-
Treadle Spinning Wheel V Electric Spinner
When it comes to choice of spinning wheel, there are many factors to take into consideration before you purchase. With dozens of wheels to choose from, it can be a difficult decision. The spinning wheel you choose depends on a number of factors. What are you wanting the wheel to achieve? This will decide whether you buy a treadle wheel, upright, traditional, portable, or an electric spinner. Do you want relaxing spinning, production spinning, or to enable the continuation of spinning with some kind of physical impairment? Spinning wheels differ greatly in their action, some being very easy to use while others require more attention. As rule of thumb, a…
- Berry Wool Muster, France, Italy, Le Tour de France, Ravelry, Shetland, Spain, Spinning, Spinning and Dyein, Spinning wheel, Tour de Fleece, UK
Tour de Fleece
For those who think I have gone totally balmy talking about a ‘Tour de Fleece’ – no, I haven’t. The Tour de Fleece is a spinning competition that runs alongside the Tour de France, and this year started on 4th July and ending on the 25th July, with the same rest days in between. The idea of the competition is to give yourself a goal with spinning, whether it be just sitting for longer at your wheel, creating a new designer thread, spinning that kilo of fleece you’ve been putting off, or sitting and watching the Tour de France and spinning at the same time. Prizes were awarded in different…
-
Handspun Lace Scarf in Merino/Silk
With a bit of a lag in activity after Le Tour de Fleece, I’ve managed to get myself back to ‘The Blog’ and put a few words on paper. Its been a busy time, completing the editing of a manuscript but that is now out of the way and I can concentrate on more important things – like my spinning and knitting. The Shetland I spun for Le Tour has been stored for later use, I haven’t decided on a project for it as yet but I’m sure something will crop up at some stage. The grey matter is already ticking over on that one. With only 250grams, its not…
You May Also Like
Handspun Felted Bag and Scarves
-
A Coat of Many Colours – Dog Rescue part 2
Millie looked a sorry sight when she was brought back to my daughter’s house – her coat was very matted, hair falling into her eyes and the longest eye lashes I’ve even seen on a dog! She was very unsure and barked at everything. The lady that found her and looked after her brought her back from death’s door, spending a lot of time to get her back to health. After a few days in her new home she is starting to settle down, quite quickly in fact, and is already becoming part of the family. An appointment was made for her at the Pamper Parlour to clean her up…
-
Dog Rescue Industry in Australia
You know when it all gets a bit too much when you cannot find even a few minutes to sit and spin. That’s when something has to change. It did, though I’m not sure it will give me more time… A couple of months ago, an eight month old puppy arrived, a rescue pup actually. Very cute and lovable, and she will become a shadow to my six year old granddaughter. This little girl puppy is a poodle/silky terrier most likely, with more poodle characteristics than silky though she has a crinkly double coat and doesn’t miss a trick. Having been ‘rescued’ only a few months ago by a very…
-
Production Spinning in Afghanistan
Spinning is a world-wide occupation, and still gaining momentum, either as a hobby or as employment. Women working at one yarn production company in Afghanistan are now able to spin with a spinning wheel instead of using a drop spindle. Production of spun yarn has thereby increased. With this new production equipment and the increase in yarn output more women have gained employment and the opportunity to attain a rise in their wages. Read the full story… http://afghanistan.usaid.gov/en/Article.915.aspx <p …>
-
Handspun Cable Jumper
Done! Finito! It’s finally completed! Considering the time it eventually took, I’m pleased with the result. The pattern was easy to follow after sorting out the three stitch variations and working the three of them simultaneously to keep track of the rows in each pattern. The pattern was easy to follow, especially once I had worked out how to cope with three different patterns, all with different numbers of rows per pattern. The main cable was twenty-four rows, and luckily the other two patterns worked into that number perfectly. How did I do it? I used a child’s Primary School exercise book with the wide and narrow lines and going…
You May Also Like
Handspun Felted Bag and Scarves
-
Living with Alpacas
Alpacas are one of the most adorable farm animals you will ever come across. They are environmentally friendly, meaning their feet do not damage the ground, they eat only the tips of the grass and not pull it out at the root, they’re easy to train and love being around children. Being easy to halter train gives children the opportunity to lead them around and be up close and personal with them. If you only have a few of them, and because of their nature, they tend to become part if the family and will follow you around, nuzzling your hands for that extra bit of feed. My experience with…
-
Latest Project – Knitted Cable Jumper
As its impossible for me not to knit or spin, I decided to create a jumper for my partner. But, not being satisfied with simple stocking stitch, I thought I would create something a little different – A V-neck long-sleeve jumper with cables and pattern front and back. The fleece is a pale grey and spun as double knit. Then came the patterns – a trip to the library and I came back with at least three books of stitch designs. After much procrastinating I decided on a wide cable – Twisted and Crossed Cable, narrow four stitch cable and a middle block Little Cable Fabric , which I scanned…
-
Dyeing Wool with Food Colouring
There is nothing quite like experimenting with new ways of doing something. I recently promised a new baby blanket to a member of the family; they are having their first baby early December. She asked for a green blanket as they chose not to know the sex of the child before birth. When I realised what I had promised, the thought patterns went into action… Not liking commercial wool too much, and being a spinner, I decided to make one – from scratch. Searching through my fleeces, I found a suitable white one I could dye. That presented another challenge. Not being at home, one cannot use any old dyestuff…
