Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Come again another day.....

I'm happily feeling a great deal better - I wake up at a sensible hour feeling I have had a good night's sleep, and I don't now crash out at 9pm. I do tend to slump in the afternoons still, but that is just normality writ rather larger than normal, and is improving, so I can live with that. Nothing however, is being helped by the weather....but I have twined on about that so much, it is very old and very boring so I won't this time!

I'm having a good week. I finally met with the person about the textile history project - I can't say too much about it, because it is all still rather vague and as yet undefined if there is any role for me, although it looks as if there might be. Spindle spinning workshops, even. And just maybe something involving dyeing. Nothing will happen in a hurry, which is probably just as well. Very interesting, though.

Then yesterday was another book group, and very good gathering, too. Although it is slightly scary how many of us were/had been incapacitated, particularly those with broken and repaired hips and other bones!. But one very amusing moment when someone made a remark about their "promiscuous" youth, and half the room admitted likewise, whilst the other half looked shamefaced and admitted to hooking up with the first, the one, the only! Too funny (and no, I'm not saying.....)

Today is darker than ever, and I can admit to finding it really hard to motivate myself to doing anything. Still, I am fiddling with altering a new skirt, and rounding up spinning projects.

The Whitefaced Woodland on the wheel is done (I have more, but some is being spindle spun, and the rest can wait.)

 White faced woodland + new Forrester spindle

Part of the mountain waiting to be dyed, with the full spindle on top.

White faced woodland - spindle and wheel spun

And this is the spindle spun yarn lying on top of some wheel spun. I am very pleased with this - I managed to get pretty close to the same finished yarn from the wheel with the spindle spun. Slightly firmer twist, although I did try to moderate it! It doesn't matter - the spindle spun will be for different projects, it was just an exercise.

I am still deeply pondering just what sort of an afghan or blanket or throw or whatever I am going to make. I have been reading the latest edition of Selvedge (always a joy) and there is a photograph of, believe it or not, the most sumptuous blanket in crocheted granny squares. I am so tempted - to use something so derided and banal and to turn it in to a statement. H'mmm....too pretentious, maybe. I am also thinking along the lines of a panelled affair, or maybe even a spiral seen recently on Ravelry.

I really don't know. Watch this space in a few years time.

Meanwhile, still the same knitting projects on the go, but I have started the glorious yak and silk blend from A Verb For Keeping Warm bought at the SOAR market. Lovely, lovely stuff, only slightly tricky to spin because of the different characteristics of the two fibres. But extremely well blended, so not too bad. I have elected to go for smooth, even and fine, with an only marginally tedious very short forward draw, instead of a less regular thicker and puffier look with an extended draw. Because I see a lace scarf in its future. I can also see that the store is going to be a very dangerous place - good job it is so far away! (muttering...do they do mail order???.....)

Should manage Coven tomorrow - and Saturday, we have a spindle spinning workshop in Leeds. Of which more anon, I have no doubt.

Pretty much business as usual, now.......

1 comment:

Unknown said...

If they don't mail order, I can pick stuff up for you and mail it. They are very close to our house. Or better yet, you can come back to California and pick it up for yourself. You always have a room waiting for you in Albany.