Fiber Friday - December 19th 2008

[LizzieMcGuire]

I didn't have much time for spinning in the past two month, because I had to craft tons of Christmas presents... Luckily two of them were handspun yarn, so I made at least two yarns!  
Here they are:


Emily by the river, merino and glitz, 132/75g

and


Cold Summer Day, handdyed Polwarth (dyed by me  ), 288/85g

The weather is horrible here, it is dark the whole day, so I couldn't get any decent photos  .

[Belladune]

Belladune is that going to be you new years resolution: Spin more yarn!?
Spinning by candle light sounds so romantic... Even though the reason wasn't.

Yes,  That is my new years resolution!!    I just need to find more local fiber suppliers.....  My goal is to make eco friendly yarn, stuff that will leave a very small carbon foot print with its travels.
And its was terribly romantic, spinning by candle light.  Sadly though I had absolutly no form of heat or electricity, and all I wanted when finished was a steamy cup of tea (as I usualy do once finished spinning for the night)  But it did bring a new respect to our ancestors.   and a deep desire for a fireplace, or wood stove..........

[LindsayLuu]

wow, lots to look at this week.  Jazzturtle, you've been busy! 

Here are a few of mine, there are more, but I don't have the pics at work;

polly pocket, bulky, mill ends with other stuff blended in


snow day (very fitting to today) mill ends, locks, angelina


Chocolate silk, wool, soysilk, apalca.  so soft... I need to make more!

[natashafatale]

Gorgeous stuff, everyone! I especially love all the corespuns, as usual.

I've been on a 2-ply kick:

[myklia]

Hey!!! Look over there!!!

** quick sneaks to take everyone's yarns home with me **

Ok, I'm not really a thief, but I really do want everyone's yarn in my home to pet them and take care of them and make beautiful things with them.   Nevermind I have this gorgeous yarn sitting in front of me that I'm racking my brain as to what I'm going to make with it (banana fiber yarn I received in a swap that I LOVE).

[the_bees_knees]

Everything's so beautiful! I refuse to choose a favorite.



It's been so long since I've posted on Fiber Friday! Stupid non-fiber projects, keeping me away from my spinning wheel. I didn't actually spin all these up this week. Quite a few were tangled overspun singles that I had abandoned in my yarn bin, but I decided to ply everything up this week. One of them was so old, I'd actually used my drop spindle. *gasp!*

The names, from left to right (all compliments of my nutty boyfriend):

* "Root Vegetables"
* "Snake in a Net"
* "Melon Puree"
* "Spell of the Unicorn" (roving from Miss Violaceous—beautiful colors!)
* "Chimera's Vengeance" (my favorite, but it's tiny!)
* "Norsk Winter" (batt from WindRose on Etsy)

Does anyone else have trouble parting with their skeins of yarn? I don't even want to knit them into anything for myself. I just love looking at them as skeins. Am I weird? I meant for a lot of these to be holiday gifts, but now I'm just not sure...

I tried to Navajo ply this time around, and I just can't get it. I understand how it works, but I can't get my hands to go fast enough. By the time my fingers have the next loop ready, there's so much twist built up that it twists the yarn into crazy kinks. Am I maybe doing something wrong? I have the wheel set to the slowest setting, and I'm treadling as lightly as possible. Any suggestions on how to practice?

[mullerslanefarm]

I tried to Navajo ply this time around, and I just can't get it. I understand how it works, but I can't get my hands to go fast enough. By the time my fingers have the next loop ready, there's so much twist built up that it twists the yarn into crazy kinks. Am I maybe doing something wrong? I have the wheel set to the slowest setting, and I'm treadling as lightly as possible. Any suggestions on how to practice?

Stop treadling and let the twist catch up to where you are looping.  Treadle a couple times, stop treadling and start looping.  Just like when you were learning to spin, break it down into the separate parts, then slowly add them together.

[the_bees_knees]

Thanks, Cyndi! That's really helpful. Is it easier to practice with thick singles or thin? Or does it matter?

[laminathegreat]

I've been a big fan of Fiber Friday for ages, and now I'm finally making my debut appearance. My first ever yarn, spun from undyed domestic wool on a drop spindle from laminathegreat (I got her awesome "learn to spin" kit), I am not even bothering to show. Suffice it to say that it is called "Pigeon Droppings".

AAHHHH!!!!! This makes me so amazingly happy! I don't often hear back from people who order the kit and it makes me SO happy to see yarn come out of it!! GREAT JOB!! and keep it up! Things are looking grand!!!!!!

[kirastorm]

i havn't been able to do much spinning, trying to finish off all my xmas gifts. thankfully, i have a bunch of awesome friends, who all craft, so i spun up some yarn for them!

this was my first time with merino and my first time with firestarr! its about 20 meters of thin yarn, just enough to add  a lacy trim to a shawl or scarf set.




and this is 100 alpaca. i had a ziplock full of fibers from an alpaca farm down the road, they all came from Zed who is the sweetest little alpaca ever.  i got almost 15 meters of yarn out of it, all really skinny. this is a horrible picture, but its the best of the 20 some odd i took.




i have three more bunches to spin up for xmas gifts, and need to get moving!