Old FO becomes New FO

This inkle band is an old finished project. Long ago I made a small portion of it into a band for my medic alert bracelet. Today I took what remained of that band and I made a lanyard for my new ocarina. 

I'll eventually make a little bag to protect it when not in use.

But for now I'm busy driving my husband crazy practicing the ocarina several times a day.

It's All About Timing

 I discovered today that I can spin in peace, if I pick the right moment.

The right moment happens to be when both dogs are sleeping.

Saddles of a Different Sort

 These saddles won't be used for riding.

They are "saddle shoulders" and with any luck, and the help of Barbara G. Walker's "Knitting From the Top", they will be the start of a beautiful handspun sweater. Don't hold your breath though, this could take awhile. I'm designing it myself and I'm also still in the process of spinning the yarn for it.

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WPI Lied

I knit a test swatch with the handspun today and I'm glad I did. I find it gives me a more accurate indication of yarn weight than the WPI calculations. 

I find WPI a little difficult to calculate with handspun because the yarn's thickness varies a little in different areas and a small miscalculation can result in a different size classification. My knitted swatch, at 24 - 25 stitches over 4 inches, is showing the 3 ply handspun to be a "Fine / #2, Baby/Sports weight yarn".

My WPI calculations had it at about 15 WPI with thicker sections coming in at around 14WPI, which would have been a Super Fine #1, Sock/Fingering designation, but the knitted swatch would indicate that the yarn must be closer to 12 WPI. I'm actually glad it's in the sports weight category. It will make finding a pattern easier (if I don't decide to design one myself, from scratch), and the resulting sweater will be a nice weight too. 

Two Into One

 I'm plying two colourways into one yarn and I love the result.

Last summer I bought 9 braids of roving, 4 ounces each, of a lovely Merino/Silk/Kid Mohair blend dyed by Jude of Ewesful Creations. She had six braids of the first colour but I wanted 9 in total so there would be no question of running out of yarn mid project. I found 3 more blue braids, but they were brighter. Another spinner voiced the opinion that the brighter skein would clash with the others but I took a chance and went ahead and purchased them anyway. 

Turns out it was a good choice! I have spun up 2 of the darker braids and one of the brighter colour and then plied them together. I'm very happy with the resulting bright denim colour (most accurate colour representation is in the first picture, a hand wound 10.3 ounce ball of 3 ply).

I still have 2/3 of the roving to spin up --- another 6 braids. I had only gotten started on this lot last fall when our puppy, Teddy, arrived and he required all of my attention. I'm finding that I can spin again now that he is 8 months old --- as long as I keep the e-spinner and the roving up out of his reach. It's not always possible so this may take awhile!