I spun for two hours…

…and all I got was this tiny skein!

Jill P:

I’ve been itching to try my hand at some novelty yarn.  This is my first real crack at it.  I used the “wrap and roll” technique created by Sarah Anderson, shown in the Spring issue of Spin-Off.  (I have some of her Great Balls of Fiber roving, but haven’t gotten to it yet.)  It’s a different way of making a core-spun yarn.  I spun up a bobbin of soft singles that was varying in thickness.  I used some Beast that I dyed green at last year’s Dyefest and then carded with some Angelika (Angelina?).  I then loaded a top-whorl drop spindle (your Golding’s spindle) with crochet cotton.  I tied them to the leader and then wrapped the single around the cotton thread.  What makes her way different is that the drop spindle spins in the opposite direction of the wheel, relieving the core of a lot of twist.  This way the yarn is much more flexible and bouncy than other core-spun yarns.  I can’t really speak to that, because I’ve never made a regular core-spun yarn.

It was very time consuming.  Even with the spindle going, I would stop every foot or so and let all the twist run out.  I started with a somewhat full bobbin, and ended up with only about 10 yards!  I’m not sure how much fiber I used, but maybe a little less than 2oz.

I don’t know what I’ll do with such a small amount.  Maybe I could make jewelry out of it or something.  I had some other handcarded fiber set aside for more, but now I don’t think it’ll make enough yardage to be worth it.  I have plenty more of the green, so if I had the inclination I could spin more of this.

I definitely feel like I’m on a real novelty kick though.  I want to do some beaded yarn, and I just dyed up some mohair locks to do a boucle with.  I want the Pluckyfluff book, but am being cheap.  (But not too cheap to not order sale books from Knitpicks).

We had the guild’s Dyefest on Saturday.  Deb let me throw my mohair locks into her dyepot.  I love how they turned out, but someone else took them home by mistake.  The space-dying roving workshop didn’t end up happening, so I didn’t get to my superwash roving I brought.  I did dye some silk hankies and a skein of KnitPicks Bare Fingering.  Both turned out a little questionable.  I was getting kind of impatient and I didn’t want to mix up any more dyes.  I tried to just use what was already on the table.  I picked a really bad combination for the yarn and it looks like hell.  A weird mix of tan, bright blue and inky purple.  I also didn’t make sure to saturate all the yarn with color, so some white spots are left.  The silk hankies could be promising, but the color didn’t make it completely through all the individual hankies.  Maybe when I spin I can alternate one from the middle with one from the outside of the stack.  Jason took some good pictures at the meeting.  He’s got them on his blog.

No other serious progress.  I’m moving quickly through the Cobweb Lace Stole but no updated pictures.  There’s an error that is not in the errata.  Row 73 if you’re interested.  The chart calls for a yo 3 times, but it should be something like a k1 wrapping yarn 3 times.  That did slow me down for a whole afternoon and evening.  This weekend besides spinning and dyeing, it’s been my turn to work on our latest Culver City joint project.  It’s a shawl designed by Melissa for the latest Afghans for Afghans campaign.  I’ve enjoyed knitting on it, but the plain knit rows can get a little boring.

Last weekend I went to the Devil’s Punchbowl with Sean and Jere.  It’s up the Angeles Crest Highway somewhere.  We went for a mini-hike, stopping to put our feet in the stream.

It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun.  It was superhot out though.  And part way through the hike the sole of my shoe came off.  I had kind of run these running shoes into the ground, but it was still unexpected.  We had to tie it on with my shoelace.

Besides the stream, the highlight of the day was going to some fun shops in the nearby towns, Little Rock and Pear Blossom.  We went to a junk store, a fruit stand, and Charlie Brown’s.  Charlie Brown’s had yummy barbeque and all kinds of novelty junk.  The type of place that sells vintage candies and dried fruit.  It also had practically a whole room of Betty Boop stuff.  Hours of entertainment.

Someone left a drunk wrong number message on our work phone system over the weekend.  I was hoping to post it on the blog, but don’t have a microphone for this computer.  It’s hilarious.  She keeps losing track of what she’s saying and at some point says, “Vincent D’Onofrio is the sexiest man on the PLANET!”  And she says “planet” the loudest, like Oprah or Mary Murphy on So You Think You Can Dance.

More knitting progress to show next time!

Jill B.

On a roll

Hey Jill P.

I’m very excited that you’re back in town. I hope you get excited about fiber again so we can totally geek out on it together. I don’t feel like talking about my recent activities. Not because they weren’t great, I just feel lazy. And all I want to do is show you all my recent finished stuff!

This feels like old news, but I finished my Laminaria. I did exactly the amount of pattern repeats that the larger shawl calls for. But instead of using 1200 yds, mine only used 800yds. That seems like a big discrepancy. I think I’m happy with the size of it, but if I had known I’d only use that much yarn, I would have added more repeats into it. Here are some blocking pictures.

The bottom point:

Overall view. Foot and cat included for scale. ha!

Star and blossom sections:

Edging section:

Side tip:

The cats are such a hassle when I’m trying to block. They love to pull the pins out with their teeth. My options are flashy pictures or blown-out natural light pictures.

Here’s me wearing it:

It seemed to take me forever, but I’m pretty much done with the Featherlight Lingerie Dress. I got some pink elastic from Melissa and was able to sew the bodice to the skirt. When I first tried it on, I thought it looked terrible! But everyone at knitting is always so supportive and they all said it looked good. It just seemed really tent-like to me. I went through and sewed in more elastic around the waist part. I think this helped a lot. It cinched it in a lot and made it look like less of a maternity top. I still need to block it, which I think will help a lot. If the skirt portion looks a little longer it will be more flattering.

Here’s the top at least. After I block it, I’ll take a picture of the skirt part too.

Last Monday I started the Provincial Waistcoast by Mari Lynn Patrick from Interweave Spring 2006(?) And this Wednesday, I finished it!

I used Laine du Nord Dolly Maxi in brown. I used just under 6 balls of yarn. Size 8US needles. I made the 35″ size. There seemed to be a problem with the pattern just in this size. After you do the waist ribbing, the patterning on the top of the back doesn’t line up with the patterning below the ribbing. I had to kind of make something up that worked better. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with it.

It’s hard to see stitch definition is so dark a yarn. It’s easier in real life. I also think it’s a little more flattering in real life. The front has some cableing and there’s a crossed stitch pattern on the back.

I found some buttons in a vintage button grab bag that I got from Michael’s.

I’ve been working on a Felted Baby Yoda hat, but still need to felt it. I was supposed to be working on my yarn stash, but my next two projects aren’t going to use much stash. I’m planning on starting some socks soon. And yesterday, I couldn’t help myself and started a new lace project. I am so freaking excited about this stole. It’s the Cobweb Lace Stole by Michelle Rose Orne. It was in Interweave Knits a few issues ago. I’m using Malabrigo Lace Yarn in Orchid. Here’s what I did yesterday:

I love, love, love it. I’m going to have to drop some of those stitches which makes me kind of sad. I kind of want to make a skirt with that edging. This will be my first lace project with patterning on both sides. I’m excited but a little nervous. What is that, knitted lace vs. lace knitting? Or the other way around?

I was checking out our blog stats, and someone found the site by typing “fotos of testicals of cutting” (or something really close to that). I think that is hilarious. I would also like to apologize for making us all porn-searchy. On a side note, I think I lost my penis chapstick holder. I took it to the Hash with Monique and now I can’t find it. Sad.

ETA: It was actually “fotos of cutted of testicals”.  Maybe the second of was supposed to be off.  Yuck!

See you soon!

Jill B.

Banjoes and haircuts

Jill P.

I’m awfully behind on filling you in on events (Not as behind as you, ahem. =) ).  I thought I’d finally blog about the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Festival.  Right before you went out of town I demoed at the festival.  I kept trying to talk myself out of it.  I called my Mom looking for her to tell me not to go.  Of course she just tried to talk me into it.  I had been on the verge of getting the flu, it was really hot out, Topanga was far away and I just was plain lazy.  But I went anyway.  As it turns out the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Festival is not in Topanga but even further away in Agoura Hills at the Paramount Ranch.  So I shlepped my wheel and a folding chair to the festival.  And it turned out to be a lot of fun.  But I wasn’t kidding about it being really hot.  According to the thermometer there, it was 106 degrees F in the shade.  And I was trying to spin fiber.  We had a nice place under an overhang so we weren’t in the sun.  When I would stand up I’d realize that the back of my shirt and the back of my pants were totally damp.  I walked around a little bit, but it was damn hot in the sun.  Even at the grandstand, hardly anyone would be in front of the stage.  They would be all the way at the back of the grass area in the tree shaded area. 

The whole thing is pretty cool, because it’s in the Paramount ranch where they used to shot Westerns.  So it’s like a little western town.

I was really good and didn’t buy anything.  Unless you count some fruit and a giant bag of kettle corn.  I bought some raffle tickets and really thought I was going to win a banjo or mandolin.  They never called me, so I guess I should give up hope. 

While spinning I hung out with Kathy, Carol and Janel.  There were a few ladies from the Ventura Spinning Guild there too, but I don’t know any of their names. 

As for spinning, I continued to work on the never-ending bag of Alpaca.  I feel like I’m getting really close though.  I got one more skein done.  I’m making a point of doing the whole process all in a day.  No more of this waiting around business.  I’m so tired of carding!

I probably didn’t listen to as much music as I should have.  But there were musicians walking the streets and some groups playing around where we were sitting.  It felt too hot to venture out too much. 

All in all a lot of fun.  I wish you could have been there!

In knitting news, I’m still working on my two unending projects.  I’m almost done with the Featherlight Lingerie Dress.  I should have pictures the next time I blog (unless something goes terribly wrong!).  As for the Laminaria, I finished the blossom charts, and am about to start on the first edging chart.  I haven’t worked on it the last week though.  It’s hard to take a good picture of progress.

And in non-knitting news… I got a haircut!  I went to the Vidal Sassoon Training Academy.  This time I went to the Creative Cutting class.  I was a little scared, but I think I’m pleased with the results.  I’m still getting used to it though.

Here’s a before shot:

(Somehow there’s a lot of views on this pictures in Flickr.  That’s weird, who’s finding them?  And who besides the few people I know would care?  Maybe people just love before-and-afters)

And this is the best picture I could get of the after.  The picture that wasn’t as blurry made me look kind of gross. 

I think it looks better in real life, but I guess it’s hard to say.  I also like to think I look better in real life than in pictures.  The worst is when you show someone a picture of yourself that you think is horrible.  And then they say, “No, it looks just like you.”  Blurg.

In those pictures you can kind of spot my stash in the background.  It would be in those tubs and spilling out of all the bags. 

I can’t wait until you come back to town!  Next up, pictures of my trip to Seattle. 

Jill B.

Inappropriate knitted items ahead!

Jill P,

I have a lot to catch you up on, like the Hissy Knits sale, the HomeGirl Cafe SnB and the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Festival. But I’m too eager to share a recent project with you. So those will have to wait for another time. Everyone who knows me, knows I like knitting not only ridiculous, only-queued-by-me-on-Ravelry garments but also stupid little toys and stuff. I’ve been all hot and heavy over the Penis Chapstick Cozy that was making the rounds on Ravelry. I thought it would be the perfect special occasion gift for a fellow knitter of ours. But after spending a few hours making one last night, I kind of thought maybe this other knitter wouldn’t love it the way I do. (What’s that about selfish knitters, Debbie?) So I decided that I was just going to have to keep it for myself. But then this evening I realized that it would be the perfect gift for my friend Michelle who I’m going to visit in Seattle next week for her birthday. But I didn’t want to give away mine so I decided to make a second one. I’m now very tired of knitting penis chapstick covers, but am endlessly amused with taking pictures of them.

So tada!:

I got the pattern here. I used all stash yarn. Knit Picks Merino Style in Nutmeg and Patons Cha Cha for the hair. I already had the Cha Cha from making my “Snatch Pack”. The two cozies used less than half a ball of the Merino Style and very little Cha Cha. My main modification from the pattern is that I added the hair. I experimented a few ways. First I tried to use both yarns together but it was too bulky, especially for the M1s. The second try I just stuffed a plain teste with the fur and pulled tufts out with a crochet hook. That worked okay, but not great. The winning method that I used for the remaining three balls was carrying the fur in my left hand and stranding it behind the plain yarn the whole way around. The yarn would sometimes pull to the front, but mostly the eyelashes would just get caught in the stitches, revealing the right amount of hair. The testicles were definitely the most time consuming part of the pattern. The shaft I could make in about half an hour.

Enough with the chatting and let’s get to the pictures already! These little guys were getting into sooo much trouble.

Finding their way into tight spots:

Trying on Adrienne’s glasses:

I was able to snap this elicit tabloid-style photo. A still-life!:

More kitchen fun:

Then they started playing with all my toys and magnets:

I wonder if they get the Newspeeper from the Peeps Fan Club too?:

And last but not least, chilling out with the Wolfman and the Eraserhead baby:

The sad thing is I only stopped taking photographs because I ran out of room on my memory card. I probably could have kept this up for days. I just thought of a really good one, but don’t want to go through the whole uploading deal again. *sigh*

Before I made these, my coworker came up with some great ideas for modifications, that were extra dirty and may have involved foreskin. But I think the simpler the better. Now they’re kind of cute while they could have been grotesque. I hope no one was offended by the pictures!

I’ll have an update about actual knitting and events later.

Jill B.

Ye Olde Laminaria

Jill P.:

This weekend I took a trip to the Renaissance and Pleasure Faire in Irwindale.  Sean and I have been planning to go for weeks and finally made it.  He was kind of sick and I’m maybe on the verge of sickness so we didn’t have a lot of energy.  Enough energy to eat frozen cheesecake on a stick though.  I wore a costume that I put together two years ago when we went the last time.  I didn’t get a picture this time, so let’s get in the time machine to 2006 when…

…I looked exactly the same!

I’m wearing a hand-knit corset/bodice that I designed for the event.  I used Louet’s Merlin Avalon yarn: “a magical blend of wool and flax”.  In hindsight I guess clothes were usually woven and not knit back then.  Well, everyone else is a little lax with the authenticity.  At least I’m not wearing a Hot Topic goth corset or something.  Sean got so many comments last time on his Clockwork Orange T-shirt that he had to wear it again this time.  He got about three or four comments this time.  I ran into Mike there but forgot to get a picture with him.  I did take some random pictures later in the day, mostly of people’s backs.

Crazy jester lady:

Bloody goths or something:

Wizard riding a “magical” transporter:

Painted ladies and Sean’s hairy wrist:

All in all, I had a lot of fun.  Even though it was totally gloomy and overcast when I left home, it was super hot by the time we got there.  I put on sunblock this time, but still got kind of sunburnt on my chest.  If I could sum up the Ren Faire in two words, it would be “mammary overload”. 

The rest of the weekend I spent knitting Laminaria.  I finished the star chart on Friday night.

I’m using Misti Alpaca Lace.  I didn’t want to do green like everyone, but I really liked this color at the store.  I was pretty proud of myself, I was able to fix a mistake two rows below.  I forgot to do the 3-into-3 thing and just did a SSSK.  It probably took me as long as it would have to tink back those two rows though.  I just finished the transitional chart this afternoon but may wait a bit before going onto the blossom chart.  I’m going to be demo-ing at the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Festival next Sunday (hopefully with you!) so I should try to card up some more alpaca so I don’t have to do it there at the event. 

In other news, I broke the display on my phone and the phone is slowly beginning to die on me.  If you or anyone calls me and I don’t answer, you must leave a message.  Better yet leave a message with your phone number in it.  Anyone have a decent AT&T/Cingular phone they don’t need anymore?  I also made some mozzarella and ricotta cheese today.  It always takes longer than I think it will.  After all that I feel too lazy to make dinner. 

Jill B.

They’re all pink inside to me

Jill P.,

I’ve been vigilantly working on a couple of projects.  I started the Featherlight Lingerie Dress from the Lace Style book.  It’s like a little top with a kerchief hem skirt on it.  I’m using the Rowan Kid Silk Haze that it calls for.  I however only have four balls, but the medium calls for five.  I’m trying to fudge it and knit the skirt in the small size and the bodice in a medium and hope that’ll do it.  I could always track more yarn down, or do the hem in a contrast color if I want to.  I’m using stash yarn (kind of, I had to buy a bit more recently) so it’s in bright pink.  Maybe not my first choice in colors for it.  Here’s what I had as of last week:

Yep, just plain stockinette.  For ten inches!  And that’s just the first half of the skirt.  Boo.  I’m almost there though.  But this will take me a while.  I also knit much slower using KSH because I have to look at almost every stitch.

The other project I’ve been working on is Norah Gaughan’s Capecho from Vogue Knitting Winter 2006/07.  It’s the one that everyone was pissed about because it doesn’t actually fit like in the cover picture.  It’s a modular knit, made of cabled pentagons.  This is one project that ravelry totally had my back on.  I used the modifications that another knitter had done and they worked out pretty well.  The mods are here.  There is one fewer pentagon on the top row and some other bits added to close the gaps under the arms.  I knit the XS size knowing that it was going to be too big.  I finished it late last night.  I still need to sew on a button, but I might need advice about where to put it.  I kind of like using a shawl pin to keep it closed instead.  It turned out a little bit bigger than I would prefer but I’m super happy with it.  The collar is a little cowl-like, but I knew that going into it.  For whatever reason my hands have been super shaky, I guess, so I can’t get an in-focus picture to save my life.  But here’s some blurry ones!

And the color is more like this one:

I used about 9.5 balls of Karabella Aurora 8, knit on size US8 needles.  I’m going to try to get some better pictures eventually, but I may not get around to posting them again.  I will put them on my ravelry projects though. 

I wasn’t planning on using pink for this project either.  But when Suss Designs had it’s big moving sale last year I found five balls of Aurora 8 in the dollar bin.  I just needed to do some untangling.  (I love untangling!)  Then I saw the same color at Yarns Unlimited for not too expensive so I snatched it up.  I did have to go back for the last ball yesterday though because I never plan ahead with the right amount of yarn.  The collar took almost two balls of yarn.  It was a bit of a surprise.

Now that I’m done with this, I think I’m ready to cast on for Laminaria!  Let the KAL begin!  I’m going to try to finish the first half of my lingerie dress skirt done tonight and be ready to start some lace knitting tomorrow. 

Today I went to the Pierce College Farm Walk.  I demonstrated spinning from 9:30 to 3:30.  I worked on some more of that alpaca fleece.  But that meant handcarding and spinning.  I didn’t like having to explain what I was doing with the carding, because I’m not that experienced with it.  There were maybe five other spinners there.  A couple of people that I already knew from GLASG, Karen and Myrna.  I snagged most of a Dorset fleece.  It might be a crappy one, I can’t tell.  It was a ram’s first shear, so maybe it’s okay.  I felt kind of frantic and just started shoving parts of it in a bag.  I probably accidentally just grabbed neck hair.  I wasn’t able to lay it out flat first or anything.  It’ll also probably sit in my car for months.  It’s kind of a lot of fiber. 

I can’t wait for our SnB tomorrow night!  See you then!

Jill B.

Technology is fun… and the natural world is pretty cool too!

I’ve been collecting new gadgets for my big trip.  First up… I got a refurbished 8 gig ipod Nano from apple.com.  It’s really cute and all I really need since before the end of the summer I’m going to get one of those eagerly anticipated 3G iPhones.  (I’m so ready for a new phone!)  Plus I like the idea of having a tiny incognito device that will not attract pickpockets.  (Sorry. That’s culture of fear talking, I know.)  I made a little iPod cozy for it too.  I used some Trendsetter Blossom scraps that were from a grab bag I got from a friend and put a little wooden button on to secure the flap.  I made a double yarnover on the top edge of the flap to allow the headphone cord to feed through.  And there was no seaming since I knitted it in the round.

iPod Nano Cozy, Trendsetter Blossom, Size 3 needles, cast on 24 stitches using Judy’s Magic Cast-on from Cat Bordhi’s New Pathways for Sock Knitters.

But here’s the purchase I’m most excited about…

Two weeks ago I started the quest for the elusive, yet to be officially released, Canon Rebel XSi.  They were trickling into Best Buy two at a time about once a week or so, so I knew I’d have to be on top of it.   (As of today you can get them pretty much anywhere though.)  I got lucky and when I called last Tuesday morning, the lovely woman on the phone said they had just come in and she would put my name on one so I could pick it up after work, no worries.  Yay!  I heart that lady.

I’ve already used it a ton.  The first day I had it, I brought it to work and was commissioned by my boss to photograph the baby shower she was hosting that day.  So I spent a hour or two before the shower speed reading the manual and trying to figure out all the bells and whistles.  But like cramming for any exam, I forgot nearly everything I leaned by the next day and so I am now slowly reviewing and figuring out the cameras quirks.  It’s a really nice bit of technology and takes really fantastic pictures.  The macro/flower setting is very good.  So good that I may, for now, hold off on getting the 100mm macro lens I thought I had to have.  I get the sense that the kit lens (18-55mm with built in image stabilization) will be just fine for my trip to Paris/Ireland and it is nice and compact for traveling as well… unlike the 100mm which is kind of long and heavy.

I don’t want to downplay the fine performance I gotten from my little Kodak EasyShare V550 though.  (The pictures of the Canon were taken with it and everything thing that came before, obviously)  It’s been a great little work horse and my constant companion for the last three year.   And it takes nice close-ups too.  I’m sure that the Canon will not be a totally replacement for the Kodak, especially since the one up it has on the Canon is the ability to take videos.  Which is awesome.  (I just need to get a computer that has a processor fast enough to view them.  All in due time.)  Here’s a little spring time in Los Angeles photo homage to the abilities of my trusty little point and shoot…

I got most of these shots in the neighborhood by the Westside YMCA. There’s so much purple out right now!

Sorry there wasn’t much knitting action today.  I promise there has been tons of knitting going on and I will have updates soon…

xo, Jill P.

Some small projects

Hey Jill P.,

I have a few things to show you today.  I already told you about how I ripped out that Fitted Knits tube top that was anything but fitted.  And a few weeks later, I’ve turned a project I couldn’t salvage into a project that I will maybe wear twice!  That’s some kind of improvement.  I made the Surplice Bodice Camisole from Knitting Lingerie Style.  I was so excited for that book before it came out, and then I bought it and never made anything from it.  I wasn’t having great luck with pictures, but here you go.  You know, I’m doing the best I can since I don’t have anyone to take pictures of me wearing my knits. (Can you tell I’m sensitive about pictures?) 

A blurry dirty mirror one:

I used four balls of Cascade Pima Silk.  All of it.  I had to pull about a dozen scrap bits of yarn from my seams just to finish binding off.  Because the yarn has a severe tendency to stretch I knit it at a tighter gauge than in the pattern.  I also made the smallest size, even though I’m a little bigger than that.  To compensate I did an extra “bust dart” yarnover on each side.  I am wearing a bra under it, in case anyone is concerned.  I did notice in the picture in the book, the model has a nipple poking out through a yarnover.  It was color corrected to be not nipple-colored though. 

Once I had the fronts and the back done, I sewed the shoulders and side seams, plus adding the edging around the neckline and arms.  Here’s where I made some changes.  The pattern calls for picking up stitches separately on the back and front and then seaming them later.  Since I knew I might be short on yarn, and because that seemed silly, I modified it to knit in the round.  I also didn’t sew the front pieces together, I just picked up the stitches through both pieces.  It took me a bit to realize that she didn’t add a selvedge stitch on each end of the pieces.  Only at one end of the rows.  But I picked up a multiple of the stitch pattern (6?) and started going for it.  The wrong side rows were just plain knit and purls so I just swapped them around.  Easy-peasy. 

My thoughts about this project?  I don’t like working with cotton.  I feel like I could have only gotten my stitches even if I had knit super tight with it.  It also fuzzed off onto all my clothes and I’d have puffs of fiber floating around and stuck on my hands.  I also would have made this a little longer if I had had the yarn.  When I tried it on with jeans it looked ridiculous.  Really emphasized my short torso.  I had to put on a skirt with a higher waist line for it to look presentable.  I’ll probably wear a tank top underneath it most of the time.  You know, if I actually wear it someday. 

Next up… I finished my Aqua handspun socks!  I’ve already made my complaints about these after I finished my first sock.  But today I’m liking them better.  They don’t feel as small as they did before.  Maybe because I tried them on in the morning, instead of my usual late night fitting.  My feet didn’t have time to swell throughout the day.  That sounds gross, but that’s why you’re supposed to try on shoes in the middle of the day.  So done!

These are from Charlene Schurch’s More Sensational Knitting Socks, using the Open Ribbed Cable stitch pattern.  Toe-up with a short row heel.  At the top I continued the ribbing pattern from the leg of the sock into the ribbing.  This took just under 4oz.  I spun a 3-ply yarn from some dyed superwash I got at OFFF.  They aren’t my best socks, but I’m happy enough with them. 

I keep forgetting to take pictures of my WIPs, but I’m working on a couple of tops that should take me a while to complete.  The Featherlight Lingerie Dress from Lace Style and the Norah Gaughan “capecho” from last winter’s Vogue. 

I went to Colourmart yesterday and ordered some cashmere laceweight yarn.  I’m sooo excited about it.  I can’t wait until it gets here.  Then I’ll be all set for our upcoming lace KALs.  For anyone interested, some of us Culver City folk were planning a Laminaria KAL as soon as Melissa finishes her Shalom sweater.  So get prepared and we’ll start in a few weeks.  Some of us are also planning on doing a KAL for the Irtfa’a shawl from KnitSpot.  That one will be starting when you, Jill P., get back from your European vacation.  So June sometime.  Anyone want to join us? 

Jill B.

A Tale of Two Skeins

Jill P.,

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

Well, that’s being a little dramatic.  (FYI, I thought about doing this whole post as a Dickensian-style post with a lot of metaphors, but thought better of it)  I did a bit of spinning last weekend and got some crazy results.  I spun up two skeins from two 4 oz. bumps of fiber.  It was Corriedale from Judy’s Novelty Yarn (?) that I bought at Oregon Flock and Fiber.  I don’t have pictures of the fiber. =(  The color was the same in both, Purple Mist.  I actually thought it was called Purple Haze until writing this up. 

Okay, where’s the story?  They are totally different!  Talk about separated at birth!  Definitely a case of nature versus nuture.  Or preparation vs. spinning (??, I can’t follow that train of thought anymore!).   

I spun up the singles for skein #1 first almost a month ago.  I was trying to spin something bulkier than my usual DK weight.  It went amazingly fast.  I filled up two bobbins quickly.  I had split the roving into two parts lengthwise, making sure they weighed the same amount.  I spun it, I guess, short draw.  Time had passed between doing the two bobbins so I decided to wait until I could borrow your plying head to ply it together. 

This last weekend I decided to spin the other 4oz. of it, and ply both skeins.  I split this roving the same way, but not being careful about weight.  These singles went just as quickly.  I was using the same ratio on my wheel and the same spinning technique.  I then turned around and plied them together right away.  And they turned out, amazing!  Well, I was surprised at it and very happy.  The color repeats immediately stopped lining up, but the barber pole look was working for me.  A lot of life and bounce in the yarn.  I was so happy with this skein (#2) that I decided do the other skein right away. 

Immediately I knew something was wrong.  Well, first of all, the singles were thinner than my other skein.  I was just going by memory of how thick I had been spinning.  And because it was thinner, and my spinning had been identical, these threads had less twist in them.  Or the same amount of twist, but they needed more.  I also have to chalk it up to the fact they had been sitting around for a few weeks.  I knew they would lose energy but I had no idea.  I had limpy limp strands to ply together. 

In comparison, the other singles had been full of twist and were plying back on themselves. 

Because I had been so vigilant about splitting the roving, these color repeats were lining up like gangbusters!  I kept hoping for them to go out of sync at some point, but they didn’t except for a few short sections. 

Skein #1 came out alright, but a little lackluster.  It was much flatter, in body and in tone.  Here’s the final product:

And skein #2, you ask?  Well, here it is:

All comparisons of spinning aside, this batch of fiber had a lot more dark patches in it, which I really like.  So I can’t be held accountable for the color weakness of the first skein. 

And here’s some side-by-side comparisons:

They don’t seem that different in thickness, here’s me holding a strand from each skein:

But when I skeined them up, Skein #1 has 150m, while Skein #2 has 90m.  Yeah, big difference.  (What’s with the metric?  My stupid Ashford kniddy-knoddy has a length of 1.5m, or 5 ft.)

So, what have I learned?  I should always refer to my previous singles if I want a second skein the same weight.  I think that I, in general, don’t put enough twist in my singles.  And that you should test the twist by pulling yarn off past the orifice.  And I especially need to put more twist in my singles if they are going to sit around for weeks losing energy.  Or I should just finish up my spinning quicker. 

It is far, far better spinning that I do, than I have ever done…   (Okay, It was too much of a stretch for that last line.  I needed more Dickens in here.  I should have tried to pull in some Mme. Defarge knitting references in here, but that sounds hard.)

If anyone has any good ideas for what to use two unmatching skeins of yarn for, I’m all ears! 

Sorry to step all over your earlier post today!  I’ll miss everyone tonight at Compatto!

Jill B.

Success!

Hi Jill B!

Oh, happy day! I finished my first successful top. Bonsai Tunic is done!!

I’m very satisfied with how it turned out and feel like I learned a lot of things in the process.

Here’s the breakdown…

Bonsai Tunic by Norah Gaughan in size 38

10 skeins of Berroco Bonsai in Kaigun 4152 Colorway

Used size 7 and 5 needles (Knitpicks Harmony)

Modifications: I knit the bottom based on pattern repeats rather than length. I did five complete repeats and though it looked a little short in process, the completed piece hangs perfectly. The only thing I might have done different would have been to knit the neck band a smidge longer than the 3 inches called for. I ended up having to really cinch it to fit the back and there are slight puckers. Though, I think ultimately it helps to keep the shoulders from sagging. Also, I didn’t do the best job on seaming the neck and shoulders. I learned the mattress seam technique after putting the top part together. (Upon you’re recommendation, JB. Thanks!)

I can’t believe I’ve gotten this far as a knitter and not known how to mattress seam. It’s like a whole new world has opened up to me. I was so pleased at how tidy the side seams came out.

The yarn was just okay. I don’t think I’m a huge fan of ribbon type yarn. Plus it was so snaggy because of the nylon thread wrapped around the bamboo core. These photos are surprisingly true to the color.

I was so inspired by the success of the Bonsai Tunic that I swatched and cast on almost immediately for the Flutter Sleeve Top, Camellia, by Kate Gilbert. I recently purchased the Classic Elite Make It Modern Book, but apparently the pattern is also available as a stand alone for purchase thorough Kate’s site. I’m glad I bought the book though because there are a number of other really nice patterns I know I’ll want to make eventually. The greatest victory for this project is that I’m using stash yarn. Yay! When I was a very new knitter, and before I ever knew about the existence of independent yarn shops, I purchased a bunch of Lion Brand Microspun to make some sort of Vanna White shawl from some random book from the library. Well, then I got obsessed with learning lace and cast on for Donna Druchunas’s Arctic Diamonds Stole. I kept dropping stitches and getting frustrated with that one so it went to the frog pond and the yarn went back into the closet. It’s been sitting there for a long time and came to my mind because I’ve been looking at a lot of patterns that call for DK/sport weight yarn. And I have just enough of this stuff to make a top as long as it doesn’t have long sleeves. so I crossed my fingers and swatched and washed and dried and it came out perfectly. This yarn so wanted to be 24st/32rows to 4 inches. So much so that it came out the same gauge on both size 5 and 6 needles. Strange. I find it interesting how not only does a swatch give you answers, but often times makes you ask even more questions. Why? Why? Why? Anyway, I decided to just go with the size five and cast on this morning. I really like the fabric it makes and surprised at how nice it is even though its 100% acrylic. (GASP!)

That means that I have a lot of active WIP’s in my knitting bag right now. In the spirit of full disclosure, I think I should make a list…

Camellia in Microspun, Orange

Swallowtail Shawl in Misty Alpaca Lace, Plum

Leafling Socks, STR Lucky Mediumweight (had to totally rip out all my progress and start all over last week because they were coming out waaaay to big. That was kind of painful since I was doing the two at a time thing…)

Mossy Jacket, Handspun Multicolor BFL from Chameleon Colorworks  (I frogged the February Baby Sweater because it looked like hell and found this pattern in my queue that suits the yarn much better.  Went from kitting on size 4 needles to size 9.  Much more comfortable!)

Secret Project that I mentioned in my last post, still not finished. ugh.

That’s a lot for one bag huh? And then there’s the Laminaria KAL that we were talking about doing with Melissa. I’m totally into that and have some Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud in either Moss or Sunlight in the stash and ready to go. Actually, this would make great travel knitting for my trip. Yes, yes, I’m still wrestling with what to knit on my trip to Europe. All I know is that it will be a pair of socks and a lace shawl of some sort. (If I don’t get a move on my March RSC then that will end up being the socks I bring I guess.) I’ve still got some time to figure it out.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention… since I’m going to be away and missing LA’s Stitch n’ Pitch, I had my own little baseball knitting session this past weekend and even got some photos to prove it.

The Dodger’s lost to the Padre’s, but since I’m from Boston and was dutifully wearing my Red Sox cap, I didn’t care all that much. It was a fun game and a beautiful warm night.

Who’s going to Sip N’ Stitch tonight????? I’ll be there sporting my new tunic!

Have a great weekend!

xo, Jill P aka. oboegoddess