Hot off the needles

On Friday I wanted to knit something in my new Aran Merino. This is one of my single ply merinos from Uruguay. It's my first batch of the single ply aran weight yarn and I've only dyed a few skeins. I swatched for a special project last week and loved the yarn so much I wanted to knit something in it. So I decided on a pair of fingerless mitts. And here they are:

I've called them 'Manos Buenas' which means Good Hands in Spanish. My Spanish is not perfect but I have done 2 beginner courses. But if someone with better knowledge of Spanish comes along and notice I've made any spelling or gramatical errors in naming these mitts please tell me.

I finished one pair over the weekend. The 2nd mitt, I cast on yesterday afternoon around 4pm when we got to my inlaws and finished before we left around 7.30pm and we had a long roast dinner in that time too. So they're quick to knit. I've typed up the pattern today and I'm testknitting the pattern tonight just to double check for errors. But it'll be listed on Etsy tomorrow. It'll be for sale as aseparate pattern but will also be offered as a free pattern with a skein of Aran Merino but I don't have many skeins of the yarn to list yet.

Started listing some real treats today. My first batch of Merino Pencil Roving. I only ordered 2 kg of this so only a bit more to come. They're 200gr skeins. Not sure whether or not to divide them up but at the moment I'm selling them in 200gr skeins.Here's a preview:

And here is one skein which I kept for myself and the little bit I've spun from it so far.

I've taken the bobbin off the wheel to finish spinning the merino silk now which I'm hoping to finish tomorrow.

I also started swatching with Aran Silk today. I got a small batch of this, actually a tiny batch just to see if I could successfully dye it and I can. Pics tomorrow or Wednesday. So will be ordering more once I can get back into dyeing.

On a dyeing break this week and possibly next week as we're having a new kitchen installed. B&Q only sent one fitter so unless more turn up during the week it's going to be a slow job. They've set aside 5 days but I was hoping it'll be done quicker. He got several base units up today though.

Once the kitchen is done Simon is going to put up a work top for me in the garage that I can use for dyeing as I'm not allowing dyes in my new kitchen. But I can see it taking a couple of weeks before he gets around to it. But I'll nag him. I reckon by next week I'll be having withdrawal symptoms if I don't do any dyeing.

Now I've got to face a huge pile of clean laundry. I hate folding and putting away clothes and the pile of ironing has reached monumental proportions. Maybe I should do some ironing tomorrwo instead of knitting and spinning. Any bets on what I'll end up doing??