The Project That Never Ends

Silk/BFL - TPTNE
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

So here we have it.. the yarn half of what I've started to call The Project That Never Ends. I started spinning the silk last year for the Tour de Fleece with no real idea how I wanted to use it. I just wanted something bright, and cheery and colorful. The silk was perfect.

The idea evolved slowly over time. I had a braid of Bluefaced Leicester that I dyed and when rinsing I got a little too enthusiastic. The braid compacted and possibly felted a little bit. So that turned into a set of twelve blended batts.

And then I had the idea of the two together, so I started spinning the BFL to match the silk for lace-weight. And spinning. And spinning. And then plying them, and plying, and plying. It felt like I would never get it done!

But I did! Despite a pressure-bruise I gave myself on my leg from working with six ounces of fiber on the spindle, and all the time it took, I have 1770 yards of lovely lace-weight yarn. The silk gives it a very elegant shine and the blue strand has a surprising depth of color that comes out in full sun.

I have plans for this yarn. Oh, I have plans. Plans that are probably going to take me a whole additional year to figure out before I can get it knit up. So, the project goes on.