Spinning Group Tonight

Hi

I've just got home from spinning group. I love to go and see the girls. There were 4 Sickinger wheels there tonight. Pretty rare in our group. We don't normally do spinning on a Monday night but we are having lessons at the end of February on how to make a Wombat Jacket - copied from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Jacket. We are all going to have to wear it when we go to Shepparton for Sharing Day later in the year. We are doing the night spinning to try and get enough wool spun in time for the lesson. We normally spin Monday arvo's but I don't usually go because I have been doing a Comp course. Thank Christ that's finished.



Here is the finished and blocked scarf for IE2. I am so happy with how it turned out. I spun and dyed the wool myself from a Merino, Silk, Alpaca blend. My 11 year old helped me dye the fleece and we had so much fun.

The actual colour is about midway of the two pictures.

NICE HUH



I got some downs fleece of E-bay that my son (Jesse) wanted for a pair of socks and started spinning it tonight. Oh so lovely. I am going to spin 100 grams then dye it, dye 100 grams in the fleece. See which turns out the nicest and then decide what to do with the other 100 grams. It should end up being enough for us all to have a pair of socks out off. The girls in group have never heard of DOWNS Fleece but I have been told it is lovely for socks - soft and springy and doesn't pill. We'll see.

The above is the sock (Downs) Fleece I purchased it from E-bay from Russtrees in QLD, AUS. http://search.ebay.com.au/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZrusstrees I have purchased a fair bit from her and have only ever been happy with what I have recieved.

Going to bed now - have to work in the morning.

JO

Slow Weekend

We had a very slow time this weekend. No-one was stressed about doing anything. Too bloody HOT!!! I started knitting that purple wool/Silk blend four times and frogged 3 of them. The wool is just too darned thick to be worn in thick patterns. I tried a big cable - too big, I tried a cross over pattern - too thick, I tried a rib - don't like and have settled on a drop stitch pattern. It will be quick and I want it finished for when we go to Melbourne next weekend to see our friends. It would be good to give it to Nicole while we are there.



These are my two boys. Cute hey. See that knitted thing in the right hand bottom corner that's my Scarf Exchange 2 scarf. I am blocking it. When it is dry tomorrow I will post a photo of it.

Well going to knit more of my scarf now. You gotta love airconditioning now don't ya!

JO

Rainbow Spinner

No Spinning today
I had to work today. I do the books for a National Company who moved to a small little town with about 100 houses, a shop and a pub. It's a great job, the office is at their house but in its own building. In all my working life it is the best job I have had. The people (husband and wife), the money and the work are great. Today I did end of month and next week we will be checking the website for updates, errors, etc. Not much like work but I get paid well. Only drawback is there are not more hours. I only do one or two days a week.

My friend owns the little shop and I also do her books. Can you believe there is actually more work in doing them than there is at the other company. I cannot believe the amount of paperwork generated from a little general store - come Post Office, Stock Feed Store, Milk Bar and Takeaway.

I am home tomorrow and I hope to wash and block by ISE2 scarf - it's been ready since the weekend. I really liked the way it turned out. I would like now the knit a scarf I saw on ISE2 - it's a Rowan called Casey. If anyone has the pattern I would appreciate a copy. I am too tight to buy my own!!!!.

Well going the bed now - I am reading the "Da Vinci Code" - I was not interested in reading it. A friend loaned it to me a few months ago and I have put it off. Out of desperation last night I started it and am thoroughly enjoying it - it is nothing like I expected. Great.

Bye ya'll

JO

Dyeing today

Hi all,

Today I dyed some wool (Super wash Merino spun with silk) I spun about a year and a half ago. It has been sitting in my basket and calling me lately. It is thicker than I normally spin - it was for a baby blanket but the baby is over a year old now. I decided to dye it purple and knit a cable scarf for my girlfriend (the baby's mother). Her favourite colour is purple and she loves scarves in winter - so perfect.




The colours didn't dye evenly. I don't think the silk took the colour as quick as the merino, so it is light and dark purple. I think it will knit up nice.

I also did some more spinning of the white alpaca, I am so please with how the drum carder prepared the fleece - a pure dream to spin. I'm doing it fine and am thinking a shawl will be perfect.

I will definately have to do some real work tomorrow. It's the 9th of Jan and I still haven't done the end of month. Oooops not good enough.

Going to bed now will talk tomorrow.

JO

Rainbow Spinner

Hi all - I saw this on another site and thought I would have a play. Oooooops I posted one or three to the International Scarf Exchange 2 by accident. As you can see I have absolutely bloody no idea how to do this. I thought the Llama was cute.

I finished my ISE2 scarf today and I am so happy with it. It turned out great. I'm sure the recipient will be happy. I've got my camera on charge as we speak and will take some photo's tomorrow after I have washed and blocked it.

I am in the middle of spinning some white alpaca at the moment which I prepared on my Drum Carder. I had it for about a year so I thought I had better get it out and have a try. After the initial "this is crap" "what a waste of time", etc - I worked out how to use it and am quite impressed with how it prepares the raw fleece. I will be definately be using it more in the future. Much to my hubbies delight - "We paid $400.00 for that thing, are you ever going to use it?".

Better go, my wheel is calling me.

Bye JO

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