This is a short video of the spinning process in my summer quest to produce a garment from a fresh-off-the-sheep fleece. I am spinning singles using a modified long draw. This will be followed by the plying process in an attempt to produce a DK weight yarn. The awesome video production is courtesy of my overachieving husband!
Purl Up With A Good Yarn i
Carding Day! My freshly washed fleece is taking it’s trip through the drum carder today. Carding aligns the fibers so they are more easily spun and produce a more uniform yarn. It’s hard to believe the resulting fluffy white batts came from the bag of fresh-from-the-muddy-field fleece!
I have challenged myself to create a garment from as close to scratch as I can get this summer. As my husband will not let me keep sheep or alpacas in our backyard, I bought a fleece directly off the sheep from a shepherd in Door County. Today was the initial wash (you don’t want to know what all got washed out), hand picking (cleaning out vegetable matter, sunburned tips, bug carcasses and other grossness) and then the final wash. The wool is absolutely beautiful!
I am impatiently awaiting the March 30th return of Doctor Who on BBCA. In anticipation, I have been knitting everything Doctor that I can find. My latest project is an homage to The Girl Who Waited, The Girl Whose Life Doesn’t Make Sense-Amy Pond. These mitts feature a Tilting Tardis pattern in the color of Amy’s Vampires of Venice scarf. Now, I just need to be ready to take notes on Clara’s wardrobe…
Mitt-a-palooza!
A minor bout with the flu afforded me some time off of work. What does one do when stuck on a sofa for 48 hours? Knit all the yarn within reach!
Gray mitts -Treads
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/treads-a-tipless-gloves-pattern
Green Mitts-my own modified version of Eugenia’s Mittens
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eugenias-mittens
Peach Mitts-Faded Lace Mitts
My computer addict enthusiast son’s latest passion is Minecraft. This hat not only serves to keep his head warm, but also lets all of the other middle school minecrafters know that he understands EXACTLY how it feels when your diamonds fall into lava.
Pattern at: http://sd-dickens.hubpages.com/hub/Free-Minecraft-Hat-Knitting-Pattern
The monotonous brown of fall has given way to the relentless white of winter in the upper midwest. I NEED COLOR! The solution: spinning in color followed by knitting of said color. I present my aptly-named SkittlePuke Mittens! Ta-da!
I don’t understand the people I live with…they don’t seem to get the same joy I do out of looking at a well-spun skein of yarn. I get strange looks and comments like, “Are ya gonna actually DO something with that someday?” So this year will be the year of utilizing the stash. Two handspun shawlettes finished and it is only January 6!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ginkgo-shoulderette-shawl
Tonight, a teardrop in every stitch for those whose lives have been irretrievably lost or changed and a prayer to the universe…
