It is done.

The past 7 years of my life are now neatly packed up into three binders and I couldn't be more relieved... Well, if I'm honest, I could be.  They could be marked, and I could have my transcript saying just how amazing the work was, and I could look at them in the Olds College library, and be proud.  But for now I'm relieved that my Master Spinner In Depth Study is complete and handed in for marking.  It's so incredibly freeing to have it DONE.

And since I've gotten it done, I get to play!! I had planned a dye week, and promptly ran out of room to dry all he fibre, so it turned into a dye day.  It's all very wet yet, but these are the colours I created, while in the pots.   

Fibre Week is coming up in just over 2 weeks and I'm incredibly excited to be taking a class with the incredibly talented Laurie Steffler.  This class is a 3 day class titled Breezy Silk Chiffon tunic/dress/vest.  I'll be learning to nuno felt, folks!  That's super exciting for me. I haven't managed to be successful at nuno felting, but I'm looking forward to trying it out!  I believe there is still some room in some of the workshops, but alas, not in this specific one...

I'm also really looking forward to being an assistant in the level four Master Spinner class!  I'm looking at this position as a good experience so I can better understand what it takes to teach the course, not just take it!  I'll cross my fingers and hope to be on the roster in the future as an instructor.

Well, I'd better get back to tackling the creation of more yarn, and cleaning the house!

~Kara

Fibre Week -Day 2

It's the first day for classes!  I'm really excited to get started.  I did hit the market yesterday, and got myself an epically amazing Russian spindle from Ancient Fibre Arts.  I was spindle whispered by Caroline herself. This is the beauty, and it spins so true.



She's coco bolo and walnut. The bowl I bought to spin her in is african black wood, it's heavy and perfect for sitting cross legged on the floor, which is how I generally spin on a supported spindle.

I'm in the classroom right now, and there's more visiting then typing, so I'm going to leave it at this! Time for the fun to start!

~Kara

The least cool 5 point exercise

I have no idea why this exercise is only worth 5 points. If it were up to me, I'd make it worth 10, if just for the fact that it's entirely to time consuming.  40 yards of cable plied yarn takes an entire day to spin. Yes. An entire day, as in i woke up, fed the kids, got them off to school and sat at my wheel.  Then I got hungry so I stopped for lunch. Then I went back to my wheel. Then I got the kids from school and, you guessed it, back to my wheel. Everyone needed to be fed, so I did that, and I went back to my wheel one more time. So, aside from the required eating breaks I was at the spinning wheel from 9am until 9:30 pm.  It was intense. But it's done.  And I learned that unless I have a very special project in mind, I'll never spin a cable plied yarn again.  That was ridiculous.

One more exercise bites the dust. Only 20 more to go.  And the final project. May the spinning Gods smile upon me, and grant me balance, and speedy, successful spinning.

~Kara

okay, some fiber.

Because that's why you are here.

I felted these scarves up a while back, took pictures not as long ago, but only now am i posting them.  Life is getting KaRayZeeee around here.

Confetti: Merciboo top (merino, bamboo, and silk) and bit's of wool



Beads:  Merciboo top, hand dyed after felting and beaded.



Cowl:  All sorts of fibers, and handmade polymer clay buttons.




And here are a few yarns I've spun up, just for fun! Yup, I spun for fun.  Clearing the mind, don'tchaknow ;)

Purposeful thick and thin




Merino silk blend, spun worsted and fairly fine.  It was supposed to be 3 ply for socks, but oh boy, those would have been some thick socks!  So it's just a nice 2 ply.  I'll try again to spin my own socks, after I take the Getting even class at Fibre Week.




As to my homework, I've finished up 1/2 of the yarn for my final project.  I've chosen this pattern, the Belinda shawl, as I can start knitting over Easter, finish spinning the second yarn when I get home, and knit on!  I still have to type up everything, and put it all together.  I've decided to be a little slack with myself, no point in stressing over it.  It doesn't necessarily need to be in until June 22ish.

Anyway,  Happy Easter, to those who celebrate it, and Happy long weekend to those who don't!

~Kara