I don't know whether I mentioned it before, but I dyed up some Optim last week but didn't get round to spinning it. I finally did, and here's the results.
I kinda like the picture with a black background, so I thought I'd share that too:
It's not perfectly balanced but it's close enuogh. The skein had a half turn when it is hung - well, at least it wasn't a whole turn like it often is.
I also painted some plain white merino in pastels. This is what it looks like uspun:
This is what it looks like spun and plied:
And here it is again in a close up shot:
Can you tell I am very proud of my recent spinning attempts? This skein is so close to being balanced I am almost tempted to say that it is. There is less than a quarter turn on it when I hang it. The yarn is beautifully soft and I don't know what to make with it. A scarf perhaps? I have about 75 m spun. I have enough handpainted top to spin up another 75m or so. That will make a good sized scarf won't it? Oh, and it's about worsted weight (110ply or so, to all you Aussie readers).
While I had the dyes out, I also painted some Corriedale 5ply yarn. It feels like a thin 5ply - so mabe it is closer to 4ply. I think it will make great socks. I painted a 100g skein of Corriedale together with about 50g of some other 5ply I had lying around. I plan to use the 50g to design a pair of socks. If I have enough, I will use it for the "mum and bub' socks I have been planning. I always have leftover yarn from makng socks. That got me thinking - what should I do with the leftovers? I actually think that there's enough in 100g to make a pair of socks for me plus a pair of baby socks, not that I have a baby, nor am I planning to have one in the near future - so quit looking at me strangely! It was just a thought. Anyway, I digress. Here's a piccie of the hand painted Corriedale.
I have been plugging away at the cotton lace tee. It's not that it's difficult, or not fun. It's just that it is slow because I have nearly 300 stitches on the needles and each row takes a while. I am approaching the mid-point. From there onwards, I will be closer to completing than I am to the beginning. Things are looking up!
I am really looking forward to the next issue of Souther Cross Knitting. I have submitted 3 designs. I can't wait to see what else is in this issue. There is so little in the way of local knitting material that I feel giddily excited about Southern Cross Knitting, the only Aussie knitting e-zine that I know of. I find Creative Knitting to be so hopelessly dull that it will take a lot of persuasion (or even more desperation!) to convince me to support it. However, I think Southern Cross Knitting has potential. Keep an eye out for it!
