Pre Spinzilla 2017

 So, Spinzilla starts tomorrow.  It's a good thing I have a metric butt ton of wool, right?  I'm going to start with the batts, then onto the Corriedale tops (not all pictured) and then there's some (~6 pounds) Polwarth that isn't in these pictures.  And of course, so much more kicking around....... 

Do you think I'll have enough?

           

             The batts are either Corriedale or Polwarth!

All Corriedale!

                                   

Oh! And lets not forget this silk... there's that too...  

If I'm a little bit silent for the next little while, that's why.... I'm going to try to spin as much as humanly possible between regular life stuff and the extra Thanksgiving thing happening over the weekend....

October 2-8! Here I go! 

Oh! And P.S. I'm spinning on Team Recreated Textiles Red White and Woolies!  

Happily Spinning, 

~Kara

Culture Days 2017 Spinning Presentation

Hey! that's me :)



I was invited to give a talk and demonstration at Goodsoil's Culture Days celebration yesterday. I knew people may want to see me in action, not just read, so here I am!  Hope you enjoy!







Happily Spinning,

~Kara

and she sits

Last year in August I started the big lace shawl project.   You would think I was a bit further in that 1/2 a bobbin, considering it's been a year, right?  However, as things go, things come up and take priority.  I did get a substantial amount spun at fibre week in the evenings.

And now, as life goes, other things are being placed as a priority.  So, she sits.  But truly, the things that are a priority are wonderful awesome fibre things!  At the end of September the whole country celebrates Culture Days.  It's been going on for many years, but this year finally, our little town is joining in on the fun.  There are a lot of wonderful activities planned for that day.  Old timey games, butter churning, traditional dances - both local polkas and aboriginal dances - local music, a lunch of sausage and sauerkraut.  And me! I'm doing a spinning presentation and a community felting project. I'm pretty excited for the whole thing, actually.   It's going to give me a chance to brush up on my public speaking skills, and also a chance to bring my knowledge to a broad scope of people.

The other thing that is taking priority is the WinterGreen festival in Regina! This one is a 3 day sale.  I have a goal to have a certain number of projects done in time for it. I'm really hoping that the next 2.5 months are incredibly productive.  I'm working on a line of 100% Canadian yarns, and applying a few new techniques to my scarves. I hope to pop out at least 100  pairs of fingerless mitts, and a whole bunch of Christmas decorations.  Of course a whole lot more than that too, but I'm getting a good start on it!

And with that gigantic list of things to do, I'm going to sign off so I can dye some wool today!  I have 10 kgs of Polwarth fibre and a whole lot of Corriedale to dye too.   Wish me luck!

Happily Spinning,
~Kara~

big batts

Back in the spring, I sold my Fancy Kitty Kitten drum carder.  I was very tired of crank crank cranking a manual and only pulling off 1.5-2oz batts. They were so tiny! So much effort!  I did sell it to the schools art program where they only really need tiny batts, and do smaller projects, so it fit's their need so well.  But then... I went without a drum carder for 6 months!! It was an ultimate tragedy. I love to spin from batts, it's probably my favourite fibre preparation.  Batts are fluffy and draft smoothly, and the yarn from them is always much more lofty, even if you spin with a worsted draw due to the misalignment of fibres.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'd had my hook in the water for a great big fish (read that as I posted in every buy and sell for a Pat Green Triple Drum carder) right from the get go.  But it seemed they were always just slightly out of my price range and often in USD, which with the current state of affairs with our currency would put them way out of my price range.  So, lo and behold, many moons laters, someone asks if a Fancy Kitty Tom XL would do the trick.  And while settling for a smaller, but still excellent carder was just a bit painful, I did it.  And I'm so so very happy! This things is a great machine! Many hours and 9 big batts latter, I'm excited to start spinning!  But first, to card the 6 other fleece I have that are clean.... Never ending!

see! big batts! as big as a kitchen chair!

Well, I'd best get back at it. 6 fleeces won't card themselves!

Happily Spinning (and carding)

~Kara~

So, Ashford products are pretty cool....

This is kind of exciting! I've finally taken the leap and become an Ashford dealer!  I'd been thinking about it for quite a while, and hemmed and hawed over wether Ashford was the company for me, or if one of the other fibre tool companies would be better, but then I looked around...
Ashford Traveller - check
Ashford Traditional - check
Ashford hand cards 72 tpi - check
Ashford hand cards 108 tpi - check
Ashford flick carder - check
Ashford drop spindle - check (formerly anyway... I lent it out and it's never come back. but that's okay! I'm certain its getting use!)

.... So, yeah, I'm kind of an Ashford person! I find my tools so very handy, well made and definitely fit for much use.  The Traveller got me through the Master Spinner programme. And that's a lot of spinning!

My first order will be quite a few things I've longed to try out, so I can better assist people when they are ordering, including an e-spinner and blending board.

Should you be Canadian and in need of Ashford products, please contact me!  I'm trying to figure out the best way to set it up so you can see what I can order for you, because as of right now I don't quite have the funds for a full inventory, but orders are simple.  And I'll make them as quick as I can!

Happily Spinning (and anxiously awaiting my first Ashford order!!)
 ~Kara~

On being a Master Spinner

As you may know, I'm a juried member of the Saskatchewan Craft Council.  Part of the joy of being a  member is writing self promotional blog posts for them ;) 

Please follow the link below to see my thoughts on Being a Master Spinner.

On Being a Master Spinner

Happily Spinning,

        ~Kara~

July....

It was an exciting July!  It started off with a simple week of simply getting ready for the next one. followed by shipping my oldest child off to Nova Scotia for Canadian Jamboree 2017.  Let me tell you, as much as I knew he was going to be fine, I found it hard on the heart!  It was a good thing I kept myself busy at the beach with the other two.  They swam, I spun.

I also filled the week slowly pluging away at doing a small remodel on my Daughters room, one step at a time.  Wash walls, mud holes, sand, re mud the deep holes, sand again, wash again.... Shall I go on? It really is a lot of little annoying jobs to do in order to redo a room! It was a success though!  Even if it took 2 weeks.

Of course it was Tour de Fleece, so I could not do some spinning, even if it wasn't the amount of spinning I'd have loved to do.   I had picked up a section of a fleece from Eileen at Fat Ewe Farm, and  spun it up 4 different ways.  The fleece is a Karakul fleece, and as such dual coated.  I spun from the flicked locks she had prepared, carded some of them for a lopi style yarn, and separated the tog from the thel and spun them worsted and woollen as suited them.  There was also the beginning of the 8 oz of Tencel I need to spin as well, but it was one pass on the bobbin by the end the tour. Ah well. Something is better than nothing after all!

The second last weekend brought the annual Art in the Park at Grieg Lake. I had an excellent time!  I offered a drop in class, but there weren't any takers (except the small family that thought they would have gotten off the lake in time for the second one... Unfortunately there wasn't enough time left to squeeze them in...)

Speaking of drop in classes, I've been offering them every Tuesday this summer, and I'll continue into August!  So, if you're in the area between 2 and 4 on Tuesdays, please, drop in! 

As for classes in general I've got a large line up of basic spinning related classes in August.  Please check my Events tab on Facebook! It's posted publicly, so you don't need an account to see them.  If you're interested, feel free to contact me through the blog, or through my website! (which is spinheartspin.ca) 

There is not much for time left in July, summer seems to be slipping away, but hopefully August doesn't take the same pace as July.

~Happily Spinning~

           Kara