Two little skeins from Bamboo top/Wool Batt.
Closer view of the beaded skein.
I hate to admit it, but this is the second beaded skein I’ve done and I fail to see why people get so excited over beaded yarn. I think it’s neato looking and pretty but hardly the “be all, end all” of spinning.
On the upside my husband snapped this interesting picture:
I’m open to caption suggestions.
Bottle Green wool with bamboo top blended in about 95% wool 5% bamboo top.
It’s weird, I am so in love with bamboo as plants yet I can’t stand bamboo top on it’s own. Once ounce of the stuff has lasted me about a year now because it’s just too stiff on it’s own, even for very very fine spinning. I feel so guilty and sad, however I can set aside some guilt because I have taken a liking to blending it in with other fibers just to add a little touch of sparkle here and there, it’s quite pearly when fully blended in really dresses low luster fibers. So maybe not so sad and guilty when I think about it.
By the way, I’ve seriously taken a liking to blending fibers and colors now. I think spinning is finally breaking me of my monomanic habits. Would you believe that I actually ordered a full pound of dehaired camel? Well I wouldn’t have, still I did without even asking for a card or a sample, I agonized over it for a few days and then I took a leap and ordered camel and merino from a supplier that I’d never used before.
This may not sound like much, but it’s a major step away from the monomania. I don’t even like to change brand or style of pen and I’m incredibly uncomfortable when places that I eat switch coffee blends on me; once something is established as acceptable and good– I feel secure. When things are changed, I feel threatened. So actually changing something on my own is pretty difficult.
Yesterday Matt drove us to Woodland Woolworks out in Carlton, Oregon. Of course, I had absolutely no interest in going but Matt insisted. It was such an imposition but I love him so I was willing to make the sacrifice.
And would you just look at what followed us home?
I am not quite used to the double drive yet, but I have done a little bit of spinning on it and I’m getting more accustomed to it. Playing with the tension helped some.
This is a bit of dyeing that went awry, and definitely looks better spun than unspun.
So now I’m quite happy, upon awaking this morning I took the Traveller out into the front yard (fuzzy slippers still on my feet) and spun until lunch time.
Yesterday there was rain, rain, and more rain. I decided to password protect the shopping cart that I was working on (the real shopping cart that updates inventory) and created a shopping page for Quantum. Sooner or later I’ll finish the real shopping cart, but the PayPal button one should work fine for now (although I’ll have to manually keep track of our woods and spindles, which is better than my head exploding because I’m totally lost in php.)
I have also fallen in love with Optim, it’s a merino fiber that’s been stretched to make it longer and finer, it handles like nothing else although it’s usually compared to cashmere in touch. I’m currently switching back and forth between frog-hair Optim thread and spinning laceweight mohair singles (which will eventually end up being worsted weight 4-ply that goes into Matt’s sweater.)
Ripley’s kittens.
Introducing Spock (the mostly white one), Sprocket (the darker striped one), Rusty (the lighter striped one), and Winnie (the black one.) They were born last week but I didn’t want to disturb them for a picture until they were a little bigger.
For as wonderful as a momma that Ripley is I am determined that this will be her last litter. Last time after she weaned Sam and Skitty she knew that her appointment was scheduled and disappeared, she immediately reappeared (pregnant) after the appointment was cancelled. Unfortunately, she managed to pull the same maneuver a third time– and voila– these kitties.
I have a plan this time, this time I’m going to put her in her carrier and *then* make the appointment. I have no idea how Ripley knows when she’s supposed to go to the vet’s, she just knows.
I also discovered something cool and useful– denture brushes for drum carders. The bristles are stiffer and longer than a regular toothbrush and they really grab those little nasties that like to cling to the carding cloth. It’s the coolest thing, I didn’t scrape my knuckles on the teeth once because the ergonomic handle let me work at the perfect angle.
Of course, I’m quickly becoming friends with my drum-carder. It’s an old Clemes and Clemes, with more than it’s fair share of crooked teeth and a bit of beading vinyl fused in a loop for a drive band– but it works and works nicely. Sooner or later I’ll get around ordering a new drive band for it, but I cannot quite convince myself that 23.5 inches of heat fusible urethane belting is worth $16. I could buy a whole roll of belting for $16 and the only reason I don’t is because I don’t need a whole roll of it, I only need 23.5 inches. My math skills function way too well for my own good sometimes.
I went to a spinning circle for the first time ever last Saturday, over at Mission Mill in Salem, it’s a huge complex of a historic mill complete with houses from the Methodist missionaries that founded it. The coffee in the cafe was nothing less than impressive, and I spun for hours without one person asking me to go get them juice.
And my sweet husband gave me an early Mother’s day gift to bring along.
Mad dog? No, dogs are color blind.
For Greta’s sake I hope dogs are colorblind. Goofy girl that she is she hates coats but likes sweaters– go figure. It must be a Great Dane thing.
I found two large balls of unspeakable fiber content; fushia and pea soup in color. I cast on at the neck and shaped as I went down, although I’m quite happy with the fit– now I’m wishing that I’d actually used nicer yarn. Being unspeakably man-made fibers at least it’s wash and wear. It was my intention originally to finish off the neck and hem with fun fur or something equally nasty, but the hideous colors– they are actually interesting and complementary. Weird.
I bought a spinning book today: Color in Spinning by Deb Menz. It’s pragmatic and the photography is very complementary. I can’t wait to try some of the color theory and techniques she describes. (Yes, I digested the book in a little under an hour and a half, but don’t worry– interesting books are like cud for the mind, meant to be regurgitated and chewed on again and again.) Most of the yarns produced by the author are a little too busy (she uses the word “complex”) for my tastes, but I don’t think it detracts from the value of the book at all.
Actually, this book is two firsts in one shot– I’ve never actually owned a book on either color theory or spinning.