I started to feel like I was half done the merino/silk top I bought at the Cowichan Fleece & Fibre Festival, but I couldn't find the label for it, which would have told me how much it weighed in the first place. I ended up getting around it by weighing an empty bobbin, the full bobbin, and the remainder of the top.*
This photo makes the top look silver - it is far more purple in real life (i.e., without a flash).
The empty bobbin was 50 grams, the full was 150 grams, and the remainder of the top was 100 grams. So I was exactly (well, as much as my analog scale can be exact) halfway through.
Switched bobbins, tied on a new leader, and am now on the downhill part of this, my first spinning project.
Speaking of, Annalea asked how much I had spun before embarking on this purple. The first yarn I ever spun was those few meters of corriedale, shown in their entirety in this post. I tried to get the photo in here, but linky be brokey.
After that - which I did at my niece's drop-spinning lesson - I spun a bit of Briggs & Little pencil roving. I had to stop when I got a sore shoulder from the vertical draw. I don't know how much is on there, but it isn't a greal deal. I do plan to ply it onto itself eventually, though there won't be much finished yarn.
After this purple laceweight (hopefully it's laceweight) is done, I have a new project planned. I bought this fleece from Knotty by Nature, the new spinning shop in Victoria. It is a Metchosin-raised Romney cross, washed but not picked (grass bits removed) or carded. I wish you could reach in and touch this wool - it is intensely warm. I will be hand carding it in batches, spinning as I go. I haven't decided what to shoot for in terms of weight, but my copy of Intentional Spinner was shipped today and I expect it by the end of the week....Judith can help me plan this yarn.
And this is my daughter's depiction of me at the wheel. She drew it for the "Living Room" portion of the "What is Going on in Our House" bit in her family newsletter. I think I look a little like Whistler's mother here - I quite like it.
I think I may need to work on my posture, though.
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*I don't know whether this stuff I'm spinning is "top" or what - not sure about all the terms yet. I think it's a sliver.....right? (pronounced SLY-ver) but I think that just refers to the long ropyness of it.
14 comments:
You are a born spinner (and you and that wheel were meant to find one another). Beautiful stuff Shan!
A comment from the Philberts: "So that's what Shannon looks like, huh?"
Beautiful spinning, Shan (and beautiful fiber)! As for the drawing -- well, if my daughter had drawn that I'd be tempted to make myself a t-shirt out of it.
True, a T shirt would be nice. Great picture; love the winsome eyes.
Whistler's mother indeed. She would only have let her posture relax if she'd taken a .22 to the back of her head! You on the other hand look as tho you home school two charming and energetic children (although in complete control of her spinning).
Well Uncle Joe, there's gotta be something that does my bidding around here.
I too love the picture, thank heavens you don't have boobs to get in the way of the wheel! So, forgive me for being a ... well ... boob ... but am I getting this right, you are spinning that yarn from actual wool. Like that is truly possible? Really?
Yeah, isn't that something?
Oh I love that drawing of you. Perfect. Maybe it's not so much bad posture as looking relaxed while spinning.
Wow, it's beautiful!!! I think it looks like it'll end up lace weighty!!!
Well, for this being your third whack at spinning, I'd say you're a born natural.
Speaking of third whacks, today is my third whack and making edible homemade bread. ;o) It worked the first two times, and it's kinda fun. Vern thinks he's in heaven, what with it in his lunch each day.
I love the drawing, too. Isn't it fascinating how children's conceptions of life come out when they draw them? The oddities and work-arounds they draw I never tire of seeing . . . and yet they're usually very recognizable.
Okay, back to the bread. ;o) Hope you're having a great week!
lol I just read my comment, and it sounds so high-brow about youthful artwork, I could die. I should have just writtenn: "I love it. It's beautiful!" or something else equally true and less, um, blech. lol/sigh . . .
That drawing made me grin... so cute.
That looks like a very good start.
(oh, and that's top - and my understanding is that sliver is a)another word for top or b) a very very good top. Not entirely sure, but combed for sure.)
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