Spinning, Spinning, Spinning

I have been putting my anxiety to work lately.
The easiest fix for my sad feelings is always food, but since I have probably gained 20 pounds in the last year I am trying to find another outlet.
Long-time readers will know that I have a new-found obsession with spinning, though I put it on hold for a bit for the holidays.
The past few days I pulled it out again, and have been getting a lot of yardage spun up.
A couple of weeks ago I received a surprise package in the mail from a facebook friend, filled to bursting with spinny delights.

I grabbed a braided top and got to work.

It's fascinating to me how different the final yarn ends up looking from the roving. 

From right to left here is the unbraided top, the predrafted top, a spun single, and a plied yarn.

Here you can really see the difference between the roving and the yarn. I am still a total beginner but I am trying to practice every day and I think I am seeing some improvement. 

The colors of this one are just perfect with the sweater I have been plugging away at. I don't know if I will incorporate it into the actual sweater, or maybe a matching hat?

Anyway, my pants thank me for channeling my nervous energy into this project rather than more cookies...