Kira Dulaney (she/her)

How do you feel about afterthought heels for socks? I like the neat way it avoids disrupting self striping or variegated yarns. It can be a bit precarious to snip the yarn but also kind of cool to have done it and triumphed. Yarn by @woolensandnosh.bsky.social photo by @sinceresheep.bsky.social

I love being part of this group of crafty indie businesses!

I gave some tips on the patterns included in the retreat and consulted on a couple projects, but mostly just enjoyed the fun company!

If you’re sad to have missed out, I’ll host more retreats here in the future, or you can book a Family Farm Tour.

What a great time at Windrush Farm Saturday! Some very fun people came, both long time fiber friends and new ones. Rancher Mimi introduced us to Corriedale and Shetland sheep, milk goats, alpacas, and an angora rabbit. She pulled out some fleece for us to fondle, and answered all sorts of questions.

Thank you @cpurl17.bsky.social for these awesome photos of me with a sweetheart of a lamb at Meridian Jacobs.

🐑Weekend Fun🐏

On Saturday I spent a lovely day with friends at a knitting & crochet workshop led by @kirakdesigns.bsky.social

The workshop was held at a working farm, Meridian Jacobs, and we were lucky to arrive during lambing season. I even got to cuddle a baby lamb!

Another lovely day at Meridian Jacobs with Robin and the sheep. We got to cuddle some lambs, check in with Sparky the bottle baby, shop in the farm store, and craft together. I loved seeing all the color combinations for Dappled Light Cowls. My last retreat this spring is May 17 at Windrush Farm.

Beautiful!

Dappled Light Cowl pattern PDF Embrace texture with this fun asymmetric mosaic bandana cowl, perfect for popping over your head for a little extra warmth. Whether you’re doing farm chores or walking on the beach, it’s a pocket-size...

kirakdesigns.com/collections/...

The slip stitch mosaic pattern is easy to follow by eye after a few repeats especially with highly contrasting colors. You’ll love the unusual Channel Islands bind off technique! I recorded a video to show the main stitch pattern, and another for the bind off.

Please welcome the Dappled Light Bandana Cowl. Embrace texture with this fun asymmetric bandana cowl, perfect for popping over your head for a little extra warmth. Whether you’re doing farm chores or walking on the beach, it’s a pocket-size accessory that does an impressive job keeping you cozy.

I’ll be heading back on May 3 and have just a few spots open, and I also have a visit to Windrush Farms on May 17 with a bit more space. I love bringing people out to meet the sheep and people behind what often become their new favorite yarns.

I had a wonderful day hosting a retreat at Meridian Jacobs yesterday. It was an especially fun and friendly group of people. Highlights were snuggling lambs and feeding lunch to bottle baby Sparky, but we also petted Jade, looked at fleece, asked Robin questions, and crafted to sheepy sounds.

A big triangular shawl spread over a floor loom. The shawl is comprised of solid navy and variegated colors.

Finished the shawl version too 🌸🪻 (7/n)

MC: handspun (a combo spin of two Nest Fiber braids)
CC: Gilliat in baleine bleue

#bayshorebandanacowl #crochet #handspun @kirakdesigns.bsky.social

Behind the scenes photo shoot of an upcoming pattern. Yarn by @knittedwit.bsky.social

Freshly spun fingering weight yarn, one ply mixed wool with a little bamboo, one ply BFL wool/silk with a few mohair locks and cashmere yarn snips mixed in. I made the rolags on a blending board and spun them long draw, except when I micro managed trapping those snips of yarn.

Have fun!

Those final steps can be hard to get to

I’ve started spinning the rolags I made during the blending board class with Clemes & Clemes at @fibercirclestudio.bsky.social on Friday. I have plans to ply these two colors together to get two ounces of laceweight or perhaps light fingering weight yarn

Yesterday I took a Blending Board Basics class with Henry and Roy Clemes in the beautiful @fibercirclestudio.bsky.social classroom. As a teacher, I think it’s important to be a student sometimes, and it’s interesting to see how others approach teaching hands on skills.

A special project and the leftover yarn is ready to ship for photography! This was a fun three way collaboration with Jacey @plymagazine and Brooke @sinceresheep for a series of related articles in the autumn issue of Ply.

I love the moment when a new pattern comes together. After a couple starts and small adjustments, this has hit the sweet place where it’s easy to knit and so satisfying to watch grow.

Yarn by Meridian Jacobs.

Crafty travel tips! The latch for the tray table works great to hold a magazine open and upright so you can craft while reading!

Aisle seats have a latch underneath the arm that allows you to flip it up for more elbow room (or just more body space). Mind your elbow when the cart rolls past!

Thursday Lunch Chats on Zoom

www.handsonknittingcenter.com/module/class...

I love talking with crafty folks and am excited to join the Thursday Lunch Chat with Hands On Knitting Center owner Molly. Tune in to hear about my crafting history, design process, and whatever else comes up in conversation. Be sure to register ahead to be eligible for the giveaways!

Love this!

I love how so many people are immediately starting another one of these!

Also a shawl version may be in the future…

A little bit of daily practice might be the way to sort out the right grip for you

And with all new crafts it’s good to check periodically to be sure you don’t have a tight grip, which is natural when you feel unsure of yourself. My video for this pattern might help a bit in terms of showing angle of insertion and a slightly loose tension.

For crochet in general I like to use both hands somewhat equally. So my non-dominant (left) hand raises and lowers the fabric rather than just holding it in place.