On Saturday evening I finished my Swiss Cheese scarf.

This is the Swiss Cheese Scarf by Winnie Shih, a free Ravelry download. I knit mine using Kauni Effektgarn 8/2 in the EQ colorway on a U.S. size 3 (3.25mm) needle.

As I was getting towards the end of my skein of yarn, I kept weighing it so I could knit as much as possible before binding off. Each pattern repeat took me a bit over 5 grams of yarn and I finished with 4 grams left over.

The scarf measures 60″ long and 11″ wide. I did not do the full width as directed by the pattern, but knit mine to 74 stitches wide. The scarf weighs 110 grams and consists of 23 pattern repeats.

Interestingly, this skein was marked as weighing 140 grams. It actually weighed about 115 grams. I’ve noticed this with Kauni and Aade Lõng — they always seem to be underweight. I wonder if something happens in shipping to dehydrate the yarn or something. (ETA: I bought this yarn quite a while ago — don’t remember where. I recently ordered some more Kauni from The Loopy Ewe and have learned that they weigh all their Kauni and sell it by its actual weight. I can attest to this — the Kauni I ordered from them came in at or over the stated weight. So no fears there!)

Thank you for all the pattern suggestions for what to knit next. I did not take any of your suggestions (but favorited a lot of them in Ravelry for future reference), rather, I started knitting this:

This is the Zuni Shawl by Danielle Chalson. It is designed to be knit from approximately 360 yards of sportweight yarn (Madelinetosh Pashmina is suggested) on a U.S. size 5 needle. The finished dimensions of the shawl are 46.5″ along the top edge and 13.5″ down the center back.

I am using  Aade Lõng Artistic 8/2 wool, which is the same thing as Kauni Effektgarn 8/2. I can’t remember if it is actually the same yarn or just very similar. It’s listed as fingering weight in Ravelry (accurately, I think) and has 437 yards per 100 grams. interestingly, Kauni Effektgarn 8/2 is listed in Ravelry as sportweight, but it sure seems like fingering weight to me.

I have a 160-gram skein (which, incidentally was marked 172 grams on the label), so I have around 700 yards. The colorway ranges from plum to raspberry pink. There is no colorway name or number on the label. I am using a U.S. size 3 (3.25mm) needle, as I did with the Kauni for Swiss Cheese.

The pattern is easily adjustable so I am knitting more sections on each side of the shawl to make it bigger. It is quite simple to knit but kept from being boring by the interesting texture at the bottom edge.

Here is a bonus pic of Gwendolyn wearing Wingspan:

And in closing, I wonder where Lucy is?

I used to spin, but gave it up a few years ago due to back issues.  I am,however, a very big fan of knitting with handspun yarn and I am always encouraging my friends to send me their handspun.

A few days ago, Susan Glinert (aka Fleegle) contacted me to offer me a review copy of her new book Fleegle Spins Supported.

While I no longer spin, I immediately said yes. Do you read Fleegle’s blog? If you don’t, you should. She is a wealth of information and shares that information very clearly, and with a lot of humor. She spins and knits the most amazing lace. (And she spent a good part of yesterday responding with good humor to my silly emails.)

And seriously, do you know of any other knitting blog that provides step-by-step instructions for washing a tiger?

Back to the topic at hand.

The book has just been released as an eB0ok. So Fleegle sent me a flash drive loaded with the book. I fired it up and, always a master at following instructions, read the read-me file first.

The flash drive contains the book as an interactive pdf, a non-interactive pdf (for ease of printing) and 25 or so high quality videos demonstrating the process of making yarn.

The book itself is over 400 pages and is beautifully and professionally produced. Just look at this sample chapter title page.

Lots of fabulous clear photos!

And charts!

And more beautiful, artistic illustrations.

And things that just impress the heck out of me with their detail and complexity..

I’ve thumbed (well virtually, anyhow) through the entire book. It truly is a treasurehouse of information about spinning with a supported spindle. Not only is it written in a clear understandable style, it is extremely entertaining.

I think anyone who is interested ion spinning yarn will find this book extremely useful. There is so much information about different fiber type and how to preapre them, as well as the spinning information itself.

You can purchase this book on a flash drive for $30 at Fleegle’s website here. If you prefer the non-virtual type of paper, you can pre-order the hardcopy book (also includes a copy of the eBook) for $100 (delivery around May 1, 2012). The best of both worlds — a hardcopy book to keep at your home and the eBook, along with all the videos) to load onto your electronic device.

I told Fleegle that after reviewing the book, I’d give away my copy to someone who would get some practical use out of it. so true to my word, I am.

To be entered in the drawing to review my copy of Fleegle Spins Supported, leave a comment on this blog post by noon Eastern Time on Thursday, March 8, 2012. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments then.

Lucy’s plan for today:

The Swiss Cheese scarf continues to be great fun to knit! I have taken to laying it out on the wee table in my office so I can see it all day long. It’s also a great conversation piece — a number of my co-workers stop by every morning to check on my progress and see what color I am currently knitting.

At this point in the knitting I have made it almost all the way through the color spectrum. I started with orange and am currently knitting red.

I’m starting to think about what to knit next. Right now I am all about the fun. And I want to use some more of the Kauni yarn I have in my stash. Different colorway, though.

Okay, you’ve seen what my last two projects were — Wingspan and Swiss Cheese. Based on that information, what pattern would you recommend I knit next? I want something that’ll look good in this type of yarn and that has a clever construction.

I’ve got a couple of patterns in mind, and a friend suggested a few more (thanks, Sharon!) but I’d love to hear your suggestions as well.

Basil!

A few of you asked who/what Basil was named for. As several of you correctly surmised, I named him after Basil Fawlty, from Fawlty Towers. I love Fawlty Towers and only wish that John Cleese had made more episodes.

Today I worked only a half day, so my Basil and I went out in the afternoon for some errands and then some fun. Here he is, parked, pretending he is just like the big cars.

Lucy stayed home and had some of her own type of fun.