liesl, take 2

Now that the purple Liesl is finished and on its way to Seattle (I keep tracking it on the USPS web site -- it should arrive today!), I've resumed work on my original Liesl, the one I'm knitting with my merino/bamboo handspun from Spunky Eclectic.  I had a hard time figuring out what to do with this yarn.  I spun it over a period of about 2 months and, after I had finished it, discovered that my spinning was wildly inconsistent.  Some areas are worsted to heavy worsted weight and others are verging on sock yarn.  I was tempted to shove the whole thing in the bottom of a drawer, but I had worked too hard on it for that.  So I started a clapotis.  Big mistake.  The areas of stockinette stitch really showcased my bad spinning.  Plus which, I didn't have enough yarn.  So I ripped it out and cast on a Liesl.  So far, this is working out better.  The lace stitch effectively hides the thick and thin spots in the yarn.  And if I run out, well, it will just be a cap sleeve sweater.  Or a cap sleeve bolero. 

This experience taught me the value of a "spinner's control card", a handy device to help keep your spinning even.  Now, when I'm happy with a single I've spun, I break off about 10 inches, wrap it several times around an index card and secure it with tape.  Then, I periodically compare what I'm spinning with my ideal control yarn.  It really seems to help.

Now, back to work.