Many Colors and Energized Twist

Am I the only one that likes to change colors and fibers after just a short time while spinning wool?  I like some variety every now and again.  I just crocheted a trivet with yarn made with many colors and kinds of wool.  This does include kid mohair, which is a goat fiber and not a sheep fiber. It is only one ply (strands put together) and it is what they call (in the spinning world) an energized single. The twists are the energy and can be a little harder to work with. When yarn is spun and taken off of the bobbin, it has extra twist and over twists on itself. It has what I think of as a bird's next effect. When wet or steamed in a stretched (not over-stretched) state such as on a niddy-noddy (tool to place spun yarn on when taking it off the wheel) or while hanging dry, the over twisting disappears and the twist is set.  

Thanks for viewing!  Dawnie

PS  The font will not stay in one size.  It is kind of like I did it on purpose to show how a varied font would get more attention and interest .  LOL

Every Which Way but Loose.

Anyone that has been spinning for some time has accumulated a stash of wool.   On the project I made, it doesn't matter if the wool is processed by a mill or at home.   I made a very interesting yarn and used up some of my wool and made a table runner and mat.  Directions for how I did it are as fallows.

Begin by pulling out 10 or more different fibers to spin.  (more are better)  Just grab a handful of each.  Vary the type of fibers and the colors.  If you have mohair, silk, Angelina (sparkle), curly locks, soft wool, rug wool, or ugly wool, it is fine to use for this yarn.  I start spinning with one of the yarns and I spin from lace-weight to bulky varying the spinning style.  This is a project were you can try different spinning techniques.  Some of the fibers I pull the locks apart with my hands, some I have to card or flick card.  I like to obtain  as many curls as possible in the yarn.  This is a two ply yarn.  Both plies can be done this same way.  The way I prefer is to make one ply varied as described here and the second ply with one solid, bright-colored fiber spun neat and thin.  This ply yarn will tie all of the various types and colors of yarns together.  It can also brighten the yarn or make it duller depending on what you use.  Examples would be:  If you use an orange or yellow, it will brighten it.  If you use a duller wool color such as gray.  It is possible to use a thin crochet thread or other thread for plying.   Little bits of interesting wool placed here and there also add interest to this yarn.  

The above picture shows a skein of yarn made this way, along with other fiber.  In order to make the table runner, I cast on 39 stitches with number 10 knitting needles.  I knit the first 6 rows, after that, I knit the first 4 stitches and the last 4 stitches in every row.  Aside from the beginning and ending 4 stitches, I knit one row and then purled one row---stockinette stitch.   The last 6 rows I knit binding off on the sixth one.  I will probably go through and brush up some of the fibers and allow them to fluff up a bit more.  They do make a mohair brush for this, but I think most any brush would be fine as long as they don't get caught in the fiber.   

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Thank you for viewing!!!  Dawnie

What are you making???

When plying, don't hesitate to ply unmatched yarns.  An example of plying 2 unmatched yarns is in this crocheted trivet where I plied Dutch Spotted Sheep (Bonte Schaap) and a varied green yarn with lots of sparkles.  This batt is named Irish Blessing and contains Merino, Alpaca, Corridale, BFL, silk, and Angelina fibers.   It comes from Fawkes Farm.  www.etsy.com/shop/FawkesFarm.  Unfortunately, most of the sparkle doesn't come across in the picture.  I put a green button in the center of this trivet.  The button makes the trivet look complete.

I am in a couple fiber clubs.  They send fiber in colorways I would not have picked out if I went shopping.  This is an example.  A mostly gray Merino wool top with an orange and a light teal.  It really is not pretty.  I had to make it fun, so I added fun fibers with the Merino wool.  BFL in golden and orange, BFL in light teals, Nylon sparkle, mulberry silk, and orange kid mohair.  All natural fibers except for the sparkle.

Blending on a hackle and using a diz to remove the fiber from this hackle.

After spinning

Top of the hat.

After this, I spun the Merino top and made it a two-ply yarn.  I single crocheted a border and placed 8 squash colored buttons around the band.  This hat can be worn by male or female, but I think most men would not want the buttons on the bottom border. 

 As you may have noticed, buttons may give a hand-made item a finished look.  For the last row, I like to crochet around the stem of each stitch in the second to the last row, which gives the bottom of the hat more support and doesn't allow the hat to stretch out of place. 

 Another crocheted, hand-spun yarn trivet.  As you see, there is a button in the center.  This button is not flat, but the raised stitches around the decorative center allow for most items to sit level.  

I hope you had a wonderful Easter!  Dawnie

More dying wool and spinning.

Thank you for viewing!  Dawnie

Rag Rugs and Other Things

I have lately found spinning and making rag rug items for my home keeping me busy when I am not at my full time job.  I recently made the table runner and a couple of hot pads.  I am crocheting a circular rag rug, but it is only about 2 feet in diameter.  I want it to be closer to 5 foot in diameter.  Crocheting with fabric takes me a lot longer to do than crocheting with yarn.  Part of this time is due to the attachment of fabric pieces every 44" or so. 

Next, I plan to make another type of of rag rug using a peg loom.  I will update you with the progress once I get started with that rug.  

I don't know why I have been fixated with rag rugs so much lately.  I have always loved them and find them to have a welcoming charm in any home.  I only use new fabric.  It is remarkable how long the bright and bold colors hold up in a rag rug.  My great-grandmother made the one in the following picture.  This rug is at least 58 years old.  It has been well worn and in a few places the fabric is unraveling. 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Fall Festival

 This last weekend I was a vendor at the Haysville Fall Festival. Haysville is a suburb of Wichita.  It was a free event for anyone who wished to attend, unless you were a vendor.  Vendors paid $50.00 per space.  The event was outdoors in a large park.  The park is lovely.  Any resident of Haysville should be proud of the size and cleanliness of the park.  During the event, Live music was performed off and on, there was horse back riding, a carnival, various food vendors, a car show, etc.  Everything was well organized and planned out.  I took my big pink tent (My son dubbed it, "The Pink Panther").  It took me several hours to prepare for the event.  I only sold $16.00 in craft items., so I didn't even recoup my festival space payment.  I have participated in several events in the past; however, I have spent more time with family as of late (grand-babies), so it has been a couple of years since my last event.  I took a spinning wheel and demonstrated spinning yarn for the better part of a day and a half.  I was told many, many times that it was a dying art.  I was thanked many times for continuing this heritage craft, for demonstrating the craft,  and how lovely my work is.  I would guesstimate that 100 or more people entered my tent to observe and ask questions.  At least 100 more observers stood outside the tent and watched.  Along with those observers, many others walked slowly by and nudged fellow attendees to make sure they knew I was spinning.  In Kansas, we don't raise many sheep.  It is not unusual for someone to go his or her whole life without actually viewing anyone spinning, except in fairy tales and on TV.  I don't mind demonstrating my dying art, (spinning) but shouldn't someone support the arts before they dye out???  I have learned from this weekend Festival that free to attend festivals with many events will not attract someone to purchase like a craft fair or women's fair which will cost a few bucks admission and purchasing hand made items is the expectation of the people who attend the event.  If you want to view someone demonstrating a lost art, don't just tell him or her that they do good work.  Put your money where your mouth is please.  I guess I need a tip jar.  LOL   Am I disgruntled about not making any money--- maybe, but I think I am more tired than anything.  The items I had for sale were:  hand-spun yarn, items made from the hand-spun yarn and purchased yarn, pot holders, hotpads, trivets, hats, tea cozies, dishcloths, wash cloths baby bonnets, baby hats, baby bibs, and hand made soaps.

What else I learned:   I was making string on a Spinning Jenny and  Cashmere wool comes from Alaskan dogs. It is amazing what people think.  I was actually spinning on a Castle Spinning Wheel making yarn from wool.  Cashmere Wool comes from Cashmere Goats.

I am attaching a few pictures.  Have a great week!  Dawnie

My visiting model.  Ashley

 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

 
PS  Someone stole my silver nuts hanging off the back of my car while it was parked at the festival.  While do people steal things???  Shame on them!!!  These were a gift to me.
Just for grins and giggles:

Yang after his bath.  Caption?  Check out that tongue.

Hand Carder Covers and Spinning

 

Some bloggers make a living from his or her blog.  Not I (obviously).  When I mention a company I do it because I really like them, not because they are paying me.  I recently purchased 2 sets of hand carder covers.  Hand carders are used to comb wool prior to spinning it.  Hand carders can be pretty dangerous when they are not used since they are sharp wires.  I found a lady on Etsy that makes covers for the hand carders.  She does excellent work --- not a stitch out of place.  If you ever need to purchase a cover, look for Michelle Lee at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileSanity
As a bonus, Michelle sent me some wool rolags ( little long rolls of combed and blended wool).  These were made in a Merino wool and a silk blend called Eternal Love.  I had to spin these lovely rolags up.  It made a beautiful yarn, as you can see from my pictures.

 I hope you have a great weekend!  Dawnie

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage

Purple Trivet

I have been spinning more lately.  I have enough wool in my stash to spin for the rest of my life.  LOL  I prefer to purchase the wool directly from the farmer.  I want to scour (wash), comb, dye, and spin the wool myself.  I sometimes die the wool before I spin it and at other times, I dye it later.  I like to display my teapots and tea cozies cover them up.  Tea cozies serve a purpose, but when you want to show off a tea service, it is nice to make a trivet for under the pot.  I also like to recycle when I can, so my trivet has used blue jean fabric on one side.  The other side is a pretty floral.  In-between  are 2 thin layers of cotton batting.  A purple button has been sewn in the center of both sides of the trivet base.  I spun rainbow dyed kid Mohair fleece in such a way as to allow many of the curls to show themselves off. After this, I crocheted the yarn in a circular pattern.  The center hole is large enough to be buttoned on the denim side of the base trivet or onto the the pretty floral fabric side of the base trivet.  Of course, the base can be used alone and the crocheted Mohair piece can be used alone.  I have a couple more trivets in the making with a few different things going on.  I will be showing them soon.

I don't think the pictures do it justice.  It is very vibrant and pretty!

Thank you for viewing!  Dawnie