What is Lynne doing?
G'day all!
When I used to work, I had to do updates on what I was up to. I don't have to do that anymore, but considering I forgot to take any pictures yesterday before the cool change swept through and everything went grey.... So I took some pics this morning :-) Excuse the composition. It was early and I haven't had breakfast yet but I had to grab the light whilst it was there.
On the needles
The sock!
It is at the heel shaping now. I've done the gusset (guesset?) and have to turn the heel. Never done a toe-up turned heel - should be exciting! Noone has guessed what sock I am knitting yet. Here's a clue, not particularly well modelled by my hand (it is cold and my foot was not going naked whilst I changed socks...)
New on the needles
In a fit of madness I cast on for a lovely shawl by Mim.
It is the Icarus shawl from the summer Interweave Knits. I've never knitted a lace shawl before (I don't count something that is on 6mm needles and just feather and fan as being a "real" shawl). It nearly did my head in getting it this far cos for the first few rows I really had to concentrate and my poor brain was fried after half an hour. I had to have a sweet bikkie to stop feeling dizzy! And I had to do some eye exercises to uncross my eyes! Plus I need a better circular needle cos I am using an absolutely horrid metal needle that has an inflexible cord. Something bamboo I think. Unfortunately none of the local shops have bamboo in the right size, so it means a considerable drive. (Not using public transport unless I go right into the city cos the daily ticket costs $10 from here and my car is weeny and economical and will not require me to get on a train and then find the right tram)
Should I join the Icarus shawl knitalong? I think I'll wait until I've actually worked out if I will keep going - the answer at present is yes but who knows what I'll think later today?
Off the wheel
The moorit yarn that looks beige to me! It is fairly much an 8ply/DK/worsted weight yarn. It is a three ply yarn as I read these are more balanced. The singles were laceweight. The yarn is not the softest I've spun but that is the fleece, not that I've overspun it.
Do you like the barber-poling effect? The fleece varies a bit in colour. Made it more interesting. I've probably got enough fleece to do another three or so skeins of this yarn. Hopefully I'll be able to card it at the guild today or tomorrow - it takes a lot of time to brush it out with a dog-slicker.
On the wheel
Pastel fluff! So pretty! I've already spun the mauvey stuff as a thin single so what you see here is the sorta mauvey stuff and the pink. I think all of ii will stay a thin single cos I might get 100m of it and can do some sampler lace or something with that. It is what happens when Lynne plays with a mostly exhausted dyepot and adds a little extra colour.
Next on the wheel
Some bright bright purples and plums, as previewed under the beige yarn. I dyed these on Sunday by just sticking them in the slow cooker (the one I bought for dyeing yarn/fleece in). The tips of some of the fleece look really burnt but they will brush out ok. I've noticed that damaged tips of the fleece take up a LOT of dye and then just crumble away. Anyone else find this? It isn't as if the slow cooker gets really hot or anything - occasionally it gets really enthused and develops a slow simmer.
I washed a whole fleece in the washing machine yesterday by careful manipulation of the control knob. Here's the fleece beforehand, with my leg/foot for scale.
That is probably 1.5 kilos of fleece, after I skirted out some really short bits and second cuts and stuff, and washed about 100g to test what the fleece is like. It is from a cross-bred hogget. I thought that hogget means young sheep, a yearling sheep, but in this case it also meant young ram.... Thank goodness it wasn't from a billy goat because the young ram was bad enough in places!
No pics of the fleece afterwards cos it is still in the greenhouse, oops see through shed, drying. Hopefully it will be dry enough to card today.
Hmm,no time for pics of the Yarra today, and this post is picture heavy enough, and I really need brekkie so I bid you
anon!
When I used to work, I had to do updates on what I was up to. I don't have to do that anymore, but considering I forgot to take any pictures yesterday before the cool change swept through and everything went grey.... So I took some pics this morning :-) Excuse the composition. It was early and I haven't had breakfast yet but I had to grab the light whilst it was there.
On the needles
The sock!
It is at the heel shaping now. I've done the gusset (guesset?) and have to turn the heel. Never done a toe-up turned heel - should be exciting! Noone has guessed what sock I am knitting yet. Here's a clue, not particularly well modelled by my hand (it is cold and my foot was not going naked whilst I changed socks...)
New on the needles
In a fit of madness I cast on for a lovely shawl by Mim.
It is the Icarus shawl from the summer Interweave Knits. I've never knitted a lace shawl before (I don't count something that is on 6mm needles and just feather and fan as being a "real" shawl). It nearly did my head in getting it this far cos for the first few rows I really had to concentrate and my poor brain was fried after half an hour. I had to have a sweet bikkie to stop feeling dizzy! And I had to do some eye exercises to uncross my eyes! Plus I need a better circular needle cos I am using an absolutely horrid metal needle that has an inflexible cord. Something bamboo I think. Unfortunately none of the local shops have bamboo in the right size, so it means a considerable drive. (Not using public transport unless I go right into the city cos the daily ticket costs $10 from here and my car is weeny and economical and will not require me to get on a train and then find the right tram)
Should I join the Icarus shawl knitalong? I think I'll wait until I've actually worked out if I will keep going - the answer at present is yes but who knows what I'll think later today?
Off the wheel
The moorit yarn that looks beige to me! It is fairly much an 8ply/DK/worsted weight yarn. It is a three ply yarn as I read these are more balanced. The singles were laceweight. The yarn is not the softest I've spun but that is the fleece, not that I've overspun it.
Do you like the barber-poling effect? The fleece varies a bit in colour. Made it more interesting. I've probably got enough fleece to do another three or so skeins of this yarn. Hopefully I'll be able to card it at the guild today or tomorrow - it takes a lot of time to brush it out with a dog-slicker.
On the wheel
Pastel fluff! So pretty! I've already spun the mauvey stuff as a thin single so what you see here is the sorta mauvey stuff and the pink. I think all of ii will stay a thin single cos I might get 100m of it and can do some sampler lace or something with that. It is what happens when Lynne plays with a mostly exhausted dyepot and adds a little extra colour.
Next on the wheel
Some bright bright purples and plums, as previewed under the beige yarn. I dyed these on Sunday by just sticking them in the slow cooker (the one I bought for dyeing yarn/fleece in). The tips of some of the fleece look really burnt but they will brush out ok. I've noticed that damaged tips of the fleece take up a LOT of dye and then just crumble away. Anyone else find this? It isn't as if the slow cooker gets really hot or anything - occasionally it gets really enthused and develops a slow simmer.
I washed a whole fleece in the washing machine yesterday by careful manipulation of the control knob. Here's the fleece beforehand, with my leg/foot for scale.
That is probably 1.5 kilos of fleece, after I skirted out some really short bits and second cuts and stuff, and washed about 100g to test what the fleece is like. It is from a cross-bred hogget. I thought that hogget means young sheep, a yearling sheep, but in this case it also meant young ram.... Thank goodness it wasn't from a billy goat because the young ram was bad enough in places!
No pics of the fleece afterwards cos it is still in the greenhouse, oops see through shed, drying. Hopefully it will be dry enough to card today.
Hmm,no time for pics of the Yarra today, and this post is picture heavy enough, and I really need brekkie so I bid you
anon!
Hmm. Bamboo needle shopping, eh? I need some sock needles. Perhaps we can do a yarn shop search or something.
ReplyDeleteLovely stuff you've done there. And have you chased all the lizards out tonight? I kind of like them.
ReplyDeleteOh, Icarus is so lovely - I hope you continue! I'm intrigued to see what the "next up" spinning will look like.
ReplyDeleteI love the Icaris shawl!!!! I havene't been game yet! too much brain fill with the work resume thingy(hubby managed to wipe my last entry to file ,indirectly by not saving it and then I forgot to go back so I can't blame the poor thing too much.....)
ReplyDeleteI have a few gaywool dyes now to fill the gaps of those non bright colours,and I want to buy some Lornas Laces but keep telling myself that I can dye my own....
PS... your spinning looks really even!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou just gave me an idea for a birthday/crimbo prezzie, bwahahaa :-)
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about making the Kiri shawl with some merino laceweight, interested to see how your Icarus progresses.