Fiber Fiesta

Hi Knitters,

I haven't even touched my wheel since early June when I had just started spinning this Cloudlover Polwarth. Over the last couple of days I snuck in a moment here and there and at night to finish up the 4 oz. braid.
I was a little disappointed that I didn't get a a bit more yardage. I did a 2-ply at maybe a sport weight and got 264 yards in the hank above.
The colorway is called Wild Bunch and I really love it. It looked very different in the braid before being spun. By the way, I used a sample of Amy Butler's signature Soak when I washed the yarn and it smells so good you wouldn't believe it. I think this is my favorite Soak scent. I don't know if it is still available so I will have to look that up and get a big jug if it is still around.
I had a small amount of singles left on one bobbin when I was done with the other bobbin so I Navajo plied the leftover. I got a tiny 28 yard hank of probably a DK weight or so. You know, I over spin the twist when I ply using the Navajo technique. It did block out with the soaking and hanging with a light weight. I have to fiddle with this to figure out what I am doing wrong.
Here is my Door County Cherry sock. I bought a hank of Tosh Light Merino in this pinkish/reddish/purple-y and brown in spots color. I immediately named them my Door County Cherry socks because cherries are the claim to fame for Door County if you didn't know. I bought the yarn at Spin of Door County. They had lots of colorways at the shop.
That slight variation in the color holds my interest even though the contrasts are small. Madelinetosh is just a yummy, delicious yarn in every weight.
Here is the start of my second sock. I've had to set it aside since the trip due to other work knitting. I'll finish soon I hope.
Okay, here we are again with this beauty of a sock. I started this several years ago and I just finished the toe yesterday. I don't know what it is about this Watermelon Stripe sock but I couldn't seem to finish it for some reason.
The yarn is from Sunshine Yarn and it most likely isn't available any longer. There are wonderful new selections though. I love Dani's yarn. It is cute, right? I should immediately cast on the second sock, right? I didn't.
Here is another pair I started years ago. I finished the first sock at least three years ago. I have no idea why I didn't start the second sock right away. It is Vesper Striping Sock Yarn (I am a huge fan) and I own several more colorways of this hand-dyed yarn.

I finished up the Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn socks. The color number is S258. I love them. I knit them on US size 1 needles and they are dense, dense, dense.

Here is another hank of yarn I have been sitting on for a year or two. It is Sanguine Gryphon's Bugga sock yarn in the Yellow Dung Fly (not sure what that is but it sounds kind of gross) colorway. It is 20% cashmere and 70% wool and 10% nylon. It is a smooshy delight. I am doing a simple rib with cables running down the sides of the cuff, not sure yet whether I will continue the cables on the sides of the foot or not. We'll see how I feel after the heel.
I love the Bugga yarn and will collect more in the future.
Well, I am working away on my sock collection for the upcoming winter season. TC dipped into my handknit socks last winter and I don't mind that but if I'm sharing I definitely could use some new pairs. These socks were finished by knitting a round here and there and in the car or at a swim meet. This is proof that you can make some progress a little at a time.
TC picked out a ball of Mochi Chunky in Door County to make a baby hat. She made this over a few days.
I loved it because she made the entire thing herself including the double-pointed needles and the I-cord on top. Many times she likes me to do the top for her but she can actually do it herself. It's a very sweet hat. She will donate this to her knitting group that does charity knitting for local charities.
Late last night I started spinning some Fiber Optic Fiber that is 80% merino and 20% silk. It is one I picked up at the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival last May and the colorway is Gold-Fuschia Layered Gradient.
It starts with one color and slowly moves to several other colors to the other end. I am trying to spin it straight through, not dividing it at all. I will then Navajo ply it so the gradient color transitions stay intact. My only worry is not to overspin the plying. It could be really cool in the end and I am thinking about some kind of shawl with the yarn. Wish me luck.

Okay, it is getting late and I am very sleepy so I think I won't go back and put all of the links in tonight. If you are interested in any of the yarns or fiber you can always google the names of the yarn or fiber and shops and sites will pop up for you that way. If I get a chance I'll come back in and put the links in later.

I'll be back soon with a fun giveaway for you. I hope you are having fiber fiestas, too, Knitters.

Good night. I'm crawling into bed to dream about more knitting and spinning.....

best, susie