SOFT AND SMOOTH

I couldn't wait to sample a bit of the newly carded wool by using my favorite drop spindle.  Since it had been a few years since I used the spindle, a lot of dropping occurred but soon enough I had it spinning and not slipping from my fingers!  

The Cotswold wool is spinning up beautifully! 

 I think I want to try and make a spindle whorl on the lathe.

The last row of weaving has taken place;  the shuttle won't get through any more so I stitched the last rows together so cutting can take place and today I will be hemming and then washing the towels!

 

Slow but Steady

 As soon as I finished this windmill top, I laid it out on the floor for my TA-Da!  Nyki instantly claimed it but I could see an Oh,No! instead.

 Somehow, when I arranged it for sewing I goofed on the same row on all four corners.....nothing to do but rip out and resew!  At least I could do it while sitting down.

 Corrected and bordered!  A good project that was started when Mom and Dad were here for the winter!

 I had a few blocks left over and so I added them to the backing for a bit of punch.  It is now in the quilting queue.

 I hung the serger thread racks..........arranged rainbow-ish for my daughter.

I saw these large recycled glass beads at my friend , Sandy's, on a recent visit and asked to borrow it for an experiment.  Yup, I have a new line of support spindles I am going to make.......soon to be offered for sale.

I Can Do That!

I was disappointed not to have the right color of strapping I wanted when at the store.

 Then it hit me, I could dye the white webbing any color I wanted!  I dyed it with Rit dye, it is almost a perfect match!

I finished spinning the Molly enhanced yarn (merino with Marsel's cat fur brushings) and now will knit it into a little pouch.  Note the break on my spindle shaft?!  Nyki was determined to terrorize help me ply this on the spindle and in one giant leap tackled the spindle to the floor and it broke the glass shaft......I was not happy and she realized it by my yell of, " Oh, No!!!!!!"  I have glued the shaft and buffed it with my dremel so hopefully it will still work! 

My Gallery

First, I can now add to my repertoire, plying on a spindle! I searched YouTube for a lesson that would fit my style and found this..........

winding the single plies off the spindle onto the ball winder and then spinning both ends of the single ply back on the spindle for a balanced 2-ply yarn. It was very satisfying every step of the way! I am liking the spindle more than I thought I would!

I then unwound it from the spindle onto my niddy noddy as usual and now I have a beautiful skein of wool (54 yards!) It will be knit up into another momento pouch........ .......now that I am done with Bruce's socks! They are in the mail son-in-law! Be sure and unpack the hug, too!

I have another pile awaiting their turn on the quilting frame.....

and one ready on the design wall.

I am making progress on my bamboo scarf (it is only 16" long) but it is on the top of the knitting list now!

I am ready for my turn for a visiting daughter and grandchildren-AND my sister and family get here on Friday so I am putting that waiting-energy to good use!

A Spindle!

I ordered a new handcrafted spindle (steve kundert) and I think you will agree with me that it is a thing of beauty. (This is the 30-9 model; made of maple and cherry wood.)

Most spinners start on a spindle and graduate to a wheel. I thought that the spindle was way too slow when I started spinning 25+ years ago and so I am just getting back to trying one now. The beauty of the wood was a big draw to me and I think making my own might just be in my future, too. I drumcarded this merino/finn/mohair fiber in anticipation of the spindle's arrival. I took to the spindling as if I have been doing it forever. It is still way too slow compared to what you can produce on a wheel in the same amount of time but that isn't the point of handspinning fiber. It is a very relaxing experience and I think this is just the beginning of a wonderful collection of spindles!