Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Spun up!

Although we are not realy into Rugby ofcourse we had to watch New Zealand play in the world cup. I was pleased with that because it gave me some excuse to sit and spin while watching a game I don't realy understand much of.

From this


To single


To two-ply


Although I wasn't too stoked with the original dye result, I realy like the effect of the colours in the end result.


Its only about 110-120g of wool and it may make a lovely pair of socks.

Oh and New Zealand won the cup (Just in case you were interested)


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Just because

We had the dyepot out for the 3 ply wool anyway and we thought we should make use of the moment to add colour to some of Anisha' s white carded wool that I have here waiting to be spun up.
(It is soon time again to shear our two sheep and I do have to keep up with the fleece they provide us with, which is some mission!)

Coloured wool is more fun to spin then white wool in my opinion.



The excitement is in the combinations of colours you pick for the dyeing process.

For this lot I picked yellow, lime green, blue and black and I used the hot pour method.The wool sits in the bottom of a pot with just enough water (some vinegar added) to cover it. You bring it up to about 85 C and then pour in the dyes starting with the lightest. Slightely simmer this for about 20 min or until all the dyes are taken up. And drain to see your result.


This method has a high level of surprising factors and little control.
The colours are soft and at first I wasn't too impressed. I think the PH was too high so the colours struck too soon and did not mix that much. But also my lime green totally separated and not a lot of green is left. The black turned grey...

But with dyeing fibre instead of spun yarn this is not the end result and I feel this could still turn out lovely somehow. First I have to spin this lot. Then I have to ply two of the singles together and this will make for some interesting blending of colours.
Watch this space.



Kiki also felt inspired and has decided that spinning colourful wool would be cool to do, so she did her own batch. This time she used the cold pour method and used different colours in random fashion.


She is delighted with her resulting fibre.
Quite sweet and girly I think.
She is going to spin it up herself too.



Just think of all these colours mixing while being spun and plied.


I wonder what she'll make with it. Whatever it will be it will be unique and scumptious.

Monday, October 17, 2011

3 Sheep, 3 ply.

 
This is a (still greasy) 3 ply yarn I spun from the fleeces of 3 sheep that Kiki owns (ed).

One singles is of Prince the orphan lamb we found dumped on the side of the road one year that, Kiki ended up hand feeding until it was big enough to feed us.

The Second singles is from Barney the South Down Cross that Kiki had as a pet lamb for calf club and who has now grown into this huge while marshmellow who thinks he is a dog.

The third singles is from Anisha, sweet companion to Barney, I think a corriedale cross, with lovely soft touch.

It is soaking at the moment but watch this space as this white is going to be dyed and it always a surprise how that will turn out.


Well I could not wait much longer so I just got on with it.

Using the 'cold pour' method with a Kiki's choice of colours, I applied th colours as follows to the 'sausages' of white yarn;

Yellow- Blue- Orange- Purple
Purple- Orange- yellow- Blue

All wrapped up in Glad wrap and into the pot it went.


And heare it is hanging to dry, be amazed!



I think the colours are amazing, they turned out much brighter then I had expected and  although I wasn't confident that the colour choice was that great I am very happy with the result.


It is not a great amount, just 130 yards or so for a size 6mm knitting needle I think but it will surely make some nice project one day. Pitty summer is coming, who wouldn't want to wear a hat that will look this warm.

Alpaca, Mohair and silk

Take some ash grey carded Mohair.

Add some (80%) black Alpaca with (20%) yellow/pink red Silk blended in.

And think.................mmmmmmmm, would that...?


And it does!

Quite gorgeous actually, now I need to find a pattern.

5 miles an hour scarfs!

Kiki's colours

 As it was busy on the farm with calving season I have knitted more then I have spun.

As most spinners and knitters too I possess this big basket with oddment balls of wool. A few meters of this and a little ball of that. If you understand how much time it takes to produce those meters even though that is an enjoyable process, it makes it very hard to just discard of those 'useless pieces' just like that.


Else's autumn soft blends

I found a wonderful pattern on Ravelry for a scarf that is knitted on enormous needles to make it a very quick project.


I fact I knitted three of them in one rainy weekend. Using up all kinds of little bits of white and grey or black/white barberpole yarn of different wools and textures. I think they were some of the first wools I had spun, not too tidy nor even.

The girl and I had great fun dyeing them each to our own liking.


Esther's Peacock creation.

And look at the fabulous results!

There is no such thing as useless yarn....this proves it.