Hand Spun

Hand Spun
Campfire Hat

Friday, November 26, 2010

And the world moves on...

After a wonderful week of vacation I'm looking at the weekend before I go back to work. And WOW did I relax this week. There was a bit of work mixed in as well since the cold weather hit and we had to get the outside animals all set up for bitter cold temps and biting winds. But for the most part, I sat at home and did as I pleased. I got to stay up late and sleep in, spin on my new wheel, crochet two hats for a lady at work, play with the birds and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Jeff and I got to enjoy our week off and I actually feel ready to move on with the world when Monday rolls around again. That's how you know your vacation was a success I suppose. I have mandatory OT for the next two weeks  at work and somehow I don't really mind. I have Christmas and things to look forward to so it makes it easier. Also, the things that didn't sell at the craft bazaar are going to make great gifts for my friends. I find it more satisfying to give homemade gifts to people who can appreciate the effort I put into making the items than I get from giving those types of gifts to people who really couldn't care less. Strange isn't it?
Here's what my lavender soap looks like. Carol sent the picture to me when it came out of the mold. I really had a wonderful time making it and I think it's a valuable skill to pick up if I can just get myself set up with the initial equipment and material. That's going to take a bit of time but the more I think about it the more I really want to do it. I cut the smaller batch of "Alice" scented soap and it's so citrusy (made that word up I think) and wonderful! Even Jeff likes the smell of it. When I trimmed the edges of the soap at the two ends I kept the pieces and used them in my bathroom even though they aren't really cured yet. They lather up so nicely! Carol said that's from the coconut oil we used. She also let me add some lanolin to my soaps. Yummy!! Since working with sheep fleeces I've come to appreciate the effects of lanolin a great deal. Which brings me to my wheel update. I've spun A LOT of single so far this week and I'm going to ply next week. I am NOT a big fan of the merino wool/kid mohair roving I've been using. It's so neppy!  I believe I need to try working with a slightly coarser wool. I have a huge bag of ribbon winning merino wool here that I'm not sure I want to work with right now. *sigh* I always manage to make things more difficult than they really have to be I guess. I am looking forward to spinning alpaca and angora but I want to wait to do those until I have a better understanding of my tension on the Rose and more control over my speeds and drafting. The wheel is the same mechanically but that's like saying Mexico and Greece are both basically land masses.  The differences are tremendous between my older model Ashford and this Majacraft.  But between now and Christmas I hope to get a better handle on my spinning and on knitting as well. I was supposed to be practicing my knitting over vacation but I procrastinated. It takes so much concentration to knit for me right now as a beginner. It's not the knit... it's the purl. Also, Carol is having me hold it Continental instead of English so I'm getting used to manipulating the needles all over again. It's a good thing she's having me learn but it's taking a lot of work to re-learn my basic skills all over again. I really want to knit a garment from alpaca eventually. I was in a shop in the mall this week and saw some hand woven and hand knit garments made from alpaca from Ecuador. AMAZING stuff!
So those are my thoughts as the weekend begins and I get back into the groove of real life again. I feel sort of out of the loop a bit since while I was lazy everyone else I know was going along without a break. :) Hopefully as I get back up to speed I'll have some fun pictures to show of my knitting progress and my new yarn I'm spinning up. Once I finish up this awful roving I have now I'm moving on directly to alpaca I think. Can't wait for that!! Well, I'm off for now. We might get snow tomorrow. :D

2 comments:

  1. Hi Wren thanks for stopping by my blog again. I love your blog and your yarn looks great. The first book in the series is Hooked on Murder, 2.Dead Men Don't Crochet,3. By Hook or By Crook, 4. A Stich in Crime. One of the great things about the series is at the end of each book she has patterns and receipes.

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  2. Thanks! I am totally checking into those. I love finding new series to read. I look forward to all your blog posts. :)

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