spin one, knit one
{ Monthly Archives }
Not only did I wash my skeins today but I also got my knitting out and did 3 pattern repeats on my scarf this afternoon, being interrupted by an unexpected visitor I got no further. NO spinning done! NO cake made! AND I missed a £50 Ashford Traditional on eBay as I couldn’t get into the office to my PC to bid on it.
It is turning into a crazy day but…
… there are three skeins drying in the kitchen.
Spinning today was a total disaster. I just could not do it. I got some carding done, but was hopeless with the wheel.
There are six of us now and things are getting crowded. Three are gallivanting off to North Ronaldsay next week (lucky things, wish I could go) so I will take the opportunity to host the group while there are fewer people. Somehow my sitting room, though large enough, doesn’t lend itself to accommodating so many people. Queen Mum’s date and walnut cake has been ordered (oh, goody - I like that one)
I need to spin tomorrow, to “get back on the bike” again before I settle to the idea that I just cannot do it. I must also wash my skeins. Really, I must.
Opal yarns from Astrid’s Dutch Obsessions
I love that green/aqua/coral/cream colourway.
Leicester longwool from eBay, with added “Tangles by Teddy” - thank you, Teddy.
On the way: Kauni “Rainbow” - again from Astrid’s, and back issues of Interweave Knits - for the Swallowtail Shawl first, I think.
I don’t know about Astrid’s Dutch Obsessions, but I do believe that we need to be curbing Beth’s Sanday Obsessions…
I shall have to be buying some needles.
Kauni T-382EQ ready-to-wear ON SPECIAL ORDER ONLY - Astrid’s Dutch Obsessions
Colourful!
Scrummy
I’d not dare wear it, would I?
Flickr: Photos from Kitty Grrlz
I wanted to blog an image “Sunset Gold with Flowers Handspun Yarn” but there’s no CCL. Bummer.
Anyway - the point of this post is to say that I just had a major revelation about spinning - and that is you don’t have to knit your yarn. The output can be Art in itself. something like the yarn in the aforemetioned photo? - pile it in a pretty basket and leave it there!
That’s upped my ambition, I can tell you!
So, I went spinning and I managed to ply most of my yarn before I went - a serious brain fart delayed me somewhat and one of the cats assisted in the delaying process too. The brain fart was the worst - and I wasted about an hour with no drive on my bobbin, before light dawned on my impoverished little brain.
At spinning group I finished my plying and then skeined 3 small hanks on a borrowed niddy noddy (must get one of those - great fun). I now need to wash my first batch.
After skeining, I carded a carrier bag full of Jacob. Then I came home with several shades of Shetland - ready carded too. What booty! Thanks are due to J for that.
This afternoon I spun(?) (span?) (not “spinned” anyway!) almost a full bobbin from this morning’s carding. I see improvement but there needs to be much more yet. I think I am ready to do some “how to spin” reading now. I’m the kind of person who needs to fully synthesise an understanding, before really getting the hang of a new skill. Internal models are all!
I broke one of my three bobbins this morning. Is that sufficient reason to start shopping for a new and better wheel? Perhaps I’d better be certain that I have the hang of spinning first.
Today’s cake was Lemon Drizzle. Scrummy.
And here are my nostepinne efforts! Single ply on the left, 2 plyed yarn on the right (the one that Treacle got hold of.) Both are not yet washed.
(And then the broadbadband connection went down)
(ahhh - we are back with the world again)
