Soft and Snuggly

Despite the sore elbows, I have managed to finish another shawl!

I used the gorgeous alpaca/merino that I spun during the Tour de Fleece this year. I was planning on using all 3 skeins, but my guage was off and I only used 2.

This is probably a good thing as it blocked out to just over 60 inches and I don't know how/where I would block something any bigger!

I love this shawl! It's so warm and snuggly. I'm definitely going to buy more of the fibre and make more shawls with it!



Pattern: Fir Cone Square Shawl from Folk Shawls
Yarn Used: Handspun Merino/Alpaca
Time: 16-10-10 - 19-11-10

Mandala

During the Tour de Fleece, I spun up some SW Cheviot. I was extraordinarily proud of it as it came out super fine - the best I've ever spun!

I knew by the time I'd finished it that it was going to be Mandala. This shawl is fascinating to knit! There are four sections and on each section you can choose from four different charts, so the possibilities are endless. You get a different shawl everytime you knit it!

Labour of Love

I started knitting this shawl on 1st September and focused on little else - even my spindles got abandoned.

I got toward the end, started the edging and started to panic; would I have enough yarn to finish? What would I do if I ran out?

I made some calculations and reassured that I had more than enough; I plowed on with the edging border.

I got about halfway round and then suddenly had one of those lightbulb holyshit moments! I had calculated that I cast off 11 stitches for every repeat of the edging chart, when in fact; I only cast off 6.

I felt extremely sick!

So I went back and calculated again - apparently I would still have enough!

I finished today - I had 214cm of yarn left!!!

I set about blocking it - my mats weren't big enough, so I had to use Alex's kingsize bed. Blocking a circle evenly is hard!

Pattern: Mandala
Yarn: Handspun Cheviot
Time: 1-09-10 - 15-10-10

I won an award!

In fact, I've won two thngs this week!

First, I won the Creative Crafting Blog of Month award from the Creative Crafting group. Go on over and have a look at their site.

A bunch of women got together and decided to create an online crafting magazine. This months magazine is only issue 6 and I'm very honoured to have been given a prize! I've also been mentioned in the magazine by Diane who's written an article about drop spindling. Go through to the blog and click the little magazine and it will open up full size, Diane's article is on page 22-23!

Then I got a message via Ravelry to say I'd won a prize in the Tour de Fleece! I've won 100g of 70% BFL/30% Silk!

Yay!

I finished my Tour de Fleece spinning at 5am this morning!

I'm shattered and I've totally overdone it because I hurt now, but I really enjoyed doing it!

Here is everything I spun!



Top left: 70% Alpaca/30% Merino, 500g, 37WPI, 2468.432 meters or 2699.166 yards.
Top right: I added about 30g of Shetland to my Trindle
Bottom left: I purchased and learned how to use a Russian support Spindle, I spun about 15g of merino.
Bottom Right: Cheviot, 200g, 54WPI, 1992.757 meters or 2179.30556 yards!

As you can see, I've recently purchased a support spindle due to the back problems I told you about before.

It's lovely and today, my Spindolyn arrived too! I really want to practise on them both, but I haven't knit a stitch in 3 weeks and I'm desperate to get on with my shawl!

Back problems strike again

As you already know, if you read my blog, I have a bad back. I am basically in pain 24 hours a day, it never doesn't hurt and if I overdo things (stand too long, walk too far, carry things, etc) the pain increases.

Due to this, I often walk with a stick - but not all the time; only when the pain is worse than my norm before I go out (I should really use it more, but as anyone who has to use a stick will say 'I hate that f**king stick!)!

A couple of days ago, I discovered that Isis will walk quite happily if I hook her leash to my belt. 'Great!' I thought 'This means I can knit or spindle while walking (if I'm not using my stick, that is)!'

So, I tried it today! I walked from my house to Mel's house.

Co-incidentally, one of the Tour de Fleece challenges is to spin a mile - that can be a mile long piece of yarn, or you can spin while walking a mile.

It is one mile from my house to Mel's house!

So I did it. It took me ages to get there! I couldn't walk too fast or I'd kick the spindle and holding my hands in front of me really caused my back to ache!

I do enjoy spindling, but I can't spindle while sitting down (makes my arms ache holding them up like that!) and I obviously can't stand too long and do it and now I know I can't walk and spindle.

I can't sit 'properly' on a chair for very long. I think the whole being upright with my spine straight must put pressure on somewhere because it hurts in exactly the same way as standing does. Anyone who knows me well, knows I fidget a lot!

When at home, I sit with my feet tucked up beside me. I know this means I am sitting twisted, but it really is the most comfortable position for me!

After watching this video by Lisa, I realised that I would be able to use a supported spindle in any position! So I sent her an e-mail and ordered one!

I'm quite excited to learn something new and I'm hoping my new spindle will arrive in the post tomorrow. I don't know what wood she's used, I told her I liked walnut and Mexican Bocote but couldn't decide which I liked more so I told her to surprise me!

The weird thing is that I can sit at my wheel for hours though - maybe the treadling shifts things enough that I don't get quite so sore?

ETA: I've just ordered a Spindolyn too!

Exhaustion at the End of Week 2!

I am absolutely shattered! I haven't knit a stitch since this tour started and I'm really missing it.

But, I have finished my first Tour de Fleece challenge!

I have spun approximately 500g of 70% alpaca/30% merino into 2 ply laceweight!

I haven't measured the 3rd skein yet (it's just having a soak), but once it's dry I'll come back here and let you know the final yardage!

While I am sick of spinning the same colour for two solid weeks, I am also incredibly proud of this gorgeous, soft, fluffy yarn that I created!

Now, I just want something bright and garish to spin for a change LOL


OK, I'm back! I've measured the third skein and it's a biggun! Skein 1 was 781.812 metres/855 yards, skein 2 was 772.16 metres/844.44 yards and skein 3 was a mahoosive 914.146 metres/999.722 yards - that makes my total length: 2468.432 meters or 2699.166 yards!!!

My first TdF Skein

This year I am participating in the Tour de Fleece. I decided to spin up the 500g of alpaca/merino tops I purchased at iKnit last year.

The fibre is gorgeous - well it would be at 70% alpaca and 30% merino, wouldn't it and naturally, it wanted to be laceweight.

I started spinning on Saturday, but only managed to do five or six hours over the entire weekend as I went out clubbing with Kaz and got very drunk on Saturday night LOL.

Anyway, I kept spinning and spinning and by last night; I had finished two bobbins worth. So today I got to plying.

My god, it went on forever! It took me all day to ply (minus eating, taking a break, playing with my new iPhone 4 {birthday gift from Kyle!} and taking Mum to B&Q).

Finally at 1am, I finished. So I wound it off onto the skeiner and I got 855 yards/781.812 metres, and 37WPI over 168 grams!



I am so proud of it and it's gorgeous. I reckon when I've finished the whole lot, I'm going to have over 2500 yards!

Tour de Fleece

The Tour de France is fast approaching which, for us spinner types, means the Tour de Fleece!

The idea is that you spin when they cycle and rest the days the cyclists rest. That is not a rule - it's a guideline and there are groups for all different types.

These are just some of the groups already up:

• Team Hopelessly Over Committed - got a lot on your plate? Then this is the team for you
• Team Rookies - new to spinning or your first Tour de Fleece, then join them.
• Team Sprinters - spinning something that will take a lot of work (lace?), then join them
• Team Breakaway - for the art yarn spinners
• Team Lantern Rouge - for those who just want to dip in and out and not commit
• Team Peloton - we're all in this to begin with!
• Team Stashbusters - spin some of your stash!
• Team Climbers - going to spin for a large project - join the climbers
  

Then there's the wildcard teams, if you like a specific fibre, check to see if they have their own team. If you have a local spinning group - see if they have a team.

We have Team Social. If you use twitter, facebook or any other social networking site, please feel free to join us!

The cool thing about the Tour de Fleece is that you can be in as many groups as you want and it's all good fun. The idea is to challenge yourself!

So far I've created Team Social and joined Teams Climbers, Rookies, Stashbusters, Hopelessly overcommitted and sprinters!

I'm very excited about this, I wasn't able to participate last year due to the fact that I couldn't spin on the Ashford Traditional and the Joy hadn't yet arrived.

Please come and join in the fun and if you join Team Social, you may even win a prize!