I’ve been doing really well this year with knitting out the stash. So far, I’ve finished 19 hats and 4 PICC line covers and am well on pace to meet the goal of 50 donated hats this year. So… I should be able to take a break and get some stuff finished up and maybe I can start a new project or two. That sounds completely reasonable, right? I cleaned out my yarn stash a couple of weeks ago and came across a bin of homespun yarns and roving that I’ve been saving for ages… The minute I saw it, I knew that it had to be an emotional support chicken.
Doesn’t that chicken look great? Don’t you think a rustic homespun yarn will be just perfect for it? The chicken will need some great solid colored yarn for the stripes, and the minute I opened the storage bin and looked inside I knew that I had my chicken.
Look at that yarn!! It is marled looking because it was spun from some roving that I got on a field trip to a yarn mill. At the end of the month the mill gathered up all the bits and pieces of fiber that they had leftover and made a run combining them into this roving that I just loved and bought a pound of. The roving had mystery fibers (I’m pretty sure there is alpaca in there…) in cream, tan, brown and black with a little pink here and there. It was wonderful to spin, and I have 4 skeins of the yarn and more roving right now. Chicken yarn!!
I’m pretty sure that I am going to use this pink too. Do you see how fluffy the yarn is? That’s because it is spun from husky down blended with wool. (Yes, a coworker brought in bags of husky down from her dogs for me to spin. I kept some for myself.) I’m excited to find a project to use these yarns that I’ve been keeping for quite a while, and what a great way to keep using up the stash. I’m thinking that I have other homespun yarns that will make great chickens too.
Once I bought and downloaded the chicken pattern it was like the floodgates had opened. I have seen several sweaters that I would love to knit and I’m chomping at the bit to buy yarn for them. (NO, NO!! I tell myself. Must use stash!)
I took a look at this book on Amazon as it was one included in my unlimited subscription. Hey, there are lots of great patterns and they can all be adapted to fingerless gloves and wrist warmers. SOOOO CUTE!!! I found the size needle that I needed to do these, and I’m pretty darn sure that I have the yarn in the stash to make lots of cute mitts to wear and gift. The hard copy of the book is slowly (very slowly) making its way to me. At the rate it is moving the chicken may be done before it gets here.
Then I saw the latest edition of The Knitter magazine (also in my Amazon unlimited subscription) and there are two sweaters that I want. Maybe it is the color. You have to admit, that is a fabulous raspberry color in those sweaters. I’ve already tracked down the colors online and I really, really want to buy, but so far I’ve managed to not pull the trigger on the online sales. Stash. Must knit the stash… I need to find a hard copy of this magazine.
Look at that sweater. That sweater is beyond cute (but not as cute as the chicken, you must admit!!) I probably do have the yarn to make this sweater in the stash. I must stash dive right away!!!! I need a Renaissance sweater.
And so it goes. My knitting mojo is back big time, and I am on fire to create beautiful things from the yarn I have. I also pulled out the sweater that has been hibernating for the last few months and I’m ready to get going on it again too.
Sorry hats. You are now paused for a few weeks while I fall down the chicken homespun rabbit hole, and if a couple of sweaters happen while I’m down there, that’s cool too.
Yarn, Books & Roses 
You’re a very CREATIVE person !
The thought of all the twists and turns in making a chicken prevents me from even attempting anything so fun, I regret to say. But my crochet mojo often does to me something a little like your knitting one, and I dash off yet another sweater or cardi .. Right now I’m actually making a baby blanket for my Care Manager’s first (a boy), so that’s at least a little bit of variety.
We all love to see your knitting progress, Marilyn; so make sure you take lots of shots, OK ?! :)
There is an emotional support chicken that is crocheted! https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/emotional-support-chickentm-crochet
I love baby blankets. A wonderful gift, and not too large to wear you out before it is done. Chicken is coming along and I should have a pic by the time I post tonight.
Time to take a break from hats. That chicken is a must-have! (I know about dog fur. Had a Samoyed once. Lots of people collect their white hair for weaving.) Then I’d go for those fingerless gloves. I have something similar, but just made from a felt-like fabric sewn into a tube with a hole cut-out for the thumb. Very simple, very effective. I wear them inside when my hands get cold.
The dog yarn is now going on the chicken and it looks great. A Samoyed! They have great fur for weaving. It’s the undercoat that we like and I try to get as much of the hair out as I can when I process the fiber. The fingerless mitts are really calling to me. They are great to keep my hands warm and not a problem to wear all day for the most part.
Tsk ! – why do you let your hands get cold inside, Colorado ? Turn up the heating, woman ! :)
Oh, if only it was that easy. It is a crazy circulatory problem, and I can get into trouble on a hot day by doing something like… drinking a cold drink, or by walking into a store with air-conditioning. I have to wear the mitts to walk down the refrigerated aisle in the grocery store. Most of the problems can be controlled with mitts, wrist warmers, socks and little short-sleeved sweater toppers. I’m so lucky that I am a knitter.
I’ve confused you (again) by referring to Colorado, Marilyn. Sorry, hon – I mean my twin soul Susan of Pied Type when I use that as a nickname. Yes, I know you live there too – and a find state I believe it to be !!! 😀
Oh, in that case, Colorado probably isn’t turning up the heat because our energy company is run by robber barons.
You’re not going to tell me that you have just the one company in Colorado ? – NO CHOICE ?
NO CHOICE!
The Law of Adhesion should be in play !!!
I’m inexcusably sedentary most days and as a result my hands and feet can get pretty cold, even with the temp turned up. Yeah, our power company loves me. And yes, it’s a monopoly (gas and electric). Dunno how that ever happened. Twas two separate companies back in Oklahoma.
Honestly, we have enough problems with our two main supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, against which there’s currently a shitload of stirring going on because they’ve been price-gouging during our difficult financial times. Like, Senate inquiries !!
How any government in the 1st world can allow your situation to exist is entirely beyond me.
Oh, the price gouging has been out of control all over the board in my opinion. Those dang oil companies!!!
Our government has been bought by special interests and big corporations.
Then it’s the same the world over. How utterly depressing. 😦
I had seen the chicken on Ravelry or a podcast and wondered if anyone I follow would knit it so I could enjoy it vicariously, so I’m glad it’s on your current list of exciting new projects.
It is on the needles and I’m starting to use the pink dog yarn today so I should have a great picture when I post tonight.
Cluck cluck
I feel emotionally supported! 🙂
🙂
I adore that chicken. I have seen that circulating and it is so sweet. Your yarn will be perfect! My boy Razz had a wonderful undercoat that could easily be spun, but Carver’s coat is straight and thick and only good for clinging to my tights! I am itching for a sweater cast on. I like the Renaissance.
Someone posted their chicken in a Facebook group and I see that the pattern took off on Ravelry. It is so cute! Razz does sound good for spinning as it is the undercoat that works best. straight and thick is a nightmare as it doesn’t hold together well and there are lots of bits sticking out in an annoying fashion. I need to get going on that Joji cardigan as I’m also itching for a sweater cast on.
The chicken does look like a lot of fun! I’ve been considering one, myself.
Do it! It is an easy straightforward knit that makes a good sized chicken. I may need more than one…
LOL! You could knit yourself a whole flock of chickens.
Seriously, I could. I did some stash shopping and I have lots of homespun yarn looking for a home…
Stash shopping is so much fun!
Love, love, love the chicken. I have an emotional support buffalo from the beanie baby company that I picked up from a thrift store for a quarter. It lives in my work bag. I also love the idea of making yarn from dog hair. Arrr!
x The Captain
Emotional support buffalo!!! I’m a CU Buff graduate (U of Colorado) and I kind of think that I need one of those, too. This chicken is rocking the dog yarn so far. 🙂
You absolutely do need an emotional support chicken, especially since you have such beautiful homespun to use for it!!! And those are beautiful sweater and vest patterns too!
They really are, aren’t they. I’ve been shopping the stash working out possibilities. It’s hard to get all this knitting done!
Right? So much to do, so little time to do it!
I think I might need an emotional support chicken as well! Although I don’t have any beautiful rustic yarn like yours
The pattern shows a chicken that was knitted with scraps from the stash by holding two strands of fingering together while knitting to make a marled looking chick. It looks pretty darn good!