Yarn Along - The Iknitarod Is Underway

Gotta love an Amelia and Kate photobomb :-).

So I'm one ball into the Stories From Snoqualmie Valley/Equinox Farm shawl.  At this point I'm almost to the end of the fourth repeat.  I thought about trying to do the math to see if that seem about right, but that's a whole 'nother hole to drop into, so I'm just going to "knit on with confidence".

So here's an interesting technique you can use with wool yarn.  Most knitters are familiar with the "spit splice", but for anyone following along that doesn't know what that is it's an invisible way to join two pieces of (wool) yarn together.  

You can do this on any project, but it's most handy for lace (knitting with holes in it) where it would be hard to weave in (secure and hide) the loose ends of the two strands.  

Disclaimer:  This is the redneck method that I use.  There is probably a more correct way to do this ;-).

I like to untwist the ends of both yarns, but I don't think you have to do that.  One of these ends has a thick spot due to inconsistent spinning.  Normally I'd move up the strand to find a thinner spot, but I got carried away by picture taking...

To try to keep the doubled/joined yarn pretty similar to the individual yarns I just pulled that end off.  Now, instead of four loose ends there are only three.  

Next you take the two ends and stick them in your mouth to soak them with...spit.  Bet you didn't think you'd be reading that today, eh?  ;-D

You then roll the spitty spot back and forth between your hands and it felts together and you are ready to knit on.  Wool rocks :-).

Some scenes from the trail:

I originally set up on the Grahaminator, but it was pretty breezy so I moved down to the yard.

Sitting under one of me and Liddy's favorite knitting trees.  I wish she was sitting there with me all curled up next to me, chewing on my needles.  I could see her out in the field though.  The next best thing.

I think it's important to get babies out on the grass as much as possible so they have as normal a life as they can.

I am 8 rows shy of finishing two repeats today.  I am super tired and bleary, but I think I can do it. I'm going to do the night check and walk the dogs and hopefully that will wake me up a little.  It's a mental game at this point.  Those eight rows could wait until morning...but I'll feel better knowing I did it and it feels a little like the real Iditarod.

I listened to a good book while I was spinning last week, but I can't think of the title right now.  

If you are looking for interesting information and updates about the Iditarod, Alaskan Public Radio has a podcast called Iditapod and it's really good.  I'll try to come back in the morning and insert a link.

Yaaaaaawn :-o