1 + 1 + 1 = 1

So when does 3 = 1? When you take three single plies and make them into a 3-ply yarn! I spun the three bobbins of very fine singles of hand-painted superwash wool to the left and then spent the past few lunch hours plying them into the yarn on the jumbo bobbin to the right. The yarn on the right is very fine in diameter and hopefully, after handwashing and air drying, it will measure out to fingering or sock weight yarn. This was my Tour de Fleece challenge that I didn't finish in time. I think I may have way more yardage than I need for a pair of socks; but with hand spun yarn, it's not like you can go to the store and get another skein.

When I was running road races, I used to dream about coming in after the race was all over and every one had left. Fortunately, that never happened - until now. I finished up the challenge about a week and a half after the end of the race! I'm looking forward to making this yarn into socks.

On the Needles: Currently, I have a stealth project on the needles. A new toe-up pattern which works up very quickly. Hopefully, I'll have the pattern posted with photos for the next blog. It took some doing, but I am finally down to doing one project at a time. The loophole in that philosophy is that I have one project on the needles, one project on the hook, one project on the spindle and yet another on the quilting machine.

Off the Needles: I have finished the Knit One Below bag, and will photograph it after it's been felted. After my last disaster felting, I can't quite bring myself to put it in the washing machine - quite yet at any rate.

Also, off the needles is Pair No. 13 of the 52 Pair Plunge III - another pair of Waterfall Socks. This pair was made with Tess of Maine Designer Yarn. Love the base yarn, love the color, hate that color came off in my hands. I will have to wash these before wearing them - probably using a Color Catcher sheet or I'll have blue feet! I think the Waterfall Socks (designed by WendyKnits) look much better in this yarn than the Mini-Mochi.

52 Books in 52 Weeks/Book 34: The Dark Horse, by Craig Johnson. This is the latest in the Sheriff Walt Longmire series - another one of my favorites. The characters make this book and the plot's not half bad either. In this one, the Sheriff goes undercover to investigate the murder of the husband of a woman sitting in his jail. This series reminds of a modern-day Lone Ranger, complete with an Indian sidekick. There's great action and while the endings may not be a sappy as the Lone Ranger, they are good, strong resolutions. I got to the end of this one on a Sunday night, knowing full well I had to get up early for work on Monday. I also knew I couldn't sleep until I finished it. So I dragged myself around all Monday, drinking way too much coffee - but it was worth it.