! We want the hop to be a lovely place for the Black Bunny.

Hello!

I hope you don't mind someone new on your knit-along. I lived in and around Philly nearly my whole life until I moved to England 5 years ago. I've now moved back to the States (Boston) where it's nice to buy yarn that isn't Rowan! What a monopoly they have in the UK. I would love to cast on some BB sock yarn but must wait until there is more in the etsy shop. I checked the website for Rosie's but didn't see any listed. Does she sell Black Bunny on-line or just in the store?

Pink Lemonade

Hi Everyone

I will be making socks with this.

BBF, Pink Lemonade

Charcoal progress - and green

I am making progress with the socks - now just past the heel. Loving how the charcoal is looking!

This blog is definitely helping with the progress.

I realised that I had forgotten that when Carol sent the lovely bunny-influenced yarn, she included some green dk(?) yarn too - now what shall I do with this? Perhaps a short moebius scarf??? I don't have a green scarf, and do love green, so that might do it.



Had to come back to this - blogger wouldn't let me publish yesterday :-(

My Bunny Hop Sock

Here is the lovely Black Bunny sock yarn I bought in the Spice Cabinet colorway:


This is my very first sock, so I chose Yarn Harlot's generic sock recipe from Knitting Rules. I wanted to focus on learning technique rather than distract myself with some stitch pattern I had to pay attention to. It took a little concentration, but I turned out the first sock pretty fast:

But I need some help from you sock experts. In the picture, do you see the line running down the right side? That's where two needles came together and I'm bummed that you can see that in the stitches. How do I correct for that?


Here is the side view:
There's the same line running down the center, plus a HOLE at the corner of the heel flap. Help!

The one thing I learned from this sock was: believe the pattern. YH specifies to cast on 64 stitches. That sounded too small to be so I cast on 76. But she was right, because the sock is a little loose. For the second sock, I will cast on the 64 stitches.

So chime in and tell me how to fix that line thingy in this next sock!

Here is my beautiful Black Bunny yarn, charcoal (named, I believe, for the actual bunny - Carol? Is that right?), which sped across the pond to me here in the English Midlands. Took me a while to get started, then I found Mim's beautiful Eleonora sock pattern - and decided the two were Meant To Be Together.


I started this sock (my third pair, and first top-down...) a few weeks ago, but got a bit stuck (ie, it got too hot to knit with wool, I had to complete Angelica in Hipknits silk QUICKLY so I could wear it at a music festival.... etc.)

So Charcoal got a little rest in a hammock........



LOVING the colours, and they do look straight out of the past - like beautifully rusting old iron or something, as well as gleaming ashes. The pattern is cool too, doing it on 2.25mm (??US 1s??) DPNs in birch. Only broken one so far. I am now cruising along on the first sock....

So, here's the detail so far. Thanks Wendy and Knitty D for the fun here, and thanks Carol for such a beautiful dye-job!

Sensational Socks and Stole

I just bought some Oregano sock yarn from the Black Bunny etsy shop! I'm also in communication about some laceweight for the Print O' the Wave Stole. It will be my first laceweight project! I'm so excited that I can barely sit still to knit--maybe that's why I'm blogging instead!

poptopomus...potatomus...whatever!

Hello!
I'm making those Pomatomus socks from Knitty in BBF '70's living room'.

I can't wait to cast off these Jaywalkers and get going on something new!