Spinning has been on hold a couple of weeks. I’ve done some of the Churchmouse Yarns patterns. First was the Ferryboat mitts. Then I did the Easy Folded Poncho. Now I’m working on the Go To Cardigan. I’m using commercial yarns, mostly Rowan Felted Tweed. I like the yarn and the patterns.
It’s supposed to turn colder next week. Most of my sweaters are cold weather stuff. I’ve needed some lighter weight things. I think these will work out well.
Okay, time for a new spindle! This is my new Enid Ashcroft Mindi in Olivewood with a Walnut shaft. Weight is 25 grams.
I’ve really wanted an Olivewood spindle. We even have a chunk of it in our collection of pretty wood. I am very pleased with it. I don’t have a project for it yet, but have ordered a TB small yarn stuff sack in Iberian for this larger spindle. I am still giving the Mini and Midges a good work out. I am finally starting to feel like I have a Turkish spindle for any project. I stiil think that I need another Midge and I’d like a Midi and Maxi to round out my collection. I also like Enid’s high whorl spindles, so maybe I’ll find a need for that too. Mostly, I need to get busy knitting up some of this!
I am a fan of my Enid Ashcroft spindles. I have two Midges. They spin well and she has a nice eye for wood grain. I like the way the wood of the shaft compliments the spindle whorl. The shapes are not as elegant as my Jenkins’ turks, but I’m okay with that. I can buy Enid’s spindles and know that they are her own designs.
So this is my new Mini and the first I’ve bought directly from Enid.
This is Ovangkol with a Burmese Teak shaft. I hadn’t heard of Ovangkol, which seems to be used in making guitars. It’s beautiful wood. It’s 18 grams, 3 5/8″ whorl with a 4 5/8″ shaft. It’s very similar in size to my Jenkins’ Lark.
The Mini is lighter than the Ebony Lark but does have a similar spin. I like them both, of course! I try to keep all my turkish spindles busy, so I have too many project going right now. And I picked up another of the #1 Tom Bihn travel stuff sacks in Ultraviolet, to have a place for this new project and spindle.
I’ve invented a new term! I have no idea how this will look, so we’ll see if it’s a useful technique. I like to break up the colors in multi-colored roving. In my project from the last update, I pull off a chunk of roving, split it, and spin one half on one Midge and the other half on my other Midge. I combine this with another turtle for a three ply.
This project is BFL from Greenwood Fibers in the colorway Emily. I’m trying what I will call “butterflying”. It’s a technique people use on things like tenderloin steaks. You cut it in two, so that it splits but leaves the steak joined. I am taking a chunk of roving, splitting it, then spinning from one end. When I run out, I attach the other piece from the end with the same color. Then I spin to the end of that. I’m thinking this will be two ply, but I may decide to go with three ply. I think this may give me some longer stretches of a single color. We wll see. I am spinning this on my new Enid Ashcroft Mini, which will have a separate post.
Showing how the second strip will be attached.
I’m still working on the same things. I’ve finished another hank of the East Friesian. I am working on the last of the wine and silver Falklands from Wintry Flower by Design. It looks like this:
It’s hard to get a good picture of it. I’m on the last bit of this. I picked up another 4 ounces of similar colored Falklands. I can’t really tell you why I like this so much, other than to say that I like grapey colors. I had a little extra money this month, so I picked up a few new braids of fiber for the winter. I don’t know if I’m going to bother with Oregon Flock and Fiber. I have one new spindle that should get here soon. I think I am going to buy a few more of the Enid Ashcroft spindles. I really like my Midges. I am starting to think I need one of each size. And maybe one more Midge.
Feeling much better about online spindle buying today. I managed to get a Mini from the Enid Ashcroft update today. I had problems with checkout and still managed to get it! I’m looking forward to getting this (and I may need to pick up some special fiber!)
I was thinking yesterday how long it’s been since I’ve used a wheel. I don’t think I’ve touched one, since I loaned out my Louet to a friend that wants to learn to spin on a wheel. I have two wheels that I will keep for sentimental reasons. I love the great wheel, but the wheel is warped and it’s tricky to use. I will always love my Pipy, which I bought in the 70s. So many memories with that one. I almost sold it, but Jeffrey told me I should keep it. I’ve had some repairs done to it, but haven’t tried using it since it’s been fixed.
Mostly, I just love my spindles. I can use them anywhere. I’m working on the East Friesian and the Midge projects. I like to trade off, as the two fibers feel and draft differently. I finished my first skein from the Midges yesterday:
I have my little Tom Bihn project bags. When I have enough turtles, I take my Tracy Einheim low whorl and ply it up. Then it’s skeined and washed. I’m using my excess TB Café Bags for storage. It’s just a different process than using a wheel. It’s just plain fun!
I do need to start knitting, as I have some projects on tap. The knuckle on my right index finger has been swollen for a few weeks and I’ve been babying it. I did knit for awhile this weekend and it seemed okay.
The East Friesian project continues:
I am working through a pound of this and will likely order one more pound. I am thinking of making Pumpkin Ale (pattern available on Ravelry). I typically spin three turtles, ply together, then repeat.
These are my two Enid Ashcroft Midges. I had a few ounces of this braid left, so am working up some three ply sock yarn.
The Pau Amarillo/Yew midge was pickup on destash. The tulipwood/pink Ivory is one that I’ve had awhile. I like them both.
This is finally done!
It turned out nicely. Still need a project for this one. I ordered a pound of the East Freisian roving. I think I’ll need one more pound for the project I have in mind. It’s three ply yarn and it does take awhile to work through that much fiber. Here’s the latest shot of the plied yarn:
I’ve picked up a few more Tom Bihn yarn stuff sacks and travel stuff sacks for projects. And I have another Swift. I would love to have one of their travel bags, but the fact is that we don’t really travel that much. We usually aren’t gone for more than one day. I am planning to pick up some cotton string bags for processed fiber. I think it will be a good way to comb fiber, then spin enough for a project.
I also bought some commercial yarn (Knit Picks Shine) for Decimal. I found I’d bookmarked this link some years ago. The note read “I really should make myself some nice sweaters like this.” Since Lon has said something similar, I thought maybe I should do just that. I haven’t started on this yet. I am trying to finish Howard’s socks (the smaller version).
It’s a new yarn bowl! Howard made it for me. It’s unfinished and the yarn slot needs to be sanded. It’s a lovely bowl.
