BLUE TOE SPINNER

I know the title got your attention.  These two pictures are for dramatic pause.... This is the basket weave scarf I knitted from leftover yarn from Ireland. Cute, huh? Now the moment you have been waiting for....This is Jill's Yarn.  On the bobbin. I did a chain ply. Side view. Top view. We are ready to knit.  I have choosen the pattern called "Diagonal Garter Lace Scarf".  That's all for now I have to start knitting.

Check it out!  An actual finished project.  It is called "Winter Pick-Me-Up", a supplemental booklet pattern from Simply Knitting.  It was a very fun knit with a little bit of a cable, which I was able to do without using a cable needle.  Yay! I wasn't really crazy about the yarn, it seemed to be a bit weak in several areas, so I had to tie a lot of knots.  I hope it stays together.  I tried to block it with a dinner plate, but it wasn't big enough to reach the edges of the hat.  Oh, well. I also finished a headband to cover my ears when I'm outside.  Both of these projects are stash buster projects.  That is my goal for this year.  Use it up. Here are a couple pix from January's Weaver's Guild meeting, on Sectional Warping. Fascinating equipment.  Sonya working on her Tension Box. This is one variation of a gadget that holds many spools of yarn.  A Spool Rack. This is an AVL Sectional warping mill, and from wha...

Just when I thought I was almost finished spinning the single for Jill's Project.  I mean, I only had 12 inches of roving left to spin.  The spinning Gods showed me who's really in charge.   Take a close look at this...what is it... my dashed hopes and dreams for a perfect project!!  It is on end of my bobbin that was holding the delicate yarn I was spinning.  Dang those crappy glued bobbins.   This is the close-up to my current nightmare!!!  Go ahead and try to find the end of the thread. These are my dear, sweet friends trying to un-tangle my rat's nest. Does it remind you anything of Cat's Cradle?? I had to leave before they were able to completely get me straighten out.   Pray for me. 

These are some of the skeins we looked at during last month's Guild meeting. Too pretty to overlook. Ahhhh!  Fiber! Update on the progression of Jill's Scarf. My very first doubleweave. It is seamed at the right and left edges to create a tube.  Pretty darn neat if you ask me. A couple need acquistions.  Awesome raddle for back to front warping on a loom. The other end, just as awesome. Cone-stand for cone yarn, to make warp wrapping easier. Another angle.  I bought the raddle and cone-stand from Fiber Artist Supply Co .  Extremely reasonable prices for completely awesome stuff. And the spindle I haven't shown, but I think it is my favorite.  This is a Navajo Spindle. It is tall enough to spin off your thigh and with the spindle touching the floor.  There isn't a hook on this spindle, because you spin off the point of the spindle. Next two guild meetings (MMAWG and WWH) are Holiday Parties!!  Whoo Hoo!!

I offered to spin and knit a scarf for my co-worker's wife Jill.  Her husband said Jill might like to see the process...so, I am documenting the process on my blog.  I hope you all will enjoy it.  This is the roving I picked, Jill likes natural colors, and her husband gave it a two-thumbs approval.  The roving is from Greenwood Fiberworks , the colorway is Cherry Cola, one of my favorite colorways. This is a better picture to show the colors. This is a pic of the tag.   And here we are starting the spinning process.  I will be spinning it fine and do a navajo (chain) ply, drafting from the one end of the roving to the other end.  This is how fine I am spinning it.  So, when it is plyed it will be a nice lace weight. I will not be spliting the roving at all so I can keep the color pattern the same as the roving. This will give the scarf bold wide striping effect. I have done it before with another scarf and loved the effect. This is the progression w...

Do you remember this little project I started earlier this year?  The Petal Vest. I actually finished it.  I call it my Conversion Project, because knitting it was my happy place during my company's core processor change.  Thus the conversion. I think it turned out quite nicely.  I love Helene Rush's patterns!! I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Amelia Garripoli's Workshop a couple weekends ago.  Held at the Pioneer Craft House  Here is Amelia, teaching Long Draw.  I was actually able to do it by the end of the class. Look at all the beautiful spindles we where able to play with.   We did fantastic things with drum carders. Jill and David played with Cyndi's Super Carder. Kathleen and Cathy carding self-striping roving. Amelia checks on our progress with long draw. Only two of the pieces that when home with me.  An Akha spindle for spinning cotton and Angel Wings for support spindles. Amelia helping Bakti set up her Charka....