Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Naughty Knitting Alert!

So shhhh, I should be beavering away on the Sweater of Doom...but I cast on for some naughty knitting this week, I am knitting a Clapotis in some silk garden that was a sweater!

I have been practicing my navaho or chain plying...yes I know I've almost been spinning for 3 years this June but when I started out I had one horrific attempt at navaho and hated it.
The trouble is my dear friend Jill in Canada sent me this:

It's Karaoke merino/soy and it really screams CHAIN PLY ME, just to stop all those beautiful bright colours from muddying up. So I did a couple of practice bits, and then I did this:






This is some bright merino or BFL I had lying around, infact it was almost ugly fibre and I was just keeping it out of the shop, because I didn't think it would sell, but spinning it almost prettied it up a bit! My first 100g skein of navaho....it's not perfect, but it is actually balanced and I feel alright about it.

7 comments:

peahen said...

I've always loved navajo plying. I like the way it looks, the way it intensifies colour and it seems to end up looking more consistent. It's more labour-intensive for me, though, because somehow I've not managed to develop a smooth enough action to be able to keep the wheel spinning (I let the wheel stop while I pull the next bit through) and you have to spin more single yarn (1.5 times as much). It's perfect for the roving your freind sent you and the skein you've made looks great.

Marianne said...

Wow. It's beautiful! and you did a fantastic plying! I haven't even attempted navajo plying yet and although I do love the way it looks.. that 'takes 1.5 times singles' to get you there... one of these days.
XOX

Rosie said...

That looks really striking. I'll wait 'til I'm more confident at spinning before I get adventurous with my plying.

picperfic said...

it really looks lovely Jo, I am totally hooked on chain plying, I love the way it separates colours

Anonymous said...

I'm such a press whore!

I believe I waved my arms over my head and went "ahhh" when I saw my name on your blog. (My sitting down version of a happy dance)

I heart you. Lots.

Bobbi said...

Love the colours!

angie said...

oh I so want a wheel so I can try all these things out. Your Navaho plying looks wonderful and the yarn too. Well done for mastering it!