Big Spinning Update!

First, thanks for all your nice comments about my cabled sweater and my Citron :) Second, as you might have deduced from the thumbnails above, I have developed a bit of a backlog of handspun yarns to show you: five single ply, two Navajo ply, and one 2-ply.

Handspun Yarn I: Serpent

Fiber: Pigeonroof Studios 80% Merino Wool, 20% Silk Roving
Stats: 288 yards (129 g), ~11-14 wpi (sport weight)
Ply: single ply

Comment: Silky, shiny, ssslithery... (alliteration is my friend)










Handspun Yarn II: Amethyst

Fiber: All Spun Up 50% Merino Wool, 25% Silk, 25% Bamboo Roving
Stats: 355 yards (127 g), ~14 wpi (fingering weight)
Ply: single ply

Comment: A silky, shiny yarn that was a smooth spin.










Handspun Yarn III: Beach Glass with Peaches

Fiber: Whorling Tides 60% Merino Wool, 40% Bamboo Roving
Stats: 533 yards (110 g), ~20 wpi (light fingering / lace weight)
Ply: Chain (Navajo) ply

Comment: Hmmm... is anyone else noticing that I seem to have a thing for silky, shiny fibers :)











Handspun Yarn IV: Blaze

Fiber: All Spun Up Wensleydale Combed Top
Stats: 628 yards (129 g), ~23 wpi (light fingering/heavy lace)
Ply: single ply

Comment: I found out I love spinning Longwools!










Handspun Yarn V: Raisin Wannabe

Fiber: Spunky Eclectic, Spunky Club November 2008, Shetland Roving
Stats: 185 yards (113 g), ~9-11 wpi (light worsted)
Ply: Chain (Navajo) ply

Comment: This was such a fun, easy spin!










Handspun Yarn VI: Dragonfly

Fiber: Enchanted Knoll Farm Superwash Merino/Silk Batts
Stats: 445 yards (116 g), ~16 wpi (light fingering)
Ply: single ply

Comment: Sparkly! A pleasant spin.










Handspun Yarn VII: Jade

Fiber: Faerie Mountain Fibers Superwash Bluefaced Leicester Roving dyed with Weld and Indigo
Stats: 243 yards (54 g), ~22 wpi (light fingering/heavy lace)
Ply: single ply

Comment: Required quite a bit of pre-drafting, but the lovely, natural colors made up for it!










Handspun Yarn VIII: Champagne

Fiber: Spunky Eclectic, Spunky Club December 2008, Wool Combed Top
Stats: 441 yards (108 g), ~16 wpi (fingering)
Ply: 2-ply

Comment: A nice spin :)

Citron

Citron by Hilary Smith Callis, Knitty Winter 2009

• Yarn 1: My handspun "December Sunset", 50% Merino Wool, 50% Tencel (187 yards / 64 g per skein), 1 skein
  
• Yarn 2: My handspun "Graphite", Carbonized Bamboo (440 yards / 59 g per skein), ~0.75 skeins
  
• Needle: US 4 (3.5 mm) Knitpicks Options Needle

I decided to use two color-compatible yarns I've spun to make this shawl, as I didn't think I had enough of either (and I was right!). Although the multi-colored yarn is much thicker and a (Navajo-plied) 3-ply and the solid silvery yarn is a slenderer but significantly more variable thickness single-ply, I think it worked out pretty well :)

The fiber:



The yarn:



The shawl:



Some close ups:




And closer:



And, of course, here's Bug's Citron photo shoot!










Bug looks a little bit like a fuzzy flower, don't you think?



Happy (slightly early) Earth Day!