Spinning for Sanity

For those of you who know the torture of the unknown that we are living through right now, you will understand why measures must be taken to maintain sanity. Spinning and other antique past times are fulfilling that need.


In addition to the lovely stuff I all ready showed you I have continued on a spinning frenzy. There is something both calming and satisfying about spinning.


This is some yummy Corriedale from Judy' Novelty Wool. (no website, but she goes to a lot of festivals- or visit her home studio in Centerville, UT.) It was a step outside of my color comfort zone. I really like it. And like all of Judy's fiber, spun like a dream. It's a 2 ply light worsted weight.


This is some BFL. I can't remember who dyed it, but I do remember that my mom bought it for me at Village Yarn and Teas a while back. It was happy to have a turn on the wheel! It is a 2 ply heavy worsted weight.


And THIS!!! This is from a beautiful batt (that I should have photographed before I spun it, but was too excited and didn't think about it.) I was so excited about it that I didn't even remember to get the fiber information on it. It is a wonderful wool and silk noil, but more than that I could not tell you. I will look for the information and get back to you. It is a 2 ply nubby dk weight.


Fall time in Washington of course means apples, and lots of them. I found an excellent price on them, acquired a nifty little apple peeler-corer-slicer, and turned them into. . .


eight quarts of apple sauce and 15 half pints of apple butter so far. (although there are only 14 left, as we have all ready eaten one!) I still have one more batch of apples to cook before I decide if I am done or not.

I suppose that depends on how my sanity is holding up.

Hey YARN!

I've decided that Yarnnation must be experiencing our own kind of recession. Our economy is based on fiber, yarn, and things that are produced with them. There has been a lack of production as of late, but we aren't in a depression yet.

This year just before I went to OFFF I went through my yarn and fiber collection to see what I had. I still had a lot of fiber from last year's trip to OFFF, which was a very helpful tactic in limiting the amount of fiber I brought home this year.

One of those fibers was some lovely stuff from Sarah Anderson's Great Ball of Fiber. (Also- This year she was there, but might as well not have been, she didn't have ANY dyed fiber. So sad.) My sister picked it out last year and I told her I would spin it for her.

I asked her if she wanted it barber poled or striped, and she said striped. Then I asked her what weight she wanted it - fingering please. ***HEAD BANGING ON WALL*** Yup, I asked her THOSE two questions out of order.

So, I set to work spinning itty bitty singles so I could Navajo ply (that's 3 ply people) a fingering weight yarn. Yes, it too me a year (OK, really it only took me a week, but I put it off for a year.)


400 yards


Navajo Plyed


Proof of Sisterly Love

I must say, though, I did the first 100 yards on my Ashford Traditional (no lace flyer) and the next 300 yards on my Matchless on the smallest ratio. It was WAY faster on the Matchless. (Don't worry Tara, girl, I still love you, though!)

On a related note, my new girl needs a name, any suggestions?

The only place yarn and jam go together

Here it is. . . the first yarn to come off of the new spinning wheel (who needs a new name, BTW, any suggestions?)



It's Superwash merino (I think) that I dyed so long ago that I don't remember when it was. 160 yds, double ply, light worsted.

And the wheel spins like a dream.

In other news- it is berry season here in the PNW. I haven't been out picking my own yet, but that will come soon, I think. I was inspired by Beep and Bop and Accident Prone Left Hander to take advantage of our berry berry good summer and make some jam.

However, unlike both of them, I am unwilling to cook anything in my second story, non-air conditioned kitchen, so freezer jam it is. It isn't as pretty to photograph, and I don't give it awesome names (K. I'll leave that up to you if you want) but boy does it taste good!





Oh, and just because I was living in the dark for so long about freezer jam, let me fill any of you who don't know in on a little secret. It is SUPER easy to make. I make it in my blender, as you can see.

1. Blend up fruit.
2. Add sugar and pectin
3. Blend for 1.5 min more
4. Put in freezable containers
5. Let sit for 1/2 hour
6. Throw it in the freezer (or eat it- it's ready to go!)

No cooking involved- which is great for our current uncomfortably hot days. (PS- our next house is going to have AC- I don't care if we only need it for a month out of the year.)

Also, it has a lot less sugar in it that most other jam recipes. You add 1.5 cups to 4 cups of fruit. The Duke and I really like this because we don't like very sweet jam.

There you go, easy as pie (which is a silly saying, because pie can be pretty hard to make.)

Getting Back to Being Me

Have you missed me? I've kind of missed me. I didn't even know that I liked myself that well. Guess I always just took myself for granted. (he he)

OK- here we go with a real live post.

So Little Sir and I have been doing some fun things the last couple of days- and it has been great. On Saturday he and I went garage sale-ing. I haven't done this for such a long time. I really love it because 1. I get to see the strange things that other people have collected over the years and 2. I get to buy things that I otherwise wouldn't because it the cost is so minimal.

So I don't have a little girl (yet) and I'm not the kind to buy cute little girl's clothes and store them away hoping that I will be able to put them on my adorable child one day- but I do have a particular soft spot for vintage baby clothes. (You may have notices that some of Little Sir's baby pics were in cute vintage things. ) Well, when I come across a box of 30ish year old dresses for a quarter a piece, well, I don't feel bad about buying the one bit! And maybe some of them will even fit my new adorable niece (who now has her own blog BTW- you might check it out - The Cabbage Patch Kid.)

I also found a real Sunkahan (Kumusta mga Pinoy na kaibigan!) The family had been using it as a candle holder. (for shame!) At least they hadn't burned the candles on it. For those of you who don't know what a Sunkahan is- it is a Filipino board game somewhat like Mancala, only more complicated.



Later Little Sir and I went to a near by beach and chose enough small smooth stones to play the game. I am looking forward to whipping the Duke on this board. He still hasn't figured out how I always beat him (it's the Filipino heart beating inside of me.)



Today we had to run some errands, but other than that, stayed home and did some crafting. John Henry loves to "enrich" my crafting experience by a fun little game he has concocted of hiding the next tool or supply that I will need. He is very good at it (it's the gremlin heart in him!)



I got my sewing machine out even!

I started with an easy project our church is doing, sewing small pillows for breast cancer patients to put under their seat belt strap where it hits their breast. East and fulfilling- I got several done while Little Sir was napping.

Then onto the beginning of another craft I have had in my mind for a few days now.



It's a little felt book for Little Sir. This is the cover and next I will begin working on the pages and the felt pieces. I am very excited about it. I hope that it will help keep him happy (and quiet) in church. He was an atomic toddler yesterday!

Last by not least, I am simply loving my new spinning wheel and I greatly enjoying the return of mine and the Duke's tradition of me spinning or knitting in the evening while he reads to me. Could there be anything more relaxing?



Yes, I am defiantly feeling more like myself than I have in a long time. It really does feel wonderful.

Oh, and if you want to see some really adorable photos of Little Sir, head over to the adoption blog. There are some really fun new ones.

Recovery is Slow

Well, I am beginning to recover from the massive amounts of stress from finals, graduation, company, brother's custody battle, a wedding, travel, a family reunion, two VERY involved adoption scams. . . let's just say it didn't surprise me much when I saw that I hadn't posted here in a month. Well, let's fix that.

I haven't really had a chance to do much knitting, but there has been a little, and at least I am thinking about it.

See


Knitting


Knitting


Oh- and SPINNING


- on my new (to me) Schacht Matchless spinning wheel (SQUEEEEE!!!) We were up in a little town north or here to have Logan's (dog) teeth cleaned and while we were waiting we went in this little yarn shop and one of their regulars was selling hers, as she had developed arthritis and couldn't use it much anymore.

Well, financially, this wasn't the best time for us to splurge on something like this, but I have NEVER seen a used Matchless for sale before and so we talked it over, figured it out, and the Duke (the amazing husband that he is) decided it could be a (very) early Christmas present. That was Tuesday, and can you believe that today is the first day I've been able to spin on it. I can tell you it instantly increased the Zen in the house. I should remember to spin more, not less when I am tying myself in knots. . . it does wonders to untie them. Oh, and it spins like a dream. . .

Now, off to bed to dream about spinning (or maybe a little more spinning to get me in the right mind set for dreaming ;)

A little fiber update while I procrastinate

I should be doing homework. I only have one problem left (that one problem will probably take 20-30 min. - but that's beside the point.) It's just one little problem. :)

Anyway, while I'm procrastinating I thought I'd show you a little of my current stress reduction project. Oh, how I love spinning when I need to relax.

Remember this? (Superwash Merino dyed while my mom was here)



It is now THIS! 2 ply sock weight and very very yummy!



OK, now I will go do my homework (or maybe just a short little nap first. . . ;c)

Spinning and Swimming

It's too hot to knit. I made a major mistake in the lace shawl I am working on.



It's too hot to spin. I plied an entire bobbin in the same direction that I spun the singles


This is the lovely BFL I am spinning- this bobbin plied in the appropriate direction.

Thank goodness it is going to cool down tomorrow.

Little Sir thought water was a better medium than wool.


The next Michael Phelps, perhaps?








He was so happy that he could kick and swim around the pool to his heart content.

As Promised

A little knitting, and little spinning, and a little more spinning.


This little bit of knitting that will become a little purse for someone.


It's difficult to see in 2-D but it's a really neat stitch knit from some of my hand spun.


This is the rest of the Optium, Navajo plyed just like the first batch.


There is only one problem. I bought a new flyer. I like the new flyer. It goes faster than my last flyer. I also spun the last batch on my old flyer. I spun this on the new flyer, at the same pace. Um- OVER SPUN! Ah well, it's still lovely. We'll see how it knits up.


A bit more knitting.


Behold! My first hand knit socks from my own hand spun yarn.


Check out those perfectly mismatched stripes.


One more just to let you know how much I like them.


I've also been a good little knitter. I am ready to turn the heel on the second Kaffe Fassett sock.

It's Not All Baby and No Fiber

Just mostly. . .

Here is what has been happening on the fiber end of things.


It started with three different colors of roving. - Merino. I separated it into varying lengths and started to spin one at a time, alternating colors.


I Navajo plyed it to maintain the separation of colors. The ending three ply yarn was a heavy sock weight.


Wound into a cake and you can see the color changes.


Last but not least, knit into a sock. It's my first sock knit from handspun and I love love love it! It's mostly finished now, I just have to graft the toe together.

I'm fairly certain I have enough all ready spun to knit up the next one, but it may have to wait for a bit.. . I seem to be having a bout of SSS (that's "second sock syndrome" for you non-knitters out there.) Besides the handspun sock I have two others more or less finished and I am seriously considering casting on for another first sock before starting any of the second socks. Maybe I will just start wearing mismatched socks like my friend Miles!

Flying Flyer

I've been spinning like crazy at night after Little Sir goes to sleep. I'm very excited about the new project that I started tonight. I'm not going to show it to you until it's all done, but I am documenting it as I go.

Also, in my rush to get what I was spinning off of my bobbins I found out that flyers can actually fly. Yes, I spun my flyer off of the wheel and across the room, not once, but twice. You would think that I would have gone and gotten a screwdriver to tighten the maiden bars after this happened once, but no, my impatience to get the new fiber on the wheel clouded my brain from realizing that if I didn't fix the problem, it would happen again.

(If this is all jibberish to you and you want to know what I'm talking about, here is a picture of the flyer and bobbin assembly on a wheel similar to mine. You can see one of the maiden bars in the upper left of the photo. It's the vertical cylinder piece of wood that is slightly darker in color that the rest of the wheel.)

So here is what I finished tonight before I started the new project

You'll remember it was this


singles on the bobbin


plyed on the skeiner


skeined


and detail


I also found the info on the fiber. It is Sarah Anderson's from Great Balls of Fiber (who sadly, still does not have a website.) It is colonial superwash- which means I probably originally meant to spin in into sock yarn- oh well, too late now- in colorway "Oktoberfest".

It is a 2 ply DK weight about 300 yds unwashed.

Stay tuned for more spinning adventures that hopefully don't involve flyers flying anywhere else.

Did you miss me?

I'm back. I'm mostly recovered from my first post-child quarter back to school. I'll be glad when it's over for good.

I'm on spring break.

I told someone that today, and visions of the not so distant past when my spring break included sun, water, and my boyfriend getting arrested, filled my head and made me laugh.

Truly, I'll happily take this handsome little devil over my "miscreant" old flame.


And while I would LOVE a little sun and water the beautiful people will thank my ghostly white and stretch mark decorated self that instead spinning and knitting occupied my leisure time this spring break.

This


is now this

I'm still working on the second bobbin full. I can't for the life of me remember where or when I bought this lovely stuff, or for that matter, even what it is. It feels like a very nice Corriedale. I think that it is either from The Artful Ewe or from Sarah Anderson of Great Balls of Fiber. I'm thinking that latter is more likely.

I also spun my first cabled yarn. It is constructed of 2 two plyed yarns plyed together in the opposite direction (say that three times fast.) It is very sproingy.

I loved it so much I wanted to knit something out of it right away. (The fiber is super wash merino.)

Little Sir needed a new hat and as it is a FOUR ply yarn, there wasn't much of it so it was a good match.


I am still slogging away on the never ending navy blue stst part of the Duke's SLC 2002 sweater. It has been great for classes. I still have about three inches until I start the colorwork. In between classes though, I've been wanting to do some small fast projects.


This is a sport weight I spun from a beautiful batt I got from High Prairie Fibers
in November of 2006. I was originally planning on spinning it all up in a heavy aran weight for a sweater, but I spun some, knit a swatch and didn't care for it so much in that weight. I love it in this finer weight, and it had finally marinated in my stash long enough. It decided it wanted to be a new pair of fingerless gloves for spring.

And lastly. . .

Little Sir gets another hat. Sarah wanted to see my stranded knitting method and I though I'd also take the opportunity to see if the said method would still work while carrying three colors. So a hat was born. (For those that are interested I hold both- or all- colors in my left hand, alternately dropping and picking up the strands, and yes, it does work with three colors, it's just a little bit fiddily.)
The yarns are bit and pieces from my collection of such. The green is Jeager Extra Fine Merino, the white is Nashua Creative Focus, and the brown in a mystery yarn that I bought in Astoria, OR a few years ago. It's a super wash wool and that's all I know.

I do have one more small FO to show you, but I really want Little Sir to model it, so consider this a little Yarnnation brand suspense.

Now off to bed!