Saturday, February 27, 2010

Mission Accomplished (part 2)

I am so excited that I signed up for two groups in Ravelry. I was starting to get a tightness in my chest thinking about working and trying to knit a scarf, spin eight ounces of unknown fiber and then knit a cowl with it. I don't usually set deadlines for projects but for the Ravelympics that was required. You cast on during opening ceremonies and then have everything done by closing ceremonies.

This is my second time doing something for the winter Olympics. The first one was this. I was so excited that I made it! I gave it away but it was still such a thrill for a pretty new knitter. I thought I had been knitting longer than what I thought, but guess not. So I think that I should make this an event from here on in every time there is a winter Olympics whether or not it's with a group like Yarn Harlot formed or Ravelry. Either way, it is a challenge either with time or a skill. Fun, fun!

My second challenge was to spin a declared fiber and then knit it into something.
I picked a project and then tried my best to match the type of yarn the original pattern was knit in. It was sock yarn. I have never tried to spin that small before so this was a challenge for me. I bought a tool months back that would help me gauge how thick I was spinning. It's such a basic tool, but it did the trick when the directions were read and followed. Yes, I followed the directions. You know that is so unlike me but this was the Ravelympics you know!

The tool that was used to help me gauge my spinning is called a WPI Tool Kit. It's such a simple concept and works like a very basic charm. This my first time using the tool. When using the tool, you wrap the yarn around and around to measure an inch. There are four one inch marks on the tool. Then there is a card the helps you determine what kind of yarn you have just spun. I was shooting for 15-18 wpi (wraps per inch). That category is called sport yarn. I managed to get 12 wpi. I thought I was going small but guess it wasn't quite small enough. I still need way more practice getting small. I have heard from other spinners that once you've gone small, it's hard to make fatter yarn.

So I got 412 yards from the eight ounce of roving. It was WAY more yarn than what I needed to make the Good Luck Cowl. The most important part is that I finished it! My assessment is that I need to spin a wee bit tighter and this roving wasn't really the perfect yarn for this project but it turned out okay.

While I was knitting it I started to get panicky. It was looking kind of small. When I cast off I ran into the bathroom and tried it on. It fit. I have a short neck thank goodness? So it's done and now it needs to be wet and blocked. Here is my favorite model showing it off.

So with my finished Robin's Blue Egg Hat and now my newly completed Good Luck Cowl, I am ready for the snow they are predicting this week. Oh, goody!






11 comments:

Tracy Batchelder said...

Enjoy wearing your hand-spun, hand-knit cowl. It's very pretty!

Ria said...

Both projects look great!!

vlb5757 said...

Wool Winder-Thanks. I have been wearing it already. I couldn't even wait. I have not washed or blocked it and it works just fine. I still have a ton of the yarn left. Just don't know what to do with it.

Ria-Thanks. I hope that you are going to MS&W this year. We can meet up and chat.

rohanknitter said...

That is really beautiful!!!

vlb5757 said...

Hey there rohanknitter! How are you doing with that new hip? Have missed seeing you post. I hope you are feeling up to speed again.

Susan Luni said...

Congrats on that! You've had a successful olympics.

vlb5757 said...

I next Olympics I will try to challenge myself with one project and make it something much harder. I am hoping to learn new things this year!

Sharon said...

Great work on both of them Vickie! I especially like that unusual hat with the button - very clever.

vlb5757 said...

I sure wish I could take credit for the hat. It's a pattern from Ravelry. Seems it's very popular! I have seen it everywhere all of a sudden. It was super easy to knit. I might have to knit a few more for charity.

Anonymous said...

It's just beautiful!

vlb5757 said...

Thanks, I had a great time making it. I am looking into cabled baby hats right now to keep honing my cable skills. I just like the way they look. Make everyone who is not a knitter think you have knocked yourself out making that item. If they only knew!