Improvising

There are no little one year old children around here now, and I needed a way to show off my latest finished project. So I improvised.  Mr. Bunn was a willing model, and here is the result.  This baby's beret was knit by combining two different patterns.  So does that make it my creation?. Feels like it!  It was knit with a superwash wool and nylon sock yarn, the name of which eludes me because I lost the skein band.  My receipt for the yarn is no help, unfortunately. 

Now I'm working on a shawl pattern by Brenda Patipa that I bought at Stitches South last month.  I'll post a picture when it is done.

Until then, keep knitting, or spinning, or whatever your passion!

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The Beginning Singles

Here's the beginning of the Roan Mtn Morning singles. I just had to spin a little bit more when I got home from work today!  At first it seemed a little harder to spin than the 100% merino that I did, but I think I've gotten a feel for it.  So far, I'm happy with the result.  I'm trying to consistently spin small singles,  in hopes of a almost sock size 2 ply yarn.  We'll see..

Until later, happy knitting or spinning, or whatever your passion.

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A Pretty Merino/Bamboo/Silk Blend

I finished all the pink Ashland Bay merino top, finally! I posted a picture on Twitter and FB of the skein hanging to dry. I think I was able to get about 250 yards of 2 ply that can be knit with a size 6 or 7 needles. I'll have to come up with a project.

This is my newest spinning project.  It is a merino/bamboo/Tussah silk top in the colorway Roan Mtn Morning from Miss Babs Hand-dyed Yarns & Fibers, and I purchased it at Stitches South.  Her website can be found at www.missbabs.com.  I'm a little nervous to spin this because this is the first merino/bamboo/silk blend that I've tried to spin. It has large repeats of color which I would love to keep in the final yarn. May have to Navajo ply it.  I would like to get a nice 2 ply I can knit into a shawl.  I'll keep you posted!

Until later, keep knitting, spinning, or whatever your passion,
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Plied Yarn Gets Smaller

 I started out just wanting to make a small sample to see if what I had spun was getting closer to the size I'm hoping be able to spin. But once I got started I couldn't stop until had I plied the whole bobbin, which is ok because I was going to three ply the last three bobbins of  this fiber together anyway. This exercise in Navajo plying took place yesterday, and I think the plying turned out nice, but, of course, the yardage is low, only approximately 68 yards.  All in all, I'm happy with the progress.  I think that I will 2-ply the next two bobbins of singles from this fiber, which will be the last of the Hollyberry that Mary gave me. Hopefully I get at least a couple of hundred yards from it. It does look thinner than the singles used for this skein.  So we'll see.

Btw, the color in this picture isn't very good. See a couple of posts  back (4/29/10)  for a picture with more accurate color.

Until next time, happy knitting, spinning, or whatever your passion!

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First Navajo Plied Skein

This yarn was spun from 2 colors of merino so that I could learn to Navajo ply.  All the training I've had has been a Interweave video by Sarah Anderson, which is available on Youtube.  Just do a search for Navajo Plying, and it is among the ones that come up.  Ok, so it turned out bumpy and uneven, and sometimes (ok A LOT of the time!!) got away from me with the twist, but I think I am beginning to get a feel for it.  Definitely need more practice,practice, practice!!  Can tell it is over plied, but for a first it is not so bad. (I'm a little partial and a little proud!) It was fun to try, and I did get to a point of just relaxing with in  rhythm with my wheel and the twisting of the yarn.  I like the result (or at least what I can tell the result is supposed to be!), which is a nice round 3 ply yarn as opposed to a flat yarn which results from a 2 ply.  Again, I feel like I have learned something and have enjoyed the process.

Until next time, happy knitting or spinning or whatever your passion!!

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