The in between things

You know, I have to be honest.  I'm really, really, really looking forward to September first.  The kids head back to school on September first.  This week has been full of everything and nothing all at once. The everything: kids needing this/that/the other, school supply runs, new pets, general house maintenance that keeps getting interrupted due to the kids needing me.... The nothing: fibre fun!  I've not made a single thing in the past week.... Did you know it's next to impossible to lace knit when your kids are all over you? Both literally and figuratively... But, I've got some pretty pictures of things I've made in the past few months heck, lets make that in the past year... So I'll share those, in hopes that I can remember what it's like to make things! ;)

This fibre is called Loons on the Lake, and was a part of the Heritage Spinning Box.   It was on 100% merino top.

This one has no name. it's just pretty... still on the merino top base... 

This is a swatch that is intending to show that this yarn would be suitable for a pair of adult socks. The fibre blend was 80%cotton 20% nylon (faux cashmere nylon).  This was for one of the assignments in the Level 5 work book of the Master Spinner program.

This one is a 50/50 blend of merino and baby llama! It's so soft! 3 ply.

See, I have been up to lots... just not lately... ;)  10 more days!!!  10 more days! 10 more days!!!! 

Happily Spinning,

~Kara

Adventures in Lace

I took a little time last week to cast on a swatch of a rather nice rectangular shawl for my Wedding Ring Shawl project.  I was really quite frustrated after 3 attempts to cast on 12 stitches over 4 8 inch long knitting needles.  Fourth attempt I gave them up and went with a small circular set I had on hand.  

Obviously that fourth attempt was the ticket, and I managed to get through the basic increase in the centre of the shawl. However, I kind of want to see what comes of the rest of the pattern so I'm thinking of doing the math to figure out if I can do all the patterns in the shawl in this one small swatch.  I suppose it depends on just how adventurous I get... 

Happily Spinning,

~Kara

When your Genius says so.

I'm not sure where I read it.  Or, I may have heard it while watching a documentary, as the images in my head are so vivid as to make me believe I saw it as well.   Long ago, the word genius did not mean someone who was incredibly intelligent, it meant that the ideas that came to you, and especially to artists, inventors, scientists, were given to you from an outer force.  This force was called The Genius.  One recounting of a genius story was that an author (who is well known, but heaven forbid I remember those details!) could feel her genius coming at her.  She would be out in a field picking berries, and she would have to run to the house for her pencil and paper before her genius flew past, leaving her alone, without capturing that story.  If at any time, I find that essay/post/documentary, I will share it. It was great.

My own genius spoke to me last week while we were camping.  I had brought along the most gorgeous Shetland fleece that had actually rood. (Roo'ing is the shedding ability some primitive sheep maintain) and a set of hand carders.  I was carding up fine, tiny, little rolags,  when my fingers began to itch for a spinning wheel.  The words wedding ring shawl whispered though my mind.  And I knew my genius was speaking to me. The moment we got home (and unpacked, and slightly settled) I got my husband to rig up a little platform for my lace flyer so that it could sit on my Ashford Traditional spinning wheel in just the right way to work. And then I spun.

And then I plied.  This little sample is only 3 grams, and 48 yards long.  Now if I mathed right, then this 2 ply yarn will measure up at 7168 yards per pound, and a Bradford count of 48.4s (Which means I'd get 48.4 skeins, that measured 300 yards- because I spun woollen- out of 1 pound of wool, which then if you math, that only makes sense when you know that it's the singles that the bradford count measures)

A friend of mine has 3 books on shetland lace shawls she's willing to lend me.  So, I'm going to swatch this up before I spin on.  I want to be sure this is fine enough, and that I have enough fibre... 

Happily spinning,

~Kara

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