Woo-hoo! I finished a spinning project - the Local Blend Yarn! And you know what that means - finished one thing, start another right?

No, I’m just kidding! The Pinky Swear mitts will be finished next & the pattern sent along to our friend the intrepid dyer Gryphon! (I love love them! The second mitt is nearly done - thank goodness, because just as we were warned, it was about 25 degrees when we left the house this morning - that’s a 40 degree drop from last week). But once the mitts are complete with pictures taken, pattern ready to be shared, and hands are covered, warm and at the ready, then I’m giving in to the urge and casting on for TWO new projects that have been calling me (and yes, I will still provide the promised WIP update! Soon - my poor neglected WIPs!).

I started spinning this yarn a day after bringing it home from my spinning guild’s annual swap, and loved the tweedy colors - chocolate brown with a bit of acid green and purple (hmm - somehow that doesn’t sound as nice as it looks - it looks lovely!). The fiber was easy and fun to spin, requiring no predrafting at all - just pure spinning enjoyment. I spun up the whole bit of it at once onto a single bobbin. A couple of nights later, I wound it off onto my hand to andean ply (next time, I will divide the fiber and spin it onto two bobbins - a bit easier, I think!). I had a few breakage issues where the singles were too loosely twisted, but as a result I did get much better at overlapping the broken ends and plying them in. I can barely tell where the breaks occurred now that the twist is set. All in all it was a (nearly) instant spinning gratification project - very enjoyable!

Source: Twisted Threads Spinning Guild Swap

Content: Romney, Alpaca & Angora (I think!)

Ounces: 2

Yardage: @ 146 yds.

WPI: 11

Weight: worsted/light worsted

Gauge: 20 sts/4 inches on US6 needles

Although this is not my most consistent or skilled spinning effort, I do believe it is my most balanced yarn so far! I can spy some spots where it is under-twisted or under-plied just a bit- but this is the first skein I’ve spun that has ever hung so beautifully straight for me. I wish you could feel this swatch - It knit up very nice & sqooshy- very soft, though probably a bit scratchy for neckwear. I believe it would felt readily, as evidence by the fact that it wanted to stick together in the skein and I had to gently tug the yarn to free it while winding it into a ball.

Now, what is it this little bit of local yarn destined to be do you think? A Zeebee or some garter mitts? Soft & cozy foot socks? Thrummed mittens?

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Now playing: Roddy Woomble - Every Line of a Long Moment
via FoxyTunes

Have you ever seen anything like this? This is my spinning guild’s annual swap - where we all bring our unwanted stash, supplies or books and share the wealth - someone who wants them can pick them from the pile - And what a pile!!

I know that shot to the right looks like a bunch of plastic bags - but inside them was a spinner’s dream - Fiber of every shape, form, and flavor I didn’t even get a shot of all the books and magazines that were up for grabs.

We had a great time, hanging out with some great folks,

Leigh, Frith, Kathryn, Amy, and Sarah, who you can’t see. Notice the many handknits!

Loving on some sweet dogs,

Emily’s (our gracious host) Logan (daddy) and Farset (pup).

Working on some projects,

Jaime’s beautiful handmade spindle at work and my project of choice for the evening, update to follow!

And brought home some cool stuff!

A local blended roving (Romney, Alpaca, and Angora, ladies, correct me if I messed that up, please!), and some cinnamon colored alpaca thirds.

I also picked up some of Humbug Farm’s great goat’s milk soap ends, but I seem to have left them…. Damn, how did I manage that? I’m sure that everyone can attest that the pictures don’t do justice to the overwhelming-ness that is swap. It is pretty darn cool!

And so, as if I didn’t already have far more projects than I can apparently handle at the moment, I spun up that lovely blend this morning. Yummmmm!

Big, because it’s the only halfway decent damn picture I’ve managed in the last week!

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Now playing: The Avett Brothers - Paranoia in Bb Major
via FoxyTunes

Rachel, this is for you, let me know if you like (or if it’s already in your player!)