Tag Archives: merino

FO Friday: Mirror Mirror 2-ply

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Some sparkly fun yarn has fallen off my wheel. I finished plying and have washed the 2-ply I made from my Christmas yarn from PB and Jellybean. I have named it Mirror, Mirror 2-ply!

I ended up with 233 grams/ 272 yards of a bulky 2-ply across two skeins. It’s not my most consistent spin and I was hoping it would come out closer to a worsted. But it’s marvelous finished spin and my kids LOVE it.

The photos really don’t do the purple sparkle justice. I am thinking this should be a cowl? But probably will percolate in the stash for a bit until it confirms to me what it wants to be. Happy Spinning!!

All Kinds Of New Tension

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I got kinda sorta obsessed with the singles from my Mirror, Mirror colorway I started earlier this week. I blinked and two full bobbins came off my wheel.

Based on how full I managed to get both bobbins, I have high hopes that this will end up fairly even and without a ton of leftover. But now I am super excited to try out the Lazy Kate my parents got me for Christmas!

It is all put together and I have adjusted all the bits and bobs. I just need to find some kiddo free time to sit and ply these singles together. I am by no means and expert, but I think I am going to MUCH prefer this to the cardboard boxes and knitting needle setup I had before.

I’ll keep you posted!

Spinning Sparkly Fluff

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For Christmas my kids picked out some fiber for me. No surprise that it was super sparkly pink/purple and very princess-ish. It some Rosie’s Magical Merino top in the Mirror, Mirror colowary.

I have a full 250 grams of this fiber so I have quite a bit. I used a scale and split this fiber into 125 lots. I am just now starting on the first half. My pants and floor end up VERY sparkly after spinning on this project, lo.

My kids can’t wait to see how this turns out. Happy Spinning!!

Another Alpaca And Merino Blend

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My wheel was cold without spinning on it. So here I go starting yet another bag of roving from my donated fiber stash.

This fiber actually had some information in it. This i3 ounces of merino/alpaca from Midwest Fiber Farm. Definitely a natural fiber with no dye. It is a nice blend of light and dark grey fibers. It is marling inside the singles.

I think this one will REALLY come out pretty when I ply it. Like a broken record, I plan to spin all the singles and make a 2-ply….again, lol.

Happy Spinning!!

Friday Spinning Win

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I managed to snag some free time over the weekend to wash up and dry my latest hanspun. I came out with two really nice skeins!!

On the left is my unknown merino/alpaca 2-ply that came out black/dark grey with white tweedy bits. This skein had about 7 wraps per inch equating to a bulky yarn. I managed to get a 112 gram skein with 159 yards. So I really should be able to make something with this one!

And on the right is a skein that delighted me to no end. I had 4.1 ounces of all BFL roving in a natural/tan color. This spun a lot finer for me than previous attempts. So this two ply came out to more like 9 wraps per inch and close to a worsted. This is my finest spinning yet. The finished skein was 114 grams and 251 yards. That is pretty darn close to commercial yarn stats!!

I think that BFL skein will need to be my next Musselburgh hat…..

Happy Spinning!!

More Skeins Ready For A Bath

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As predicted my mystery tweedy alpaca singles very quickly passed through my wheel. And while those singles were resting I managed to get a whole other fiber bat spun up.

I ignored my household chores of laundry and dishes to spend a whole glorious evening plying my singles and watching Vlogmas videos from my favorite knitters. I ended up with these two pretty skeins.

They don’t hang completely straight and have a small amount of twist which means I might have overplied them. But that should wash out when I soak and whack these skeins. But now I need to catch up the laundry and washing line so I have room to wash and dry yarn!

Happy spinning!!

Finished: Alpaca Blend 2-ply

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My spinning mojo is still chugging right along. I finished up the alpaca blend singles I had on the wheel. I did a pretty simple process of spinning a bobbin of singles and then wound into a center pull cake. I then plied by pulling from both the inside and outside of the cake. A wash and whack after that and I have a VERY soft finishd skein of yarn!

Skein: Merino/Alpaca 2-ply (Rav Link)

Size: I ended up with an 83 gram skein of 128 yards. So this is a bulky skein for the most part.

What will I do with this one? I have zero clue, lol. I am just starting a handspun section of my yarn stash to hoard all my treasures!

Happy Spinning!!

Let’s Spin Some Purple

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I couldn’t let my wheel sit with no fiber on it after my spinning lessons now could I? So I grabbed the purple roving I purchased and set off.

This roving is a merino, bamboo and nylon blend. My teacher told me that spinners should never be intimidated by any fiber. Anything can be spun by any spinner, it just may take some extra time and adjustments. So I am going to be fearless (maybe clueless) and take off!

Wish me luck! Happy Spinning!!

FO Friday: Prism Break Hat

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I got fed up and no shocker, I decided to finish my Prism Break Hat. I didn’t get to the pattern recommended length but I got to “good enough” and put the decreases in. I was ready to have a finished object, lol.

Pattern: Sockhead Slouch by Kelly McClure

Yarn: Wichita Woolery 100% Merino 4-ply in Prism Break Colorway

Needles: US 2s and US 3s

Mods: I got bored and didn’t knit to the full “traditional” slouch length and just finished the darn thing.

I am really pleased with how the colors pooled on this project. I got a really cool micro-stripe effect with the gauge I settled on. And the hat fits pretty nicely as well!

I only used about 60% of the skein of yarn. So I have plenty of yarn for my memory blanket and maybe even a contrast color for a second project? I have made like five of these hats and I have a full hat drawer but I can’t quit this pattern. It’s so soothing when my brain needs some auto pilot.

Bonus….I get a cool hat when I’m done!

Dare I Crop?

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When I digging around in my yarn stash the other day I came across something unexpected and yet spectacular. I found three skeins of DK weight superwash yarn all from the same indie dyer. I had picked these up at different times from her over  the past year when I had the money saved up around the time of her updates.

The dyer is Moonstone Dyeworks out of Acadia California and she has an amazing podcast that enables me all the time. I realized that the skeins really blended and coordinated quite well as I stared at them in my drawer. Almost, dare I say, a really fantastic fade? From left to right they are Falling, Hard Cider and Wild Honey.

I did some pattern searching on Ravelry and found that I might be able to eek out a Party Top by AbbyeKnits in my size. I would JUST have enough yarn if I managed my fade very precisely. This is a cropped sweater and I’m not sure I’ll like it but I can’t put it out of my head. I can just feel this pattern wanting to jump on my needles. I even went so far to research the pattern comments on Ravelry and found a knitter who made a similar faded option in a bigger size than I.

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I literally have two other sweaters quantities wound up and ready to jump on my needles for a Weekender and a Radiate. Why am I so drawn to this when I haven’t even cast on either of those sweaters? My wishful knitting is just on overdrive lately!!

What is a knitter to do!?