And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming

While the fingers have been busy, the brain has been blank.  Poem, picture, and party posts are easy blog fodder, but don't tell enough about a fiber life.  Life has been gloriously happening.  I'll stop being a bad blog mama.

When the DK sweater swatch imploded, I switched to Elsebeth Lavold's Torgeir for Mr. Etherknitter. Rowan Wool Cotton was versatile enough to also switch allegiances.  The evidence, appearing somewhat sanguine in hue, lies below:

The lifted increases have been an interesting addition to my skillset.  I'm working on the bottom of the first motif, which is the complex cable you can see here.

My oldest WIP is Eric's glovelets.  I keep threatening to finish them.  The twisted cable is quite satisfying - maximum effect for minimal effort.  The picture I'm showing you doesn't reveal the dreadful secret on the palm's purl stitches.  There is distinct evidence of laddering in the transition between needles from purl to purl.

I spent more time that I care to discuss in contemplating this imperfection.  How many times did I stick my hand in the cuff to see where it would fall in the FO?  Do I rip it back and probably never pick it up again?  Or do I finish it and always look at the laddering, feeling that unhappy stomach sensation that says I should have ripped it back?  And how much time can I spend dithering over such an insignificant aspect of my knitting life?  I couldn't decide because both alternatives were less than fun.  The glovelets are in a temporary time-out while I learn to live with my world-view realignment that will allow me to leave a piece of knitting work that is demonstrably less than perfect.  Some pundit once said that people are like sharks:  if you don't keep moving, you die.  I'm trying to look at this as personal growth rather than defeat.

Spinning has been fan-freaking-tastic.  I finished a Grafton Fibers batt.

The colors were beautiful, subtle, mixed with a genius equaled only by Tess, and Nancy Finn's Chasing Rainbows.  It took a few yards to understand this fiber (Corriedale).  I found out (again) about the directionality of fiber preparation.  Once I started spinning from the correct direction, it was silky and effortless.  On the other hand, I spent four ounces worth of struggle with Wensleydale.  It was beautifully prepared.  Wensleydale and I just don't make beautiful music together.  Maybe I was using the wrong whorl.  Maybe it really did want to be a heavy worsted yarn.   I do think I stumbled on some aspects of longdraw with it.  It will end up being plyed with itself (pictures to follow when that is done), with no particular use planned other than fiberholic decor.

I'll stop here for now.  Let me leave you with a teaser.

Comments

[margene]

Are you using four or five needles on the glovelets? Try five if not as there will be less stitches. Most of the ladders to disappear with wear and a good wash. You might like two circulars as there is less chance of laddering. Your spinning is beautiful and the sweater for Mr E is fabulous, too. Isn't it great to learn new techniques you can use over and over?

[Carole]

Magic Loop is a great solution for laddering issues.

[Cassie]

The wool/cotton looks like its knitting up beautifully. And your spinning looks fantastic. The colors look so much like the BFL I spun up recently that I had to think about which roving I had spun it from for a minute. Don't fret about the Wensleydale, all fibers are not alike, and we all have our preferences. Just keep going forward.

[Theresa]

The ladders might be much less noticeable after washing, especially if it's a purl issue. I hate having purls as the first stitches on dpns - it makes my tension wonky.

[colleen]

I *love* Wool Cotton--it makes a wonderfully soft fabric. In my experience, however, it stretches under its own weight. Beware.

[Martha]

I found the Wensleydale I have really hard to draft. It hurt my wrists from all the tugging, and I have temporarily abandoned it. But I loved, loved, loved the Grafton Fibers Corriedale and fully intend to get lots more. They have so many great colors and they do seem to spin up into a lovely mix of hues. So fun to spin!!!

[Jen]

Wow, that Viking sweater is gorgeous! I am tempted to make it for Mr. Blue Canary, if I ever finish his first sweater. I think it would be gorgeous in a Cherry Tree Hill solid (with its subtle varigation), DK weight wool.

[Cordelia]

I'm using two circulars on gloves *&* socks, and I'm getting those extraordiarily annoying ladders too. I hope Margene's comment is true for both of us.

I do so love a freshly spun blue-green yarn.

[claudia]

I have ladders and I've been knitting for a long, long while although I think Margene may have me beat. They get much less noticeable after blocking and a wash or two. Fuggetabouit.

[Judy]

The knitting: love the switch to wool/cotton. You shouldn't fret over the ladders to much. Wash 'em and they'll probably disappear. I switch between dps and 2 circs when I get bothered too much by them.
The spinning: ooohhh!! lovely. I happen to really love wensleyday. It was the reason I bought my frirst wheel. I wanted to have wensleydale yarn and couldn't find much back then.
The tease: like foam!

[Beth S.]

Oh, it's a Lavold! Very exciting.

[Lee Ann]

Yay for working on a Lavold...I love the lifted increases.

And I'm sorry, but every single time I think of Wensleydale, I think of poor Wallace when he finds out Wendolene doesn't like cheese..."Not even Wensleydale?"

And I've just found out that Wensleydale Dairy's business was lifted out of bankruptcy by Wallace and Gromit. Incredible. See what happens when dogs learn to knit?

[Cheryl]

Sounds like you and Wensleydale are like me and Romney. Just not meant to be. Although that Corriedale more than makes up for it, no? Looks great! And I'm looking forward to a little more info about that brilliantly while little tuft of fiber at the end!

[Kim]

I made those glovelettes and truly those ladders will disappear with wear. I can honestly say that as mine were sporting ladders too....LOL

Love the color of Mr Ehterknitter's sweater to be!!!

[elisa]

This is why I love blogs - not only did you post about a pattern that I've struggled with (the glovelettes) but there are so many helpful comments that I am fortified to give the pattern another go.

Sigh...blogging (and bloggers) rock. :)

And your spinning? Le sigh...

[minnie]

sometimes the ladders come out in the wash and or blocking. give it a shot before you abandon them

[julia fc]

you're washing something?
the spindle looks blissed. What lovely spinning. Linda Diak's corry rocks, don't it? You do it sweet justice.

[Lorette]

I agree, the ladders come out in the wash mostly. If they really bug you, try shifting the starting point of each round every few rows; when you get to the end of one needle's worth of stitches, knit a few more from the next needle before changing to a new one.
And I love Lee Ann's Wallace-Wensleydale quote!

[Kristen]

ladders are bad luck if I walk under them, but otherwise I don't think they're so bad. (ditto to what everyone else says about the washing/blocking)

mmmm....fiberholic decor....mmmmm....

[mamacate]

So I've actually had this post saved for over a week to come back and comment. And I'm finally doing it. Sorry so late.

Wensleydale: sometimes a really long staple is harder to spin than a medium staple. Is it commercially combed stuff or hand-prepared? Hand-combing wensleydale is on my to-do list.

That corrie is gorgeous. I think it should become a shawl or a scarf or something lacy to drape around your shoulders. But it will tell you what it wants to be, I'm quite sure.

And the preview? Is that, by any chance, rambo? Washed a la Barbara Clorite? Hmmm?