Monday, January 15, 2007

My First Post (how original of a title is that!)

Well, I'm not really expecting anyone to visit, but if you are here, welcome! This will be a blog dedicated to my knitting and spinning "habit". Really it's just to keep track of what I've done so I can keep track.

Just to test it out, I'm posting pictures of my most recent spinning and knitting projects:
Here's the most recent. I just finished it this afternoon. It's a Blueberry Merino-Tencel blend. I honestly didn't think I'd like this stuff, but figured I'd give it a try anyways... it is so beautiful. It was a wonder to spin.

Lately, I've been alternating thick and thin spinning projects. I'll spin one thin, then the next one I'll spin thick. This is in the hopes that I won't get to the point where I can only spin thin stuff! So far, my plan seems to be working, but we'll see in a few months! This was a thick. The end result is about 7 oz becoming 300 yards. It is dense, though, so it's not quite as thick as it sounds. I've washed it to set the twist, but I'm waiting for it to dry before determining WPI.


The previous spinning project was Finn. I LOVE Finn. This was a dyed colorway from Misty Mountain Farms -- "Golden Harvest". It wasn't quite what I pictured from the website (it never is, regardless of who you order from!) but it turned out really lovely none the less.
I completely forget the yardage on this one, but it's about 14 WPI after washing. It was originally thinner, but it did bloom nicely.






As for my knitting, my most recent completed object was actually done right before xmas. My clapotis. I know -- EVERYONE has already done one. I'm way behind on this trend... but I didn't start knitting until earlier this year, so you'll have to give me a break on this one! It really is a cool pattern. I splurged and actually got Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb for this one, their Mother Lode colorway.
Unfortunately, the table does nothing for this colorway... At some point I'll have to try taking a picture on that shows it off better.
Also in the picture is my newest favorite quick pattern. The "Calorimetry" hat from the Winter 2006 Knitty. This is the coolest pattern for those of us who are always sporting a ponytail. And since I'm a mom to a toddler, that is the only way I usually do my hair -- it's self preservation! This is the 3rd one I've done. I did two others out of some handspun as christmas gifts. I still haven't given the one, so I may still try and take a picture.
Right now, I'm working on a pair of longies for my daughter (Mosaic Moon's Seadragon colorway); a pair of socks for myself (Lorna's Laces Shephard's sock in Gold Hill) and a really cool felted basket/knitting bag that someone pointed me to (just some cheep felting wool).

3 comments:

CraftyCarole said...

Lea,
your yarn is gorgeous! I hope that I can soon spin so beautifully (and learn to ply) right now, I'm still a bit uneven.... I love doing it though. I will hold all your comments about vendors and types of wool and ponder while I choose. This is such a dream for me. My mind is whirling with the possibilities!

sarahspins said...

Nice! :) I need to set up a new spinning blog.. I started one a while back and then abandoned it :(

Vern Eastley said...

Lea, we started our blogs at about the same time. (Well, at least I began my most recent one at the beginning of this year. lol) One tip I can give you for taking pictures: the camera sees things best in indirect, natural light against a neutral background that's not in high contrast to the photo subject. (If you're photographing a navy sock, don't pit it against a white countertop. Lay it on a medium gray blanket, or drape it over some dark evergreen shrubbery (assuming the shrubbery isn't covered in snow!). I take most of my photos on my creamy covered bedspread--but just remember the contrast rule. A wildly bright and intense cotton yarn I recently knit up showed up beautifully against the denim jeans I was wearing, while the bedspread just washed it out.

This is getting reeeeeeallllllly long, so I'll stop it already. If you want to see examples of what I'm talking about, click on my profile and hop on over to The Passionate Mind blog (which chronicles my passions--most of which are occupied with knitting).

Someday I'll learn to spin . . . heaven help me! lol