More Spin As I Go Sibling Socks

The chain plied yarn is knitting up like any other sport weight hand spun. Thank goodness. The extra thickness of the yarn is creating a very cushy fabric that I am thinking will make great socks-for NEXT winter. We have reached the point of no return here for the flip flops. Once I go to the trouble to do my toes, I'm showing them off no matter how chilly it gets.

Sadly, this is the project that is causing me all the recent Corriedale drama. As you can see here, I am already almost out of yarn and there is still a very LONG way to go. Why I would start socks when I know I didn't have enough yarn is beyond me, but it's too late to turn back now.

One Trick Pony

All my excitement over my new colors completely evaporated when all I managed to create was the EXACT SAME dribble and splat pattern on this sock blank that I have created too many times before. As bad as this is, the batt that I dyed to look like a dirty diaper is worse. Much worse.

The 11th Hour

I sobbed my way home from the airport after dropping off son #2 this afternoon and then had some quiet me time on the deck with a bag of newly arrived washed Corriedale. I wish I could say it was a cure for my post holiday blues but the fiber was full of neps and short cuts. I was VERY disappointed. Being sad and mad at the same time isn't much fun. To make it worse, these were my last few precious hours of spring break.

Easter Monday

Here in the Washington DC area, Easter Monday is for rolling your eggs on the White House lawn. Since this year's invitation must have been lost in the mail, our eggs are still tucked away in the fridge.



The leftover dye is bottled up and waiting for some freshly washed fleece. As soon as I drop #2 son off at the airport and finish boo-hooing my way back home, I hope to have a few minutes left of my precious spring break to steam up a rainbow or two.

Happy Easter!

I realize that Easter is in April this year but the cute little bunny is in the March square of my calendar sampler. Please admire my french knot eyes. You would not believe how many tries it took to get them to look like eyes.

My Grownup Easter Basket

I have a friend in France who each year sends me the most amazingly delicious Easter goodies on the planet. I have been trying to go Gluten Free since daughter's Celiac's diagnosis, but all bets are off now that this stuff has arrived. In return, I always send him a box of snacks American style. This year: Cheez-Its, Hershey's Kisses, Beef Jerky and 100 calorie pack Oreo cookies. Not quite an even swap, but he enjoys our junk food-or at least he says he does!

Eureka Or April Fool?

This long journey started last summer with these little Corriedale mini batts that I washed, dyed and then spun.



I spent fruitless hours trying to learn how to Navajo ply so I could do justice to my hand dyed colors.




Then, while cleaning off my coffee table last night, I spied this copy of Spin Off in which Abby Franquemont, in an excerpt from Respect the Spindle, demonstrates plying techniques and something just clicked.



In minutes I had my mini batt singles chain plyed into something almost acceptable. I say almost because the yarn is not dry or knit into a sample and I certainly don't want to anger the yarn gods with my lack of humility. My last few samples came out looking like Curly Sue on a very bad hair day.

I am still waiting for my copy of Respect the Spindle to arrive. There is a Ravelry forum dedicated to seeing who will be the last to receive their pre-ordered signed copy. I ordered mine in October. Abby has had tons of issues getting the copies out and since fiber folk are the nicest people on the planet there is not a single snark in any of the 3293 posts. Amazing. My little sample proves that this must be a book certainly worth waiting for. And waiting for. Only now the wait has become even harder still.