The Knitting Pirate

The MD Sheep and Wool Festival was absolutely fantastic, and I am definitely going back next year. Janis and I had a great day together! We fondled all varieties of yarn and roving, looked at the animals – there were sheep, goats, alpaca, llama, and bunnies – and ate lamb gyros for lunch. I had mentally prepared myself to want to buy one of everything, but was limiting it to just sock yarn… and maybe some laceweight. You know, just because. It’s something new to try.

On the top left, Morehouse Farm Merino laceweight in blues, browns and greens. In the middle, some Fleece Artist Merino 2/6, also in blues, browns and greens. On the right, two skeins of Gypsy Girl Creations in the “Winter Solstice” colorway (shh, don’t tell her, but this is a gift for a certain ninja I know. And across the bottom, some Brooks Farm Yarn Acero, a 60/20/20 wool/silk/viscose sock yarn. I usually like the greens and purple yarns best, but today I really found myself drawn to the browns and blues. There was some Socks that Rock at one booth, but they only had the medium- and heavy-weight, and by the time we got there, the selection had been so picked over that I couldn’t find a colorway I really wanted, and so decided not to get any.

In one tent, I commented to Janis that the roving, while beautiful and fun to touch, was not at all dangerous since I didn’t know how to spin it – I could enjoy it without fear of wanting to buy it. A woman who was just paying for her purchase overheard me, and said, “Would you like to learn to spin? I can teach you in less than five minutes.” We couldn’t pass up that kind of invitation, and sat with her on the grass while she taught us to use the drop spindle. I admit, the first few times, I flung it a little wildly… but by the end of the day, I’d gotten the hang of it. Romney was recommended to us as a good wool for beginning spinners, so we each got half a pound of it. Hers is blue-green-purple, and mine has orange and pink thrown in there too. It feels so soft, though there’s quite a bit of vegetable matter stuck in it, and it smells more than a little bit like a sheep. I can pick the grass out while I’m drafting, and I’m sure the scent will come out in the wash.

Now that we had roving, we had to buy drop spindles – since wheels are a bit more space-consuming, not to mention expensive. I picked up a Cascade “Little Si” spindle, recommended as kind to beginners. Back at Janis’ house after the festival, we took out our roving and spindles and attempted to make something beautiful. My very first handspun single came out fairly well, I think! It was a lot easier than the last time I tried to use a drop spindle. Maybe that’s a matter of technique, and maybe having a good spindle makes the difference, or maybe it was a combination of both – but I actually enjoyed it this time! If it’s something I get good at and want to do all the time, I’ll even consider buying a wheel. I just need a place to put it… Hmm, we don’t really need that dining room table, do we?

This morning I took what little I had spun and plied it together. Sure, it’s a little lumpy and uneven, but it’s mine! I made yarn from fluff! Depending on how I spin this up, there should be enough for a pair of socks and a hat. I’m not sure it will be even enough for socks, so maybe I should spin for the hat first. I’m thinking something felted, maybe. Or maybe I should go for yet another scarf? That might show off the yarn better.

Everything’s in ziptop bags now, quarantined and waiting to be frozen, just in case there are any bugs or eggs hiding in there. I don’t expect there to be, but I’d rather freeze my yarn for a few days than lose it to bugs forever. Besides, that way I can’t be tempted to knit with any of it – the babypants remain unfinished.

What a dangerous hobby this is. Knitting, spinning… what’s next, dyeing? (Yes. Yes it is. But that’s for another time.)

My father called me this morning.

Dad: Hi, toots!** What’s going on?
Me: Uh.. you called me, Dad. Did something happen?
Dad: No, I was just calling to say hi.
Me: Oh! Okay good. I thought you were calling to tell me that the baby was born.
Dad: No, not yet! But it will be Any Day Now.

I could hear the significance and capital letters on Any Day Now, and it made me Very Very Nervous, also in capital letters, because the baby’s pants are still not done. The baby herself is due on May 16, but we all know that due dates are estimates and not an exact science. She could be born tomorrow, or she could take another four weeks. Either way, I want those pants done – so I went into my room and looked at the projects on my desk. Most of a Pomatomus, part of a hat, half of a potential Knitty submission… and no babypants. “Okay,” said I to myself, “this will not do,” and now the babypants are on the desk but none of the other projects are. That doesn’t seem like much progress – but they are also 35 rows larger than they were this morning. I have about 70 rows to go, then the finishing. They can be done in a few days.

Tomorrow is the Sheep and Wool Festival. I may buy sock yarn or perhaps some laceweight, depending on what calls out to me and refuses to be left behind. Whatever I get, I swear, it will not distract me from these babypants until they are finished! I am project-monogamous from now until the end of these pants!

Metachaos asked what hat pattern I am using – it is this Basic Hat Pattern from Mielke’s Fiber Arts. I like formulas for hats for a number of reasons, primarily that the hat will fit me well regardless of yarn and gauge. The original Stellar and Tan hat was meant to be a Coronet, but my gauge was so far off with the Manos that I went with a plain toque instead.

** My dad has called me “toots” for years. I don’t know why, or where it came from – but I like it. It’s one of those things that only Dad can get away with calling me, and that makes it special.

I’ve never been one to let leftovers go to waste. Perhaps I hold onto them a little longer than necessary (note to self: remove dead casserole from fridge) but when we’re talking about yarn, leftovers are great! A couple of years ago, I made this hat of Manos del Uruguay. It fits my head perfectly, which is more than I can say about most store-bought hats. I love the blue, gold and teal of the Stellar colorway, and the golden-tan of the ribbing was a perfect match for it. The only thing is… it doesn’t go with my new scarf.

Enter the leftovers. There is enough green from the scarf for the ribbing and a stripe, and enough golden-tan from the first hat for the body of the second hat (I hope). And it’s really nice to knit stockinette in the round for a change. I barely have to look at what I’m doing!

The babypants are glaring at me. I swear, I will work on them tomorrow. Honest! The baby’s due on the 16th now. I still have time, right? …right?

After the third pattern repeat on the foot, I measured the sock. I measured my foot. I held the sock to my foot and measured the difference. I re-measured – and I have less than one full pattern repeat to go before starting the toe!

…is this considered premature celebration? This sock seems to be taking forever, and I still have to knit the second of the pair.

Stitch ‘n Bitch tonight! (No, I’m not bringing the sock. I cannot talk and work on this sock at the same time. Sometimes I cannot breathe and work on this sock at the same time.) I think I’ll bring something really simple. Maybe the hat to match the green scarf. Something I don’t have to think about while I knit.