Seabreeze Spinners

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Used hand spun beaded yarn to create top down beaded shawl. The yarn is wool and alpaca. The spinning process was described HERE and HERE in the blog. The beads are silver lined glass beads and antique Chec beads from an old lamp. I’d gotten an ounce of Momi fiber (wool, silk and glitter the color of sunset) from the Ashville fiber festival which I spun on the Trindle I’d purchased at the festival. Too little yarn for a project but worked great to provide an accent of colored lace.

I used the same pattern as the pink top down shawl

And, an interesting aside. Lacy, my mostly border collie … just learned she has no discernable border collie DNA. Had her DNA run through Wisdom DNA thinking I’d learn border collie and what. (No blood is taken, cheek swab.) Learned she has only two breeds discernable: Austrailian Shepard (that fits) and Cocker Spaniel (didn’t see that one coming). It was great fun and splendid painful anticipation while waiting for the DNA results.

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Completed the hand dyed, hand spun, hand knit lace shawl. The pinks blended nicely but to pick it up a bit I knit lace panels. The lace was knit from a bit of yarn previously spun. The yarn was a caliopi of colors but not enough for any project…but, a great accent. See the finished shawl below.

Happy “Black Friday”

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When I purchased the Norge Mongold Spindle, the seller packed it in space dyed roving. The roving was felted and wasn’t useable in its shipped state. I carded the felted dyed roving and then blended in tencil to create a soft, icy roving. I split the roving in half lengethways and then spun each half. I then carefully plied the resulting singles so that the resulting yarn slowly transitions from very subtle pink to vivid hot pink. I skeined the yarn, washed it and hung it to dry with weight. I then used a ball winder to create center pull yarn balls, being careful through out that skeins and balls were wound in sequence. I put a paper label in the center of each final ball with the sequence number so that as I knit, the yarn transitioned properly.

I wanted a pattern that would emphasize the changing yarn colors, a simple pattern that would compliment the texture of home-spun. I used the same pattern I had used for the Cheingora shawl

This is a lovely top down pattern that starts with 3 cast-on stitches and creates a chevron pattern for interest. (Instead of size 11, because this was finer yarn, I used size 9 needles.)

While searching the “net” this morning, after I had started the shawl I discovered a similar pattern by Janice Farrell Pea (CLICK HERE TO GO TO PATTERN)
I guess as they say, there is nothing new on the planet.

Aside from complimenting the home-spun and focusing attention on the transitioning colors, its a breeze to knit. I can sit and watch tv and not really have to think about my knitting. Because I can’t remember which side I’m on, the pattern side or the knit side, I used a safety pin on the face of the shawl to remind me which is the pattern side and to mark the center “k” pattern stitch. I put the pin through two stitches so it wouldn’t poke through on the back and confuse me. I move the pin up ever so often (5-6 inches) so it stays close to the active knitting.

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SpinOlution has introduced a reflection of its Mach II Spinning Wheel, the new Echo. Mine arrived this week. While it arrives unassembled; it is quickly assembled and spins like a dream! It’s lighter than the Mach II and has the same head as the Bee Travel Wheel. Notice the open orifice; no orifice dimension limitations. This open orifice arrangement is great for “art yarns”. I’m a distributor for the Echo that retails for $ 450 should anyone want to purchase.

It is an amazing wheel. I have tile floors throughout and some wheels walk. I usually have to place wheels on a bath tube mat to keep them from walking. The Echo is solid and doesn’t walk. I love it! Good job Mike & Kris!

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Playing with my recently arrived Royal Hare Support Spindle. It’s pictured with wool/silk/bamboo fiber from Louet and a spindle case from Royal Hare.

Not me, but you can see a YouTube video spindling on a Royal Hare Support spindle by clicking HERE.

UPDATE 11/9/09

In response to an inquiry: I found my Royal Hare at Woodland Woolworks (CLICK HERE to go to their web site). When I ordered mine in June they were back ordered but they were finally able to ship the spindle this month.

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Quoting from a fellow fiber blogger:

“You can use Google to translate the page into English (or another language). If you go to the Google search page, on the right hand side of the box you type search words in, you can click on “language tools”. OR google for “Anneliese” and “Bandweben” and click the “translate this page” option that is give to the right of the search result.

This site is great eye candy, but even better translated, I have learnt a lot from Anneliese’s web pages, and I’ve mail ordered her books from Handweaver’s Studio, so eagerly waiting for them to arrive.”

I tried it; IT WORKS! For a translated version of the German site:

CLICK HERE

And for a translated version of a Swedish site CLICK HERE.

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Eye Candy … go to: CLICK HERE Once you get to the site, click on the blue words to see photos.

Despite German ancestors, I speak no German. (Of course, can’t speak Gaelic despite the Stewart, McMurray lineage either.) But the photos are worth the visit.

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Attended the annual Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville NC October 23. It was amazing! Knitting, spinning, felting, chrochet … the colors and textures … made my heart “pitty-pat”. I discovered (and had to bring one home) the most amazing spindle, a Trindle. The craftsman who created the spin-forever-spindles is a Georgia science teacher who came up with a “better mouse trap”, that is spindle. I purchased mine from booth representing a yarn shop, The Whole Nine Yarns from Woodstock GA. I later visited the shop on my way back down to Florida. They have some spinning but Knitters will really love it and need to stop. They have hand crafted buttons and purse handles, the perfect finish for a special project. They also boast a warm “classroom” which begs you to sit and knit awhile you forget the busy-ness of the day and the staff are super helpful. I came away with the neatest little “repair hook”, looks like a finely crafted chrochet hook from Lantern Moon nestled in its own little sleeve.

P.S. on the show. This was only the arena; there were more displays and booths in a huge barn that accomodatd the overflow. What great fun!

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My plans to use a sewing machine stand as the base for a “weaving accessories table” are moving forward. I purchased a “table top” from Lowes, a laminated 3/4″ plank 24″ by 16″. I glued 2 – 2 by 4 pieces to the underside. I then stained the top and started to layer latex spar varnish to make the finished table water resistant.

In between coats of stain and varnish, I worked on my tape. It seems to be progressing nicely. You can see the finished tape winding up on the cloth beam.

Sitting on the deck in the mountains…70 degrees…life is good, least for me. Lacy doesn’t look too thrilled to be wearing her 4th of July outfit.

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The set-up and weaving process for the Norwegian Cradle Loom with a rigid heddle is as follows. First, I used locker hooking twine, pre-cut lengths of soft string, to tie loops of equal length through all the holes on the warp beam and the cloth beam.

I threaded the paddle style tape loom (mine is from Fred & Grace Hatton, Finn Sheep) according to the diagram from Handwoven Magazine, Interweave Press using the warp color order directed for “tape loom or rigid heddle loom”. I tied small bundles of the warp to the twine loops on the warp beam. When all the warp had been tied, I slowly turned the warp beam to wind on all the warp. To keep the warp from getting tangled and to assure an even draw of thread, I wound a length of drawer/shelf paper somewhat narrower than the warp beam with the warp threads. Then I tied the thread coming from the warp beam and through the paddle tape loom to the loops on the cloth beam. With everything in place I was ready to weave. By lifting the paddle up for one pass and pushing it down for the next it created alternating sheds for a nice tabby weave.

The first weft thread, which was later discarded, was thick white cotton. Several passes caused the warp to tighten up. Then I started weaving with my warp. I selected crochet cotton size 10 to use as weft. The weft needs to be finer than the warp. My warp is cotton rug warp, that is, rather heavy cotton. I am using black as my weft color choice as my pick was between black or white at WalMart. I would have prefered brown to match the outside warp threads. (Not a lot of choices here in the mountains. I stopped at a quilt shop but they were closed to prepare for Christmas in July, what are the chances of that happening, so I pressed on to WalMart.) While the weft “does not” show in warp dominate weaving, it does; it shows slightly on the edge of the tape. Actually, the black works just fine against the brown warp threads. After I wove an inch or so, I removed the white cotton yarn and left just the final tape threading. I plan to go back and secure the end before it is removed from the loom.

I love the loom!! My tape is much more regular than when I used the paddle loom alone as a back strap loom, as I am able to maintain the tension. I expect to try some other projects with this cradle loom when this tape is done, perhaps card weaving.

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