Ply | Three
Yardage | 361.2 m
WPI | NA
Fibre | Superwash Merino (my own handdyed)
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

This is up for sale at the store but just to let you know – I’m in love with this dyeing technique! The resulting effect time and time again is a mix of solids and stripes but get this – they are heathered not so much solid per se as you can see in the picture above.

I’d love to try this out with some of the rovings I dyed up using the same technique for the store…but the stash comes first. Must destash, destash and destash.

Yes, I bet by now, you know that my knitting is somewhat non-existent. Aiiii…

Ply | Three
Yardage | 394.7 m
WPI | NA
Fibre | 70/30 Superwash Merino-Seacell from juliespins.etsy.com
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

Earlier today, I said that I would put this up for sale and all after plying since the colours are amazing and all, but after setting the twist and all, I notice that it bleeds a little. And while it’s okay with me personally, I am hesitant about selling a yarn that may add a slight orange tinge to water when rinsing.

Now, before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion, bleeding is normal when the colours are intense and with certain blends – I ought to know. The merino-tencel I dyed up a while back bled like crazy and it took me a while to get a clear change of water without compromising on the colour brightness. So after buzzing Julie about it to check what her recommendation was to avoid future bleeds (read: wash/block in cold water only), I decided there and then that this was the perfect excuse for me to hang on to this.

At least now I can say that I have some handspun of my own to use!!!

I just have to share the pics of Blue Mojito that I recently took for the shop! Just simply divine yummlicious yarny goodness!!!

Ply | Three
Yardage | 403 m
WPI | 20 (Fingering to Light Fingering)
Fibre | Merino-Bamboo in Evening Shade from FatCatKnits
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

This was an amazing first for me – to hit a cool 400 metres from a 4 oz braid! I haven’t been having much luck spinning up more than 350 metres in the past but after a change in technique plus position (I need to accommodate a much bigger belly these days), it is just…well, fulfilling to be able to go past my previous mark. Lets just hope that the trend will continue for those gorgeous 4 oz braids that I have stashed away.

As for the name and all, well, initially, FatCatKnits had this listed as Evening Shade but as I began spinning it and later on, plying the singles, it dawned at me that it looks quite nothing like a shade of evening. Instead, images of cocktails at the bar became more and more vivid. I just had to name this after a cocktail and what better than a lovely glass of Blue Mojito!

Anyway, now that this is done, I think I’ll get cracking on the “gems” – seacell blends. I’ve been waiting for a while to get started on these and well, I think I’m confident enough to tackle these babies. What are my plans for it? Well, it’s either lace or sock weight (yes, again)…it all depends on how the colours turn out. If it’s too variegated, I’ll stick to sock weight…if it’s a cool semi-solid shade, I think it’ll look just better as laceweight yarn.

Ply | Three
Yardage | 289.56 m
WPI | 22-24 (Fingering to Light Fingering)
Fibre | Falkland in Aster from Shunklies
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

I bought two 4 oz braids of this lovely fibre from Shunklies a while back with the intention of spinning it into some lovely sock yarn skeins that are over 300 yards. Unfortunately, I forgot that I have a short attention span when it comes to dealing with colours. Too much of a good thing can be quite boring…and it so happened that when I was spinning this up, I was in one of those first trimester pregnancy moods.

Yes, tired, sleepy and easily bored. Not a winning combination for spinning 8 oz braids, if you ask me.

Nevertheless, looking at the results now and how bright the colours are, I might just spin up the rest in similar fashion. The colours are bright and quite cherry – suitable for mild striping – plus although the spun yarn is not quite as soft as superwash merino, it’s tough, durable and is appropriate for felting into house slippers or anything of the sort.

In the meantime, I’m still working on that lovely spring-coloured merino-bamboo which will probably end up again as a skein of 3-ply sock yarn. :P

(On the side, anyone up for Discount Blinds?)

Thick & Thin Peachy Life I
Ply | One
Yardage | 140 metres
WPI | NA (Bulky)
Fibre | Corriedale (My own handdyed fibers)
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

Thick & Thin Peachy Life II
Ply | One
Yardage | 91 metres
WPI | NA (Bulky)
Fibre | Corriedale (My own handdyed fibers)
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

This is my first time spinning with Corriedale and after reading about how thick-thin yarns would go really well with wools, I thought texture and colour-wise, it would be suitable for this art yarn. It’s a little on the fuzzy side but still, I like how the colours move from one to another and the texture makes it awfully cool for a hat. I’m not exactly sure if it’ll be right for a scarf – those with sensitive skin might find this a little scratch so the safest bet would be to recommend it for a beanie!

Now, this was an awful fast spin – I need to go back and weigh it to get the exact specs – but just so you know, I had about 7 to 8 ounces of this yummy colour and it took me just under two days to finish spinning up the yarn. I knew thick-thin singles were fast work but I wasn’t prepared for how fast it really took!!! Since I’m still on my spinning craze, finishing this project ahead of my average four day spin-up is really good news.

I started work on 8 ounces of falkland which will either be turned into 3 ply sock-weight yarn or laceweight – it depends on the final outcome. All I can say right now is that the spun single on the bobbin is awfully thin, as thin as your regular cotton sewing thread! In a way, this is good news – I get to maximize yardage output per ounce of fiber which in turn will allow me more options when it comes to plying.

So yes, back to the spinning…and hopefully by the end of this week, I ought to have some yarn up for sale! Hm, I wish they would stop giving me assignments like “tv stand” and stuff…variety is the spice of life, no? Then again, I shouldn’t complain. Geh.

Swirls of Green Tea
Ply | Two
Yardage | 348 metres
WPI | NA (Fingering)
Fibre | Superwash Merino-Tencel from Pigeonroof Studios
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

I started this project way before Christmas and was delayed by the usual holiday festivities not to mention a forced New Year resolution that I have still yet to complete. Yes, Nil made me swear to finish all my knitting WIPs before I can start news ones. Thankgoodness I have a couple of baby knits already underway!

Anyway, due to recent turn of events, I’ve decided to kickstart my spinning again in hopes of offering up some handspun yarn for sale over at the shop. It’s still very much a work in progress, but I’m definitely happy with the results so far.

I must reiterate – spinning is relaxing…not to mention my legs and arms get quite a work-out! That said, all the spinning craze of lately is excellent for my overwhelming stash of fibers which, thankfully, have come to a halt already. Acquisitions have stopped until further notice and so has the dyeing. I’ll put most of them up for sale except for a few…we’ll see how things go.

In the meantime, do keep an eye out for more handspun goodness to come because I’ll be experimenting with some art yarns to add to the traditional 3- and 2-ply handspun inventory! By the way, what the heck are Grohe faucets???

Merri Merric (Skein I)
Ply | 3 ply
Yardage | 140.2 meters / 46 gms
WPI | 22 – 24 (Fingering to Light Fingering)
Fibre | Merino-Soy-Bamboo roving from EGMTK
Tool | Serenity Wheel [5.5:1 ratio]

Silky smooth is how I would describe this fiber. It is one of Mandie’s special paddock blends – she gets a mill to custom blend all the mixes at her store and a chance visit to her shop one day a few months ago, prompted me to make a couple of purchases and one of which included this very yummy fiber of 50/25/25 merino/bamboo/soy.

Now I don’t know how she does it but the resulting spun yarn from this skein has a gorgeous silk-like sheen to it and is quite tough. It is a little coarse to the touch but I suspect that’s from me overspinning the singles. Still, overall, it makes for a very lovely soft skein.

I was tempted to turn this into a two ply laceweight but seeing how gorgeous the individual colours turned out, I decided to navajo-ply it to maintain the colour sequence and therefore, ended up with enough for a smallish project of some sorts. I reckon this will go perfectly well for a lovely cabled beret. The second skein is hanging up to dry after spending a few days on the Niddy so we should have a total yardage count soon enough.

In the meantime, I’m off to get some much needed rest (all this nausea is making me…sick (heh)) and continue on with my spinning. I’m thinking of working on some merino-tencel I got from a Ravelry destash before Nil and I cash in on some self-made travel deals in the form of a car rental and two weeks off in France. Can’t say I’m looking forward to the travelling – it’s the nausea. Just thinking of travelling makes me green.