journal of the view of the birds & wildlife from my home in the woods,folk art,spinning fiber, photography, parrots, dogs, cats, rabbits, God, everyday life in PA.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Spinning fiber
I am still spinning the roving I bought from Phylleri Ball.It is mohair from her angora goats,plus wool from her sheep.I know she takes some of her fiber to a mill to be washed & made into roving,then I believe she dyes it herself.I wish I could get caught up on my own.I handwash all of mine in small batches in the kitchen sink.In the winter,I dry the fiber on screens by the woodstove,then card on my drumcarder.Santa didn`t bring me a shed yet,but I hope to have one soon where I can card & work with the fiber somewhere besides my kitchen table.
Aren`t these lovely colors?There are many colorways to go as it is not all one color,but many shades.I tried seperating the blues & greens with the roving,trying for a striped color,but decided I wanted it all blended together.Spinning is so relaxing to me.If I can`t sleep,can`t relax,I just pull the wheel over & treadle my worries away while I meditate.I could almost fall asleep at the wheel.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
Gorgeous colors and I love your yarn!! Wish I could find colors like that here. I haven't tried dyeing yet but once I get my merino fleece washed (lock by lock) then I'll spin and dye it. That roving looks absolutely dreamy to spin! Is it as soft as it looks?
yes,it is really nice to spin,I`m finding I like making yarn better than using it,I`m guessing I`ll make some shawls with it.I want to knit socks too this year,have never made any.phylliso
Wonderful Phyllis!
I spend lots of money buying yarn for my knitting and crochet...or it atleast seems like a lot to me. What a good hobby, and way to make what you want. Do you knit and crochet also? I'm not sure I've seen what you've done before.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011! Can't believe it myself! May you be blessed in this new year!
Yes,I knit & crochet Cathy.I have made many prayer shawls last year for our church.People seem to not need them so much anymore,at least no one is coming forward,I have to find people on my own.We donated 6 shawls & 6 lap blankets to the salvation army this year,which pleased us to be giving to people who may not have anything but for those small gifts,I believe they have them a hot meal & a potted plant too.May God bless you & your family this year,phylliso
Phyllis,
Thanks for hanging in htere with me. I have been scraping the bottom of the barrel, in arthritus pain. It is not RA or Lupus, I guess just Osteo. I am Thankful for that. Hope all is well with you. love you back. Robin
What vibrant colors!
The wool roving is so luscious! I want to run my hands through it! I love the vibrant colors of the yarn!
Looks to me like you accomplish a HUGE amount! The colors are awesome--what do you use for dyes?
Tammy
Tammy,this is fiber I bought from Phylleri Ball at Steam Valley Fiber Farm in Trout Run,Pa.,when she had an open farm tour.She dyed it.I did buy dye from her,I have not tried it yet.It is called Country Classics dyes & is very easy to use.I hope to try it this summer when I can be outside.I have dyed my fiber with kool-aid,which is next to do as it will be my own processed fiber,I just have to spin it,I mixed some of your wool-the grey,with my mohair,maybe that will be my sock yarn as I may spin it striped.I bought the lilac color roving,the ocean tidal wave color roving ,& the bee balm roving-which I spun it all up-from Phylleri when I went through her farm tour,was it last spring?Time flies.I got lazy working on my own & wanted just to sit & spin .It helps me to sort out my cares,even if they aren`t really my own to worry about,phylliso
Hiya,
You want to get yourself a drum carder, rather than the handheld ones which scratrch your fingers to pieces :-)
Hi Joco,yes,I finally did give in & invest in a drum carder,my wrists & hands from RA could not tolerate using the carders.Foolishly I had bought 2 sets of hand carders,& they are expensive too,thinking I would have someone who`d like to sit with me & card...didn`t happen & I`m so grateful for the drumcarder.phylliso
Hiya again,
Silly me, you already wrote that in your post :-)
You might be able to sell your regular carders. Did you mix the sheep and angora fibre?
I knitted a lovely angora jumper once, but wearing it made me sneeze uncontrollably so I had to discard it. Pity really.
Like Little Wren says, Merino is the Queen of fibres. So soft, like cashmere, and wonderful to work with.
What wheel are you using? It looks like the Dutch wheel.
those colors are beautiful!
Post a Comment