Happy Valentines day!! I added some self care this morning while the household was still sleeping. I made some strong coffee and started the second toe for my Punch Bug Vanilla Socks.
I am almost done with the first tube and I wanted the second toe to be ready for when the circular needle is empty. I managed 4 rows before PB bounced down the hall and asked for breakfast. Such is mom life!
Happy Knitting!!
I decided to ply my second go at this black and shiny Alpaca fiber. I teed up my lazy Kate and a huge ole mug of water.
The plying went beautifully and I think I even managed to spin this yarn somewhat close to the first skein! The sparkle is truly what gets me. It’s just so shiny but the skein isn’t scratchy.
The kiddos absconded with my fiber wash and bucket. So once I track that down I will get this skein washed and whacked. I’m hoping for close to 150 yards with a stretch goal of 175 yards. This will mean the two skeins together can make a substantial project!
Happy Spinning!!
The Super Bowl is upon us and the Kansas City Chiefs squeaked into the title match. This black fiber is brought to you by the AFC Championship game that was a nail bitter. Too keep my blood pressure under control, I just kept focused on the spinning. By the end I blew through all five ounces!
The fire didn’t hurt either!
Now I have to decide if this will get plied before or after the big game! Happy Friday and Happy Spinning!!
She’s lumpy and nubbly and she’s all mine, lol. I am now calling this my Rustic 2-ply as it’s full of “character”!
After washing and drying I measured this skein out. The wraps per inch are ALL over the place but they mostly averaged out to worsted weight. The finished skein is 148 grams and 173 yards. It’s VERY pink and there are some spots where the fiber is not spun at all.
This is the kind of skein where it would be perfect for weaving with to show off that texture. Weaving is a fiber craft I had not dipped into. I may tuck this skein of yarn into the stash to wait for that day.
Happy Spinning!!
I was so enamored with the sparkly black alpaca that I reached out to the farm to see if they had any of that fiber left after the festival. They did and dispatched the 5 ounces they had after a quick PayPal transaction. It’s SO FLUFFY
I plan to spin this very much like the first lot of fiber. I will split into two halves and 2-ply the singles together. The farm, Grey Meadow Alpacas, added a little treat for me in the package. This little adorable felt alpaca has come to live at my house!
Happy Spinning!!
My spinning that I am now calling my “Rustic 2-ply” is plied and coming off the bobbin this week.
As predicted, this is VERY thick and thin in spots. In fact there are some places where the roving is not spun at all. It can be very lumpy in many spots. But one silver lining, it was a very balanced skein after plying. There is almost no twisting back on itself. And it’s hanging straight down
This skein is off to is bath time so I can measure and count this skein. I think this will work out to be worsted on average across all the spots. And with 8 ounces of fiber used I am expecting a decent amount of yardage.
Happy Spinning!
My baking addiction continues unabated. My family asked for bagels and I had never made them before. So we tried a little experiment.
I used my bread machine to mix, knead and proof the dough. And then I took over and did the salt boil and custom toppings. We did cheese, everything and plain bagels.
I learned some lessons. They need to go right from boil to toppings to oven or they will shrink. Definitely more cheese next time. And the plain ones would benefit from some sea salt on top. But all in all, not a bad first try!
Happy Baking!!
My Shiny Black Alpaca 2-ply is done and dry. It came out GORGEOUS!
I did get a little aggressive on some part of the plying and even after a bath, some sections are over plied/very energized. I can probably send it back through my wheel in the opposite direction and take some of the crazy out.
It did stay a sport skein. I got 12 wraps per inch (mostly). This 133 gram skein came out to 160 yards. Will make a lovely project. I am thinking of gifting this to a coworker who is retiring that is into fiber. She doesn’t retire until March so I have time to ponder.
Happy Spinning!!
The knitting mojo is low right now as I’m kind of in between projects that aren’t my tiny socks and sweater. I finished my Bumbles Bounce socks and so I decided to pull out my Punch Bug Vanilla Socks.
A few work conference calls over the past few months only added up to two new color stripes. But with renewed vigor this week I made it to the cuff. I think two color stripes will give me a 1 inch cuff and I’ll be done. Then of course I need to start the second sock and put in the afterthought heel in sock number one.
Happy Knitting!!
I am still feeling the urge to spin and my Shiny Alpaca was off the wheel. So I pulled out a spinning kit I got in a mystery bag a few Christmas’s ago. It was 8.5 ounces of pink merino and a handful of intact wool locks in bright pink and bright blue.
I was so engrossed in the spin that I didn’t even grab any photos before the singles were done. I split the braid into 4 ounce chunks. I spun the first half with working the locks in intermittently. I HATED it from the start. But I persevered and worked them all in the first 4 ounces.
I then HAPPILY spun the second 4 ounces as plain merino. Those were lovely to spin. I plan to ply the two together. My first bobbin is very inconsistent and thick/thin. So I am predicting an “art” yarn from this skein. It will be beautiful in its own way, lol.
Happy Spinning!!
Michele plays with yarn, food, and music in Portland
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