Challenge

It turns out that I like challenges. Recently I did a spinning challenge using black and white. Perhaps you remember that post. I spun some tissue paper and some recycled silk. The invitation to another spinning challenge came yesterday, and is to spin something other then fiber--Anti-yarn. Goody. What to do. I remembered I had bought at the thrift store, a couple of packages of this sisal type stuff thinking I  could mix it with something else and spin it. But it was a very unpleasant material, stiff and prickly, so I put it away and forgot about it. Now however, I should try it. What a mess. I would pick up small handfuls of it and "draft" it. Occasionally, I just had to cut into it to allow it to pull out. Every inch, the strands would lock onto the hooks and I would have to release it, but eventually I spun it all, both packages. I would like to say that I remained calm through the process, but that is not true. I few unpleasant words were spoken. I admit it. So then I had a ball of this stuff that just looked like hairy rope. Not too interesting really. I started looking around for something to ply with it--something that was not already fiber. I finally settled on a couple of Handi-Wipes, torn into strips. Here is the result:  

 Of course when plying it I had to essentially spin it again

and so it caught on the hooks every inch or so

AGAIN,

more unpleasant words fell from my lips

@#&^&#

and so forth.

 But, it is sort of interesting.

I decided to make a basket.

 And here it is!

 The bottom of it fits in the palm of my open hand

  hand.

Too much fun.

                                              

What Next?

Think Pink

and
ORANGE
and
YELLOW
I've been spinning again
not the plain thin ones
just the fat ones

Catch Up

Here is what I have been working on this week.

From left to right:

A new stitched piece with gelatin monoprints, titled,
 Diary
The new house getting framed (no I personally did not work on this!)

A piece of knitting done with the Black and White yarns that I spun

A little book made from the box of a herbal eye pillow

Handspun yarn made from my first ever drum carded batt

Finally finished this stitched piece that I started way back when,
In the Evening I Went Walking

Black and White

 

Yesterday I thought I would spin some fibers that coordinated with each other.Since I normally spin small amounts (I don't have a big stash of fiber), it makes sense to have some that can be used together. So, from the left:

Brown, grey, black and white wool--core spun

Black and off white wool singles, plied with silk fabric bows

Black novelty yarn (fiber unknown), coil spun

Silk shirt strips spun with bits of wool 

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I am a new spinner and have not had any instruction. It is just trial and error all the way. I read a lot and watch videos to help me figure out what to do. I have made the yarn with fabric bows before and thought I had that one down, but I didn't. After the yarn was soaked and dried, I saw that the fabric bows were not locked in and would just pull right out! Good thing I left the bow strips long and that the yardage was short. I went back and tied a knot in all the bows. Oh good. More reasons to practise. I want to say that I owe my ability to spin at all to

 http://www.shopneauveau.com/ 

and all the related books and videos. After watching a couple of these videos, I stopped being nervous about trying stuff and just jumped in!

And More Spinning

So why not try spinning paper.
I have been saving all the tissue that comes in packages from
Camp Verde Store.
I folded the tissue, put it through my shredder
and core spun it around a base yarn.
It would have been better if the yarn had been tan.
I don't like seeing those white places in the yarn,
but I will just spray them with a little walnut ink.
I crocheted the results of my first try.
One sheet of tissue made enough to start this
 "object"
which is about three inches square
Where am I going with this?
I haven't a clue.

Spinning Sunday

I had a good time yesterday
spinning
I think I should maybe call this one
Rainbow Sherbert

Recovery

A few things to do while
recovering
from a broken neck and wrist
a little left handed
beading
a little
plying and spinning
a bit of
crochet
lots of reading

Carnival

This Is the
Carnival In Rio yarn
I spun, along with a poly yarn called
Butterfly
They make a festive Squiggle scarf
.

Intuitive Crochet?

I guess I can call this Intuitive Crochet because I have no idea where it is going. I just started, pulled it out and started again. I am using some yarn I spun out of plastic newspaper bags. I spun it with a copper colored rayon thread which had a tendency to get all tangled up. I am not sure what I was doing wrong but I think everything was just too slippery. I should have just crocheted the bags without spinning them, but I have done that before and wouldn't have learned anything new!

In A Spin

Carnival In Rio

The results of practising my spinning on a drizzly afternoon. I thought it would be fun to name my yarn like the real spinners do! The darkest green yarn was spun from fleece. The other yarns are commercial yarns which I plied on the wheel. At the end, I added the bright green to spark it up a little. Oh, and I tried to add some metallic sewing thread but that was a big mistake as it tangled up in everything and made a big mess. I am sure there is a better way to do it, but I will just keep messing about. An infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of paint brushes......You know how the saying goes I am sure.

Yarn On A Stick

Hand spinning with homemade spindles, plying on a spindle and spinning on a stick!