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YOP8 – Week 22/52

Having taken a break from the problem sock situation this week, I started to knit “Lintilla” pattern from Martina Behm (designer of the hitchhiker shawl which I’ve done 3 versions of).  This is my first pattern with wrap and turn stitches and in the variegated yarn from Ripples Crafts I really like it.  This is sock wool with some nylon in, so this isn’t going to be a cosy fluffy scarf/shawl, but it is ideal for practicing new stitches and should last well and stand up to lots of wear.

At felting group this week I made a present, which will need to be posted on here after Christmas.  I am really pleased with it, no idea what the fibre was, as it was out of my stash I bought with my spinning wheel.

I had some time left over so used some black suri alpaca fibre and sari silk to make a thin scarf.  It is very thin in places but its lovely and soft and has lovely drape to it.  It is hard to photograph to do it justice.  It was an experiment really, but a nice result.

I have been working my way through episodes of Bones on Amazon Prime, whilst doing a lot of spinning.  This is the baby camel and silk blend I have mentioned before.  The smaller (bottom) skein was chain plied and you can see (hopefully) that you get separate sections of colour rather than just the barber pole type effect you get when you ply 3 bobbins (which is how I plied the larger top skein).  I’m only just over half way through spinning it all, so I am hoping to get a decent sized item out of it when its finished….what that item will be I am not sure yet.  The colours are subtle and again not photographing well.  The weight is DK-ish, i.e. worsted and sport weight in places!

I thought I’d post a wee photo of my Shetland spinning on my spindle, so I can check progress.

Making things definitely lifts my spirits, so it has been a better week.  Oh and I have managed to sell some kitchen gadgets and a game.  My Christmas presents arrived this week…I will wait until Christmas to use them, but they are fibre related so I am looking forward to trying them out after Christmas. More on them and their outputs in the new year!

There’s another felting group in mid-December, so I need to have a think about what I’d like to make then, perhaps do some needle felting for a change.

19 comments

  1. Oooh a felting group! How fun! Your spinning looks nice and even. I am spinning coopworth on a Turkish spindle right now, and it’s not terrible but not as fine and even as yours.

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      • That’s good to know. Maybe I will try it sometime. The coopworth has a long fiber but is coarse and has a slick luster, like mohair. It’s pretty, but I wish I were spinning something softer.

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  2. Wow, your spinning looks so lovely and even and knittable! I’ve decided to give up on spinning because for some reason, my yarn falls apart after a while. The shawl is gorgeous as well, I love the colours.

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    • Thank you. Are you plying the yarn and then setting it (soak in warm water and then snap it or hit it on inside of bath or similar? That should set the twist and stop it coming apart. Or perhaps there’s not enough twist?

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  5. Wow! You are getting lots done! Love your Lintilla and the felt scarf is so beautiful! Very unique and lovely 🙂 And your handspun yarn is beautiful as well – very even and such lovely colors!

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  8. The Lintilla is looking good and in that yarn will wear so well even if it isn’t so soft and fluffy. Love looking at all your spinning, it’s just not something I’ve gotten around to trying and how cool does your felted scarf look! Felting group sounds like great fun, I’ve done some needle felting and my favourite is to make pictures and I don’t really like to make 3D needle felted pieces but making a scarf or other useful item sounds like it could be great.

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    • Thanks 😀. It’s very easy to do wet felting, you just need some soap, hot water, some bubble wrap and some elbow grease! I also use some net curtain material between the fibre and bubble wrap to speed up the felting. If you have a sushi mat that’s quite good too. I use olive oil soap bars, but you can use dish soap or any alkaline soap product. I’ve only done 3 pictures with needlefelting but have done a lot of fairies that hang on some twisted branches in a vase all year round in our hallway so when you walk past the breeze makes them fly a little. 🧚‍♀️

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