Lovely fibre and freaky feet

Oh my! Got to my parents' in Sussex yesterday to find a box waiting for me... my roving from Copperpot Woolies had arrived. I didn't even know I'd had it sent to them, so that was a big fluffy surprise! The roving is beautiful. I spent a lot of time fondling it last night while Scott and my dad were watching the football. I can't wait to get spinning, though part of me thinks I should resist a while until my spinning improves. I don't want to waste it by spinning a lumpy mess.

At the moment I a trying to find something suitable to ply my second skein of single with, but feel utterly clueless. In the meantime I'm spinning some natural fibre, much coarser than the stuff I started with thus a very new experience.

The second Waffle Sock is all but finished. I just need to do the toe and weave in ends. I had to ration the yarn for the first sock, thus the toe is a little "abrupt", but they fit me okay which is a good sign since my mum and me both have the same freaky big feet.



I' really enjoyed knitting this pattern. I didn't have too much trouble with it, which encourages me to perhaps have a go at something a bit more challenging. I'd like to revisit Hedera I think, since it utterly confused me when I attempted it before. If only I hadn't left all my DPNs behind!

Spinning and socks

Seeing as today was very bright and Spring-like, I decided to make use of the good light outside and take a photo of my first little skein of handspun yarn. It's very far from perfect, all full of coils and dangerously thin in places, but mostly I'm happy just to be getting the hang of the technique. I love my dear little spindle very much.



I've decided, at least for now, to keep each skein I finish in its own zip-lock bag with note on what I learned from its spinning: what I felt went well, what didn't, what I liked about the fibre, etc. Hopefully this will help me improve bit by bit. Hopefully! I've already spun the second ounce of handpainted fibre that came with the kit (lovely pale and hot pinks, with the odd touch of mauve)... washed and hung it up to set the twist today.

Other than spinning, I've also been working on my mum's Waffle Socks. Finishing of the toe of sock one forced my to learn the three needle bind-off since I managed to leave my yarn needles in Oxford before coming up to Scott's for Easter break. I'd like to say that was my subconscious telling me to learn a new technique, but no I'm just forgetful. Second sock is just coming up for the heel, so with any luck I'll be able to get them finished before we travel down to Sussex on Thursday. That is, if a trip into Doncaster market finds me some yarn needles tomorrow, otherwise I'm stuck for weaving in the ends.

I'm spinning yarn!

Well, sort of. I've been slowly getting the hang of not getting in a complete mess and am thoroughly looking forward to practicing some more. I really am having great fun.



The fibre is an ounce of lovely handpainted that came (along with another ounce and two ounces undyed) with the spindle kit. I'll admit at first I wasn't sure of the colours, but they've really grown on me and I like the way they've spun together. I've only got that little bit left now, which I plan to spin tonight, then onwards to washing etc. Gosh, this is exciting!

Over the weekend I started knitting a pair of Blueberry Waffle Socks for my mum to give to her when I go home for Easter. I surprised myself by knitting nearly a whole sock yet simultaneously annoyed myself by misjudging the amount of yarn I'd need for a pair. Bother.

A real live sock

Goodness me, but sock knitting is fun. I finished one of the Thuja yesterday and am highly thrilled that it is actually sock shaped. True it my be a bit wobbly were I divided the stitches onto the wrong needles for the foot and has holes at the ankles where I missed picking up a couple of stitches, but it a real live sock and it even fits!

I'm going to cast-on and start the next one this evening, so I can have myself a comfy pair of bed-socks or "post-yoga" socks (for when I take up yoga again... this seems to be a recuring theme for me). Then all I have to do I wait until my student loan comes through to stock up on sock yarn and knit to my hearts content. Or dream I had more time to knit to my hearts content, while finishing my pesky dissertation. My dad is going away hiking in March, so I'd love to knit him a pair of socks for that. I wonder if I could knit some with little intersia mushrooms on in honour of his toe fungus? After all, it's almost a family pet (I love my family).

My year of knit

Very very nearly finished the purple gift scarf I've been working on for the past week. Just a little bit of a skein left to knit and it should be done (two skeins used in total, meaning I have a fair few left to ponder what to do with at a later date), save for weaving in the ends which I always find oddly therapeutic. While knitting, I've been spending the last few days making a mental "to knit" list for 2007, but am determined my next project will be finishing the Thuja socks. I seems silly to give up on them now, seeing as I finally got my head (mostly) around turning the heel.

I have decided 2007 should be my "year of knit". I'm fed up with knitting the simple stuff; my aim is to try as many different projects as possible over the next twelve month and to improve my knitting skills. Other than the projects I've mentioned in my last few posts, I'd love to knit my first jumper or cardigan. My big ambitious aim in to knit a yoked fair isle garment, since I have always had a great love of such wonders. Who knows if I'll actually manage it, but one can but dream.

Fair isle is fabulous

Christmas and New Year have been lovely and filled will knitting goodness. True I still haven't got round to finishing those bloody socks, but this is mostly because I have been distracted by the joys of fair isle. Never a more wonderful craft have I come across! My first fair isle project was a iPod case based on the chart from Corazon from the Winter 2006 issue Knitty, knitted in black and grey with a cute little wooden toggle to fasten.

Next I have set my mind on the Manresa legwarmers -- just as soon as I find a suitable yarn to use. I would love to be able to use the recommended yarn for its alpaca warmness, but I have been unable to find it sold anywhere that will ship it to the UK. Oh well. Perhaps I should just stick to sensible acrylic: I am far too frugal for yarn-snobbery, and since I intend to wear them (when/if I take up) running, perhaps something nice and machine-washable wouldn't be a bad idea.

In the meantime, I have on my needles a gift scarf of a feather and fan design knitted in a pale purple chenille yarn. I've had several skeins of this yarn in my stash a while; it originally came from the charity shop where I volunteer from time to time, and I am very glad to finally be able to put it to a good use. It has knitted up just wonderfully! The pattern repeat is simple enough to be almost mindless, so I can knit while watching telly or while travelling, but at the same time not so mindless as to be mind-numbing.