Too Long between spins?

With knitting designs and painting at the front of the queue, the spinning has certainly slowed down. Since I can't keep away from the fibre club offerings, I've sneaked a spindle session in every once in a while. Here are some of my recent illicit spinnings:

Dark Matter Wool and Mohair Blend from SIOz

Dark Matter Handspun in 2ply -- worked out to about a heavy laceweight
with less gold and more of the green and blue end of the lot than fibre photo

The roany-rust 2 ply above is a sampling of a coloured Romney. It took me several goes before I was happy with this colour, which I became obsessed with. Not too orangy, not too brown, and not too red. It feels fabulous!

To spin or not to spin?

V's "Bronze Goddess" handspun

Much as I love my drop spindles, I must admit, I haven't the time I'd like to use them. What a sad state of affairs this is.

My holiday season this year is being spent with a broken leg/ankle/foot so I have no excuses -- I've been working on knitting designs, and have left little room for anything else. Except, I am determined to enjoy spinning again.

The only problem? I some lovely handspun that I so want to knit -- a hank of V's handspun she's nicknamed Bronze Goddess. I dye the organic merino top last year. And now -- it is yarn and it's mine. Too much distraction.

So, I've found the oldest project clinging to a spindle and I'm determined to finish that this week. It's some polworth I dyed ages ago and have gently spun it every so often on one of my gemstone spindles. I'd spun and plied a bit of this yarn ages ago and have neglected to finish the lot of fibre in this colourway. Drat!

Back to the drop spindle.

More V's Handspun

Couldn't resist posting a picture of some of V's handspun -- she's advised she's got a new lot for me to photo -- the lot of organic merino in a custom colourway. The yarn above isn't spun from my colours, but it is rather fetching! One hank is a thinner laceweight than the other. Mmmmmmmmm. What to knit with it?

Here's the new lot of Semaphore superfine, low-micron merino top that is teasing me!


Back to the dyelots!

Handspun Beanie in Winter Blues

Handspun Australian merino beanie (SIOz spindler's club)-- the singles were spun to around 19wpi, then worked as a 2ply to around 10wpi, with lots of twist. This beanie is very warm and very very soft. I do not want to take it off my head!

Way Over the Rainbow Ball of Handspun

Ball of handspun (2ply, laceish weight) SIOz Way Over the Rainbow Organic Merino top. Finally, I get to knit with it!

Rainbow 2ply/laceweight

from this organic merino top to...
Ta-Rah!

That's most of it. There' s one more hank that I only spun the purple and red/orange -- played around with getting a nice big chunk of purple to knit with.

On Mars -- that's where I've been

No time to blog, as I've got a pile of knitting patterns and fibre to work on. The top is my Feb club fibre colour and it's so soft and squishy. One hank done and another to finish. 

The second photo is a colour -- On Mars -- that's exactly what I was trying to paint, which is making me very happy. It's already gorn from the market and I really look forward to the results. It's almost a shame to spin it, as the giant ball of fibre was so nice to look at.

It's a deadline month, so I'm not playing online. Where's that jumper I'm knitting?

m

My Big Bang Theory 2 Swap Buddy IS AWESOME!

Isn't this amazing? My buddy, Dasha from Prague, sent me so many goodies, it's just outrageous. She even sent a toy for my precious pup, Lyta -- a chew toy! Awww. 

Don't you just love the Enchanted Bunny she made me? He has a CARROT OF POWER! Can't wait to try the German sock wool ball -- it's shades of PURPLE. See the groovy stitch markers? And the 3 types of Fair Trade coffee? MMMMMMMMMMM. She even included some very tasty gummies, which I adore. The european ones are heaps better than Aussie or Yank ones.

Fibre Club SIOz 2010

Lyta wants to know - where is her Aussie Day lambchop? 

The Grrrrl was full of beans this am -- carrying on, wanting pats. I'm with her all the time, so have no idea what has gotten into her!

I've debated with myself and others for several months on whether I would do a fiber club for my business. I know it's all the rage these days, but I wasn't sure it was the right thing for me to do. And was it true to what I care about and believe for my work? The idea of my spinning encroaching on my business....

Anyway, after much debate and thinking, I've come up with a club that I think will make my customers and me happy. I'm working on the final touches, and will post the details on my SIOz blog this week. 

Alas, this week is a non-spinning week, as I'm under several deadlines and there's dyelots to go up as well. Yay!

bamboo spinning

So soft, so easy to spin. What will I do with this yarn? I really love the way the purple blended with the black. The gold makes it look really cool, like it's antique.  

Hmmmm. Must ponder on item to knit with it... Ieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

I said I wouldn't but...

I like to test the spindles that I make -- they require gentle fiddling for balance and a good feel.  I promised myself I wouldn't play with this spindle too long, but it's now got some very fine Cormo, alpaca, silk carded fibre on it and damnit, it's just so nice to spin. A fine Cormo thread? What to do with it? Ieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Little lace spindle. (sigh) And no time to spin at present.  

Personal Blog, star date 1234. A very rude gentleman stood in my market stall and told me that I didn't paint fibre. I'm not sure what he was aiming at, but he, being a man, decided that it couldn't be done. Am I getting sexist in my old age (?), but damn, the old feminist in me saw a BIG RED FLAG waving around. I couldn't wait for him to leave.  And I wish I could have had a snappy retort, but it was the end of the long market day. I smiled and prayed he would go away. 

I really can't remember a woman standing in my shop and telling me what I cannot do.  To be fair, I'm sure it has happened, but I'm blanking at the moment. So apologies to all my male friends. Doofuses come in all shapes, sizes, and genders. 

I'm sure it is quite unoriginal of me to ponder on the spinning mania that seems to be around of late. Are we all stuck at home, finding ways to amuse ourselves? Craving nostalgia? I remember a few years ago, someone asked me if I wanted to learn to spin -- this was someone I worked with -- and I immediately said no! I had a fear that a new fibre-related activity would get swallowed in my work. And become something I was responsible for on the duties list.

Still trying to sequester my spinning fun from my knitting and yarn work. The thought of spinning, my new hobby, getting absorbed into my business makes me rather sad. 

So, why am I meeting new spinners lately? 

Still spinning...

In between design work, I've been playing with my drop spindle. Found a lone hank of Way Over the Rainbow that I didn't know existed. Joy of joys -- I am now wanting to make a larger project with the yarn I've already spun, so now, no excuses.

Ok, so what to knit with the WOtR yarn? I'm going to have to do some serious doodling to get that right. Hmmmmm.

Friend V has lost this hank:

The missing hank of green loveliness

V's fibre that became the green loveliness

I am hoping that by posting these photos, the yarn pixies who have stolen her hank will return it to the correct cupboard in her house. Good yarn karma... Don't fret V! If it doesn't turn up, I shall paint more for you. Now that I look at it again, it was a quite fetching batch...

Way Over the Rainbow Handspun

Way Over the Rainbow Handpun

Tah-rah! Finally plied some of these singles I had on the spindles. Wound the singles onto bobbins to even out the twist and then plied them on a new wooden spindle I picked up at Finger Lakes Fiber Fest. I'm totally happy with it so far. I like my handspun tightly plied and thin, so this was a challenge. The red matched up nicely tone on tone, but the green went a little feral on me and had a mind of its own. I like the result. Looking forward to plying the rest of the lot.

Now, to decide on what to make with it!

Finally -- the spindle gets used

Way Over the Rainbow Merino Spinning Fibre (carded)

From the Bendigo 2009 stash -- here's what I did with the 50gm of Australian wool fibre that was a showbag gift to my spinning customers at BSWS 2009.

I divided the fibre down the middle to spin a 2ply for a lace project. I wanted to spin to singles in the same manner to do a colour-segmented yarn. Used a very short draw and lots of twist.

Howlite Gemstone Spindle with laceweight single

I've had this on display at the Port Markets and have been getting lots of comments like, "wow, that yarn doesn't look like the fibre." Yup, the red is blending nicely with the blue to get a really nice dark burgundy and a lighter red (gold with red). The greens are dominated by the reds the way I've spun this section.

Next installment -- the first hank with detail on plying process.

Can it be?

I've been so ontheroad and not on the spinning that I've neglected my online chatter. And of course, as you can guess, I've not had a moment to spin, except the times at shows when I've demo'd spindles. Alas, my new spindles sit idle while I dye, write, and get ready for the next festival.
All work and no spin is making Mel a cranky person. Seriously. It's getting downright ugly. Esp. as I've collected an enormous amount of fibre to ship back to Oz. *sigh*
Amongst the treasure, a pile of alpaca/silk from Lydia at Gurdy Run, a pile of wool from Kraemer mill in PA, as well as a special bag of wool from Roclans, the home of the fabulous Cormos and Ramboullets. Kate is a dedicated shepherd. I love her wool.
So someone out there -- pray to the woollie spirits I get some time to spin. Soon. Really.

Spammed!

Unfortunately, I've gotten a spam block on my regular blog and have no way to update the stranded in oz blog at present. What a nuisance.

I'll be at the Knitter's Day Out near Harrisburg tonight and tomorrow -- then off to the VT Sheep and Wool Festival next weekend. A much needed break of a coupla weeks in between, before I head to Shenandoah!

The needles have been ordered, so if you are waiting for Kollage needles, they are on order and heading our way.

Thank you for your patience!

CU at the shows, Melissa

Yarn Vampire sighting reported!

It is with both relief and disgust that I report a yarn vampire sighting. Yes, this morning, whilst shopping for beads at a local beadery, I was regaled with a yarn vampire story.

It warmed my heart to know that I am not the only victim of yarn vampiredom. On the other hand, the person telling the story was clearly as revolted as I at the occurrence.

Here's the latest in yv-dom:

Said friend, at a recent show, had the following encounter -- yes, a person, examining her yarn, said, "I will dissect (I believe that was the word) this yarn and copy it and sell mine like this when I get home." Or something like that.

Colleague reports being aghast, as well as nauseated, by the crassness of the comments and the sheer nerve of it all.

Me? I hoped, upon hearing the tale, that I hadn't cackled too loudly or too unsympathetically. After my knowing chuckle, I replied, yeah, I have a term for those people: Yarn Vampires. You can read my own encounters in an older blog entry if you like.

I likened the Y V's comments to going into a paint supply shop, buying tubes of paint and brushes, going home, painting a canvas, then wondering why their canvas doesn't resemble the other painters' they know. Ok, not the best analogy, but you get the drift.

I know I must have said, "if all we do is open up a jar of dye, dump it, and add yarn," then yes, anyone, including a monkey, can do it.

I don't think that is why my friend or I are successful at what we do.

Our customers see beautiful wool -- that's what they want. It isn't important to them how we do it, or for what reasons. If it meets their expectations and helps them make lovely things to wear and look at, then that's job done for me.

Listen up:

If you are a hand-dyer and you want to change what you are dyeing, or don't sell as much as yarn as you'd like, don't blame other hand-dyers or yarn businesses. Please.

I could tell every single person who asks what dye I use or what yarn I dye, but that isn't going to help either. If you have such little faith in your own skill or product, go do something else. Or go get the knowledge you need to improve. Maybe you are using a dye because that's what your first instructor used. Are they really YOUR colours that speak to you and what you want to sell? Maybe you need to change your dye method? The yarn you use?

Why are you dyeing yarn? Why do you want to sell yarn? Why should anyone buy your yarn? Maybe you are selling to the wrong customers?

Have you, Ms. Yarn Vampire, asked yourself any of those questions BEFORE you go for the obvious, most disastrous way out, which is to try to copy someone else's work? I should feel pity for you, but I'm sorry, I'm still working on disgust.

In the meantime, stay away from Stranded In Oz. I'll be packing my stake for the next show. And I know what you look like.

spindle neglect

My poor spindle

Yes, the lovely little gemmie with which I've been spinning some Way Over the Rainbow coloured aussie wool top still lays idle while I work on designs. It's just too sad for words, but can't be helped I'm afraid.The only time I've had for spinning in August was while I was selling at the Sock Summit. I figured, well, I'm standing here selling top and yarn, I might as well show 'em what I got.

The nice part? Sold OUT of the organic merino top and yes, I wished I'd packed more of that and less of the regular. The regular is lovely, but the 19.5 micron wool just can't be topped -- har har har.I'm on my way soon to play at Beth's (my sister's) house, where her new lots of custom carded top await my inspection *laugh*. There's so much of it, I may just use the bales as a bed. It's all destined for the wools shows we're doing this autumn.

What I'm really looking forward to? My RUBY SLIPPERS top from Kate at Roclans. It's been stored at Beth's since April and I WANT IT! I need this wool. Really. And yes, it looks as it sounds, complete with red fiery angelina blended into Kate's amazing wool. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!Back to the design files.

Spin something nice. M

Wow -- how kewl

Whilst the Sock Summit was clearly dominated by the knitters, the spinners certainly came to hang out. And man, did I have a ringside seat. 2 doors down from me? Carolina Fibers. Oh yes, Morgaine and company were demonstrating their wheels and tempting me every moment with their ample display of lovely drop spindles. OMG.
Then, in front of me to the left? The Fold, from Illinois. The proprietor came by, had a chat, touched some SIOz yarn and fibre -- and no, she did not leave empty-handed! Once you've had Australian 19 micron merino, you never go back baby.

Every spinning vendor I met was ACE! Did I mention Crown Mountain Farms over towards the right? They're lovely people tooooooo!

Around the corner, more spinner supply companies and NO! I didn't get a chance to peruse it all. Maddeningly close and no time to play.

Can't complain as I was busy and enjoying my customers. Sold fibre and spindles to new spinners. Can't wait to see what they make!

And no, I never NOT miss my hubby, pooch, and my ace friends in Adelaide, but the change of scene does me good. As the dust settles, I promise to post some updated pictures for spinners.

m

What? It's late July already?

Fibre dyed -- not spun by me. :-(

It's destined to points northeast. Such torture when I want to spin and have little time to do so, but V. has tucked into the great top stockpile of 2009 and promises pictures.