Yet more spinning

As you can see, I've been spending a lot of time with the new wheel, and testing out the new fibers. Here you can see the alpaca and the silk. I've been following the silk-spinning instructions at Knittyspin and they're very helpful. After spinning merino, the length of silk fibers is a new and different experience... not to mention the way the pre-drafted fiber floats through the air and snags on anything in its path. I love the color, though, and the speed with which pre-drafted fiber flies onto the bobbin. I'm spinning it a bit thicker than usual so the smooth hand and reflective quality of the silk are very noticeable. The Knitty article also pointed me to Crown Mountain Farms, and I could stare at that color page all day.

Before I did all that, though, I needed to return the half-full bobbins that belonged to the borrowed wheel, so I finished spinning and plying 2 oz. of the purple merino/tussah, which turned into nearly 200 yards of mostly-fingering-weight yarn! (I think I need to buy a wpi gauge.) I have another 6 oz. of it waiting to be spun, and the store is ordering more and will hold it for me when it arrives, so I should eventually have enough for the shawl. I'm not sure if I mentioned that I ordered the pattern, and while I was at it I ordered this one too. Whether I'll be ambitious enough to spin the yarn for the Faroese shawl remains to be seen.

And because I don't have enough projects, I picked up a copy of Last Minute Knitted Gifts, so I can make myself an Hourglass Sweater. First, though, I have to finish the blue socks. Which are, once again, on the third iteration of the star toe. These socks have been a learning experience, and the lesson is to go back to knitting toe-up socks.

(By the way, we had some truly remarkable weather here yesterday - check out Anne's pictures!)