Byron 9

Last year, Byron asked for a jumper that wasn't "itchy" for his birthday, so I made him one in cotton. I don't think he's worn it since! (He doesn't like giving them to his brother, and he likes getting them, but not wearing them.) This year, he asked for socks and gloves. So I dyed and knit up these

and ran out of time for gloves, so I bought him some. I made these partly on the CSM. I changed the cylinder to a 54-stitch one, and used sport weight sock yarn. It fits him (and me) really well on the foot, but he has skinny little ankles, so the only CSM part is below the ribbing, not including the toe or heel. LOL. And I underestimated the length (his feet are 22cm already) so the heel sits under his foot a bit.

Still, he wore them to basketball, to school the next day, to bed, to school again, and then I literally pulled them off his feet. He loves them.

Success.

Out with the birthday jumpers, in with socks. More to come. Jasmine and Zac have both "ordered" some, and I made myself this pair, using more hand-dyed sport-weight sock yarn (I got 10 skeins of Knitpicks Stroll Sport in "Bare" for dyeing fun).

I finished a few skeins for the NEWT. This Mars one

which I'm not too fond of. Never been a fan of red and green together, and the plying was less than careful as a result. This is one SCF I may actually overdye one day. But I have to admit that red dirt and little green men is very Mars. ;)

And these two, which are mixes of Moss (green) and Closer to Home (blue/green/brown). One is 3/4 Moss and one is 3/4 CTH, in the manner of Navajo 4ply.

Also, spun up this Yak that my sister sent me for my birthday last month. (She also sent Banana and Hemp, which I'll try soon). It was difficult to spin, because the fibres are so short. I couldn't stretch out the fibre (as you do when drafting) more than an inch, but once twist was added it behaved just like any nice wool. It's really, really soft! I left it white, but I may yet dye it. (Didn't want to felt it all up by dyeing it first).

I've done more dyeing (more of the thicker sock yarn, soon to be socks)

A cheerful blue, this time, with shots of color, as I've done a few times before.

I have a few more hats, some finished, some half-done, spinning just out of the 'bath', and a half-done Mystery Cowl, for which I'm using the "Byron" colorway I found at Bendigo last year. I'll start a handspun shawl/scarf in a few days, and might weave a "clasped weft" scarf this week. We'll see :)