Smatterings

  • spindling

    Here, on this hill by the pond, I am not the only spinner. 

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    I may not understand the logic or the geometry, but I admire the fine work. 

    Last week, I recieved an email from Wanda Jenkins.  She and her husband have a company called Jenkins Woodworking , Heirloom tools for discerning fiber artists. He makes spindles, she spins.  We were discussing the Turkish spindle, and the drop it off the roof method employed by Turkish spinners.  In her email she said that she uses the long draw with her spindle.  Wow!   It was one of those A Ha! moments.  I had never considered using the long draw spindling.  Imagine, long draw speed on a spindle. Any time, any place…. I’m practicing.   

    Another interesting technique that I started using this week, is spinning the spindle with my feet.  Cindy brought this method up one night last weekend (at the Gathering) while we were drinking tequila in our room and trying out our new Forrester spindles.  I didn’t have much success while wearing fuzzy slippers and under the influence,  but I’ve gotten to like it and found it to be fast and easy in both bare feet and while wearing rubber soled or leather shoes. 

    Just a couple things to try, when you have a few moments.

    9 responses to “spindling”

    1. Carole

      The spider web photo is amazing. And listen, I can barely spin on the spindle as it is. Now you might me to try long draw? LOL

    2. kirsty

      Thats a beautiful picture of the spiders web, the soft dappled light in the background is lovely 🙂

    3. Kim

      Very cool picture. I would love to see someone doing the long draw with a spindle!

    4. margene

      I so need to try spindling with my feet! The other spinner has a unique sense of space.

    5. CindyCindy

      That is one sturdy looking web. I think those are the only ones able to survive this time of year. I would love to see the spider. Last night I was on the deck with my pup and looked at one of the shepherd hooks with birdfeeders that I have, and sitting there was a tiny barn owl. Made my day. And,,,,,,I can hardly spin with my hands much less my feet.

    6. Carol

      I haven’t started spinning (yet), but was wondering what size needles that spider used?
      0000000? I silly cause it’s Friday.

    7. Laurie

      Marcy does foot spindling. Very impressive. Only a limited number of people appreciate that.

    8. Cassie

      That is truly, truly beautiful. I’m afraid I don’t understand the dynamics of the foot spinning idea – can you explain more about it?

    9. Monica

      The foot spinning was a cool technique, I’m glad she showed me. I showed my spindling class as well and they enjoyed it.

  • The Shetland Triangle

    Unless I happen upon your Walk with me Wednesday posts or have you on my bloglines, I might miss sharing your walks.  So, if you are walking, and posting, give me a heads up, will you?  I’ll put a link to you in my sidebar under Walk with Me Wednesday.  I know that it can be hard to fit walking into your day, especially if you are trying to schedule a certain day, like Wednesday, for instance.  Walk when you can, when the mood hits you or when you need to get a breath of fresh air.  Use it for your post.  The day of your walk isn’t important.  We can share on Wednesday.  It’s hump day, when we need to get out, refocus, and get on with the rest of the week. 

    All the pieces of the Marseille Pullover have been finished for a week.  Just sitting there waiting.  I don’t like to seam.  Instead, (even I can’t believe its just sitting there) I have started a seamless project.  It’s another Evelyn Clark pattern, The Shetland Triangle, which uses the fircone pattern for the main triangle, an easy to memorize, 10 stitch repeat.  I’d dyed up some alpaca / silk in a lace wt. yarn a few weeks ago and wanted to try knitting with it.  It’s the seasonal thing.  Remember, a week or so ago, I asked if what was around us visually influenced our choices.  Me… the answer is yes. yes. yes. 

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    17 responses to “The Shetland Triangle”

    1. Carol

      Thanks for the “nudge” on the walking! I walk! Not like you do, but you’ve got me thinking….I love what’s springing out of that branch!

    2. margene

      Eye catching foliage you have there!

    3. Cheryl

      I just love the Shetland Triangle pattern and I can’t wait to see how yours comes out! Mine was one of my favorite things I’ve ever made.

    4. Cathy

      I keep forgetting to take my camera along on my walks to document… but I am with you!!

    5. Carole

      It’s perfect for you.

    6. Carrie

      Lovely! I don’t usually have time to walk (and I hate to do it anyway) but next week I will be close enough to work that I can ride my bike! That will be a wonderful start to my days.

    7. Zarah

      C’mon, get that sweater seamed up – I want to see how it looks!

    8. Anne

      As usual, gorgeous colors. It sort of makes up for the gloom of November, doesn’t it?

    9. Dorothy B

      Love the colours of your Shetland Triangle.
      Colours in my surroundings affect me too. Especially in the winter when I crave the bright warmth of spring.

    10. Kim

      I loved Cheryl’s when I saw hers this summer and yours is lovely too! I am going to have to give it a try (after the hands recoop from the nupps…LOL)

    11. sandy

      Gorgeous Shetland Triangle! So appropriate for the season!

    12. Manise

      That’s eye candy color! Beautiful- I’m realizing that those are the colors we had at Rhinebeck, which are so devoid of now with the last rain.

    13. lynne s of Oz

      Oooh, nice colours in the shawl! Funny how you’ve had leaden skies – we get them in November here too even though it is late spring. We had them for four days in a row but today is brightly sunny (hooray!).

    14. Diane E.

      Ohh, looking forward to it blocked. Btw, I’m a “walker”. Didn’t post yet this week.

    15. Theresa

      I’ve been seeing the Shetland Triangle popping up all over – and it’s very inspiring!

    16. cyndy

      why is it soooo easy to start another project when another is “just sitting there waiting” ? …looking forward to following the walkers on wednesdays, what a good idea to post them on the sidebar!

    17. gale (she shoots sheep shots)

      I won’t promise to do it on Wednesdays but I walk always and show sometimes. Its definitely linked to what colors I knit. I posted my walk today…

  • walk with me wednesday

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    It’s November.  We have moved into the grey days.  In the north, the skies look and feel the color of lead.  The color palette shrinks with the length of the day.  I walk through a landscape of browns, greys, and bits of the brightest greens, brilliant by the comparison.  It’s time to look closer, see line, texture and structure.  Come walk…

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    time to turn on the lights

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    and light the stove..

     


    9 responses to “walk with me wednesday”

    1. Manise

      Add some fog and that’s exactly what it looks like here. The lead gray backdrop makes what remaining color there is in my garden light up. Thank for the walk.

    2. margene

      Our winter textures look much the same except we have little green. They sky has the smae quality, too. Nature is beautiful all year round.

    3. Carole

      Grey but lovely. Although it’s warm here today. The woodstove isn’t running and the windows are open.

    4. Carol

      Beautiful…We’ve been grey here too, makes it feel a little like Fall.

    5. Kim

      It’s pretty warm here today……but oh so rainy!

    6. Dorothy B

      I’ve just finished posting my walk or at least the circle I walked around the yard while the children are napping.
      I think November must be the queen of grey skies.

    7. cyndy

      I enjoy your walks…and the stove feels good on a day like today (just ask the kitty)

    8. Pat K

      I came over from Margene’s blog. Your pictures are beautiful and evocative. I grew up in Michigan and your pictures take me back to autumn, my favorite time of the year. I can almost smell the cold crispness in the air, seeing the sunlight on the fields. What a lovely idea, posting pictures of the seasons and the changes that happen week by week.

    9. Laurie

      I LOVE the vista.

“Our lives are dyed the colors of our imagination.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

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