Fibre: Merino Top, dyed by SULIFIBRES
weight: 20 grams
Length: Aprox. 127 metres
Wraps per Inch: 18

 

It’s finally all finished (for this stage anyway). The singles of this yarn can be seen in my lastentry - beautifully modelling how to use my new swift and ball winder. I plied it back on itself from the centre-pull ball that night and set the twist on Thursday. It was easy to see the difference between the beginning and the end of my yarn when I started playing; my spinning skills have improved a lot since I started this. The last two thirds of my singles were much smoother and more consistent than the first.
 
The colour variations in the wool give the plied yarn a slightly tweedy look in places where the colour difference between the two strands was greatest; it fades away in other places where they matched up. I think it gives the colours an extra level of depth. I’m looking forward to seeing what my yarn will look like knit up. I’m planning a lace scarf, probably a simple geometric pattern to match up with the felt scarf of the same wool but I might change my mind and go for something more organic.
 
On a similar note, here is a link to The Yarn Museum which I discovered a little while ago through The Purl Bee. The galleries of yarns are amazing and so varied. It’s very inspiring.

My birthday present from Rob arrived today - a swift and ball winder to help me with my knitting. I had lots of fun opening the box and setting everything up on the table. The picture below shows my singles of autumn coloured merino (I finished spinning last weekend - more details coming soon) being wound into a centre-pull ball for me to ply from. It looked so nice when I was finished I almost knit it up instead.


I also got some Blue Faced Leicester fibre in the mail today but I was having so much fun with the swift and the ball winder that it didn’t get opened until almost ten o’clock.  The fibre is beautifully soft and just a bit shiny. It still smells a lot like sheep and reminded me of trips to the petting zoo in Stanley Park, Vancouver. Zeke found it fascinating.

Pattern: 2 x 2 rib over 28 stitches
Yarn: 3 skeins Manos del Uruguay in Mallard
Needles: 4.5 mm bamboo circular (16”)

This scarf is wonderfully long and cozy feeling. Rob wraps it around his neck twiceand it still has long tails dangling down. I finished it over Easter weekend but the weather was warming so quickly I wasn’t sure Rob would be able to wear it comfortably until next fall - luckily spring has been very gradual this year and it is still chilly in the mornings when we walk to work.
 
Rob picked out the yarn for me when we were in Edmonton in February. It feels lovely and warm and was very nice to knit with. The colour is absolutely amazing; it’s teal but with an unusual depth. In the sunshine the colour seems takes on a life all its own.
 
Knitting back and forth on the circular worked well though sixteen inches was a little short. It was easy to take this project with me when I went out and not worry about accidentally dropping a needle somewhere. I was even able to knit standing in line at the bank!