Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Purple Yarn

I've spun and plied half of the camel down/silk from the last post:

purple yarn

This is just under 8 ounces, and about 880 yards. I have another 8 ounces to spin, and the color (much darker than this photo would lead you to believe) is fabulous. I know I should spin up the rest, and make something big and glorious with this, but my inclination is to make a Priscilla Gibson-Roberts whimple from Knitting in America. We shall see.

The rest of the fiber may become small things too: gloves, a hat, who knows, combined with this yarn, merino and silk dyed by Yarn Chef:

sailor's delight4

If you read the comments in the post mentioned above, you will see that Jen is dyeing more of this fiber, in several colors, and Morgaine should have it all soon for upcoming fiber festivals (guessing here but Black Sheep, GGFI plus SOAR are probably on the agenda). I highly recommend this fiber: lots of yardage and plenty of spinning-and-knitting enjoyment for the $$.

Last Friday was SSK (Society for Subversive Knitters) and I usually try to get a blog post up by that morning so I can counter the verbal abuse from Patricia and Lindsey. Well, Lindsey has managed to subscribe to Bloglines, so she no longer clicks in vain to see if a new post is up: she is just pleasantly surprised when one is, and she leaves me (mostly) alone if I have not posted for a while. I say mostly, because Lindsey is good with the very quiet comment at the odd moment when you are least expecting it. Funny. Ha Ha.

But Patricia loudly proclaimed she was tired of the purple yarn whenever she opened the blog up. Now? She has more:

purple yarn2

This is Patricia:

patricia

Doesn't she look cheerful? Don't let that smile fool you: therein lies the heart of a hawk. I should truly thank her, though, (and Lindsey) for keeping me posting, frankly. Without some encouragement, ofttimes there would be no posts. I expect it from them, in fact. But this time? I got it from other, unexpected quarters.

I got a comment from someone who is usually gracious and kind, and does not point out lack (or lax?) in others.

Et tu, Dee?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Exhale

A moment of exhale, the time between ending and starting. The time for exploring and catching fire:
camelsilk
(Cameldown and silk, from Spirit Trail, purchased from Carolina Homespun.)

The time of planning, preparing:
soumak kit

Samples,weaving, spinning, comfort zone, back to basics:
soumak

Playtime. Dipping a toe...listening to the wind:
silk pile

Happy and sad:
taswool2
Happy, because my wool arrived from Tasmania. Sad, because the box was smashed and half empty. Sad: somewhere in some Customs office or warehouse, half of my wool has been left to become, what? packing material? Sigh.