The Roving Report(er)
My fiber stash has grown quite a bit lately. Much of the fiber I brought back from Rhinebeck has been spun, to varying degrees of success, and I've acquiring a bit more fiber for 'testing'.
Anne's new shop has been fun to drool look through and I just joined her Exotic Fiber Club. She still has few places left, but you'd best hurry over and let her know if you're interested. I am very lucky to have met Blogless Nicole and she knows how much I love Anne's fabulous bunny crack. She bought this breathtaking (and yes, it do smell good) fiber as a birthday gift and Anne delivered it into my hot little hands on Tuesday. It's Cormo/Alpaca/Bunny (not just any bunny, but Newman!) and it is just my color! In fact this gray/blue is about the color of my eyes (bat, bat).
When Susan posted about her newly (and beautifully) spun skein of Shetland, Anne saw my comment that I had never spun with that type of wool. She is a very astute grrl and, on Tuesday, she handed me a bag full of Shetland just for my spinning pleasure. It's wonderful to have pushers friends who enable encourage exploration and discovery of new fiber. Thank you Anne and Nicole!
The selection of the month came from Amy’s Spunky Club and it's such a happy spring colorway...(Dandy Lion, is that not perfect?). I've already started spinning it as it makes me smile just to see the colors blend. I just ordered two more bobbins for my Lendrum, as one must always be prepared for more spinning, (right!).
Tan posted about this wonderful fiber and I was swept right up into her Vortex (with her help, thanks grrlfriend). This is Crosspatch Creations Black Hills Gold and The Spinning Shepherdess from Bellwether Fiber. Their service is fabulous and the fiber batts are going to be great fun to spin. So far my favorite fibers to spin have had a bit of texture to them, but that might be because of my 'new spinner' status and their forgiving nature. Both of these batts are crying to be spun, but I need to be strong and leave them be for the time being.
Spinning Spider Jenny has a post on Navajo Plying (chained singles) and the post is full of other great info, too. Many of my 'real life' friends have heard me throw out color terms, like value and saturation, intensity, and temperature, but they often don't understand what I mean. Jenny recommends one of the most accessible books on color theory in print and it is also one I forced encouraged many friends to buy when it first arrived on the market. If you don't have Deb Menz book you must run out and buy it now!
The end of Twisted Knitters has arrived and I confess to being a bad KAL host. The phrase 'fools rush in' comes to mind, as I think the excitement of learning to spin, getting a wheel, and reading the Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook, just spun my ambition out of control. I bit off more than I could chew and had no idea how to really lead the group. It's only now that I find the desire to try my hand at dyeing (when the weather is warmer) and, with only a couple of days left in the KAL, I'm finally knitting my handspun! Thank you to everyone who followed through and made fabulous projects! Next time I take on something this huge I'll know what to do and do a better job of hosting. (Hope springs eternal). At least I finished my socks in time!
Forecast, February's selection from the Spunky Club.
Spun on my Lendrum, Navajo Plied.
Knit in simple stockinette sock (my basic sock) on size 3 DPNs. Time to knit 10 days.
Speaking of hope...I'll be knitting ALL weekend.
Enjoy your weekend!
You sure have come a long way in your spinning. Beautiful socks!!
Posted by: Joan | March 30, 2007 at 04:32 AM
Spun in February and knit in March - I'd say that's being a pretty good hostess.
Posted by: Carole | March 30, 2007 at 04:51 AM
A droolworthy roster of fibers. The socks came out really well. I'm impressed, and motivated to knit more handspun.
Posted by: Laurie | March 30, 2007 at 04:58 AM
The socks are FANTASTIC! Congratulations!!!
Posted by: Cara | March 30, 2007 at 05:30 AM
What gorgeous socks!
Posted by: jessie | March 30, 2007 at 05:46 AM
You have a great weekend, too, Margene!
Posted by: Norma | March 30, 2007 at 06:19 AM
What fun to see Newman turn up on someone else's blog! I almost bought some of that fiber just cause it was partly from him. He's a very sweet bunny and I'm so glad he's with good bunny mom Anne. I look forward to reading about your adventure with the cormo/Newman blend.
Posted by: Chris | March 30, 2007 at 06:31 AM
I lurve your socks.
Posted by: Paula in Ottawa | March 30, 2007 at 06:31 AM
I love your socks! You're bad though, with all those links - too tempting!
Posted by: Lauren | March 30, 2007 at 06:39 AM
I was a bad participant: I didn't do anything. I kept meaning to, and then another knitting project would pop up. But your spinning and socks are an inspiration to us all. Now put that bunny crack away before I add to my already copious fiber stash.
Posted by: Lucia | March 30, 2007 at 06:45 AM
I'm drooling over all that beautiful fiber! Gorgeous socks, great job!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend full of knitting!
Posted by: Kelly | March 30, 2007 at 06:54 AM
Look! Finished handspun socks.
You will love the Crosspatch Creations blends. They are some of my favorites.
And, as always, thanks for the link! I've almost got the "real" website ready to roll too!
Posted by: Anne | March 30, 2007 at 07:12 AM
Finally able to comment! Shetland is lots of fun to spin, but another one of my favorites is Jacob...that yarn almost spins itself! As for Twisted Knitters, I was baaaad, too. I DID finish my project in March (a hat, made from the fleece that I washed, dyed, carded, spun AND knit!) but have yet to take the photo! (Don't be too hard on yourself...Holiday Headstart seems to be going down in flames, except for Anne!)
Posted by: Marcia Cooke | March 30, 2007 at 07:13 AM
aw...cute lil' sox!
i've never knitted with bunny or buffalo; i have knitted qiviut...sigh...
Posted by: marie in florida | March 30, 2007 at 07:24 AM
I love the Dandy Lion colours! The Deb Menz book is fabulous - definitely one of my favorites!
Posted by: Ruth | March 30, 2007 at 07:46 AM
I just got a 3.5 lb bag of Shetland roving. Beautiful stuff. Determined to knit a Fair Isle cardigan with handspun, dyed with natural dyes. Wonder how long that is going to take me......
Posted by: Laritza | March 30, 2007 at 07:47 AM
Hah Hah, roving reporter, great pun. Glad you got some black hills gold. Spin on!
Posted by: Tan Summers | March 30, 2007 at 07:49 AM
Did I see you say "new spinner" MARGENE!! I think you can at least move yourself up to Intermediate Spinner. Really. :)
Love those socks! I keep checking Amy's site to see if she is going to sell the colorway.
Posted by: Stacey | March 30, 2007 at 07:51 AM
Cara said you had been talking about color theory. My question: are the two Deb Menz books that different? I thought the second one was a "slightly modified" reprint of the first one.
Posted by: Laritza | March 30, 2007 at 07:51 AM
I really like how those socks came out.
Posted by: Heather Joins The Round | March 30, 2007 at 07:54 AM
I understand about the fools rushing in. I rushed out, bought a spindle and roving just for Twisted Knitters, started spinning, and then stopped...dead. No progress at all. I think I developed some sort of block (fear of "failure" perhaps?). Oh well...better luck next time. Thanks for the idea and providing the inspiration to at least try to get started!
Posted by: Teri S. | March 30, 2007 at 07:57 AM
Great title and even better content. Love the socks!
Posted by: Wool Winder | March 30, 2007 at 08:04 AM
Please don't feel bad about Twisted Knitters! You offered us a place to post progress and chat about projects, a place where people might actually be interested in what we were doing and I found it inspirational. And I cannot WAIT to get my Forecast spun up and Navajo plied. But all of a sudden I'm knitting my own handspun on commission and must do that first. I might not even knit anything for the fair this year!! But my laceweight yarn can go, anyway, and be knit up next time.
Thanks again for all the fun!
Posted by: Wendy | March 30, 2007 at 08:09 AM
The socks are awesome! I can't imagine the feeling of spinning and then knitting with your own handspun. You should be so proud.
Posted by: scout | March 30, 2007 at 08:17 AM
Wonderful! You met the goal, whether you are happy with your hosting abilities or not.. and just a tiny bit of yarn to spare. I will be spending part of the weekend packing; I am so excited!
Posted by: Birdsong | March 30, 2007 at 08:22 AM
Wow, what a fantastic haul of fiber!!!! Now my mouse finger is just itching to click on some of those "buy it now" buttons, LOLOL. The forecast socks came out GREAT.
Posted by: Sherie | March 30, 2007 at 08:47 AM
Oh my gosh! Thank you for all the links - my checkbook is cringing! :o) I'm hoping to finish my Twisted Knitter project (socks) this weekend and post pics on Monday. I might be knitting in a canoe to meet the deadline, but where there's a will...
Posted by: elizabeth | March 30, 2007 at 08:49 AM
OMG, your handspun socks are fabulous! Congrats!
Posted by: Nonnahs | March 30, 2007 at 08:58 AM
What pretty socks! It looks like spring exploded here! All the gorgeous colors and fibers-ahhhhhh
Posted by: Carol | March 30, 2007 at 09:00 AM
They're exactly as beautiful and perfect as I'd thought they would be. :-) Congratulations on a really, REALLY impressive project! (Seriously--you got that wheel in October, and look what you can do already!)
Posted by: Beth S. | March 30, 2007 at 09:04 AM
Gorgeous socks, Margene! And thanks for being a "pusher" right along with those who have been pushing you ;-) I think I feel all my recently earned money flying right out of my hands, LOL!
Posted by: Kristi aka Fiber Fool | March 30, 2007 at 09:04 AM
Thanks. Thanks a lot. Now how is an even newer spinner like me supposed to resist all that fibery beauty? I have a little of Anne's BFL roving from etsy, and it's lovely, but didn't know about the online store.
What do you think, would the exotic fibers be wasted on a newbie?
Posted by: Margaret | March 30, 2007 at 09:07 AM
I love the socks!
Shetland is fun to spin with. It always strikes me as a 'sticky' fiber so you can really play with it. (If that makes any sense!)
Posted by: Susan | March 30, 2007 at 09:28 AM
Oh, your socks look wonderful! Your spinning is really, really good. I love to see all the wonderful yarn you spin up
Posted by: Kristy | March 30, 2007 at 09:37 AM
What lovely stuff you will get to play with! I'm enjoying watching you go from fiber to yarn... The socks are perfect!
Posted by: loribird | March 30, 2007 at 09:47 AM
Those socks are fabulous!
Posted by: Chris | March 30, 2007 at 09:49 AM
Unfortunately, Anne doesn't ship to Canada, but I'm trying to convince her to at least send me a tapered nostepinne :-) Oh, and I blamed you. You don't mind, right? ;-)
Posted by: Lee Ann | March 30, 2007 at 09:52 AM
The socks look great! I agree that you shouldn't refer to yourself as beginning spinner. Thank you for all the links to fibery goodness.
Posted by: Maia | March 30, 2007 at 09:52 AM
I'll be knitting all weekend too, unsurprisingly.
Posted by: claudia | March 30, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Your posts on spinning are fabulous, especially this one. Tomorrow I am picking up my first wheel and getting a first spinning lesson. I just received the Spunky sock club March yarn in the same colorway --Dandy Lion. It's such happy, jump up and down color (how's that for color theory terminology! ha ha)
Posted by: Kim | March 30, 2007 at 10:18 AM
Ahh, I've been officially christened "Blogless Nicole." Well at least I'll be in good company with others such as the great "Blogless Karen"!
I love the finished socks! They're extra special since you spun the yarn.
Posted by: Nicole | March 30, 2007 at 10:22 AM
Your Forecast socks came out GREAT! I bet you'll love wearing them! All the yummy yummy fiber... I don't know how you could bear to ignore EmmyLou all weekend by knitting? hehe Oh the anguish of loving fiber. :)
Happy Friday Margene!!!
Posted by: Laura | March 30, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Gorgeous fiber and socks. That Dandy Lion sure is bright. Don't worry about the Twisted Knitters. I like what you did and have enjoyed it immensely. I have my project blocking as I type. You have been a great encouragement to me to create this lace from my spinning. Thank you so much.
Posted by: Sarah | March 30, 2007 at 12:15 PM
such a beautiful and special pair of socks!
Posted by: debbie | March 30, 2007 at 01:16 PM
Beautiful socks, absolutely delicious fiber. Mmmm....
Posted by: Cassie | March 30, 2007 at 04:08 PM
Everything looks gorgeous--especially the socks!!
Posted by: --Deb | March 30, 2007 at 04:26 PM
Those socks are gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous. I love handspun socks above all others.
those batts look fantastic.
Posted by: Amy Boogie | March 30, 2007 at 05:34 PM
Love the socks M!! :)
Posted by: Debi | March 30, 2007 at 06:12 PM
I just love those socks. It was just wonderful that you set up the KAL. I'm sure that it inspired many people as it did me. I just feel bad about being a lousy participant - I dyed and I spun but I have yet to knit with my handspun.
Posted by: Hillary | March 30, 2007 at 07:38 PM
I love the socks! I'm still plugging away on my Twisted Knitter's project. I've been a delinquent participant I'm afraid
Posted by: Jennifer | March 30, 2007 at 08:38 PM