Precious Gem

When I bought my spinning wheel earlier this year from a fiber friend who discovered she didn't really like spinning, I volunteered to spin her some roving she purchased with intentions of spinning.

I recently got the guts enough to declare I was decent enough in spinning to tackle making yarn for someone else. Let me tell you a plastic bag identifying it as a 1/2 pound garnet, and nothing else. I took to spinning it.

I haven't been spinning long, but I realize this spun like butter. Nice long fibers, soft and a beautiful color. For some reason, it also has a wonderful cinnamon smell, too.

I finished spinning it a week ago Friday, and began plying Saturday evening while I placated the kids with a movie. I spun two bobbins, but obviously didn't get an even amount on both. I plied what I had, and then attempted to unwind what was left on two into a center pull ball so I could ply from that -- something I've managed to do in the past. Apparently it wasn't meant to be.

I created, what I think, was muppet fur [which I regrettably did not take a picture of] It was a nightmare. At least I did end up with a fair amount of yarn.




Details:
Fiber: Wool -- something with a long staple length and quite soft
WPI: 13 or so. That makes it slightly finer than a worsted weight wool
Yards: 330 yards.

I told Ellen that I needed to know what it was and where she got it, so I can procure some for my own use, as it was a dream to spin.

Restoring the Faith

I bought a lushious skein of Conjoined Creation's Flat Feet yarn (I don't remember the colorway but it is warm, cozy and very nature-like) I decided to do my first toe-up socks, my first two at a time socks and my first short-row heel (on life-sized socks); all on magic loop. I've knit, to day 10 pairs of socks, so I thought I could handle the multiple facets of new technique.

I scurried off to Ravelry for the perfect pattern and settled on Nagini (Ravelry link). I've done cables before, so I didn't think much of it.

Cast on while convelescing for three days post knee surgery in September with grand plans to complete and wear to my check-up in late October. It went along swimingly until I royally messed up the short row heel on one and screwed the pattern up on the other. After sitting in purgatory for more than a month and still struggling how to fix it, I decided that they didn't fit well and frogged. This was my second Ugh! posted on Ravelry.

Here is an out-of-focus shot of the socks, pre frogging. I made it small so your eyes wouldn't cross.

In order to restore my faith in my sock knitting ability I went to a safe place with my beloved yarn -- 5 dpns and a ribbed sock. Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks answered my prayer her garter rib socks. It's also an amazing sock knitting reference. Want to know how to perfect the kitchner stitch, eliminate the donkey ears on the heels and make different toes, heels, cast ons and bind offs. Her books are my go-to for sock knitting.

Yarn: Conjoined Creation's Flat Feet

Colorway: hmm I don't know

Pattern: Garter Stitch Rib from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Soocks

Cast On First Sock: 3/12

Cast on Second Sock: 3/27

Finished: 3/27 -- that my friends, is 17 days to a pair of socks. Not to shabby, huh?

Details: Cast on double the cast on and during the first round I k2tog, k2tog, P2tog, p2tog to end up with my 56 stitches to complete the pattern. I love how I actually got the pattern centered on the top of my foot. This pattern does create an elegant sock that easily could be used for a man in appropriate colors -- like black. The pattern is interesting enough you won't get bored, but not so complicated you have to think about ever stitch.

I can now war these socks with my favorite brown pants.

We have yarn

Tonight I kicked the minions outside with their father. It was 45 degrees, and they haven't been able to play outside after supper since, oh before winter started. So, out they went, and I sat down at my yet-to-be-named spinning wheel to experiment with plying by singles.

It worked.

I cannot believe that I actually have yarn, useable yarn. While I don't have a handy tool to easily tell how many wraps per inch I have, but I'd guess that this is worsted weight, overall.




I think I like this spinning stuff. One skein is typical size, and then I have two smaller ones. All are balanced, they don't twist up on themselves. Once again, I'm in shock that they turned out this well for a first time.


I believe that I'll be spending more time at the wheel and in search of fiber.

Outlandish goodies

Over at Ravelry I'm part of the Outlander swap, which is a group for the fans of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book series. In the series a post World War II nurse steps through standing stones in Scotland and is transported to the 18th Century where she ends up marrying a man against her will. He becomes her true soul mate. The book is about their trials and tribulations. Cheesy description, but there's a heck of a lot more in the 800 pages than just that (that's the first book my friends, but it's worth it.)

This fall the group sponsored a swap. I was the Mackenzie Clan leader and received all sorts of goodies from sassenach of Clan Fraser. Take a peek at the goodies sassenach sent. Granted I got this in late October, but my computer and camera haven't really been on speaking terms, so that's why you get this now.





The details:

• Mackenzie tartan draw-string sporran with Jacobite thistle emblem Iminion promptly stowed several small tractors inside. I've rescued it and it now stores my stash of sock yarn I'm using to make mini mittens for the holidays.
• Four beautiful Celtic knot stitch markers
• An amazing skein of superwash merino sock yarn from an indie dyer on Etsy. This in a perfect colors for Clan Mackenzie tartan. I can't wait to find the perfect sock pattern to make socks.
• A coffee mug that happens to match my dishes (how’d you know that sassenach?) with a Celtic knot cozy (with pattern) and
• several bags of vanilla hazelnut tea.

I should be posting a few finished objects of the knitting variety here in the next few days. I vow that I will succeed in brokering a deal with the technology cartels running through central O'Brien County. I just hope the peace accord that I'm working on will stick.

A Cherry Yarn

I needed something to do the other night when a friend was visiting, so I decided to dye yarn. After a quick rooting through the cupboards I came up with two packets of Walmart brand “cherry” drink mix, one “cherry” Kool Aid drink mix packet and one cherry burst or some other cleverly designed marketing name for a cherry flavored drink mix from Kool Aid. The yarn of choice was a skein of Reynold's Lopi in ecru that I scored at our local craft store for about $4 per skein.

Like so much of my life, I just kind of winged it. It's basically the procedure outlined in knitty's directions.

The process: Wind the ball into a hank. Soak the yarn in warmish water for at least 30 minutes. I think it ended up being about 45 minutes to an hour, because I started this before supper. Dump the powder in a glass mixing bowl and dilute with water to dissolve. Pour into the pot. Add yarn. Add more water to make sure yarn is covered. Heat it up until almost boiling. Shut off and let soak. As the yarn takes up the dye, the color in the water will disappear. Let it cool. Rinse. Wash with mild soap. I usually use the minions’ baby soap. Rinse again. Hang to dry. I usually hang it over a hanger with a grocery bag hooked on the ends so it will catch the water drips.

I then inhale the wonderful aroma of the yarn/drink mix combo. It's a strange, yet oddly comforting odor. I then re-skeined the product and begin the process of identifying what I’ll knit with it. I’m not a huge fan of the yarn itself, but it does felt nicely. I sure this yarn is destined to become a felted proejct.

Lesson of the Night: Putting freshly dyed yarn on a freshly cut lawn will guarantee that there are little flecks of green grass interspersed in the wooly goodness. And, that will tork you off.