Saturday, February 22, 2025

Spin Together 2025

 The first day of Spin Together 2025 was today.  I chose to challenge myself with learning to spin on a supported spindle. The first spindle I tried I did not get the knack of it. After an hour I changed spindles.  Maybe I need a little more practice before I go to something like that again. So I picked up another spindle, yes, I brought several with me to spin in public day. This Spindle was made by a Navajo artist. It was a better spin experience for me. The spindle was more balanced and easier to use. I wish I could find his card because I’d like another one. Alas I am getting ahead of myself.

With the second spindle, I spun until my hands were too tired to work. I think I did a pretty good job on a brand new to me spindle. I was also trying out different fibers in 1 ounce fiber samples. The picture below shows about a quarter of an ounce of hand spun yarn.  I think it will ply to a DK weight. I have a bunch of other spindles to try so once I get this spindle full, I will go to the next. I will put aside the ones that I’m finding difficult and then decide what to do with them. If they don’t work for me after several tries, it might be time to thin the herd again. I think I might have another spindle de stash.

The above spindle is a keeper.  

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Completed Projects

 These are my completed projects for the week as of yesterday.  The 4 blue skeins of yarn are going to my sister. The 2 small skeins are going into my hand spun yarn stash.  The 4 skeins of pink were responsible to compress some of the air out of the yarn to make it more suitable for weaving.  The green skein of yarn is going into a new pattern design.  The hat is part of my holiday knitting for the kids clothing bank here in Tucson that I am supporting.  That would be 6 more completed projects for the year.   

Now to pit everything away or get it ready for mailing tomorrow.  I hope to have a big stack to bring to the post office.  It’s always good when things leave the house.   



Tuesday, February 18, 2025

The End Is Insight

 This scarf has been on the loom since early last year.  The end is finally insight.  The color combo was not that inspiring to me. But I need the loom so it has to be finished.  


Saturday, February 15, 2025

Lace Weight Yarn

 I managed to spin lace weight yarn on something besides a drop spindle. I spun it on my Hansen Mini Pro e-spinner.  I got 493 yards out of 4 ounces of roving.  I am really proud of my accomplishment.  It’s not like I have not spun lace weight yarn before, but it has always been on a drop spindle.  

I spun 4 ounces of Targee Wool plyed with Ashford Caterpillar cotton.  It should have a definite artsy look when it is finished.  The roving was a fairly fun spin, but it took a long time. I also found that it was easier to sit on the left side of the e-spinner. With the e-spinner on my left side instead of the traditional way of being in front of the orifice. I set up the yarn in multiple skeins so it would dry faster.  

I also put so much plyed yarn on the first bobbin that the end popped off when I took the bobbin off.  Well there is a first time for everything.  Note to self: don’t over fill the bobbin ever again. 

Don’t worry. It is not being added to my yarn stash.  As soon as I give it a hot water bath.  Thwack it.  Then line dry it. It will be leaving the house with other yarn in a big box.  



Thursday, February 13, 2025

So Many Projects

 I have so many projects that I want to work on: however, this little energizer bunny has run out of batteries. I spent the day resting.

That being said I decided to do something different for this year’s Spin Together event. A no pressure spinning project.  I decided that I am going to finally tackle the supported spindle.  I will gather my supported spindles in a basket and get a sampler of different fibers to try out.  At least from a Navajo spinning class that I took several years ago, I already know that I will spin to the left which means putting everything on the right, I think.  I will have to look that up. 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Still Exhausted

 Yesterday I started a new medication.  I am still exhausted. I spent a good part of the day sleeping.  I am, however in less pain. Which is wonderful.  

Just in case you are wondering about today’s race, the snail won by several yards.  Autoimmune diseases really are awful.  

Thursday, February 6, 2025

My Creative Energy is Back

 I am starting to feel better after my bout with food poisoning.  I have got my creative energy back. Now I just need my body to catch up with my creativity.  I am on day two of winding yarn for various projects.  I also managed to find room in some bins for yarn.  That might have something to do with pulling out yarn for projects from the bins.

I have also found that if I sit to the left side of my espinner it has some definite advantages.  The first being no sun in my eyes during afternoon spinning sessions.  The second being that I get a smoother thinner yarn. I can also see the yarn at a better angle. Did I mention that is also easier to spin that way?  If it is written in stone that you must sit facing the orifice of the spinning wheel or espinner, I have just broken that silly stone.  However if you must really have it written in stone the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is going on until February 14th.