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Sunday, January 29, 2006

International Velvet

The opera was fun - The Bartered Bride, re-set to a local area. It was a loooong day, though, and I awoke this morning ready to work.

I've had to work hard to behave myself and finish the KR Yarn Swap yarn. I knew it would be rediculous to try to switch wheels mid-project (I considered plying onto the new wheel, but realized that would be silly too, to try to learn a new wheel for the finishing touches of the project) So I sat the new wheel in front of Fiona so that I could spin on Fiona and look over at the new baby. I'm big on putting the carrot out in plain view to encourage action. What can I say, I'm easy to motivate. Clearly it works:

103 yards of three-ply white dorset/ red mohair/wool Raspberry Slush

Once that was done (I'll separate it into 5-yard baggies and print up an information sheet for mailing tomorrow, when it's 100% dry) I got the new baby set up. A lot of thought was put into her name. I, too, considered Aurora - that's the name of the princess in Sleeping Beauty, and if ever there was a fairy princess wheel it was this beauty. But Aurora wasn't quite right. I should have known - most of my most comfortable decisions have been made so quickly I didn't realize they were made, and that was the case here. I perused baby name websites, I read fairy mythology, I looked over my library of books... and suddenly, out of no where came her name. Really, out of no where. I wasn't looking at anything but her, I have no recollection of seeing the name in any of those sources, and it's not a name I've considered before. But it's her name.

Delphine.

I looked it up - it means "elfin" if that matters. But mostly, it's just her name. I had to fiddle around with some issues I had at my lack of experience in putting a spinning wheel together from scratch, but she spins... oh.... it's breathtaking. She is a fairy sprite, a little elfin spinner on her own... It's amazing.

I started with some Polwarth I got from Jen because I thought since Delphine hailed from NZ I should break her in with some native wool. This stuff is unbelieveable. It's SO soft it's unreal, so I decided to use that to its fullest advantage and spin up some novelty yarn.

After less than two hours of spinning (I always forget how fast slubby yarn can go!) I had a bobbin full of the most gorgeous velvety stuff you can imagine. It feels like the lushest velvety chenille ever.

I'm in love.

While I'm still swooning over that, I did promise pictures of my surrender to the Jaywalking troops:

That's four hours worth of knitting (with interruptions) at the store Saturday. Obviously they're toe up, and they're also a little different from the pattern, since I started them according to her total number of stitches and after about an inch realized I'd be able to wear them over my shoes. So I just lessened the number of stitches between the increases and decrease, and I think it's turning out pretty cute!

12 Comments:

Blogger --Deb said...

Be-yoo-ti-ful wheel, there!!

And, I finished my pair of Jaywalkers--that's two socks you can add to the tally!

9:54 PM  
Blogger Jenn said...

Your Jaywalkers look great! I just finished my first one - another for the tally!

11:06 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Delphine is the perfect name (and you know it's easier to train them to come when they're called if their names don't end in the same sound)!

Andhank you for taking on my Jaywalker challenge. Now I won't feel like such a knit-along failure. When Cara asks for updates, maybe I'll tell her I've passed the torch...

6:08 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

That would be "thank" you not "hank" you, but I guess it works, too.

6:10 AM  
Blogger Bess said...

Yikes! I have to seperate them into baggies? Sheesh. I hadn't remembered that.

And yes yes yes. the quiz did describe this rose-like woman I know.

7:20 AM  
Blogger Marfa's Mewsings said...

Wonderful name, Amie, for your newest heart-throb.
"Gor-geen" handspun - someone is a lucky duck to receive those baggies.
XOXO

8:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Delphine is a great name - congratulations on your new baby girl :-)
Your sock is a great pattern and color choices - love them!

xxoo
Nancy

9:24 AM  
Blogger Kim in Oregon said...

2 more socks done.

10:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I had a horse named Delphine... we called her Della for short... love the name!

10:41 AM  
Blogger Pat K said...

One sock done for the count.

10:46 AM  
Blogger Carolyn said...

Wow!!!!! The red yarn is just awesome! Perfect, in fact. I hope the people who get it know how lucky they are. ;)

6:07 PM  
Blogger DeeAnn said...

Raspberry slush is beautiful but your new wheel is absolutely stunning!! Congratulations, it looks like you will have much joy in getting to know Delphine.

12:28 AM  

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