Category: yarn

After a while of severe non-progress around here, I’ve finally got some things to show!

Trekking Socks
Pattern: basic sock on 64 stitches, short row heel, regular toe
Yarn: Trekking XXL 100
Needles: Clover 2.0 mm dpn
Finished: March 24, 2006

Took awhile to get them done – they were the on-the-go project. But look at those colours!

New gadget – a Weavette handloom! I tried one out at work last week and it was so addictive, I had to get one – I got the 6×6 square.

I’ve done 2 squares with fleece artist sock yarn leftovers. They’re making an awesome plaid pattern! I’ve got enough left for maybe one more square. Think of the leftover possibilities…

Even more fibre-y fun: new yarns!

Blue-face leicester, 2ply, 210 yards. I wasn’t sure about the colours in this one (I dyed the roving beforehand) but I actually really like the result! It’s springy; yellow and yellow-y green, with some pinky bits as well.

Watermelon-coloured bfl singles. You know, I’m never sure about singles. I put a bit more twist in this skein than I thought I should for singles, but they still feel a bit…unsubstantial. Perhaps I need to try a mroe worsted technique for less airy yarn when doing singles.

Fleece Artist-dyed wool/silk (65/35) 2ply. It’s a honking skein – 640 yards! And oh so soft and shiny. Mmmmmmmm.

That’s it for today – I’ve got another FO that I’m saving for tomorrow!

And thanks for everyone who participated in my survey – I’m closing it up now, and will draw for a gifty sometime this week. Those that left their surveys in the comments that are begin held for moderation – I won’t be approving them (so they won’t show up with your name) but I did get them! Thanks!

Well, I’m clearly keepin’ on with the cable/rib, despite any weird overspun yarn.

That’s one completed front, two half-done sleeves, and the start of the second front. I did discover that none of the other skeins had as much variation in colour as the one I used for the first front, so I’m alternating a fresh skein with what’s left of the skein (about 1/4 to 1/3) from the first front. The second sleeve doesn’t seem to be as crooked as the first, so that’s positive.

I’m just about ready to give up my old Olympus digicam, although I’m so used to how it takes photos that it might sneak in a bit here and there. I took another photo using the new camera (Sony Cybershot) of that cabled yarn I did a little bit back. Yay macro.

And I’ve got some new yarn, too – my first skein of bluefaced leicester (biffle!). It’s one ply of green, one of white, and I really like it.

I’ve got a whole bunch of bfl being dyed up at the moment, so I should have lots of yummy fibre to show soon. Oh, and the black vneck is done too; it just needs to be blocked before it’s presentable.

Well, it’s taken me ages to get this post up today because I feel like CRAAAAAP. I’ve still got a cough (although it’s a bit better today). I managed to confuse my eyeballs by spinning and watching TNG for a few hours this afternoon, even though it wasn’t any longer or different than other times I spin! My vision got funny and I couldn’t see properly. Seems to have gone away after a bit of a lie-down, though. And I’ve got a killer headache that refuses to go away despite a banana, water, and painkillers. Owie.

Anyway, what did I make during that spinning session? I finished up the spring-pea singles from before, and made a big skein of 2ply (too scattered to figure the yardage), about 14-15 wpi. (P.S. The colour sucks in these photos, overcast day – a bit more accurate in the photo from this post)

With the leftover singles, I made my first cabled yarn! This is about 44 yards. I think the structure is pretty awesome, although in some areas there’s much more twist in one of the plies.

In other handspun goodness, I started knitting a Flower Basket Shawl out of the fleece artist wool/silk I spun up awhile ago! I looooove it, even though it is multicoloured lace ; )

I’m starting to get the hang out the pattern, too, so I might just be able to memorize it.

Lastly, I wanted to share a super sweet gesture from one of my readers, Dotty – she made a top down cardi from my pattern, and sent me a (totally unnecessary) gift!

This was her Olympic “alternate” project and her first lace!

Thanks so much Dotty!