I've added V's photo (see March 5 entry) of her latest spinning from some roving I did a few weeks ago. It's the most beautfiul yarn. And she's thinking of knitting it with some BLACK wool. Oooooooh! Can't wait to see.
I've been spinning the sari silk in with some funky Nepalese wool and it's coming out really well. Must go find camera. I get this fibre blend already spun and dye it, but I'm spinning it thinner (I just love thin yarns) and it's coming up nicely!
Ok, so V and I decided it would be fun to rent a drum carder to make batts from the enormous pile of alpaca fibre someone gave her partner, Lenny.
Well, it got waaaaaaaaay outta hand. I mean, once I got started I just couldn't stop. She happily sat there spinning her gorgeous EGMTK bamboo/wool while I made an extraordinary mess on her patio. Poor Lenny, his tidy nature didn't enjoy the spectacle.
Batts of:
1) alpaca, black coloured sheep wool, and finn from Susie Horne; some just alpaca/black wool
2) bamboo, nepalese doggie's brekkie wool (I had dyed blues/greens) with some organic merino I had dyed in a celery/citrine
3) organic merino and soy; organic merino and bamboo
Poor V -- I started her on soaking the dirty-ish white alpaca while I batted the brown and black. Ummm, it's kind of a poopy icky business. V just isn't into cleaning dirty fleeces.
I took home a bag to wash this week. Perhaps when she has gotten over the first session, she will find it in her heart to invite me back.
Our first batt looked decidedly feral, but after that, I started to experiment with the infernal machine and got a better result. The proof will be in the spinning. One should not blame one's tools, but damn, that carder is a beast! Not easy on the elbows!
Back to work - M, still SIOz with her feral spindle
The Yarn V spun from the roving pictured below
Above Photo Copyright 2009 Vellan
Below, the superwash/nylon blend roving I painted for Vellan --
Hmmm. The photo on my screen makes the colours look lighter than they are. Rats. Anyway, the superwash/nylon roving is from my sister's business, BitsyKnits -- check out her gorgeous stuff on etsy and her blog -- bitsyknits.blogspot -- you know the drill! Sorry B! I know this bit was for me, but I couldn't help it -- V was having a shiteful week and I thought she'd like this. I promise, I've been hording the spinning fibre you dyed!
m
