These are the latest projects I've done this week - roughly one soaker per day. It takes me only half a day but sometimes I find myself putting it down to do chores around the house or work at the office, but I find myself getting better and better with it. The only thing these soakers need are to have the leg cuffs knitted. First I have to pick up the stitches though and for that I'll need to either surf the web to find which stitches I pick up, or wait till Sunday when I go to LisCat and someone can show me. I have also been thinking that maybe I could pick up the stitches doing crochet and using chain through the back loop to create ribbing...guess I'll need to experiment. I just find that I'm too lazy to pick up stitches and then do ribbing all over again with DPNs.
I haven't been spinning much the last three days since my wheel is in the garage while we get the bedroom and nursery painted and aired out. I think tonight, Leo gets to move all the furniture back in its proper spots and the living room will be cleared out. This means that I can take my wheel back inside and maybe start corespinning again!
What's corespinning? you may ask. Well, it's having your fiber wrap around a core thread like crochet thread or a sturdy single like this pink yarn I spun a while back called Cupid's Kiss (or something like that - I think it's called Pink Ballerina now since I keep forgetting what I've named yarns from the time they come off the bobbin to the time they're done with their soak and are all dry and presentable!). This yarn was spun from a wonderful crazy batt from Homestead Wool and Gift Farm (link).Corespinning is a pretty cool way to spin fiber, a great way to allow a little fiber go a long way and because air is trapped between the core and the fiber as you spin, it's said to be a whole lot warmer, too. However, I like its look when it's woven more than when it's knitted, which is why I acquired myself an Ashford Knitter's Loom a few months ago and maybe this weekend, I'll have Leo help me warp it since it's been sitting inside the closet for months!
This corespun yarn, Mellificent, was spun from a drum carded batt and it feels so fluffy and so soft! I like the way this came out when I test wove it on a simple loom and can't wait to get it all woven into a scarf sometime.
The reason I'm talking about corespinning today is that Jazzturtle (there's a link here somewhere as you hover your cursor!) has come up with a cool 5-part series of video tutorials on her blog that shows you how she does it! She's a wonderful spinner and an equally wonderful teacher - her tutes are very clear and concise and easy to understand. All you need now is to drag your wheel to a spot where you can't be bothered and give it a try!
I know this weekend I will be doing just that - I have two of her wonderful batts just waiting to be spun!
With Thanksgiving upon us tomorrow, there are so many things I am grateful for - first and foremost my pregnancy and my upcoming babykins, and all the supportive people in my life! I was never into Black Friday though - especially these days with my baby belly just getting squished in the mad dash for a $20 discount - plus I like to shop in peace, so I'll wait and maybe just knit everyone a little something out of my growing stash.
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and remember that "stressed" is just "desserts" spelled backwards!
2 comments:
am going over to Ravelry to look at your baby surprise jackets!!
My BSJ's aren't on Ravelry yet - just the first one I made. The rest are still on the needles as we speak! Turns out I've been distracted by soakers instead but as the weeks go by, I have to get back to the BSJ since I'm making one that hopefully is going to fit Lucas shortly after he's born.
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