Spinning At Last

After dinner, I pulled out my Ashford Student Spindle. Pulled off some fiber from an Alpaca and Tussah Silk roving and reviewed what I'd watched on the DVD last night. Here are the results:

I am now confirmed in my belief that the cheap dyed roving I bought two years ago was 90% of my problem, the other part was not knowing about drafting and parking. I can save that roving to thrum some mittens or something. I will continue to work with the alpaca and silk until I order some Black Mountain Welsh and maybe some BFL. My fingers are tired, but have that odd sort of lanolin feel.

Spinning Wants and Woes

There are three things I've always wanted: a standing embroidery hoop; a loom; and a spinning wheel. I have a small lap loom which I need to get back to working on someday soon. I am at present so overcommitted to knitting that I seriously can't consider getting back to embroidery until Fall. However, since I intend to make a fuss over myself for my upcoming birthday, the spinning wheel looms as a real possibility.

I've been reading about them online and in print for about two years now. Last week I received a special offer from Interweave for 50% off of any order over $20. I took the plunge and bought digital editions of the new Knitscene and Weekend, the emag EntreKnit (I know understand customer complaints about the number of adverts--not that knitting mags in general are ever short on adverts) and the downloadable video of Respect the Spindle.

I watched the first 20 minutes of Respect the Spindle last night and in that short time, all the issues that I'd had trying to spindle were addressed and solutions given. I was so blown away and the only thing that kept my enthusiam in check was bedtime. I may not be able to join in the Tour de Fleece this year in any meaningful way, but I am confident with the help of this video that I'll be able to spin some yarn during the month. The Tour de Fleece is a Ravelry challenge where teams try to spin the most yarn during the Tour de France.

This Week

This weekend has been fractured. I steamed blocked the straight edges of the Cabled Hat Flaps. I just haven't had a large unfractured bit of time to pin and start to sew them.

I started the Nomad Hat in the meantime and am at the point of knitting the first scarf part. This is a really easy pattern. I'm not that wild about the yarn I chose. The colour is perfect for the purple coat but the yarn is tubular and has just enough viscose and nylon in it to dampen the spring of the merino and cashmere.

Mail was delayed by Wednesday's snow. So my order from 62 Degrees North arrived yesterday. 62 Degrees North yarn is organically produced, undyed Faroes Island yarn. I bought one skein of the light worsted and 100 grams of carded wool to start working with my drop spindle. I love the packaging. The wrapping for the yarn and the wool is brown paper. Both came wrapped in tissue paper with dark brown wool for the tie. I'm going to knit a sample from the tie. Both feel and smell of lanolin.