Friday, January 30, 2009

continued warm, sunny and VERY dry

I haven't been doing much to blog about. It's been warm for weeks (very little winter here, which means a third year of drought) although nice outdoor spinning weather.
outside spinning
Do you see that huge bag of fleece? That's 6.5 pounds of Corriedale that I've been working on for the last few weeks. Bought it at Black Sheep Gathering 2007. Seems to have marinated nicely in the fiber stash. I'm spinning modified long draw; this method fills a bobbin faster than me doing short draw.
Corriedale Bobbins
I've nearly filled all my bobbins, time to start plying. Since I have no idea what I'm going to make with the yarn I've made a few samples to see what it wants to be. I'm lazy; it's too hard to spin to specification. I spin the yarn then find a pattern that calls for that weight of yarn.
Corriedale 2 and 3 ply samples
Here's a two ply knit on size 7 needles on the left and 3 ply knit on size 9 needles on the right.

Singles
Corriedale singles

2-ply
Corriedale 2 ply

3-ply
Corriedale 3 ply

So now I'm ready for a worsted or chunky weight pattern. Time to go and check out my Ravelry Queue and see what might work with this yarn. I'm open to suggestions.

I've also been working on my Barn Raising Squares. I'm still enjoying watching each square's design emerge as I knit. It's a slow version of that Spin Art they use to have at the Fair. Remember you squirted paint on a spinning paper.
Sock Yarn Squares

Last Saturday I started taking a 4-Harness Weaving class at UCSD's Craft Center. Mostly we're still getting all the looms warped.
warping board
So many people in the class it's slow going waiting for help but I'm liking it so far. Who knew that weaving would be so popular right now?

Here's a picture of my friends at Two Sisters and Ewe where I work.
Knitting Friends
left to right, Karen, Jessica (who also works there), Marie and Carol; they all make Open Knitting on Wednesday afternoons so much fun. All week I look forward to our time together. There are others that drop in but these Ladies are our hard-core knitters! It took the whole group to help me figure out where I was on my Curlicue Afghan. Turns out there was no mistake I'd just gotten lost. Thanks Ladies! In the future I'm going to have to write down exactly where I am each time I put that project down. It's either that or I'll have to keep pulling into the Yarn Shop to ask for directions.

2 comments:

LaurieM said...

I'm sorry you'll be having a drought, but seriously envious of your patio weather. Here in the frozen north, we've got heaps of snow piled up. It's getting hard to shovel out because you have to lift the new stuff up onto the piles of old stuff!

I just love the three ply you're making. It looks so round and it knit up gorgeous. Will you dye it, or leave it a natural color? In the natural, I think I'd make a lovely aran.

Oh! Another idea would be to dye the two ply and do some color work... stop me now! I have too many ideas!

Sheena said...

I love the three ply yarn the most, and really love the barn raising squares. I keep meaning to try one of those, but get so distracted with everything else. I'm spinning for a sweater now, but who knows where that will go.