Spinning spin-in

I had such a good time at yesterday's Fifth Saturday Spin-in at Teasel Hill. There weren't too many of us there, but we talked, mostly about fiber and fiber fests and projects. One idea I picked up was to knit an adult-sized Baby Surprise Jacket with the yarn I acid dyed a while ago. Every time I look at that yarn, I want to make something with it, and now I know what.

Knitting: The sock-knitting dilemma has worked itself out. It seems none of the contrasting yarn I purchased for toes, heels, and cuffs goes with the yarns from the estate sales. So I decided to knit a solid-colored pair of socks. That quickly became boring, so I added a basketweave pattern to keep it interesting.

Spinning: I started spinning a braid of Tasman Comeback that is a solid beige. Not very exciting, but I plan to combine the result with some dark brown. That seemed too dull to take to the spin-in, so once there I started on a braid of merino/silk blend.

I'm really happy with some of the yarn I have spun lately, so happy I don't want to make anything with it yet. Hopefully, the perfect project will come along.

I quit

My involvement in the plant-based diet classes is coming to a premature end. It's just too extreme for me. I felt better for a while - more energetic - but then started to feel worse. I am also skeptical of any diet that requires supplements - I'd rather eat my minerals and vitamins. And while I understand the point in reporting one's food intake and exercise for the sake of accountability, it felt somewhat infantilizing. I learned some things, tried some new foods and recipes, have a freezer full of plant-based soups, but feel like I can continue on my own without being quite so extreme.

Knitting: I haven't been able to bring myself to work on the socks nor the hat, which means I am dissatisfied with both. I think I'll start over with the socks, maybe abandon the hat for now.
Spinning: All the bobbins that contained singles are now plied. There are still a couple with already-plied yarn that need to be emptied.

BFL and SeaCell, chain-plied

When I first learned to spin, I had a difficult time with plying. Instead of going ahead and struggling with it, I kept filling up bobbins with singles, then bought more bobbins to fill up with singles. Taking classes at Ply Away helped me over that hump, so now I have WAY more bobbins that one spinner needs.

Chained

I was saved from purchasing more fiber at the spinning guild meeting because the woman managing the estate sale was a no-show. Just as well. It's not like I don't have enough fiber or it can't be purchased elsewhere.

The program for the meeting was chain-plying. Several of us volunteered to demonstrate, but apparently no one wanted to actually teach. It would have been nice to have a handout of some sort. Oh, well. I went with the hopes of emptying all my almost empty bobbins, but plying takes longer than one thinks. I did clear one that night and another one today.

In case I haven't posted it before, here is a link to my favorite chain-plying video, from Classy Squid Fiber Co.

Knitting: The socks are not inspiring me except as an experiment. After knitting the toe on one, I decided to do the second sock top-down. I don't think it will make a big difference - both starts are fiddly - but the toes will look different. I also started a hat, but I'm not having much luck with the instructions.
Spinning: Chain-plying my little heart out.

I'm trying a new way of (doctor-supervised) eating. Somehow my name came up as a candidate for an 8-session workshop in plant-based eating. The group meets every other week to learn something new, and during the in-between weeks, we get a phone call from the exercise guy. The main goal is to manage diabetes better, perhaps even reverse it. My borderline diabetes is under control; in fact, the supervising doctor (not my GP) told me I could discontinue the metformin. It's my cholesterol that needs some help, since I don't tolerate the medications. Other pluses are weight loss and more energy, neither of which I have seen much of yet, but then I just noticed today on one of the handouts that for weight loss one must limit grains to two servings a day. Some days I want to quit the program, other days I'm enthusiastic about it. We'll see how it goes.

Oops - I did it again

I'm wondering what exactly is the impetus that drives me to make more fiber and fiber-related purchases. Perhaps because my doctor told me that the likelihood of my having a stroke or heart attack was remote? As if I don't already have a lifetime of fiber.

At least not all my purchases at the Jay County Fiber Fest were fiber; some were ceramic. One thing I was looking for was silk thread, but one vender suggested I try a specialty quilting shop for that. I'm always on the lookout for unusual tools, but did not find any this time.

I'm discovering that one cannot have enough yarn bowls, especially if one has more than one project in progress and/or one knits at different locations in the house. I have one by my TV chair, and now I have one for the coffee table in the livingroom. This one was made by one of my fiber/ceramic friends.

Another ceramic friend, Elizabeth Wamsley, made this sweater-like cup. I've been considering making something similar, so it is good to have a model for inspiration.

I started a narrow tapestry to record things that occur during the year, but I don't have a lot of the colors I want to use. These small cakes of pencil roving should help there.

Another fiber friend who hosts our Fifth Saturday Spin-ins had a basket of these pastel samples. I think they will help with the above mentioned tapestry as well.

I can't resist red, so I grabbed up some silk sari yarn. The price seemed a bit high to me, but the vendor dyes the skeins herself, plus the ones I picked had more yardage than some of the others.

I certainly do NOT need any more sock yarn, but this brightly colored skein sparkles. There were more colorways calling to me, but I resisted.

The estate sale fiber and equipment will again be available at the next spinning guild meeting. If the package I picked up and put back last time is still there, it just might follow me home.

Bryana Bibbs exhibition

We made it to the Bryana Bibbs exhibition at the Chesterton Art Center before it ended. I wish we could have attended the artist's lecture earlier in the month, but it was not meant to be. From viewing these pieces, I assumed they were made on a frame loom of some type, but actually she weaves on a floor loom. Lots of ideas here.

Her use of different materials intrigued me. Above, she included unspun roving. The following two incorporate sisal.

Most of the yarn is handspun. This piece includes pills or nupps.

There is some nylon netting like one would find in a scrubby in this piece.

Yarn isn't the only material used. Here she is using cloth such as one would use in a rag rug.

And tightly plied coils add a bit of playfulness.

I tend to be a "rule follower" and stick to more traditional weaving for the most part. But I would like to break away from that mindset. This exhibition was quite inspiring!

Mistake rib cowl in Lorna Laces handspun

Once upon a time, my online fiber friend QuteCowgirl sent me a box of fiber. Included in the package was some Lorna Lace's Shepherd Wool, which I fractal prepped and spun. The yarn was lovely, and just the ticket for this mistake rib cowl.

Pattern: Mistake rib cowl from Purl Soho
Yarn: Fractal prepped and handspun Lorna's Laces Shepherd Wool Top superwash merino in 'Devon' (118g)
Needles: US8 (cast on and bound off using US9)
Modifications: Cast on using alternating long-tail method and bound off in pattern

This pattern is perfect for mindless knitting and needs only 100g of worsted or aran weight yarn. My handspun was a bit thick and thin and a little bulky, but still fine.

Somebody, stop me!

There was a spin-in at the Little Shop of Spinning today. I was in a quandry about what to spin next, so I grabbed a braid of Tasman comeback and a ball of Wensleydale. The Tasman is plain tan, so I could not help but buy some dark brown merino comeback to go with it.

In preparation for the Jay County Fiber Fest next weekend, Phia had some new fibers in. This braid of merino/silk blend followed me home. I think the colorway is called 'Storm'.

It seems once I fell off the wagon, I just keep accumulating fiber. We'll see how well my will power holds up at the fiber fest. Gulp!

Knitting: I started a pair of socks... sort of. The center-pull ball vomited a mess of yarn that I could not untangle, even after TWO HOURS of messing with it. This pair of self-striping socks will not match. I also started another mistake rib cowl, but I'm not sure I will continue with it, as the yarn is not very soft.
Spinning: I chain-plied the SeaCell yarn - it turned out really nice! No pix yet. I started spinning the Wensleydale.

One of the other spinners at the spin-in had an e-spinner. I already have two wheels, do not need another one, but if I were to downsize to an apartment, the e-spinner could definitely be a replacement for my current Ashfords. We'll see what the future holds. For right now, I'm staying put.