Legs treaded steadily, breathing easy and light while hands gently guided the two singles into one until it registered that the hands weren’t working easily in automatic and the twist was no longer consistent. groan. So little left on the bobbins but it was time to climb off the saddle and head for bed. The finish line was so close but I knew if I continued to spin just to cross the line before midnight I’d regret it the morning. So, while I can’t claim the yellow jersey I’ll proudly post the Red Shirt as sign that I did complete the course. Detours such as not having access to my wheel for over a week are part of life but we do our best to complete the course.
Fiber: Corriedale wool with thin strips of Baby Camel hand laid over the roving in the predrafting.
7.8oz = 550 yards (approximately) Two-ply. (I was very disappointed not to have more yardage.)
16WPI
Being there was more fiber than I’ve ever spun before I wanted a niddy-noddy rather than using the warping board as I usually do. I’d read the advantage of using a pvc niddy-noddy to skein the yarn and set the twist. Sounded like a great idea to me with this much one continuous yarn. I filled up a plastic garbage can (Clean!) with hot water and plunged the entire contraption down into it and let it set until cool. This is yarn to be made into a vest for Ed and I don’t want any surprises so I intentionally abused it some by gently running cold water over the skein and then thwaped the whole thing again a porch railing being mindful to keep the unit from flying apart. Clothes hangers worked great for hanging it outside to dry. There was so much wool packed together that it took most a of warm sunny day to dry.
Other than untangling and straightening out the mangled rug warp on the loom nothing more has happened on that front. There’s such a huge mental block about how to go about shaft-switching that all activity has ceased – other than mentally running the process through my head. I may take the warp off the loom and free it up for weaving Ed’s vest. The very first yarn item I made was in eighth grade home ec when I learned to crochet. The teacher didn’t teach us anything as simple as a scarf. No, she plunged right in teaching us to crochet by making vests, without benefit of a pattern. When I look at the wool I wonder if I should crochet Ed the vest instead of weaving it. His birthday is the 25th of this month.
Crochet is on my mind since taking pictures of some of Ed‘s latest hooks:
Aren’t they beauties? The woods from top down: Ebony, Pink Ivory, Kingwood. These are all size J, I think. He made 54 crochet hooks this week, sizes G – M for a store in Berlin. Crochet anyone? It really is faster than knitting!
JudyMac honored me with a Pico Y Arte
I rarely do these tag things though I must admit I love getting them. I hate to choose only five people! There are so many of you who have creative, informative and interesting blogs. But, to play by the rules I narrowed the list down a bit by eliminating those who I’m aware have already received a tag for this.
Rules:
1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you copnsider deserve this award, creativity, design, interesting material, and also contrubuites to the blogger community, no matter of language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award-winning, has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog thathas given her or him the ward itself.
4) Award-winning and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y pico“blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) To show these rules.
Valerie Fiberewetopia
Rhonna Trenchworks
Jocelyn Knitting Linquist
Cyndy Riverrim
Karen Cornflower
How can I stop with five? I’d love to keep going but I have a 22 month old at my chair who’s lively demanding breakfast!
Fiberjoy 
Oh, thank you so much! I’m really honored that you would choose me — the company seems too creative and interesting for my blog!
Your yarn looks absolutely stunning — I love the colors, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like in the finished vest, whichever way you choose to make it 🙂
Beautiful yarn! If you’re worried about yardage though, I’d stay away from crochet. Can’t wait to see the vest!
Congrats on the red shirt (you look really good in red :^) and the award! and Congrats to all who were given it in turn :^)
Wow. Your yarn! It’s beautiful! I had mine on a pvc niddy noddy also, and did the same thing but in a sink and now I’m thinking I need to get a plastic trashbin to use for just this function… I was relieved to see your end bars bowed a bit also.
Yes, crochet may be faster but doesn’t it use up the yarn faster? as in it takes more yarn to crochet an item?
Ed’s hooks ARE beauties!
XOX
the yarn looks wonderful, can’t wait to see it knitted up for Ed! I do love the look of those crochet hooks, Ed is such a wonderful craftsman!
Such beautiful work Ed does. Would you consider knitting the vest? Speaking of knitting for husbands, mine has worn through the heels of all the socks I have made him. I have yarn already on the sock machine, in his colour, ready to go. Guess I’d better start cranking. Just curious–what number of sandpaper does Ed use to get the needles so lustrously smooth?
Your yarn is so striking!!
…it will make a handsome vest (woven or crocheted!) …the blend will be soft and warm.
Ed’s hooks are a work of art in themselves!
…and thank you so much for picking me as one of your 5! You are on my list too, Wanda!
A gorgeous posting, Wanda dearest, full of all those lovely details we fibre nuts crave! Me, I’d grab one of those divine crochet hooks without delay – I always do when the job needs to be done quickly, AND I HAVE ONE OF ED’S, YAY! Yes, crochet uses slightly more yarn, so what? So does painting the Sistine Chapel! (Not a good simile on second thoughts – perhaps taking the shorter route home over the hill rather than the long one would be better – it might use up more energy but it gets you there quicker and in good fettle!) Love crochet texture for vests. Might go and start one myself to keep you company, although Ravelympics is occupying thoughts right now.
And may one add a note of thanks for the description of blueberry picking? Wish I’d been there. Blackberries soon on this side of the Atlantic.
Marjorie, I don’t know you, but you have a sock machine! We’d better get acquainted!