Woolgathering

Here she is, in all her glory

Danish oil (2 coats) and wax (2 coats) have made a big difference to the wheel, and nicely brought out the grain.

I did some spinning last evening. I’m not sure I’m really registering the way that the Scots tension works, so I need to experiment a bit. I broke lots of thread last night.

It’s a good job that I have plenty of fleece on hand!

Constance

This is what is on the wheel just now. See how erratic the spinning is? I’ll get used to it, I know. For now I am just enjoying the ease of the treadling and how I can now give all my attention to what’s happening with my hands. I expect to improve rapidly now. Three-way cross fleece from Yorkshire Woollybacks: Shetland/Manx/Corriedale.

Spun Stuff

This is the fleece that I am spinning. I have 3 lbs of this to spin up and it is going a very long way indeed. I’ve blown the colour in this. It’s more golden, really.

Nice fleece, very rich in lanolin - it just oozes… practically spins itself, most of the time, as it is a long staple and very silky and lustrous. I’m not preparing this fleece at all - just spinning from fistfuls taken up from the sack that I keep it in. I just tease it out and off I go. Maybe that’s why it looks so dreadful on the bobbin!

This fleece has an amazing crimp to it.

I managed to get a rather better colour on this shot - it looks pretty accurate on my monitor.

This fleece smells gorgeous, too.

Shetland/Manx/Corriedale

It’s a pretty wheel. Just needs some character adding, through wear and use.

Gratuitous Photoshopped Image

My silk aran turned up! Not the first parcel, but the replacement sent last week (it took its time, all the same) Two fat skeins of Knox. Many, many, thanks to Kerrie at Hipknits for the speedy replacement of the missing goods.

Also in today’s mail, my copy of Interweave Knits Felt special edition magazine

Not forgetting that I have my wheel up and running and one third of a bobbin full.

I am excluded from the office this afternoon, as Mr L has a business meeting on the speakerphone.

What shall I do?

1. Finish my third sock and cast on for the fourth
2. Start the Clapotis  <<this one?
3. Spin some more fleece
4. Read my mag
5. Go for a cycle ride

Ah - the agony of decision-making!

I’ll ponder the decision while cooking lunch. It’s a comfort food day again today - “mince”, potatoes, and peas, in a pan. I’ve soaked the TVP and all I have to do now is chop some onion and sling everything (but the peas, which go in at the end) in a pan to boil up. So I can spin while it simmers, with no attention required from me in the kitchen. At least my headache seems to have gone.