Koolaid!

I had a turn dying roving with Koolaid the other day. I dyed up some Masham and some Corriedale, using the tutorial here (it is very good!).

Anyway, this is what I ended up with:



The red in the first pic is slightly redder, and the second is more green and turquoise. Camera just won't take any pics with accurate color!

They smell pretty (fruity!) and overall I am happy. You can't get much easier than dying with Koolaid in the microwave! I will check which flavors I used, and update later. Just can't remember at the moment!

My pretty wheel...

OK, so I finally got around to taking some pictures of my beautiful wheel that Santa brought:



I just LOVE it! It is the Ashford traveller, double treadle. We had our first "outing" yesterday. I went to the Arizona Desert Weavers & Spinners Guild (ADWSG), and took my wheel along. What a fantastic meeting! We had a talk by Bhakti Zeik who is a fantastically accomplished weaver. I do not weave myself, but her work was just so inspiring and beautiful, and so fascinating to listen to!

After the meeting I stayed behind for a little to spin. I started my January fiber from Spunky's fiber club. It is 4 oz of Icelandic wool in the colorway "Snow Squall". Wow, it is gorgeous! I carried on spinning when I got home, and as it was so beautiful, I sat in the garden. (I know we are in Arizona now, but still can't get over sunny weather in January!!) The fiber comes into it's own in the sunshine, when it appears magically metallic. Just so shiny and silvery, like some magic fiber from Hogwarts or something! Anyway I went from this:


to this:

I got it plied and skeined today while watching the Superbowl pre-game festivities (our 1st ever superbowl!), but didn't get any pictures yet.

After the inspiration from Intertwined (see last message), I went out and bought some goodies that I might want to add into my spinning. Yes, that is a ball of eyelash yarn you see, and no I haven't gone crazy! All will be revealed later. There is also pink & white wavy ribbon, and an assortment of beads. Can't wait to play!

Intertwined

I went to Borders yesterday. As always I checked out the knitting books, even though I already have any that interest me. Yesterday was an exception however. There were a couple of new books that caught my eye, but this one in particular I simply could not put down. It was actually so irresistible that although I had a 40% off coupon at home and the store is only down the road, I could not possibly wait. I had to buy it there and then!It is called Intertwined, and is by Lexi Boeger, aka pluckyfluff. What a fantastic book! Essentially it discusses methods and includes some patterns for spinning and then knitting/crocheting with "art yarns". It is more than a "here is a pattern, go follow it and create this item" book though. It is a real source of inspiration, and honestly has made me look at spinning in a whole new way (although I got the book yesterday, I read the whole thing as soon as I got in last night. I could not put it down!). It is not a read it once and you're done book either. The book itself is so beautiful, just looking through at the pictures is inspiring!

I went onto pluckyfluff's site for the first time this morning, and read about a challenge that is running until next week see here. The challenge has been organised in the theme of "circling the wagons", as all yarns entered are being donated by their creator to be auctioned off. The money raised will go to Holly of hollyeqq.com, who has some medical issues to deal with at the moment, and I gather could really do with the extra cash. Again, I only discovered Holly's site this morning, but I am definitely going to contribute. Every little skein helps, right. Which is why everyone should try to contribute something. Details of the challenge are on the yarn museum website here. All entries have to be in by Sat Feb 9th.

Let RSC 2008 commence...

and wowee, Tina has truly done it again!

Honestly, I was aware that the first package of the 2008 Rockin Sock Club would be sent out in January, but I have been so busy spinning (with a few knitting projects on the side :) ) that I just haven't even been thinking about when it would get here. So I was surprised to find it in my mailbox just now!

It is truly truly scrumptiously gorgeous! Colorway is "dragon dance" (printed on the inside of the ballband is my dragon's name: Norbert!!! I love it!!!!) The colors are red and burgundy and pink:


I know I say it with every RSC package, but "this may be my absolute favourite color!!!"


The pattern is "Serendipity" by Adrian Fong :The intro to the pattern reads:
Take a simple lace stitch,
and a handpainted yarn
Sometimes, magic happens.
It's "Serendipity!"


We also got our usual mini-keychain skein of yarn. We also got 2 fantabulous badges (if you're English like me) or buttons (if you're American).


The pic below shows the badges again with a bumper sticker we received:


I should really finish some projects before starting this one, but I just can't wait!!! I shall be casting these babies on immediately!

Sorry for the lengthy absence...

I have just been so busy! The biggy news, I got a beeeoootifoool spinning wheel from Santa! It is an Ashford Traveller with double treadle, and I just love it! Haven't gotten around to taking a pic of it yet, but will do so soon and get it uploaded.

I have spun up a few skeins of yarn now, and overall am very happy with them! These pictures are of Romney in colorway "goblin eyes", the october fiber from the spunky fiber club. I am so in love with spunky's fibers. I love that every month we get not only a radically different color to previous months, but the fiber is different too! Having the opportunity to try new fibers and new colors is just so important with spinning, as I have quickly learned that the finished yarn often bears little resemblance to the roving! This is a picture of the roving:


Single on the bobbin:

2ply skeined:

December's colorway was a very bright "party dress", fiber is Corriedale.
I basically got two skeins from the roving. The first is red plied with green:


The second is green plied with turqoise:


I don't think there is a spinner on the planet who doesn't buy from Spunky, but just in case you happen to be one!! check out her website here. She truly created works of art in her fiber, the colors are always just beautiful. She also has a blog here which I have found so useful as a new spinner. There are a few tutorials as well as some free patterns etc.

RSC Raven

So Octobers kit arrived from Rockin Sock Club (a few weeks ago actually, but I have been busy and haven't found time to post...) It is from the Raven series, and is a beautiful deep burgundy color. The pattern that came with it is inspired by the Edgar Allen Poe poem "The Raven". Although I love the pattern, I don't think I will use it with this yarn. We will have to see...


Funny story about when it arrived. As you may (or may not) know, we have recently moved to Arizona from North East England. In England about the worst insect you can find is a garden bumble bee. Nothing scary at all. In Arizona however... between rattlesnakes, black widow spiders, scorpions, tarantulas and a host of other nasties, it is a different story. To say I am jumpy about insects is an understatement. Can you imagine my reaction then when I opened this months kit to find 3 HUGE spiders in there. I kid you not, I froze with fear and could not BREATHE for all of 5 seconds, I THOUGHT THEY WERE REAL! Afterwards thought it was hilarious, but for that space of time (which felt a whole lot longer than 5 seconds) I seriously couldn't breathe! It was a little gifty from the Blue Moon ladies in celebration of Halloween (kit arrived a week or so before Halloween).

On another note, I have finished one, and am past the heel on the other Summer of Love Lace sock in Rockin Sock yarn, Nodding Violet colorway. I haven't grafted the toe on this one yet. I am pleased with how they are turning out. The color pools on the lace cuff, then feathers beautifully around the foot. They will be a gift, need to hurry and get them finished in time to post for xmas. Should make it OK (although knitting time is severely reduced lately by pesky situations life throws at you, as well as time spent on spinning, my new found passion!

Aspen spun...

I recently spun up my September fiber from Spunky Eclectic club. It is a beautiful Merino Tencel fiber in "Aspen" colorway. I spun it on my new drop spindle, and had so much fun with it! It was just gorgeous to work with, and the colours are amazing! The tencel gives it the most beautiful shine! This isn't the greatest picture to show off the colors, but here it is as a single:


As I don't own a wheel yet, my only option for plying is using my drop spindle. I really would have liked to ply it with itself, but I decided I wouldn't have enough yards, and as I was using the spindle it would be a lot easier to ply with another yarn. I therefore decided to ply it with some Rowan 100% Alpaca that I already had. The alpaca is the larger ball underneath the Aspen:

I have already plied and used the yarn to make a cowl, which I LOVE! Not sure how much use I will have for a cowl in Arizona though :) I haven't taken pics yet. I will take some soon and get them uploaded. Things are pretty hectic still (hence I haven't really posted since before we moved!) but hopefully we will start getting more settled soon...

I also recently received Octobers fiber from Spunky:


It is called "Goblin Eyes" and is Romney. The purple is less blue and more deep purple than it appears in the picture, but other than that the colors are pretty true. Haven't started spinning this one up yet, but the pictures from others on the Spunky club site look gorgeous!