a fibery few days

Every project I’m working on now has a huge learning curve, EVERY ONE.  So, in order to give myself a breather, a small break to mend my frazzled nerves, I’m spinning.  Nothing marathon, but a few minutes here and there to regroup my thoughts, let my mind wander and perk up my imagination.  It works.  Sitting around, has been a bag a of stuff I picked up from Zeilinger’s booth at NH S&W last spring.  It is a beautiful, Jacoby looking blend of equal amounts of alpaca, wool and mohair.  The alpaca and mohair spin smoothly.   The wool, that is the heavy black stuff, must have been floor sweepings, third cuts or something short and wiry.  Mean stuff.  I spun up a skein last spring, liked the way it looked and planned to continue.  But, every time I went back to it, I’d stop.  There wasn’t any pleasure in spinning it and I didn’t HAVE to spin it, so why.  Thursday, as I stood looking at it again, I decided to re-card the stuff and try it that way.  Although the black still makes little nubs, it’s okay.  The yarn feels good, the pleasure is there.  It certainly isn’t my favorite, not something I’d choose again, but I’m satisfied with the results. I’ve got more than a usable yarn.

Friday was a dye day.  I promise pictures soon.  I managed three new colors, all lace wt. singles. 

Saturday was the best.  Kim, Julia, and I met in Lowell at the American Textile History Museum.  Beautiful place, full of all kinds of wonderful spinnerly tools.  The museum store has closed, too bad, it was a great little place.  But the cafe is open and we had a nice lunch while we visited.  Make sure you don’t miss out on Julia’s newest sweater and her article on the back page of the new IK.