Jananas

Over the last few months as I’ve gotten more confident in my spinning I’ve started doing a lot more 2 & chain plying. Chain plying is pretty awesome because you use exactly as much yarn as you have. However, I like the random-ness of fractally spun 2-ply yarn. I love the way the colours blend and separate. However, I’m not very good at matching the exact yardage on both bobbins and so always end up with a little bit leftover.

I’ve been chain plying these leftovers and sticking the little mini skeins into an old glass jar that I have. Its more than half full! (excuse the washed out feeling – it’s still early early and I’m no camera whiz).

From the other side.

I think that these little skeins are perfect to add a little texture to a rug hooking project. I spoke with my friend Maurie (who runs the rug hooking workshops at the Knit Cafe and she agreed. I think we’re going to try selling these at the next workshop in May and I may reach out to the greater rug hooking community in Toronto.

After a brief hiatus, I’m back on the spinning bandwagon. I did the first 8oz of this lovely BFL before spinning Curiousities and then went back to finish up the last 12oz. So here you are, 12oz of Hello Yarn’s Norway colourway.

I was really surprised by just how different the skeins ended up, even though they are all fractally spun. The one on the far left has lots of colours lining up. The middle skein is very red/orange (and a little over plied). The one on the far right is much bluer. Close ups!

I think that this is destined to become the yoke of  a sweater for me. I’m imagining it with sections of garter stitch and ruched/gathered stockinette.

I’ve been inspired by some of the lovely yarns that my fellow spinners have been whipping up. Yesterday I dug up some Hello Yarn in Curiosities that I received in a recent trade (as an aside the secondary market in fibers is awesome). I finished plying it last night – I always forget how fast merino spins and plies compares to some of the longer wools.

Mine had 0% blue and just a touch of gray, so I got a more brick red and yellow yarn. This roving was primarily white with splashes of colour. I just love how much it changes as it spins, as you can really see the white blending with the colours into subtle and subdued shades.

Altogether an awesome colour! I have no idea what to make with this (and in fact, haven’t even measured it) but I think its lovely.

I picked up a copy of a lovely knitting book earlier this winter. There are a bunch of projects that I love and it was really inspiring. I cast on for a square baby blanket (modifying the pattern so that I could knit it in the round instead of having to purl back across ever longer rows) and knit away using my organic cotton partial skeins.

Then I found out that my friends Jenna and Alex are expecting. I looked at the colours of the blanket and looked at Jenna’s status update about a possibly carnival themed baby room and everything just came together in my head. I kept working away at it and in no time at all (once I was over the weird knitting forever and making no progress hump) I had a finished baby blanket. It took me a little longer to block it (as for some reason it isn’t quite flat) and sew the last few ends in.

Then the hardest part – mailing it out and keeping it a secret!

Jenna and Alex received the package today and there are lovely photos of the blanket over the side of the crib. I’m so glad that it looks awesome and still somehow manages to match even though the theme is now aquatic. Picture below is stolen from Jenna’s facebook.

One of the best things about knitting and DIY and handmade gifts that is that every one is made with love and care. That feeling gets carried on and propagated through life. In this case I know that their little one will get wrapped up in love and care.

Life over at the wedding blog might have you thinking that all I’m doing these days is making center pieces and organizing. Not true! I’m still spending an inordinate amount of my free time spinning yarn. Largely because I love it and partly because it is a fantastic stress reliever for me.

I’m pretty sure that I’m selling two of my recently spun skeins to friends today, which is pretty awesome. I also need to label some more to send to both the Knit Cafe and Wise Daughters.

This morning I hauled out my hand spun stash to take a photo. Keep in mind this doesn’t include the two giant skeins spun up with my nephew Harper in mind or the several small skeins that I’m head over heels in love with or the pile that was wet set and dried over the weekend or the skeins that I spun this weekend. Oh my!

If any of these skeins catch your eye – let me know as they’re available for sale.

p.s. And yes, my big toe nails are bright orange and the rest are sparkly pink. What of it?