Half finished,

Today a quick update, I've finished one of my Wine and Roses mitts, so I can show off, and I've been spinning. I've even sort of mastered the art of spinning woolen singles from rolags - but I can't show that yet, its still on the bobbin, so instead I'll show the results of my recent plying and spinning.



First up, one finished Wine and Roses mitt, cast off, hemmed, edges sewn down and ends woven in. I did modify the finish a little, and instead of casting off and sewing down the hems, I grafted the live stitches down into place. I think that makes for less of a ridge but it is a bit fiddly. So this is the back of Mitt 1, not blocked so the cuff curls up a little and it has not relaxed yet, mine seem to fit closer than those in the magazine photos. Either my gauge is off (note to self : measure gauge some time,, they fitted so gauge seemed less important than ususal), or I have bigger hands which is entirely possible I'm not a petite thing. I love the colours, the green of rose leaves and a hint of the pink of roses and of wine - perfect!

... and here is the other side, same as the first as the mitts are reversible. And its my handspun - I'm sneaking off to the mill tomorrow - the have 300g of this set aside for me in an golden orange, which will be fun to spin. I have a Monday night work meeting so won't get so spin with the group Monday night, but it will balance out tomorrows mill visit.


Two different attempts at spinning here, 3 skeins of dark grey Gotland spun semi-worsted from rolags (thanks Kelly for loaning me your hand carders), and 2 skeins of jet black merino. Both spun fairly thickly for me, as practice. Spinning thick seems harder - or perhaps the opportunity for variation are larger than when spinning thin. The handle of the two is so different, the Gotland silky and drapey, the merino silky and bouncy. I still have one bobbin of true worsted spun gotland - and am spinning a matching bobbin so make a two ply worsted yarn, and it will be interesting to see what difference the spinning technique makes when using the same fiber, and same prep.


The dark grey worsted should come out a little like the white yarn in the front of this image. That was spun from some very nicely prepared Gotland again from Chocolate Wool NZ, but carded by a different carder (Hamish has offered me some more of his Gotland, with better prep - so I've accepted his most generous offer - usually there is a waiting list). Here I've got 3 sample skeins here, in the front is a three ply, in the middle a 2 ply and in the back the sample skein of the Gotland spun semi-worsted above. I have mastered my fear of letting twist into the drafting zone, and adjusted my wheel so the pull matches the pull as I draw the rolag back, and its fun, quick spinning and fun. I could get used to this, very much indeed. I've been playing with the last of the dark grey Gotland, and then will spin the pale Gotland this way as well, for practice.

I really do have a thing for Gotland don't I?
take care, knit well, I'm off to watch trash tv and spin and knit some more
na Stella

(I'm learning Maori - and na means from)