Tag: mint

Mint top fiber page

On By CarynIn Craft
Photo description: scrap book page with card from Hearthside Fiber in the upper left, single spun and chain plied yarn in the upper right, unspun fiber middle left, twined swatch middle, tatted swatch middle right, knitted swatch bottom left, and crocheted swatch bottom right

I think this was my bottle neck for assembling my fiber pages. I had several sets ready for assembly but this one wasn’t ready because the tatted swatch took a long time. I think next time I tat for the book it will be a ribbon rather than a rectangle. Or a small doily. Choices.

My favorite piece on this page is the crochet, because I used an orange peel stitch that alternates between single and double crochet and gives a beautiful texture.

The fiber is cellulose infused with peppermint, according to the description. It is supposed to feel cooler. I do not feel it. It was easy to spin thin, gives a nice drape in the knitting and crochet, is possible to tat with (but has more halo than pearlized cotton), but is not noticeably “cool”, any more than cotton can feel cool.

I might purchase this fiber if I had a light summer shirt I wanted to make, but I would be more inclined to purchase cotton or linen.

Tatting swatch

On By CarynIn Craft

I decided to make a tatted swatch with my hand spun mint infused yarn. This is definitely the longest time I’ve ever spent on a swatch, all those little knots. I can attribute some of the unevenness of the knotting to variations in spin thickness, but my plan of attack also needs some adjustments. I tried making the first turn from row 1 to row 2, which turned out wonky. For row 3, I ended row 2, and started row 3 separately then joined it to row 2, which worked better, but still isn’t balanced.

Photo description: tatted square with uneven sides

I understand now why tatted doilies are worked in closed rounds (I don’t like cutting my ends, so have been resistant), and why running lace is popular. My next tatting example for my swatch book will be a length of lace rather than trying another square.

Orange peel texture

On By CarynIn Craft

This is one of my favorite crochet textures. I’ve heard it called many names, but orange or lemon peel is what sticks in my head. It is an alternating pattern of single and double crochet stitches across, the on row two the single crochets go in the previous double crochet, and the double crochets go in the previous row’s single crochet. It takes a little time to recognize which stitch is which, but the finished project is very forgiving.

Photo description: swatch of orange peel crochet with double crochet top and bottom edge made with hand-spun mint infused cellulose fiber and a 1.75mm crochet hook

Remembering

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

My photo album is my memory, especially for crafts. I’m usually several projects ahead of what I’m posting about, and remembering back to what hook or needle I used is problematic. So I take a picture.

Photo description: knitted swatch of hand spun mint infused fiber with a needle gauge and a needle inserted into the 2.25mm hole. Calico cat sleeping in the background.

If I can get an animal in the background of the picture, all the better.

Toothy

On By CarynIn Craft

When picking a new fiber to spin as I walk, I wanted something easier to spin than Tencel. I had a “Mint Top” sample in my stash, gifted to me by my sister that looked like it had some nice texture. I started spinning it on a drop spindle and it is dreamy, and the descriptive word “toothy” keeps coming into my head. The fibers grab each other with the help of the twist, but don’t clump up, and it drafts nicely.

Paradise Fibers gives it this description:

“A very new Biodegradable cellulose fiber which is infused with Mint powder extracted from Peppermint Leaves. Contains natural cooling and antibacterial properties. This is a very soft and lustrous fiber that is a natural off-white/golden color. The fiber gives a natural smooth and cooling feeling with excellent moisture absorption.”

Photo description: mint infused cellulose fiber sticking to my hand, spinning into fine single spun on a wood drop spindle, calico cat in the background waiting for pets

It doesn’t smell minty to me. It will be interesting to see if the products made with the yarn feel cool.