Spin me a tale...

Three weeks ago I had a great opportunity presented to me. Was I able to go to a spinner's retreat with a friend who's mom couldn't make it due to health issues? Yes I was! It was in Summerside, PEI, the Maritime Spinners Retreat.

I had never spun around "mundane" people before, only within the SCA at events, so I was nervous about what to expect, but it was a very good time and reignited my love for spinning, both on my Schacht Ladybug wheel which I took along, and on my many spindles, drop and supported. I was able to learn, and teach, and show and tell, including being talked into participating in their fashion show with my shirt I had brought along. I had knit it from Jaggerspun Zephyr wool/silk laceweight around 2008, I think, and about 5 years ago accidentally shrunk it in the wash, but it somehow still fit! A bit cropped, however. 

I took the opportunity to get back to spinning some laceweight brown Shetland I had started on my wheel several years ago, and got through almost the whole second ply over the weekend. I had never spun so much within 3 days! Unfortunately when I got home, I realized I had spun the 2 bobbins in opposite directions! Thankfully I have some black Shetland that I will use as the second ply for both, the colors are so close I'm not worried about it.

Fiber was also bought, because of course I had to, gotta support the vendors! From the upper left, 2 bags of unknown wool bits and bobs from Red Island Fibre, a Polworth/llama/tussah silk braid from Shades of Ewe, a merino Autumn Leaves pack from Good Fibrations, Rideau Arcott wool and a pin that I won as my door prize, and Manx Loaghtan and Zwartbles wool from Shades of Ewe again.

I was also inspired when I got home to get back to spinning the Jacob fleece that I bought back in 2010. Apparently projects need to age appropriately or something for me. But I wound off the first cop onto a toilet paper roll, and have gotten started on a second spindle. The first was around 26 g, if I remember, so will aim for around the same. Eventually I also have the brown part of the fleece to get to.

I will be posting more about my spinning adventures now that I've been reenergized for this craft again, but that's all for now.

Laceweight goodness...

Well, I finally spun up that 30/70 silk/merino into approx. 215 yards of laceweight 2-ply goodness. It's a pinky grey, which I normally don't like, but it's all MINE!!

After looking at several patterns and trying out a few, I've decided on Knitty's Branching Out, and am knitting it with 3 repeats on 2.75 mm needles. I'm only halfway through the first repeat, but it looks like it will come out well.

One thing I've noticed, though, about my spinning is I really tend to overspin. The first ply of this definitely has more twist than the second ply, and so the yarn is a bit stiffer than I would have liked. Good thing is, though, that I have lots of the original 100g left (the ball of 2-ply is 23g). So I can play with making a second ball of laceweight. I also want to try other colorways from Ashland Bay. :) Or maybe from ebay, where I've also found several colorways in the 30/70 I want to try, soon as I get some cash.

I'll update with pictures hopefully Tuesday, as Mondays are when I get to my friend's place with her camera.