I love the smell of my rovings, that particular sheep smell. When I spin with it and later as I knit with it. I breathe in through my nose and the smell is like fresh baked bread in that it is almost intoxicating. I try knitting a sweater for a stuffed animal with my first attempt at drop spindle, then the thinner more springy second attempt. I look at my first attempt on the spinning wheel, Bad Acid, and am doubtful anyone would buy anything made of such ugly yarn. I am spinning the Raspberry Sherbert, its twist more regular and less springy, the weight more regular. I can go for quite some time now without having to rethread it. There is a deep satisfaction in making my own yarn.
Spinning June 6, 2009
I am feeling very amatuerish after reading a book about spinning, spinning woolens spinning worsted, who knew. I always thought woolen described the type of fiber ie from wool. And worsted described the size of the yarn. HA! I have no idea what I am spinning, I fan the roving spreading it out in a triangle from the spin, sometimes long lines of fiber gets twisted in. It is thick it is thin it is bumpy and long long lines of smooth even twist. Oh dear I have no idea what I am doing. Michelle asks what are you going to do with all that hot pink yarn. Make a baby sweater I say – at least my mistakes will only be worn for a short period and then put into goodwill. I will not label it with our business labels. I will not lay claim to my early morning foibles and frustrations. I have a confession this Finn sheep yarn seems to spin itself. It is so soft I want to bury my fingers in the rovings. I touch the yarn on the spool. Oh it is so glorious and gorgeous. I stop to pick out bits of hay and start again, steady even feet. Pedal, pedal fan and twist. I spin for a long time, better hot pink than 70’s turquoise, orange and brown – ick. I will call it Raspberry Sherbert and the other Bad Acid.
Tatting May 31, 2009
Several years ago I had asked an older family member of a family friend to teach me how to tat. Apparently tatting with a shuttle is quite difficult and few people can do it any more much less teach it. Today I had the opportunity to learn how to needle tat with the Crazy Quilting maven Ms. Connie Ostness. I found it relatively easy because it is quite similar to a knitting cast on stitch I just learned from the great grandmother of one of my elementary students. I am really thrilled that I am learning how to do this. Now if only I had the time to enjoy all of the wonderful things I now know how to do. Including spinning some of the fabulous Finn Sheep yarn I bought from Elizabeth at StillMeadow Farms, a gorgeous rose and a lovely “blue jeans” indigo color.
Finn Sheep Rovings
I want to mention this excellent book by Barbara Foster called Learn Needle Tatting Step by Step. It is a great book with excellent photo directions. It is very clear and easy to use. I think I prefered to have a human teacher to show me the first steps but I know that if you are trying to learn needle tatting on your own, this book is the one to go to. You can see my first loop, loop chain and flower with loops and chains. I think I did really well.
First Attempts at Needle Tatting
Grandmas’s Spinning Wheel April 19, 2009
Of course since my Mom is a quilter I visited several quilt shops in the Tucson area. I picked up some lovely fat quarters of various Southwestern patterns, petroglyphs, hands, and kokopeli. I told her ahead of time that I was wanting to stop by a spinning shop and there just happened to be one in the shopping center with a quilt store. Grandma’s Spinning Wheel carries a variety of yarns, fibers, beads, jewelry, handbags, spinning wheels, spindles and fiber. I told the very personable and helpful owner that I was looking for fiber that was unique to the area and she pointed me in the direction of some Navajo wool, ready to spin and dye. Also some locally raised sheep of a gorgeous grey color. I will post these in the coming days. For now some photos of her shop.
Bats from Grandma's Spinning Wheel
Entrance to Grandma's Spinning Wheel
Various Fibers from Grandma's Spinning Wheel
Fiber Items from Tubac Arizona April 18, 2009
I went on a trip to Tucson and my Mom and her friend Sue took us to Tubac. Tubac is an artisans community in the desert. It reminded me alot of a similar community that we visited a couple of years ago in Venezuela. These are some of the many textiles for sale.
Central American style story quilt
Rug Detail
A Spinning Wheel March 6, 2009
Okay so I did it but not exactly as I expected it to be…I have been saving slowly for a spinning wheel, five dollars here, ten there, a couple twenties leftover from selling paintings, and a part time job at Mission Rose. But as I researched the cost I knew I had a long long ways to go before I could afford a spinning wheel. Then a couple days ago, as I headed into the food co-op, a locally owned organic grocery, I noticed a sign for a used spinning wheel with carders, sheep fiber, a lazy kate, several spools and an Ashford Traveler. I called the woman immediately because the price was unreal, compared to what I was seeing for a new wheel – alone. I went to her home and she was lovely, really I felt immediately connected to her and she was like a little drop of love from the universe. As she said, everything happens for a reason, and god (or is it God) brought you here today. Anyway, enough of my spiritual gobbledygook. So I bought it! I have to repay my savings account when I get my check from working on the school yearbook, but I saved at least half what it would have cost to get a new one. I came home and immediately tried it. I have a thing to say here. I DESPISE the color brown, I dislike brown leather coats, I dislike brown leather purses and I only tolerate brown leather shoes because you cannot wear black with navy blue. Just for the record I have never liked brown or orange. Orange is the one color I just cannot stand. It is ugly, I only like it in pumpkins and oranges. Seriously. But for some odd reason people always buy me stuff or give me stuff with brown in it. I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth and I am sorry to rant here…but gees’. Now that I have a two sided closet that I do not have to share with anyone I have everything brown on one side and everything I actually wear and use on the other. So someone gave me some roving, again I don’t mean to be persnickity but it’s brownish orange…really? Oh yeah. But I saw it as a blessing today…what perfect roving to practice on with my new spinning wheel. So I did. I did okay too. My yarn is bumpy and it broke a couple times but I was really getting the hang of it and it really beats the drop spindle by the power of 10 – at least.
A used Ashford Traveler Spinning wheel
Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair Yarn March 3, 2009
Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair Selection
Oh the possibilities, evening bags, fronds of deep sea plants swaying in the tides, glittering faerie hair, the list goes on. I really wanted to make cute little evening bags out of it, but I also see that much can be done with the little scraps. I think my Mom the art quilter extraordinaire and my Connie crazy quilting queen might see the possibilities too. I think I will have to share.
Drop spindle and the JOY of fiber November 8, 2008
First attempt at yarn
I would love to see other people’s first drop spindle attempts, can it possibly look as bad as mine? I am desperate to get more roving to see if i can improve my skills (because at this point I have “mad skills” on the drop spindle). I should not feel too badly, I remember tearing knots out of my embroidery for hours as a child. I still rip out knitted items, only now I view these tear outs as part and parcel of the process of knitting, but alas with no one to show me the error of my ways I am left to fumble with it by myself. Isn’t it a glorious thing to behold, mistakes that you can laugh at without fear of critcism. “What a horror!” you say as you look at your bumpy and weak strands of yarn. And laugh because you know it is just the beginning and someday your yarn will be as beautiful as your best painting, your most intricate embroidery or the warmest fuzziest and most comfortable sweater you ever made. HEHE the joy of fiber is in my soul…now there is no going back.
Alpaca Extravaganza October 27, 2008
Alpaca
Another alpacaAlpaca and Llama yarns
So in the pouring rain Michelle and I treked off to the NY State Fairgrounds to see the Alpaca show. Here is a question: How do people where Birkenstocks in the winter? My feet were soaked immediately after stepping out of Michelles truck. We were initially pretty disappointed because we thought there would be way more fiber art related things to do. There were a few small vendors, selling a variety of items. We did get to compare one vendors purses and prices and I am convinced we need to sell our bags at a lower price. Michelle isn’t convinced yet, I think but I will definately be changing some of the prices of my bags for the Plowshares show. I saw a couple of women spinning on a wheel and discovered a spinning guild in the area! YAY! Then we discovered the mother lode, a corner of the shed had a wide variety of yarns, knitted and woven products, stuff animals made of alpaca fur etc. I bought a small bundle of roving and a spindle for a riduculously cheap price. Seriously can you believe it was only 16$? Now if only I can find a spinning wheel at a similar bargain life will be complete, and I will never set foot out of doors again except to get more fiber!
Alpaca and Llama yarns
A throw pillow cover October 13, 2008
Blackwork pillow cover
I designed and stitched this blackwork piece a year or so ago and this weekend while my Mom was visiting I put her to work sewing pillow covers.
