Weekend ReCap

I may have said this a time or two or twenty, but just where do the weekends go?

Another thing - how in the heck does everyone keep up with everything; blog reading, blog posting, knitting EVERYthing you want to knit, spinning, and stuff around the house?  (Not that I've ever been the one to do the majority of the housework, but it seems I never have enough time to do the little things around the house that I want to.)  I guess I just need to win Power Ball and be done with it, huh? 

Anyway, enough of that. Let me tell you what I did with my weekend (short as it was).  I slept until almost 8:30 on Saturday morning; I seem to be doing a lot more of that lately.  It used to be, if I slept until 7 I felt like I'd slept the day away.  It was a crappy, rainy day and I thought I'd just veg out at home and knit.  Sounds like a good way to spend a rainy day, doesn't it?  Yeah, well I still needed to go to Wally World to pick up a few items so I just amended my plan to veg out for the afternoon and knit.  Nope, didn't happen.  I did do some spinning though. 

First, I soaked and hung up the green merino that I had finished spinning and plying on Friday night.  This is where it stayed until this morning, when it was finally dry enough to take down:

Pretty convenient to have that hook in the ceiling above the tub; I didn't even put it there.  Hubby used to use it when he wanted to give his hanging plants a good watering (when we had some).  I couldn't believe how long it took for this to dry, and it was pretty annoying to have to keep moving it to the hook on the door when showering (hmmm, maybe the steam from all the showers held up the drying process; duh).  Anyway, want to see what it looks like now?  Of course you do.

(click for bigger)

This is a very good representation of the actual color; I'm kind of amazed that I was able to take such an accurate photo! This was spun from the gorgeous 100% merino fiber that Gina hand dyed (colorway: Woodland Forest) and gifted to me.  That's 3 oz. of what seems, I'd guess, to be worsted weight (didn't use the wpi thingamabob).  There's about 165 yards there.  I love the dye job that Gina did; the subtle variations in color are just beautiful.  This yarn is so very soft.   I'm not sure yet what I'll make with it, but for now, it's sitting happily in my basket of handspun yarns (most of which were spun by others and gifted to me).

Back to Saturday - after hanging the spun yarn in the bathroom, I pulled out the fiber I purchased recently from Blue Moon Fiber Arts.  I purchased one of their Sheep 2 Shoe kits with absolutely no intention of spinning sock yarn (I'm no fool; I know that at this point in my spinning life, I wouldn't be able to spin it the way I need to for socks).  I just liked the colors and knew that Samm would too and thought there'd be enough to make something for her or Clover.  I was right about Samm liking it; she was home when the package arrived and she has been hounding me to hurry up and finish the green merino so that I could start spinning that.  Here's what it looked like when I dumped it all out on the floor:

I had to put the big picture up so that you'd get the full effect of just how COLORFUL this yarn is!  Can you say "Clown puke"?  Actually, I love the bright colors, which by the way, BMFA calls "Sherbert".  I was very careful where I broke the fiber so that I could keep the color sequence (not that you can see it here).  I thought I'd try to spin a single ply heavy worsted weight to make some stuffed fish for Clover's room.  Samm wanted felted fish, but this is superwash merino, so that's not going to happen with this.   I had a bit of trouble with the spinning, though; I was overspinning it bigtime!  I'm not quite sure what I need to do - do I loosen the tension?  HELP!  Anyway, what I did with the bit that I'd spun was to wrap it tightly on the niddy noddy trying to remove a bit of the twist as I wound it and then I soaked it while still on the niddy noddy and let it dry.  Seems to have helped a little, but it's still pretty energized!  Here's a picture of the little 35 yard skein:

I've predrafted a bunch of the fiber and I'll try spinning  it again when I figure out what I need to adjust.

I did a very little bit of knitting on Saturday night; I began a boot sock for my brother-in-law for Christmas.  Only did the ribbing and a few rows of the cuff:

I'm using Paton's Classic Merino in Rich Red and Dark Grey.  I'm using the garter rib stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks and as you may have guessed from the picture, will have contrasting rib, heel, and toe.  I'm thinking of doing another pair with the colors opposite.

Sunday morning was, as always, spent at work at the gym.  While there I managed to get quite a bit done on Hubby's sock. 

I should have finished this sock yesterday, but when I got home from work (after running some errands), I laid on the couch, alternately watching a Law & Order marathon and napping.  I did knit a bit more on it after dinner, but just couldn't stay awake long enough to finish the damn thing! I went to bed at 9:30; I think I must be getting old.

Comments

[marianne]

I have absolutely no idea where the time goes, it truly does just beat the crap right outta me.
You made that yarn...and it's beautiful. I'm telling you, it doesn't matter how many spinners are out there making yarn... I'm totally impressed every.single.time.... (you made that yarn!)
That BMFibre? blinded me! not only that but it made me want to get up and do a blinded clown dance... yowza.
I'm lovin' the Hubby Sock.

[Amy]

I love the Woodland Forest, just beautiful. The Sherbert looks totally different after it is spun that it did before, doesn't it? Pretty colors.

I don't try to figure out where my weekends go anymore, too depressing.

[Sheepish Annie]

Single ply is always pretty "twisty." At least mine is. Cathy (a very wise woman) told me to wind it off the bobbin from a great distance. Like from across the room! This takes out a ton of extra twist. I also find that, after blocking, things are usually pretty good. Either way, that's some pretty yarn! I think it's just right for a little Clover thingie!!

[Jeanne]

I personally don't keep up. Housework is the first thing to get knocked off the list. The cat fur dust bunnies in the corners are proof enough of that. I like the clown puke yarn a lot.

[Carole]

You're doing a lot, no wonder you're so tired.

[brenda]

You're right, there's not enough time in the day for everything. I barely squeak out one blog post per week these days. I love the spinning you've been doing!

[lisa]

Time does just seem to seep away, huh? LOVE love love that green yarn! the colors in the clown puke yarn are great, and it looks wonderful spun up. Someplace recently I was reading about energized yarn... maybe Lucy Neatby? Somebody who likes to do modular/entrelac type knitting. And how the energy/spin on the yarn changes it all.

[Lisa]

I don't have enough time either. I want to get some spinning done so badly, but right now I am just too busy with other things. :(

[Debi]

I love that combination of charcoal and red! Great boot sock!

[teeweewonders]

I'm fascinated at how many people spin their own yarn; clever you! I love the clown puke - once spun... and wouldn't dream of felting it either. :)

[Gina House]

Look at all of that lovely spinning and fiber and handspun! Whew! I'm amazed at how great you made that fiber I dyed look! What will you do with it? I'm very envious of your new Sheep2Shoe fiber. I MUST get some of that. Is it nice to spin with? I still prefer Amy Boogie and Heather's fiber the most, though : ) Great job!!

[Arleta]

Oooh, look at that roving! Pretty, pretty. I LOVE color!