Fiber Color Fun Workshop

On this past Saturday I took a class in how to spin color roving and how to plan for what you want to get in the end for your knitting projects. The above yarn was made with the fiber below, which was in jewel tones. We split the fiber in half (2oz length) and then split it lengthwise into four pieces. For the above yarn we then took 1 of the four pieces and split it in half lengthwise turning the end 180 degrees so it continued in the same end color back to the beginning color. Theoretically if we spun at the same rate then when we Andean plied it back the colors should for the most part match perfectly, thus getting a two ply that followed the roving colors.

For those that don't know what Andean plying is, it is where you hold the end of the single spun yarn and then wrap it in a way around your hand that when you get to the other end. You can take both ends at that point and ply the single into a two ply that meets at the middle.

This is the fiber I picked from the table of many. It is jewel tones of blue, green, and amethyst. I was having trouble getting the colors to pick up true in some of the photos with the camera.

The second exercise was to take another quarter section and split it lengthwise, this time turning one end of the fiber to place next to the beginning. You then pre-draft the sections side by side and spin then Andean ply to get the above effect.

The third exercise was to work in color sections using another quarter of fiber and spinning while using the 'in the fold' technique while minimizing the color transition sections. To spin in the fold you pull of a section fiber in the same color-way and in the approximate size of the fiber length, around 3.5 - 4 inches. You then fold the fiber in half and place around the index finger on the hand that holds the fiber and then spin the fiber. To ply we used the Navajo plying technique. The easy way to explain this is to do finger crochet and then spin the opposite direction of the single ply. Doing this keeps the colors in line so you don't get a lot of color changes. It follows the roving and makes a 3-ply yarn.

For the final exercise we split our final quarter in half and then traded one section with another spinner. This is the fiber I traded for.

With both fibers you decide the best way to place the colors side by side and then repeat exercise 2.

This class was a lot of fun and was taught by the talented Lynne Vogel. It gave me the chance to see different ways to mix and match a roving and put aside time to actually spin and try new spinning techniques or improve on ones I already knew. I also learned how to Andean ply and that was just plain cool. :)

Time

Now there is a great conundrum for all, how to manage it and how to get the most from it, when most of us feel like we are stuck on the gerbil wheel going full force but not seeing much for our efforts. Such has been the way lately as work is in feast mode and it is now time for the next round of Cotton Row Run entries, so lots of time on the computer just no time to organize all the photos I have taken lately or time for blogging. Oh and we lost an hour recently, not to be found till next fall.

As we approach Spring Time…
In the past week the forsythia actually waited along with the Tulip trees (a type of magnolia) to bloom. The winter has actually been cold (not frigid thankfully) with very few warm spells so the easy to fool and quick to herald in spring survived to put on a great show. This past weekend the Bradford Pears are all cloaked in white and some of the white azaleas are starting to peak out. We have hit the white and yellow time of the year. The star of Bethlehem should be in bloom soon and so too shall the white dogwood trees. In another 3 weeks we should hit the blue/purple and yellow stage, followed by the pink stage and onto summer. It goes by so quickly so take it in and savor the moments before the mercury hits 90 and it’s all over.

The Rain Time of the year arrived for a change this year and so we have the wonderful spring flowers and newly green leaves cast on the dark grey clouds of the season. Makes for some wonderful shots, but why do I never have the camera with me on those moments.

This is Merike Saarniit

This is what I spun

It’s also been Time to spin and knit, not much but I have taken bits and pieces as they come. Last Friday, I took the day off to take a spinning class with Merike Saarniit and learned some new techniques that I have read of but being a visual person they now make more sense. We learned how to spin worsted for fluffy yarns and how to draft from the fold. I still need lots of work on these techniques but I have a start now. These techniques are extremely useful for spinning cotton, cashmere, NZ possum, and other short fibers. Spinning from the fold is also useful with long fibered combed top and for some color spinning. Yes the class materials bag had lots of really cool fibers, some I have never seen before and look forward to playing with again in the future. It was one of the fastest 8 hour classes I have attended, but well worth it.

Now it’s time to go play with the cats.

Dashing

Dashing
Yarn - My own hand-spun in worsted weight denim
Guage - 6st = 1 inch
Needles and size - Clover Bamboo dps 7

This is a quick knit, 2 days total, and I used some denim colored 2-ply yarn that I spun up in January. The fiber blend is wool/nylon and was for socks but I didn’t have the yardage and I’m not a big hat wearer so fingerless mitts seemed the obvious choice for this beautiful yarn.

My current project is Josephine from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. I’m using Louet Gems with size 3 needles. The starlight needs to have one more sleeve sewn on, some stitches picked up for edging and the lace edging applied and it is done. It’s not a difficult knit; in fact it’s not a slow knit either so why is it spending so much time in time-out? Well because I need about 60 minutes to sew the final sleeve in and hide all the loose ends; I need another 60 minutes to pick up stitches along the right/neck/left edge to do edging (the knitting of the edging will go quickly); and I want to do each of these items in a sitting at home of which 60 minutes here and there have been elusive recently. The mitts I did while doing annual doctor’s office visits where you might get a row done or a project, you just never know and 30 minutes here and there. The current knit needs only 25 minutes to complete two rows. Which means slow going but it’s a time thing.

And we have snow...

Ok well more like a dusting and here are the flurries from last night.

My latest spin is Plumeria fiber from Butterfly Girl Designs. It is superwash Merino and Tussah Silk, how could anyone not LOVE merino and silk in a candy hearts kind of colorway. I finished setting the twist and it was ready for a photo-op this morning, that is what is left of the snow. :) It was spun on a moss agate spindle from BGD and is probably the finest I have spun a single. So fine in fact that I navajo plied it and it is still lace weight (20 wpi). My goal for this yarn is to eventually be used in a shrug. 1-ounce spun = 55 yards.

A Dervish

Got home today and found this in my mailbox, my number has finally come up and I have a Dervish spindle (the name was a nod to the Whorling Dervishes) from Gemini Fibres. This spindle is hand made by Tom Forrester in Canada in Hickory, Zebrano and Sapele woods and weighs 35.3g or approximately 1.2 oz. The spindle was highly rated in Spin Off magazine last fall and so most everyone I talked to had a waiting list. So now it's off to spin with my new toy. :)

Finished Knitting in 2007

Housekeeping & Links...

Noro Garden Ladies Sweater
Worsted Weight Socks for DH
Tomato
Tuscany
Surplice Lace Top
MS3 KAL - Swan Lake Stole
Bonsai Tunic
Nina's Ann Arbor Shawl
Koolhaas Hat
Santa Hat
Elf Hat

Smile

Crocus
What I found in one of my raspberry pots this afternoon.
Wonder how they got there, think furry rodent.

Resurection Fern
Grows in certain trees in our area and is only green after it rains,
otherwise it just shrivels up and turns brown.

Narcissus peeking up
Slowly these have been poking up since December.
March can't be too far away now!

Corn Chowder Goodness

A quick and easy recipe that beats the cold!

1 lb Italian Sausage links
2-4 TBSP Flour
11oz Can Sweet Corn
14oz Can Swanson Chicken Broth
2-4 TBSP Heavy Cream or Half & Half

Brown Sausage links in a sauce pan. When sausage is browned use kitchen shears to cut into bite size pieces. Add flour to make roux add broth slowly mixing with flour so no lumps form. Add corn and cream then simmer for 30 minutes covered. Remove lid and raise temp to thicken to desired level. Enjoy!

Veil of Isis and what's new...

Pattern - Veil of Isis
Pattern - BadCatDesigns
Yarn - Malabrigo Yarns Lace
Color - Purple Mystery (30)
Needles and size = Addi-Turbo US 1/ Bamboo dpn US 1

Where has the month gone? I keep thinking that I will have time to post what has been going on since Christmas and before I know it, it is time to get ready for bed. So what have I been up to...?

After Christmas I finally finished the Veil of Isis shawl with 6 pattern repeats and onto the edging. I used up 3 skeins of the Malabrigo lace weight yarn and a tube of 8mm amethyst glass beads. If you can get the center start going then this is really a good beginner lace project since it is an easy pattern to read and follow.

I have also been working on my new Majacraft Suzie Pro spinning wheel that my DH got me for Christmas. A true surprise. I had some play fiber that Lewis at Little Barn gave us to play with in October and my spindle hasn't been free of fiber so this seemed the perfect time to get it out and learn what ratios to use and how to set the bobbin tension. So far, so good. Two weeks ago I had a couple of nice spinner friends show me how to Navajo ply the play yarn I had spun up and it turned out well. The black fiber on the bobbin is a single ply of some animal fiber known as "The Beast." The skein of yarn next to it is all of the play fibers that I had accumulated along with some "Beast" and then Navajo plied. It worked out quite well.

Otherwise it has been either really cold here or really warm. And those warm days hit right after Christmas and New Year time so I spent some time outside raking up the last of the leaves in the back and getting them into bags to place around my potted plants. In our zone I can use the bags as a heat source at night to keep the area around the pots closer to 32 when we have 15-20 degree nights.

Today we will be lucky if we get above 32 but the sun is out in full force so it is soup weather.

French Onion Soup

6-8 Cups Spanish Onions, large dice
1 stick (1/2 Cup) unsalted butter
32 ounces beef bouillon (beef broth)
10 ounces water
1/4 Cup wine
French bread
Muenster Cheese


In large sauce pot melt 1 stick of butter then add onions. Cook onions on med-high for 30 minutes covered. Stir every 5-10 minutes to make sure onions don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Brown caramelized color is what you want. After 30 minutes add beef broth, water and wine. Move temp down to simmer and cover to cook for at least 2-3 hours or longer.

At least 30 minutes prior to eating, preheat oven to 350 and cut French bread into either slices or cubes and place on a cookie sheet to bake for 15 minutes. Bread should be crouton like when it comes out. Scoop soup into oven proof dishes, add baked bread and top with the amount of muenster cheese that you like. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

Note if you make your own beef stock then water and wine can be omitted.