Woohoo!

12 more rounds and another pair of socks will be complete! I couldn't even make myself spin because these were just too close to finishing. That is saying a lot because I have been wanting to spin for 4 days now! Okay, so part of it might be that I need to ply. I'm not as crazy about plying as I am in spinning singles. It was a wee bit easier than it should have been to talk myself out of spinning.

Ahhhhh.....Spinning

Such a lovely way to start a morning. I'm working on this small bump.



I finished the first bobbin off this morning and got a good start on the second. It is, a very lovely and soft, merino wool I dyed. I definitely need to spend more time at the wheel. My consistency is, sadly, impacted by the long breaks. No matter though, I thoroughly enjoy my time spinning.

Happy Morning....

I actually spun this morning! It was such a joy. It has been a couple months since I have been able to set some time aside for spinning. I am going to try to get back in the habit of at least one morning a week. We'll see though. I'm still obsessed with socks so hate giving up my knitting time. I had a small mental tussle with myself this morning...spin or knit? Spinning finally won but it was terribly close.

Kumihimo Again

My second braid made from some spare ribbon.
I started with 4 pieces of 1/4" double face satin ribbon, cut 6' long. Fold in half and knot. Standard 8 strand braid. Resulting cord was 13" from knot to knot. About 6mm in diameter. I did use weights on this one. Just some spare coins but it definitely helps with tension.

What I'm spinning:

Sweetly soft Merino wool, that I dyed in a pretty blue.

Spin like the wind...

One bobbin done, one to go.

Plying is done. I can't wait to get it off the bobbin to see what it's like. The last part plied was of course part of the first spun. So isn't a true picture of the yarn, as the drafting gave me fits on the first bobbin.

Saturday mornings

Now there are two of the periwinkle and purple merino wool bobbins.

There wasn't enough time to ply so I started on the next bump.

Fiber content: 56s falklands wool.
Colors: burgundy and teals
Hand-dyed by me.
Weight: 7.2oz

Knitting failure happened. I was trying to get just a couple rows in. I was muttering under my breath 'did you forget how to knit?' as I fought the stitches. When I turned to put it away, it hit me, I was continuing the pattern to the sole of the sock so the stitches were extra tight. I've frogged back to the toe to start over. That is just so frustrating. I keep telling myself at least I can frog back and reload the stitches successfully! There was a time, I couldn't.

Purple and mornings...

I am still working on the periwinkle and purple wool. I am almost done with the singles. There is about 1/3 ounce remaining.
This is the first bobbin.

I seem to be sleeping a wee bit later. Of course, forgetting to go to bed might be a factor in that! I worked late trying to get caught up. That never quite happens though, a never ending cycle. That's ok. I like my work, most days anyways. Sleeping just means not as much free time to play. I did spin, which I still think is a grand way of starting the day. I find it peaceful.

Me being me...

I adore trying new things. I don't always enjoy the process or results but the learning? Love it! This means things catch my interest and I can't let it go (in a good way) until I give it a try. Some things stick, some things don't.

Kumihimo has caught my interest once again. I've looked at it and studied it in the past but haven't given it a real try. I blame the sudden re-interest on the weaving forums I have been reading lately. I realized I had everything I need except for a disk or marudai. A few minutes later an inexpensive disk was on order.

It should be fun to learn. I expect I can fit into my "5 minute" vacations, at least for simple braids. I'll decide on ordering books once I've made a few simple braids.

On the spinning front, I am still spinning every morning. I have 1.5 bobbins of the periwinkle merino spun. This wool has been such an unexpected slow spin. Merino usually flies for me, even when shooting for fingering weight. I should be able to finish the second bobbin in the morning, if I wake early enough. Then ply on Saturday morning.

Knitting has been on hold for a bit. My preferred lamp broke. My substitute just was not working well for me, in the early mornings, when my eyes aren't ready for a new day. A new one has arrived so I hope to start working on my socks again, ASAP.

Again with the obsession...

I managed to spin again this morning. Sleep? Who needs sleep! Hours later, I still want to spin. I am being good though and doing everything else that needs doing.

I dragged the niddy-noddy out yesterday. This is off the bobbin now.

I'm not crazy about it. It is a low-contrast thick and thin for the simple fact some of the colors just would not draft well. It was a loaded batt so I guess I should have expected that. I didn't have enough to keep experimenting so settled on a backwards draw(modified long draw).

Like usual I have no idea what I will make with it. It's still not washed so it is off to bin camp for a while. I never have enough time so I wash when my bin fills since I prefer to spin or knit.

Yarn details:
Purchased batts of Superfine Merino, Merino 64, Corridale, BFL, Tencel, Silk, Bamboo, Firestar
Before wash: 212 yards, 4.5oz.

On the bobbin currently:
A periwinkle and purple batt I made a year or so ago. It is a slow spin. I am trying for as thin as possible and it is resistant.

Sleep or Spin?

That seems to be the question these days. I woke early yet again. As I sat there trying to decide whether to get up or not, since I had only slept 3.5 hours, I realized I was actually debating which I preferred, sleeping or spinning? Needless to say, spinning won, at least for today.

 

I have decided spinning is my new 'exercise' routine. ha! Yes, I will come up with near about any excuse to play at the wheel. I've been spinning every morning...my legs ache. Not bad, just enough to notice something is different. I was spinning as fast as I could go this morning trying to finish plying some yarn. I swear it was just liking biking up a southern hill. It was worth it. The yarn came out just lovely.

 The photos are before setting the twist so it is still a extra bit bouncy.

Is it wrong

to want to spend my day spinning? Sigh. I was up several hours early again. I sleep easily and well. I just wake early so I get up to play. I finished the second bobbin, 2 more ounces. I want to ply it to see the results! That will have to wait until tomorrow or Saturday though. I have no idea what I will make with the yarn. It's not suitable for socks (too soft, too thin for longevity) and I don't generally knit lace. More thinking to be done, I suppose. Maybe I will put it aside for that loom I keep trying to talk myself out of purchasing.

This is about half the roving I started with. Pretty, isn't it?

Up early again

I was up early again this morning so I called it spinning morning again! I finished 1 bobbin with 2oz of the lovely merino and got a small start on the second bobbin. It is running at a fairly consistent 32-33wpi.

Lovely Merino

Up early, yet again, this morning. I started spinning that 'missing' wool. A lovely hand-dyed superwash super fine merino. Oh my, it is lovely to spin. I am getting a very fine, very even, single. It just slips along like butter, a true joy to spin. I am shooting for something in the fingering range. I don't expect any problem getting that as it practically spins itself.

I must remember to take some photos along the way. I never seem to remember to do so then regret it later when I want to replicate something.

Where did it go?

So frustrating. For 2 days now I have been looking for a specific piece of wool. I knew exactly where I left it last. I checked 3 or 4 times in case it had just been moved down a shelf or over, it just wasn't there. So I have been gradually checking every possible storage area in the house even though I know I didn't move it. Couldn't find it. Gave up.

A few minutes ago I went out to get different wool from a different room. I took it to the shelf where the missing wool was not. Guess what was there???? I'm either blind as a bat or someone is playing games with me(doubtful, I had not mentioned I was looking for it). It was sitting plain as day on the shelf, just turned up on edge and sort of shoved towards the back.

Spin, Spin, Spin

I plied the troublesome yarn this morning. The spinning looks ok but the yarn came out muddy. Well, muddy if you can call natural and intense pink, muddy. I will have to put a lot of thought as to what can be made from it.

Then on to the hated part as all my large bobbins were full. Niddy-noddy time. I much prefer to do almost anything else than wind off yarn. It took a couple hours of stop and go working but I cleared 5 bobbins.

I goofed on the yarn I earmarked for socks the other day. I must have thought to spin in two batches then forgot. I only had 2.2oz and 218 yards. I ran out of play time for today. When I have more time, I'll check the wpi and calculate how much more I need to spin.

Forgotten

It is odd how the mind forgets sometimes. I adore spinning. I had forgotten how much. I've awoken early several times this week so have used the time to spin. My life will cycle into run, run, run again(It is just at one run level now!) so I am taking advantage when I can. I finished the second bobbin, even finished plying it all.

I started another color this morning. I did 2 ounces of a 4oz batting. This batch will definitely not be socks! One of the colors in the batt gave me fits and just would not draw. I realized pretty quickly I would just have to work with that so am doing a low contrast thick and thin. Positive side is it spun up a lot faster, negative side, it spun up a lot faster! At this rate I will race right through my wool stash.

I've done almost no knitting due to the spinning. Toe is done.

Done...

Well not really, just with the second bobbin. Plying is up next.

This is the first sock of a pair, my tote-along project. It is an easy knit so ideal for carrying along yet still end up with some texture.

Spinning and knitting...

I finally cast on for the second purple and white sock this morning. 7 days of no knitting, I couldn't stand it any longer. First though, my spinning bug is back. I crawled out of bed 2 hours early just to spin. I finished up one bobbin and moved on to the second. My hope is to have acceptable yarn for a pair of socks. I will just have to wait and see the results after plying and washing to make a final decision. Since it has been a good while since I spun it took me part of the first bobbin to get my rhythm back to produce a sturdy thin single.

First bobbin:

Vacation Time...

Spinning was my mini-vacation this morning. Ahhhhhh...feels so wonderful to spin again. Life and work has interfered with it for the past few months. I had almost forgotten how peaceful it is when I find just that perfect spinning rhythm. I only had time to spin an ounce or so but it was such a joy.