Make Your Own Niddy Noddy

I wrote an article on Wizzley about making a niddy noddy and how to use one. Read it HERE.

Fustic and Copper

I saved the dye bath from the last post waiting for my little package of copper, or blue vitriol, to arrive. I knew it might make the wool more green so I added about a tablespoon full to the dye bath. This was the second batch of dyeing for the bath and it already had some alum in it. I didn't know what would come out. It turned out to be more of the khaki green I had read about. It's really an interesting color. I'm spinning some up to see it in a yarn.
I'll be doing another batch with fresh ingredients so I'll report back on that soon.

When I'm out at an outdoor market or craft fair with my spinning wheel, people often ask me, "What are you making?" I try not to sound sarcastic, but the answer is, as a matter of fact, "YARN." The truth is, I'm not always spinning to knit or weave something in particular.. Sometimes I spin yarn to sell, sometimes just to use up some bunny fur, dog hair or sheep wool that has been accumulating. Sometimes I have something new like raw llama that I just want to see spun up. Sometimes I spin just to relax or to keep my hands busy.
It takes 3-4 times as long to prepare and spin yarn as it does to weave with it. I rarely have the time to do that. I get to spin here and there, in odd chunks of time. I do it just because I like it and want to keep my shelves full of yarn. Weaving takes up great quantities of yarn and when I'm weaving it's full steam ahead.  It has been said that in the days of homespun clothing, it took 7 spinners to keep one weaver busy! No way I can keep up with that!

Llama yarn

I just made my first skein of llama wool. It's a longer process than usual because llamas are double coated animals.



If you look closely, you can see fuzzy down and longer guard hairs. These need to be separated.
I just hold a clump of wool and pull the guard hairs out.




The coarse hairs can be used for rugs or even ropes. The soft down can be spun as is, or blended with another fiber.

I carded the down. Some folks might just spin it as is, but I find I do a better job if it's carded first. My carding drum is in storage at the moment, so I used my hand carders.

Finally, I got to spin some gorgeous tan yarn. It's not my best spinning effort, but I love the color and texture.

I'm feeling a little cranky today. Don't know why, other than just being tired. I set the alarm and got up at a proper hour. I've been sleeping too late and staying up too late. The joys of electric lights....So I'm trying to cure my mood with chocolate. I read, in a funny little knitting book a GREAT way to keep track of rows. Instead of a clicker, or a counter, you set out m&ms in the same number as rows to be knit. At the end of each row, you eat an m&m. When they're gone, you're done! I thought it was so brilliant I just have to try it.

And, yes, the mitten has finally submitted and is coming along. I even checked out the audio books on knitting. (see previous post...)

And the spinning is DONE! Now I have to wind them into usable balls and start measuring out warp. The last batch was so pretty. All my leftovers from hand dyed roving in all colors. I almost don't want to waste it on warp, but I MUST. No faltering now.

I must sign off now. The m&ms await me.....