Spindle cuteness

As I mentioned before, I sat next to a new weaving guild member who was spinning silk on a supported spindle. Hers was very pretty, purchased on Etsy. So I went there and ended up with this one.

I know next to nothing about supported spindling, but this baby feels very balanced. The online pix gave me the impression a bowl came with it, but what I thought was a bowl was just a prop. So now I need a bowl, which I can make from clay or I can make do with a small dish I have already made. I also need some online videos for learning how to get started. I think I'll start with some yak fiber I came across in my stash recently.

Knitting: Still working on both pairs of socks. The nonmatching ones are nearing the heel.
Spinning: Still working on the beige Tasman Comeback.

Yesterday Blogger was misbehaving and I wasn't sure I would be able to post ever again. Today it seems fine. If I ever just drop off the face of blogdom, know that it is probably from technical difficulties. Technology is great, until it isn't.

More purchases

I didn't go overboard at the (final) showing of the remaining fiber goodies from the estate sale. Focusing on sock yarn, I purchased a couple of skeins and their accompanying patterns (although I doubt I will use the patterns), plus a lonely single skein. Having taken a break from knitting socks, I am now back on board and have plenty of yarn now.

Superwash BFL & nylon

Then there was a kit of yarn that last time I picked up, then put down. I picked it up again, along with its pattern. This isn't enough for the sweater or hat (maybe those projects were finished?), so I think this batch was intended for the muff. I'm not a muff person, but I can probably convert the muff pattern to a cowl.

THEN this past weekend, my SO and I attended the West Michigan Potters Guild's show in Grand Rapids, MI, where the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild shared the space. Most of their products were finished projects - rugs, blankets, runners, placemats, towels, silk scarves, etc. which I was not interested in. The hand-dyed roving was another matter.

Rambouillet

Falkland

Merino

I would feel worse about breaking my self-imposed promise to not buy any fiber this year, but I have fiber friends who are older than me who *really* loaded up from the estate sale, including some tools and equipment they absolutely do NOT need. But as we all know, there is a big difference between need and want.

Knitting: Cruising along on the two pairs of socks. I took the brainless ones with me on our trip, but did no knitting.
Spinning: Still working on the tan roving. While hanging up the braid I purchased last weekend, I realized I have *another* whole braid of the tan. Gah!

I had a great chat with one of the workers at the fiber sale. I recently came up with the idea of tee-shirts to help raise the profiles of our local guilds. Now I have even more ideas of things we could do along those lines. We shall see if I can sell those ideas to the guild memberships.

Supported spindling

This past week we had a new member join us for weaving guild (and besides becoming a member, she also volunteered to help with our social media!) She sat next to me and spun silk on a pretty supported spindle. Before I got a wheel, I tried spinning with a spindle, but it was just too slow for me then. Now, when I may want to spin up a few yards of something for a tapestry, a spindle sounds like the perfect tool. Alas, I gave away all my spindles, so now I am shopping for replacements.

Knitting: The basket weave socks are coming along slowly - I'm not very adept at purling on double pointed needles. The mindless socks are underway, perfect for knitting during commercials and at meetings. Needless to say, they do not match.

Spinning: Still working on the beige singles and the merino/silk blend singles.

Yesterday was the first Saturday spin-in at the Little Shop of Spinning. A subgroup of us meet up for lunch ahead of time, which extends our chat session. Our discussions are not limited to fiber, sometimes we really get going about subjects like joint replacements, but the talk is always lively. I eyed the spindles in the shop, but I think the style I want is called tahkli. Since I didn't buy a spindle, I bought a(nother) hand-dyed braid.

Spinning guild is this Tuesday, and the estate sale goodies are supposed to be there. It was a bit overwhelming the first time I saw all that fiberlicious goodness, but now I have a clearer idea of what I am interested in. We'll see how out-of-control I get.

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.

It gets worse

I visited Simply Socks Yarn Company yesterday, in search of contrasting yarn for the sock yarn I purchased at the estate sale. Hoping to find ONE color that would work with all the sock yarn, I came home with THREE skeins, plus some Cascade 220 Superwash in black. *sigh* It never ends.

Cascade Yarns Heritage, from top to bottom, colorways 5683, 5660, 5755

Knitting: I finished the mistake rib cowl; separate post to follow.

It was a rough week, as one of my dogs passed away, from cancer. It was rather sudden, so the shock hasn't worn off yet. I feel sorry for Clio, as I adopted her as a companion for Watson and now he is absent. I've been taking her on longer walks, showing her extra attention, plan to find her a doggy daycare so she has other mutts to play with. We're both still very sad, though.

Goodbye, good dog.

That didn't last long

A new guild member (at least, I *think* she actually joined one of my guilds) is handling the estate of a fiber person who has gone to the yarn bowl in the sky, leaving behind a LOT of fiber and equipment and tools. It was easy to pass up the wheels, etc., but the yarn was something else. I did put back some of what I had picked out, but this is what came home with me, thereby breaking my "no new fiber" resolution.

My SO needs some new socks, so I can justify purchasing sock yarn. The problem with sock yarn (and it's only *my* problem) is that I knit larger than "normal" socks, so to keep from running out of yarn, I knit the toes, heels, and cuffs in contrasting colors. That means a trip to Simply Socks to buy even *more* yarn. Gah.

Less Traveled Yarn, 'Picnic Plaid'

Opal Elemente 1079 (left) and unknown (center), Harry Potter Sock Collection 2352 (right)

I wove a shawl with some Kauni many moons ago. It's rather rough, but I like the colorways. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these, though.

Kauni EQ - unnamed colorways

Knitting: My consolation over buying yarn is to work somewhat religiously on the current cowl. I sewed the deer antler buttons onto the Lempi sweater - and hated how they look. I found an alternative at Joann.

Spinning: I finished spinning the SeaCell roving - time to ply.

The spinning guild did not meet last month because of inclement weather, so this month's meeting was basically meet-the-new-officers and show-and-tell. I took the Lozenge cowl and the Lempi sweater (buttonless). Both were a hit.

Lozenge cowl

Before the monthly spin-in at Little Shop of Spinning, several of us meet up for lunch. In January, one of us wore a Lozenge cowl she had knit, which led me to making one of my own. Since it calls for sport weight yarn, it seemed like a good candidate for some of the yarn from the natural dye workshop.

Pattern: Lozenge Cowl (free Ravelry download), by Raging Wool
Yarn: merino sport weight (about 100g), dyed with madder, black-eyed Susan, hibiscus, and hollyhock
Needles: US5
Modifications: Cast on using Old Norwegian cast on, bind off with Suspended bind off - both of these add some stretch

The pattern uses slip stitches to accomplish the colorwork - easy peasy! Blocking makes a difference, really opens the lozenges.

Trust the muck

The program at the latest weaving guild meeting was about ice dyeing. Natalie didn't say much about the process, but brought in about 40 samples. She works primarily with plant-based fibers - cotton, linen, tencel - so couldn't say much about protein fibers like wool. When I arrived home, I googled ice dyeing and learned a bit more. Interweave has a general tutorial that can be found here. Dharma Trading offers instructions on working with wool and silk that can be found here. And our own Natalie can awaken you to color combinations here.

One of my fiber resolutions is to dye the undyed roving I have. Now I'm wondering if ice dyeing would be a way to go?

Knitting: I started another cowl, using a mistake rib pattern from Purl Soho, using handspun yarn.

Spinning: Nearing the end of the BFL/SeaCell roving.

An unofficial fiber resolution is to get a quilt top I hand-pieced over 40 years ago quilted. A member of the weaving guild does just that. I delivered the quilt top and the backing to her at the last meeting, so it is in her queue. Huzzah!

She sells SeaCell

It's funny how everything seems to come to a stop when one is ill. My cold lay waste most of the previous week. But today I felt well enough to not only walk the dogs (they were abbreviated walks), but to also attend the monthly spin-in at Little Shop of Spinning. I needed some fiber to spin, so I grabbed a braid of something out of the closet and headed off.

What I grabbed was a combination of Blue Faced Leicester and SeaCell. What is SeaCell? According to Sport Casuals, "SeaCell is a biodegradable clothing fiber that comes from cellulose or tree fibers and organic seaweed. The material is in high demand among athletic apparel brands, since it inhibits bacterial growth, is soft and stretchy, hypoallergenic, and is derived from renewable resources." And it's very silky.

My braid came from Hearthside Fibers and I probably bought it at a fiber fest, although this fiber (and a whole lot more!) is available from their Etsy shop (undyed but much less expensive). It is 70% BFL and 30% SeaCell, and spins up rather nicely. I'll be curious to see how the final product turns out.

Knitting: I finished the Lozenge cowl; separate post to follow. I repaired the hole in the Lempi sweater, but not very well, so will probably redo.
Spinning: See above.

The current exhibition at the Chesterton Art Center is by Chicago weaver Bryana Bibbs, 200 pieces. I'm toying with the idea of going, as I feel like I need some weaving inspiration. I can't tell if I don't really like to weave or if I just don't like weaving the kinds of things I've been weaving.

Another grayish clowl

This is what happened to the 2-ply handspun tencel, silk, and merino yarn. Cowls are so easy to do. This one is similar to the previous grayish cowl, but I knit this one in the round.

Basically, it has 10 roundss of 2x2 ribbing at the beginning and end, then stockinette stitch interupted by eyelet about every 6 rows. Not very fancy.

Pattern: my own
Yarn: handspun tencil, silk, and merino, two-plied
Needles: US5

The photo below shows a close-up of the detail, and it is a good thing I took this pic, as it shows a dropped stitch. Grrr! I'll have to fix it - and check closely for any other dropped stitches - before offering this to anyone else. Although I may just keep it for myself.

Although this handspun is nice and soft, I don't really like the combination of fibers. The silk and tencel makes the yarn slicker than plain wool would be, so it's more difficult to maintain tension while knitting. After all my experiences with fiber, I find myself going back to what is simple.