A Yarn Story

It’s a little late in the day to post, but my very pretty yarn is finally dry, and I love it too much not to share.  A while back, I made these batts on my friend Judith’s electric drum carders.

I made a darkish-brick one, and after I’d made it I stood there a little stunned, thinking "what next?"  My friend Lisa suggested making a lighter one, to ply with the darker one, so I did. 

I spun those, over the last few days – and got beautiful singles.

Then, as Lisa suggested, I plied them together.

I love it.

I adore it.

I want to hug it and squeeze it and kiss it and call it George.  (I bet that’s not funny unless you remember Loony Toons.)

The odd thing is, that as much as I adore this yarn – I’m pretty darn sure it belongs to Lisa.  Weird, eh?

206 thoughts on “A Yarn Story

  1. It’s absolutely gorgeous! And it might belong to Lisa because she was your muse.

  2. What a gorgeous yarn! I suppose it’s fitting that Lisa gets it because her suggestion inspired it. And now I finally know where “hug it and kiss it and call it George” comes from! I always wondered…

  3. The Abominable Snowman! Yay! People always look at me funny when I start “hugging and squeezing and patting and calling him George”. Lol!

  4. So very beautiful! I think I would want to put it on a shelf so I could just look at it all day!

  5. That really is gorgeous. Can you make more? And sell them? For, like, huge profit? I’d buy one in a flash.

  6. Of course it belongs to Lisa – that way she can feel guilty about not making it into something gorgeous, and you’re free to spin more yarn.
    (I really should give away more handspun.)

  7. Beautiful! I need some free time to spin. And I need the kids to stop making off with spinning wheel parts.

  8. I would love it and hold and pet it and I would call it George, too. Yes, I ,too am old enough to remember loony tunes!!

  9. Absolutely gorgeous! I love the colors, reminds me of the beautiful fall foliage up here in the mountains.

  10. George comes up all the time at my house (I have a cat who despite being a snuggler, does NOT care to be held) and that yarn deserves to be hugged, squeezed, kissed AND called George!

  11. Thanks for the Loony Tunes link — made my day. As did your yarn. Just beautimous. And I would hug it and squeeze it and . . . .

  12. “…and sit on it like a mother hen so it will never feel rejected.” LOL. Lovely yarn

  13. If you can’t find a good home for George, I will more than happily take him! And I promise to love him, and squeeze him and take good care of him!

  14. That’s the problem with little yarny scamps. Far too often they want to go home with someone else!

  15. HA! I named my new laptop George for that very reason…which meant I had to find the clip on YouTube to explain it to my DD12.

  16. don’t often post, but this is delicious! Will take this spinning lesson to heart

  17. Absolutely gorgeous yarn, so it should be called George – Gorgeous George! (And yes, I remember Loony Toons as well) Lisa will be thrilled.

  18. My, my, look at that ….. edible yarn!!!! (Rhubarb and ginger flavour, with notes of wild crab apple and angelica, to judge from the colours)

  19. Wonderful, beautiful yarn. You are soooo good at color. We loves it. As for George, we’ve used it for years. Not to get too high brow, but I’ve always wondered if the writers were referring to “Of Mice and Men” (“Tell me about the rabbits, George”). Opinions?

  20. The weird thing is, that’s the 2nd reference this week I’ve seen to George! Small world, huh?

  21. What beautiful yarn! I love it! If I saw this in my LYS it would be in my basket.

  22. 20 odd years ago i had an angora bunny (for plucking & spinning) and i named him George. and i would hug him and pet him and love him. yeah one of my favorite cartoons.

  23. Gorgeous! Stephanie do you ever appear at the Dutchess Co. NY Sheep & Wool Festival?

  24. I remember that Looney Tunes! This is some fabulous looking yarn. You spin beautifully.

  25. Handspun yarn is like that. Sort of like cats. Sometimes skeins just decide they should belong to someone else.

  26. Have you ever thought of auctioning off your handspun? It could go toward college fees or if you would rather, it could go to Doctors Without Borders I suppose. That yarn is beyond fabulous. I wish my name was Lisa.

  27. Love that combination! Unfortunately, yes, I am old enough to remember Loony Toones & “George”. LOL

  28. I remember that cartoon very well. In fact, that is a common phrase in my house. Lovely yarn you made.

  29. Call it what you will (George, Lisa, Julie, Whatever), THAT is absolutely gorgeous yarn. I LOVE it when two colours are plied together, especially when the colours in the singles are different, too.

  30. Oooops! That got inadvertently prematurely posted! I was saying that it would be so striking knit up into almost anything, but being what it is in full view would be satisfying also. Enjoy! And like everyone else, thank you so much for you generous sharing of yourself, your talents, your humour, your thoughtfulness. We do appreciate it all. X O

  31. I followed your sterling example and started spinning some of my stash before… you know… acquiring more. I had two 1 pound bumps of a very nice blue Thrum Roving from Spinderella sitting in my spinning basket when I went do change the laundry around… Came back and my puppy had decided that they were wonderful toys. There was little fluffs of blue-varigated roving EVERYWHERE. Hanging from his mouth… on all the furniture… even somehow stuck to the stucco on the ceiling. I have no idea how he made such a big mess so quietly.
    Lessons learned: 1) Put the puppy out before leaving the spinning. 2) 2 lbs of roving is a LOT of fiber.

  32. Hey, Lisa is my Mom’s name…er, *ahem* Hi, I’m Lisa. You obviously meant that for me, right?

  33. Beautiful!, Makes me want to get back to work on my wheel immediately. Darn job, stealing all my spinning/weaving/knitting time.

  34. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Just my favorite colors! And………..did I mention……..those nearest and dearest to me call me George????? Just sayin’…..

  35. I actually named one of my cats “george” because I wanted to just hug him and squeeze him…. And the colors are just so beautiful. We’re experiencing seriously wrong weather here, so I’m starting to think cottons and linens. Wool and 70 degress in March just seems a little too much.

  36. I lust for those colors. Sadly, I agree a real friend would give it to Lisa. But then you can see how wonderful it looks knit into life without any more work. =:0 NICE job!

  37. **drrroooooooooooolll**
    Um…’scuse me…sorry about the dampness.
    *mopmopmopmopmop*

  38. Isn’t that just the way the universe works? That is some beautiful yarn, Harlot.

  39. It’s so pretty. And I laughed out loud in a room by myself with the Loony Tunes reference -I remember it soooooo well!

  40. I followed the link and laughed hard. I spent hours in front of the TV watching Loony Toons and even have a 4 disc set and have never seen that one! As for the yarn, it’s funny how often I’ve started a project thinking it was for me and then realized that it was for someone else. Good for you for recognizing that its home is with your friend.

  41. Stephanie, It is magnificent. Just the best colors. It’s good you listened to the yarn as you know it would have made lots of trouble for you if you had not.

  42. Lisa is a devilishly clever woman – first to think up that combo and then to con you into putting it all together for her!!!!!! And I too remember George!

  43. This post is why I read your blog. It’s happy, considerate, purposeful, informative and just plain fun to read! Your posts are always thought provoking, while showing us another side of humanity. Keep up the good work, you do know your setting the bar kind of high though?

  44. that seems to be the color family d’jour for me… I just came home from the fabric store with two yards that resembles that yarn. aahhh….

  45. What you just did with a hunk of roving is amazing. I am blissfully ignorant of the process but love the product.

  46. I actually saw that cartoon on TV this afternoon.
    Very nice yarn. I’ve only spun top and roving. I need to try batts…and rolags…and locks. And, and, and…

  47. Lurvely. It makes me want to finish up my carbonized bamboo fiber and find something to spin that’s a little more lively in colour. Hmmm.

  48. Oh pretty!!!!! And I loved the Looney Tunes comment. Odd thing is, yours was the second blog post to reference LT today- and I read the first one immediately before I read yours. Weird, huh? Even weirder- I had a cat named George because of this quote, a girl cat but I didn’t care.

  49. It IS BEAUTIFUL…I LUV it…I WANT it!!!! You know what’s funny….I never thought I was a ‘fickle’ person BUT I’ve gone from Janie to Denny to Lisa….in less than a week!! Seriously though Stephanie….WHEN you decide to ‘sell’ your wares…sign me up!!!!….(:

  50. Ahh, Harlot-san, it is far, far more honorable to give the gift of that which one covets most, than to give the gift of that which one covets least.
    You could make a gift of the socks knit with this yarn, thus gifting yourself with the working of the coveted yarn into lovely socks to give.
    A trade is nice too.The yarn is very pretty. I’d be a mess deciding.

  51. knowing you, not so weird. You are a woman of character who recognizes what is right.
    There are lots of people wanting to be Lisa.

  52. I am fairly certain that the “George” thing comes from “Of Mice and Men” by Steinbeck. We use it all of the time here, too. The yarn looks luscious.

  53. Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a yarn whore (addict) and my address is …….
    Gorgeous stuff!

  54. Looney tunes.. actually thats exactly how my cat got named george. I have loads of baby knitting to be done. A friend is having twins any pattern suggestions?

  55. I call lots of things George, expecially if they’re fibrous and squishy. Nice spinning!

  56. No, no, no. Not Lisa. Ghislaine. George et Ghislaine – the combination has a certain je ne sais quoi. I’ll be waiting by the mailbox 🙂
    All kidding aside – absolutely luscious yarn!

  57. That’s a mighty fine gesture, especially considering that the yarn is the color(s) that I think of when I think of you.

  58. Whatever that is – I would stop in front of it and buy it. What a delicious color.

  59. What and innnnnteresting Mon-star! Love the yarn too. You’re making me feel like I need to dive into my unclosed box and start spinning. OR I could just finish the sweater I am working on. (even though it was 82 degrees today)

  60. yeup… weird it is.
    Keep it and make something out of it.
    Or send me an email to get my addy so I can make something out of it. That would be fine with me.

  61. I’m not sure how it started…it could even have been Loony Toons but I’m George and my sister is Harry. 🙂
    Give the yarn away? Seriously? It’s is so your color.

  62. Ohhhhh………Lisa is a lucky woman!! LOVE the yarn! I have had so much fun spinning up the batts I made as well! That was such a totally fun thing to do and I have loved every single batt!

  63. The only fair thing would be for Lisa to knit YOU something scrumptious with that yarn, …. It’s a karma thing… 🙂

  64. With the economy and all, I am sure you want to start selling your yarn. So, I will buy it. I love the colors. LOVE THE COLORS. It is screaming my name, not Lisa. If I were to spot it at my LYS, I would buy it in a heartbeat. I do paypal :>)

  65. Oh my. My name is Lisa, can I come over and hug it? I will gladly call it George. 😉

  66. I wish I knew more about how hair from an animal becomes yarn, but I’m afraid to look into it for fear of adding another OCD item to my list! I think it’s safer if I just watch from a distance.

  67. That’s why my cat is named George, even though she’s female 😉
    It is very, very nice yarn, and I think Lisa will love it!

  68. Spectacular! I agree with steven, it would be gorgeous on a loom.

  69. Beautiful and handsome yarn! It’s amazing how your your taste in color is so similar to mine.

  70. Not so weird. It’s truly a lovely gift when you’re willing to give something that you’d just as soon have yourself but think it would make another happy.

  71. I’ll change my name to Lisa if it means I get the beautiful yarn. It’s gorgeous! amber, topaz, rust with a touch of green. *sigh*

  72. nahhh, you are wrong… it screams my name so loudly I can hear it halfway around the world 🙂
    (Totally gorgeous yarn, whoever gets to use it should feel honored…even if it is Lisa )

  73. Oh! It’s perfectly lovely.
    And wouldn’t a montage of those photos make a lovely desktop background (for those of us who aren’t Lisa!)? I may have to do this.
    Now I’m picturing the yarn-a-day photo calendar. Because there is no way I can possibly knit all the gorgeous yarns I see online, but I can enjoy looking at them, even when I’m working (which sadly is not an occupation compatible with knitting).

  74. I have a dog named Gershwin. We use the “I want to love him, and hug him, and squeeze him and call him George” line all the time.
    Doesn’t work so well with the dog named Schubert.

  75. Funny this is, I just saw that exact Looney tunes yesterday (3/15) about 2 hours before this post went up. Love it. I actually named a cat I had George and I would say I will love him and hug him and squeeze him and I will call him george and he will be my very own!!

  76. Lucky lucky Lisa and of course i got the reference one of my faves. Great colors, great yarn. Congrats.

  77. I think getting the yarn is a pretty good payoff for suggesting how to make your batts. I would keep that gorgeous yarn for myself, if I were you. So now everybody knows I’m a selfish person. Head hanging…..

  78. I’ve been reading through the posts. Do you realize how many of us have actually named pets because of that cartoon?

  79. I think you spelled Lisa wrong. It’s spelled, SAMINA. Why yes, I’d love it, thank you!

  80. Oh. My. Goodness!! It’s stunning.
    Isn’t it odd how you can love a yarn so much that you don’t even necessarily want to make anything with it, because in and of itself it’s a work of art, and knitting it – if you don’t choose wisely – you run the risk of debasing it into a lesser form??
    Just me? Ok … 😉

  81. Oh, I remember George, and I love the yarn. You are right, it probably should go to Lisa.

  82. Lovely! Seeing such pretty handspun makes me want to get out my spinning wheel and get to the point where I can make more than wonky, dense, overspun yarn!!!

  83. Absolutely beautiful yarn. And beautiful pictures! Would you share what kind of camera you use because all your pictures are wonderful!

  84. Beautiful yarn! I wish that I could make my George, a CVM cross look this gorgeous. The George comment made me laugh because yes I do remember.

  85. Oooohhhhh, so that’s the benefit of practicing!! It’s beautiful yarn and very inspiring as well. Wonderful job!

  86. Gorgeous! Reminds me of a Tanglewood Fibre Creations yarn I was given by my sister. It was beautiful and I knit it into a shawl for my mother. Lovely! And yes, Bonnie, I agree, I always thought that Looney Tunes was referring to “Of Mice and Men” too!

  87. Stunning. I’m still resisting learning to spin, but my resistance is wavering.
    I remember the Looney Tunes episode. I always figured it was informed by “Of Mice and Men.” Those old cartoons could be pretty literary…

  88. Haha….I love the George reference…I use it all the time…congrats on the gorgeous yarn….

  89. I just switched on the blog after a fab hour building my shiny new Traddy, and am in awe, inspired and in absolute certainty I’ll never be able to make something so fab. But I shall keep on trying. Back to the lumpy-singles!

  90. Not my colors at all, yet strangely lovely (to me). All this week you’ve inspired me to get out my wheel… I see a spinning/tv marathon in my future!
    And yes, George… I’d surly have named one of my cats George by now, if it wasn’t my dad’s name.

  91. I just used ‘Which way did he go, George? Which way did he go?’ this past weekend. Got your reference immediately. Pretty yarn. If you and Lisa don’t want it I call dibs.

  92. Beautiful. I love it. I would call it George, too.
    I’ve always been fond of colors plied together. It’s so interesting and has so much movement.

  93. The thing is, as Lisa was making those suggestions, you couldn’t also hear her whispering to the yarn, “Come to Mama, Baby.” And so, her subliminal message has worked. BTW, I like green/blue. ;^)

  94. Oh, wow, what beautiful, amazing yarn! I am in love. As for the rare and lesser known breeds, my answer is yes, I would definitely use them; if I ever have the opportunity to learn to spin. I like off-the-beaten-track…well, just about everything!

  95. “I want to hug it and squeeze it and kiss it and call it George. (I bet that’s not funny unless you remember Loony Toons.) ”
    LOL, that’s the exact same reason that my motorcycle ended up being called George! 😀

  96. Yarn is fabulous! I would love to know what it would be like to be your friend, friend!

  97. You mentioned the “calling it George” thing a while back on the blog. I totally named a sweater George a few years ago after reading it. Now I get to say that George keeps me warm at night.

  98. Yours is the second blog I read today that used the hugitkissitandcallitgeorge quote. How weird is that?
    Gorgeous yarn, though.

  99. OH EM GEE!!!
    The abominable snowman squeezing Bugs Bunny!!
    In my family my kids and I use this all of the time to express great pleasure!!
    My kids actually bought me Looney Tunes on DVD- for my birthday!
    we love George here-
    Also, I just bought a wheel and can’t wait for it go get here- I love love love that yarn that you made!!

  100. Dear Stephanie, Over the last few years I’ve drooled over the yarn you have spun. But I can honestly say that when I saw these batts and saw the singles, that I could hardly wait until I saw the finished yarn. Simply gorgeous!!!! Makes me want to run out and take a class. Never thought I’d say that, but it’s all your fault! lol! Thanks so much for sharing with us!

  101. I want to hug it and squeeze it and kiss it and call it George, too. It is stunning! I may have to finally dig out my dusty spindle and start spindling in hopes that some day I, too, can make something worthy of being dubbed George.

  102. I always laugh when I jokingly call my husband “George” because that’s his legal first name but he goes by Robert so I tend to forget for that instant before I realize it’s funny.
    Your plied yarn is completely and stunningly gorgeous – almost makes me want to learn how to spin! For now I’ll just adore yours from afar. 😉

  103. That is absolutely beautiful. Maybe if you give it to Lisa, she’ll make something for you with it?

  104. If it was my wish to mail you a present, how would I do such a thing? Could you e-mail me with a PO box number or something? Trying not to be a stalker here, just want to share the love.

  105. I know the real Lisa and yes, you’re right the yarn would be perfect for her. But she likes other colors too 😉

  106. Oh, definitely. Love, pet, squeeze, and call it George! I use that reference couple or weeks ago about yarn and some people just looked at me. The right people laughed!
    Gorgeous George yarn!

  107. Beautiful yarn! I think your George comment is really funny because I DO remember Loony Toons, and I use that line ALL the time! (it helps that we have a parrotlett named George!)

  108. As always, I enjoy your writing. I’m just catching up after being computerless for awhile. Just wanted to add that I included that Looney Tunes quote on my son’s birth announcements; yes, his name is George. And he’s curious.

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