Wool and Cotton

Handspun 2ply wool; light fingering weight;
one single is handpainted "Strelitzia" from Kathy's Fibres
one single is Dreamee Wool in Grey from Bilby's Yarns. 

As a spinner, knitter and weaver, I love feeling that initial surge of creativity... then get oh so cranky when I find myself frustrated because all my spinning wheel bobbins are partway full of various unfinished spinning projects, all the knitting needles of a particular size that I need are holding unfinished knitting projects, or that all the weaving bobbins are partially filled with perfectly good (for something) yarn remnants from my last weaving project.

So it was that I got excited about the arrival of new coloured cotton to spin (a Christmas prezzie). I searched high and low, upstairs, downstairs and in the Shed for empty bobbins for my spinning wheel. I tracked them all down, only to acknowledge, that yes, all bobbins were in use – holding hibernating spinning projects. And I wasn't willing to wind off the yarn. After much fretting, I zeroed in on two bobbins, each containing a single of Strelitzia, a handpainted wool from Kathy's Fibres that I spun during Ravelry's Tour de Fleece 2012. I wanted to ply this yarn, but decided I'd make the handpainted singles go further by plying with a completely different yarn, which I would now have to spin.

I picked Grey Dreamee Wool (from BilbyYarns), a Melanian wool (natural colours) from West Australia. The beautifully prepared wool top is a pleasure to spin. The time slipped by effortlessly as the fibres flowed through my fingers. I let the finished singles rest on the bobbin for a couple of nights, then plyed with ease. As soon as I wash the skeins, I can count this spinning project complete... and a success!

Two kinds of naturally coloured cotton

The empty bobbins began calling for the cotton. Above, on the right, you can see "Café," a certified organic cotton from South America (available at Virginia Farm Woolworks) that I'm spinning on a support spindle. To the left, on a spinning wheel bobbin, you can see Easy To Spin Pima Brown cotton from Cotton Clouds. I so enjoy spinning these coloured cottons. 

The excitement of each beginning evolves into a soothing practice that includes transforming frustration into perseverance. I continue to learn about the satisfaction of finishing.

Post by M in JaM

Photos by J in JaM 

Hands, Heart and Home

My handspun Easy To Spin Pima cotton 2 ply

My collection of handspun cotton skeins continues to grow. I'm halfway through spinning a pound of Easy ToSpin Pima cotton top from Cotton Clouds. My knowledge grows and my technique improves thanks to hours of handspinning. I learn best through direct experience – and even then the learning happens slowly. I think it's muscle-learning, not brain-learning. Now that I'm more confident spinning cotton, I like to listen to an audio book while I spin. I'm producing a pretty even cotton yarn now and that's what I want.

Cotton 2 ply yarn wound on wooden skeiner.
Singles were spun and plied on Ashford Traditional wheel. 

For the first time I used the charming wooden skeiner that formerly belonged to Australian artist Mary Dau. The skeiner worked perfectly with the cotton yarn. It's thanks to the generosity of Mary Dau and her son that I began spinning cotton.

My weaving likewise continues slowly. I plan to weave a sample with my handspun cotton. In times past, each weaver needed a bunch of spinners. I'll weave through the pile of cotton skeins in no time at all... well, I would if I did anything quickly. The crackle weave I'm currently working on engages my mind to the extent that I cannot listen to an audio book while weaving. Yet my sessions at the loom and the experience of using handwoven tea towels and table runners every day give me a feeling of lasting satisfaction.

“One must take the bitter with the better,” said someone. And so we received news of another death in the extended family. Heartbreaking to lose good people. 

“God needs them more than we do,” said an elder Auntie. I wanted to argue but thought better of it. Best for me to marshall my energies toward joining in the resistance to the proposed resumption and expansion of mining behind our home. More on that issue in my next post.

Post by M in JaM

Photos by JaM

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.

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.

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.

Cotton single (top) on regular bobbin;
cotton single (bottom) on fat core bobbin.
Equal amounts of cotton on each bobbin.

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....

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