New -To - Me Spinning Wheel and New Shawl

I ordered myself an early birthday present.  For a long time I have desired to own an old-fashioned looking spinning wheel, with dark wood, in the castle style, with a Lazy Kate, and with a yarn winder, all combined in one spinning wheel. The castle style takes up less floor space and it usually taller with the flier above the wheel. The Lazy Kate holds bobbins and when yarns are plied together, it holds the yarns on the bobbins.  Most of the yarn I make is two ply, so 2 bobbins on the a Lazy Kate is sufficient for me.

Well, here is the wheel with me spinning.  Little Yang is peeking out of the glass door.  This wheel was made in the mid seventies.

When I get a new wheel, one of the first things I do, after putting it together, is to place a  Velcro dot  on the front.  I use the rough end of the Velcro. It holds the yarn I am spinning so the yarn does not go back into the orifice and/or partially untwist.

I also completed another shawl.  This one is made with Merino lace weight yarn, but I used two strands together; one from each end of the skein.  The color changes a tiny bit, but you do not notice it in this light.  I increased stitches at the beginning, down the middle, and at the end on every other row.  When the piece was about 15 inches long, I knitted a pattern which increased the stitches over 8 rows and I also increased the needle size at this same time.  I increased the needle size one more time about an inch and one half before the end of the shawl.  I crocheted around the end twice, but I think I in the next shawl I make, I will knit 5 or more rows at the end to keep the ruffle from curling on the end.  I really like how the ruffle drapes in this shawl.  The tulips showing through the shawl are part of my porch rail.

Thank you for sharing with me.  Dawnie

Apronology

Aprons are such a hot item at this time.  I don't think a person could own too many, do you?  I know aprons serve a purpose and keep your clothes clean.  They may be plain and utilitarian, or be pretty.  Most of the aprons are not solid color.  Do you know why?  A solid color will show spots more than a print or fabric with a design.  You may remember that I used black lace for apron strings on an apron I made not long ago.  I also made aprons using tulle fabric under ruffles to add a little girlie fluff.  When I was in the local grocery store, Dillons, this last week, I found an apron which used ribbon ties.  It also had a ribbon strung through the apron between button holes.  Here is a photograph of the apron.  Have you noticed more black lace lately?  Next year I may be blogging about apron-pornology if this trend continues.  LOL

Blessings to you and yours!  Dawnie

SPINNING WITH THE USE OF A KANSAS PHOTOGRAPH

The Wichita Weavers, Spinners and Dyers' Guild is displaying our work for an upcoming event.  The instructions are to spin fiber, (I used Merino, bamboo, and tussah silk.), and make a pair of fingerless gloves to match a framed photograph of Kansas, color wise, using the handspun yarn.  I work at an apartment community and one of the residents took a picture of the lake the apartments surround.  I thought this photo would be a great photo to use for the project.  I purchased the wool roving to spin the wool.  I prefer to card my wool and make a one of a kind batt, but occasionally it is nice to buy fiber which is ready to spin.  This weekend, I spun the wool for the gloves.  I will keep you posted as the gloves progress. (They are over half done at this time.) I plan to make gloves like the gloves I crocheted a couple of years ago.  The photo is not in the frame shown above, but I will show you very soon.  I like the use of the photo as an inspiration piece.  What do you think?  Will it help inspire you?

My old blog posts are:

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8166745332559091209#editor/target=post;postID=7680099103286704909

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8166745332559091209#editor/target=post;postID=3145938961653381811

Wichita Weavers, Spinners and Dyers' Guild Learn To Make Soap

Saturday the Wichita Weavers, Spinners and Dyers' Guild attended a class to learn how to make soap.  I am posting a few highlights and even a picture of me.  I taught the class. 

 

Thank you for viewing!  Dawnie 

More Snow!

We had another snow, but with more blowing wind.

Would you like to go for a bike ride?

 

The trees are beautiful!

We had our first speckled egg yesterday!

Thanks for viewing my blog!  Blessings to you and yours!  Dawnie

Snow Again!

It is snowing again and the flakes are huge!  These look 1/2 to one inch in size.  I had to look up the largest snow flake on record.   On January 28, 1887, at a ranch by Fort Keogh, Montana, the recorded snow flake was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick.  That is more like an iceberg to me.  LOL

Happy Winter Day!  Dawnie

A little of this and a little of that...........

It was such an unusual week.  We had 14.2" of snow.  I had a snow day!!! 

I purchased a few pair of slouch boot socks.  I special ordered them from Catherine Cole Studio---on Etsy.  I wanted to crochet around the top and let them peek out of the top of my boots.  These are beige tweed and were made with a lace pattern.  I crocheted a white mohair and silk yarn ruffle along the top. The socks were photographed on the snow since I had plenty of it available. 

Our chickens are not producing many eggs, so I save them until I get enough to have an egg eating night.  Most of our chickens are not old enough to lay eggs.  Also, the production is down in the winter time.  Tonight was an egg night!

Just to get you thinking about spring................

 

Thanks for viewing my blog!  Blessings to you and yours!  Dawnie