Thank you all for the concern and well wishes. We are all, thankfully, doing fine. We believe we've found a reliable mechanic (based on a couple testimonials from Leo's colleagues) and Stewie (the Element) is off to get fixed up.
It's weird sending your car off with a stranger. I am sure he thought I was insane but I decided to get shots of him and his vehicle and his plates, juuuuuuust in case he was a craze Element steeling maniac. You never know.
Between writing up my super secret Stitch Diva project and working on a couple other projects for a book, I've been putting El Matchador to work. Oooh baby.
While at the Fiber Frolic, I picked up 2 ounces of a cashmere and tussah silk blend from Fox Fire Fibers. This stuff is yum-ME (as in mememememememe give me more.) However, it is also a real challenge to spin. The silk fibers are substantially longer than the cashmere and, when spun from the end, all the silk gets drafted out first leaving a poof of cashmere.
I decided to try a 90 degree turn and see if that helped at all. Once again, spinning from the fold seems to have helped me coerce the fibers into submission. Instead of fibers flowing freely from the end, the folding seems to lightly link the fibers together, like those pop-up boxes of facial tissues. As fibers get drafted out, they bring more fibers with them. While the silk and cashmere may not have been perfectly distributed, with this method, they were far more so than when spinning from the end. That's as close to success as I can ask for.
The final yarn is luxurious and the color makes me positively hungry, it's so decadent.
Final Product
Content: Cashmere and Tussah Silk (quantities not specified)
Color: Summer Berries
From: Fox Fire Fibers
Quantity: 2 ounces/109 Yards
Singles: From the fold using a long draw technique
Plies: 3-ply using the Navajo plying method
WPI: Approximately 16
Results: The yarn is not perfect but I absolutely love it. The colors are rich and the feel is soft, silky and full of drape. I think this would make for a really fabulous hat, though if I had more, I'd gladly make a sweater from it. I'm curious to see how much the fabric pills and if the silk helps control that at all. The yarn bled substantially, when I washed the skein. I added just a touch of vinegar to the water, in hopes it might set the color a little more, but I can tell you, I won't be mixing this with any other yarn, in my finished knit piece, for fear of color contamination.
And in doggy news, guess what Leo got for the girls?
This will replace the small bed we keep in the Element (whenever he is back) to allow room for both girls to snuggle up. The old bed was fine for one dog or one adult and one baby puppy dog, but it's gotten quite cramped in there. We've been on the lookout for a replacement, since adopting Thea and finally found this one, here.
And hey, if we are ever homeless, this bed will be big enough for all 4 of us to sleep on.
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Comments (13)
That yarn is beautiful, and I'll bet it feels as good as it looks.
I'm new to your site, but you have lovely patterns, and adorable dogs.
Posted by Kristan | July 28, 2007 10:05 AM
Posted on July 28, 2007 10:05
That yarn looks gorgeous!
Those beds are supposed to last forever--I love that new bed feeling, Tahoe gets such a blissed out look on his face, and the all try to get on the new bed until it's just as grubby as the old beds.
Posted by Wendy | July 27, 2007 10:46 AM
Posted on July 27, 2007 10:46
Heck, I may get one of those beds for myself!
Posted by Peeve | July 26, 2007 3:29 PM
Posted on July 26, 2007 15:29
OMG! Has it been that long? You have a new baby?! I love the new yarn, looks perfect enough to me :)
Posted by Carol | July 26, 2007 1:03 PM
Posted on July 26, 2007 13:03
Hey Marnie (same D.S. from Amherst NH :)
Check out this month's Craft magazine. You might notice a... familiar concept on the cover...
Posted by Doug Smith | July 25, 2007 8:27 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 20:27
I haven't tried Foxfire yet, but obviously I'm going to have to soon! Looks beautiful.
Posted by --Deb | July 25, 2007 7:01 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 19:01
do you know how hard it is to knit cobweight alpaca when you're drooling on it?
very nice
(i'm doing MS3, only shrinking it a bit, lol)
Posted by minnie | July 25, 2007 6:52 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 18:52
Dang that looks like one comfy bed!
Posted by Laurie | July 25, 2007 3:32 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 15:32
*
Those are just the most fortunate dogs !!!
And they're gorgeous together - I love it.
*
Posted by dhyana rose | July 25, 2007 12:48 PM
Posted on July 25, 2007 12:48
Ha ha ha, I was thinking (as I started at the top of your post), man, that stuff would work better if spun from the fold... And there it was! You go girl!
Posted by June | July 25, 2007 8:50 AM
Posted on July 25, 2007 08:50
Wow, that looks so comfortable! We are searching for a good doggy bed for Bella - she gets restless on our bed.
Posted by Carrie | July 25, 2007 7:48 AM
Posted on July 25, 2007 07:48
What a comfy-looking bed! It's so nice to see the gals cuddling /playing together too.
Posted by Janice in GA | July 25, 2007 7:44 AM
Posted on July 25, 2007 07:44
Best wishes to Stewie for a full and speedy recovery! Summer berries is luscious! And the new bed- so comfy. I'm gonna check out that place for the doogles. :)
Posted by Nonnahs | July 25, 2007 7:43 AM
Posted on July 25, 2007 07:43