Spin.Knit.Kids.School.Repeat

So you want to spin...I can help a bit as long as it's on a wheel.  Spindling was not for me!  I have uber-respect for those who can do it, it just wasn't working for me.

So this is what you got when your roving showed up:

Start splitting the roving.  You can be as thick or thin as you want dependent on your desired finished product. This should start out pretty easy at first.  The roving will split easily in spots where it 'wants' to split.
Now you are ready to spin.
Fray the end of your lead on piece a bit then overlap the start off the fiber and the lead.  Let the twist take.  As you build up some twist, pull small amount out from the fiber end of the piece you are working on and then let the twist slip up this part.  This is drafting!
Keep this pattern up. Get some twist gathered up, slip a little of the fiber out, let the twist travel up, and let the bobbin take in the spun yarn.  You're spinning!

Now when you get about 6 inches from the end of your current piece you need to get a second piece ready to go.  Pull a bit of the fiber out of the next piece and lay it against the end of your previous piece.
Start spinning again and let the twist take in the new piece while continuing the drafting process.  Then you just keep going.

School has been a time hog lately!  I barely have time to do anything outside of the large format, lighting, and darkroom classes I'm taking right now.  I've been spinning away as well, so very little knitting time has occurred.  BUT...I do have a few udates to make as well as an info post for piing coming up soon!

Yup that's right.  April 1st we had snow and hail, so I cast on another pair of socks!  I cast on Cookie A.'s Monkey pattern.  It's a well loved pattern that I never even thought of making, since there are only 11,500(ish) pairs out there according to the Ravelry pattern pages. The pattern is free, published in Knitty.

Plus the April Sock Knitter's Anonymous group on Ravelry is having their Cookie A. month this month and we decided to have a side knit-a-long for "Monkey Virgins."  Only those who have never knit a pair of Monkeys qualify for the SKA Sockdown Challenge with Monkeys.

After scowering pictures of FO's on the project page I thought I wanted a mostly solid color, but then I found the perfect yarn and it just sort of clicked!

My "Like A (Monkey) Virgin" socks have been started! They are being knit in Sunshine Yarns Classic Sock in Red Queen.

The March instillation of the dreaded tally for 2010! 

Yarn In includes purchases and trades that came in.
Yarn Out includes finished objects, yarn I sold or traded out.
Limbo Yarn includes yarn that is currently being used.

So our starting total was: 120 skeins respectively
January = 132 skeins
February = 119
March =  127

Yarn In:
2 Rovings and one skein arrived that were purchased in February
1 = trades/gifted
15 = my purchases
(Plus 1 kit...but it's my birthday present, does it still count?)

Yarn Out:
3 = Finished Objects
6 = Sold / Traded / Gifted

Limbo Yarn:

- 21 of those are the Doomsday Bag
- 7 are the Wicked Sweater
- 2 are 2 pairs of socks
- 1 Montego Bay Scarf
- 1 Un-Birthday Hat
- 1 Butterbeer Citron
- 1 Owlings


End total: 119 (-9+17) =  127

Here's what it comes out to:

This was a gift in a swap from the dyer herself: Culture Pop! Self Striping Sock in Volterra:

Then we come to my own downfall:
Storied Yarns Merino Lace in Rose Hathaway, destined to become a lace shawl for my SIL's birthday in June:
And my Sunshine:
Mulberry Spice Classic:
And 2 skeins of Chocolate Plum Sunsilk:

 It's finished!  It's finally finished!  One knitolution officially completed!  I have conquered colorwork, steeking, and seaming!  Not to mention my first i-cord edging!

For more pics and notes check out my Ravelry Project page!