Last night I was busy finishing the other sleeve and looked down to find the other pieces being used for a new cat bed. I guess that’s a sure sign that the sweater is almost done.
While working the first half of Irish Moss I joined new balls of yarn at the sides leaving ends that will need to be woven in when I sew up the sweater. However, a couple of weeks ago, while thinking about my dwindling yarn supply, it suddenly dawned on me that splicing yarn ends would work well with this 2-ply Soft Shetland yarn. It’s really easy to do.
When I have about six inches left on the current working yarn, I pull out a new ball and unravel the plies on this new ball for several inches and do the same with the current working yarn. Once the yarn ends are unraveled, I break several inches off of one of the unravel led strands from each yarn end. I now over lap these strands and fuse them together by quickly rub them between my palms after adding some spit. The friction and spit cause the strands to felt together. It’s an old trick that works quite well.
Purlwise 
“That is such a lovely pattern.” Every time I visit your blog I think that.
LikeLike
My favourite join ! I love that yarn – just bought myself another bag full. ;-]
LikeLike
I love watching this sweater grow. A beautiful pattern beautifully made.
LikeLike
Hi, thanks for replying when I asked you wether you are a picker or a thrower. I am amazed to find out you are a thrower, cos all of your work looks so neat! (I assumed most thrower, like myself, prefer chunkier yarns and simplier patterns)
Just my experience with splicing… don’t do it on lighter coloured yarns unless you wash your hands with soap prior =) I did a splicing once on worsted weight white merino while knitting the piece on my USM, and it left an ugly dark spot on the piece.
LikeLike
Thanks Sue. It’s my favorite project yet.
Emma, yes this yarn is great. I’m glad I stuck with it.
Thanks Roberta. Yahoo, it’s done!
Felicia, I’m a thrower but probably not a traditional thrower. I tend to grasp the working yarn between my thumb and first finger. While it slows up my work, I feel that I get much more control. When I work with two colors, I use both hands. So, I do know how to pick quite well.
Thanks for the advice on splicing. I’ll take care with lighter yarns.
LikeLike
Hi I’m a very ordinary knitter compared with the projects you do, but enjoy reading your blog,now I’ve discovered it and your photos of Shetland are fabulous. It could make me plan a holiday there! I went to the Orkneys about 3 years ago and came back with North Ronaldsay wool and have done 2 pretty scarves using the catspaw pattern. Those Fair Isle patterns are something!
LikeLike