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And Jodi, I'll show you what I'm knitting when you show me a picture of your puppy.

more plying

I wasn't sure about the color match on this one....my Jacob/Mohair had quite a few colors (colored mohair carded in with the wool) and I decided to go with plum (Merino 64s from the Yarn Tree). In retrospect I should have ordered purple instead of plum, but it's decent when plied together. Finally, a pic that show the colors pretty accurately:



Close-up, colors a little off:



150 yards so far...I still have to spin a few more ounces of merino before I can ply the rest.

I was so geekily thrilled, I wanted to do a little dance when it came off the noddy all BALANCED and everything. It hung there like a real, respectable skein. Squee!!

Cabled Baby Hats

I've gone back and forth about whether I should post this or not, because this pattern is so closely related to someone else's pattern. I'm fuzzy on how many changes you have to make before a pattern is considered "yours"...but there have been quite a few requests for these, and the original pattern was free, and I did make quite a few changes...so, witout further ado...



Cabled Baby Hats

Mad props to the SweaterBabe, whose own cabled beanie pattern inspired these variations.

Size: Newborn, Preemie (shown)

Supplies:

• one skein Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (newborn) or Baby Cashmerino (preemie)
• needles: US8 (newborn) or US3 (preemie); two 16" circs, or one 16" circ and a set of DPNS (or a big long one if you do magic loop)
  
• cable needle
• tapestry needle (for finishing)

Gauge: oops, I'm not sure. (Relax, they're baby hats.)

Instructions for Five-Cable Hat:

CO 80 sts, pm, and join to work in the round.

Work 6 rounds of 2X2 ribbing.

R 7-9: *K6, P2* around
R 10: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 11-17: *K6, P2*
R 18: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 19-25: *K6, P2*

Now, the decrease rows start....
(switch to two circs or DPNs when it gets too small to fit on the 16" needle)

R 26: *SSK, K2, K2tog, P2, C6F, P2* (70 sts)
R 27: *K4, P2, K6, P2*
R 28: *SSK, K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (60 sts)
R 29: *K2, P2, K6, P2*
R 30: *K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (55 sts)
R 31: *K1, P2, K6, P2*
R 32: *K1, P2tog, K6, P2tog* (45 sts)
R 33: *K1, P1, SSK, K2, K2tog, P1* (35 sts)
R 34: *K1, P1, SSK, K2tog, P1* (25 sts)
R 35: *K1, P1, K2tog, P1* (20 sts)
R 36: *K2tog* (10 sts)

Pull yarn through remaining sts with a tapestry needle. Pull through to inside, and weave in all ends.

Instructions for Ten-Cable Hat:

CO 80 sts, pm, and join to work in the round.

Work 6 rounds of 2X2 ribbing. (Or 1x1, if you prefer.)

R 7-9: *K6, P2* around
R 10: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 11-13: *K6, P2*
R 14: *C6F, p2, k6, p2*
R 15-17: *K6, P2*
R 18: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 19-21: *K6, P2*
R 22: *C6F, p2, k6, p2*
R 23-25: *K6, P2*

Now, the decrease rows start....

R 26: *SSK, K2, K2tog, P2, C6F, P2* (70 sts)
R 27: *K4, P2, K6, P2*
R 28: *SSK, K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (60 sts)
R 29: *K2, P2, K6, P2*
R 30: *K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (55 sts)
R 31: *K1, P2, K6, P2*
R 32: *K1, P2tog, K6, P2tog* (45 sts)
R 33: *K1, P1, SSK, K2, K2tog, P1* (35 sts)
R 34: *K1, P1, SSK, K2tog, P1* (25 sts)
R 35: *K1, P1, K2tog, P1* (20 sts)
R 36: *K2tog* (10 sts)

Pull yarn through remaining sts with a tapestry needle. Pull through to inside, and weave in all ends.

on & off the spindle

off...4 oz. of Jacob/Corriedale/Mohair, about 320 yards. I'm going to ply this with a coordinating solid color, probably deep purple, if the roving I just ordered from the Yarn Tree matches. The yarn is darker in person -- looks light grey in the photo but is actually a darkish grey with deep blues and fuschia/purples.



on...handpainted Ile de France X Dorset from High Prairie. Mmmmmmm.

still knitting....occasionally

Obviously spinning has been the main thing over here for the last few weeks. Understandable, considering that #1: spinning is magical; and #2 these are the things I have on the needles:

1. Pumpkin hat. The requisite on-the-go project, but I haven't really been going anywhere. Enough to do right here at home. Pumpkin hats are kind of boring.

2. Soaker pants that have been a half inch from completion for at least six weeks. That last half inch is stranded colorwork. I'm really trying to like it. But I hate it.

3. Swingy tank top for DD. About an hour or two from completion. Meh.

4. Right front of the fab lace-inset cardigan. Requires a bit of concentration, what with all the reverse-shaping, row-counting, don't-forget-the-buttonholes hoo hah.

So, every night when the kids go to bed, I glance at these projects. (And then I pick up my spindle. Magical, I tell you.)

merino, spun & plied

Yeah, my right arm is twinging and tingling in places I never knew it could. But I'm done! Funny, the tag said 4oz, but my finished skein weighs 3.25oz. Anyhoo, it's 150 yards after plying, and it's very soft! A step in the right direction -- each new wool I spin feels a bit less like rope, and a bit more like yarn.



While I was plying it, I was pretty disappointed with the way it looked, but after winding it I changed my mind. It's a bit fuzzy-looking, but I like it! (I still have to set the twist, but my sink is full of Little People at the moment. Perhaps at naptime.)

another *sigh*

I seem to be sighing a lot lately...this time 'cause I'm bummed. Bummed that I always seem to fall in love with things that make my arms hurt. It's like each hobby I adore gives me a different repetetive stress injury. My arm kills from spinning....but I want to keep doing it! I'm on a roll....



I was a little hesitant to start spinning this merino 'cause I was having a really good spinning week and didn't want to ruin it -- but I thought, what the heck, if it's too frustrating I can just stop and spin the Jacob/Corriedale/Mohair instead. But it didn't frustrate me at all. Maybe the touch of mohair makes it easier to spin, or maybe I have a knack for it...who knows. It's uneven (of course) but I'm quite fond of it...all 200 yards of it (so far):



I'm dying to spin the last ounce so I can ply it, but my arm is begging me not to.

I'm embarrased to share...

...that my first waking thought today was of spinning. I even briefly considered bringing my spinnig to the mall (instead of my knitting) but decided that it would be a bit much.



Needless to say, I'm really, really enjoying working with this fiber, even though I'm still having to park and draft. And I'm pleased to report that when I'm done with this roving, I'll actually be able to make something. So far I've been consistent -- about thirty yards to the ounce. I wish the photo showed all of the colors -- it's actually more of a teal-ish hue, with blues and purples too. Lovely stuff.