Spinning a Yarn

Remember this pretty little spindle I bought last month at Rhinebeck? I used it on the Cotswold roving to make this:

Yeah, go ahead and laugh; I know it's quite pathetic. In fact, I intend to save these ~200 yards of handspun madness as a reminder that we all start out as rank amateurs (and I don't think spinners start out any ranker than this). I suspected that besides my non-existent spinning skills, my pretty spindle wasn't really up to snuff, at least for a beginner. Ravelry spinners recommended several name-brands to me, and so I bought a Kundert spindle in walnut and maple:

It came with the tie-dyed roving you see wrapped around it. I took it for its maiden spin to the spinning guild meeting yesterday. I was the lone person using a hand spindle; everyone else had wheels: Louets, Schachts, Ashfords, you name it, it was there. One wheel in particular was made of gorgeous chestnut-colored wood, with leaves carved around the wheel. It was quite a thing of beauty. Naturally, everyone told me how hard it was to spindle, how easy it was to use a wheel, and how everyone present started with a hand spindle. Two lovely ladies helped me used my Kundert spindle. One, V, took my pretty painted one for a spin and determined that it was not balanced well-enough for me to use (she of course could make a lace-weight yarn out of my BFL roving like that spindle were a $300 Golding!). So I guess I'll use it as a hand-supported spindle, or stick it in a basket as decoration. My Kundert, which weighs 1.3 ounces, V though was too light for a beginner (yikes! and it came as part of a learn to spin kit!!). However, if I draft well (I still really suck at drafting), I should be able to use it. Bonus: I can use it as a top or bottom whorl. Ha- I actually think I like it as a bottom whorl more.

I also bought the cheap $9 lucet:

It's made of walnut, so for $9 I think I really got a bargain. I haven't used it yet; I've been waxing it since it came unfinished. When I like the gloss, I'll start cranking out cord.

On the knitting front, Peggy is about 97% done. I have about 5 rows left on the 2nd sleeve. The body is made up, waiting for the sleeves.

My hairdresser is expecting a wee one on Valentine's Day, so I'm making some bibs. Here's the first, modeled by Betsy:

This is a pattern from the Down Cloverlaine website (link on the sidebar) called Baby Ripples; I modified it a bit. I may make another in the same Peaches and Crème Fiesta yarn.

DD#1 still has lots of stuff at our house that I keep threatening to make disappear. The other week she realized that the dressy hat she insisted I make her when she was in college is still at my house. Now she wants it again (I don't think she wore it once while she was at college, to be honest).

Nice, isn't it? Made of Tahki Sable that is 70% Merino wool and 30% angora, it's sooo soft. The pattern is the cover hat by Nicky Epstein on the Vogue Knitting Winter 94/95 issue, only I made it shorter, in one color, and left off the snowflake and reindeer embroidery. (In case you have that issue and were wondering.)

Later this week DH and I go to Atlanta, GA, where my scientific society is having its annual meeting. I'll be speaking next Sunday about my cancer research. Might take a project along for the plane; can't decide. Flying is such a hassle and TSA is somewhat capricious.

You'd think I had enough

of vests this past winter to keep from making yet another. But I look at it this way: the more vests DH has to rotate, the less often I'll need to do surgery on them. Or so I hope. Here's a nifty pattern I found in a book I just bought:

The pattern is called Silures and the book is Norah Gaughan's Collection for Men. Silures were a tribe living in ancient Wales at the time Rome invaded. What's Welsh about the vest, I have no idea. The book has a nice set of sweaters, hats, scarves, and this vest. More than one design could be worn by women too. I envision this vest made of Ruby Magpie Aran:

DH will look stunning in it, simply stunning.

Buying this book reminded me how much I like Norah Gaughan's designs. I've made quite a few, going back over 20 years.


From Vogue Knitting Spring Special 1991. I wish now I hadn't given the actual sweater away for this one; I made it out of the Rowan wool called for, in a lovely rose color. It was so warm.


This little top from 1989 was designed for Classic Elite (pattern #222). I made it out of CE Willough, a silk/cotton blend. Great spring top over a cami.


From Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2000. I made it out of CE Provence and will wear it this weekend, when the temperature will soar into the upper 70's. Classy with pearl grey.


Vest in my favorite color of all. The pattern is Classic Elite #369 from 1989, the yarn is CE Tapestry. The drape of the neckline is fantastic. I love this vest.


Made this for DD#1 when she went to college. Pattern is Classic Elite #442, yarn feels like CE Tapestry. Believe it or not, she doesn't want it any longer, now that she's a married lady. You must see the lace detail on the hem:



From Knitter's 46, Spring 1997. I made it as you see it in the magazine, using the suggested yarn, Reynolds Rio. Unfortunately, Rio pilled like crazy. Within months of making it (wearing it once a week), it looked like a pile of fuzz balls. Away it went. That was before I knew to check online reviews of yarn. I know better now. However, I miss this sweater.

So the other day I casted on to make it again. Now I'm using an ivory yarn by Jaeger (yes, replacing the two ivory sweaters that wore out over the winter), in a viscose-elastic blend.


Leafing through my old Vogue Knitting issues, I found literally dozens of great Norah Gaughan designs I would knit. Such as this one:

And this one for my hoodie-obsessed daughters:

And this one for me (do you get the feeling I like cables with ribs?):


Meanwhile, I've enough on the needles and in my Ravelry queue to keep me out of trouble. For a bit anyway.

Everything Old is New Again

Saturday the Fall 2007 Vogue Knitting arrived. It's the 25th anniversary issue, and it is packed with patterns. Including a look-back at some of the greatest VK patterns, rewritten for yarns available today. And look what made it to the short-list:
Also on the short list: Deborah Newtons' hauntingly-beautiful toque and gloves from Fall 1987, the Aran issue, one of my all-time favorite issues. Interesting that both of these were reworked in greens from their original Aran colors. Looks like EFA is more fitted this time around too, not such a tent (good, that's how I made mine). I must say that I prefer the Deborah Newton in the original though. Maybe I like the pose of the model or the angle of the toque or the way it was shot with the model wearing other Aran pieces.
Just love this cover.

The rose-red lace hoodie cardi (pattern 40) in the mag grabbed DD#1's attention; she wants it instead of the Gita Schrade cabled cardi I started for her a couple of months ago. Good thing I spent most of the summer working on socks instead of on her cardi, not much to rip out. Hers will be seafoam green; she refuses to wear reds and roses, though they flatter her immensely.

Just had to add 2 thoughts on the VK Fall 2007 to this post: 1) Did anyone else notice that the "Old Guard" interviewed for the issue consisted of innovative if not revered designers? And the "New Guard" consisted of commentators, rather than designers? Seriously, I would have put Elsebeth Lavold and a bunch of others into the New Guard before I put, well, I won't mention names. Yes they are for the most part enjoyable to read, but seriously, how much knitting did you learn from them? How many of their patterns are on your needles now? 2) Back to the Old Guard. It struck me as disingenuous for one of their number to rant and complain about what constitutes intellectual property, when that particular OG personage has gone out of his/her way to shut down any and all internet discussion of his/her genius as a designer! And has gone to extremes to lock up all intellectual rights to his/her native island, including any references to said island in the context of knitting, even filing lawsuits in courts. And has steadfastly refused to republish books of patterns, even though they fetch mighty big prices at auction and from booksellers; and has gone so far as to shut down auctions by individuals looking to sell books no longer wanted or needed. Just a little disingenuous. Now I believe in intellectual property; I have to! I file patents on my "scientific inventions" when warranted; I do not download music or films illegally (and have been known to sound off to my daughters' friends on why it is a crime to do so)- I actually count how many CDs I burn off an iTunes download! But extremes are extremes, and much as I love this OG's designs, I don't relish the extremes to wish he/she has gone to make sure that the designs can be knit only with yarns purchased from such and such firm, rather than with the lovely worsted wool I have now.