Sunday

This is some Painted Spring Alpaca that I got from Brad a little over a year ago after he bought me an Ashford wheel for Christmas. I don't remember how much roving I had, but the first skeins were hard to spin, they were chunky and uneven and not that attractive and over-spun. When I drafted it, it would fall apart constantly. I didn't know how to spin and was teaching myself.

Not smart to start out with something that has a very short staple. This yarn is so soft it's almost unreal. Imagine if silk could flow through your fingers like water. Thats how this feels in my fingers. I had some leftover roving because I gave up, then forgot that I had some in hiding. Now it's beautiful!

I took a class about 3 weeks ago. It was to teach me how to spin on a drop spindle, then on my wheel. The point was to show my fingers what they should be doing. It worked like a charm. My hanks of hand spun yarn turned out beautiful since then. She even showed me that I can move things around on my wheel for different ratios to get either lace wight, worsted or even chunky weight yarn. So all that roving thats been hiding forever, can now come out and be spun into something thats knit-worthy. Everything I have spun since the class is now much better, more even hanks of yarn since. I will only get better with practice.

As for other things. I knitted Jamie a hat she asked for...Fast, easy..couldn't ask for anything more!

Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret

By: Natalie Larson

Yarn: Red Heart soft yarn solids - Black: 256 yards

Level of difficulty: Easiest thing I have knit ever. It's soft and squishy and I can't wait to give it to Jamie!