First and second

I recently finished spinning up my first laceweight, and I must admit to being fairly pleased with myself, if only because I proved I still know how to do 2 ply.

This multicolored merino made its way into my stash when I first started spinning, but I could never figure out what I wanted to do with it. When I decided to try my hand at spinning laceweight, this was the first fiber that came to mind. I thought it would make a nice heathery yarn, and so it did.

Fiber: Ashland Bay multicolor merino, "Forest"
2 ply
1600 yards
209 grams

Since I normally spin sock yarn, I'm used to adding a lot of twist when I spin. I wanted this yarn to be softly spun, though, so I had to give it a little thought before I started. In the end I decided to back down one notch from my smallest (fastest) whorl and go for it, and I'll be damned if it didn't work. The yarn is soft and squishy. Is it perfect lace yarn? No, certainly not. Is it good enough for me? Oh yes. I will admit, however, that at certain points I didn't think I'd make it through all the plying. For the first time I wished for an electric spinner to help move things along.

I also got some socks off the needles last week.

Pattern: Thelonious, by Cookie A.
Yarn: Brooks Farm Acero
Needles: 2.00 mm DPNs

This pattern is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, this is the second time I've knit it. Both times I made them for other people, and yet I would still like a pair for myself. Can I bring myself to knit the same pattern three times? The answer is probably "yes."

I'm still trying to get photos of the Professor's his birthday present, but confound the man, he keeps wearing it. (And he normally doesn't come home until well after dark—a terrible time for getting good photos.) I would really like to get shots with him modeling it, but he seems down on the idea. Still, he does read this blog, and if he sees comments from people stating how much they would like to see him wearing his birthday gift, he might succumb to peer pressure. It's an idea, anyway.