I'm still spinning though. Working my way slowly through the 3 and a half pounds of alpaca fiber I bought from Vashon Island Alpacas. I have no idea how much yardage I'll end up with in the end. I did some calculations based on the weight of a sample skein but I never trust things like that.
I'm spinning everything up before plying. I will probably buy some more bobbins but in the meantime, I'm winding the singles on to cardboard bobbins.
I'm making a 3 ply about the equivalent to a heavy worsted or aran weight. I'm carding the fiber on my Pat Green drum carder but spinning it worsted.
I finally finished the alpaca stole about a month ago though it still remains unblocked and looking like a lump of potatoes. I realize that I need something better for blocking. I've been keeping my eyes open for those children's interlocking foam floor coverings in my local thrift store. But I might break down and buy some from cocoknits.com I've been buying her patterns. She's very talented.
The stole came out perfect. It makes me embarrassed of my previous lace! I know I said I knew myself well enough to walk the fine line between being too demanding for my skill level and being really sloppy. I guess I had to make those mistakes to learn but those lace scaves and stole are staring me in the face saying "You didn't care enough to make me properly!"
I've been working on The Cambridge Jacket for my son. It's featured in the latest Best of Interweave Knits but it's also in the Summer 2006 issue. I played it safe and chose Cascade 220 (the same used in the pattern) because I really want this to come out good. I've never knitted Joe anything other than socks and more recently a hat.
I have the back and the left front done so far.
In between, I do little bits of this and that.
I pulled this scarf out of the bottom of the workbasket. I'm almost out of yarn so this will be done fairly soon. It's a mix of kid mohair handspun and a commercial kid/merino blend. It really is a slog!
I bought some more of that lovely Romney but I'm holding on to it for a bit because I have to wait to see if I'll need some more for this cabled vest I'm envisioning
.
I'm thinking of trying Connie Delaney's Spincraft pattern Knit Until The Yarn Runs Out Vest. Still, I don't want it to be too short. I'm thinking of a zipper as a closure.....
I finally bought Judith MacKenzie McCuin's book.
Sadly, I should have bought it earlier. She has a caution about making sure alpaca has sufficient twist because it doesn't hold it shape when it's not spun tightly enough. Joe's alpaca hat is melting slowly downward. I have to thread in some elastic or as he suggests shrink it.
It's all a learning process.
My friend Roxy gave me this beautiful bag! It's made from recycled materials. Her business is called RE GENR 8. Every bag is different. The inside has wonderfully detailed pockets and compartments with velcro closures. It's my new knitting bag. I love it!
