Have I ever told you how much I love the process of spinning? Right now my wheel and I are on the “love” portion of our “love / hate” relationship. That’s okay though.
The spinner in me still wants to believe that spinning a whole fleece is the best way to spin and that I would love a hand knit sweater out of yarn that I started out processing, spun up, plied, and then knit. The a-d-d knitter in me loves color. Unless sheep are starting out in blues, greens, and purples… the ideal of me and the fleece is slowly drifting away. At least for now.
About a week and a half ago, Leslie posted a link to the Wool Gatherings etsy shop on Plurk. (Somebody please go buy the rest of the fiber in her shop before I do!) As it was a Friday at lunch, and my paypal just HAPPENED to be hooked up to my etsy account… I had a “fall-down-go-boom” moment… and ordered some fiber. The colorway doesn’t have a name but it was 4oz of 100% Blue Face Leicester. My goal… sheep to shoe… in other words I wanted to spin my own sock yarn.
This seller shipped FAST. The following Monday (yes, three days later) the fiber showed up in the mail. It took me all of 3.2 seconds to split it into thirds and start spinning. This yarn was also going to be my first 3-ply.
I have been in love with this fiber since the moment I started spinning it. It spun up so well, was so nice to spin and was just plain pretty. Last night I finished each of the individual bobbins. Like a good spinner, I let my yarn sit over night.
After a bad start to the day (involving ice, a car door handle, and my pointer finger) my goal was to get this fiber plied up and ready to go.
These pictures were before I soaked it and set the twist, so please ignore the twist quality here. The final count is 241 yards. There is a tiny bit left over that I’m going to use to teach my self to Navajo ply.
Here is the dilemma. Remember when I said that I wanted to make socks out of this yarn? My other option was fingerless mittens (an obsession we won’t even get into right now). The yarn came out to be fingering – sport weight, not quite enough for a full size pair of socks. As I plied the yarn up, I realized that no matter what I do with this if there is two of it they won’t match.
I’m having a horrible time deciding but want to cast this on because it is so pretty… I just can’t decide. I need your help!
Leave a comment with your vote… ankle socks? or fingerless mittens?
[…] and that pretty yarn I showed you a few days ago… it may be a fingerless mitten and a half already… hopefully by the end […]