Finished objects . . . at last

Wow! My last post was in March, and it's now past the 4th of July. Hmmm. I'd like to tell it off to writer's block, but that would be a lie. Fact is, I have not had writer's block. I just haven't written. In self defense, I'd like to say it's because I've done some knitting (a pair of fingerless mitts for my friend Carlotta) and a great deal of both spinning and spindling. Also, my job description changed abruptly and for the worse in May, and the middle of last month I elected to become unemployed by submitting my resignation on a Wednesday morning, and that evening, leaving work in tears for the 24th day in six weeks, I went to HR and told the head of HR "I'm done." So, now being unemployed, one might think I'd be blogging like mad. But no. I've been licking my wounds, spinning and plying, pulling weeds, cleaning the garage, tending to my dad, and starting two businesses. (More about both of them later.)


So, spinning and spindling and plying. The Queen Bee wheel finally arrived, and I've been a busy little spinner. I've produced some very creditable singles, and done some two-ply. I also decided that I really needed to learn how to Navajo ply, so away I went to You Tube (the source of miracles for us visually oriented learners, I tell you!) and watched several wonderful videos about Navajo plying. They make it look soooooo easy . . . 


I don't have a picture of my first Navajo plied yarn, as my son's GF fell in love with it and bought it! Yay! However, there are others  . . . 

Targhee top spun and Navajo plied on the Bee

Coopworth roving dyed with food coloring, spindled and andean plied on the Bee

I also finished four ounces of superwash, and Navajo plied it. I died it with food coloring after it was spun, and reeeaaaaallly like the colors. I went looking on the computer just now, but evidently I did not get a pic snapped of it before it went into the yarn cupboard. I will remedy that, and fairly quickly, as it is the 4th skein I've Navajo plied, and it looks pretty darn good.


I've been thinking about what to do with the yarn. Knit, of course, that's just obvious . . . but what to knit? I've got a variety of weights, and colors. Some greens, some browns, the Autumn Splendor yarn which looked amazing in batt, but didn't ply well in the Andean ply. It's got some really obnoxious barber poling things going on . . . sort of like looking at a bumblebee dressed in a tutu while you're on a really bad acid trip  . . . Anyway, I've got this variety of colors and textures . . . I'm thinking maybe a sideways scarf, just for fun. Ya know, one of those monsters where you cast on 148 stitches on size 10 needles and knit every row, changing colors randomly, until your fingers fall off, your eyes bug out, you run out of yarn, or you just can't stand the project any more and are glad that it's summer so you can put the thing in time out in the closet until it starts snowing . . . 


But enough. Today we found out that the kids are going to be presenting me with a grandson in November. I've been thinking about knitting one of the baby cocoons I saw on Ravelry. Guess I either have to get some more superwash roving and get to spinning, or break down and buy yarn (like that's a real hardship! lol).

In the meantime, I've got some very nice finished handspun yarn, and I'm proud of myself.