I finally finished the border for the Boundary Waters Shawl as you can see above. I have started adding the edging and I think it looks pretty good. My sister-in-laws sister, Millie, has finished a lace shawl (her first) so I will be breaking in the shawl frame by blocking it for her. My sister's wheel, a Majacraft Rose, is a really terrific wheel. Thing is, I hated the "delta" orifice and had to obtain a "lace" flyer assembly with a circular orifice. It spins great now so I'm making more lace singles. If you see this fiber, it's the same one I used for Mountain Pines. Why do more of the same fiber you ask? Because. When I bought the fiber, I was knitting cable sweaters. I bought enough fiber to make an entire sweater. I will be spinning this stuff into lace weight yarn till Hell freezes over. The set comes with bobbins with thicker cores so that the take-up with lace weight singles is much easier and the orifice has a ceramic liner for smooth going. So now I'm spinning both this green fiber as well as the Lisa Souza Petroglyph fiber which I'm spinning on my Schacht wheel. It's really good to have more than one wheel in the house! "Squeee!"
In addition to the spinning and knitting I've also been guilty of shopping for more yarn. I know I don't need it but I still wanted it. I think this is the only time I have ever bid on an item on
E-Bay. I have bought items but not bid on them. I purchased the really lovely suri alpaca and I think it will help me to figure out how to spin the baby suri alpaca fiber that I recently bought at Copper Moose. The suri alpaca has virtually no crimp so I think seeing this yarn will also help me to figure out how to make mine. The color of this yarn is more "peach" than pink but I don't know if it will translate in this blog. On my monitor, the last picture of this yarn looks closer to the actual color. I have an idea of what I will use it for but I will wait until I get a few things done before I start my next projects. Once Boundary Waters is done, I will start the "Heere Be Dragone" shawl for my niece. I'm still knitting on the shop sample for Yarn Place but won't post again until I have one end border done. It still looks very pretty and is fairly easy to knit because it's only a stole. Good Knitting!
14 comments:
Wow, those are gorgeous yarns. And gorgeous knitting. Wow.
Congrats on almost finishing the shawl....now you must have at least 2 lbs of fiber that means what? 6-8 shawls????? lovely stuff. The alpaca on Rose is lovely too is that singles?
Your spinning is so gorgeous and consistent and I'm just so jealous I could cry! Does the lace flyer really make a difference in consistency or is it really just a matter of preference between that and the delta?
Jane, you continue to amaze me. The spinning is unbelievable! the knitting is you, know, ok. Joke. It's also exquisite.
So you are the one who bought that pink suri alpaca...I saw it but figured I have enough lace yarn for now. It's lovely stuff, though.
Lovely lace, as always. the laceweight spinning is also very impressive!
Dear alisonh,
Happy you are enjoying the pictures! I can't wait to get my copy of your book to try out something in it.
Dear laritiza,
The stuff on rose is actually merino and silk and it is a single on the bobbin. I can come up with a respectable lace weight yarn but not even close to cobweb weight LOL. I have no idea what I'm going to do with this much green yarn. I'm just spinning it because it's enjoyable. My sister has taken up her wheel again so maybe she'll help me out and spin some into stuff she can use for a scarf or hat. Fingerless mittens would be very pretty in it. Since some others in the extended family have started knitting lace, I think I will offer some to them too. Waste not want not!
Dear Opal,
I have to say that I really detested the delta. I sit at an angle to the orifice on my Schacht, always have and it was easy because it's a single treadle. I do this because I like to lift my hands up closer to my face and have the natural light back-light the drafting triangle so I can see how much fiber is going into my single. It just makes it easier to produce a more even single. Though the Rose is double treadle, I still try to sit at an angle and this means that the delta snaps my singles because I'm not directing the fiber towards the point. For me, the lace flyer actually made me enjoy spinning on the Rose more than on my Schacht. The circular orifice does not snap the singles and the fat bobbins really do eliminate that awkward initial take-up that I have with the Schacht. Works for me because I'm spinning quirky.
Dear fleegle,
You know, when I was going to buy this, I was actually afraid it was you who was bidding on it! Either you or missalicefaye or laritza but I really was betting it might be you. If it was anyone who checks in on this blog I hope you are not mad at me! I will try to make something really really pretty with it, I swear!
I'm having fun with what I'm doing right now but tomorrow I have to sit down and try to knit two rows on WRS. I think I just have to bite the bullet to get done with the border. It's just that getting around the shawl once is over a thousand stitches now. That is kinda daunting.
Dear Carol,
Thank you for your kind words. It's a good thing I knit lace because I'm afraid I'd have a hard time spinning anything other than thin singles now LOL. It's really true that the more you do this type of spinning, the harder it is to spin other weights/types of yarn. I admire your work as well and I take my hat off to you and anyone willing to blog and share their experiences with the rest of us. Nice to know I'm not alone!
Hi -- I found your blog through the spun stitiches KAL. Your stuff is amazing. I am a spinner but have no where near the patience to do the kind of stuff you are doing. I joined the KAL to encourage my lightweight yarn making skills! Ha my stuff looks like bulky weight compared to yours! It is really wonderful to see your work. I love your patterns too. Do you spin worsted?
Dear kristine,
I just looked at your blog and you are no slouch when it comes to the spinning either:-) Yes, I'm spinning worsted at the moment although I've spun from "the fold", for heavier singles if the fiber has a lot of "slubs". Thanks for checking in. If you go to my "Compleated Lace" Flicker badge you can see the Mountain Pines Shawl that I finished earlier this yearn. That one is hand-spun yarn.
ooh--the Boundary Waters edging is so pretty! And if you're desperate to get rid of that lovely handspun someday, I'm sure you'd have some willing takers. :)
I can't wait to see how you like blocking your sister-in-law's sister's shawl on the frame!
(Oh, and not me bidding on the alpaca yarn--I try very hard to stay away from eBay, for the sake of my bank account....)
Dear missalicefaye,
For you to knit my handspun would be an honor but first it would have to be good enough to deserve your attention!
I'm also looking forward to blocking with the frame but did not get the time to do it yet. I have to get the crochet cotton threaded through the points on her shawl before I go to wash/soak it.
I'm really glad it wasn't you I was bidding against for the alpaca yarn. I really would feel guilty.
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