Today's October 1st, the official beginning of Socktoberfest (cue the Brauhaus music and get out your Lederhosen)!
I've been thinking quite a bit about how Socktoberfest will be any different from the normal state of affairs for me, as I pretty much always have at least one sock project going ...
Well, here's one way. Look at the lovely yarn I'm going to use for a pair of socks this month!
That's right, it's my Corriedale handspun, hot off the wheel!
It's 100 g and about 394 yards, which I think is plenty for the size socks I usually make for myself. I don't generally go too far up the leg.
Gratuitous yarn shot:
And one final shot of it for scale:
This yarn is extremely photogenic. Normally I take lots of shots hoping for one good one, but this time I ended up with a bunch I liked so lucky you guys, you get to see them!
The info: Corriedale from Carolina Homespun that I purchased at Stitches West 2006. My first fiber purchase ever, after Amanda from Spin-Off showed me how to use a drop spindle and gave me one made with a cd and dowel. I don't know the name of the colorway, because I lost the tag somewhere along the line. I spun the singles and then start navajo plying and realized I hadn't spun the singles tight enough (it kept breaking), so I ran the singles through the wheel again. That took forever. Then I Navajo plied the singles and I'm so happy with the results that it was all worth it.
The yarn took a little bath and is now hanging to dry, so I can't start yet. In the meantime, I've been working on a different sock. I'll show pictures of that in my next post! Also, that merino "Sheep to Shoe" kit from Blue Moon that Cookie showed in the her first Chicago post is calling my name ...
We didn't end up going to Yosemite with Cookie and her Schmoopie, but we took a short walk in the woods this morning and saw a banana slug on the trail. Now, I'm a Banana Slug myself (my PhD is from UC Santa Cruz), so I took a picture:
Cookie! Thank you so much! I live not 20 miles from the FOLD and didn't know it EXISTED until seeing it in your blog. I have contacted the owner and am on my way! Yippee! ! ! !
Posted by: sarah at October 1, 2006 8:43 PMWow. I'm both thrilled and repelled by your post! The yarn is beautiful, and the slug is too, in his own mushy gooshy way.
Lederhosen would be a perfect way to show off all those Socktoberfest socks! Prosit!
Posted by: lorinda at October 1, 2006 10:19 PMOoooh, pretty handspun!
Hope you're feeling a bit better now.
Posted by: freecia at October 1, 2006 11:59 PMHi found your site in the spinknitties ring - love the corriedale, the colour is beautiful, Im only new to spinning so I love seeing other spinners sites & pics. The banana slug is incredible. Cant wait to see what socks you make for socktoberfest.
Posted by: abe/hap at October 2, 2006 12:11 AMOooh . . . the yarn is lovely! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.
Posted by: Lola
at October 2, 2006 4:12 AM
What is it about slugs? They are fascinating and replusive in near equal doses.
Posted by: Gina at October 2, 2006 6:47 AMDang! They're even creepier looking than the massive leopard-spotted ones we have here.
Posted by: Laura at October 2, 2006 6:51 AMOH MY GOODNESS!!! It's GORGEOUS!!!! =D (And I'm not talking about the slug!)
Posted by: Margit at October 2, 2006 7:59 AMI love banana slugs! (I've even taught them, way back in 1998 or so...)
That yarn is lovely. I'm impressed. My drop-spindle efforts look like crap.
Posted by: Jo at October 2, 2006 9:44 AMDelurking to say that your handspun is gorgeous, and that slug gives me the shudders. Ick!
Posted by: Lily at October 2, 2006 10:37 AMThat yarn is beautiful. And that Banana Slug is ENMORMOUS. I love it. ^_^
Posted by: Elinor at October 2, 2006 3:34 PM