Kitties, handspun, meetings with knitters!

Well today was a big day knitting-wise. Last night (and early this morning) I plied my very first two hanks of handspun! (pictures later in this entry)

Today I went out to pick up my iPod from iPod camp (aka the Apple store) and then headed out to a bubble tea place to meet polarg from the knitty board. She had graciously offered me free stuffing for my knitted pumpkin because she had some from before. We chatted for a couple of hours and went to a nearby yarn shop to look around.

I also knitted a bit on the Britpop hat. It's for my friend Brit. Actually, Brit and I 'dated' when I was in middle school, and around that time I saw a T-shirt while shopping with a friend that said "I (heart) Britpop". Being young and stupid we didn't get that it was about the music at first, and she wanted me to buy it. I didn't. However, that very pointless story is why I'm calling the hat I'm making for Brit the Britpop hat.

I got home and started on the 2nd Friday Harbor sock from Knitting On the Road. I actually lived in Friday Harbor for a while as an undergrad while doing research. These socks have a long and sad history involving lost luggage, which I may have posted about sometime in July. Anyway, sock #2 is finally on the needles. New needles, and a new book. ;)

And now for the handspun. My very first handspun ever, on my new Kromski Symphony wheel. I'm definitely a double treadle girl and I looked at the Ashfords and wasn't crazy about their double treadle selection, so I went with this Kromski and I really like it so far.

So, last night I plied the handspun and learned something: While it may seem like a very good idea to spin until the bobbin is full, when you ply your yarn will be twice as big, and the plied yarn will not fit on a bobbin so you'll have to split it into two hanks. ;)

I set my yarn up in the living room all nice and ready to photograph, went into my bedroom to get my camera, and came back to find this:



After rescuing the yarn from the cat and rearranging it, here it is:



It's 'confetti' roving mostly silvery-white wool with some pink, blue, and yellow bits in it. I'm not super-crazy about the color, but it's good for practicing on. I'll admit without shame that I really don't know how to spin. I bought this wheel with less than an hour cumulative spinning time ever, and this is the first yarn I made. Not half bad in my opinion!