I keep forgetting to post about this. I guess because I think I’m going to add more detail to it or something… clearly I’m not.

So this was my latest yarn commission.

310 yds of superwash merino, handspun to be deliberately not-quite-perfect in an array of blues.

It was interesting. This is the first time I’ve ever purposefully spun in periodic slubs/thick-thin sections.

The fiber itself was also interesting as I used mill end SW Merino for it. So I have this three pound bag of mill ends, which are really mill ends, totally tossed and turned and shredded. The answer, as it so often is with fiber, was sampling.

I spun up some straight out of the bag and it was way TOO slubby and uneven looking. I just couldn’t control where things were happening because of the odd nature of the fiber. So… I learned to comb fiber, which was a fascinating endeavor, especially with already combed but no longer aligned fiber. Thanks to several YouTube videos and explanations, I figured it out and was off and combing.

Combing produced a yarn with periodic neps that spun into small delicate slubs (the consequence of combing pre-combed stirred up fiber instead of locks), just what I was looking for. You can’t see it much in the finished yarn, which was my goal. I wanted it to look not-perfect, not like art yarn.

It’s a two-ply, as it’s for the making of a balaclava, in worsted weight. I dyed it in a yarn version of my colorway “Sapphire Surprise.” Happily, the commissioner was quite pleased with the yarn upon receipt.

Superwash Merino is one of my least favorite fibers to spin, but this project went fairly fast (minus the combing which was a learning thing). And any project during which I actually learn things is good! And working on Strider (the Schacht-Reeves 30″) is always a pleasure

Sapphire Surprise
310 yards
100% SW Merino
Worsted Weight
2-Ply

Thats’ all for now!

~The Gnome

Ack, I thought I had already posted this. Durr. Apparently not.

So, I make stuff!

A few weeks ago, now, Mom had to have her gallbladder out. Not a huge deal, but long and sore. As an early Xmas gift to make her happy, and to make her feel better about the house for for turkey day while G’ma is visiting, I made her this.

A pair of slip covers in duck cloth, for the couch. One of the upper cushions and one for the lower cushions. She’s wanted one for *years* but they’re expensive. So I made one (and another one ready to make for her b-day). Super simple, 4.5yds of fabric.

I also recently finished a hat. Knit. Super simple. From my own handspun yarn. Merino. In an almost black maroon merino with blue flecks.

I need to make more things with my own yarn. I like it. It’s fun.

In other news… Happy Thanksgiving to my U.S. readers. Happy Thursday to my non-U.S. readers! We got up early and got things going. And now, the cranberry sauce (fresh, not jellied) is made, the green jello (with pineapple and cream cheese) is set, the turkey’s in the oven, the gravy’s stewing, and the stuffing’s in! Just rolls/biscuits, and mashed potatoes left (and slicing up homemade pickles, putting out olives, etc).

~The Gnome

So, as you may know, there has been a big competition across the pond where men in funny outfits kill themselves on two wheeled contraptions. It’s called the Tour de France.

Anyway, while those crazy people are doing their thing over there, we fiber people do our own crazy thing over here, the “Tour de Fleece.” It tends to be pretty free-form though some people get together for specific challenges and such. Last year my own TdF was more organized.

This year my main goals were to spin every day, even if only a tiny bit, and make progress on some standing projects.

In those generalized goals, I succeeded. One of my specific goals I didn’t make, I wanted to finish spinning the handprepped romney/mohair batts into sock yarn, a project that’s been kind of hanging over me for a long time. Oh well. I did get a lot done.

For one thing, right at the beginning of it I flew down to North Carolina for a family thing. I managed to keep up my spinning at least a yard or two every day, and got a lot of spinning done in the airports. On the plane I started a basic beanie hat with my own handspun.

The hat

And the handspun. Abby Franquemont batts. These are going to be weft for a woven twill weave scarf I’m working on.

Both spun up on my lovely Spindlewood top whorl.

Once I got back, I finished sleying the reed on the loom for the scarf project. I’ll post more photos of the weaving project progress start to finish once I get a few more steps along.

I also spun some cobweb weight from cormo handprepped by the Tsocktsarina.

Spinning it on my newest spindle, a zebrawood spindle called a Tiger by… Cascade bought from Spunky Eclectic as my one purchase at MA Sheep and Wool. Love it. Spins great, especially things like silk for superfine stuff.

Then, right near the end of the Tour, the first of my new roving came back from the mill. Very exciting. Domestic Perendale and Polwarth. Since I’m going to be putting some of the Perendale up in my next shop update, I thought I should spin some myself since it’s a new fiber to me. So I grabbed my Bosworth Midi spun some up longdraw and plied it, washed it, fulled it, and dried it. 3-ply on the left, 2-ply on the right.

3-ply close up

2-ply close up

It’s an interesting fiber. Spun this way it’s a fairly prickly fiber but makes a much softer yarn than you expect. So I went all the way and knit it up, washed it and blocked it. Well, as much as you can block a 1.5″ squarish.

And a closeup. You can see it’s got more luster than your average downs wool. It comes from the Romney in the bloodline. It’s VERY springy and lofty with a big halo. It’s not super soft, about what non-specified “wool” sweaters usually are. So good for anything a mid-level romney would be good for, sweaters, hats, mittens, heavy-duty socks, outerwear, etc.

And that’s about it for my TdF. Other than keeping Gnomespun running, and expanding things slightly and examining a few new possible paths.

TdF 2010

And now, back to the dye pots. Perendale and Polwarth roving. A couple new things coming up!

Until the next time!

~The Gnome

So I’ve had this for a while now (as evidenced by the fact it was filmed at my old apartment).

I keep thinking that I’ll do an addendum to it, or add something or what have you. But I don’t. So… I’ll post it as is. If it needs a new version, or an addendum, then you – dear readers – can tell me what you’d like to see.

So, here’s a small video I made about bottom whorls. Specifically it was meant to address two of the big myths I’ve seen spread about.

1) Bottom whorl spindles are heavy

2) You can’t spin fine on a bottom whorl

There’s also some basic explanation of how to use a bottom whorl, if you’re interested. Personally, I love my bottom whorls. I want to get another at some point, since my big one tends to be full of plying projects as it’s my longest shafted spindle (see earlier post with 4.2oz of icelandic plied onto it).

So, without further ado, here it is. Bottom/low whorl spindles.

Let me know if you have questions, comments, etc!

P.S. Thanks here to Tom, for filming this for me.

That’s all for now…

~The Gnome

These photos are a bit old at this point. They’re from two guild meetings ago. But that’s ok, I like them.

THREE meetings ago, I was finishing up my dissertation and so I couldn’t make it to the meeting. This was sad, as Michael Cook (Wormspit on Rav) was there. It would have been awesome to be there too.

Apparently there was something with the spare cocoons for reeling, so my friends who were there got their bags of cocoons at the next meeting, two meetings ago when I was there.

Fran (OhZoneKnits on Rav) let me play with one of her cocoons. It took me all of 15 seconds to start picking at it and drafting out from it. This is not how you’re supposed to reel off of cocoons. But what do you know… it works!

Drafting…

Worked well enough (with my highly skilled finger spinning) that I even plied a bit!

Silk thread!

Hee.

Must resist taking up yet another hobby I have no time for. La la la! But SILK!

Thanks to Fran for taking and sharing the photos!

~The Gnome