JessaLu Knits (and Spins!)

berries…cashmere…and silk…

I love this stuff, it’s like a cloud. A fluffy cashmere and silk cloud. If it didn’t tickle my nose so much I’d bury my face in it and never come out. Ever.

I finished plying the Popsicle fiber and it’s drying as I type. It deserves its own post so you’ll have to wait to see it ;o)

When I finished plying it and had a free bobbin, I dug around in the stash pile and found the cashmere/silk blend I purchased from Foxfire Fibers at Rhinebeck. I decided right then and there that since I managed to resist the siren call of Scout’s Pomegranate roving yesterday, I totally deserved to spin this right now. Immediately, in fact.

I haven’t gotten very far, but here is a closeup of my progress:

I plan on plying this with matching BFL fiber (also purchased from Foxfire) so I have a long way to go before I have a finished product - but it’s going to be oh so enjoyable getting there ;o)

I’m also working on my consistency - I have a tendency to spin singles at various weights, which doesn’t make for a very nice end product. I saw this over at Kristi’s blog and decided to give it a whirl. I keep the card next to the wheel and every once in a while I pick it up and compare it to the singles I have just spun - it should help me keep the BFL in the right neighborhood, too. I want a fingering weight and I plan on making a small shawl with it - like a Flower Basket…or something.

I’ve also started keeping a spinning journal, so these cards will serve more than one purpose (my thrifty ancestors would be so proud). ;o)

…was productive - and not only with the knitting (stick with me…I have a picture of my current WIP).

First, RR and I accomplished the assembly of a new addition to our living room (in under three hours - with no fighting). It really isn’t as big as it looks…and it folds. I’ve wanted an elliptical for the longest time. I used one at the gym last year for a few months and then with all the oral surgery and feeling crappy I stopped going. RR and I decided that, with my normal fear of other people’s germs germaphobe tendencies, it would be safer for all involved if we bought one for home instead of me trying the gym thing again. I do have an exercise bike, however I’ve developed a very healthy loathing for it over the past months - my ass is in no shape to be sitting on a bike seat at this point. I am hoping to change that and as motivation I’ve signed up for 100 miles by April 1 - so far I’ve done six on the bike from Hell since last week (I told you I hated it) and nothing on the elliptical as of yet. But, that will change. We finished putting it together too late for me to use it today - and there’s no way I’m getting on that thing for a serious workout when other people are here to point and laugh at me ;o) I’ll keep you updated on my progress as I go along - I figure if I hop on there every time I get the urge to buy fiber before 4/1 I’ll not only reach my mileage goal, but I’ll reach my fiber goal! ;o)

(I passed another test today, btw. Scout put up some freaking GORGEOUS roving and I resisted (with some name calling…sorry J). Still a will of IRON!)

I also managed to get some knitting done this weekend. Here is the beginnings of a plain old 4×2 rib sock in Lorna’s Laces ‘Swirl DK’ on size 3 Addi’s:

I probably shouldn’t be using this for socks, but I love the idea of silk on my feet! This sock is so. soft. It’s also knitting up pretty quickly - mind numbingly boring, but quickly ;o)

Hope you all had a great weekend!

…but I haven’t run out of photos yet ;o)

Ceiling at the Chinese Theater at Disney MGM Studios. Click for bigger.