Random thoughts of a fiber enthusiast - mostly fiber related, sometimes coherent

Month: November 2008 Page 2 of 4

Fall is in the air

And it’s been cold.  Walking the dog now means long pants and sweaters instead of shorts and t-shirts.  My fingers are cold.  I can’t find my fingerless gloves, then I remembered that I left them up on the island for keeping my hands warm while walking on the beach.  It’s time to make another pair.  My eyes fell on the Green Bananas yarn.  It’s a bit thicker than what I like for socks (almost DK weight), but they are perfect for gloves. The first one took nearly a full day, since I was making up the pattern as I went.  3 rip outs later, I’ve got a glove.  The second one went quickly because I just matched it to the one already knit.  Unfortunately, I didn’t measure quite correctly (difficult to see when the lights are dimmed at the club and belly dancers are doing their thing), so it’s slightly smaller than the first.  But they’ll keep my hands warm while walking the dog.  He won’t mind.

Specs:
Gauge: 5 sts/in
Needles: US #4 (3.5 mm)
Pattern: My own, using the wide gusset recipe from Interweave Knits, Winter 2003. Gusset over 2 sts instead of 4; increased to 14 sts for thumb gusset. 3 row picot hem. 32 sts around. Otherwise, fit as I went to determine when/where to start fingers.

New Spinner

A Womack Butterfly Electric Spinner appeared on my door step last month.  Yeah, magically.  I don’t know how that happened. (If you believe that, I have some prime real estate in Florida for you…)  It really does spin wonderfully.  And it’s quiet!

The wood is spalted maple.  I bought it with the Woolee Winder option.  After all, why go fast when you have to keep stopping to move the yarn from hook to hook?  I requested the flyer on the left because I draft with my left hand.  More importantly, I’m right handed so the right hand is a bit more sensitive when adjusting the speed dial. This way, I don’t have to cross my body when I need to fine tune the speed.

My test spins?

Fiber: 4oz. Spunky Eclectic 100% BFL Green Bananas
Plies: 3
WPI: 11-12
Yardage: 220 yards

Singles spun on the Butterfly, plied on my Schacht Matchless.  I chose to ply on the Matchless because I make frequent stops when I ply to adjust this and that.  It’s easier to make quick stops with the wheel than on the Matchless.

Before I washed it, the yarn was very stiff.  I was disappointed that I may have overspun the singles.  But after a soak, the fiber softened right up.  The yarn isn’t particularly even, by my standards, but I’m quite happy with it,  Another pair of socks, coming up!

Fiber: Chameleon Colorworks BFL, 4 oz. each of Eggplant and Purple Rain colorways.
Plies: 2
Laceweight (didn’t measure the WPI on this)
Yardage: 1168 yards

Purple Rain is variegated, with blues, purples, and a small hint of green (bobbin on the left).  Eggplant (middle bobbin) is a nearly solid that is the same as the darkest purple in Purple Rain.  The resulting yarn (right bobbin) is, unsurprisingly, dominated by the purple.  It’ll be interesting to see how the colors pop out when knitted.  I’m thinking a lace something, either a square or a round shawl.

Again, the singles are spun on the Butterfly, and plied on the Matchless.

Tangled Yoke

Pattern: Tangled Yoke from Interweave Knits Fall 2007
Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed

I made the smallest size because I just couldn’t get gauge.  I went down to US #3 to get anywhere close.

Elapsed time on this was a year.  I put it down last winter, when I couldn’t find the time when I was able to concentrate to work on the cables.  A few weeks ago, I sat myself down and just pushed through the cables.  The rest went very quickly.

I used a 2 hole one-row button hole instead of the 3 stated in the pattern.  I was worried that the hole would be too big and the button would slip out.  I was correct.

The button band is still a little flimsy and the buttons are prone to slipping out.  I think some grosgrain ribbon should give the band the structure it needs.

Just in time for fall.

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