thesilkworker.com: fantastic resource for spinning silk which, typically, i didn’t find until after my first attempt.

as mentioned previously i’m going through a turquoise phase at the moment. turquoise and hot pink is my particular favourite combination. in that spirit i ordered turquoise silk and pink wensleydale locks from fyberspates (delivered in person - now that’s what i call service!). i didn’t intend to use them together but now i think i might have to.

i’ve spun up some of the silk on the wheel. it’s come out fat, soft and fluffy, which was rather a surprise. one of the things i’m really enjoying about the wheel is that it leads me - the yarns are much looser, noticeably less dense and more fluid than the rather over-analysed, often over-spun stuff i was turning out on the spindle. i’m sure that will change with practise, but for now it’s a pleasant change of pace.

i’m not sure whether the finished yarn will actually be any use for its intended purpose (bag strap, probably crocheted), but it’s been fun to get my hands on the wheel after a long time of being too busy to play (i’m really too busy tonight too but am bunking off - shhh!).

my spinning super power has returned - i spun 2 1/4-bobbins just trying out the silk, judged by eye. it turned out they were exactly the same length - to the inch - over 68 yards (and yes, thanks, this time i’m sure it’s yards :P).

oh and have i mentioned how mch i love my skeiner? have i? well not today i haven’t. i LOVE my skeiner.

edit: finished product:

Woven Thoughts

oh lordy. i do not not not want to weave! but i just can’t resist sara lamb’s work. can i sub for the spinning and dyeing if i promise to just peek through my fingers at the weaving content? it’s well worth trawling through the archives here when i have a free moment.

i found woven throughts through a search for korsnäs sweaters triggered by the entry on the book “decorative crocheting” on blogdogblog (it looked like this was an ex-blog but there’s a single recent post so maybe it’s back in service). which in turn i found from a tapestry crochet search (there’s surprisingly little info out there, i seem to have found the main sources already).

i’m seriously considering ordering both the book and a fantabulous mitten kit from nordic fiber arts, if they’ll ship to me here. if i start the mittens now i might even have them finished by next winter.

the interweb has a lot to answer for…