A few weeks ago I signed up for Summer Spinning. Kristi started this program and I couldn’t resist. After all, the only requirement was to set a spinning goal for the summer.
Being an over-achiever, I set 3 goals:
1. Spin twice a week
2. Finishing spinning the Romney that I bought last February at SPA.
3. Knit something with my handspun yarn
So far, so good. I’ve managed to spin at least twice a week since the start of Summer Spinning. Spinning more regularly has had some pleasant results.
I finished spinning the Foxfire batts and I Navajo plied the singles. I love the way this yarn came out!
Can you see the sparkles? And how it’s mostly even? Honestly, it’s the best I’ve done. I’ve got two skeins and it might just wind up as socks.
I also spun some purple for July’s Project Spectrum. This was a gift from my Secret Pal, Cecily and I have a nice little skein of purple merino. Yummy.
AND, I finally finished spinning that Romney. This has been on the Reeves since the day I bought it and I was just plain sick of it. Really, two bags of the stuff was more than I should have purchased. Truth be told, it was all Juno’s fault. She stuck my hand in a bag when I wasn’t looking and next thing I knew I had bought two bags. Go big or go home indeed.
That’s my Summer Spinning so far. Sitting down at the wheel twice a week has been a pleasure and I feel confident that I can keep at it. Finishing the Romney is a huge relief.
Knitting with my own handspun, though? That’s going to be the real challenge since mostly I just stick my handspun on a shelf. And then when people visit I shove it in their face and say, “See this?!? I made this!!!” Most people aren’t all that impressed. Maybe if I show someone a finished project and say, “See this?!? I spun this yarn and knit this scarf with it!!!” then they’ll be impressed.
But I doubt it.
Lovely stuff! The foxfire batts turned out beautifully.
I’m impressed already with your handspun. It’s beautiful. So don’t let it sit on a shelf! My first handspun was lumpy and bumpy and I knit a little pair of mittens with it. People were even impressed with those.
That’s some great progress. I like the idea of the spinning group.
Truth be told: I haven’t liked knitting with my homespun, either. I’m going to save it up for when I get around to weaving. Now THAT should be cool.
I love your natural homespun. Nice twist;)
Love that sock yarn. Simply goregous!
That Foxfire yarn looks wonderful! I’m always amazed at how much better three-ply yarn looks than two ply. I wish I had the patience to spin more three ply, but it takes so much longer.
Very nice spinning. The three ply does indeed look wonderful.
Beautiful spinning! You have enough Romney to make a small sweater or vest or something! (Have you started dyeing things yet? That might be fun, too!)
I’ll be impressed.
hell, I am already impressed!
It is all beautiful. You should make socks from the Foxfire. And the Romney would be beautiful dyed and made into something, too. Do you have a project in mind?
I’M impressed!!! That is gorgeous stuff, and I’m especially fond of the Navajo-plied. Beautiful.
I’m impressed just looking at all that Romney. I’ve been severely neglecting my spinning lately.
At a guild meeting yesterday, a couple of us talked about how we don’t seem to knit with handspun and the conclusion we came to is because the handspun skeins are already FOs. Fill up a basket and set it out as home dec and that’s enough.
Lovely spinning! Worth admiring.
Au contraire! I was VERY impressed with the handspun! Still am . . .
Well, I’m impressed. That’s gorgeous stuff, Carole. Sheesh, now I’m reading back a little bit and I sound just like Norma.
Lots of spinning in blogland today. ; )
Just gorgeous! I set the goal for myself to spin for a few minutes every day, which in retrospect, seems too ambitious (seeing as I haven’t spun in over a week).
Maybe I should follow the twice a week goal. It certainly has produced some fabulous results in your case!!
Mmm, those Foxfire batts…I spun up some green ones a while back and those sparkles are just too fabulous. Of course, your spinning looks much more even than mine! š
I’d be impressed!
Carole! We’re always impressed!
Wow!! You’re rocking it!
MUST USE THE HANDSPUN. Especially when it looks that good!
It all looks beautiful! And yes, non-fiber people ARE impressed when they see a sweater or whatever and find out that you not only knitted it, but made the YARN. It’s like they can’t see the beauty of the yarn itself, but definitely recognize the full achievement of the finished object.
Man, I really need to spin more . . .
I’d be impressed.
Yay! Spinning! I vote for framing the handspun with a little brass plaque. That is sure to impress them.
Beautiful yarns, Carole! Goregous!
My Navaja plying sucks! How did you get it soooo even?!?!?!? I’m thinking I might try it with the purple I have on my wheel right now, but I’m a little chicken. Especially each time I look at the little bit I did in my class last August, LOL!
I too have rarely knit with my handspun and DH is bugging me about it, but I did knit my earflap hat from my very early handspun and I knit the fair isle alpaca hat for grandpa and Ashley knit a gorgeous scarf with some that I gave her! š
Though a rebel at heart, I too have to agree that spinning on a regular basis does seem to improve the twist/ply. Go figure!
Drool worthy indeed. That is gorgeous handspun. And if you showed it to me, I’d definitely be impressed.
It’s all beautiful. I love the foxfire! I have yet to knit anything with mine either, but I want to one of these days.
It all looks wonderful! The Romney is making me sleepy — it looks so soft, I could curl right up with it and zzzzzz…
Great spinning indeed! Will you dye the Romney or leave in it’s natural state before kniting with it?
That’s some seriously inspiring stuff. Sigh! Someday I will pass Remedial Plying and make yarn just like that. š
Wow! You’ve spun sooo much! I must be the slowest spinner around. I spin, and spin, and spin, but don’t seem to get much to show for it! I LOVE the blues……they’re stunning!
Beautiful and fluffy! Love that purply goodness.
I tend to knit slipper-socks for myself out of my handspun. My yarn is a little too bulky for in-shoe socks (not that I wear shoes), but perfect for the sort I wear around the house.
They certainly will be impressed with the multi-colored yarn, so go ahead and stuff it in their faces… your spinning is so even! Reminds me that practice really does make perfect.
All of your spinning looks lovely. I still haven’t tried out Navajo 3 Plying — but given what I’ve been seeing (here and other places) I’m beginning to think that it could be high time to figure it out.
I think socks would be an excellent first project. I’m about to start spinning for a pair of socks myself!
Those are great goals. Very achievable once you figure out the perfect pattern for your handspun. Your handspun all looks great and I especially love the stuff in the top pics — what beautiful colors!
What? You’re not just supposed to hold the handspun up and say “see!?” Crap. Now what do I do? š
Fantastic spinning Carole! Yes, now I’m waiting to see what you make with it. š
Beautiful job! I love the Foxfire dyeing. I don’t know about you, but I’m mostly too busy spinning to knit it up.
Beautiful yarn! I’m so impressed! Are you going to dye that natural colored yarn, or leave it the way it is?
wow your spinning is really looking great – so nice and even I love the navajo plying – I’ve yet to really master that – you’ve inspired me to navajo ply what I have on my bobbin…I’ll be doing that very soon.
You ‘ll have to knit up the Romney , it looks beautiful!
Nice spinning! You should DEFinitely start knitting something with it. Go. Now!
Let me just warn you now, knitting with you handspun is an addictive thing. I love knitting with my handspun, and while I was intimidated to start with (Before my first commecial pattern with my handspun) now I prefer it to commercial yarn!
Take the plunge Carole! š