(Un) Intentional Spinner

So there I was, minding my own business, dutifully finishing a button band so that I might move on to a swell blue hat, when the FedEx man came, bearing an unusually large box.  Thinking that it was probably the deeply anticipated sock yarn in 12 colors for the book I am making, I tore right into it.  One of the best things about my job:  Christmas every time the post arrives.  Instead of sock yarn, it was this:

Over THREE POUNDS of exquisite Cormo fleece, courtesy of my pal Carson.  He picked it out for me last year, and then, in a stunningly bold move, sent it OUT for processing.

That's right:  The fellow who hoodwinked me, first into spinning, and then into buying a whole raw fleece, and then another whole raw fleece, defied the Gods of DIY by sending this out for the heavy lifting of processing into roving.  And let me tell you:  This is without a doubt, the most luxurious spinning experience I have ever had.  

I couldn't possibly be expected to concern myself with making a living knitting swell blue hats when THIS was sitting right in the foyer, now could I?  I DID finish the button band, after all.  And then I declared a day off for playing with floofy stuff.  My boss is a hardass, but even she can tell when a mental health day is in order.  

And I made this.  Plus another one, just like it.  I think there will be a third, before I ply, and after that, who knows?  I was toying with the idea of a dyeing project...but on the other hand, who am I to decide that the color God made it isn't good enough?  Lots of time to decide, though - did I mention it's THREE POUNDS of fleece?  I never met Gina the Sheep, but let me tell you, she grows a quality product.  So luminous.  So soft that you almost can't feel it.  And pin-drafting, though a whole new experience for me, is my new best thing.  The roving is so open, and so consistient - pretty much spins itself.  Absolute nirvana.  Totally worth playing hooky for.

And best of all?  Carson bought the fleece from this sheep's sister for himself.  There will be two sweaters from two sheep, for two friends!  If, that is, Carson's mean boss will give him a day off to spin.  His boss is a total slave driver; Never lets him have any fun. 

I'm glad I slacked off for a day (she said defiantly, though wracked with guilt)!  I'd do it all over again!  Really soon, even.  Today's looking pretty good...

A Thousand Miles to Get to the Beginning

It all started with a fleece.  It always does, I suppose, whether we know it or not.   My pal Carson made me buy this one.  He is the second worst enabler I know.  And I know quite a few string-loving yarn-enablers, as you may imagine.

I bought the fleece at the Black Sheep Gathering.  And it's a Black Sheep.  I named her Caora Dubh (pronounced "Kway-ruh Dew"), which is Scots Gaelic for - you guessed it - Black Sheep.

I had to learn how to scour fleece.  And comb fleece.  And spin about a kabillion miles of it.

And as I neared the end of the project, which was not unlike eating an elephant with a shrimp fork, My Darling Husband accidentally threw away the remainder of Caora Dubh.  You will remember that I DID let him live.  For some reason.

I made 5-ply sportweight yarn.  Quite a bit of it, as it turned out.  Which was exactly enough to make this sweater, with bobbles and cables and collar, oh my.

And that's when the Yarn Gods really blessed me, because as much as I loved Caora Dubh, it turned out my knitting friends did, too.  And one of those knitting friends, the delightful Marilyn King of Black Water Abbey, said she'd really like to see it done up in her dreamy Irish yarn.  And so my fabulous pal Lisa made this gorgeous reproduction, following the pattern that I wrote.  I think Lisa's knitting and Marilyn's yarn are just about the Living End.

And now you can have the pattern for your very own Caora, either Dubh, or some other color.  Click "back to main page" up above, and then choose the patterns tab to download it.  And then you will be - at long last - at the beginning.  

Thanks for sticking with me, my friends.  This was a long journey, even for me.  I'm so happy I took the trip, and I'm even happier you were along for the ride.  

                                            The Beginning


Caora Dubh, in Blackwater Abbey 2-ply sportweight, colorway "Jacob", 1750-2100 yds.  Pattern available on Ravelry.com, and at Black Water Abbey.

 

Mad Fandango

Although my history of dancing at weddings is tragic (I once blew out my ACL when they played "Twist and Shout" at my friends' reception. I did both, effectively ending my pro football career), I'm ready for another go at it.  Even if I land in another crumpled heap on the dance floor, at least I will look sassy doing so:

Twirly, no?  Looks a bit Flamenco, if I do say so myself.

Assisting in today's photo shoot is Ichabod, who normally oversees the activity in my sister's laundry room.  I thought he deserved a special assignment, so he came outside to sit on the windsor chair. 

He's not a bad model, once you get past his ego (thinks he's God's gift to laundry room statuary-there'll be no living with him now that he's famous). 

Things I practiced/learned/used on the Mad Fandango:

2-ply handspun: Spun loose & plied tight makes fluffy yarn and happy knitting.

Ruffle: It's just possible I have been cured of knitting ruffles.

Short Rows:  I wanted it wider at the center and narrower at the ends. Which is what happened.

I-Cord bind off:  Always wondered how that worked, and now I know.  I dig it.

All this and I didn't even have to shake my grove thing.

Much.