9/30/2005
Any guesses what this is???
Well, it’s a 14.5 inch choker, knit from my handspun bombyx silk single. It took slightly over 20 yds I think.
I can’t really model it as my neck is much too short for such a wide choker. I have no idea what I’ll be doing with it. But, once I pictured it in my head as I was washing and setting the twist of the single I had to make it! There are six little pearls on it as well…
For being handspun and pretty early handspun at that, I’m quite happy with this. I also like the marriage of not perfect yarn with the classiness of the lace and pearls the the sheen of the silk. I think it could benefit from some starch. I tried a bit of spray starch, but it didn’t seem to do anything. I’m concerned that the liquid starch would obscure the sheen of the silk… Oh well. It was a nice and quick project that brought a vision that was keeping me awake at night to fruition.
Okay, the blog is called knitting fool, but it seems not so fitting anymore seeing as how I’m also into spinning and occassionally include some posts on my bookbinding etc. But, after yesterday’s post it seems people don’t mind the spinning posts.
Any suggestions on new names???
Meanwhile, I’ll be back later today with knitting content. I’m just blocking it at the moment… Hmmmmmm, what could it be???? ;-)
9/29/2005
Okay, so I don’t really want to get off, but there has been a *lot* of spinning in my world recently…
This is supposed to be a primarily knitting blog and I’ve been about spinning this week so I won’t make this a long post with all kinds of minute details about the spinning in that photo above. Instead, I’ll leave you with thumbnails that link to their page in my spinning gallery. So those who are interested can see all the details and slightly better photos…
Firstly, the 2-ply yarns (several that had been sitting around in singles for some time and only just plied yesterday):
The Single:
I also added a spindle-spun gallery, though you’ve seen the two completed yarns that are in that gallery previously if you’ve been reading for a while.
I first came across this quiz very shortly after I learned to knit and this was the result. I just took it again (thanks to the Knitter’s Review Newsletter last week) and once again…
You are Mohair.
You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with
others, doing your share without being too
weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely
refuse to change your position once it is set,
but that’s okay since you are good at covering
up your mistakes.
What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
This must be what I am huh?
I guess the fact that when you look at my stash I have the most yardage of mohair indicates something. Though I really haven’t knit with it much - yet! It’s soon cool enough that I can work on a few projects I have in mind for it though.
9/28/2005
Well, I think my Kool-Aid overdying was a success. Emma loves the fruity smell. Well, it doesn’t smell as much now as it did last night. The cream rinse wash kind of helped reduce that scent. I did end up taking it through another round with the lemon and lime kool aid, thinking it didn’t have enough of a green cast to it. I think I could have used 1/2 a packet on that one, but overall I like the yarn even if it isn’t quite the color I was going for. But, when working with Kool-Aid it isn’t quite high science controlable is it? :-)
This is the obligatory before and after shot. To summarize the dying again, I used one packet each of Changin’ Cherry, Artic Green Apple and Lemon-Lime and used the microwave method of high power for 2 minutes alternated with a 2 minute rest until the water was clear (well, both rounds resulted in slightly pink tinted water). It’s 85 yards of spindle-spun Coopworth in a fingering or sport weight I suspect.
It did soften quite a bit with the dye and washing process, however, I’m thinking it is still a bit to rough to wear on my wrists so I’m not sure what will be done with it. I do have another ball of some of this rovingin warm colors. So, perhaps I’ll spin that up and overdye it a little as well and then perhaps make a headband/ear warmer??? I don’t think I have a much of the warm color of Coopworth so I’m guessing I’ll probably only have 120 yds or so total I’m open to suggestions from anyone…
