Monday, December 15, 2014

Lots of spinning going on in the studio.

 I've been spinning. A lot. And I love it.

It's funny how some things are meant for certain times of your life. Like I've had turkeys, ducks, goats, cows, pigs. I've worked different jobs. Had 2 kids when I was 20 and 22. I could handle things at different stages of my life. Some things I've tried and will probably never do again. Just wasn't for me. Or it's just too much to handle. Then some things come back around and I start all over again. Like pigs. Which I will be getting 2 of in March. But I think I'll be ready for them by then.

But this spinning thing, I guess it's the right time for me now. It wasn't last year, when I bought the spinning wheel. Things just didn't work out. And I got too frustrated. And I had way too many sheep and goats. And life was just crazy.

Now I am ready. I knida sorta know what I'm doing now. Thanks to the class I took last month. And my nice pretty calm clean happy studio too. I can go over there now and spin all I want. I have everything I need there. And a good radio where I can listen to good music. It depends on the weather what stations I can get. But the past few days, it's been classical. Which is great to listen to while spinning. Country is good too. But the classical is calming.

So I went over to my studio yesterday and started spinning the beautiful Romney-Mohair rovings I got from the fiber show a few months ago. It's so pretty and soft. It's called Sea Turtle. I finished it today. Set the twist in the 3 skeins along with 2 skeins of the brown Romney I had done last week. And tonight spun some gray-silver roving I got from Polly at All Books in Chatt. plus some roving Sandra sent along with some fleece I had gotten from her. It was perfect to go with that little bit of roving. Made a whole bobbin full. I had some white Merino wool I had spun a few weeks back when I was practicing. It was pretty thick in some places. I spun the grays real thin. So when I plied them together, it turned out so pretty. They are all hanging on the drying rack in the studio to dry.

These are the 2 bobbins of single ply, ready to ply.


This is one of the balls of roving. I just love it. And my home made Lazy Kate, for holding the bobbins while plying. It works!



This is one bobbin full of the plied yarn. It turned out so pretty. Now to figure out what to make with it. It will go with my brown felted jacket, so maybe a scarf.


Isn't it beautiful? I am rather pleased with myself for being able to even do this. It is so fun! It's on the niddy-knoddy here.



Then off, ready to go in the wash water, to set the twist. I watched a video today and did it her way. It's so soft and smells good now.



On the left is the 2 skeins of the Romney. I still have about 5 more pounds to wash and card. On the right is the 1st skein of the  Sea Turtle.



This is the gray-silver I started later tonight.  It's all plied and washed and hanging too. I love this yarn. I'm going to use it to make something for Mrs. T's oldest daughter for Christmas.



And this is a little cowel I crocheted for one of my kids. I don't even know if it's really a cowel or not. I just started making it up as I went along. I did the popcorn stitch around the outside.  I like it. And it's fast and easy to make too. I need fast and easy right now.


So I am just happy to be spinning right now. I think I need to be able to do this. I hope to start spinning some of my own sheep's wool soon after Christmas. I want to take my time and do it right. Then in March, I'll have 12 more fleeces from my sheep to work with. I love my sheep. And the alpacas are growing on me. Poor Sugar King had some barbed wire caught on his tail yesterday. Of all the animals to have that happen to, it had to be the one who will not let me get near him. I had to go get feed and heavy duty gloves on. The grabbed the wire and pulled. It was wound around his wool, but not the skin. I got it out and he was just fine. He didn't struggle or freak out. He knew I was helping him.

Another long day tomorrow. Spending it with my mom. Then to the middle school to watch my youngest in her fist band concert. Then one more market and I am officially done til spring. I thought I would have a soap sale. Then I might start a Shopify account. See how that goes for me.

Happy week before Christmas, y'all!

7 comments:

Sandra said...

Beautiful yarn Kris :) I love Romney.

Kris said...

Thank you Sandra. I added that gray roving you gave me in the last bobbin picture.

I am in love with Romney fiber. I want a Romney ram now to breed my Finn sheep next year. Wouldn't that be some awesome fleece?

An At Home Daughter said...

Hi Kris,
That cowl you made is soooo cute!

Isn't spinning so relaxing? I have been spinning at night while listening to Unsolved Mysteries on TV, until I start falling asleep. It seems to be the only time I can spin uninterrupted.

I love Romney too. It is so springy. Last night I started spinning the dyes gone wild romney I found that was pictured in my last post. It is so pretty, but I was surprised at how much lanolin was in it. I was left with waterproof hands.

Shine said...

I knew you would love spinning! :) Your yarn is lovely!
Blessings~~Shine

Kris said...

Thank you both. I pretty much think about spinning all the time now.

I'm going to look at your pictures now, Kimberly.

Betty Ann said...

I am in awe!! Just beautiful.

Su Ba said...

Ive been following your wool stories and I'm amazed. I didn't know any of this. How fascinating.