I posted about my first spinning class last night, but Blogger ate my post. It must have been hungry! Well, I was excited, because I had bought some Optim top and really wanted to spin it up, so I didn't bother to re-post. As of now, I have spun up about 80g and here is a picture of it. I tried to show how silky it is, but the pictures really don't do it any justice. No wonder it is sold as 'silky wool'. It just slid through my fingers as I spun it. Pretty amazing stuff, this is.
At the class last night, Jenny got me to spin up some samples from raw fleece. She showed me how to flick it before spinning. Here is a swatch I knit up from the Border Leicester that I spun last night. I don't think I will be working with it volutarily ever again. It is coarse and knitting it felt like knitting with barbed wire.
I still have a tendency to overspin my yarn (or under-ply it, I don't know). As you can see from the sample, it has made my knitting skew to the right.
Spinning class was lots of fun! I really enjoyed being able to meet other spinners and learning the proper waysof doing things. last night I discovered that my plying leaves much to be desired. I was taught how to count as I ply. My plying looks better now - not a lot better but I guess it will take time. One of the best things about going for spinning class is that i get to fondle all the stuff in Jenny's shop. Ah, so much fibery goodness, so little money.
Virginia Farm Woolworks rocks! Jenny also had someone come in with some stuff to sell. i think by this time next week, I will be happily plying with my new jumbo bobbin. Yeah!
I have made some progress on my casual cabled sweater. It now has a front and a back. By this time next week, it should have sleeves, and hopefully a collar too! I have laid it out on towels to block. i don't have a proper blocking board so I do the best I can with towels and approximate measurements.
Here is a close up of the cable. Can you see it?
I have also started on Chris' scarf. Zara is amazing to work with. It's a little split-ty but it's soft and smooth and almost like the Optim yarn. I cast on before dinner and I have completed quite a few rows already. The scarf is practically knitting itself.
I really like the scarf. If it works out well, I may ty to submit the pattern to an online magazine somewhere. It's really quite simple, and it is amazing how such a simple pattern can product such a lovely effect.
And before I leave you for tonight, here's a picture of what my KR Secret Pal sent me - all the way from Finland!
