Sheep #144: A knitter's one-year sheep, fleece, yarn and knitting adventure!

This is the story of a knitter unintentionally becoming the owner of freshly sheared wool and eventually using that wool to hand knit a blanket that is sure to become a family heirloom. 

A couple months ago a photo of a sheep being sheared caught my eye on Ravelry. The photo was part of Ravelry knitter Sophiefoofoo's project using my On the Porch blanket pattern.

Here's the one-year 'sheep, fleece, yarn & knitting adventure' of @sophiefoofoo.  All photos and her words (in italics) provided by and used with her permission.

This blanket began last January, the 19th, (2017) to be exact.  I went to watch a sheep shearer at work...shearing a small flock in town, thinking I'd stay an hour or so, - I spent the entire day!

January 19, 2017 - Shearing Sheep #144 

I had no intention of bringing a fleece home, I just wanted to see how the process began, - from sheep to skein.  I ended up coming home with a fleece, - sheep #144.

Fleece from Sheep #144

A spinner in town told me she'd be happy to teach me so I began by washing the wool myself.  She patiently tried to teach me carding and spinning, but in the end, I found a fiber processing mill in CT (Connecticut) that would process my single fleece. 

Washing the wool.

Carding the wool.

The 8 months flew by...and the wool returned, carded and spun into beautiful skeins! 3 lbs of raw wool returned 2.7 lbs...ten (10) 200 yard skeins.  Glorious!  

10 beautiful skeins - professionally spun

But what to do with this gorgeous girl? Hats for the whole family plus a sweater or two? I decided on a lap blanket, that way everyone can be warmed by it! 

I looked at many patterns but in the end settled on...5410 Studio's 'On the Porch' blanket pattern....because of the story of its origin.

Here's Sophiefoofoo's On the Porch blanket in progress....in October or November of 2017.

On the Porch - blanket knitting in progress with Sheep #144's wool.

And here's her finished On the Porch blanket! It's beautifully blocked and ready to be enjoyed by everyone in her family.  This blanket is sure to become a family heirloom!

 @sophiefoofoo's On the Porch blanket!

And...to bring the entire story full circle...in January 2018 Sophiefoofoo took the finished blanket back to visit Sheep #144...the sheep who produced the wool for this project!  

Here's Sheep #144 admiring the finished blanket made with her fleece...it looks like Sheep #144 approves! :)

Sheep #144 admiring the blanket made with her fleece!

Thanks so much to @sophiefoofoo for sharing her knitting story on Ravelry and for allowing me to share her story and photos with you here.  I am so touched that she selected my knitting pattern to use for this precious yarn. I hope this beautiful blanket is treasured by her family for years to come!

Her one year adventure in wool and knitting is a great reminder that it's fun to try new experiences and learn new skills because you never know what great memories you will create in the process!

Learn more about my On the Porch Blanket:

Read more about my On the Porch blanket knitting pattern here on my blog.  This blanket is very easy to knit with worsted weight yarn.  The pattern may also be used with DK or Aran weight yarn...or similar.

On the Porch blanket knitting pattern is available on Ravelry, Etsy, Craftsy and LoveKnitting.  

On the Porch - easy blanket knitting pattern

Share your Fifty Four Ten Studio projects!

I would love to see your knitting project made with one of my Fifty Four Ten Studio patterns.  

You may share your project on Ravelry, email photos to me at my email address in the pattern, or share your photo on Instagram. Be sure to tag your photo on Instagram with @fiftyfourtenstudio so I will receive a notification. (However, if your page is private I won't be able to see your photo.) You may also add #fiftyfourtenstudio and #5410Studio to your posts.

In case you aren't familiar with sharing a knitting project on Ravelry...here's the basic steps to add a knitting project on Ravelry...

1. Log into Ravelry and click on "my notebook" in the upper right corner of the screen.

2. Then click "projects" in the list under "my notebook".

3. On the next screen...look on the left side and click the button that says "add project".

4. Then you may name your project. Be sure to fill in "enter the pattern name" using the exact name of the Fifty Four Ten Studio pattern you used.

5. Fill in the fields for size made, yarn used and notes about making your project. 

6. If desired, fill in dates when you started and finished your project, rate the difficulty of the project and you may rate the pattern (1 to 5 stars with 5 being the highest). Be sure to click "save"!

7. Then click on the 'photos' tab to upload photos of your project.

It's a real treat to see what you create using my patterns...whether it's a blanket for your first baby or grandchild...or a blanket to send your high school graduate off to college...it's always fun to see what you are making to give love to the special people in your life.

Happy knitting!

Mary Lee

Fifty Four Ten Studio

River of Dreams - New Chunky Cable Bed Runner Knitting Pattern!

I'm so excited to introduce my new chunky, cable bed runner knitting pattern - River of Dreams!

I'm thrilled with how this blanket bed runner came together!  The blanket has one giant cable down the center and the entire blanket is framed by a seed stitch border.

River of Dreams - Bed Runner - Cable Blanket Knitting Pattern

Click here to purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Click here to purchase the pattern on FiftyFourTenStudio.com. 

Click here to purchase the pattern on Etsy.

January 28, 2020 UPDATE: My blog has a new location at FiftyFourTenStudio.com!  Click here if you would like to read this post on my new website.

The design is simple and classic...but the super bulky yarn gives it a modern appearance that adds great texture to any bedroom decor.

River of Dreams - bed runner knitting pattern.

I'll warn you now....when you have this blanket proudly displayed at the foot of your bed...someone is going to see it and ask you to make a 'River of Dreams' bed runner blanket for them!

This design is a variation on my chunky cable blanket knitting pattern - North of the River.

'River of Dreams' seemed the perfect name for this cozy, bed runner blanket...to bring comfort and peaceful dreams.

A giant cable gives great texture to the River of Dreams bed runner.

And...if you choose to spend a lazy Saturday morning in bed...knitting and jotting down your day dreams...this River of Dreams blanket is sure to add a layer of coziness!

River of Dreams - cozy, cable bed runner blanket knitting pattern.

FOUR BED RUNNER SIZES

The pattern includes instructions for 4 bed sizes...Twin, Full, Queen & King.

Approximate dimensions after blocking:

Twin Bed Runner: 23" wide x 65" long
Full Bed Runner: 23" wide x 81" long
Queen Bed Runner: 23" wide x 89" long
King Bed Runner: 23" long x 105" long

Bed runner length is designed to drape over each side of the bed approximately 14 - 15", depending on the thickness of blankets underneath.

Note: This is an accent blanket designed to lay across the end of the bed.  It is not designed to cover the entire bed.

Bed runner knitting pattern - River of Dreams.

SUPER BULKY YARN

This bed runner blanket knitting pattern is designed for use with super bulky weight yarns.

Yarn requirements for each size:

Twin Bed Runner: 550 - 575 yards
Full Bed Runner: 670 - 700 yards
Queen Bed Runner: 720 - 750 yards
King Bed Runner: 900 - 950 yards

I used Lion Brand Hometown USA in 'Springfield Silver'.

YARN SUGGESTIONS

I used Lion Brand Hometown in 'Springfield Silver'. I have enjoyed using Hometown USA on many projects but this was the first time I have used 'Springfield Silver'...and it won't be the last.  I love this colorway!  The gentle heather silver gray is simply lovely!

Note about Yardage on Hometown: Check the label!  Yardage varies depending on the color.  Springfield Silver is one of the "print" colorways and has 64 yards per skein.  The solid color Hometown USA options have 81 yards per skein.

This blanket will look great in any color!  However, if you are thinking about using gray yarn and want to compare 'Springfield Silver' to other shades of gray...check out 'Dallas Grey' (nice medium gray - I used it for my Westport Blanket knitting pattern) and 'Chicago Charcoal' (dark charcoal gray - I used it for my North of the River cable blanket pattern). 'Cape Cod Tweed' also looks like a great option if you like little flecks of other colors mixed in (this shade is on my list to try soon!).

Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick would also work well with this pattern. It's a blend of 80% acrylic and 20% wool.  Nice texture and great stitch definition.  I have used this yarn for many blanket projects and I'm always thrilled with the results.  Get more details and shop for this yarn on the Lion Brand website and LoveCrafts.com.  

River of Dreams - Cable Bed Runner Knitting Pattern

CABLE KNITTING EXPERIENCE RECOMMENDED

If you have basic cable knitting experience this blanket is pretty easy to knit.  If you need a reminder on how to do cables...there are lots of video tutorials available.  This one from Wool and the Gang is pretty good.  And, Mama in a Stitch blog has a step by step photo tutorial.

Basic cable knitting experience recommended.

KNITTING NEEDLES

The blanket is worked flat, back and forth.  I used US size 15 circular knitting needles because I like having lots of room for the stitches.  My needles are about 38" long (shorter will work just fine).

If you are purchasing new needles for this project...I would recommend buying long circular needles because they will be very useful if you decide to try another (wider) blanket knitting project!

However, if you already own a set of US 15 straight needles they will work fine for this project since the blanket runner is not very wide.  Just make sure your needles are at least 14" long.

Finishing the last couple of rows of the seed stitch border.

BLOCKING RECOMMENDED

Careful blocking of the finished blanket is highly recommended!  I have said this over and over...I always love how my project looks after blocking...it is really worth the extra effort!

For tips, read my blog post about blocking.

HAND WASHING RECOMMENDED

Hometown USA is a 'machine washable' yarn.  So are many other yarns.  However...I think that any hand knit project, especially a large blanket, will look better if it is hand washed, and dried flat on blocking mats.  Hand washing takes extra time but it's worth it when you have put a lot of time into knitting your blanket!

WHERE TO GET THE PATTERN

Click here to purchase the pattern on FiftyFourTenStudio.com. 

Click here to purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Click here to purchase the pattern on Etsy.

I loved making my River of Dreams bed runner...and it looks fantastic at the foot of the bed!

Thanks so much for reading and for your interest in my knitting designs.

Happy knitting!

Mary Lee
Fifty Four Ten Studio

River of Dreams bed runner knitting pattern.

My Favorite Knitting Pattern Highlights from 2017

It's one week into the new year and I'm making plans for knitting projects to work on this year.  I have two projects in the works right now and lots of other ideas that are competing for my attention. It's hard to say exactly which direction my creative ideas will take me, but I know that I'm looking forward to trying out new pattern ideas! 

Here's a little peek at one of the projects I'm working on right now....I'm really excited about this design!

Working on a new knitting design with
Lion Brand Hometown USA in 'Springfield Silver'.

In these first days of the new year I've also been looking back to last year.  I'm cherishing memories of good times that I had with my family and friends throughout the year. We were so fortunate to finish off the year by celebrating the holidays with our extended family on several occasions.  Hosting family dinners at our house is one of my favorite things! 

In terms of knitting accomplishments...I guess you could say that 2017 was my year of blankets!  Last year I designed and knit 10 blankets!  I knit 7,440 yards of yarn to make those ten blankets...that's about 4.25 miles of yarn! 

Here's a look at some of my favorite knitting patterns I published in 2017.  Click on any photo to read more about the patterns on my blog. 

My Favorite 2017 Chunky Blanket Knitting Patterns for Super Bulky Yarn

I love knitting blankets with super bulky yarn...they knit up pretty quickly and are so cozy...perfect for keeping warm on cold, winter days! 

I started knitting my Over the Rooftops blanket on New Year's Day 2017.  I'm still amazed by the enthusiastic response to this design!  It has become one of my best selling knitting patterns.  Read more about it here on my blog.

Over the Rooftops - chunky blanket knitting pattern.

It was so fun to design my Winter Dance blanket knitting pattern as a collaboration with Lion Brand Yarn Company!  I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in the color 'Denim'...which I love!  A kit to make the blanket as shown below is available from Lion Brand...or you may purchase the pattern on Ravelry, Craftsy or Esty.  Read more about the Winter Dance blanket pattern on my blog.

Winter Dance blanket knitting pattern

North of the River is a chunky, cable blanket knitting pattern that is easy to knit if you have basic cable knitting experience.  This design is one of my favorites!  Read more about this pattern on my blog.

North of the River - chunky cable blanket knitting pattern

Company's Coming is an easy to knit, chunky throw blanket...with tassels! This blanket is fun to knit with super bulky yarn.  I used Lion Brand Hometown USA in 'Dallas Grey'.  The tassels are fun to make and my pattern includes step-by-step instructions with photos. Read more about this pattern on my blog.

Company's Coming - modern, tassel blanket knitting pattern

My Favorite 2017 Blanket Knitting Patterns for Worsted or DK Weight Yarn

My Summer Sidewalk blanket knitting pattern is very easy to knit!  The pattern instructions include five sizes so you can make a nice baby blanket or lightweight throw.  I loved knitting this blanket with some Tahki Yarns Cotton Classic that I have had in my yarn stash for many years. The pattern will work well with DK, worsted or other similar weight yarns. This pattern is a great choice for beginners who have mastered garter stitch and are ready for the next step.  Read more about the pattern on my blog.

Summer Sidewalk - easy blanket knitting pattern

On the Porch blanket is also easy to knit! This lightweight blanket is perfect for cool summer evenings...on the porch!  This pattern is also a great choice for a baby blanket.  The pattern has instructions for six sizes.  Read more about the pattern on my blog.

On the Porch blanket knitting pattern.

Other knitting patterns I published in 2017 are...

I also enjoyed designing these knitting patterns! Read more about each pattern by clicking on the name of the pattern.

Graph Paper blanket - easy to knit with super bulky yarn.

On the Map blanket knitting pattern for worsted or DK weight yarn.

Prairie Fields blanket for worsted or DK weight yarn.

Meadow Lane blanket - a free knitting pattern for worsted or DK weight yarn.

A Bit of Good Luck shawl knitting pattern for super bulky yarn.

January in my studio...knitting in progress,
the sun is shining, and my amaryllis blooming!

Many, many thanks!

In November, I celebrated 4 years of designing knitting patterns!  I really appreciate all the kind feedback and interest in my knitting designs!  I feel so fortunate to spend my days making and sharing knitting ideas. I really appreciate the opportunity to share my 'adventures in knitting' on this blog, Ravelry, Etsy, Instagram, Facebook, etc.  The internet and all these amazing platforms make it possible for me and so many other knitters to share our love of this craft. (I'm old enough to know how limited the knitting pattern selection was before any of this technology existed!) I am also so fortunate to have tremendous support and encouragement of my family! 

I love seeing your completed Fifty Four Ten Studio projects when you post your project on Ravelry, share a photo on Instagram...or simply send me an email with your knitting project photos.  If you post a photo of your project on Instagram be sure to tag me with @FiftyFourTenStudio or use #fiftyfourtenstudio (just remember...if your account is private I won't be able to see your post).

I'm so touched that knitters chose my patterns to make special items for their family and friends.  And, it warms my heart to hear that many of you use my patterns to knit items to donate to those in need of comfort. 

Wishing you all the best in 2018!  Happy knitting!

Mary Lee
Fifty Four Ten Studio