Green Means Go - Handspun SW Merino yarn

It's taken a little while but I've finished the yarn I was working on spinning from my own hand-dyed roving. I'm really pleased with the way this turned out!


"Green Means Go" is 179 yards of sport/fingering weight SW Merino 2-ply. So soft and squishy! I've just added it to Black Mustard Colorworks, since it's made from fiber I dyed myself. I'm really liking this color combination!

Next I'm going to try another single-ply yarn. I may start this evening after it cools down a little. Wish me luck!

My first single-ply yarn!

That's right, I finished my first singles yarn and I'm pretty proud of it! Ta-da!

I've been wanting to try making a single-ply yarn but I've put it off because I found it pretty intimidating. I know that to make a decent singles yarn you need to treadle slowly, and I tend to spin at quite a brisk pace. So I didn't know if I'd be able to achieve a nice low-twist yarn. But lately I've been working on being okay with making mistakes. Coaxing myself to try new things even if I can't be sure I'll do them well. I had just received some gorgeous BFL dyed by Kristin at All Spun Up on Etsy, and I couldn't wait to spin it. The colors are quite dark and they're over-dyed on ecru and natural brown mixed BFL so I thought it would be a good fit for a single-ply yarn. I had a feeling that using this for a 2-ply might muddy the colors a bit. Here's a picture of the roving (borrowed from the Etsy listing).

The stars aligned and I managed to produce a yarn that I'm really happy with, especially for my first try. Don't get me wrong - I still love a good squishy, sproingy 2 ply. But I can't believe how soft and fuzzy this yarn is! And it symbolizes a personal triumph for me - I conquered my inner perfectionist who normally would've chickened out. And especially with such gorgeous fiber - I admit I was a little reluctant to risk ruining it. But I pushed on anyway and I'm so glad I did!

Considering it's my first single-ply and the colors are completely "my" colors, I think I'm going to keep this one. This is the first yarn I've spun that I really can't quite bear to part with. It's hard to imagine it with the heat we've been having but I think I'll make a pair of mittens for winter. I want to make something that makes use of the fluffiness of the yarn. And it only gets cold enough for full on mittens a few times a year where I live, so I'm thinking they'll last me forever! I'll be sure to post pictures of them once they're done (probably in the Fall).

I can't wait to try another singles yarn! I'm pretty excited about this so you may see a few singles skeins in my shop soon (although I also just finished the 2-ply SW Merino I've been working on, which will be hitting Black Mustard Colorworks tomorrow). I think I'll make a few more that are pretty uniform in thickness like this one until I get comfortable with the speed, and then I'd like to try to spin a nice even slubby thick-and-thin singles yarn. Wish me luck!

Old Flame - Handspun SW Merino yarn

Well, it's been a little while since I've posted anything new, but it's not because I've been slacking off. I've been planning and working on some great spring wear coming soon to the Etsy shop, and I've been doing lots of spinning! Here's the newest yarn off the wheel, which will be added to the shop tomorrow.

"Old Flame" is SW Merino, DK weight, and incredibly soft and squishy. I love these firey colors, and there is a wonderful play between dark and light in this yarn.

Here's the roving, dyed by Ginny of FatCatKnits on Etsy. I'm a big fan of her colorways, and the fiber is beautifully prepped!

Golden Slumbers - Handspun SW Merino yarn

My newest yarn sold in absolute record time in my Etsy shop, thanks to my having posted pictures on Ravelry. Thanks Ravelry! I thought I'd share photos here because I was really pleased with the way this yarn turned out.



I called this yarn "Golden Slumbers" because the colors remind me of snowy, sleeping woods (and because I love that song). I ended up with 195 yards of fingering weight SW Merino, weighing in at 4oz.

The roving came once again from Kristin of All Spun Up on Etsy. Her colors and fiber never disappoint, and this was no exception. I absolutely loved spinning this yarn!

Chiller - Handspun Merino yarn

I've added a new handspun yarn to my Etsy shop this evening. It's 175 yards, 4.1 oz of super sproingy Merino. I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

While I was watching the colors swirl together, the name "Chiller" popped into my head and I couldn't think of anything more fitting. The colors by themselves are quite bright but there is just enough dark tones of grey and brown to mellow out the colors without turning the yarn "muddy". This is a very relaxed yarn.

The roving is from Sheepish Creations on Etsy. This was the first I've bought from her and it was amazing to spin. Drafted like butter and the colors of course are gorgeous. I will definitely be going back for more!

Be Mine - Handspun BFL yarn

I've just updated my Etsy shop with brand new handspun yarn, in loverly Valentines shades of pink, red and purple. "Be Mine" is 168 of silky soft BFL goodness.

The roving was dyed by the very talented Lynne at Knitopia / West Coast Colour. If you live locally you should definitely check out her store - it is an oasis of wonderful yarns and hand dyed fiber, located in downtown Langley. I also bought another batch of this colorway for my mom for Christmas, so I can't wait to see how hers turns out!

Polaris - Handspun Merino yarn

I've just listed a brand new handspun yarn in my Etsy shop. "Polaris" is 188 yards of the squishiest sport weight Merino.

I absolutely love the way this yarn turned out. Blues aren't normally "my colors" but they sure are soothing to spin. And the way the predominantly cool blues and purples are balanced with warm flashes of yellow and brown.

The roving was dyed by the amazing Kristin of All Spun Up on Etsy. As always it was a joy to spin, perfectly prepped with deep, vivid tones. Here is a picture, borrowed from the original listing.

Cafe au Lait - Handspun Falkland wool yarn

Well, my poor little blog has been a bit neglected lately... With Christmas coming I've found the days slipping away more quickly than usual. Happily today I listed a new handspun yarn in my Etsy shop. I named it "Cafe au Lait" because it reminded me so much of the yarn I used for these gloves. This one is 133 yards of squishy worsted weight Falkland 2 ply.

"Cafe au Lait"

The roving was purchased from FatCatKnits on Etsy. This was my first time spinning Falkland and I must say I loved it! It was very well-prepped fiber and I'm a sucker for browns so I really loved watching the colors swirl together. I will definitely be popping back into this Etsy shop from time to time for more fiber!

Be sure to check in tomorrow for Etsy Monday!

Afterglow - Handspun Superfine Merino yarn

I finally finished my fiber from the 2nd All Spun Up spin-a-long. A little behind this time around, since I've been knitting away so furiously over the last couple of months. I love the way this yarn turned out - I had a hard time deciding to list it in my Etsy shop!

"Afterglow" is 184 yards of 2 ply DK-light worsted weight handspun. The fiber was dyed by Kristin of AllSpunUp on Etsy. As always, the colors are incredible, and the Superfine Merino was a joy to spin. The yarn is soft, spring and super squishy!

Snowscape - Handspun Alpaca Merino Silk yarn

I've had a bit of a dry spell for spinning, having been focused on knitting lots of warm Fall accessories for my Etsy shop. My goal is to finish one new yarn each week, starting tonight. I just added another new yarn to the shop, and it's a beauty! "Snowscape" is a luxurious blend of Alpaca, Merino and Silk that is so soft and has a beautiful drape. 125 yards of 2 ply sport weight.

I love the colors in this yarn. Light greys, golds and pinks mix with lots of natural white to create a dreamy winter soft palette. Ths Alpaca also lends a beautiful halo to the yarn that accentuates its delicate beauty.

I bought the roving for this yarn from Erica of Squoosh on Etsy. She also dyed the fiber for the equally dreamy Castle in the Clouds yarn. I love the way she leaves a good amount of white in a lot of her rovings, which creates a beautiful pastel effect. Here's the roving (photo borrowed from listing).

Spectrum - Handspun Corriedale yarn

I've just listed another new yarn in my Etsy shop. "Spectrum" is 185 yards of soft and squishy Corriedale in the most beautiful muted rainbow colors.

This was my first time spinning Corriedale, and I really liked it! It's slightly less sproingy than Merino, but still very soft and has a lovely drape.

Here's the roving, purchased from Spindlefrog on Etsy. I love the colors she uses - her shop is a constant source of temptation for me. I bought another roving in similar colors to this one, but it's a BFL/Mohair blend. That will be shoving its way up in the line for my wheel for sure!

Bitten - Handspun SW Merino yarn

I've just added my newest handspun yarn to my Etsy shop. The colors remind me equally of a venomous snake bite and the plum tree in my yard that is heavy with ripe purple plums.

"Bitten" is 266 yards of squishy SW Merino.

The roving was purchased from Allie of Dyingtoknit on Etsy. This was apparently one of her first dye jobs - she's a pretty talented young lady! And she's only 15 years old! Someone has a promising career in the fiber world ahead of her.

Enchanted - Handspun Merino Alpaca Yarn

I've been away for about a week - camping in beautiful Tofino and Bamfield, BC. I will have pictures to post soon! I had an amazing time, but I sure missed my spinning wheel - I spent more quality time with Goliath than any other member of my multi-species family the first night I got home! Here's my latest handspun, once again a scrumptious SW Merino/Alpaca blend dyed by Kristin of AllSpunUp.

"Enchanted" 182 yards, 3.8 oz

The colors kind of remind me of the ones in "Neptune's Dream" - rich blues, greens and gold. But this time they are over-dyed on heathered grey Alpaca, creating a warm, subdued pallet that I just love.

Castle in the Clouds - BFL Handspun yarn

Well, my newest handspun yarn sold in my Etsy shop in record time. Thanks to a lovely repeat customer, it was snapped up within about 10 minutes! Still, I couldn't resist posting a few pictures of it because I was really pleased with how the shots turned out, as well as with the yarn itself.

"Castle in the Clouds" is 160 yards of the softest BFL around.

I love BFL, and this really was some amazing fiber. The previous rovings I've bought have been smooth and lustrous, but not really fuzzy soft. This one was all that - check out that gorgeous halo. So soft! As soon as I first squished the roving in my hands, I knew it was going to be amazing.

The roving was purchased from Squoosh on Etsy. I was surprised how pale the colors turned out. I wasn't expecting that, but I really love the way it ended up. One of the funnest parts of spinning for me has been seeing the transformation from roving to yarn. Quite often it's a pleasant surprise! Here's the roving:

I've got another one of her rovings on the way. It's Alpaca/Merino/Silk in earth tones. I cannot wait to see it!

Spin-A-Long fun!

I have finished spinning my yarn for the AllSpunUp spin-a-long! How it worked is that a number of people signed up to purchase fiber dyed in the same colorway and then we'll all spin them up and share the pictures. It will be very interesting to see how the same fiber in the same colors will undoubtedly produce different effects with each spinner.

Here's mine - "Neptune's Dream" 80% Merino, 20% Silk, 100% gorgeous! Kristin really out-did herself with these colors.

This blend is heavenly to spin and the yarn is so soft, with a bit of shine from the silk. I am so happy with the way it turned out. It should create a striped effect when it's knitted up, with fairly prominent solid aqua and navy stripes separated by the blended yellow/orange/brown bits. It was very interesting to spin it, and I hope someone will find it just as fun to knit with. That's right, it's for sale in my Etsy shop!


This is what the original roving looked like. Isn't it lovely? I can't wait to see all the other yarns, and I sure hope she does another one of these soon!

Earth Child - Merino Alpaca handspun yarn

Well, it's been a while. Pemberton was an interesting experience - after getting caught in the Airport snag on the Thursday night, I decided to defect and head home early on Friday. I caught a Greyhound bus and got home by about 9pm. I just didn't relish the idea of spending another 3 days in chaos. I know, I know. The music was amazing. But you know what? Having gotten swept up in all the hype of the festival, I never really stopped to ask myself if any of these bands were all that high on my list of favorites. It's too bad it was a lesson that cost me over $300, but I think I made the right decision. The rest of the weekend I experienced a lot of cool coincidences, connections with great people, etc. that lead me to think I way wise to head home when I did.

Anyway, I'm back to my spinning, after having hurt my wrist fairly bad and having to hold off for a couple weeks. Man, did I miss it! The fiber I chose to get back into it was perfect! It's 70% SW Merino, 30% Alpaca, dyed by the incredible Kristin of AllSpunUp on Etsy.

"Earth Child" 224 yards, 4oz - available in my Etsy shop now!

I am so happy with how this yarn turned out! Besides the fact that these are "my colors", this fiber blend spins up soooo soft and squishy.

Here's a picture of the roving (borrowed from the listing). Any spinners out there - I suggest you check out Kristin's shop asap. She really is amazing with color.

Dappled - SW Merino handspun yarn

I have just added this yarn to my Etsy shop today. "Dappled" is 185 yards of 100% Superwash Merino goodness.

It was spun from gorgeous hand-dyed AllSpunUp roving. After the last yarn I spun, which took quite a long time to finish, I wanted a quick and soothing spin. This roving was a dream to work with, and I love how the colors turned out!

Plaything - Merino handspun yarn

I have just added this yarn to my Etsy shop tonight. "Plaything" is 235 yards of 100% Merino yumminess.

It was spun from the FreckleFaceFibers roving I mentioned a few days ago. Finished it a little later than I'd hoped, what with the spinning workshop and hanging out with my mom, who was staying with me for a week or so. But, it's in the shop now and I'm quite happy with the way it turned out!

Back in business, baby!

So, I went to check the mail the morning and found 2 beautiful, bouncing rovings waiting for me! Can we guess what I'll be doing today???

This one is from Squoosh on Etsy, cloud soft BFL in the "Testament" colorway.

And this one, from FatCatKnits (also on Etsy), squishy Falkland combed top in "Roadside Slush". It's too soon to say, but I just might have to keep the yarn from this one... I'm a sucker for brown and the shades in this roving are incredible - from natural to chocolate, golden amber to burnt maroon - so gorgeous!

Here's a sneak peak at the yarn I've been spinning from this FreckleFaceFibers roving - Handpainted Merino in "Spring Fling".

Since Goliath only has one bobbin (which, by the way, does not make him any less of a man), I have to wind each single into a centerpull ball before I can ply them. This is the first half. The other one will be done today, and the yarn plied and washed. Hopefully I will have the finished product available in my shop tomorrow!