Yarn Barf and other Musings

Today was the 5th of 6 days working this week, between both of my part time jobs. One requires my brain full time, and the other requires nothing but my presence and I don't know really which is more exhausting. This has been the second week of this 6 day a week schedule and so far, I am holding up well.

I have been relaxing when I can between studying, with my spinning wheel and I finished the last of my natural BFL fiber. I figured out how to set up the scotch tension with the help of the Ravelry boards, but probably made a mistake by switching in the middle of the bobbin. I am too new at this to have known which way the bobbin was actually turning in double drive and whether that changed when I switched to the scotch tension. From what I have read, they spin in the opposite direction, so the plied yarn is probably unspun and under spun. I had two bobbins, one fuller than the other, so I wound each into a ball with my ball winder.
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I then plied from the inside and outside of the first ball with success and no issues, except that parts of the plied yarn are now a bit under spun.


The second ball, I plied part way through the ball and developed what is affectionately known as yarn barf as it twisted and felted on itself as I was trying to ply. I was unable to untangle it, so I grabbed a scissors and quickly cut the offending tangles, before I could think more sanely.

I found the ends again and continued to ply this ball on the wheel, and each time I arrived at a cut end, I found the other end and spit felted it and continued plying. This happened about a half dozen times, and eventually, I arrived at the end of the ball. What I learned is that one needs to be very careful with plying with the inside and outside of a center pull ball to keep yarn barf under control. I would have plied from the 2 separate bobbins, if they had been closer in size to each other, saving myself this step.

They say if you want something done well, ask a very busy person to do it. I have accomplished so much this week, in spite of my 46 hour work week. I went to the dentist early one morning and began catching up on long overdue mouth maintenance. Not my favorite thing, but I have found that the entire staff at the office I had been going to has changed and they are much better and nicer and more competent than the last time I was there. That's why it has been such a long time. A pleasant surprise.

Last Sunday, I took my spinning wheel on its first field trip to a newly formed spinning meetup for those of us south of Denver. She traveled well and I enjoyed the camaraderie of the group and the uninterrupted "me" time. We are meeting again this Sunday, and I will bring my camera to record the action.

Wednesday was Book Club and this month we read (I got through 1/2 of each) two books. The first was Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant, which is a compilation of essays about dining and eating alone by assorted authors and foodies. It was amazing that some chose such elaborate meals and some resorted to repetitive simple meals. I fall somewhere in between. Over the last 6 months, I have rediscovered spaghetti! And dirty dishes. In the book, several used only one dish per meal. How did they do it??When I actually cook a meal, instead of my usual grazing through the Fridge, I tend to saute up some onions, chicken, and whatever veggies I might have on hand with either a teryaki sauce or Italian red sauce, or even just some olive oil and Parmesan and chicken broth, but I always prepare a large enough portion to allow at least two more meals of leftovers. This particular meal tonight was on brown rice instead of spaghetti.I add to the mixture as the days go by until it is gone and then I might do it all over again.

Of course, there is always a glass of Red wine handy. Cheap box wine, but I save the budget for the good stuff for when I have company. Can you blame me?
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The second book was I Feel Bad About MY Neck by Nora Ephron which is a book of humorous essays about middle age women and our many quirks. Some of it is sarcastic and snarky, but oh so true in so many ways.

Absent, but not forgetting to knit & spin

I just realized that it has been over a week since I last posted to this blog. Working, knitting, spinning, and socializing.....but that is no excuse. Yes, it is, really. In the last week, I attended two knitting groups....one generic and one at my local yarn store.

I sort of fell off the yarn diet wagon...but Stacy so kindly informed me that what I bought was roving and not yarn, so technically, I am still ok. What I bought was Louet pencil roving in the color Thunderstorm. It is Wool Top and very soft and hardly needs any drafting at all. I thought I would participate in the August Spinning Challenge on the Ravelry Spindlers Group where the theme is Rainforest. I definitely think these colors work in the theme.

I have also been plying my third skein from my CVM fiber purchased in Estes Park. It should closely match in weight my second skein posted earlier.

I finished Mom's socks, but since it has been 23 days with the temp over 90 degrees here, I will wait till I gift them to her. I love the way these feel. Should be nice and toasty, whenever the cooler weather hits.

Tonight, at my LYS, I knitted again on the World's Biggest Sock. I was mistaken in my earlier post...... there are 10 circular needles that knit the circumference. We all knitted at once for this photo. In actuality, it really is an ugly combination of colors and textures, but what would YOU do for a posting in the Guinness Book of World Records. If you are in the Denver Area, be sure to stop by A Knitted Peace for your chance to knit on it and get your name recorded as a participant.

After the beast of a sock was removed from the table, a congenial group of knitters pulled out their own projects and continued knitting for a few hours. I had my BSJ with me, but forgott to bring the pattern. I knit a few rows, and put it aside to begin another project which has been calling to me. The BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) by Elizabeth Zimmerman, is starting to look pretty weird on the needles with the decreases and increases. I am still guessing where to put the stripes, but I think it is turning out well. I folded it up the way I think it is going, and I can see what the future holds. It will be pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

What I started was the February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne.

I decided to use my alpaca yarn purchased in Estes Park. It is thinner that I thought, once I started swatching, so instead of size 8 needles, I am using size 4, and will knit the extra large size, which should come out just about right for my size with the gauge of 22 stitches to 4 inches instead of the 18 which the pattern calls for. This pattern, like the BSJ, is adapted from an EZ baby sweater and is knit by rows, not inches. Since it is top down and raglan sleeve, I can try it on as I go to see if it is going to work out. I have 1600 yards of the alpaca, so it should be a lightweight lacy version of this sweater instead of the heavier weight of worsted... Glad I had Stacy there tonight to help me with the math!

So see, I haven't been a sloth this last week, but with the heat, there is a limited amount of time to relax at the computer when I have so much else going on. Oh, yeah, I did work a full week, went to Book Club (be sure to read The Double Bind by Chris Bojhalian) , visited Mom, and played in the garden too. No wonder I am tired. Off tomorrow and get to sleep in....zzzzzzzzz

On the needles and spindle

I am definitely improving in the spinning. Here is a side by side comparison of two skeins from the same fiber. As a reminder, the fiber is vegetable dyed CVM and it was spun on the Tracy Eichhheim hummingbird spindle. When I was plying it, I made a concentrated effort to put a lot of twist in it and I think most of it looks great. How 'bout you??

I have enough fiber for another skein or two, so I thinks a couple of hats and mittens are in its future. Now just to decide on a pattern.


The BSJ is coming along. Using the extra notes, along with the pattern it is starting to make sense, but I better not get cocky. The yarn is very soft but I am disappointed that it is getting a little fuzzy from handling as knitting.


Finished one sock and am almost to the heel of the second on Mom's socks. Love this yarn and I know they will be nice and warm in the winter. It is hard to think about winter when it reached 100 degrees today.