Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Okay, so I lied...

I didn't knit while I watched a very funny Chuck, a totally kick-ass Heroes (Ned? Ned Ryerson?), and a slightly underwhelming Journeyman- I spun instead.

While I was laughing out loud at Chuck (several times) and his story line (which is a hoot), and his friend Morgan (who is hootier still), I plied the last bobbins of theTeeswater Cross from Aleta Van Kampen. The yarn came out beautifully- smooth, with a lovely sheen, and bits of jewel colors throughout. I have 3 hanks, about 400 yds of around 14 wpi yarn- plenty enough for a pair of socks. I think I want to do cables- that will show off the colors nicely. I think there will be a bit of striping in the yarn, which will be cool too (and the socks won't match, but that won't matter).

And then during Heroes (which came back with a bang), I started on some mystery wool that I found in my stash. It's not a total mystery- I know that I got it from Kelly Knispel, and it's one of her Spinner's Web blends (from South Dakota wool). The little tag says *mxd*- which I am translating as a Merino/Dorsett cross (it feels like that- soft with a bit more spring than pure merino- and I can't see any mohair in it at all), with silk noil. It's lovely gray/bright pink/purple and bits of other colors, with bright hot pink silk noil throughout. I have about a pound of this wool, and I don't know for sure what I'm going to do with the yarn. I spun it fine (though the noils make it a bumpy yarn). Kelly always has new fibers for sale, though I suspect this blend is way long gone (since I bought it more than a year ago).

And during Journeyman (which wasn't as good as I was hoping, though the storyline is pretty complex and the characters are interesting. I'll give it another couple of weeks to see if it finds its footing), I Navajo 3-plied it (a technique I need to practice anyway). This hank is about 50 yards, at about 12wpi (it's not heavy, it just bloomed really nicely during the wash). The colors are great and the yarn is soft, though with less bounce than I expected. It might work in a simple Fair Isle project (where a bit of nub in the yarn won't bother the patterning). Or cables (hat and mittens- it might not be strong enough for socks).

No comments: