Sat 19 Jun 2010
Feels like the summer is just flying along. I had a bunch of blog posts to write this week, and they just didn’t happen somewhere in the time warp that is the workweek.
I usually try not to cram too much into a single post, but let’s get caught up, shall we?
I’ve been hesitating to start spinning for the new sweater before getting a really good idea of how much yarn it was going to take to finish the current one. I’m closer on yardage than I’d like, so I wanted to make sure that it was going to be enough before forging ahead on the next.
Finally, I can say out loud that we’re going to make it. In fact, I’m going to have a skein (or two!) left over. I reduced the sweater length pretty dramatically, so I’m thinking that I’ll probably snip a stitch near the hem and graft on a few more inches with whatever yarn is left over.
But before that, I have to finish the second sleeve, which is currently killing me. Somewhere around the elbow, I was suddenly done with this project (I think it’s the weight of the sweater pulling on the needles that’s getting to me). There are only a few inches left, so it should be finished soon, but I am counting the stitches, which is entirely unlike me.
While I was dithering about how best to spin the next sweater, I shook things up a bit and spun up the 8 oz of Finn that I bought at the Shepherd’s market. (Shook up as in the amount of fiber was less than enough for a sweater…that is fast becoming a rarity in this household…)
I ended up with two large skeins of very soft two ply yarn that total about 500 yards, and one very small one that should be just perfect for a swatch. I’ve been browsing stitch dictionaries for the past couple of days, wondering what it will be.
I figured that I’d have plenty of time to whip up a scarf or a stole before the next sweater was spun, but it’s beginning to look like that won’t be the case.
I started spinning on Monday night, and today I plied the first set of three bobbins:
Which marks the halfway point in the spinning.
So maybe that’s how it got to be Saturday. Either that, or for a single moment the time warp was operating in my favor. Think spinning a wheel might be able to create eddies in space-time?
The sweater is looking great! Sorry the “done” feeling came before you were actually done. That always sucks.
You are on quite a spinning kick! It looks lovely! Love the color of the bottom one, but the Finn looks super squishy!
And if they do, where would you put his sofa? The spinning looks beautiful, and i love the colors! I can’t believe how much you get done-you have got to teach me how, so i can try my hand at knitting a handspun sweater sometime in this lifetime
Every time I stop by here, I feel like I’m getting so little accomplished! Please tell me spinning takes less time than I would expect…The sweater’s looking great though; hopefully you get back into it just enough to finish out.
OK, spill on the details on the spinning. Now I’m guessing that must be woolen spun, as I could never spin that much worsted in a week. But maybe I’m extra slow.
Definitely, though, that is gorgeous spinning. I’m not sure which one I love more. And the sweater ain’t bad, either!
Your knitting is beautiful! Sadly I do something that only vaguely resembles knitting! If only I could make my work look as stunning as yours.
And spinning! That sounds like fun
Great job!