This and That

I’ve got a few projects in process right now.  One is a Blackberry cozy for a knitter with no time to knit.  I followed a really basic, free pattern in Ravelry and got this (I used Nature Spun worsted from stash): That’s my dummy Blackberry on the right, which I made by taping together layers of cardboard cut to the dimensions of the device.  I felted this last night and it came out the perfect size for the dummy.  Next I need to get a button on it and then embellish.  I’m planning to give it the Kristin Nicholas treatment, so expect more COLOR!

I also finished some spinning that has been languishing for far too long.  Yesterday I plied some singles that have been waiting for a while.  This is 287 yards of 2-ply wool/mohair (102 g).  Not quite sock weight.  It looks a lot like the other 4 oz of this roving that I spun, except perhaps not with as tight a twist.  I was trying to work my way closer to a woolen style of draft here.I mostly failed.  Maybe this isn’t the right fiber for long draw?  I remain stuck on worsted to semi-worsted spinning. Since I started spinning this, I got another whorl in the next smaller size.  I should be able to get thinner singles by using it, which would mean I’d get thinner yarn, which would mean I might approach a handspun sock yarn.  We shall see!

Blueberry, Ball

I’ve been meaning to start spinning again for weeks now but finally got going last weekend.  I finished up this first 2 oz batch (I have 8 oz total of this roving) at Knitting Group last Wednesday: The fiber is 50/50 wool/mohair (50/50) roving in colorway “blueberry,” purchased from Persimmon Tree Farm (Glen Rock, PA) at MDSW’09.  I’m trying to get it fine enough for socks.  I’m using a sample card and everything!  I’ll spin another 2 oz, ply these 2 bobbins together, and report back.

Also, Kristina reminded me that I said I’d be more disciplined about making a Deck the Ball from leftover sock yarn as soon as I finish each sock.  So I knocked this out last night while watching a couple of episodes of The Riches on DVD.  This is the Kitchen Sink Dyeworks Merino Luxe leftover from my Tesserae socks.