Handspun Rainbow Scarf | Cast On

I mentioned on Monday that I'd be writing a post about my spinning here this week. When I wrote that, I had every intention of doing just that. A nice little spinning post on Friday was what I had planned. But, as weeks so often do, this one got busy and I found myself without a moment to blog or even upload the photos I had taken of my handspun to the computer.
Nearly a week has gone by now, and I have decided that if I jump on here and get a post written quick sticks it still counts as "this week".
I originally planned to share with you my first few spun yarns. Some alpaca, some brown wool, and then some rainbow organic merino.
But I cast on with my rainbow merino on Friday and since then I have wanted to only write about it. I want to skip the part about the other yarns I have spun and talk about this one.

This is the third yarn I spun and plied. It's a very long way from perfect, featuring many an overspun and underspun thread, and such rapidly changing thickness you could almost be forgiven for thinking I had done it like that on purpose in some places. But I'm super proud of it none the less. I mean, I made yarn! And casting on with a yarn I have made? It's a weird feeling, and a very good feeling too.

To cater to this yarns characteristics - we'll call them unique - I have decided a simple 2 x 2 ribbed scarf is in order. Using 4.5mm needles, partly chosen for how their spotty ends coordinate with the yarn I must admit, I cast on 32sts and started ribbing. After knitting some more complicated things over the last few months it's lovely to enjoy such a mindless knitting project. Straight needles, thick yarn and simple rib stitch. I can normally knit this kind of thing without even glancing at it, but I find myself watching the yarn eagerly as I knit. I want to see what colour comes next, what it looks like, how well I spun and plied it.....it's lots of fun!

I've nearly knitted my way through the 100g already. It's got short meterage due to some very chunky parts. I'm going to get some more rainbow merino roving and spin it up to finish the scarf. I fear my spinning may improve as I spun my way through it, giving my scarf an inconsistent look. I partly hope I'm a very slow learner and thus can produce another several lumpy bumpy art yarns, and I of course also very much hope that I won't be that slow and I can be spinning a better yarn soon.
As for how the scarf will turn out, I think it may have similarities to my first knitting project. It'll noticeably change as I go along, but I will love it all the same.


Now, what have you been up to this weekend?
Have you had a busy week too?
I hope you have a lovely start to the new week!

Sarah x


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