The Matchup

I was pleased to be able to dye a merino roving to match an aqua/violet silk top I found in my stash. My plan is to spin each and ply together. . . about a fingering weight for a shoulder shawl. So, the merino is already on the wheel and merrily filling a bobbin.

On the needles - the Icarus with only three rows to go should be finished today. That will probably be the next post. Also a Fairy Hare hat for my son's birthday. This staying home for a time is paying off.

First spindled yarn

This yarn was spun on my new Kundert, then plyed on the wheel so I don't know if it can legitimately be called "spindled yarn." I've yet to find the answer to that, but I do know I loved spindling it. The silk/mohair/alpaca fiber was purchased at MS&W from the Persimmon Tree booth. I don't know if you can see the sparkle in the picture, but the silk gives such luxury to this yarn that I've already decided on my next project . . . silk/merino.

Another MS&W purchase was a Bosworth spindle. It is a .77 oz. tulipwood whorl and a bloodwood shaft. The woods are so warm and appealing. I'm quite pleased with it.

I see it has been a month since the last post. The lapse of time does not signify inactivity . . . only dyeing and plying experiments. Core spinning intrigues me so have been playing around with different fibers to see what all the possibilities are. Since I am keeping a record of my experiments, I'll post them when I'm satisfied I have done enough.

As for knitting . .. finishing the fourth hat for giving and nearing completion of the Icarus. There defintely will be a picture of that when done. . . and that will be soon, I hope.

R.

The Return

Much has happened in my world of fibers since my last post. I am not going to try to fill in the blanks, but rather to begin again as much is happening every day it seems. For one thing, I have almost filled a bobbin of wonderfully soft shetland that I have been practicing the long draw on.



And . . . I am spindling on a perfectly balanced, perfectly wonderful spindle. Here you see a bit I have started of a fiber blend of silk, alpaca, and mohair.



Hope to have much more on the next post.

Four gloves and more

One glove turned into two. Then having to try a different cast on and yarn from the stash, two became four. What have I learned? To begin with I found that tubular cast on, which looks so beautifully rounded on the edge, is not very elastic. Consequently, glove number four had to be worked twice. . . not a stretchy cast on. The second thing I learned was that alpaca is definitely incredibly warm, so you will want to make a second pair as a spare. As for the pattern . . . I highly recommend Rita Buchanan's pattern to any beginning glove knitter as the pattern is simple, easy to follow, and a good fit.

While the gloves were evolving the last bit of blue kid mohair/corriedale/coopworth slid from my fingers and onto the bobbin. It is roughly a fingering weight . . . all nine ounces of it . . . so may want to be a Faroese shawl. I think that's what I will do.

Ready for the next dance . . .

Being that this is the first glove I have knit, and am having success, this is a good time to post for the first time. Maybe I will be successful on this as well. The gloves are knit from Frog Tree alpaca on needle sizes 1 and 2. The pattern is one of Rita Buchanan's and can be found in the book Homespun, Handknit. I am enjoying the knitting of these gloves so much that I am already knitting the next pair in my head . . . and the next pair . . . and the next pair.

and the dance goes on.