Success with the Woolee Winder

Kris and Randy graciously invited me to their Pre-Tax Potluck tonight, but I am ... somewhat tired. I had today off, and got up around 7 AM, and made out a "To-Do" list, which included several errands. Went and took some passport photos (oh, my life is so hard!!), then I came back home, made some coffee, and read and spun some yarn. Then I met Fran with some plants for her, and we went down to SoDo for a couple of hours, then ate at the Coastal Cafe in Capital Hill.

After I left her place, I went to run my errands. Which, ahem, included a stop at Acorn Street yarn shop. I picked up this skein of Cascade 220, intended for this hat pattern I found. I have been wanting to try colorwork for a while.





Here is the progress on my "Jeweled Steps" socks by Cat Bordhi. This yarn is from the Rockin' Sock Club 2008, and I got somewhat frustrated with the pattern included. Concluding that Life is too short to be annoyed by a knitting pattern, I decided to use the yarn for a Cat Bordhi pattern that I have been taken with for some time. I know a lot of people find her patterns difficult, or confusing, but to me they make great sense. :)




I picked up an extra skein of Mushishi for my February Lady Sweater, as well. I am about 50 yards short, but if it really comes down to it, I can use some Cascade or spin some yarn to complete the sleeves (which are the last part of the pattern, anyway).


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I also had my first handspinning success on the Woolee-Winder! The tool is awesome, although I am still having problems with the gears sticking occasionally.

The fiber for thi yarn came from the Fiber Play tube that lovely Kim bought for me at Urban Fauna studio in SF. I carded the fibers randomly together into a few large batts, and spun a single on the WW. Then I wound off the single into a center-pull ball, and plied it from both ends of the ball. I put the ball in my new steel mixing bowl ($2.69 at the restaurant supply store; my new favorite place!), and went for it. I got 108 yards out of the Fiber Play, not including the single I wrapped with thread for one of the art-yarn hats I made last month. I bet I got closer to 200 yards out of this box. :)

Here's a shot of the yarn on the WW.


And here's a shot of the finished yarn - roughly worsted or aran weight.