Spit/Splice

Commentary on last night’s speech…GAG!!

Enough of that.  On to the real reason for this Blog.  DH gave it the name…”all the news that’s fit to knit”. Ha, ha.

Yesterday Nanette sent a nice note to thank me for helping her figure out Excel. She is on her Master Knitters Level III and wanted to put charts into Word docs.  She did it with a few suggestions from me (and DH) and sent a Guernsey Sock pattern as a thank you!  Love the way the socks look and will put them on my “to do” list.  You should check out her Fair Isle hat when you visit her blog.

Nathania is starting a Tank Along. This is very tempting as many wonderful patterns are showing up on blogs all over in honor of SPRING!
Too many good patterns to chose from so this will require thought (and a decision to really do it). The Checkboard Shell that Wendy is working on is very tempting.

Marta, good luck on your big test today!   

Worked on putting the zipper in EC last night and it’s going well.  Hopefully pictures of the finished product will be ready by Friday but if not…Monday. 

Tonight is the monthly meeting of the Salt Lake Knitters Guild.  Nancy Bush will be showing slides and lecturing on her trips to Estonia.  This should be a very interesting evening.  Tomorrow night is the Salt Lake Needlepoint Guild.  It’s just too busy this week for much knitting or picture taking. 

And for everyone in New England taking Sally Melville's workshops...HAVE FUN!! She is super!

Thought I’d tell you about a technique used on EC. Peace Fleece made the “Spit and Splice” technique very easy to use.  Here’s how to do it.

This only works with wool but, not super wash wool.  When coming to the end of a ball, or a knot in the yarn this was a great way to continue the ‘thread’.  First you need to make the plies in the yarn differing lengths.  The PF is two ply so one ply, of each end, is shortened slightly.

Then dampen the ends (this is where the spit comes in). Twirl the ends so they blend together starting to form a new connection.  Dampen again.

Lay the wet ends of the yarn in your palm and rub your hands together.  (Do you think the spit makes it hold together better?)

The friction created will felt the yarn so that it adheres to itself.  Thus, a continuous yarn that you can see blends right in and continues the perfect knitting.

Try it…you’ll like it.

Comments

[Susan]

Hey, Margene. I have successfully "spit" spliced with Perrier so I don't think there's anything magic in the spit!

[knitsmo]

Missed you at Stitch 'n Bitch last night. I've finally made gauge for my cardi. I'll definitely use the "spit and splice." I prefer spit, but only because it is readily available wherever I am!

[Laurie]

You beat me to it! I was going to explain this technique on my blog, but you did it so well, and with photos. If I play my cards right, the only loose ends I'll have to deal with on my EC will be the cast-on end, the shoulder bind-offs, and the bind-off end. Suuueeet.

[annie]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

[Kerstin]

Thanks for remind me of the spit splice! How did I forget? Probably because I rarely use a yarn it would work on. Yay! And, yes, we'll have fun tomorrow. Don't you worry. :)

[Nanette]

Oh my God! A travelogue with Nancy Bush! I am completely jealous. I'd say she and Ms. Starmore are my two greatest knitting mentors.

I found an interesting article in an old Spin-Off for a dog's paw lace shawl knit out of Nancy Bush's Sheltie's fur. I'll get scans of it for my blog next week.

[Nathania]

Oh please come join the TankAlong! We'd love to have you!

[greta]

Oh BABY, I'll take Nancy Bush over dubbya any day of the week! This just made me cackle. Thank you for your sweet supportive art comments....it really, really HELPS!

[Sharon]

Spit splicing works beautifully on Noro Silk Garden. It will be such a pleasure to finish my no-seam sweater, and have no ends to deal with either. It took more spit, and more friction, but I was able to use it on Mission Falls 1824 Superwash wool also.

[Kathleen]

oooh...Nancy Bush. I am so jealous. Have a fab time and I am looking forward to EC cardi pics. I just love that lavendar.

[ann]

Wow!! I am a somewhat old dog and that spit splice is a new trick!! thanks for the lesson, I have never seen that before!

[susan in pa]

That is so cool!!! Thanks for sharing it!

[Rayne]

That's a great little tip. I'll have to remember that and try it with my Kureyon tomorrow. I'm just about at the end of a ball.