Next............

.......is my second attempt at spinning, Corriedale pencil roving in the Chinon colorway. I have several patterns in mind to knit it up but I still have at least another half of this roving to spin up. For now I am pleased although I need to learn to spin a more consistent thickness.

Who could guess this


Would look like this



I think watching the colors develop is part of the fun of spinning. Today I started the other half of this roving and it will be interesting to see if it looks different.

Practice, practice, practice!

Yummy!

No, not this. I will show you the "yummy" photo next.

This is my first handspun yarn using the ugly brown fiber. (It looks grey in the photos because it never stops raining!) The only reason I even posted this photo is so that I can remember how terrible my first yarn looks. The good thing is I learned a lot by going through the entire process of spinning, plying, washing, "whacking", and drying (I still need to learn how to tie it into a skein!) It is definitely "thick and thin" and will be saved for posterity, not used to knit.



Here is the Yummy photo.......a chocolate devil's food, chocolate ganache cake with chocolate mint leafs for decoration. I didn't bake it, my son did! He is going to a party this afternoon where guests were asked to bring a dessert which will be judged. The best cake will win a prize.


Notice the chocolate leafs. You make them by painting real mint leafs and then gently removing the leafs once the chocolate sets up. Walla!....pure chocolate mint leafs!


I think he should win but naturally I am not biased.(LOL)

Chronicles of a Wannabee Spinner

DATELINE:

December 1st: A heavy box is delivered and left outside my door. While shopping earlier that morning, I injured my back when I lifted a full-size artist easel (Christmas gift for son). I drag the box indoors.

December 2d: DS assembles my hard to find Lendrum DT Complete spinning wheel which is made by a man in Canada (Gord Lendrum) and very much in demand. I sit back and admire the craftsmanship.


December 3d: Watch YouTube videos and read new spinning books. Begin to try spinning with this (ugly)fiber, also delivered with the spinning wheel(note to self - never buy this fiber again!).


December 4th til now (December 10th)

Watched lots of YouTube videos and read spinning books. Practiced treadling and drafting. Back still sore and spinning practice is very limited. So far I know I am Not a natural spinner (it's harder than I thought!). I have always self-taught myself to do everything (sewing, crochet, knitting, oil and watercolor painting, machine embroidery, etc.) Now that I would like a few lessons, there are NO lessons to be found anywhere in my area! No shops here sell spinning wheels or even spindles! Thank goodness for YouTube!

Maybe it's the ugly fiber which is filled with bits of wood and other things of which I know not. I am told it is called vegetable matter (VM). Hmmm!


And so, I ordered more fiber and after I finish this post, I am joining a fiber club. Me give up!....Never!(LOL)

This gorgeous fiber is just waiting for me. I can't wait to finish spinning the ugly brown fiber and try my luck with this beautiful Blue Face Leicester and
gorgeous red Corriedale.



This probably was not the best time to learn something as new as spinning (Christmas?). Maybe it's a good thing to have a new hobby for the New Year! Soooo, if anyone out there is interested in learning to spin, do not let my experience stop you. I certainly do not plan to stop either.

Juliet and a Warning!

I normally do not enjoy knitting scarves but this scarf was an exception. I liked Juliet from the beginning but I thought it should be longer.

The original pattern is a short 37" scarf knit with only one skein of yarn. I doubled the length which IMO is better. I used two skeins of Knitpick's Swish DK in "Dusk" and my scarf is 58" long after blocking. I meant it to be a gift but now I think I will keep it for myself.



I think the reason I liked it is because the two sides are not symmetrical. Notice how one side is garter stitch while the other side is diamonds.


WARNING! WARNING!

Be careful, VERY careful or you may catch the BUG which is going around! No, I am not talking about the H1N1 virus. This is the BUG I caught from Kathy and Pat Yep, I placed my order yesterday for this elusive wheel. Yikes! Just don't expect to see results anywhere close to these two anytime soon. I know my New Year will be full of lots of learning and probably as many frustrations.(LOL)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

November??

This is an Arts Fair we went to yesterday. My son is an artist and wanted to see some of the paintings other artists in our area are selling. He plans to join the Arts Council, mostly for an outlet to sell his paintings and I may join too after seeing the prices of some of these amateur paints.(LOL)

It was a beautiful day in the mid 70's but......A Christmas tree already??? (Santa was there also!)


Also unusual for November were the geraniums and camelias in full bloom. Geraniums usually bloom in the Spring and camelias bloom in the Winter.


The only word I can think of which describes this scene is Surreal! Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

Meret Beret

The sun is finally shining so I grabbed my camera. This is the Meret Beret, another gift crossed off my holiday list. Shhh! Don't tell anyone but the yarn is acryllic! Why?




Last year I entered the LionBrand contest with my first ever attempt of Kathy's glittens. I never thought I would be a finalist but when I was, I had to knit them again to submit for judging. I didn't win anything except a few gift certificates but Hey!.......it was better than winning nothing. As a result, I have two identical pairs of glittens which needed a matching hat. At least the young lady who receives the set will not be able to felt them.


I also finished another hat but it requires matching mittens which I hope to knit soon.


Every time I think I have almost finished holiday knitting, I think of more and more projects. What will I knit once the holiday knitting is finished?? Maybe I should start my 2010 holiday knitting.......LOL

Amanda

This is the Amanda hat which I knit several weeks ago.



The yarn is Paton's Classic Wool in soft rose. I have always enjoyed knitting with Paton's Classic Merino Wool which is comparable to Cascade 220. Unfortunately Paton's recently changed the fiber content and it is no long Merino wool. This is an example of less quality IMO.

Yesterday I finished the Meret Tam by Wooly Wormhead. It is a very fun pattern which was easy to memorize. I will try to get photos if it every stops raining.(sigh)

Most of the projects I am knitting are still boring men's knits. Whew! I am anxious to finish them so that I can get back to prettier projects.

I should have taken photographs last week when the weather was beautiful because now it is impossible. As I write this post, TS Ida has already dumped 1 1/2" of rain and it is just beginning. Up to 6 inches is predicted through tomorrow with more flooding in the same areas which were devasted last month. Mother Nature is certainly strange this year!