after months of my spinning basket looking equally-full sunday after sunday (albeit with the gorgeous briar rose BFL fiber that we all drool over), finally today at the end of class, it looked like this
whoopee! i’ve been spinning this fiber for 2-3 hours a week since november 17th (oh the shame of it). anne marie and linda were razzing me last week about just how long i’ve been working on it. when i saw how full the basket still was this morning i had my doubts, but i stayed focused and by the time class broke up i had a little audience waiting with baited breath to see the last of it go on the bobbin (i think they wanted to be sure they wouldn’t be looking at it again next week).
and then, instead of doing all the knitting i planned this afternoon, i threw my schedule to the dogs and plied my yarn. i had three very full schacht bobbins of singles; i figured i’d be done in a couple of hours.
heh. make that four hours. no matter though—it was worth it. i was dying to know what kind of yardage i’d get; i hoped for 1000 yards but was afraid i’d have yet another 600- or 800-yard batch (what can you do with that?). i ended up with 1400 yards of what appears to be a heavy sport or light DK 3-ply yarn.
it’s in the bath now—i’m hoping for the best. that is, i’m hoping i plied it the right amount and that it poofs just a little so it has more body. though, even beforehand it looked nice—smooth with a beautiful sheen. nice sweater yarn maybe? i can do something with 1400 yards . . .
last night i finished the front piece of the blue red cardi, and today anne marie held it up against my body so we could tell if the tweaks i made worked out (they did, yay. but i didn’t take a picture, sorry). it looked good, so i think i can go ahead with the pattern.
once i had that finished up, i worked on the gray sweater for a while
and got the upper front piece underway.
when it was time to retire to TV watching with david, i drug along the sea silk shawl (i’m calling this one trevi) and worked on that til i went to bed, adding one more repeat to the body
the rows are getting longer now and i still have a lot left in my first skein of yarn. i’m almost to the point where i would do the edging if i was making the shoulder shawl size. i want to be sure to keep the yardage for that size within one skein of yarn.
it’s been rather cool-to-cold here all week, so i was amazed to step outside this morning and see some new flowers.
i’m not quite sure what this one is, actually—anybody know? the individual blooms look and smell like hyacinth, but there are just four to a stem. and david—who planted them—hasn’t a clue.
and the burro tails had buds too—i just love the bright yellow-green of their flowers, the way it pops out against the blue-green of the leaves.it seems like these are out a little early this year, but i’m not sure.
one thing i am sure about—we didn’t have this next one so early last year
now i think i said something about having knitting planned that i didn’t do, so i better get cracking and see to that. and hang my washed skeins up, too.
29 thoughts on “finito”
Your spun yarn came out lovely! What do you use to measure the yardage in your skeins? I love your flower pictures! Spring is finally here. I have little green things poking up in my gardens. Hoorah!
Anne your spinning came out fabulously! It looks well balanced and such a pretty color.
We still have snow……..but we are starting to see little green things poking up thru the dirt. 🙂
Your spinning looks so beautiful! I’m sure it’s very exciting to finally be finished with it. I can’t wait to see what you’re able to knit up with all of that.
The yarn is gorgeous, you really inspire me to spin spin spin! 🙂
BTW, I don’t know about you guys, but here in MI we are under a winter weather advisory. They are predicting between 5-9″ accumulation. I suppose it was too much to hope we were done for the year! I hope it all melts just as quick as it comes in.
What beautiful yarn you spun! The color is unbelievable! Makes me want to learn how to spin, but I barely have time to knit as much as I’d like to.
I think you are right about that being a hyacinth. It looks similar to one I saw in the office last week.
The 3-ply BFL is lovely! BFL is still my favorite fiber. It has such a nice sheen and wears so well.
I love the yarn you spun. It is making want to learn how to even more.
Yes it is a hyacinth! When bulbs get old or have bloomed for many seasons they don’t make as many flowers on the stalk.it’s still pretty and I bet smells wonderful. Awesome BFL skeins. Chris certainly dyes beautiful fiber! Love it. I’m about to make my very first real 3-ply. I have the remainder of one bobbin left and then it’s plying time!
How much bfl did you start with? I’m planning on buying bfl from her for a sweater too, but I am not sure how much to get…
Lovely handspun. It looks like one of those special batches of fiber that is every bit as appealing as sliver, as yarn, and as a garment. Can’t wait to see what you make!
Your yarn is beautiful! Don’t let it marinate in the stash for too long before knitting it, it truly deserves to be seen!
Your spinning looks perfect.
What an accomplishment! Congrats on sticking with it.
I’m thinking your mystery plant is a wood hyacinth; I’ve not seen yellow ones though. Ours are usually blue, pink or white. The blue ones are about the shade of your newly spun yarn!
your handspun yarn is beautiful, and don’t you just LOVE the feel of BFL? It really is one of my very favorite fibers.
Can’t wait to see the sweaters 🙂
Oh, the BFL is so lovely. Also lovely is that carved spinning basket- where did you find that? I love it.
Congratulations on the spinning!!! WOW! Can’t wait to see what you make with it 🙂
The flowers are just beautiful! thanks for sharing 🙂
Love the spun fiber–that should make for a lovely sweater! I also thought the swatches from the previous day looked wonderful. I am just going to have to buy some of that yarn…
Anne,
The BFL yarn is just beautiful. For those who cannot see this in person the singles are so fine we almost couldn’t see them…like fine sewing thread. It truly was a pleasure watching her spin this fiber. There were times when I would stop my spinning and just watch her hands. It was magical.
I’m glad you got the yardage you hopde for too. Just lovely!
Congratulations on finishing your spinning! Your yarn looks beautiful!
Hooray, the seasilk has a name!
It should be very interesting to see what the BFL yarn-nee-roving will become.
Oooooh. Gorgeous!!!
Lovely, lovely handspun. Yay! that you got plenty of yardage. That will be a truly special sweater.
Hi Anne, I read every post but usually don’t comment. I LOVE your beautiful photography! I was wondering where you got your gorgeous spinning basket. I’ve never seen anything like it! =)
Wow. Gorgeous flowers. Gorgeous handspun! How many ounces did you start with??
The spinning is gorgeous, but that basket is really making me drool. SO Beautiful!
gorgeous spinning 🙂
You know, as lovely as your handspun is (and it really IS. Positively drool-worthy, in fact). What REALLY caught my eye is your fabulous fiber basket. It’s GORGEOUS!
Your 1400 yards of yarn look gorgeous. And the fiber was pretty as all get out. But I want to know where I can get a basket like yours. It’s beautiful.
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