For a refresher on the experiment, click here. The short version is this: C picked a bunch of colors of roving; I spun them into yarn.
The spinning went well enough. The NZ wool I selected wasn't the nicest fiber to work with but also wasn't the worst. It worked up fairly evenly; it's just that the finished product was a little scratchier than I would have liked.
A bath in hair conditioner took the edge off the scratchies, which is good since the scarf will be worn around C's neck.
Pattern: Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf by Karen Baumer
Materials: C's Day At The Circus, NZ wool, 2-plied on the wheel, 210 yards
Needles: US 9 / 5.5 mm
Started: May 2, 2008
Completed: May 4, 2008
This pattern knits up super quick, it's fun and easy, and it rocks for handspun yarn! The garter stitch showcases the yarn well, and the short-row construction gives it interest. I used the alternate ending provided with the pattern, for symmetry.
When I pulled the scarf off the needles, it was about 4.5 feet long. After blocking, it's well over 6 feet long. This makes it just long enough for C to use it as an instrument of torture for her partner-in-crime, young Barclay MacGregor, aka "The Dog Who Ate My Spindle."
Fang and I will forgive him since he's so darned cute. C's not bad herself, even with trouble twinkling in her eye! Oh, what new misadventure awaits this pair!?!
As for the color experiment, I learned a lot on this project. Obviously, the experiment had nothing to do with hand-dying, since I bought the roving in pre-dyed solids. It was more about combining the bits. For the next try, rather than spin both singles from the entire spectrum of colors, I would do just one this way and the other with a "base" color from within the spectrum. This to better unify the yarn.
The finished scarf is a little wacky for my taste, but it's right up my exuberant Girlio's alley... which is why I involved her in this experiment from the start. Plus she loves it — and loves telling people she designed the yarn herself!
I have an idea for a table runner to drape over my grand piano. It may be the perfect project for phase 2 of this experiment.
Posts
3 comments:
Very cool that she got to design her own yarn :-) It's so fun to see how works up in the pattern, and you're right that it's a good way to showcase the yarn
It's a nice scarf - the young lady made a good choice of yarn. And these are very very cute pictures of the adventurous two!
This turned out awesome! Hmmm... however did you come up with the "circus" name idea? Very clever. You're choice of working up the yarn using a modular pattern is perfect. I really like the way it turned out and am excited to see the progression of the next experiment.
Post a Comment