WnS Ep. 214: Catching up on ALLLL the Knitting!

Dear Spinning Circle,

Live Stream: Saturday, September 11th @ 8am Pacific // 11am Eastern

Thank you for being here today, especially those who were able to make it to the Live Stream. I appreciate your time spent here in this place with me. You are most welcome. I hope you feel most welcome because you are welcome here.

Enjoy the show!

Direct YouTube link here.

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There is a lot going on in our community! It’s a lot to cover and remind you of each week. Have a look here for more info!!

If you are curious about what happens in our community, please click the links below, reach out to me: rachel @ welfordpurls (dot) com, or reach out on Instagram/Ravelry/Slack (if you are a Patreon member, @welfordpurls_admin)

On & Off the Bobbins

Hello Yarn Organic Polwarth in colourway Spelt; Ashford eSpinner3, sampling process

Spindling progress – SweetGeorgia Yarns Spinning Socks 6 Pack; Jacob from World of Wool

On & Off the Needles

Finished – Knitting

Enchantee by Emilie Luis – Bowmont/Alpaca blend 2-ply, held double with Mohair-Silk lace; 4.5mm & 4.00mm // US 6 & 7

Larch Cardigan by Amy Christophers – deep stash, 100% BFL dyed years ago by Lynne of West Coast Colour; sport weight, ~1# of yarn or 1200 yards

In Progress – Knitting

Ystava by Jonna Hietala – Estelle Yarns Llama Worsted, 5 skeins

Lunenburg Pullover by Amy Christoffers – Dominion Fleece & Fibre North County Cheviot, naturally dyed in Indigo, Marigold, Madder

Community Inspiration // Participation

For September, tell us about the fibres you DISLIKE and WHY! Share in the Ravelry episode thread or comments on YouTube or here on Patreon!

Breed & Colour Studies – Jacob

Kellie shares via Slack: I started knitting with my Jacob yarn twice, and pulled it out twice as it was feeling a bit wiry for a shawl. After a trip back through the wheel and a warm bath, I now have a very low ply twist yarn to start again with. I hope to share FO photos soon!

Karl shares via Slack: I finished my Jacob breed and color study project. I got one pack of carded fiber and one pack of fiber which I spun into 6 small skeins. I made 2 placemats on a rigid heddle loom. I’m not thrilled with how it came out, mostly because I didn’t have enough yardage to really pull it off. I ended up weaving with a warp and weft that is less dense than I would have liked, which I think led to a lot of inconsistency. However, from start to finish the project was super fun! I’ve been spinning on a drop spindle for years, but finally broke down and got a wheel this summer. I’ve got so much to learn, but I’m finding this community really inspiring!

Spindle Spun Summer (SSS)

Spindle Spun Summer – Starting on the Summer Solstice! Co-hosted by Marce of Hey Brown Berry Podcast

Mary Jo shares via Slack: It’s been a quiet week, we drove to the cabin Monday and when we arrived I realized that I had left the spindles I wanted to test at home. I rooted around a bit and found the wings of a Turkish and decided to whittle a stick for it. That worked suprisingly  well! I decided to try and spin on these old weaving spools- that was a big bust. It is just too slow and fiddly. Next there were 2 mini Turks. These are small enough to fit into a shirt pocket. The Snyder weighs just 11g. I wouldn’t want to spin a lot on these but they  are a nice tool for quick samples. My little basket has my plying ball tools-I like to use anything that’s handy for the core of my plying balls. So don’t judge but this basket has a couple of wine corks in it that I am using for my ball cores. This week I finished redoing this sitting area in the garden. 2 weeks ago I dug out and put a layer of gravel before laying the lannon stone. Then it sat until this week and I leveled the dirt and put the cement stones back in place. So even though I forgot the fiber and spindles I wanted to use my week has turned out pretty well.

Kelli shares via Slack: I’m excited to be heading out to a fiber retreat called Yarnie Camp tomorrow but instead of packing and getting my to-do list done I’ve been spinning on the 4th color of my Ingelnook TDF cashmere, and plying up a frankenskein that I spun from odds and ends.  I am the best procrastinator ever…..

Diana shares via Slack: Plying all done. These spindles got just to the point of being too full to spin without effort. But it’s done. Total amount is 250m; 271 yds from 122 grams. (Before finishing as in photo). It’s drying now so I’ll do final measurements tomorrow. Linda Sue shares via Slack: Next fiber for #SSS, See that luscious frothy goodness.  Lessons learned from first SSS project: 1) break large amounts into batches; 2) weigh before starting; 3) have a plan in mind. So 1) is to break CraftyJacs rolags into 3 batches of 4 rolags.  #2 the first batch weighs 42g.  And third, the plan is to spin each batch, wind into a plying ball, and make a 3-ply yarn.  Aspiration is a sock/fingering weight yarn, but not sure of spinning the silk which gives the gray fiber the pop of color. PS: SSS project #1 will post closure tomorrow.  I need a day more to recover before sending everyone into fits of giggles about how I spent my Sat. Afternoon after the ‘Live’ session.

Sample Spinning // PLAY

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct. – Carl Jung

Amanda shares via Slack: I’ve been dyeing alongside (virtually) @Vikki and @kelly in the School of Sweet Georgia Natural Dyeing Study Group this summer.  I dyed just over 2 kg of Rya wool as fibre resulting in 23 shades of carded fibre for me to play with later.  I also dyed up merino sample skeins as I went (even more variations!) and about 800g of handspun Rya rug wool which, in the end, dyed up to look just like a Gotland grey.  So much fun.  Too much fibre to fit into one photo but here is a photo of all the little sample skeins of merino.  I’m looking forward to playing with all the different coloured fibre on my drum carder.

Weaving

Lisa shares via Slack: Really happy with these Buffalo check tea towels. Made 13 and they are already all spoken for! 2/8 cotton, straight draw twill, sett of 20.

Thank you so much for joining me today!

Until then, Happy Spinning!