Ever since Jordan and Casey were born, I almost never knit in front of the girls. They need too much of my physical help and direct attention, we’re always playing together (or reading, or eating, or…), plus I don’t want pointy needles and strangulation hazards (and “unravelable” projects) just laying around, willy nilly. Although I sometimes knit or crochet in the car, me knitting is not a part of our current family culture.
Imagine my surprise, then, when Meredith spied a hole in one of her garments and asked me if I was going to “yarn it.” Do what? Say that again? “Mama, will you yarn this for me?”
Well, I’ll be darned. Heh heh.
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Now 3 years old!
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Here’s a skein of yarn that was 2 years in the making. My e-mail receipt is dated March 2009!
Fiber: Chasing Rainbows; 50/50 silk/merino; colorway African savannah; purchased here (NAYY).
Wheel and spinning style: Drudik wheel, slowest or next-to-slowest speed. Split the top lengthwise into long, thin strips (no wider than a pinky) and translucent. Spun in pure worsted style (draft about 12″ before feeding onto the bobbin). Plied on my Womack Butterfly electric wheel. I set the bobbins up and walked with the singles until I was about 30 feet away from the wheel (it spun all the while), I waited until it had built up a lot of plying twist and then walked slowly back to let it feed back on the bobbin. This is a 1-hand maneuver for aged singles with dormant twist. I used the other hand to do things like brush my teeth!
Finishing: Hanked, tied in a million places with a Figure8+1 tie (that is, looped 3 times around per tie) because it is 50% silk and silk is notorious for mercilessly sticking to itself. (If you’ve ever cried while cutting tangled silk off of a bobbin, you know what I mean!) Handwashed in cool water, spun out, dried flat.
Yarn specs: 3-ply, fingering weight. Length, 387 yards (354 m); weight, 2 oz (57 g).
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Meredith and her words are so adorable! I think I may have to start using “yarn it” myself. Hmm…that almost sounds like it could be a G-rated curse word 
Gorgeous skein of yarn–lots of admiration for your ability to multi-task!
Comment by terri 06.08.11 @ 3:42 pmLove the details. And the yarn. I so like Chasing Rainbows colorways.
Comment by Laurie 06.09.11 @ 6:02 pmI love their faith that you can fix anything. I have to say I get a lot of self esteem out of being able to fix whatever Emmy brings me that’s broken.
I see in your sidebar you’re reading the same sleep book I read when Emmy was an infant. It really helped me to get to the point where I could get some sleep.
Comment by CarolineF 06.10.11 @ 5:50 amVery beautiful yarn. I can’t believe your oldest is already three!
Comment by claudia 06.10.11 @ 8:18 amLovely yarn! I could knit, but not spin when mine were little. But I don’t know if I should have been knitting; my first picked up a double point and stuck it in her ear!!! Why she did it I don’t know, luckily no damage, but I’m not sure who was most upset, may daughter, my husband or me.
Comment by kelley 06.11.11 @ 2:37 pmMeredith is growing to be such a beauty….and smart to boot! You have to love a child that asks if you can yarn her hole. :0)
xoxo
Comment by Kim 06.14.11 @ 7:16 pmThree years old? I remember before she was born! I think I found your blog 6+ years ago!
Comment by Angela 06.15.11 @ 6:33 amHiya! This is my 1st time leaving foot print.
I guess when you are a mother to wee babes, idle hands don’t come so easily. It’s so nice to see active kids, though. Your children are precious.
I am expecting my 1st baby in winter. My DH warned me that I won’t have much time to knit when the baby comes, so I’d better get some baby knits done.
I enjoyed reading about your diaper projects. I plan to use cloth diapers, as my parents have done for me and my brother. I know it’s more work, but thanks to you, your blogs gave me hope.
I am shopping for light-weight, easy to carry spinning wheel. Perhaps I’ll have more time to spin than knit when the baby comes. Cheers!
~typhoonyoon
Comment by Juliana-Yoon 06.16.11 @ 3:32 pmBeautiful yarn, and what a great kid! They pick up the craziest things!
Comment by Silverilix 06.18.11 @ 11:44 pm