PLEASURE IN FINISHES

The skein of Merino/silk DK yarn is spun;  there are 200 yards which will be knit into another Dropped Stitch Scarf.

I made an adult double-layered hat on the Addi and it even has a label and pom!  (The pom is removable with a button on the inside to ease in washing care)

The only finish in the studio was the table runner! 

( Everything else went sideways-I left. )

But the runner adds warmth to the dining room

 and that makes me happy!

 

MORE YARN!

I have some yarn to show for my spinning time-216 yards of worsted weight yarn.  I have plenty more of this fleece so I hope I can match the results.  I wasn't able to wash this yarn to set the twist because it poured all day and that doesn't help it dry!  

 

BIT OF A CRASH

 In my usual MO, my body is needing a bit of a crash (in bed) to recoup from the travel, etc.  I did a bit of spinning to try out the weird batt/rolags and they were a huge success!  I will be making some more when I am upright again!  It shouldn't be long!

Spin and Ply

 

 I  do the best for the first few hours of the day;

after lunch the fever rises and makes upright impossible.

I plied  the four ounces off the bobbins without too much trouble.

 It is nice to see the ease of spinning the singles carried over to plying.

 355 yards of yarn is the result.

I have 2 more ounces to spin and I will be done with this Polworth fiber.

But the knitting will be wonderful-this fiber is that soft and lofty.

Look at what my orchid is doing!

It is a bit behind it's usual bloom time which is February 

but I will be happy to see them again no matter when it does so!

A Different Kind

 Quick and easy projects are very appealing right now.

I made these two pillow cases for my Fernandina grands.

 It will help with dreams of special interests right now!

 I am also trying to knit a block each day for the MKAL;

it has been very enjoyable to experiment with different textures for such a small space (7" x 9").

Speaking of small projects-I turned this bottle stopper on the lathe.

I felt more in control today and less like the idiot on the end of a tool!

Hardware

 I hardwired this foot pedal into the cord of my....

 Ashford Electric Spinner!  I had read that the new models are sold with a foot pedal to turn it off and on without having to let go of the fiber to use the switch on the spinner.  My husband said it was easy enough to add that feature with the  purchase of this very inexpensive foot pedal!  It was a very easy job to splice the wires and wow, is it easier to spin by using your foot to slow or stop as we are used to with a regular spinning wheel!  So nice to have an electrician for a dear husband!

 The new part came to replace my broken walking foot!  I had the old one for 30 years so I think the dollar a year part gives a lot for its value!  On to the bindings at last on the latest two quilts!

And lastly, Bill used his muscle to help me raise the level of the quilting machine 

to a better height for me to use it! 

 (I've only had it for a few years;  why did I wait to do this?!)

 I found the hunching posture as I stood at the frame was just too miserable.

I  am good to go now for hours, I am sure, if I can get healthy enough to stay in there for a few hours! lol

 Look at the lilies!  Such beautiful and sweet aromas, too.

Rain lilies in the forefront, tiger lilies in the back!

I bought just a few bulbs several years ago and they have multiplied and matured

-these plants are 48" tall this year!

Typical Day

Here was my set-up for spinning yesterday-

my e-spinner has a cord that plugs into the car charger so I can spin on the go!

 My view was so pretty ,

the temperatures were just right and it was dry after all the rain of the last two days! (8") 

 I was able to ply both bobbins into yarn; 

 Jjst in time to pick up to go!

 And when we finished with the lunch and nap routine, 

I painted the bottom of the basin and the pedestal of the birdbath.

 When I laid down the old birdbath to paint it,

I discovered why it was always crooked;

this portion of the basin was chipped away in portions

and so I did a fill of concrete to level the portions out.

 Once this area was slightly set, I painted this, too.

Oh, yes, this is better!

I am working on the mosaic for this basin, 

stay tuned! 

 When I was finished with all the painting, 

napper was finished so we took a golf cart ride!

This is what all that rain does for the pond!

Filled past its banks!

(and we have a little 'gator in residence again....)

Spun Out!

 I took the whole production outside so I could ply the last little bit of the Gulf Native wool and finish it up!

 I even wound it off the bobbin right away.

 A slight over spin but that usually relaxes after the washing!

 What an accomplishment!

463 yards of fingering weight yarn in this squishy, soft yarn.

Against all odds because I was getting zoomed by bikes, scooters and tyke trucks!

It plumped up after washing just right.

I am thinking I will dye it so that I can use it in a garment with the

cactus dyed rose yarn.

One other skein of this fiber I will dye a sage green and that will give me a full pound of this yarn.

Some Fair Isle knitting is in my future!

TDF Day 15

I have slowed down on my spinning....my wrists * have been sore;  my whole body is in a bit of a slump but I am still spinning , just not for long periods of time for now.

These are bobbins of Cormo wool, oh, so soft, and dyed in long repeats.

The four ounces of roving produced 343 yards of two ply sport weight yarn.

I am thinking this will be a hat.

I am still ahead of my goal for 'mileage' so even with the slow down, I am encouraged.

*MS is notorious for slamming you to the ground for the count and it is doing its best right now to shut me down.  There will be better days.......

Oh, Boy....

Last week, it seemed like a great idea to change my medicine.

The actuality is a bit different.

I am walking around like a zombie.  I have to wean from the old medicine (which feels like having my security blanket torn out of my hands) and slowly introduce the new meds which is too little for a lot of benefit right now!  

I can do this, right?!

I did a little puttering but my mind can't bear concentrating for too long. 

I added a bit of background to the watercolor, 

and I sanded the new resin sea animals, then drilled holes so they can be worn.

I am trying to make up my mind to put them all on one necklace or to have five individual ones.  

Today is not the best day for decisions. 

And I did a bit of this because I can do it with my eyes closed!  

Yes, this fiber is easy to spin;  even if it is Masham top. 

It is a new to me fiber and I am liking it just fine.

I didn't knit again today.......this is not a good pattern.

Tomorrow has to be a better day.

Another Slow Saturday...

I am halfway through the quilting on this vintage quilt for Millie.

The motif  design is intricate but it covers 12" in a pantograph row so I make good progress each pass!

I got the next two sections of roving ready for spinning after a bit of quilting.

(Quilting is done standing up and I last only so long!)

This roving was a bit too dense, perhaps during the dyeing or packing or shipping so I had to tease open the length of the roving so the fibers would draft for spinning. 

You get to know your fiber when this step needs to be added;  it is a good way to learn the length of the fiber so you can give it a good consistent spin!  It is a good way to save a roving that might have become a bit felted during the processing. 

After spinning and plying, I wound the skein off the bobbin onto the winder.  You can see how the skein transitions from pastel to intense color!  The colors lined up almost perfectly except for a bit in the middle of the skein-funny how it works out!  All told, a very good spin. 

Doesn't this look wonderful!  I almost always pop my new skeins right into water for a good soak and then hang them to dry so they will be ready for use when I need them.

Now I have two skeins of 4 oz of BFL to knit!

TDF 2015 Day Twelve

Today I spun some Hemp fiber;  it is very much like spinning linen (flax).

It feels like jute until it is washed several times.  It is a good exercise in spinning. 

These two little ounces produced a skein of 93 yards. 

It will either become a couple of luxury washcloths or I will use it with some linen for a woven table runner. 

I dug through my pile of patterns and found a cowl one in a feather and fan design so it will be reversible.  I have some Cotlin from KnitPicks to use.  I have three colors an I will be changing them after several pattern repeats.   

I needed something new on the needles because I ran out of yarn for this pair of summer socks!

More is ordered so I will see how much I can get done on the cowl before it arrives!