I've ben getting back into spinning since I decided to stop beating myself about the head trying to spin a sweatersworth. Instead, I've been choosing some pretty fibres, the top one from January's Fiber Swap over on Ravelry. It's a mixture of fine fibres and Merino nepps and should be interesting either as an edging to a garment or in its own right. Time will tell.
The Middle skein is the last batt from Woolydoodles's swap last year. Now all 4 are spun, I'm ready to knit them maybe into socks. Just in time for Sock Madness!
The bottom skein is the latest yumminess from the Yarn Yard's Fibre club. It's the softest Merino and nylon combo I've ever felt and i simply spun this skein just as it wished to produce a lovely squishy, slightly thick and thin yarn. I do have another plait to spin somewhat more civilized but this will be a warm 'n' cosy neckwarmer ASAP.
But that's not all....
My February Fiber Swap parcel arrived on Thursday, all the way from Australia! when it arrived, the contents looked like this but when I delved further...
...A plait of hand-dyed Polwarth and Mulberry Silk yumminess, 5 batts of superfine Merino hand dyed and still with plenty of texture and some cute heart-shaped choccies!The perfect antidote to a busy week, I sat right down and spun in any time I had free.
By Saturday, I had these...
The top 2 skeins are actually spun the weekend before from my own hand-dyeing but below is the pretty plait, fractal spun. I got 400m out of that 2ply yarn so I'm hoping again it's not too fine for socks. I'd love to use one of my handspun yarns in the comp. Below it is the Merino batts, as you can see, it has made a lumpy, textured yarn but it still has a soft handle. It's much more colourful in reality but still mean 'n' moody.
Knitting has sort of taken a back seat this week, I have done more but as I'm a wee bit whacked right now and photographing more would require trips upstairs to spread them out on the bed you'll need to wait for another day! Still, I can show you this....
I'm stuck mid-clue 3 of the Mystic Star shawl. The numbers don't add up and in the short periods of time I have to look at it, I can never work out quite what's wrong. I'm hoping this week'll be less complicated so I can take a day out to sort things like this out. Well, you never know!
Monday gone, I was waiting in for the engineer to measure up for radiators in the afternoon then on Tuesday I was at both knitting groups and Wednesday I went for a much-needed massage but then had to hop in the car and wait for an hour outside the RSPCA for madam's pills. Thursday I was at group again but luckily the shop was quiet and I spent a pleasant couple of hours spinning. Feeling rash, I walked to my friends and back again later on Friday so it's been good that the weekend's been quiet to try and recuperate. At least most of the swaps are done, the remaining one for mid-march and I can concentrate on completing a few UFO's before the Madness begins. Who knows, there may be a shawl nearing it's completing by this time next week.
Speaking of which (sock Madness), it appears that the start date, 19th March is the day before Skip North so there is the potential for me to be knitting socks whilst I am away. Worse case scenario, the first round is generally slower so I should stick around for a little longer than that (at least 'till the speedy gonzalazes of this world take over!). I may have a wee peruse of the 4ply stash today...a little winding here, a little balling there; I certainly found it came in handy last time!
And finally, instead of the usual doggy photo, I thought I'd show you something different (though you may need to click on the photo to see)....
Meet Purdey, my bro's cat creating maximum havoc by making herself comfy on our recently laid coats. Quite why she's taken to sticking her tongue out, nobody's quite sure...
1 comment:
wow. thats some beautiful spinning and knitting. glad you've found your groove again
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