Getting caught up: the knitting and spinning entry...

So, I promised pictures and I promised I'd post and try to get caught up. I figure it might be easier to do so if I break it down into a few posts so I don't have to use every tag under the sun to categorize one long post.

Let's start with all things yarn related...a very good place to start. :)

First, I finished my first Hooha sock and have turned the heel on the second...

It is a) very hard to take a picture of your own foot from an angle conducive to seeing the details of a patterned sock, especially with a 50mm lens that you are too lazy to change out for a different one that would allow better picture taking and b) the pattern in this sock, while adding a nice texture to it, is subtle enough that the variegation of the yarn makes it hard to see anyway, but it's a little easier on the sock blocker, so here's a second picture of the Hooha sock on the sock blocker...


Next, I mentioned earlier that I'm participating in the Tour de Fleece. Now for the pictures...here's the roving I'm using, sitting prettily by the spindle I'm using (which I actually purchased some months ago from the one and only Amy Singer when she was purging her goods...how cool is that?)...

And here's my first finished product of actual spun and plied yarn -- classification: irregularly bulky...

And this is what a skein (skeinette?) of a whopping 9 yards of handspun looks like after the twist has been set and it's been fondled and oohed over by its maker...

And while 9 yards doesn't sound like much (figure I had to actually spin 18 yards in order to get 9 plied yards...so, that's much different, right? LOL), it IS enough to put in one row on my Swiftly Turning Afghan, which is coming along beautifully...

Who knew that a garter stitch afghan could be so satisfying to make and pretty to look at?

I love how the colors come together, and how the different weight yarns create such a unique and pleasing texture...


The idea of trying to add my own homespun to this project came after I set out looking for some of Cosy's hand-dyed homespun to add to it since I only had commercial yarns for it when I started. Nothing would have been wrong with that, but I love being able to use yarns that are singular in their character. Actually, Cosy's yarn is what is featured on the swift in my new blog banner up above -- aren't the colors just incredible? Here's another picture of Cosy's handiwork...


Another recent finished project is a purse I made for my niece for her birthday...here it is being modeled by my girlie...

And here's a shot of the best part of it, I think...the flame lining, LOL...

...for which I actually had to pull out my sewing machine...

Can't remember the last time I used it. I always feel so Suzy Homemaker when I sew. :}

In other projects, I'm still working on a baby sweater I should have finished months ago (yes, making it a 12 month size so at least the baby in question won't have outgrown it by the time she gets it!). And I'm taking part in an afghan square swap with one of my Ravelry groups, so I'm working on my first square for that and have it about half done.

So, so many other projects I want to be working on, and so many more I need to work on for gifts. Just not enough time in the day to get to them all!