Anyone Handspin, knit or just a .....

[Shari]

I am a long time Handspinner... started way back when I used to raise small heritage sheep. Haven't been able to do much since the accident but I am now getting back to spining on my Majacraft Saxonies and loving it!!

This is what I am working on now.

Right now I am working on the British Top fleece in Medium dark green with 35% tussah silk, colors of blue, purple, pink and green this is a luxury blend. Medium handle, nice luster but still suited for sweaters, hats, scarves and so on. I am in the process of spinning the first ply, to what will be a Two ply fine yarn.

And a couple of photos of some of the yarn I have spun.

very rare ... Gotland

Blue face Leicester...

And a photo of me spinning in "05".

What what is everyone else working on for their Fibre addiction?

 

[Charley]

You do lovely spinning. I love the Britisht Top Fleece with silk that you are spinning, simply beautiful!

I do weave and wove this scarf this month and crocheted the matching hat. It is a linen and cotton blend.

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

We used to raise Bluefaced Leicester sheep for about a dozen years. Only have one left, a bottle "baby" (she's 5 or 6 years old!).... we got rid of the sheep before we got into minis... too many things going on!

Still Spinning, though - have Alpaca on the Ashford Joy and one of our old sheep's fleeces on the custom Reeves (she was a colored merino/BFL) - I have two boxes of BFL/Silk pin-drafted roving from our last year's flock clip that I want to get spinning on, then I'll go to my trunk full of "stash" - lots of really exotic bits and pieces.

My hubby sometimes weaves, but I often trade handspun to knitters in exchange for something in return - socks, a scarf, etc....

I also needle felt and have a separate "stash" of stuff and colored bits of wool for that. I haven't been able to do much felting for awhile because of numbness in my right arm/hand, though. I miss it and love little critters coming to life in my hands (not to mention just playin' with the fiber!)

I have a tiny little antique parlor wheel, and 3 other wheels in the garage, one antique, one really unique that I plan on finishing in an even more unique way, and a beautifully handpainted Ashford Traditional that has fiber animals all over it.... I can't bear to part with any of them and hope someday to have a room big enough to put them all in!

 

[Boinky]

OH ME ME ME!! I love fiber and I love to spin! I'm waiting on some alpaca and Llama fiber to come back. A neighbor has some and i agreed to spin for her in exchange for fiber but we sent it out to be processed (much less hassle) and it's taken months!!

my more recent projects which were a while ago now were Merino and Tussah Silk (loved spinning that) and baby alpaca. loved that as well. I'm FAIRLY new to spinning in the last few years...think i do a pretty good job at it but my most experience is with shetland wool since i raised shetland sheep (reason i got into spinning). I hate knitting so i am starting to get all this yarn that I don't use!! lol I do do a bit of needle felting and have done a bit of wet felting as well.

Anyone interested in swapping knitting for yarn?? would be willing to swap spun wool for some knitted items out of my own yarn!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Shari, The one you are working on now is BEAUTIFUL! I have always wanted to learn how to spin, but just never found the time, and I do have a spinning wheel. (but, I swear..I will learn it in this lifetime yet..

) I have a few friends that spin and I am just amazed at the art. We have a "spinning farm" about 2 hours from us that offers classes..I have seriously thought about going. Its called Apple Hollow Farm, in Door County, Wi. I know they have a website, I just havent looked it up.

 

[anoki]

I don't spin....but I loooovvvveeee to knit!!!

That British Top Knit is very pretty!!!

I posted these last year I think...but here they are again.

These are 2 simple sweaters I knit quite a few years ago now....

This is a sweater my Mom knit for me...the pattern was called Cables from H*ll

I've been working on a blanket for awhile...very off and on for the past year, just whenever I can get some time to sit down and knit for a bit. I still have a lot to do on it to finish it!

~kathryn

 

[mininik]

That Gotland is just gorgeous...

I want to start making needle felted dogs, but I haven't found the time.

 

[Bunnylady]

Shari, that is some lovely spinning you do! Quite a few years ago, I wound up filling in for the weaver at one of our local historical sites while she took maternity leave. She gave me a crash course, and I demonstrated carding, spinning, and weaving for the tourists. Made rather a hash of it, really, but they didn't know any better! I keep meaning to learn to do it properly, maybe I can finally find a use for all that Angora fur my Jersey Wooly rabbits keep shedding! I do have a wheel, or most of one, a friend gave it to me. A couple pieces need repairs, and the flyer is missing entirely. I think my Hubby or I can make a replacement, if we ever find the time.

I know how to knit, but I have a persistant problem that I just haven't figured out. My knit stitches turn out quite a different size than my purl stitches, nothing I've tried has "cured" me of this, so I don't knit much. Put a crochet hook in my hand, though, and I go to town! I have an afghan that I'm working on, it has stalled at the moment while I work out a design problem. Hopefully I'll get it done before October, and I can enter it at the local fair!

 

[Littleum]

I knit. I learned when I was about 4 or 5. I also crochet. I'd love to learn to spin.

Wish I had more time to knit, but I always seem to get distracted, and lace doesn't lend itself so well to pick up and put down.

I'm on Ravelry under "Littleum" for anyone who has an account there.

One of my most recent FOs.... excuse the crummy picture.

This is a scarf I am (slowly) finishing for my father, Grumperina's famous "Shifting Sands" scarf. Silky Malabrigio of course!

 

[Shari]

Thank you everyone!! I do really love spinning........

Charley, your hat and scarf are beautiful! That is one thing I have always wanted to do is Weave!

I love the fleece from the BF Leciester Dontworrybeappy, such a super soft but long fleece pretty easy to spin! I looked into breeding them at one time but there wasn't many breeders about and they are Tall sheep!!

Know what you mean about wishing for a Room for ones crafts. I would love a wee studio out on the point of the property,, for my spinning and painting. Maybe some day.

Corinne... go for it!!! You might even have some place that gets together to spin and so on a wee bit closer to you.

http://www.interweave.com/spin/resources/spinning_guilds/

Mininik... Just do 5 mintues a day! Once you start it can get veryyy addictive.

Those are some beautiful Sweaters kathryn! I love the fancy cable stitch...someone I have never been able to do.

Bunnylady, that is neat you got to fill in for a Weaver!! Post a picture when you are done with your crochet!

Good grief Littleum, those are some very fancy knitting!!! Bet your father was very pleased!!

I wish I could knit,, then at least I could do some thing with my yarn. I have thought about trading yarn or paying someone to make a sweater out of some of that Gotland for me. Seen two patterns I like... your Cable from ...

and the Shifting Sands. Hummmmm...

 

[Diana]

I'm trying to each myself to spin. Not doing to good at it right now but in time it will come. I have 4 of my own alpacas for fiber. Right now I have been sending it off to be processed into yarn to sell. We opened a small shoppe on the farm to sell alpaca yarns and products which I've made from them. I've also been doing a little needle felting but nothin fancy. Here is the alpaca which donated his (Max) fiber for them. I hand dyed them myself for the first time. I'm really getting into the fiber end of my alpacas. Max is different than most of the alpacas people are use to seeing. He is what is called a Suri, his fiber is much different, longer and silky. It has no crimp like the Huacaya alpaca. Great animals.

 

[Shari]

I love those socks Diana!! Your Suri is cute. You are right.. spinning takes a bit to learn but what is great.. there is no wrong or right way to spin.

You should of seen what my first spinning results.... were... my goodness.. . lets just say the yarn had lots and lots of character. LOL Even kept one of the first skeins.