As a fairly new spinner, I didn't appreciate what a challenge the fibre content would pose:
40%
Bluefaced Leicester (BFL)
40%
Merino
10%
Camel
10%
SeaCell
It was the camel that made me sweat the most as its staple length was so different.
I had to ask for advice on how to even spin from a batt and I started off by pulling off strips and spinning them longdraw. I had more success going more worsted, but then there was the big revelation: a blending board.So much so, that I bought two, but that's another story.
Eventually, after spinning at home and two different guilds, I had my yarn:
As soon as I knew I had enough yardage, I knew exactly what pattern I was going to make: the wonderful Iron Maiden. It was an interesting pattern to knit. I had to fudge a couple of times, but once I got the hang of it, I was away. As many people noted on their projects on Ravelry, its important that the increases at the beginning of rows are kept loose
As is always the case, I wasn't sure if I would have enough yardage and stuck with the number of repeats of the border shown in the pattern. After I bound off there was probably enough yarn left to have squeezed another repeat, but I hate the thought of running short.
Once off the needles and after a bath, the shawl was ready for blocking
Once I realised what shape it wanted to be, the blocking went a lot better.
After a few days lounging around: TADA!!!!
I took it to knit night, not sure if I liked the style of shawl and had to prise it out of my friend's hands. I had a similar reaction at spinning guild so my verdigris maiden grew on me. Even more flatteringly, one of my guilds, the Guild of Long Draw Spinners, is having a stand at Fibre East and I was asked to let them use this piece on there. Fame at last!!!
