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Fresh Ground Knits DOT com

Exciting-isn't it?

Yes, it is! It's as exciting as handknit socks. (At least I think so.)


Heather and I at SAFF.

I've moved

my new blog is www.freshgroundknits.wordpress.com

the platform is much easier to use and you can import all your blogger entries. (fyi)

candycane handspun part 2

For some reason Picasa didn't blog my last few photos. I'm still trying to figure it all out.
Anyhow, it's hard to get a photo of yourself spinning and plying, but here's my yarn, now plied and on my spindle. You can see some of the fiber in the background--isn't it just yummy looking?

Here's a close-up of the plied yarn.














Then I wound it up on my niddy-noddy to make a skein














And here is the almost finished product! I still have to set the twist in the plied yarn. Basically that just means wash it and let it dry, but I think I'll save that for tomorrow.

 

candycane handspun

I spent a portion of this evening spinning some of the candycane Merino handspun that I purchased at Mind's Eye Yarns during their ninth anniversary sale. I initially bought it to make a felted purse or some other felted accessory, but I really like the way the yarn looks spun and plied--I think I might make something non-felted out of it. I spun about 2 oz and got a little over 3o yards, it doesn't really seem like much! I'll see, I have 6 more oz to do. I think I'm going to be sore. I actually had to turn the a/c temp down to 78 because my hands kept getting sweaty. Spinning is hard work.

I forgot to take pictures of the fiber before I spun it, but here it is on my spindle.














Then I wound it around my hand using the http://www.mielkesfarm.com/andean.htm> Andean plying method. Basically you wrap the yarn around your fingers...













Then when your fingers get full you slip it around your wrist.















Once you get all the yarn off your spindle and onto your wrist you're ready to ply.

Looks messy, huh? Don't worry, it works out.

socks of 2006

detail of the embossed leaves socks from Interweave Knits winter 2005.

The detail on the heel is nice and I love the way the leaves make the stockinette bottom have a wavy edge.









Aren't they so cute? They are the perfect length. The pattern was easy to follow and memorize so they knit up superquick.


I knit them with the Merino/Tencel blend wool from Mind's Eye Yarn in Cambridge. She has an etsy store if you're interested!










These are a pair of knee socks. I used a basic toe-up pattern and then added increases for the calf. The stripes don't line up but I don't mind.