Satis*faction

Monday is the official kick off for the Twisted Knitters Dye Spin Knit Along.  Dyeing for me is a group sport, so until I can meet up with some home grrls I plan to spin some of the lovely fiber already purchased and waiting in the stash.  This yummy yarn is Crown Mountain Fiber's Superwash Merino and it spins like a dream!   I have always been a fan of the Rolling Stones and for that reason (and for the pinky goodness), Satisfaction will become my first pair of handspun socks.  However, after spinning up a sample skein yesterday I find my skills unsatisfactory.  While this fiber spins easily, my lack of knowledge about its properties has produced funky (and not the good funky) results.  I will continue to practice and learn what to do.  Any tips on spinning superwash would be welcome!

Because Claudia and I have many of the same knitting philosophies, I decided to do the same meme that she took from Grumperina.  Ten knitterly things you don't know about me...I think you don't know them about me, anyway.

1. My knitting looks great on the blog, but often I fudge, fake, neglect to fix errors and often fly by the seat of my pants in the hope the project will just work out.  You could ask the Dr. Phil question…"How's that working for you?" My answer is "Just fine, thank you."  Few errors are seen, but if it is a matter of fit, or other glaring problems, the error is fixed (usually). You can also chalk up much of my knitting success to pure, unadulterated luck.
2. My favorite yarn color isn't pink.  It's sky blue, bright red, lavender, red violet, blue violet…it's not green or orange.
3. I'm a selfish knitter.  I do charity items from time to time and have knit a few gifts, but over all, I knit for me, me and me.  I love my knitting more than anyone else ever could.
4. I also believe in the Sweater Curse.  Several beautiful sweaters were lost to 'bad' men over the years.  Smith got a hand tied quilt before we were married – nothing knit.  In fact he thought knitting (or any crafting was 'silly').  As you can guess, he was quickly disabused of that notion.
5. You already know my sock yarn stash runneth over, but I have very few unplanned sweater yarns in the stash.  Like Claudia, I don't buy yarn on sale.  If I fall in love with a yarn, (which happens rarely) I'll buy enough for a basic cardigan.  Only Peace Fleece and Beaverslide yarns have been worthy of stashing. Oh, and Plain and Fancy Wool Co., too.
6. I did not knit lace until I started to blog in 2004.  Charlotte's Web was my first lace and first shawl.  It was a struggle, but when the shawl was finished I was hooked on lace.
7. Fulled knitting isn't something I like to use or do. I did do several bags when the 'craze' was new. I haven't touched it for a couple of years and don't plan to again.
8. I tired to learn to knit in 1974.  It took nearly the whole year for me to learn and then I had to sit down and teach myself. It's the same way I learned to spin.  Gathering info from others, study on my own and then attempt to work on my own.  Eventually the information sinks in and I'm on my way.
9. While I don't mind tweaking a pattern to make it fit or make other slight changes, I have no desire to design.  It's hard work and I like my knitting to be carefree.  My mind doesn't really 'think' outside that proverbial box.  I rarely say "What if I tried this?"
10. This isn't really about 'knitting', BUT  I will be bringing back a wheel from Rhinebeck. Just sayin'.

Comments

[Dave Daniels]

I can't believe the number 10! Any details on which one you are looking for?

[Marcia]

Heh,heh! I know the answer to number ten! Although you are light years ahead of me in the knitting department (especially speed) we share many of the same philosophies, although after thirty nine years, ya think it might be safe to knit a sweater for the hubbo?! (When he no longer needs the kangaroo pouch in front, I might!)

[Lolly]

Great read! I am inspired that you knit your first lace shawl only 2 years ago, and now you knit lace all of the time. Maybe there is hope for me! :)

Wow, Satisfaction looks like fun! Can't wait to see that work up!

Best wishes for your weekend, M!

[Ann]

A wheel? Good for you. You're spinning is lovely. Hope to see you there!

[peg]

WOW - should we be surprised that a wheel is returning with you, Margene. A better recipient of said wheel could never be found! I, too, mainly knit for me. To me, the problem with a knitted gift is that if the person is not a knitter, they have now received a gift that they might not want, but feel some obligation to wear and have not appreciation of the hours the item absorbed from the knitter's life. Me, I am a knitter and I love to wear my knitted things - so who is going to get that lovingly made item - Me, Moi!

[Tan Summers]

I'm really happy for you that you're getting a wheel, but what the heck were you doing up at 3:22 a.m. blogging? I just ask because I was wandering around the house at 4:03 a.m. trying to breathe. Anyway, what wheel are you getting?

[Zarah]

I love reading people's answers to this meme! Thanks for sharing your "secrets" with us.

[Sara]

heh. You started knitting in 1974. I thought, oh, not so long ago, a relatively new knitter. Then I realized, 32 years. 1974 seems like yesterday. I'm old.

[Susan]

What kind of wheel are you thinking about? That's so exciting!

[Kim]

What? Your knitting has errors? Don't believe it. :) They always look just as good in person (at least the ones I had seen up until I moved far, far away) as they do on the blog. Is it really luck? I'm still afraid of sweaters after all my problems with "Lucky" (still unfinished), which was NOT lucky at all. Maybe I'll have your luck next time...

[Kathleen]

Margene, I think I love you even more. :)

[Lauren]

A wheel - how exciting! I'm a selfish knitter too.

[Carole]

I know about #10, too. Yippy Skippy! And being a selfish knitter - nothing wrong with that.

[Emma.]

A wheel ? Fab !
That sample doesn't look funky at all. Try knitting it up before you pass judgement. ''Perfect'' yarn doesn't always make perfect fabric. A lesson learnt from the great Rita Buchannon,from a SpinOff of a few years back.

[Alison]

A wheel - definitely hooked:) May you find the perfect one. My dream wheel is a Golding, but it's a bit out of my range at the moment. Be sure and stop by his booth at Rhinebeck and you'll see why (or just google "Golding spindle"). (I do have to say that I love my Traveller though. She does just fine.) His spindles are also gorgeous and I'm the proud owner of two. I highly recommend giving one or two a whirl, beautifully carved and they spin like a dream.

I also fudge a bit and I am an incredibly selfish knitter as well. After all, no one can possibly appreciate all the work that goes into a project other than yourself:)

[Vicki]

Wow, nice Rhinebeck shopping list!! ; )

[marie in florida]

interesting...love number one...and you 10X

[Necia]

Hi Margene,

I'm buying a wheel at Rhinebeck too, fingers crossed. This KAL is right what I needed, I was inspired to pull out my spindle and have been spindling some stash merino/tencel. I can't wait for Rhinebeck.

Necia

[Kristi aka Fiber Fool]

Wooo hooo! I can't wait to see what else you bring back from Rhinebeck to go with the wheel! Yeah!

[christine]

Oh, boy, a NewYork wheel..............what fun shopping you are going to have!

I love your honesty - selfish knitter! Ha!

[Teyani]

oh my - congrats on getting a wheel!!!
Wish I could see the handspun superwash in person - it doesn't look bad in the photo; and I agree with Emma - whip out those dpn's and make a teensy test sock. Knitting hides a multitude of things that are in the actually yarn :-)

[Carol]

This was a good read! I learn the same way you do...Enjoy Rhinebeck!

[Sarah]

A wheel? A wheel? Say it ain't so! Ah, I'm just kidding. That is another great adventure for turning fluff into yarn that I may try one day. If your Satisfaction is not working up to your satisfaction, your spindles may have heard about this wheel business and turned on you, heh, heh.

[Laura]

hehe He was quickly disabused of that notion. I love that. My husband groans about my stash (as tiny as it is) and he hates that I don't really think knitting and couch snuggling go together - and I generally choose knitting (I'm horrible!) - but he really does like that I do it. Especially the dyeing part where I can usually pay for my own yarn acquisitions. hehe

Yay for a wheel - I wish I could go along and shop with you! Be sure to take millions of pictures. :)

[Kristy]

You and I have such similarities in our knitting it is almost scary! For instance, I have like the same colors, I have some Crown Mountain fiber to spin next (Great Balls of Fire and I Got You Babe), don't knit sweaters for men (other than my son and that was just once), self-taught knitter -- weird, huh! Oh, and I knew you would want a wheel once the spinning really bit you. What kind are you going to get? I love my Kromski!

[Martha]

Do you know which wheel yet? I can't wait to see!

[Birdsong]

I just loved learning more about your philosophy! We especially share #1:) I do a bit more gift knitting, and have had to do a lot of calculating and basic design over the years to get what I want, but I love to "just knit" without agonizing over an upcoming void to leap across.

[Julia]

I'm spinning some superwash right now, too, and it is different. I think it's the lack of scales on the wool. I've just sort of been eking (eeking?) out a bit at a time, sometimes back drafting and sometimes forward drafting, depending on how it feels. I predrafted quite a bit, and after that I've just been spinning it sloooowly. But I would love to hear what other people suggest! I'll bet you're going to go and try a bunch of different wheels to find the perfect one, yes?

[Anne]

Hah! I knew it - "no space for a wheel", she said. Liar, liar.

Superwash isn't as bouncy as other wools, or so my experience has been. You'll likely have better luck spinning it more worsted than woolen (no long draw, smooth the fibers as you go and add a bit of extra twist).

[Leah]

Fun!

I'm excited about the wheel! Have you decided which one?

[JessaLu]

*perk* A wheel? Yay!

[Karen]

I had a feeling you might be bringing a wheel home from Rhinebeck. Fun!

[Norma]

Excellent! Well, now, Rhinebeck WILL be fun, then, won't it??????

[regina]

A wheel? Hooray! If anyone was ever a born spinner, it's you!

[Sandy]

Woo hoo for the wheel!

[Rebekah]

Great to learn a little big more about you, and YAY! FOR THE WHEEL.

[Lucia]

I've only spun superwash on a wheel, so take this FWIW: spin very slowly, and curse a lot.

I'm with you on orange.

[Cheryl]

Three cheers for selfish knitters! Have fun with the wheel (I'm sure you will).

[Jennifer]

Oooo, Margene's getting a wheel! Woohoo!!!

[Amanda Cathleen]

Loved reading your meme! I'm a selfish knitter too ; )

[wool winder]

A wheel. Now you're talking! And here I am so close to Rhinebeck, but just a few weeks too early.

[Sigga Sif]

I'm very glad to hear that I'm not the only selfish knitter around. I do so agree with you on that point.

[Laurie]

Quite inspiring, I must say. Frees me of that insane wish for knitting perfection.

Wheel, eh. Yesyesyes.

Me 'n Mr. Etherknitter, and an occasional friend scarf. That's it, other than a vest I"m swatching for another friend.

[Kelly]

Can't wait to see your new wheel!

[Wendy]

I have three words for you:

From the Fold.

I'm spinning the same fiber (in Hang on Sloopy) and superwash (IMHO) is very hard to spin from long lengths and very easy from the fold. Pull off a staple length and go for it! You'll be glad you did.

[Jenny]

I'll be bringing home a wheel from Rhinebeck too! Although you are a MUCH better spindle spinner than me . ..

[Cathy]

HA... you are going back East for a wheel... tooo funny. Looks like your pals back there know all about it too! I wear my superwash handspun sox (dyed by June, spun by me) all the time. I love them. I suggest spinning Anne's way.

[Ruth]

I SO relate to number 3 - I long ago stopped making things for people who don't love them. Fortunately my kids are still young enough that I can dress them up!

[Chris]

LOL - you could have fooled me about the pink recently!

[Judy]

I AM excited for you....Rhinebeck WILL be fun!