Leap day might come in handy

I said I'd knit one pair of socks per month in 2008 and I don't want to be called a liar.

But I abandoned my February socks when Margene extended her NaSpiMoMo (National Spin More Month) to February. Finally, finally, finally, I finished the spinning for Opus 2007. To refresh your memory, I had a raw brown fleece of mystery breed from fall of 2006, and a white Hampshire or Suffolk fleece from our own sheep J.J. and I spun them into a 2-ply bulky. The final tally was just short of 3 pounds. Phew.

I had already decided I didn't want to use the yarn undyed as it looked a bit busy to my eye. My husband (the future sweater recipient) also didn't care of the dark/light so I overdyed two samples:

He (and all the other men polled) preferred the darker version. I thought it was (a) a bit too dark to show enough variegation and (b) a bit too brilliant a blue. I toned it down with the magical addition of orange (love you, color wheel), which neutralized it a bit. The final result, dried outside today while it's sunny (7 to 14 inches of snow on its way tomorrow):


I am ridiculously pleased with myself over this. I love it. The color is perfect, the yarn is a lot softer than I had expected it to be, and J.J.'s super-sproingy fleece makes a wonderfully bouncy yarn. I can't wait to get started on it.

Then there's this other problem. After finally finishing a dozen skeins of the same thing, I thought I'd be happy to stick to 4-ounce projects for a while, instant gratification being A Good Thing. I spun up the Real Vermonter roving I had predrafted last week. I loved the color changes so much I decided to Navajo-ply, even though I knew it would be a bit thicker than I wanted. The good news is that it came out wonderfully soft and sproingy, not string-like, as it did the last time I (over)spun it. The bad news is that it's bulky. I only got 100 yards!

This is my fault for getting used to very thick yarn (12 skeins' worth); I didn't realize it wasn't nearly fine enough. What's worse, I have been selling 4-ounce bumps of Real Vermonter roving and I forgot that mohair is very dense. My last Real Vermonter fingering weight yarn (60 percent mohair) required 6.2 ounces to get 440 yards, as opposed to a typical 4-ounce skein of superwash. So my next bumps will be heavier. It's a bit late for anyone who bought a 4-ounce bump and got shorted for their project. I hope this didn't happen to anyone!

But that's just one problem.

The other problem, or more correctly "problem," is that I still want to spin a sweater's worth of yarn. It got a bit draggy there for a while, but the final result is so exciting, I can't wait to do it again. I had just started thinking about commercially processed fiber versus raw fleece. Despite the daunting work involved in processing a fleece, I have really started feeling that it's more satisfying and allows you to get in on the whole process with no mysteries about the origin of the fiber or the chemicals used in the processing.

And then the phone rang. A friend who had a few fleeces to sell me for my next Real Vermonter order said she had 3 Romney fleeces, two of them from lambs ("hogget" fleeces, right?). She brought them over, and Milo checked them out:

Then he actually ate a piece:

After I wrestled him for it, and put up the bags, I got a good look at the fiber:

Most of the fleece has a looser, more Romney-like crimp to it, but I just love this. It's sooo soft.

I decided to scour just one pound at a time in the sink, rather than break my back in the bathtub, and the first batch is now ready for picking:

Isn't that yummy? While I am picking and carding this I will have to decide whether to dye it many colors or one solid color, or just leave it natural. I'm leaning toward natural at the moment.

So, it's a good thing we have an extra day in this month because my socks are not finished:

I love the color, but I cast on only 56 inches, and it appears I needed at least 60; they are a bit stretched over the arch. I thought I could compensate by making the foot a bit longer. Now they are not only too tight but also too long. I added a "garter cable" up the sides, but the variegation completely hides it:

If it were a solid yarn, you'd see one stockinette twist and one garter twist going around each other. Bonus points to my husband, who suggested that each sock's cables should wind in opposite directions, for symmetry. They already do, but I'm fascinated that it even occurred to him. I'm rubbing off on him.

So they won't be the best socks ever, but I still like them. I need to get them done because I want to spin the yarn for my March socks (out of 6 ounces of Real Vermonter) and time is flying!

P.S. Look for a shop update, including BFL bumps and Panda Superwash sock yarn, later in the week.

Comments

[Carol]

Milo...Fiber inspector at large...
I lover your socks! Isn't it nice when they (men) say something that tells you he's listening?:) Your yarn is marvelous! I really can't wait to see the sweater start, it's gonna be gorgeous!

[margene]

You should be ridiculously pleased over the dye job! It's a fabulous color and will make a handsome man sweater.

[CindyCindy]

My goodness. You've been a busy girl haven't you? Love the yarn for hubby's sweater. Gorgeous. And, I keep thinking I'll just send my fleece to the processing plant, but I keep holding back for the very same reasons you mentioned. Oh, and the sock will fit someone.

[valerie]

Welcome to the club of "process lovers"! I know intuitively that it takes longer to process from raw fleece to yarn. Yet when I buy raw fiber, it ends up as a finished item much more quickly than when I purchase commercially prepared fiber.

Those fleeces look delicious!

[Helen]

Somebody is getting a GORGEOUS sweater.
I'm jealous. Again.
But the socks... I'm curious. Why didn't you frog back to the heel and make them fit? (This from the gal who frogs socks viciously until they fit just right....)

[lisa]

I will be lucky to make a pair of socks(or perhaps 2?) this year! I was introduced to the dark side (spinning) this weekend, and can see how it can quickly become an obsession!

[janna]

You should probably watch Milo when he's around real lambs....

And the dye job is beautiful!

[Bea]

The Opus yarn is so beautiful! Or should I say manly, whatever, the color is perfect, and the fourth picture down, that yarn looks so sproingy, I wish squeeze o vision was invented!

The Romney wool is so pretty, I'm jealous, you better watch Milo, I bet that wool could cause some serious tummy blockage :)

[jill]

OK OK I stand corrected the BLUE is Great...AND did I say thank you for the unplanned hospitality? Honestly your Cookies Rocked. Did you finish up the pasta?I don't know what I was thinking, Erin so enjoyed the visit and thought Leah was the bees knees...I still love your life xoxoJill

[kelly]

Yay on you! That's a whack of spinning. (And your feb. socks look to be about three inches further along than mine!)

All that fibre processing is tons of work, of course, but I like it so much better than buying commercially processed - it just makes me feel like I'm really controlling and part of the project. It feels "real". I already have more sweater spin projects lurking in my head - you'll do another too, I know it!

[Rosa]

There are so many wonderful things in this post that I don't know where to start. I love the overdye--great job! I think that the new fleeces will be a great handspun sweater. I love it natural, and I think you should spin it as such. Color inspiration will strike soon after. I wonder if fleece in the raw tastes like Catnip?

[Mia]

I agree that the darker blue was too dark. I like it now though. And the Romney looks nice.

So Milo is now not just the fleece inspector but the taste tester? Just remind him that too much roughage is bad for him.

[Samantha]

I am in love with that darker blue - too gorgeous!

[Teyani]

oh my - your hand spun yarn for your husbands' sweater turned out incredible. Orange to tone down blue.. who wouldda thunk it.
It will be a fabulous sweter, Jessie. Congrats!!

And all those bags of fiber make me miss my sheep - it looks like it'll be great fun to spin.

[JessaLu]

oh I love it in blue!

Good luck with the scouring - I managed about half of Steve before my back and patience gave out and I sent him away (to a local processor who uses solar energy, etc).

Love the socks!

[elizabeth]

Good job on the overdye! I did exactly the same thing last year but haven't knit anything with the yarn yet.

That fleece looks awesome! Lucky you!