January 10, 2006Wildflowers and Southern SnowOne of the things I've been sneakily trying to do over the last few months is get rid of all the WIPs on my needles - sort of a naked sticks by 2006 without actually announcing anything (because, of course, it's 2006 already). I'm closing in on that goal. You may remember that I started a scarf for my friend Hope earlier this fall. I had to lay it aside for a few months while other projects took over, but after Christmas I picked it up again with a vegeance: 
This photo doesn't do it justice. The yarn is not at all grey, but instead a lovely oatmeal.I wanted to finish it for Hope's birthday (which was Sunday!), but I have absolutely no hope of blocking it until our furniture and towels arrive, so that's a no-go. Instead, I'm following my latest scarfy bliss and continuing to knit until it is very, very, almost obscenely long, and then adding some luxurious fringe, the way I did with my so called scarf. I think luxury is a great attribute in a scarf. The photo above curls around to show the right side and the wrong side. I'm starting to think I may prefer the wrong side. It's got kind of a lacey, snowflakey thing going on that appeals to me. After I finish off my Southern Snowfall Scarf - it's a freebie, so you guys will get the "pattern", too - the only project I have left staring me in the face is River. When I get to that point I'll decide whether to forge ahead and finish before picking up anything new or to let her languish on the back burner. At this point, I'm thinking River may get shelved, as I have some important projects coming up with and for friends and my MIL that will need attending to soon. For such a lovely looking project, River unfortunately engenders a certain ennui. Oh yeah, I said something about Wildflowers in the title, didn't I? I've spun up almost all of my 4 ounces of Wildflowers bfl and it looks like this: 
Click here for a different viewThis is even more thick and thin than my Tahiti and because I started spinning it a few months ago I stuck with the general plan and let it be overspun. This wouldn't be a problem if I decided to ply it, but I kind of like it as a singles yarn. Do any of you spinners out there have advice about knitting with overspun yarn? I've read that you can counteract overspinning by knitting through the back loop. At this point I could still ply, I suppose, but I think instead I will forge ahead and try the ktbl, unless you guys have other suggestions. Thick and thin and overspun aside, I love it! How fun!
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Comments
Your snowflake scarf design is lovely. Interesting, yet not too difficult. Great for a scarf pattern. Amy Posted by: Amy at January 13, 2006 05:37 AMYour yarn looks great! I too have heard that the KTBL works nicely on somewhat overspun singles. You can also take out some of the twist, though I must confess that is a much quicker and consistent proposition with a wheel. Posted by: Kristi at January 10, 2006 02:06 PMI didn't know it was your birthday - Have a super day, Happy Birthday, Celebrate :D The overtwist on your singles will balance out after a good warm soak and a nice setting. You can even felt your singles just a tad for added strength. Such pretty colours - I love it! [Sorry about my bloglines - it has three feeds to choose from and there's always one or two that it doesn't pick up.] Posted by: Tiffany at January 10, 2006 12:39 PMHappy Birthday! Posted by: Bear Knits at January 10, 2006 12:18 PMHappy Birthday, dear Julia! Your yarn looks really elegant, and if you're interested in eliminating extra twist, you can try a simple tip a spinning friend gave me. After winding your new yarn around a niddy noddy, she suggests giving it a dunk in warm water with just a touch of hair conditioner. Then allow the yarn to dry with a weight hanging from the bottom. To prevent strange creases from developing, flip the yarn half way through. Best of luck! Posted by: Elspeth at January 10, 2006 11:22 AMHappy Birthday, again! The scarf is beautiful- Hope is going to love it! And given the yarn you're using, and the pattern, I'm sure it's most definitely luxurious! I am totally loving the Wildflowers colorway! Everything about it. Love. Posted by: Nonnahs at January 10, 2006 11:06 AMHappy Birthday Julia! I hope you're pampering yourself today, as well as surrounding yourself with people your enjoy! I would say "people that you love" but circumstances don't really allow for that do they? Since you're waiting for the furniture and towels to arrive does that mean that you found a suitable apt? I hope so! Posted by: lori z at January 10, 2006 10:53 AMI'm just drooling over your yarn; it has that Manos del Uruguay thick-and-thin quality, and the colors are gorgeous! You may want to steam it this time to set the twist, and dry under a little more tension than normal. The heat in steaming will probably set the twist better, and drying with a heavier weight will of course straighten it some more. Birthday? HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA!!! Posted by: MJ Gumayagay at January 10, 2006 10:25 AMThe spinning is beautiful. I can't believe you just started. Guess all that extra time in "park" mode helps out tremendously. I need to remember that when I'm spinning. I love it! Posted by: Kate at January 10, 2006 10:25 AMWHAT!? It's your birthday? A very, very happy one to you, Julia!! Posted by: margene at January 10, 2006 10:23 AMCan't be of any help but the yarn is gorgeous!! Posted by: margene at January 10, 2006 10:21 AMIs this the kind of yarn called "energized singles"? I seem to recall there are patterns written specifically for such yarn ... try googling that phrase (in quotation marks) and see what you get. Posted by: jpt at January 10, 2006 10:14 AMhappy birthday, Happy birthday dear Julia... Happy Birth-day to you! Yippee! Posted by: Jen. at January 10, 2006 10:07 AMHave a very happy birthday, Julia! Your yarn looks lovely, and I am still so very, very jealous of your spinning activities. Posted by: mary at January 10, 2006 09:39 AMFirstly, happy birthday! Secondly, the yarn looks wonderfu. I think I like this colorway even better than the Tahiti. Are you going to use any of your handspun for the shawl contest? I'm thinking mine might end up being more of a wrap than a shall since that's more practical for me. I haven't the foggiest how to deal with overspun singles, but whatever you find, you'll have to share with the rest of us. You might want to wind it onto a core (like a TP roll) and knit from the outside so it has less chance of spinning back on itself. That won't solve any biasing but it will keep it from knotting up on itself so much. Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Posted by: Marnie at January 10, 2006 09:34 AMBeautiful yarn! Just beautiful. No advice, though, on how to knit it up, but I'll be checking back for answers. Posted by: Cara at January 10, 2006 09:34 AM |