Sunday, 29 July 2012
Monday, 23 July 2012
Tour de Fleece 2012 results
I completed the Tour de Fleece in Ravelry for the first time, achieving my goal of spinning a little every day (except rest days). Team members helped keep me motivated and I am pleased as punch with my results: a skein of 3 ply wool and a skein of 2 ply Pima cotton.
Now that the Tour is completed, I really must do something about
all those dust bunnies that have accumulated in the corners since
housework fell off the priority list....
Post by M in JaM
Pix by JaM
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Hand-spinning wool for Tour de Fleece |
I used my Ashford Traditional wheel to spin handpainted wool top from Kathy's Fibres in the "Strelitzia" colourway. Kathy's coloured wool top is a joy to spin. I used Sarah Anderson's technique for Navajo plying to produce a 3 ply yarn with a grist of 2700m/kg. I found Sarah's technique works best for me when I place the lazy kate (holding the full bobbin of single) on the floor beside me.
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Hand-spinning cotton for Tour de Fleece |
Using Easy To Spin Pima cotton top from Cotton Clouds, I did a little spinning with a support spindle but mainly I used my Ashford Traditional wheel. I have grown ever more confident at spinning cotton on the Ashford. I did discover that I prefer spinning a cotton single onto a fat core bobbin.
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Cotton single (top) on regular bobbin; cotton single (bottom) on fat core bobbin. Equal amounts of cotton on each bobbin. |
We had a grand time with the twins last
week.
On the way home we saw a double rainbow
over Mareeba. Handcraft activities make me happy. So do grandchildren
and rainbows.
Post by M in JaM
Pix by JaM
Labels:
AshfordTraditional,
cotton,
CottonClouds,
EasyToSpinPimaCotton,
family,
handspinning,
KathysFibres,
locale,
tdf2012,
wool
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Slow and Simple
On reflection I have come to the
conclusion that spinning and weaving (and handcrafts in general)
comprise excellent examples of activities one can include in a slow
and simple life. I've begun weaving.
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Beginning of weaving with slubby cotton weft on cottolin warp |
I'm using a set of remarkable new
bobbins, designed by DH. A friend with a 3D printer (MakerBot
Replicator) produced the bobbin ends in ABS plastic. The connecting
shaft is carbon fibre. I'm not sure how these tools fit into a slow
and simple life, but you must agree it is a “charming mix of old
and new technological wonders” - according to MakerGuy.
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Bobbins of ABS and carbon fibre (wood bobbin on right) |
We've had 22mm rain (almost one inch)
this month. Unusual for July. The warm weather continues. Grevilleas
are blooming like crazy and attracting a variety of honey eaters –
sugar gliders at night, bees and friar birds during the day.
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Honey Gem Grevillea blossoms in front of tall grass tree (Xanthorrhoea) |
We've signed up for twin-sitting again. Slow and simple gets shelved on that day.
Post by M in JaM
Pix by JaM
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Busy Hands
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Handspinning cotton on Ashford Traditional wheel and on JaM support spindle as participant in Tour de Fleece. ~Easy to Spin Pima cotton top from Cotton Clouds~ |
Craftwork continues as my primary focus
these days. I'm meeting my goal of handspinning a bit every day
during Ravelry's Tour de Fleece and we keep abreast of SBS's streamed
highlights of the Tour de France. Go, Cadel Evans!
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The loom is dressed! |
I've also finished dressing the loom
with some helping hands from DH.
Weather has changed again. We got 11mm
rain last night (almost 1/2”). A female bower bird danced and trilled
along the edge of the railing of the balcony as I was working on the
loom a few feet away. Skinks skitter across the kitchen floor.
Definitely, a change in weather and such.
Working industriously on more projects
than I can shake a stick at, I wonder why I feel so compelled to be
busy.... and determine to reflect on my claim to a “slow and simple”
life.
Post by M in JaM
Pix by J in JaM
Labels:
cotton,
handspinning,
native-fauna,
support-spindle,
tdf2012,
weaving
Monday, 2 July 2012
Spin me around
The plans multipled again, like a
plague of rabbits, but more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Though I have plenty to do, I found myself casting
on yet another pair of toddler socks and this time I'm doing
colourwork! I just couldn't resist even though I kept telling myself to focus on this:
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Gilmore 4-harnass loom being dressed with cottolin warp |
Progress does continue weaving-wise, that is, I'm making progress in dressing the loom. I finished threading the heddles while sitting on the tiger stool, such a handy height. That's how things will stay until we get back from indulging in a day of twin-sitting... and then recover....
In between times over the next two weeks, I'll handspin daily as a member of Team I
Spin Cotton in Ravelry's Tour de Fleece (did I mention that I also
joined Team Australia and Team Kathy's Fibres?)
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Plying cotton from two support spindles (in background) using 12:1 ratio on 70s Ashford Traditional spinning wheel with standard sliding hook flyer |
I plied previously spun cotton singles
from two support spindles in order to have empty spindles to start
afresh spinning cotton for the Tour-de-Fleece.
I decided I might want
an occasional change from spinning white cotton. I'm also spinning handpainted wool from
Kathy's Fibres, an Australian independent dyer and supplier.
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Ashford Traditional standard sliding hook flyer, with ratio 12:1. Handpainted fibre from Kathy's Fibres in "Strelitzia" colourway. |
We don't get regular reception for SBS,
the tv channel that carries the Tour de France. We can get the
program streamed live via satellite, starting at 10pm and lasting
about four hours, but much too late for us. Lucky for us, SBS
archives a streamed Highlights version (24 min), available the
following day.
Before today is over, I better get to spinning my wheel, look forward to having fun with grandsons
tomorrow and wish everyone: Happy Independence Day!
post by M in JaM
pix by JaM
Labels:
AshfordTraditional,
cottolin,
cotton,
hand-dyed,
handspinning,
KathysFibres,
support-spindle,
tdf2012
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