Sorry....

My apologies, its been a while since I last posted here... I haven't done much in the way of interesting craft stuff.

I have knitted my dad a vest (which I forgot to photograph...)
working on a sweater for my dauhter, almost done.
spun another 'fibre sandwich yarn - for my son - inspired by the silver wattles that have now finished flowering.


and I have just started to spin some yarn - a lovely brown fleece which is just heaven to spin - this will be a sweater for my husband - fingers crossed it might be done for next winter...

Apart from that, its been quiet. I have been so busy outside, with the garden and just the 'work' that is required here, that I have often been too tired to do much. But I do get some things done, and hopefully there will be some FOs to show soon.

Lack of motivation

I am sad to report, that for the last 4-5 years that I have been knitting and spinning on a very serious level (serious in that I was more or less obsessed and wouldn't go a night or 2 without doing something), this is the first time that I haven't felt so much of an urge to knit or spin. I know its not a permanent thing, but right now, I haven't been doing much. That isn't to say I haven't done ANYTHING, I do pick up the knitting a bit, and I have a great idea what I am going to spin next (yarn inspired by the silver wattles that are in full bloom here-to make a sweater for my son). I think its just that I have so much stuff to do outside - I am pretty serious about our vegy garden and the chickens right now, and the craft seems to have been put on the back burner.

Hopefully my next post will have some photos of something finished, and perhaps a new wave of inspiration and motivation. Fingers crossed!

The most beautiful yarn in the world!

Ok, I am biased here, I did spin it, purple is my colour but I am just in love with everything about this yarn. I keep picking up to check that it really is mine! I am not really an art yarn spinner but I think I am converted to a new style.

This yarn was created using a fibre sandwich method, where you put little bits of fibre out on a sheet , layers of different colours, textures etc etc - with a top and bottom which are your base colours. This was quite basic, compared to what can be done with this method, but its a bit like a drum carded batt, but not carded, so you have blobs of different fibres. It lends itself to be spun in a thick and thin style - just let the yarn be what it wants to be rather than trying to even it out.


The next achievment for me in spinning this yarn was plying with a thread. I have tried it before, and wasn't overly happy with the result, but this time it worked, and I love the effect! The trick is to hold the thread tighter than the spun single so it goes all bumpy. I used a hologram thread from our local quilting shop, just because it was pretty, and the yarn is sparkly anyway.

I know there will be more of this style of yarn comming off my wheel in the future!

Dyeing, knitting, spinning

Yeah, I know, I said I was back, that I would post more regularly and sad to say, I have let my dear readers down....

So, I have been busy, crafting away.... I have spun up my white alpaca fleece - Tobey's - part for a custom spinning order, and then finished off the fleece for the shop, and also dyed about 500g for making tops for the kids


The purple will be for a long sleeve dress for my daughter - mixed with silk, silver sparkles (angelina), and grey merino. The green I am going to mix with fawn alpaca, grey merino and maybe silk for a sweater for my son.

I have a few finished knitted items too.

Shalom, for me, with yarn spun from Tobey's fleece from last year.


A top for my daughter which I am calling Woodelf, after the batts I spun for the skirt part. The pattern is Kaia Babydoll.


So, I am about to start spinning the purple fleece - probably tomorrow as its our local spinning group meet up. Had a great weekend, as I caught up with the local Ravelry girls, which was great fun, yummy coffee and great people and knitting!!! Can't get much better!!!

I'm back!

We have moved, its all done, you can read a bit about it here. I wont go into details on this blog, as I want to keep this about my crafty stuff.

So, no photos but I have managed to get some spinning (finished all that grey fleece I was working on before) and knitting (a few little tops for the kids and Shalom - no link as I am lazy - its on Ravelry - for me).

I have just started to spin some of my white alpaca, which is just devine to spin - loving it. And am contemplating some 'fun' spinning, one off novelty type yarns - maybe beads or boucle or something. And I want to do some dyeing - its been so long since I have done any dyeing.

Ok, so just a quick post to say I am still alive, and enjoying life, just not able to blog as much as before! Will try and catch up with blogging friends too (sorry I haven't been able to keep up with you...

FO: Gippsland Morning Mitts

I just knitted up a quick pair of mitts for Brad. Its something I have wanted to do for a while, and I am trying to reduce the stash a little.... The pattern is the popular Maine Morning Mitts. They are very easy and very quick to knit up. I used 2 leftover handspun yarns, the angorino top in the kingfisher colourway I spun up last year I think, and some old fawn alpaca. I like how they turned out, although I really need to work on casting on and off in a more stretchy way!

I am still spinning for that order, I've done a few bobbins, now, but it seems to be taking forever to get to the required amount. Oh well, she said she was in no hurry to recieve it! I work on it whenever I can, and that is the best I can do right now.

In 3 weeks time we will have moved home, and things will be a little up in the air. I hope to post before then, but if not, then you wont hear from me for a while - till we get internet access and electricity for that matter! Life will be quite different for us, and although we are looking forward to it, we are also a little stressed and nervous.

whooops!

These socks were meant to be a gift for someone with much bigger feet....


Here they are modelled on my small feet....

Damn, and they talk about second sock syndrome..... how about second pair of sock syndrome.... so I will have to cast on another pair soon.....