One weight lifted, another one still weighing

I did it! After more than a year, I have finally spun and plied a pound of bamboo fiber. This project was wrought with disappointment and dashed dreams, but it is done and over. The bamboo entered my house because it looked interesting and fun. Plus, honestly, how hard could it be to spin? For a brand new spinner is is really freaking hard to spin! I hated my singles because they were inconsistent and slubby and thin. Plying it though, made a fairly consistent yarn, one I may enjoy using, which taught me spinning lesson one: don't judge a yarn by its singles.

This bamboo also taught me spinning lesson number two: Plying sucks up a lot of yardage. My hope was to have enough yarn to make the Green Tea Raglan from Interweave Knits Spring 07. That didn't happen. In fact, I have almost half the amount of yarn I need. I was surprised to realize a sweater requires two pounds of material to make. I will not spin two pounds of 100% bamboo anytime soon. This lesson will give me the experience I need to plan better. Granted, when I mentioned my shock to my spinning guru, she seemed nonplussed. I should also seek out the guidance of those who know more than me.

So now I have about 500 yards of finished bamboo yarn sitting around my stash. This yarn seemed to have no purpose since it would not be able to fulfill the purpose I had in mind. This leads to spinning lesson number 3: Let the yarn decide its future. Once I accepted the yarn would not become the sweater I wanted, a new project popped into my head. I've been longing to cast on for the Green Gables sweater. I've loved this little sweater for a while now, but have never gone out to buy the yarn and have put myself on a yarn diet for a while. Wouldn't you know, the bamboo is the right gauge, and the perfect quantity for me to make the sweater now. The world is balanced.

Of course, being balanced means that I have released on burden, but still have another one to teach me. I've never been bothered by knitting the second sock. I

Usually, a third sock is a nonissue. How often does one need to knit three socks? My Uptown Socks are not bringing me much joy right now because I knitted one sock, ripped it back to the cuff when I couldn't get the sock over my heel, have reknitted it now, and am sad at knowing I still have to knit one more to have a pair. Not only that, but I have lost one of my Tufootsie socks and must knit yet another third sock to complete the pair. Maybe knitting the bamboo will keep my spirits up.