January Slump

I've been in a bit of a fiber arts slump so far this month. I have not spun every day, like I said I would. I am not making much knitting progress either. I'm sure I'll break out of it soon, though.

I did finally get my Harvest Moon spun and plied, though:

Harvest Moon Two-Ply

Super-fine merino, tussah silk, suri alpaca and Mongolian cashmere blend

plied with a strand of tussah silk.

100 grams, 330 yards, sportweight, about 17 wpi

Blended and dyed by Abby Franquemont.

I'm not thrilled with it. It is a little too loosely twisted and plied, I think. I could have done better by this lucious fiber. I'm also not sure I'm in love with the color. Spun up, it seems a bit muddy. I may overdye it.

And I'm half done with my latest pair of Trekking socks:

I was originally making these for my sister, but I decided to keep them for myself. I can't give up those colors! Laura will have to wait for the next pair, I guess.

New Year, New Post

I am still here, still knitting, just not posting too much. One of the reasons I've slacked off on the posting is because I've been making some Christmas presents, and of course, can't show pictures of those until after Christmas. Here's two of the finished presents:
Laura's Fair Isle Hat. Cascade 220 Wool and Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, all leftover partial skeins. I graphed out the big X pattern with the colors I had, then cast on for seven repeats, and made up the rest as I went. The brim is a twisted rib. It turned out a little big, so I hand-washed it, then threw it in the drier. It shrank just enough to fit my sister Laura, who has a big head. She really likes it, and has had it for a full week now without losing it. Yay!

Jeanette's Black Watch Diamond Socks. Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in Black Watch Colorway. 1x1 cuff, leg and instep a purl-stitch diamond pattern. Cuff-down, short-row heel and toe. Sorry about the bad pic, but I finished these the night before I had to give them to her, and couldn't get a good natural light photo. Last year I made her a vest using LL Swirl in the Black Watch colorway, so these are to match. They seem somewhat poofy at the ankle in the picture, but Jeanette reports that they fit her. I guess she also inherited our grandmother's cankles!

Here's what I'm knitting now, along with a Christmas present that did not get finished:

Trekking 100's socks. Zitron Trekking XXL, in the fabulous and cheerful colorway 100. Cuff down, short-row heel and toe with a 2x2 cuff and 6x2 leg and instep. I started these with the intention of giving them to Laura for her birthday, but she has seen them in progress and called them "fall-like". I'm not sure she deserves these spectacular colors!

Over at the knittyboard, some of the spinners there have made a resolution to spin every day in January. Coincidentally, I woke up this morning and realized exactly how long it's been since I did any spinning (over a month and a half!) and vowed to start up again this very day. So I hereby resolve to spin a little each day. I am also determined to do more weaving. I picked up some extra heddles for my loom last month, as well as some cotton yarn. I will report back soon on my progress there.

One final note: I got a sewing machine for Christmas! I need an idea about what to make to reacquaint myself with sewing, as I haven't done it since 8th grade! So, who's got an idea for a fun project I can start off with? Something small to get my feet wet, so to speak?