Spin me right round...

This post has many photos, as I have been unable to keep proper photo records of my spinning due to the darker evening hours. I have recently been trying to improve my spinning ability & variety of finished yarn types.

First, about 199 metres of a silk merino blend;(the purple); the fibres are the silk/merino slivers from Ashford. I spun fine singles on a drop spindle & then plied on the wheel. This has quite a loose plied twist.
Navajo-plied Bluefaced Leicester - just over 300 metres in total. I bought the undyed fibre in Craftspun, Co Kildare, and spun & plied on a drop spindle.

A recent attempt to loosen up my handspun yarns; the fibre is Bluefaced Leicester - hand dyed by Laura Hogan, bought at the recent Knitting & Stitching show. I spun and 2 plied 104 metres of this yarn on drop spindles, and it is certainly less tight that past spinning attempts.

Laura also has an etsy shop; wwwLHogan.etsy.com

Next, fibres from the wheel-spinning class I took at Craftspun; this is spun from raw fleeces from a variety of breeds, including Jacob, Shetland, Merino and Bluefaced leicester. I spun and then plied this on the wheels available during the spinning class and have since washed it.

My first attempts at wheel-spinning, from the class at Craftspun - singles, using various sheep fibres, and later dyed in onion skins, with copper mordant. I have no idea what this yarn will grow up to be, but find its textures so appealling.

My first attempt to spin on 'Beatrice' at home; just under 100 metres of 2 ply Bluefaced Leicester. This yarn is a little thicker than aran weight - possibly even bulky, and is delightfully smooshey. My singles and plying on the wheel are both rather inconsistent but I imagine that will improve with practise.

And finally, my first attempt at cable-plying, using the wheel. There's approx 52 metres of finished yarn, in 4 different colours of Merino yarn. Again, the spinning is a little loose for my liking. This is a labour intensive way of plying; spin 4 singles & split into pairs; spin each pair of singles to a 2 ply yarn; then spin both 2 ply yarns together. My singles were uneven and of different length leading to an inconsistant yarn texture and colour, but I look forward to knitting this into something special.

Introducing Beatrice

Yes, I've already named my spinning wheel. The other half suggested Beatrice in a joking manner, but considering that 'The Bride' in the Kill Bill films shares the name I think it suits.

I took a wheel-spinning class with Mary O'Rourke at Craftspun yesterday. This was the first time I'd ever even touched a spinning wheel. During the day I tried a few different spinning wheels, including a Louet, a 'Donegal' and an Ashford Traditional - one of the models I'd had my eye on previously. While the Traditional is not the most mobile model available it felt good to spin on and has a good reputation as a suitable beginning wheel-spinner's model. It has the added advantage of great looks; I had my heart set on a 'fairytale' wheel.

The class also gave the opportunity to work with fleece in the raw - or straight from the sheep complete with vegetable matter, lanolin (oils)and possibly urine. It's not something I imagine doing again while in the current home as my making space is also a general living space, and not very sterile. Using the raw fleece gave me a clearer idea of the processes involved in preparing commercially available fleece, and the other potential side-effects of using raw fleece;the lanolin moisturises your hands as you work, and if you steep raw white fleece in water overnight the urine content can lighten the fibre.

I also got to try fibres from breeds of sheep I had never used before, and familiar fibres in a non-familiar state - bluefaced leicester locks, shetland, jacob to name a few. I'm almost regretting not taking detailed photos to share, but that would have meant less time touching fibres and listening and learning.

We also did a little dyeing - by lunch time our first hanks were spun, ready to go into an onion-skin dyepot.

I thoroughly enjoyed the class - Mary is a very intuitive teacher and spinner, who does not overwhelm students with names, terminology and science bits, but instead gets you to try everything for yourself, with plenty of encouragement along the way.

After just a couple of hours spinning I was happy to choose a wheel ; an Ashford Traditional with single treadle and single drive band. I opted for the kit version, with the hope of getting to know the wheel a little better by building it.

My electric screwdriver wielding mother was very helpful too! I'm very happy with my wheel and am confident of making changes to the settings to try spin different yarns.

Hats off to you..

It has been quite cold and miserable lately, so I have decided to cheer, and warm myself up. I seem to achieve this by making hats.
This pattern is 'Slouched Tuva Hat' by Turvid (free online) - I knit it in a 2-ply handspun bluefaced leicester. This is the first project I have made from my own handspun yarn, in spite of the fact that I started spinning about a year ago. I loves it; it fits nicely, I adore the wholesome natural colour of the fibre, and it smells slightly sheepy - without the poo. I have learned alot about what's wrong with my hand spinning technique by knitting with the product, but have yet to figure out how to improve that - an adventure for another day.

Some weeks ago, I started to think about Hallowe'en. I've recently re-read Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland', with the old-fashioned illustrations by John Tenniel. I've always liked these illustrations... but then I noticed (as only a knitter can) that the Mad Hatter wears striped socks. I'm also rather fond of tea.

With the help of instructions from Thread Banger I made my own oversized top hat. I had to modify the construction of my had to allow for my lack of a glue-gun, by handsewing.

Video link;

http://www.threadbanger.com/tb-projects/episode/THR_20091009

Of course, I didn't end up going out for Hallowe'en - the plans were always a bit vague - but I am saving this hat for a special dress-up occasion. I love the fact that I found everything I needed to make this hat at home.

I bought some Lang Zoom yarn in green at the recent Knitting & Stitching show at the RDS, with the intention of making a slouchey hat for myself. The pattern is a modified cross between 'Felicity' by Wanett Clyde and 'The Slouch II' by Kelsey Leib. The yarn is so soft & scrummy. This hat also makes me happy.

And, finally (and this makes me very happy) I have been working on presents for friends & family for the C-word.* I have knit a stocking based on Leigh Radford's 'Christmas Stockings' from Alterknits Felt - though I have modified mine by knitting from the narrow point up, to make the most of odd balls of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted.

Before felting, the stocking makes an adorable & ridiculous elf-style hat. Possibly not suitable for wearing in the office...

* Not that c-word -I refer to December 25th. I refuse to use its other name in full until at least December 1st.

Everyone is fond of owls...

It all started as a discussion on Ravelry's This is Knit forum. Now it has become an obsession. Quite a number of knitters in around the Dublin area have to decided to have an 'Owls' knit-along; knitting the Owls jumper pattern by Kate Davies. A few knitters unable to dedicate the time to a jumper have decided to join in by knitting other items (hats, cowls) featuring the owls cable.

I decided to join in, knitting the jumper in Louisa Harding Hulda yarn. At first I was a little unsure about the yarn. The pattern calls for bulky weight yarn, and Hulda is on the lighter side of bulky. I decided to keep knitting and see how it went. I am now very happy with the results. The finished jumper is very warm, but lightweight.

I have also developed a little bit of an unhealthy interest in owls;

Exhibit A; http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/owls/

Exhibit B; a button, found at the Crafty Ribbons stall at the RDS Knitting and Stitching Show on Friday. (more details later)

I'm looking forward to seeing more owls progress from my fellow knitters at the next Fibre Fun Friday evening , this Friday 6th November in the Tea Gardens.

City living is not all bad.

Having grown up on the outskirts of a medium sized town, I often complain about capital city living - it's noisy, smelly, and full of strangers with little or no common courtesy. But every now and then, I get a wee reminder of the advantages of city living. I've had a busy and varied week, but all of it rather pleasant.

Tuesday, I went to a concert in the Olympia Theatre. Big scarey metal band, Opeth, played a very good show, and I took advantage of my front row balcony seats. It was nice, for a change, to not have to cope with lots of teenagers watching the concert through their mobile phone cameras.

The second Fibre Fun Friday meeting was in the Tea Gardens this week. Quite a few people showed up, all in high spirits, for knitting, crochet, chat and fancy tea. Threadbear even discovered that hot teapots are excellent crochet-presses.Saturday, the other half & I went to view the Dublin Viking festival. I think I've previously spent too much time in Denmark & Sweden to be truely blown away by the relatively small numbers at the Dublin festival, but I still found it enjoyable. The battle reenactments were most impressive - informative and humourous and entertaining, with lots of impressive clanging walloping noises as weapons hit shields.

Today (Sunday) I decided to make myself scarce & give the other half peace & space to do some written work. This started with a trip to This is Knit in the city centre - where I spun up some new samples of Dublin Dye Company roving (in the name of market research). I absolutely did not purchase any new yarn..... (okay, I did, but it's too dark to take decent photos of new aquisitions) before wandering through Stephen's Green, with a hot chocolate in hand, admiring the sound of crunching Autumn leaves underfoot. I love the Autumn (before it really rains & turns the fallen leaves to lethal slippery mush).

I intend to spend the rest of the evening drinking tea and knitting, so that I have something fibre-related to show in my next posting.

Second time lucky

I first attempted to knit a February Lady Sweater, by Pamela Wynne about 6 months ago. It didn't end well. The finished garment was bulky and unflattering. Some time later I grit my teeth and ripped the whole thing out, and started to knit again, in a smaller size. I'm happy to report that the second attempt is finished. It's not the most dainty pattern ever but it fits and is very warm and cosy. I'm sure I will appreciate it in the coming winter months.

I used Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted weight.
The next Fibre Fun Friday evening will be this coming Friday 16th October, from 6.30 pm onwards in The Tea Gardens. I look forward to scrumptious teas, a laid back environment and lots of chat with other fibre loving people.

Holidays and socialising.

I've spent the last few days in the parents' home in Co Kildare, (mostly) free of interwebz, and taking care of this wee ball of fluff called Snoopy. The parents went abroad for a week; getting out of Dublin was good enough for me.

I spent my days convincing the dog to 'give the paw', and delighting in the Autumn leaves. I was also reminded how strangely nice it is that people I do not know will stop to chat because they recognise the dog I'm walking. Didn't get much knitting done though.

While I'm not thrilled to be back in Dublin and due to work tomorrow, I am looking forward to new knit/crochet night. On Friday, Threadbear, myself & possibly others will attend our first fibre evening in The Tea Gardens, in Dublin city centre, from about 6.30 onwards. Come along too, if you're that way inclined.