Recession: why not barter...

Well I have been very lazy with my blog these past two months. With the warmer weather, work and spinning and knitting, it has gone to the way-side.

But an update...

A friend and co-worker of mine makes pottery as a hobbie. I casually mentioned to her that I would love a set of bowls and after chatting we ended up bartering a couple of my knit-wears (hat and vamps) for a set of 4 of the most beautiful bowls I have ever seen.

Latest spinning adventure.

I finished this yarn on Sunday afternoon. It is a "green moss" plied with a deep red. Turned out to be 280 yards and weighs a little more than 6 oz. My spinning has become more even with practice, and I think it shows. This will once again make for great socks.

I am now working on a wonderful Alpaca/Romney mix compliments of Petra. I am thinking hats for this spin.

Finished "vamps"...

I finished the vamps I was knitting with my hand-spun. I think they turned out great considering I was just experimenting with the wool when I spun it up.

Newest Knits from my spun yarn!

This is a scarf I knit on Sunday May 3. I had a lazy morning and decided to do something with my "white chocolate mint" yarn which I spun a while back. I didn't have a model, so I improvised... It is about 6 feet in length and around 8 inches wide.

Another project are these "vamps" that I started with the yarn from a previous post; it is the coopworth brown mixed with the yellow/gold and red. I don't know how it happened but the colours are knitting up like something I've never seen before. When I spun the yarn, I didn't have any ideas in mind, but yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening at a friends cabin and decided I needed a new pair of socks to wear, so I began knitting. The coloured bands and the heel were an accident. I doubt I will ever be able to replicate it in another sock. Oh well, they will be one of a kind.

Newest Skein

Spent my day yesterday spinning up a skein of mixed fibers; one ply is coopworth dark (compliments of Petra when I purchased my wheel), and the other ply is a mix of gold/yellow with deep red. I hung it to dry on the cloths line after setting the twist in it overnight.

It is approximately 150yards and weighs 5 ounces. I think it turned out good. This is a two-ply that I am quite proud of. Looks like great sock yarn.

Spinning, Spinning, Spinning

I have been exploring more aspects of spinning recently and learning more and more with the help of Petra and her books. She has taught me so much. I just recently learned to Navajo 3-ply, and 3-plied my "white chocolate mint" wool. I was going to knit socks, but now that I have started to knit with it, I think it would be better used for hats.

The blue/white 2-ply was supposed to blend better, but I made a mistake and spun the white in the wrong direction I think... LOL Doesn't look too bad; plus it will make great socks some day.

The grey wool is my Newfoundland sheep fleece 2-plied; should make for great vamps. Thanks again Petra.

Newfoundland Sheep Fleece/Wool

This is a one ply spin of "Newfoundland Sheep" wool. It was given to me for a practice spin. I love the way the dark greys and lighter greys go together. I have since 2-plyed this and the colours blended beautifully.