August 2008 Archives
That vacation trip ended July 24, so I am still behind in my blogging. Knitting has mostly been confined to my bus commute back and forth to work, while spinning has occupied my evenings and weekends. I love my new wheel. I took it to our local Knit Out back at the beginning of August. Thanks to Aline for taking these pictures!
It was a great way to spend the afternoon. Yes, I spin lefty. I have no idea why. It just feels right. Odd though, since I don't spindle that way. In the last picture above you can see a bit of the top on my right thigh. It is the top that I bought at last year's Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival.
But I've gotten ahead of myself.
The natural yarn was the first one spun on my wheel. It is a two-ply; one single was BFL and the other was Coopworth. The burgundy yarn is merino, also 2-ply. They are both thick-and-thin, but nice to handle and totally usable.
Then I set about spinning the remaining 7 oz of the wool top mentioned previously. I had already spun about 1 oz on my spindles. This time the singles were much more consistent, due to the nicely prepped fibre, and more practice. Instead of thick-and-thin I produced a very fully bobbin (all 7 oz!) of thin-and-thinner.
While I contemplated the logistics of making a 3-ply from my one bobbin (a real 3-ply, not a chained single), I spun up 30 g of Wensleydale still in the stash box from a long ago swap. It has a lovely silky feel and is quite lustrous. It is the little 2-ply skein shown below, along with the natural and burgundy yarn (wound into balls).
To make a 3-ply yarn from the brown single I first wound it into 3 balls using my ball winder. Then I used the wheel to wind the three balls back onto 3 bobbins. I put the bobbins onto the kate that came with the wheel, and plied and plied and plied. Well, it wasn't that bad. It only took two evenings. I ended up with 200 g, about 310 m, of pretty decent 3-ply, at about 12 wraps/inch, which makes it roughly a worsted weight, I guess. Mittens for sure, maybe a hat. I don't think it is soft enough for a scarf, but swatching will tell.
There is considerably less knitting to show you, but here it is. One finished organic, naturally-coloured cotton wash cloth, about 10.5" x 12.0", to allow for shrinkage;
and one unfinished Japanese Waves scarf.
The Handmaiden yarn is a treat to work with and the pattern simple and soothing, I love the undulating side edges. I am making mine on 3.5 mm needles, and 47 stitches wide. It is 7 inches wide (unblocked) and at the halfway point yarn-wise, about 27 inches long. So it will be plenty long enough when it is finished and lightly blocked.
It was a great way to spend the afternoon. Yes, I spin lefty. I have no idea why. It just feels right. Odd though, since I don't spindle that way. In the last picture above you can see a bit of the top on my right thigh. It is the top that I bought at last year's Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival.
But I've gotten ahead of myself.
The natural yarn was the first one spun on my wheel. It is a two-ply; one single was BFL and the other was Coopworth. The burgundy yarn is merino, also 2-ply. They are both thick-and-thin, but nice to handle and totally usable.
Then I set about spinning the remaining 7 oz of the wool top mentioned previously. I had already spun about 1 oz on my spindles. This time the singles were much more consistent, due to the nicely prepped fibre, and more practice. Instead of thick-and-thin I produced a very fully bobbin (all 7 oz!) of thin-and-thinner.
While I contemplated the logistics of making a 3-ply from my one bobbin (a real 3-ply, not a chained single), I spun up 30 g of Wensleydale still in the stash box from a long ago swap. It has a lovely silky feel and is quite lustrous. It is the little 2-ply skein shown below, along with the natural and burgundy yarn (wound into balls).
To make a 3-ply yarn from the brown single I first wound it into 3 balls using my ball winder. Then I used the wheel to wind the three balls back onto 3 bobbins. I put the bobbins onto the kate that came with the wheel, and plied and plied and plied. Well, it wasn't that bad. It only took two evenings. I ended up with 200 g, about 310 m, of pretty decent 3-ply, at about 12 wraps/inch, which makes it roughly a worsted weight, I guess. Mittens for sure, maybe a hat. I don't think it is soft enough for a scarf, but swatching will tell.
There is considerably less knitting to show you, but here it is. One finished organic, naturally-coloured cotton wash cloth, about 10.5" x 12.0", to allow for shrinkage;
and one unfinished Japanese Waves scarf.
The Handmaiden yarn is a treat to work with and the pattern simple and soothing, I love the undulating side edges. I am making mine on 3.5 mm needles, and 47 stitches wide. It is 7 inches wide (unblocked) and at the halfway point yarn-wise, about 27 inches long. So it will be plenty long enough when it is finished and lightly blocked.
As promised, pictures of the shop at Belfast Mini Mills:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1. There was lots of yarn, all made in the mill, from lace weight to bulky, and so many types of luxury fibres.
2. Tea cozies made from the felt produced on site.
3. Beautiful woven throw in a pinwheel design.
4. Same design in fewer colours. Alpaca. So soft.
5. Lousy picture of awesome heathered yarn (50/50 mohair/merino)
6. 100% (yes!) Camel down
I couldn't leave without some souvenir yarn, now could I? Youngest requested the rainbow mohair/merino for a winter hat and gloves, and I couldn't resist the autumn colours of this 100% wool. I bought 2 skeins of each.
Continue reading Summer Road Trip 2008 - Part 4 (the conclusion!).
It was grey and drizzling when we arrived at Belfast Mini Mills on Monday July 21. The animals in the pasture next to the parking area were looking unamused as they peered at us from their shelter.
There were bunnies of various sizes everywhere, unconcerned by the wet weather. They were a bit tricky to photograph though.
We went into the shop (pictures next time) and there we found Sheila Sutherland who, upon hearing that I was interested in owning a mill of my own some day, took me over to the mill building and introduced us to her daughter Linda Nobles. It wasn't long before we also met Hazel Spencer, Linda's sister. They, together with another woman,Terry, were operating all the machines in the mill and giving tours to all the visitors that happened by. And since it was a rainy day there were LOTS of visitors. They are some busy, busy gals!
Linda said that the best thing would be for me to spend some time in the mill and get some hands-on experience with some of the machines, so we pushed up our sleeves and got to work.
There were bunnies of various sizes everywhere, unconcerned by the wet weather. They were a bit tricky to photograph though.
We went into the shop (pictures next time) and there we found Sheila Sutherland who, upon hearing that I was interested in owning a mill of my own some day, took me over to the mill building and introduced us to her daughter Linda Nobles. It wasn't long before we also met Hazel Spencer, Linda's sister. They, together with another woman,Terry, were operating all the machines in the mill and giving tours to all the visitors that happened by. And since it was a rainy day there were LOTS of visitors. They are some busy, busy gals!
Linda said that the best thing would be for me to spend some time in the mill and get some hands-on experience with some of the machines, so we pushed up our sleeves and got to work.
Continue reading Summer Road Trip 2008 - Part 3.
