Spinning

So on Saturday, I went to my local spinning guild.  I was the youngest there which felt a bit odd, but it was good to go and meet other people who spin.

I was a bit worried about going and couldn't figure out why.  I realised that it was because I'm beginning to get to a place where I'm proud of my spinning.  I had spun 100g of an alpaca and silk blend that I got sent as part of a swap and I najavo plied it and it's come out as a 4ply! It's pretty even and it's really beautiful stuff.  I can't decide what to make with it yet, but I'm thinking a hat.  I did have a Wooly Wormhead pattern in mind, but I realised that the stitch pattern wouldn't really show in the resulting yarn, so I don't feel that I'd be doing the yarn or the pattern justice.

I was worried, that my burgeoning pride in something that I've made is in that risky, fragile stage where I'm worried about what other people would make of it and I was worried that I'd get shot down for my spinning.  Then I realised how daft I was being.  It doesn't really matter how I got here or the path that I'll take in the future.  It's more important to enjoy what I've made now and enjoy my talent as it is now. 

I'm really enjoying spinning for projects in mind.  I have the yarn spun up for my Celestarium, but I have another shawl on the needles that I want to finish that I've been trying to knit for the last 3 years.  It's been frogged multiple times, but I'm now on the home straight!  I have about half a pattern repeat and the border to knit and then I'm done with the knitting.  It's just the blocking and photographs to do now. 

In the meantime, I am spinning for a pair of socks, as once I realised that I could spin fairly consistent 4ply yarn, if I triple ply it, then I thought I could knit a pair of socks.  I have some Easy Knits fibre that I bought at Pendle Stitches, that has some tencel in it.  It's yellow, reds and purples and I figured that if I maintained the colours when spinning and plying, I could have stripy socks! 

I'm really excited :)

Brrrr!

It's getting a bit chilly here. 

Just as well I've finished a sweater then right?!!

It's Mabelle by Diane Mulholland and it's awesome!  Before I started it, I had no experience of knitting sweaters in the round with a yoke.  I have tried knitting baby cardigans before and hated the sewing up because I thought they looked untidy.  So I just followed the pattern. She did say that if you wanted to, you could add in extra yoke decreases if you wanted the neckline higher but I just left it.  Next time I'm definitely going to do the extra decreases because the neckline is a little low (visible bra straps!!).  I can wear it with a t-shirt, but meh.  The visible bra straps don't bother me so much because I'll not be wearing it in a work setting.

Knitting sweaters in the round is an ace idea.  No sewing up!  I am happy with it anyway :)