My upstream handspun-swap pal, Jen, is far more punctual than I--she sent my second batch of yarn already. I got it on Tuesday morning, which made it a really nice pick-me-up before my committee meeting in the afternoon. (The meeting went well, and some of my stress has dissipated, but I'm still busy and under a fair amount of pressure. Which...well...is normal for grad school.)
Anyway, it's beautiful, soft yarn, in what I think (if I'm understanding her letter correctly) is a variety of natural sheep-and-alpaca colors, including a fair amount of fiber from her alpaca. My current plan is to include it in one (or maybe both) of the blankets I'm planning (I've started the green and grey one and intend to also make a red, gold, and brown one), but that may change. (I'm also trying to think of good uses for the frogs she sent.)
I'm still working on my second batch of outgoing swap-yarn, but I've finished part of it:
This is from a merino-llama blend given to me by a friendly grad student (H.) from the lab next door to mine, since she doesn't really spin much and didn't think she'd use it. (I know the roving is from her mom, but I don't know whether the fiber is from their animals.) It's really soft, despite a bit of felting, and was really fun to spin. This is about 65 yards of lace-to-fingering-weight yarn.
There isn't much knitting to show; the cuff on my second fire sock is an inch or so longer than last time, but it wouldn't make for an exciting picture. With any luck, I'll have something pretty to show, knitting-wise, sometime in the next week.
Ha ha - I think I met H at the 2004 MDSW, right before (?) she began grad school. I distinctly recall spending some time talking to her at the Indigo Moon booth. What a small world!
Posted by: June | 14 February 2007 at 12:41
I'm really glad you liked the skeins, Naomi, and have enjoyed reading your blog and taking in the calorie free eye candy. :-)
My upstream pal is MIA . . . no skeins at all :-(
Your skeins are beautiful; I bet your partner will be thrilled.
--Jen
Posted by: Jen | 19 February 2007 at 04:13