This stuff spins like an absolute dream. The drafting is smooth, easy, and very conducive to producing a very nice yarn. I can't find a right word for this, but it's really creamy in a way... When you put the twist in, you can't really see the fibers much at all anymore, it all looks like one soft, squishy strand. It looks and feels just like I imagine clouds do, and I would love to make a giant pile of the roving and roll around in it for hours. Here's a closeup of my single! Look how pretty!!!
And now, a wider shot so you can see the new spindle that also arrived yesterday! It's the one I ordered from Spinsanity, and it spins like you wouldn't believe. It's very light, but it doesn't feel as light as the ones I made for myself (which it is.) It's wonderfully made - it feels more solid than mine by far, with way less wobble (no wobble at all, really), and it's perfectly balanced. Now that I'm using it, my hands don't hurt no matter how long I spin, my singles are way finer, and spinning is an even more exciting experience than it was before. This, truly, is the spindle of the gods!
With my spindle, she also sent me some beautiful rainbow pencil roving, which I am hoping to get more of:
And! What a delightful little treat, in the packag was this adorable little stitch marker:
Lastly, I've joined an affiliate program for Paradise Fibers. It was such a pleasant process ordering from them! I ordered the fiber, no kidding, on the Friday before Christmas, figuring it would get sent out after Christmas. *Hours* later, it had already been sent, and it got here yesterday, with the holiday and everything. The wool was well packaged, and, as I said above, well exceeded my expectations (It was only $14 for a full pound! Of merino!) I will definitely be ordering from them again, and I joined the affiliate program to share them with anyone reading this, and to maybe support my habbit a little bit. It costs you absolutely nothing to help add to my wheel fund. If you're planning to order any yarn, fiber, spinning, knitting, or weaving stuff, just click the link, I'd *really* apreciate it. I just ordered this blueberry merino/tencel blend, it's utterly exquisite, and I cannot wait for it to get here :)
And here is spindle number two, at 0.85 oz, and still drying from its last coat of finish.
Here is an update on the turquoise alpaca/corriedale blend:
I've made a bastardized bobbin out of a tp roll, and its working very nicely. I'm not really that clever, I stole the idea from someone on Ravelry. My spinning is getting much finer and much, much more even. Hurrah! And yes, I call him the Bastard Bobbin for short.
And here is Fuzzy in his new Christmas hat!
And finally, here he is with Zelda in her sweater. She loves that damn thing, and she gets upset when we take it off. But in this picture, she just wants you to know that she will totally cut you, bitch.
So I picked up some more of that alpaca/corriedale I last spun, but in a new color!!!! It's effing gorgeous!!!! Observe.... In this last photo, it really looks like it's made of cloud :) I also ordered a pound (!!!!!) of merino today (this turquoise beauty is chiefly to tide me over). It was $15. No kidding. It's undyed, which bummed me out at first, but now I'm thinking I can spin up the spindles, dye them in a few different colors, and then ply colors together, so it's a new possibility!
Me and Chris are going to try this weekend to make our own spindles (well, he won't use them, but he does the whole wood-working thing.) I will post pics of the result :)
I also got two totally glorious new spindles, one is only 0.8 ounces, which will be good for laceweight yarn (which is my goal), and the other is 1.4 ounces, so still way lighter than the one I already have. They're beautiful, like by a lot. Click the pictures to go to the listing.
This one is from Spinsanity. It will be my first from them, but OMG there are so many people on Ravelry who give these things gloriously rave reviews, so I'm so excited about it!!!!!.
This one is from Wooly Knitpicks and Spindles, who I've also read good things about. And it soooo pretty! I lurve it! Can't wait!!!!
here is the first skein-y thing, hanging up to dry: here is the last third of the yarn, after drying... better by far than the first, not as much of a problem with too much twist. Still getting better, hurrah for progress. here's the second bit, all wound up into a ball for knitting... and I knit calorimetry with it! wheeeee! it's pretty rough, but thats ok, I tried it on and it's not too bad on the head. this is the closeup, and you can see the orange bits of the yarn, which are my favorite. and here's the wider picture. it just needs the ends woven in and a button, which I will get when I have money. and now, off to start spinning with that gorgeous alpaca/wool blend I got!
And look! A book on spinning! wheeeee! It's got very detailed information about all manner of spinning techniques and equipment, plying, finishing the yarn, and a myriad of fibers, half of which I'd never even heard of. This is one of those inexpensive Dover books, like the ones they have at the ren faire about medieval costumes or the ones your English professor picked to save you money, if he wasn't a dick. I definitely recommend it for anyone who spins, wants to spins, or just wonders how yarn is made.
And finally, *sigh*, from one of my favoritest bloggers ever, I finally got my hands on a copy of Crazy Aunt Purls book... I read it in one night, it's awesome, and everyone should read it.
I finally got the needles to start a new pair of Fuzzy Feet for Fuzzy. He wore gigantic holes in his last pair. I shouldn't complain, really, because at least he wears the stuff I make him, but hopefully these will hold up better, since I'm using the recommended yarn, Lamb's Pride Worsted (the color is Tahiti Teal, and its luuuuurvely.)
My spinning adventure continues apace. I think I'm going to leave this as a single and make something small like Calorimetry or fingerless gloves or something. We'll see how much I end up with, and what it looks like when I'm done with it. It's not perfect, particularly at the beginning, but I love the way the yarn smells, and it's my first homemade yarn, so I'm sure I will like it no matter what it looks like. More experienced spinners tell me I am doing well, so thats a good sign :)
I also picked up some fiber for my next spinning project. It's an alpaca/corriedale blend, and you can't tell so much from these pictures, but it's gorgeous, with a slight sheen and the colors are totally glorious!
