The Big Spin..... Last week, I decided to spin instead of knit....Finally finished spinning and plying some Louet Shetland....367 yards...of hopefully fingering weight yarn.

I am not sure what this fiber is....I think it is merino/tencel. This is 767 yards of lace weight. Not enough for a shawl...but...I did enjoy spinning it.

The weather in Florida is wonderfully chilly - perfect for spinning!

Best Laid Plans.....


So close.....yet so far away.....

Sleeve knitting on Bobby’s gansey continues.....I plan on switching to Magic Loop for the remainder of the sleeve. It will go much quicker and be less painful. (My pointer is a mess!)



So.....I started a sock....."Narragansett Bay Socks" from “A Fine Fleece.” I just happened to have some targhee spun specifically for socks. I haven’t found much information on how targhee holds up.....but I am enjoying the knitting. (The socks will be for me to wear on spinning days.)


Cascade 220 Superwash

The yarn for the “Great American Afghan” should arrive on May 5th. I wasn’t going to start anything new.....sigh.....I love the color! I plan on knitting 3 squares/month so that it will be comfortably finished in time for Bob for Christmas. I’ll be combining my favorite squares from “The Great American Aran Afghan” and the “Great American Afghan.”

Let's see what causes this plan to go awry!

The Class.....

Patsy Z. is a fabulous spinning instructor and a pretty funny lady! (http://www.spinninguru.com/) Our class was called, "Color Options" and I had not a clue what we would be learning.



Patsy guided us through the importance of making samples....so there is no disappoinment in the final resulting yarn. I would like to think I will be a "thinking spinner" after attending her class.




I loved making the cabled yarn...the boucle....and even the faux boucle was pretty nifty.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday....

Always a New Beginning.....



200 yards of beautiful fingering weight Louet/Shetland roving....Yet to spin....gray...brown....black. Hope to design my own Shetland-style socks.



New Year's Eve, I cast on the "Three Cornered Shawl." We were all so emotionally and physically exhausted from house hunting....we ate dinner...played one game...and that was that. Pretty funny.

I too have compiled a list of items completed in 2007.

Knitting
1 Sweater
2 Baby Surprise Jackets
7 Pair of Socks
2 Scarves
2 Dog Sweaters
5 Shawls/Stoles
1 Baby Blanket
1 Fingerless Mitts
1 Hat
4 Mini Christmas Ornaments
1 Cell Phone Case

Spinning
12 oz Alpaca/Merino/Silk - Oriental Poppies
1 lb Alpaca/Merino/Silk - Shades of Green
4 oz Merino/Tencel - Moonlight Serenade
12 oz Alpaca/Merino/Silk - Clematis
12 oz Seacoast Merino/Silk - Sea Pinks
4 oz Merino/Tencel - Biscotti
3 oz Merino Pencil Roving

Knitting slowly continues on Cobblestone....still up to sleeve #1....the yarn is just so hard on my hands....

One future project I am considering is "The Great American Aran Afghan." The only drawback....we live in Florida...so far, this winter, we have had 3 chilly days. Just debating if it is a waste to knit....because I can envision Dori enjoying it instead of Joanie and Gregg.

The Whirr of the Spinning Wheel.....



184 yards of squishy merino...although you can't tell by my crappy picture, the yarn is a pale celery green....very pretty...Jackie gave me 3.3 ounces of pencil roving to try and it was a dream to spin. I wasn't obsessive about the singles or the plying...I just wanted to spin...and had a great time doing it. I definitely see more merino pencil roving in my future!

I opted to spin instead of clean....and wrote out a schedule...which will allow me to clean/shop/wrap and knit and spin. Sounds good, no?

Hideous Kinky....


1045 yards of Susan's Spinning Bunny Mohair/Merino/Silk in the Clematis colorway.

I started spinning it in September....and....it had some issues...or I had some issues. One 3-oz ball was difficult to pre-draft/spin...I tossed quite a bit of it due to really overspun, kinky singles. Just glad to have finally finished it!

Next up? 3 oz. of merino pencil roving.

That's Entertainment!



I started Bob's Cobblestone sweater this morning....lots of angst-free knitting.....



Here's a fuzzy picture of the first skein of Susan's Spinning Bunny alpaca/merino/silk in the "Clematis" colorway. I neglected to write down the yardage....sigh....

Flight of the Bumble Bee..........

Ecstasy..........

Up close....



Finished Measurement: 74" X 38"

Better pictures tomorrow....but I am euphoric - the thin yarn didn't pop - I didn't run out of yarn...Joanie will love it and hopefully think it is magnificent!

A Very Busy Day............


Susan's Spinning Bunny Alpaca/Merino/Silk in the "Clematis" colorway. Lovely to spin!



The baby blanket has been set aside. It is just too boring to knit. The gameplan is to figure out how many rows/day I will need to knit to have it finished by September, for a different baby. Hopefully, it will be less painful to knit that way! I can happily knit 2 rows/day! Instead, the baby born June 11, Brogan, will receive the Debbie Bliss sweater (still buttonless) and this Wonderful Wallaby. Of course, my gauge is off but I like the fabric so...this will fit the baby at some point in his life. It is neither a size 2 nor a size 4. The other problem - it has a lot more pink in it. Sigh....I probably should just go buy something but the mom requested more sweaters....a really big sigh......

Double Happiness........


1532 yards of Seacoast Merino/Silk ....I loved every spinning moment.



(Not a very artistic picture but I do everything in a hurry!)

Of course this yarn is for a shawl....maybe of my own design.....but I am definitely happy with the end result!

Drop Dead Gorgeous.....if I do say so myself.....

1. Off the niddy noddy.....

2. Preparing to soak in warm water.....

3. Soaking

4. Drying....

Fiber: Seacoast Handpainted Yarns - Merino/Silk Roving - Sea Pinks

This first skein is 526 yards...~4 ounces....2 more ounces left on each bobbin and 4 more ounces to spin. I couldn't be happier : )

De-Lovely...........



12 ounces of magnificent Seacoast Handpainted merino/silk in "Sea Pinks"......practically spins itself....and in my favorite colors too.



On the bobbin....

A Very Busy Day...............


Seacoast Yarn: Beach Glass
Pattern: "Knitting Vintage Socks" Evening Stockings for a Young Lady



Susan's Spinning Bunny - Merino/Tencel - Biscotti - 338 yards

Moonlight Serenade....


Soaking.....


Drying....

The yarn looks fuzzy in the picture - but - in reality, it isn't fuzzy at all. It is shiny and soft. I'm pleased.

I used the leftover yarn on the bobbin to practice navajo plying. Still not crazy about it, but, the skill is improving.

No Saturday knitting this morning since we lost power at 8:00. It came back on at 9:45...and I could have gone...but decided to blog and spin instead.

A Disappointed Mama....


After spinning non-stop ALL day, I have a disappointing 376 yards....after it is washed and dry, I will figure wpi. My problem - I divided the roving in half but still have lots left on one bobbin.



What to knit with it......sigh.....

Splitting Hairs....


In my quest to spin a fine(r) yarn, I decided to pluck a hair from my head, Jackie's head and Helen's head and use them as a control for the new fiber I am spinning.

The yarn sample started to unspin before I could tape it to the paper, but, if you compare the middle section, I am darn close.




Here it is on the bobbin. The fiber is superwash merino/tencel from Susan's Spinning Bunny. Originally purchased to spin sock yarn, I think the drape and sheen is more conducive to a scarf or shawlette. I only purchased 4 oz. but hope to get at least 500 yards.

Derailed.....


I have so many things I should be doing today......but instead.....bright and early....I decided to ply....I am crazy about this yarn and it is still wet! When I spoke with Bob, he asked what was on my agenda today. I replied, "I should be cleaning the living room and dining room....but I think I am going to ply my yarn." He laughed.

I now have ~720 yards of yarn with more fiber to spin. There is such a difference knitting with handspsun. I am so tempted to set ALL my projects aside and start Joan's shawl. No wait - already have one started. Never. Mind.

One Too Many.....projects..... Dog sweater for Joan's friend.....pattern can be found here.... http://www.redlipstick.net/knit/chihswe.html
A little progress on "Jelly."
Gregg's birthday socks.....Seacoast Yarn - "Spring Storm."

Oriental Poppies....866 yards....7 ounces....3.5 more to spin....

I was only going to knit a swatch.....to calculate stitches/inch.....to plan my socks....But I couldn't resist casting on....... Side one...
Side two....
Up close..... If I knit like crazy, I'll be able to wear them to spinning this Saturday....you never know....