Travelers' Log: Week Three

TRANSMISSION INCOMING

SOURCE: Surface Expedition Team Planet Embroidery

STATUS: Active Exploration

We have successfully touched down on the surface. This planet is a breathtaking, fluid dreamscape made entirely of textiles. Soft ridges of corduroy hills roll into vast plains of tightly woven linen. Heavy velvet mountain ranges block the horizon. Everything here is tactile. Shimmering rivers of silk ribbon cut through fields of metallic mesh.

During our initial trek across the woven terrain, the crew manifested a brand-new creation. We engineered a massive, vibrant flower directly out of the planet's atmospheric fibers.

The transmission log must record a significant technical hurdle during the flower's construction. We attempted to execute the back stitches using multiple threads of embroidery floss simultaneously to create thicker lines. The friction was immense. Pulling thick, multi-strand floss through the dense, dreamscape fabric proved incredibly difficult. The strands snagged constantly. Tangling threatened to compromise the structural integrity of our perimeter lines. We had to slow our pace significantly to avoid snapping the thread.

While our current provisions will eventually force a temporary return to orbit, our journey here is far from over. We look forward to exploring more of the Ember Planet later this year. Our next major mapping phase will target the unthreaded territories deeper in the hemisphere.

I have a suspicion i have taken on more than one person could possibly handle. The specimen is so furry and soft but i am finding it incredibly difficult to research. It tangles and winds around everything including me. Not to be cliche, but with each step forward, it truly means 2 steps back. i have to be completely focused on the task at hand, and i admit that at times i look up just to relax the exhaustion i feel in my retinas. Before i know it, it has tangled in itself, and there is nothing i can do to save it.

But i keep trying. I must continue my research. I have gone with the simplest of data collection by means of “single crochet”. I must persevere.

Sometimes it feels like the hairs are melding into my brain as i rest. I know it’s ridiculous. After a long days work, its beautiful pink halo is all i can see behind my eyelids. I worry to share the same fate as the people i aim to help.

Captain Beelisah

Planet Crochet

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Traveler ID: Elise
Location: Planet Cross Stitch

Hello fellow explorers!

I remain on planet cross stitch for a few more planetary cycles but have almost completed my mapping of the star system.  There have been a few collisions documented that had to be rectified, it seems my navigation and charting tools are struggling with distance and counting, but it was fixed easily enough.  Only one chunk has yet to be explored then I’ll be charting the last constellations.  It’s been recommended to me to use a sparkly thread to reflect the iridescent light observed from the stars, and I’m very excited to see how it comes across.  My transport for planet knitting will arrive shortly and I’ll be traveling to the sock colony, one of my favorite planetary outposts.  I’ve been excited to see others already visiting and can’t wait to join them! 

Elise signing off

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Traveler ID: Chantilly
Location: Planet Spinning

Back to Planet Spin with the Wheelers, who  warned me about their largish feline-looking fauna that enjoy impeding progress.  I was informed they can be distracted by lasers and treats, a dried cube smelling strongly of Earth salmon.

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Traveler ID: Laura
Location: Planet Knitting

Greetings Space Station,

I’m happy to report on a successful journey segment this week:

• I completely finished (ends woven in, blocked, ready to wear) my first Orbit project
• I immediately cast on another Orbit in a different yarn (and it is soooo yummy) so I can compare results 
• I decided to do a Hitchhiker in honor of this journey and because it has been in my queue for a couple years now. I visited the Space Station and expert Space Guide Em took all the time I needed helping me pick out a perfect yarn that has me completely excited to start this next project. I will see if I can wait to start until I finished this next Orbit. 

This week I also beamed back down to my home planet of Earth, where I learned they were celebrating the dolphin’s answer to everything with the below sign:

Over and out, Laura

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Traveler ID: Randi
Location: Unknown Planet: Planet Weaving

Randi to Mission Control:

This week I embarked on a new celestial journey to planet Branch Weaving!  As a yarn aficionado, I have a surplus of small amounts of beautiful wools. Branch weaving offers an excellent opportunity to up-cycle these gorgeous strands into a unique piece of art. 

On planet Branch Weaving, a Y-shaped branch became my loom.  Taut cotton twine was the warp upon which I wove the colorful wool as the weft.  How satisfying to see a tree branch transform into an organic yarn sculpture!

Branch weaving is perfect for a solo exploration but also entertaining as a small group adventure.  I highly recommend this excursion! 

Over and out …

Space Cadet Randi

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Traveler ID: Emma
Location: Planet Knitting

Emma to Yarn Social Mission Control.

I've had a lovely cultural excursion that featured a species with a different dialect. To practice, I'm attempting this week's transmission in that dialect:

Prithee and well met, fellow travelers of the distant cosmos. Fair skies upon the planet of needles cast far to the horizon. Though the stitches carry on again, and again, and again in similar manner, spirits remain high. Anon, victory of this quest is nigh!

'Til 'nother star doth cross, over and out!

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Traveler ID: Wanda
Location: Planet Rigid Heddle Weaving --> Planet Knitting

Weaving went very well this past week. I have finished the cloth for the tote and warped and started weaving the band for the handles. For anyone interested I am using a 12-dent heddle, 8/2 cotton yarns for the tote, and 8/4 carpet warp for the band.

I made time for a trip to planet knitting this week.  I started Space Tank after knitting three swatches!  And sometimes I knit while listening to something instead of counting stitches. So I had to take out a few rounds to correct the increases. There are many, as you can see by the number of stitch markers. This is top down and many increases from the neckline.

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Traveler ID: Krista
Location: Planet Needle Felting

Swatching last week on Planet Crochet was a success and I've begun creating the many, many granny squares I'll need for my sweater. Unfortunately, I went a little overboard and hurt my wrist - a common, well-known peril on Planet Crochet. Inspired by last week's travel log, i decided to visit a new planet to give my wrist a rest. I've hopped over to Planet Needle Felting to use a beginner's sheep kit I purchased during a previous Yarn Crawl and never got around to starting. Needle Felting is calming, meditative, and easy on my wrist (though not without its own perils - I have poke myself once or twice). I'm taking it slow by my sheep is coming along nicely. 

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Traveler ID: Margaret
Location: Planet Embroidery

Ahoy YSSS,

I started this week at planet knitting but took a lovely guided tour to planet embroidery with guide Anna Calvillo. It was a beginning tour learning five basic stitches using a beautiful pattern of Anna’s as the foundation.  I’ve dabbled in embroidery but this was such an easy way to reacquaint myself and get inspired.  I am definitely going to sign up for another guided tour (intermediate) to learn even more common stitches.

The spookiest thing on the planet was the amount of French knots in Anna’s pattern! I have never been able to accomplish this stitch and I was more than nervous to attempt it.  I don’t know what kind of magic Anna is, but something clicked- whether it was seeing it in person or her description or having the moral support of the class- I DID IT! Not only did I do it but I did it a billion times just like the pattern asked for!  

I just finished the whole pattern today and super pleased with the results!  Thanks YSSS and Anna for offering the tour of the embroidery planet.  I am definitely going to be visiting it again this summer!

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Traveler ID: Em
Location: Planet Cross Stitch

I’ve been camped in the southwest corner of the forest here on Planet Cross Stitch for the last week, and 1841 stitches later, right at dusk, I managed to capture the likeness of the fuchsia fruit dove I caught a glimpse of last week! My plan for this week is to slowly move up to the northwest corner, cataloging more of the flora here. With any luck I’ll manage to spot the most elusive of the fruit doves here and finish my research in the forest.

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Traveler ID: Anna
Location: Planet Knitting

I remained on the knitting planet this week to observe the transformation of the humanoid creature. Since the last transmission, it has grown multiple appendages. A mass of what appears to be hair has sprouted. It may be some sort of mimic because it has a passable resemblance to a human child.   Hopefully next week the creature will reach its mature form. 

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Traveler ID: Libby
Location: Planet Spinning --> Planet Weaving

So this week I strained my wrist spinning the 3rd bobbin of reclaimed yarn.  I got it finished, but had to move on to something else.  

I did some knitting, but not even 10 rounds on a sleeve, so not worth really noting or taking photography of... 

What really happened was I made a small (6ish inch by 5ish inch) cardboard loom and started weaving yarn ends.  These are the 3 to 5 inch ends I have collected from yarn stores when they ball up yarn from a purchase.  

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Traveler ID: Ellen
Location: Planet Knitting

Still hanging out on planet knitting. I’m wrapping up the back panel of my cardigan and absolutely loving the way she’s turning out. A few German short rows to go and then I’ll be starting work on the front panels. 

I helped a friend arrange travel to planet knitting this week. Still early days, but I love helping people discover knitting for the first time and I’m super excited to help her with her first project!

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Traveler ID: Jess
Location: Planet Spinning

Mission Control: I have safely landed on Spinning Planet and have spent the past week on a fun little side quest known as "clearing the bobbins." Apparently this is a well-known activity ahead of Tour de Fleece where spinners of all kinds quickly finish their projects so their bobbins and spindles are empty and ready for the start of the event. So far I've completed two skeins and am halfway through the third of four spindles. I am delighted by the color and texture variations in these yarns as most of the fleece I have processed so far has all been without dye. I am a little concerned that I will not fully complete my fleece preparation ahead of the festival, but it's hard to be disappointed when there are so many lovely batts and braids at hand. The citizens here assure me that all fibers - not just fleece - are welcome.

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Traveler ID: Rachael
Location: Planet Crochet

Dear Space Station,

I have spent the week exploring Planet Crochet, with the help of my co-explorer, Lily! I have almost completed my research on the Mallory Mock Neck by Hanna Louise and have begun research on the Iris Tank by @cucurucu_crochet! I look forward to seeing what results this research brings!

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Traveler ID: Kendra
Location: Unknown Planet: Planet Tatting

This week I revisited Shuttle Tatting. You can’t have too many lacy butterflies, especially when you’re making a garland out of them.

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