Friday, April 25, 2014

Spinning!

The past two weeks have been all about spinning for me! I treated myself to a new wheel and am in love! I sold my Vespera E-spinner and put the funds towards a Schacht Ladybug! She spins like a dream, so quiet and so smooth! 


When I'm spinning on her I get completely caught up in my own little world and zone out my surroundings. I don't worry about anything wobbling or squeaking and just focus on my drafting.  The Ladybug is also very versatile. You can spin with scot tension, Irish tension, or double drive. My first wheel used Irish tension and so far on the ladybug I have had it set up with the scot tension and I'm enjoying it. Eventually I will try out the double drive but not yet. It's requires some fiddling around to set up the first time. 

So what have I actually spun so far? Not much. I meant to spend this week spinning non-stop while I was vacation but since the bf was off as well I have spent most of my time over his place. I did sneak home for a little bit yesterday while he was sleeping and got to work on some gorgeous Super wash BFL roving that i got back in 09 from Sunset Fibers on etsy. It is so soft and drafts out so easily. I am really enjoying it. The colors have a lot of depth and transition smoothly. My plan is to get a fingering/sport weight yarn after chain plying my singles. Ideally I would like to knit it up into some ankle socks.


I also spun up some Corriedale fiber I had left from a 4oz roving I used when testing out my Vespera.  I got about 14 wpi which translates to a fingering weight yarn. My final yardage was roughly about 58 yards give or take and I think I spun about 1.5-2 ounces of it. I also got this roving from Sunset Fibers. It's their pin drafted corriedale. If you haven't tried their fiber I highly recommend it! Linda does a great job with the prep! 



Oh and I am still working on my GnomeAcres batts, I finished the first 2.5 ounces and started the second half using my Bellus wheel. Something went wrong though when I started on the second bobbin. For some reason my flyer is clicking and clanging now when I spin. It's very annoying, it's loud and is making my wheel wobble. Spinning right now on her just feels off. I have tried everything I can think of to minimize it but it hasn't worked. I have it in a time out right now until I figure it out. 



I have also done some knitting since I last posted, I just don't have any FO's or WIP pictures to show. I am working on Julie Williams's (a.k.a Little Cotton Rabbits) girl elephant pattern. Originally I was making the boy but after knitting the head and body realized I wasn't going to have enough of the yarn I was using. A I frogged the body and started over and made the girl. So far everything is coming out nicely. I have every knit except for one arm. I'm cutting it close on yarn but I should have enough to finish her. Wen I do I will be sure to post a picture. I am using the rest of the Malabrigo worsted I have in Simply Taupe for the body and some Swish Dk from knitpicks for the clothing. I also got half way through another stripe on the garter stitch blanket I started back in November/December. 

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