Hello, friends. Are you warm enough where you are? We got some snow yesterday so I’m looking forward to going out for my walk later today. I’ve been knitting a lot lately because I’ve been anxious about what’s happening today here in the US. It’s always helpful to keep my hands busy when I have so much nervous energy!
In the last week, I have finished two projects and started another. I’ve also renewed my energy around handspinning. Keep reading to see how I’ve been staying busy!
Last week I finished my January sock club project:
These socks were knit up from a single skein of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport, which is 57 grams of fiber. I’ve had this yarn for at least 15 years so it felt really good to actually use it. These socks feel extra warm and delicious!
I was delighted by how much sock this single skein made and was emboldened to try knitting socks with even less yarn. I pulled out the leftovers from the socks I finished at the beginning of the year and weighed it. 40 grams of finger weight Snallygaster Fibers. I divided that ball in half and got to knitting. Yesterday I finished the first sock:
Not too bad! I am so pleased that I’m going to have enough leftover for a second pair of socks. These shorties will be perfect for the warmer months.
I also finally put the finishing touches on my Travelers Cowl:
Some of you might remember that the purple yarn was gifted to me by Sarah last year. It is handspun and so gorgeous! My surprise package arrived just before Andrea Mowry released this pattern, which is friendly to handspun yarn. It was a match made in heaven! I knit the large size and ran out of yarn, so used the leftover contrasting yarn from my Junction Sweater (which I’m wearing in the second picture). I LOVE how it turned out and was so glad that I finally seamed up the back that I wore it all weekend. This style is so wonderful – it wears like a shawl but you don’t have to worry about it falling off. It’s been great. And thank you, Sarah, for the beautiful yarn. I love it!!
And finally, I have revived last year’s goal of learning to spin:
It’s not going well. I’m trying to spend 10 minutes a day practicing and have yet to actually put any twist into the fiber. When I flick the spindle the fiber turns onto the shaft without actually putting twist in it. I watched several tutorials over the weekend and am still unsure what I’m doing wrong. I imagine it has something to do with how I’m holding the fiber? I’m feeling optimistic right now and will keep trying.
This process has been especially hard on my ego because I tend to learn things very quickly. The fact that I’ve been fumbling around with this so much is kind of embarrassing. But I’m trying to be more honest and vulnerable in general, so here I am. Failing!!
I’m still in the process of trying to figure out what I can do to make some sort of difference in the next four years. If anyone has identified anything for themselves, would you be willing to share in the comments? I’d love some fresh ideas.
Take good care of yourself this week.
The Cozy Burrow 
…I so remember watching the last ‘inauguration’ in the PP4 Conference Room…still in disbelief. (And yes, still in disbelief.) Have a great walk and enjoy your spinning–am sure it will come!
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I remember watching it with you, too. I spent those four years saying that I couldn’t believe he was president and now I’m doing it again.
Also — where are your offices now? I noticed that the Pleasant St location is being used for a different program now.
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Admin is at 29 School Street now — right down town. And I’m at home…;-)
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Look at those socks! and the cowl looks scrumptious – I love the shape! I’ve had yarn to knit a shift cowl for years and need to just do it (thank you for the reminder). I’m continuing the common sense gun work I started in 2021 and planning to get involved with the local school board to ensure gun violence and book banning stay out of our schools. Of course where I live and where you live are so different….
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Thank you, Mary! I am so in love with this cowl!! I love the action you’re taking. I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t think I’m brave enough to do that!
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This post is full of fun things! Your sock experiments are just so intriguing! If you continue to struggle, I would be happy to try and zoom with you at your convenience to see if I can’t help you get going. I have a supported spindle as well, so perhaps by doing it “with” someone things will click! (and you could see how I hold the fiber in my hands!) Drafting … the area of the fiber between where you are holding the fiber and the top of your spindle… is the trickiest part of spinning. I have faith that you can do it!
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Thank you so much, Kat. I really appreciate your offer of help and the videos you sent me. I’m still watching a couple of videos a day and hoping that something will click. And I’ve been taking out my spindle a couple of times a day and flicking it a few times, trying to get used to it!!
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Good for you for trying something new and sharing about it. Your socks are beautiful. My knitting experiment lasted about a month and then I put it down. I’d still like to try it again sometime though. Not giving up entirely. I’m in complete denial about politics right now. Not a great place to be but that’s where I am at the moment.
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Thank you, Laila. I’m really struggling with the spindle spinning!! I hope you will give knitting another try – it is tricky at first but I think you’ll love it once it clicks. And I hear you about being in denial… I think it’s an okay place to be right now because this is really hard to take!!
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Your sock knitting is so much fun. I taught myself to spin by using a drop spindle and several videos. I began with a method called “park and draft.” I never did get very proficient with supported spindle spinning. I think it’s harder but that could just be me. The book, “Respect the Spindle” was helpful. I believe the woman who wrote the book has some Youtube videos also. I also found that BFL fiber was the easiest to draft and spin. Some fibers are harder to spin than others and some have a direction. I finally quite worrying about “ruining” good fiber and bought some nice BFL. I hope some of these ideas might help.
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Jane, thank you for all of this advice! I think you’re right about supported spindling being more difficult – it’s what a lot of people are telling me. I have two supported spindles and don’t really want to spend more money but think I will be buying a drop spindle before too long. Because this is just not clicking for me!!
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I’m a fairly proficient spinner but have never used a supported spindle – my guess is that you have to both apply the twist and draft at the same time with your hand. I started with a top-whorl drop spindle and I think that is easier! It’s kind of like riding a bike, at some point it will click and you’ll be good forever 🙂 I love your cowl, what a brilliant design.
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Thank you so much for your encouragement, Sarah. I think I’m going to be buying a drop spindle soon because that seems like a much better place to start!
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