I got out my wheel yesterday and decided to start spinning up a huge bag of pencil roving that I bought last fall.  Thanks to advice from Ashley at Enchanted Yarn and Fiber, I got my brake band replaced and now spinning is back to being a pleasure!  I can’t wait to spin up the gorgeous merino that I picked up at their shop!  (I’m practicing up on my older roving, so that I can do justice to the beautiful stuff I got from them!)

I think I’m hooked… erm, re-addicted(?)

So, let’s talk fiber…

An unlikely couple, huh?  Well let me just show you what stunning results you get when these two get together…

GORGEOUS!  This lovely fiber is Plymouth Yarn’s Royal Llama Silk (color 1241), which recently came in stock at the Neighborhood Knit Shop.  While I realize it’s not a new yarn (it came out autumn 2007), I still thought it warranted mention here — not only because I’m really loving it, but also because llama fiber just doesn’t get much attention.  This isn’t a yarn that I would have ever picked out on my own, had I not seen it at the shop and (more importantly) touched it.

At first glance when you see this yarn on the shelf, it looks woolen and tweedy and quite honestly like it would be extremely scratchy and unpleasant.  Looks are extremely deceptive in this case, though, and I think part of the reason I had to purchase this yarn was due entirely to the “Wow!” moment I experienced when I picked up a hank.  It feels nothing like it appears.  It’s shockingly soft and and slightly-slick (from the substantial silk content).  Even in an unrolled hank, it drapes beautifully.  (There’s a great full review of this yarn on Knitter’s Review.)

Last night, I cast on this cute v-neck top that was specifically designed for this yarn.  The pattern begins with the back-piece, starting with 2 inches of 1×1 ribbing, then stockinette.

I’ve been enjoying every inch of knitting with this yarn so far!  After having worked with sport weight yarn on US size 2 needles for the baby set I just finished, switching over to this aran weight (and US 6 and 8 needles) feels fabulous on my hands.

The fabric that’s being created doesn’t have the best stitch definition, so I wouldn’t use it for a project with cables or a lot of detail.  However, in solid stockinette, it’s perfect because the slubs in the silk create a tweedy texture and really add a lot of interest to what otherwise would be a very plain garment.

I have this idea in my head that I’d like to finish this top in time for my trip home to Pennsylvania next month.  Not sure if I can do it — and not sure if there’s even a point, being that it will probably be too hot to wear it — but it’s worth a shot!

This sweater set is a gift for my friends Dave and Janessa, who are expecting their first baby, Lukas, very soon.  I’m going home for a visit mid-July so I’m hoping I can get it to them before he arrives (or shortly after!).

Pattern: Little Bubbles Baby Kit (”blue kit”) from KnitPicks
Yarn: KnitPicks Comfy Sport (included in kit)

I started this project on June 10th and wrapped today, June 14th.  I knit the cardigan first, then the hat, and finally the “moon boot” booties.  I didn’t work especially diligently on it, so I think that two weeks is a remarkably short time considering how little I worked on it each day. (Or more like every few days.)  So this kit certainly scores big points for knitting up fast for last-minute gifting!

I’m so pleased with the little turtle-buttons.  They’re so cute!  Plus, I went with a theme: in addition to the sweater set, I also got all the materials and had my mom sew a turtle baby quilt for them.  Come to think of it, I really hope D & J like turtles… hm.

One place I screwed up was the length of the body of the cardigan.  There was errata for the pattern, and I didn’t bother to look it up.  The pattern says to knit 0.5-inches using the main color (that light teal) before beginning the 1-row stripes.  I did just that.  Turns out, I should have knitted for 1.5-inches.  Whoops.  So it’s an inch short.  But it’s not as though the baby won’t have a shirt on underneath, so hopefully it will still be okay.

If were to knit this over (which I probably will, eventually, because I also bought the neutral-colors kit), there’s a couple things I’d change:

(1) I’d make the garter stitch edge on the bottom of the sweater, the cuffs, and the edge of the hat wider.  The sweater and hat wants to curl so badly because the garter edge isn’t wide enough.  I’m sure it will block out flat, but after the first time it’s washed… honestly, who’s going to block baby clothes every time they wash them?

(2) I’m going to figure out how to knit the “moon boots” (too cute) in the round as opposed to flat.  Seaming the back irritated the heck out of me.

… Oh yah, and follow the errata so that the sweater is the right length next time.

Seriously though, for $13.99 (!) it’s a great kit and I think it’s going to be a great gift.