Today was spinning day. I plied. Then I spun. Still on the Cheviot, but feeling like I want to fit some more of the pink merino in soon.

J used my niddy noddy to skein off some of her yarn. Be amazed:

These are all natural shades - mostly spun from raw fleece “in the grease.” All for sale. Soon to be seen in the Sanday Spinners’ shop.

I missed the library van at the school last night. I had intended joining the library and then enquiring to see what Alice Starmore books they had on catalogue. G turned up at spinning, apologising for lateness due to going to the library van and ordering all their Starmore books… I guess no good idea was ever unique

The Library van arrives Tuesday afternoon by ferry, does an evening stint, then three more sessions on Wednesday, before disappearing on the ferry for the next three weeks.  So, I decided, even if G had ordered the books, that it was worth pedalling off to Lady village post-spinning today, to get myself signed up.

I was glad that I went - it’s a beautiful day today - all seaside breezes and blue sky and white clouds. It was hard work coming back on the bike with a stack of library books on my back…

I got a book of poems and paintings/photos of Orkney; some Scottish cookery books (I want to try making Clootie Dumpling); knitting books; book making books; rag rugging books; and spinning and dying books. That should keep me out of trouble for a while.

I am now on a mission to source the perfect laceweight yarn for next year’s winning scarf in the Sanday Show. I’ve bought the pattern. I just need a stunning yarn to do it with - plus a great deal more lace practice before I cast on the scarf. As you can see, I am thinking positively.  :-)

Ideal yarn? Silk/merino, I think. Maybe pure silk. Maybe cashmere, but maybe not. I’d like a silky handle, rather than a fluffy one. In deep sea shades. Ideally blue and green, shading together through turquoise, with a long colour run so that the whole piece shades. Stripes will not do. I want a light centre, deep ends, or green centre/blue ends. The scarf is knitted in two pieces, then grafted in the centre - the scheme is therefore feasible, if the right yarn can be found.

Backup plan? Er, right. I’ll think on it. Silver grey? Amethyst?

I’m keeping an eye on The Yarn Yard, for the right yarn to come up. I’m also monitoring  HipKnits - I love Kerrie’s Seaglass and Surf colours, but they don’t quite hit all the right buttons for this project (just most of them…) I’ve seen a perfect, and totally different, colour at Posh Yarn, but Dee doesn’t seem to do laceweight. The single shaded colour lace yarn, To The Lighthouse, at Violet Green is lovely but just  little too vibrant for what I have in mind this time around, and the multi colours are just too multi, IYSWIM.

I have ages. I can afford to wait and watch - but if you see anything fitting the bill - do let me know!

EDIT: Angel Yarns have a merino, called Artisan, that is very nice - in either the Ocean or Wedgewood colours - awkward skein size, though. But, oh boy, just look at that Pansy! Scrummy, or what? The JaggerSpun Zephyr, by Fiddlesticks, looks like a good fall back in the solid colour stakes. I’d only need one ball, so this may make a good practice yarn, if I find the perfect-but-highly-expensive solution and want a test run.

Today’s cake was a fatless sponge sandwich, with raspberry jam and mock cream. Light and airy and rather skillfully crafted, if I do say so myself!