Three Little Purls

I am really excited to be knitting socks with my handspun. This is the very reason I wanted to learn how to spin. I am so excited, in fact, that I am overlooking a few issues:

a) I care for these colors.
b) I don’t have quite enough yarn for traditional socks. Footlets with a pompom are the goal this time around.
c) the knitting needle is not on the sock. Gotta find it.

(on Ravelry)

Yarn :: Knittin’ Pretty handspun 3 -ply SW Merino in ‘It Takes Two’
(a Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop roving, I believe)
Needle :: Knit Picks us1.5, 2.50mm
Started :: March 22, 2008
Finished :: May 15, 2008

My typical toe-up, heel flap recipe worked over 60 stitches. The yarn was wonderful to work with, and I am enamored with the roundness of a 3-ply handspun. This yarn was lots of work to create, I am sure, but it is lovely.

I am so glad that I have two more skeins of Knittin’ Pretty handspun waiting in the wings. Green Grass is a 2ply merino/tencel sock weight, and Easter is a 2ply sport weight merino.

My blue-grey roving ended up looking very gray!

Fiber :: Corriedale roving in ?
Source :: More of the Louet roving that came with the purchase of my wheel.
Quantity :: 5.8oz
WPI :: 13wpi-ish. DK/worsted.

This is not my favorite wool, but when my other half saw it, he really liked it and asked for a hat. With earflaps. I’m happy to oblige.

Also I don’t know exactly what happened, but the spinning of this wool looks much different than my previous spinning. Its woolly-ier looking. I’m wondering if my spinning method is starting to change. I know theres different ways to spin - worsted vs woolen, right? I suppose it’s a good time do some research and to take a few lessons from the local spinning teacher. I’d hate to be acquiring bad habits.

PS. My pink handspun socks are almost done! Yay!

I’m still working on the art of dyeing fiber. It’s improving with every attempt. No colorway names on these little rovings yet. That will come to me as I spin them.

image: hand-dyed Corriedale

image: predrafted Corriedale

This fiber is spinning into an almost solid grey blue. I’m pretty much losing any turquoise that was is there. That’s fine, as it will likely be knit in to something for my grey and blue wearing husband anyway.

Another thing I’ve discovered is that this (Louet) Corriedale isn’t my favorite fiber. I find it a little rough for my tastes. Perhaps I’ll change my mind after I finish spinning the two pounds of it that I have.

In crochet updates, The Crochet Blanket is moving along nice, but slow.

image: crochet blanket in Troika

I’ve added Boudoir, Bark and Aquae stripes. I have at least another three colors to add before I start the sequence over again.

Just taking a quick minute away from the dyepot to catalog my first sock worthy spin.

Fiber :: Superwash Merino in Squashed
Source :: Sakina Needles
Quantity :: 3.7oz, ? yards
WPI :: 14-15 wpi. Sport weight.

I have to admit, these aren’t my go-to colors, but the finished yarn actually turned out pretty nice. I’d never spun with superwash or merino fiber before, and it was wonderful. It just slinks through the hands, which is much different than the felty Corriedale I’d been punishing myself with.

Back to the business of dyeing…

(on Ravelry)

Pattern :: Fourteen by Yarn Ball Boogie
Yarn :: My first wheelspun! Spunky Eclectic BFL roving in Emerald Isle
Needle :: Addi Turbo us13 9.0mm
Started :: May 6, 2008
Finished :: May 8, 2008

Modifications :: Cast on 16 instead of 14. Knit in plain stockinette. Two rows of purl on either side of the buttonhole rows.

I have caved.

Behold The Crochet Afghan Blanket. Last year I would have told you that The Crochet Afghan was a project reserved for old maids and senior citizens. Today I eat those words. Except for my afghan isn’t Old Guacamole and Newborn Poo colored Red Heart. (Actually, I do like those colors, but I do not want a squeaky, pricky, melt-in-a-fire acrylic blanket against my skin no matter the color.) My afghan, or blanket, as I prefer to call it, will be made from from some bum skeins of Troika that I have.

…

I also have been moving slowly along on my stockinette sock. This project is what I work on while I do schoolwork with the kids.

Its something to distract my hands, but not my mind, while the girls learn about proper punctuation, multiplication tables, and world history. As an aside, the word of the day seems to be Bucephalus. One sock is done, the other is just a wee toe.

The yarn is Knittin’ Pretty handspun from Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop roving in the “It Takes Two” colorway. If you like it, she has some more right here. So does Squoosh.

I gave dyeing roving another try. Here we have some more Corriedale in a yet-to-be-named colorway.

Fiber :: Corriedale roving in ?
Source :: Louet roving that came with the purchase of my wheel.
Quantity :: 4oz, ? yards
WPI :: 12-13wpi. Worsted.

It’s much improved in both dyeing process and spinning quality. I hope next time it’s even better. This is so much fun!

…

I made something with Fairy Wings, too! It’s hard to come up with something attractive to make with such a small amount of worsted/bulky yardage. I was going to make a Meathead (thanks for the idea, Susan!), but since I’m in Southern California, warm hats aren’t terribly useful. So a diaper cover it is. I have a sweet little cloth-diapered niece that this will hopefully fit. Yay for cute and useful.

Pattern :: my own
Yarn :: my handspun Corriedale in Fairy Wings
Needle :: Addi Turbo us8, 2.75mm
Started :: May 3, 2008
Finished :: May 4, 2008

More Sea Merino and more Troika coming to the shop today! Yay! Silk Lace, too.

…

I’ve been dyeing roving and spinning it, too. I call this one Fairy Wings.

Fiber :: Corriedale roving in Fairy Wings
Source :: Louet roving that came with the purchase of my wheel. Dyed my me!
Quantity :: 4oz, ? yards
WPI :: 11-12wpi. Worsted/bulky.

It turns out my first attempt at dyeing roving turned out a little felt-y. Oops. Baby steps. On the plus side, my spinning is improving! Yay!

Troika for everyone! Come on by the shop if you find yourself in the yarn shopping mood.

…

As for me, I’m going to spend my evening with some new books from the library.

I have to work on my lesson plan for my upcoming sock class at my LYS, too. I seriously hope I don’t bomb as a knitting teacher.

EEEK!