spinning

Yak is fun to spin.

15.5 micron cashmere is even better.

The porch is excellent for bird hunting, especially if you are a stealthy chubby nearly white cat.

It’s also good for spinning and drinking wine on a warm afternoon.

Plying something you’ve been spinning up since July is a great way to wrap up the weekend.

I’ve caught the bug again!  My spinning wheel has been sitting in its bag for far too long.  Last week, when I had a few unexpected hours at home, I pulled out my wheel for the first time in nearly 2 months. This was the result: 195 yards of lumpy bumpy 2 ply thick and thin bulky merino.  The fiber is from Lisa Souza.  It was lovely stuff though a little bit compacted.  When my efforts to spin it fine failed because it was so compacted, I decided to stop fighting and go with the thick and thin.  It’ll make a fun, funky hat or scarf or something.

Next up, I needed color, so enter: 4 ounces of Corgi Hill Farm’s BFL/silk 75/25 blend in the Mad Hatter Lite colorway.  It is now this:2 bobbins of singles waiting to be navajo plied.  It spins like a dream.  So heavenly – I think I’m in love with this blend.  Good thing I have more

Plying will come tonight or tomorrow – then its on to something else.  Time to go stash diving!

A weekend’s worth of spinning:

Merino/tencel singles in Sunrise from The Sheep Shed at Mountain View Farm

Singles and finished 2 ply yarn spun from an eXtreme Spinning Art Batt

After a 2 month lull, I pulled out my spinning wheel this weekend.  Once again, it was Guild that finally got me back at it.  The combination of yummy fibers and happy spring colors in my spinning basket sucked me right in – I didn’t want to put it down.  First order of business – finish spinning  the fabulous pink art batt that I started at the last Guild meeting.  Like the others I’ve gotten from Jill, this one had everything but the kitchen sink thrown in – wool, silk, milk fiber, angelina and some other bits of stuff.  Its so much fun to spin – all that variety is perfect for a thick and thin funky novelty yarn.  The bright pink yarn has my niece’s name all over it – I’ll have to knit up something fun for her.   Next up was to pick up another long unfinished WIP – this was actually the last of the spinning WIPs (yes, I had those too!).  I started the merino/tencel above at least 2 years ago, getting maybe a 1/4 ounce on the bobbin before putting it aside.  I finished up the singles this weekend.  Next up is to ply it.  The two above are actually the same colorway, one very light version and one very dark version.  I suspect the light just didn’t take the dye well – when I opened up the roving, it was nearly white on the inside.  Plied together, I think it will make a lovely yarn.  I see a simple, drapey scarf out of this one – something that will really show off the beauty of the yarn.

My wheel now has a spot in my living room, in front of my rocking chair – where it belongs.  No more putting it aside for months on end.

Happy Monday!