new spinning

I was up until 11:30 one night spinning. I never stay up late to do anything, but I was in such a groove I just had to finish the entire batt. It came out just beautiful, soft and perfect in every way. I am only disappointed that I don't have more of it. I got about 110 yds. I can't wait to knit it up. I have so many knitting projects on needles right now, as well as a few planned for needles but not yet begun. (Check back for more on those projects soon.)So, with the idea of wanting a decent amount of yardage to actually create something from my own hand spun - I have attempted to incorporate three batts into one - deep teal, an off white and a light light blue. I think it will work. I actually have no idea what I am doing. Spinning is not all that much fun for me yet - but there is always something to learn, and I like that.

Not Much

Here is April, after she folded her bed in half so that she had a thicker more cushy place to rest.

It has been a month of surprise gifts! My wonderful husband took a weekend excursion to Toronto and brought me home some lovely maize colored wool yarn. I think it will become a pair of mittens for moi! The yarn he bought me is pictured with the yarn I spun. It may go nicely together but I think it would be too much...

Etsy

I recently posted these gloves, they are made from some hand spun merino I did a while back and a lovely Berocco alpaca (navy blue) and the argyle sock rat above is finally completed and posted. I must be losing my mind to think any one would want to purchase a sock rat. I thought he was going to be a sheep but some projects take on their own spirit and he became a rat.

New Twists

Etsy selling  is a little slow this month, and I have 15 pairs of gloves listed, so I feel a bit relaxed to work on other things... I did finally get back to spinning and (although I have completed some small amounts of yarn in the past) I feel like I just completed my first real hand spun yarn work. It is a beautiful orange and pink with yellow and green highlights. On Saturday morning I showed my husband a picture of the pvc pipe contraption I wanted to be able to set the spin and he went immediately to Home Depot and within the hour he had made it for me. Thank you hon! The thing measures 18 inches so I can count my wraps and determine the yardage - I got 190 yds from this batting! While I was plying I created a twisted mess that I cannot untangle. I definitely over spun this lot, but I hate to waste anything. Any one have any ideas what I can do with this? 

So the new roving I am working with is a camel and chocolate with pink highlights. I really like this one and I hope I get better as I ago. I don't know how spinners sell their hand spun  yarn for such low prices. I think spinning is the most time consuming and difficult process  I am into. But I am determine to get to the place where it is fun and relaxing.

I will spin

So far this winter break has been both relaxing and productive. I have made two dresses for Mod Molly (see below) and I have four pairs of gloves to sew up and post to my Etsy shop. I have gone to the gym and run 3 miles on the treadmill three days in a row now and I hope to keep it up all week! But what I really want to do is spin. Not at the gym but in front of the fire. I got my spinning wheel over two years ago and I am pretty sure I only used it once last winter. I had a need for yellow (which I have again) so I started on this gorgeous merino roving. I really want to finish it all and knit something with it. I also want to clean out the basement (my studio) and do some wonderful cooking and baking.

This is the dress I knit for Mod Molly. Aster tied a satin Christmas ribbon around the waist. I think it looks pretty good. I still need to knit the matching hair band I promised.