Saturday, May 27, 2006

 

Under Wraps


I'm working on two "secret projects" so there won't be a lot of photographic evidence of any sort of knittage or spinnery in the next couple of days. I should be finished by Tuesday. I hope.

(Of course I've just found something I should have mailed out about six or eight months ago, over which I'm dying of embarrassment, so "Tuesday" may well be a sort of flexible concept. Bah! Consistency is for the weak! And, apparently, for the reliable. Shut up.)

Stealth-blogging from work here, as I've taken on a couple of extra shifts at my "other" job this weekend. Partially because I am a glutton for punishment, partially because it's almost the only place I can get any knitting done (after 9pm this is a very slack shift) and partially because my husband, who happens to have a 54" chest, would like me to make him a sweater of the merino/tussah I've been spinning. It would seem that I'm a process spinner as well as a process knitter, so I don't have the slightest qualms giving the fibre up for this, however with his size I'm going to need at least another three pounds of it, and it's ... um ... not cheap. I figure at the rate I spin, and at the rate I knit, the dude's going to get himself a $1200 sweater out of this.

I don't know if I can spin quite that much, but this stuff is heaven, and Stephanie has informed me that the first 1400 yards or so are fun. After that it sort of blows goats but by that time you can't really give up so you might as well just do it.

The spinning. Not the blowing of the goats. If you're doing that, please don't tell me.

She and I have also discussed that we should have chosen smaller mates. If Ben ends up running away with the base operator at work (the female one, not that guy who was answering the phone tonight), I'm going to abandon this sweater and look for a far, far smaller person to spend my time with. Possibly one with only one arm, or a penchant for sleeveless sweaters or little short tank tops.

Or headbands.

Hey, who wants to place bets on whether I finish Ben's sweater or she finishes Joe's famous gansey first? Please note that she has a couple of years on me in the spinning of the wool, but I'm not on a mad book tour here. I think I have a chance.

No, rilly.

Comments:
It is a tough call whether you are Stephanie will finish your spouses gansey's first. She has what a 2 yr head start on you. It may be close, is all of your fibre carded and ready to spin or do you need to wash it and prep it first. That can take a lot of time (not that I spin I only knit).
 
You both, are clearly, delusional. I will never spin a sweater's worth of anything. It's scarves and hats and mittens, oh my.

Have a happy sunday working your a** off lady.
 
Talk to Rams. If you've got a goal or deadline associated with this, she's the woman to nag, um, keep you on track.
 
My man is 6'4" (193 cm, for the metric inclined). I'm making him a sweater that's 26" (66 cm) wide. It's *not* made from handspun. I always tell him, "My next husband is going to be a much smaller man."
 
Oh for the sake of all that is wooly, Rachel, don't invoke the name of the dreaded Rams! She scares me ...

And Teresa, all of the wool will be ready to spin, someone else produces this luscious stuff, however only a very small portion of it has even been purchased, which might set my plans back a little.
 
I think you've got a pretty good chance. Remember that she's also got about ten billion babies to knit for.
 
Go for it. Here's my tip...don't let hubby know that you're spinning/knitting a sweater for him. Since mine doesn't notice any particulars about fiber, I could just work away on it right in front of him. And yes, he was still surprised when it turned out to be his!
 
I've got dibs on Mini Me (Vern Troyer) from Austin Powers. I could make him a sweater a day!
 
My zaftig hubby has his obligatory handknit sweater. I baled and had my mom knit it, because being "retired" she has time for it.
Of course, I wear it more than he does because he will only wear it when it is 40 below.
 
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