A $5 Stash

Bubblegum

I found a big stash of yarn recently for only $5. I will post pics of blankets I make from this stash. I will probably donate much of it as I have done in the past. But this time, I want to keep a pic of everything so I know what I've sent out.

Spinning over my new Spinner

I am having so much fun spinning. I received a magical dragonfly spinner this morning and quickly spun some of the new magical roving I received yesterday. This spinner spins like a top and it has tiny dragonflies painted on the shaft in silver metallic paint. It is called a "top whorl" spinner, as the whorl is toward the top of the shaft. The other spinner (in the previous post) is called a bottom whorl. I'm sure they both have their own benefits, but I don't really know what they are, except that I like the fast whirling of the top whorl spinner.

The fiber that I've gotten from Bohemia always smells faintly of patchouli or something really nice. I don't know if it's the soap that it's washed in, but I really like the smell as I'm spinning. I don't know what I will make with these threads when I'm finished. But I am getting better and my threads look more uniform. I am trying to get to where I can spin very thin threads.
More later...

Whirling over Whorls

I'm up late--can't sleep. I'm so excited. I feel like I've discovered a new planet. Of course I haven't done that, but last weekend I received my first ever bottom-whorl hand spinner and beautiful fiber (from Bohemia Fibers out of Marlborough, MA). I found them on Etsy. I have been spinning fiber like mad since the package arrived and today I ordered more fiber and another spindle. I never knew one could spin fiber and make yarn on a small wooden piece like this (see pic) until this year when I attended the Fiber Fest over in Addison (Tx). I saw all of these strange wooden contraptions and asked a lady at one of the booths what they were, as I was making a yarn purchase. She explained to me that they are hand or drop spindles/spinners. It is that lady's fault that I have become addicted to spinning. I am thinking I may card my cat's fur to use for future spinning projects. I need fiber!

I finished crocheting a tiny purse last night with a crochet flower button closure. It's only large enough for a cell phone, key and maybe some cash. I couldn't wait to spin the remainder of fiber that I have, so I went ahead and made the little purse. Pics to follow.

I only have a few swirls of roving left to spin until I receive my new batt. I have a process that is working for me (so far--I've only been spinning since May 8). It may not be proper protocol, but at this point, it works well. I take a small strand of fiber from the batt and I draft that piece out somewhat, as well as roll it between my palms. I don't know if that is proper spinning procedure, but it really helps me to prepare the pieces first. I then swirl it into a loose ball and put it in the basket (pic above). After I've accumulated quite a few swirls, I go ahead and spin/draft and then wind the 12" pieces onto the spindle. When there is enough on the spindle, I go ahead and crochet. It's very easy to do this while watching tv. Also, I crochet from the singles. The singles is just a strand of fiber that has been spun. When 2 strands of fiber are spun together, the piece is called "plyed", hence the word 3-ply that I've seen for so many years on yarn skeins. So, rather than wait to spin a 2-ply, I went ahead and just crocheted from the singles. I also read somewhere that one can crochet or knit with just the roving itself. I found many useful instructions and ideas on Youtube, and I really got a lot out of Megan LeCore's videos.

I have put some of my purses (see pics in previous post below) on Etsy, hoping they will sell. I will try to put the link on this blog somewhere at some point. Until then, I will be spinning and crocheting and hunting for fiber.

Working...

Some purses I made recently...

Winter Sweater

Here is a sweater I made for hubby. I made one for myself which I will post later, as well.

Fall for Crochet

Suddenly I have several crochet project requests from friends and family. I am working on a baby set for a friend's baby. I've finished the hat, mittens and booties and I may make a little sweater, but I haven't found a pattern yet for that. I had made her a baby set when he was first born and now he's grown a little, so she's asked for some warm things to take on their trip North for Thanksgiving.

I was asked to make a red scarf for my kiddo that I babysit to match a pretty sweater she wears to school. I finished it yesterday and her mom loved it. Instead of fringe on the edges, I put scallops and it really looks nice. I failed to take a pic before she left with it yesterday, but I will probably make more of them and post a pic here in the future.

And I am working on some booties for a baby shower I will attend this weekend, although I did go ahead and buy something too, since it was just easier to do that in the amount of time I have to do it. I think I can bang out the booties pretty fast and maybe some mittens, but a blanket is probably going to take too long, and I don't have the thread and all that. But, I certainly will work on that for a future gift to them.

I'll try to post some pics here if I get to it.

Come Fall

I am so ready for Fall and cooler weather. I'm ready to make thousands of mittens, hats and scarves for friends, family and strangers. The first mittens I ever made are sitting in the sewing room, waiting for someone's hands. I had never found a pattern that was simple and easy in the past, so when I found a pattern this past April, I was excited. But alas, Spring's buds were already beginning to peak their heads out of the soil and the mittens went unnoticed.