Tag: spinning

Today’s swag

Look what arrived…rainbow tops! Allegedly for felting – but I’m not going to. I have Plans. And I couldn’t resist making a sneaky start, though I’m not quite ready to get going yet. The fibres need minimal carding – just a gentle stroke really – for cloud-soft, fluffy rolags. Yum. As you can see, I am splitting the colours into roughly equal parts, to keep my options open when it comes to plying. I will spin some samples at the weekend. Can’t wait to get stuck into those reds!

Strange times – but so much to do!

No-one would have wished to gain time in this way – but enforced isolation has its compensations…

Lots of yarn work. Custom orders for Etsy (some quite unusual!),

Spinning (bliss, still my very favourite).

Dyeing (acid dyes this time – less subtle than the eco stuff, but gloriously bright – definitely lifts the mood)

Maybe even the looms will make an appearance – long time since I was weaving….

We are fortunate to be hiding away healthily.  This is not the case for everyone – and who knows what is to come.  But for the moment I feel we should help out where we can  – but also grab the opportunities so unexpectedly presented. Maybe a calm interval will stand us in good stead if we are seriously to be tested….

 

 

Spinner temporarily intimidated by Scary Stash

Some random pictures taken in half a minute this morning.

Usually The Stash is inspiring and I love to sit amongst it and plot what comes next. But every now and then it distresses me. This is only a very small corner of one room – mostly left over from spinning/dyeing/knitting/crocheting projects since Christmas. There is Much Much more.

It won’t be wasted. Some goes to charity shops, some to schools – and some lands up in destash bags like these in my Etsy shop:

If you’re tempted, just message me via Etsy and I’ll reduce the price by 33%. Out of my life…..!

From batt to skein: brief but fun part of a textile journey.

 

The spinning bit!  My favourite. Carding can be tedious, fighting the drum carder to make the art batts is usually interesting, dyeing the silk threads is always exciting – but nothing beats the actual spinning process on the wheel. Once you have decided on the effect you want, and how you are going to get there, you can sink into a sort of rhythmic trance, watching the magic spool out from under your fingers…

Then you have to decide whether to use it, stash it (!) – or toss it into the Etsy shop and hope for the best!