This month I’ve begun to focus my current projects on preparing for TNNA, The National NeedleArts Association, summer trade show at the end of May. I’ll be helping Happy Fuzzy Yarn again this year. In addition to the knit and crochet swatches I provided last month, Riin sent me all her different fiber bases to spin into samples to knit and crochet (and if I have the time, weave). Buddy helped me inspect everything when it arrived. He’s a helpful kitten that way.
This is a fun challenge as I’ve not spun some of these fibers before and for others it’s been many years. I decided to start with the one I expected to experience the most difficulties for, 100% Bombyx Silk. I pulled out all my neglected spinning magazines and books and read up on this fiber. I grabbed my favourite lotion bar and started spindling. The cats decided this was a new game, so I quickly switched gears and sat down at the wheel. I practiced spinning from the fold and found this fibre much easier to spin than I remember. This is the Death and Taxes colourway.
I’m working my way through the bases and also clearing out bobbins so I can have more singles resting. This is my first sample of some Polwarth in the sunset colourway and about 180 yards of non-Happy Fuzzy Yarn BFL that was taking up two bobbins. I’m misplaced the info on that fibre so that’s about all I can say about it right now. I spun it with the intent to work on how much twist i put into both for spinning the singles and plying. I’m in love with how it came out and think the colours are perfect!
When I’m not spinning, I’ve been knitting up my own handspun, I made about 230 yards of chain-ply from the Local Wool Project Wool and Alpaca. The colour changes are longer in length than I’ve accomplished in the past, so it’s been a challenge finding a way to knit it up that I like. I am knitting it up into two different cowls. Here’s a sneak peek of one:
As always, there are quite a few other projects on my needles and hooks and I look forward to sharing them with you soon. What are you working on?
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