Fabulous Day of Spinning

Saturday morning was one of those you memorize in your mind.  So in January when the wind is howling and the snow is piling up outside, you remember some of the reasons why you live here.  It was a gloriously sunny day to be spinning in public.  I got to Lilia & Claudine's around 9:30, pulled out my wheel and basket filled with plenty of roving and got set up outside their shop.  There were multiple vendors, selling pottery, jewelry, yarn, food treats, vegetables and much more.  People were browsing the many tents and I had such fun.

Within a couple seconds I had my wheel up and whizzing away.  And the first of many people stopped to watch and ask questions.  I forget how many people do not realize there are many of us who have our own spinning wheels and spindles.  Seeing the amazement on their faces as they ask what I'm doing and when they finally understand I'm making yarn it is the shock and awe effect.  I was surprised by the multiple questions on my "home-made" wheel.  When I explained that it was a commercial wheel (I have a Louet) and that there were several different companies that built many different types and styles of wheels, there was much shock.  Kids seemed to have an easier understanding, maybe between Rumpelstiltskinn or Sleeping Beauty, they seemed better able to make the leap to a finished yarn from sheeps wool.

I was asked so many questions on where I got the roving, how it came in such different colors, and what I actually did with the finished wool.  I did have a big issue, it was quite cold even though it was so sunny and bright.  I was mostly in the shade and with a light breeze blowing, my hands quickly got so cold.  Now I had some fingerless mitts along, but I had not finished the thumbs.  I was sure I would have plenty of time to whip out two thumbs.  Well, I was wrong.  I had a steady stream of people around the wheel for several hours.  I finally had enough time after about 3 hours to finish one thumb and gratefully slid my left hand into the glove and it quickly warmed up that hand so I could once again feel the roving slide through my fingers.

All in all it was a wonderful day.  I had the pleasure of seeing one woman buy 3 of my hand spun skeins during the day.  I was able to have a full day of doing something I love.  Thanks to Kirsten and Polly of Lila & Claudine's for helping set up such a wonderful event and including me!  I had a blast.

Spinning in Public

Saturday, from 10-3, I'll be spinning in public at Lila & Claudines.  I think it will be a blast.  Considering it is MN, I whipped out a pair of fingerless mitts, althought I still need to do the thumbs and weave in the ends.  I can even do that tomorrow on site.  The weather is supposed to be glorious for the first of October.  I'll have my basket of yarn with me in case someone is in desperate NEED of handspun yarn.  They are celebrating Art in Triangle park...come and visit and see the many fun and beautiful treasures created by local artists....did I mention there are around 85 days until Christmas? 

Friends

I have a lovely friend who embroiders linens like you wouldn't believe.

Look what she gave me....

I'm in love...the linen is heavy like "old" linen...and her stitching is perfect.  It makes my old wooden farm table glow.

Spinning makes the world go round

Now I've been spinning for about 2 1/2 years.  My skills have improved quite a bit from the first bumpy lumpy "art" yarn I first created.  I'm pretty consistent in the size and shape of my yarns.  They are even and balanced.  But one thing that continues to amaze me and leave me totally in the dark?  How the yarn will look from roving.  I do grasp that the colors will usually not be as intense as they are in the roving.  But beyond that?  Each spin leaves me marveling at the end result.  Even when I have a bobbin full of singles, I'm not always sure exactly how it will turn out.  Case in point, I spun up two totally different singles.  One is soft lavenders, greens, and blues.  The other, appropriately named Peacock, is powerful, electric lime green, pulsating blues.  They look like this.

They are both beautiful colors, but really not much alike other than they both have greens of a different mother and blues that glare at each other from across the room.  But they are totally different in hue and feel.  Until you ply them together.  Then the magic of spinning takes hold and creates something so unexpectedly beautiful and unpredictable.  Look....

The loud screaming peacock has been subdued but the pale blushing fiber has been elevated to something bold and softly daring.  So I spin.  And watch for each new mix to create something magical.  I love my wheel.

And now on a totally different note....look at my Gadget.  He is a well loved pug.  He is pampered and hugged and catered to.  And for this?  He puts up with great indignities most pugs would not. 

First day of fall

I tell time differently than most people who simply use a calendar.  Today is my first official day of fall, why you ask?  Because today my feet are in handknit wool socks and REAL shoes.  sigh...when there is frost on the roof tops and the grass feels crunchy underfoot it means it is time to pull out the big guns.  So I kitchnered the toes on a new pair of socks (why do I always balk at doing the toes!) this morning, pulled out my rather dusty shoes and my toes were happily snug and warm on my walk into work today. 

I am thrilled we are getting a couple more days of flip flop weather but probably only a couple before the toes are snuggled up for months to come.  But really, while I love my flip flops, I love my handknit socks more!  Come on fall!  My toes are calling you!

Finally a FO!

May I present my version of Fat Cat Knit's Floppy FairIsle Hat.  Emily has claimed it as hers, it still needs to be blocked but at least the ends are woven in!

I used Ginny's fiber as well as her pattern.  I did simplify the pattern as I used just two yarns, the neutral is her varigated BFL and a blue/brown mix.  It makes it look like I used multiple skeins to achieve the look.  But it is just 2 yarns.  The handspun is beautiful and soft.  I'm thrilled with it.  I'm planning on making up some kits with the appropriate amount of yarn to make the hat.  I have a couple fiber events coming up so I'll have them there and hopefully at Lila & Claudine's as well.

It felt good to finish some knitting, lately my projects have been big and slow...and I'm talking to you, Atalanta Scarf!  This hat I made start to finish in 4 days and those were mostly work days! 

I had to convince Emily that wearing a wool hat on a day that will top out at 90 degrees was not the best plan.  But just wait until Wed, the high is supposed to be a whopping 60!  Hats will sound perfect then.

Fall has arrived

As in many places in the US, the weather this year has been unpredictable at best.  Swinging from one extreme to another.  But we here in MN have apparently tipped from the hot end of summer lazy hazy days to the crisp cool evenings of fall.  While fall is my favorite season, I'm a bit sad at the quick fading of summer.  Both girls are back into school, Anna is now in HIGH SCHOOL.  My how did that happen.  Emily is charging full steam into 4th grade, happy to move from class to class.  I'm just trying to keep up.

I've been spinning a lot as I try to build up my stock for an event in November.  This is my latest spin, a lovely soft blue and lavender. It reminds me a a soft watercolor painting.  I'm thinking of naming it Water Lillies.  The fiber is from the wonderful Ginny of Fat Cat Knits. Her eye for color is just amazing and I'm so happy to use her fiber.  If you have any interest in spinning or knitting from great product, than you won't go wrong with buying from Ginny. 

On that note, I'm working up a hat, using my handspun that I spun up from Ginny.  And to top it off (bad bad pun) I'm using a pattern that Ginny worked up.  It is called the Floppy Fairisle Hat.  Now I'm simplifying it by only using two colors of yarn, a beautiful neutral and a charming blue/brown mix.  I just started it, but here is a quick peek at it. 

I'm quite happy with the colors working with each other and it is working up very quickly.  I'm hoping to make up some kits for a yarn/fiber festival in November as well as bring them to Lila and Claudines and see what they think of them.  But it is off to a good start.

I hope your fall comes in slowly and lingers long before we are thrust into a true winter, but at least it is perfect knitting weather!