Oh Happy Skein

that does not suck, how I love thee.

Now, this is not a perfect skein, I make no such claims.  But it is balanced.  It is a three ply.  It is flexible and soft rather than tight and hard.  It isn't worsted or aran weight. 

It IS what I planned it to be.  What. I. Planned.  How beautiful is the attainment of a goal.

Keeping the singles from being too tightly twisted for a pliable 3-ply just about killed me.  Some people will say I am wrapped a little too tight, to which I say pshaw.  But I do tend to go pretty fast, push pretty hard.  Particularly with my treadle foot (and perhaps one or two other things).  I can't draft fast enough to keep up.  For the longest time I failed to make the connection between a fast treadling style and my over twisted singles, but a lightbulb went off recently, and I am working very hard at slowing down and being conscious and  deliberate.  Going really fast downhill can be fun, but that's a thrill ride, you know?

(Why does everything sound like therapy when you do it right?)

I hate it when the obstacle to progress is me.   It has been very frustrating.   

Camel/Tussah in Fiddlehead colorway from Foxfire.  Yum.  Turns out this is too floppy (camel silk?  Noooo.) for the beret I had in mind.  So any suggestions about what to do with about 180 yards of fingering+ yarn are welcome.

Even though it will pill and fuzz like an angora sweater in a clinch, I love it wholly.

Comments

[Wendelene]

I had that same lightbulb go off in my head last night. I just started a shetland fleece that my parents bought me for Christmas. I'm really aiming something with a little loft in it, but my treadle foot gets the better of me. I did one bobbin with mixed results and am going to perfect my technique this weekend (like I can do this in a single weekend - even if it is a long one!) I'm counting on stories of your success to keep me going.

[Manise]

Stunningly beautiful skein dude! I also vote to try and get more of the fiber so you have more to knit with, but a neckwarmer or wristwarmers sound good. I too, treadle like a fiend. Looking forward to making a non- Navajo 3 ply soon.

[Marin]

I may be in love.

And I may also be tunnel-visioned, because I so want to knit with some luxury yarns that I can't really afford to buy, say, a sweater's worth, that I've been eyeing patterns for fingerless gloves.

That's what I'd do with that pretty, fuzzy stuff if I had it.

After the fondling, of course.

[Beth S.]

That is one incredible skein. Mmmmmm!

I propose that you acquire more of the fiber, and then you'll have enough for a bigger project. ;-)

[elizabeth]

A chiropractor told me once that I was wired for 220. I took it as a compliment.

How about a Lily of the Valley Smoke Ring?

[Em]

That is one beautiful skein indeed! You should be very proud. Did you do this 'plain vanilla' 3-ply, of 'navajo' ply?

[Cassie]

Stunning.

[Cheryl]

I have four ounces of that exact blend in that same colorway! Gorgeous as a three ply; maybe i'll reconsider making mine a single.

Re treadling speed: J Mac says we all have our own natural treadling speed, governed by our internal rhythms, and we'd be more successful to play around with drive wheel/whorl ratios to slow things down than to try to adjust our treadling speeds. I can't vouch for the scientific authenticity of that, but I thought I'd throw it out there for you!

[Jo]

It is beautiful - I love the muted colours in it.

[lyssa]

oh! so well done! i love camel! with silk! aaaahhhh..
impressive.

and i can definitely relate when the obstacle to progress is oneself. *sigh* i *so* hear you.

[chris]

Gawd, that's just gorgeous! Oh, how I miss my poor neglected spinning wheel . . .can't wait until the tiny kitten grows up and calms down!

[Kirstie]

Gorgeous yarn in perfect colours.

[barb]

Gorgeous skein. I would knit a headband or neck warmer, as suggestted above. Thanks for sharing!

[Ellen]

Fingerless mitts. And if you don't like them, send them to me. Sounds like if you're not already spinning with a long draw, you should be. It's the only way to keep up with fast treadling. You can really whip that fiber hand back quickly.

[Deirdre]

Absolutely gorgeous! Maybe a neckwarmer, something cozy and cuddly and close to your face so you can continue to appreciate your wonderful work?

[Tracy J]

Very nice. You did a good job. Don't you just love 3-ply? Much nicer for knitting.

[Lee Ann]

Beautiful. I treadle too fast when I ply, so even if the singles were not spun too tight, the 3-ply still ends up like barbed wire. So slowing down is the key, eh?

Crap. :-)

I think I'd just carry it around and fondle it lovingly, actually.

[Tina M.]

*drool*

I have a friend who loves all things brown and shades related to brown. While she is only about 110lbs and 5'10" tall (naturally, has metabolism issues), I'm pretty sure she could give you a run for your money. ;)

3-ply is an odyssey, a journey of love. I'm glad yours came out the way you wanted.

[Shannon B]

Man, that's really lovely. I haven't begun my spinning journey yet, so I admit sometimes my eyes glaze over when I see a new post is about spinning, but this time I sat bolt upright and gasped aloud.

[naomi]

Well...my default idea for smallish batches of yarn is, for now, "some sort of lacy scarf-like thing". Especially for less-durable yarns.

[Jess]

Oooh, very very pretty! Maybe a lacy little something, a somewhat narrow scarf-y sort of thing? Or else some pretty fingerless mitts as suggested above.

[Amy]

Love it! Oh, that is gorgeous. It really does look wonderfully balanced. I can almost feel the softness. Lace wristwarmers? With small amounts of pretty yarn, I feel you can never go wrong with some gorgeous wristwarmers/fingerless mitts. If you were crazy you could throw some pretty sparkly beads on the back of the hand in a simple pattern, but then, maybe I'm just that crazy. Other people don't have to be.

[Anne]

How gorgeous... I cannot fins a single flaw in it.

(I forget what I've seen recently that puts that phrase in my head... Something Austen?)

[melissa]

Oooo, so pretty. And YOU MADE IT. Incredible. Bless the spinners.