awayuq

an arm's length away

Last fall, after taking an inspiring class with Kathryn Alexander, I set myself the task of spinning an entire package of something in my stash. A the time I reasoned that a) if I spin a whole pound of something, I'll have enough to make a wearable item with the resulting yarn b) I need a lot of practice in every aspect of spinning, and this sort of goal will make that practice get done c) if I have to spin a whole lot of one thing, psychologically I'll be inspired to work on speed, because I'll want to get done with it and move on to another interesting fiber. For this experiment I chose some alpaca roving that had been sitting around in my stash for several years. It's in a purple/forest green/black/white blend called somethingorother frost.

Here are the first two skeins of yarn, 2-ply, finished sometime before christmas:

Speed measured in elapsed time didn't work out so well. It's now May. But I am proud to relate that I can see the bottom of the basket! There are only two more arm's lengths of roving to go. And lately, as I've been spinning the singles, I find that I go through the roving faster and faster. I filled two bobbins and so switched to plying for a change of pace. Here's the yarn nestling up against those bobbins, partly plied already. I can't say that this is really great yarn. The thickness is inconsistent, it's not perfectly balanced. But I think it is useable, and soon I'll have a whole bunch of it!

The only thing is, shortly after buying this roving I eliminated all purple from my wardrobe. I don't want a garment for me out of this color, pretty as it is. I was thinking of giving the finished yarn to my Mom, who is a knitter too. She has a birthday in July. What do you think? Is that a nice happy-birthday-mom gift?

books don't count

or What I Bought At MDSW. My friend June was admirable. She reminded me of my resolve and set a good example. While we were cruising the booths together I spent almost nothing.

After we separated, the story was a little different. From left to right you see cormo/silk roving, 90/10. The cormo was so bouncy I couldn't resist. Then 4 oz of bamboo. I love cellulose fibers; I'm very curious about this. At first twist it feels a little like linen. I'd guess it dyes wonderfully, may have to try that too. Finally some corrieadale something or other cross rats I am so bad with remembering sheep breeds-- part of a silver fleece overdyed teal. The color called to me. A pound of it made it home squished into my suitcase-- enough for a sweater probably. I hope. All in all, moderate stash enhancement.

But how can a woman resist enlarging her library? Especially when weaving books are so hard to find and so rare and go out of print so fast and then become impossible to acquire? You'll notice I did get the Deb Menz book-- I haven't had a chance to browse it yet but I'm likely to have opinions when I do. The Peggy Osterkamp warping books, which have been on the To Buy list for several years now; a book on doubleweave and one on tablet woven images (with lots of charts! hooray!) Finally a new book on two-stranded knitting. The lady in the Yarn Barn booth recommended it for structure people, so I decided to chance it. In flipping through I noticed it does at least mention S and Z twist and the differences in knitting with them, a good sign. Now all I need is a week on a remote island, to absorb all this fine literature.

Spinners, what do you do with 4 oz of fiber? I think I collect so much fiber because I'm used to thinking I need a pound or more to make anything significant. What can I do with 4 oz of cormo roving? A very fine lace scarf?

I'm in LOVE

And he’s available! Since I promised to report on my MDSW experience, I'm going to tell you all about him. We are geographically separated right now, but he’s willing to relocate, and I have hopes that finally I may be a part of a lasting loving relationship! He stands a little taller than I do. He has an elegant style, a little old-fashioned, but he’s also practical. His skin is smooth and tawny. He moves silkily and silently, with restrained grace. We walk well together. He is flexible and creative and knows how to make many different things. He’s interested in my fiber pursuits, and even wants to help! Even though we just met, I know we could have a fulfilling and productive life together. I am sure I’ll love him as much 40 years from now as I do today. He is well balanced, and says my lifestyle and goals are a natural fit for him. We satisfy each other in other ways too--he responds to my lightest touch, and is sensitive and patient. His (ahem) drive is astounding, and he is so versatile! Ten minutes or two hours, he’s happy to play fast, slow, or anywhere in between. His shaft is long and smooth and straight, with the most luscious rounded tip. As for diameter -- (pause for swooning) -- he has the absolute largest I have ever experienced. It makes me shiver with ecstasy just to look at him.

The Wyatt Great Wheel. I want one.

choo choo!

Tomorrow I hop on a train for Baltimore. It's almost European, but much slower. Saturday, it's ho to the sheep! Tell you all about it when I get back. This evening's mental energy is reserved for deciding what knitting to take with me.

seek and ye shall...

this morning I went looking for these. They have been patiently hibernating for I won't say how many years, waiting for an opportunity to be spun. Back when I was doing more dyeing, I painted a series of cotton rovings and prepared to combine them á la Deb Menz. These are some already combined and ready for spinning. The rest of the painted rovings were closeby in a separate bag. After the natural green cotton weft project, I've decided that I want to spin more cotton, but I want more color in my life. The natural "green" reminds me too much of archaeological textiles that have been buried for thousands of years. Nice in a way, but. One of the few drawbacks to spinning your own cotton is that, unless I'm way behind, no-one has yet come up with a home mercerization process, and therefore colors on cotton homespun will forever alas be those duller unmercerized shades. Maybe if I were to get a tencel/cotton blend the colors would be brighter? And I could still spin on my charka?

On the way to finding these little balls of color, I came across (partial listing):

50/50 cotton/merino blend, some grey, some blue
some gorgeous honey colored tussah silk roving I forgot I had.
cotton/hemp blend
cotton/flax blends
balls of handdyed hemp roving; ditto linen roving
packages of silk handkerchiefs in vivid fuschia and brilliant blue
cotton/silk roving
an enormous silk bell (or do they call it a cap? I forget-- kind of conical shaped...)
cotton/flax/lyocell blend

And I didn't even open the wool bins. The point is this: dear friends, old and new, whom I may meet at MDSW, I do not need any more fiber to spin. I could work for two years and not spin up everything that I have. If you see me fondling some bundle of relatively ordinary roving with an acquisitive gleam, you may softly whisper "what's in that closet?" or "spun any silk lately?" You may remind me that I don't, in fact, spin or knit much wool because I don't wear that much wool. You may remind me that I have a full-time job. You may remind me that I honestly, seriously, very much want to travel this Christmas. (Out of state. Out of the country). You may remind me that it is not necessary to acquire to appreciate. In short, I truly don't want to purchase any fiber unless it is absolutely one of a kind and exceptional.

Things I might consider buying: Deb Menz' new book, if it's out yet. Cashmere, in a small quantity, because I've heard that it is short enough to be spun on a charka. Spinnable color blends by Deb (got some at SOAR last year and loved them). An exceptional spindle. Silk noil, if moderately priced, for color blending. 100% tencel because I don't think I have any and I'd like to try it. Not all of the above.

And I want to try out as many wheels as I can. I have an idea that there is a great wheel somewhere in my future. (in which the great is defining the type of wheel and not just the quality. Large wheel, small spindle, stand up and spin-- you know what I mean).

naked

loom. This morning there was an official long-awaited cloth removal ceremony. The fabric now so anxiously hovering in the after-loom before-finishing state is my first warp woven with handspun cotton. Immediately the tension was released it showed some signs of relaxing in the less dense stripes. I can't wait to see what the singles weft will do when it hits water. There will be pictures, promise.

I learned a great deal trying to weave with my handspun. Being used to an end-feed shuttle, the spindle shuttle I used for this, in which the yarn comes out the side, was a big change. I'd blissfully forgotten about the bobbin overspinning issue. The idea of taking spindles right from the charka to the loom is fantastic, but it will take some practice. The shuttle seems to work better when the spindle is full. When the cop gets down closer and closer to the shaft, the bobbin turns faster as it is unwinding, leading to a greater possibility of kick back in which the yarn winds around the wrong way or around some part where it shouldn't be or it gets so exuberant it snaps. Also I found that inconsistency in my spinning was a real problem. I already knew this, but the number of times the yarn broke as I was weaving with it convinced me that this is something I *must* figure out if I'm going to be even an adequate spinner. I don't mind thin yarn-- I crave it-- I'd love to be able to spin fine enough to weave almost-transparent cotton gauzes. But when a very very thin place comes in a yarn that isn't overall that small, it gets brittle, and snaps with the force of the shuttle going through the shed. Back to basics, say I to myself. Practice spinning a smooth consistent yarn that's big enough not to be invisible. Another prominent difficulty was the tendency of my singles to twist back on themselves in the shed. This probably has to do with shuttle technique-- too long a weft length coming out for one pick.

In spite of these issues, charka spinning is very pleasureable to me. Still seems magical. I might try for a 3-ply yarn next-- in some color other than natural green cotton.

context

A glimpse of the studio. It is much smaller than it looks. You are seeing a fraction of the shelves and yarn. I sew and weave in here, and spin in the living room. Knitting occurs in The Chair, as yet unpictured on this blog. I put up all the shelves myself (proud first-time homeowner speaks). What every woman wants: a cordless drill and a cool level.

my very first...

Even when I lived on the west coast I heard about the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, and dreamed about it, and figured I'd never get there. Now, thanks to the kindness and generosity of June and her friends, I have a chance to go! I made train reservations this morning. No groans, I like train trips. It will be long, but afford plenty of time for knitting. I certainly don't need any more fiber to spin, but just think how fun it will be to see the animals, and try spinning wheels, and... well I haven't been to any fiber fests in a long time, so it will be a great treat. Can't wait!

cheery cherry charka

A delayed introduction, and also an inebriation test. If you ever find yourself in doubt about your state of intoxication, you can try saying the title twelve times fast while spinning soy silk on a spindle. Anyway-- at long last, I get around to posting a picture of my new (as of February) Bosworth Attache Charka.

I love it.

There is something about doing long draw off a spindle that mesmerizes and comforts me. I love the high ratio of this little machiine (rumored at 110:1). Every time a length of yarn is formed it seems like magic. Wool is wonderful but in my Real Life I find I reach for cotton every day. I hope someday to be a good enough spinner to use my cotton thread to make real things to wear--shirts and sweaters and whatnot. Right now I'm working on weft for a scarf, and using natural "green" cotton roving. Of all my fiber endeavors I think I am least adept at spinning, but this fine tool is certainly an inspiration, and a pleasure to use.

Yes, that is a peruvian manta on which it is resting.