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

Fine spinning tip

I've been spinning cotton like a mad woman, trying to get good at it. I found that even if I have my tension set to nothing (and by nothing I mean the cord is just hanging over the bobbin, completely relaxed) my wheel pulls to hard for me to control the intake and in turn the fibre slips out of my hands before it gets enough twist into it. What is the solution to this problem? Pipe insulation. 

Putting pipe insulation over the core of the bobbin somehow makes the wheel pull less.  I'm sure there's a good solid scientific reason behind this, but at this point, I'm just happy it works!  Makes spinning cotton ( and other fine yarns) much easier.

You can find pipe insulation at most hardware stores.

~Kara

Almost There

Firstly, has it really been 10 days since I last posted?  Sorry about that!  Here's a pretty yarn picture I offer in apology.



Now on with it!
 Yesterday I set out to ply my beautiful BFL singles in the sun.   Now, that looks like very close to the same amount of yarn on each bobbin, right?  The one maybe has a little less, but not much right?



WRONG!  After  a while (when the sun began to hide and supper needed to be cooked, I moved inside) I looked down and noticed this:

Really?!  There was that much more single left on the bobbin???


This is how it ended.  With one bobbin nearly 1/2 full, the other completely empty.


I hate when that happens.  But I ended up with 640yards!  Now, how much is left on that bobbin?  Probably another 200.  That's a lot of yarn!  Look at how pretty it turned out!  A little thicker then I had intended, but hopefully that doesn't make a crazy difference in the Belinda shawls second layer...




Speaking of the Belinda shawl, I finished off the first layer!  It still needs to be blocked, but I'll wait for the second layer to be finished.  Look how much more yarn I have left!  Matching hat?  Mittens?  Fingerless gloves? Leg warmers?  Who knows.... Something though!



Now just to figure out this nature dyeing again! That beautiful white wont be white for long!

~Kara