Sunday, January 27, 2013

Spinning Silk and a Pretty Cape

 I'm working on this project right now, and I love it.

 It's going to be a little capelet for me- something that just goes below the elbow, with a bit of lace on it. The yarn is so pretty, with just a hint of sparkle and a really yummy cream colour.

 Every time I get a chance to work on it a bit while I'm at work, people keep complementing it. It's so gratifying to hear that people think it's pretty, and I love when they are astounded that it's not knit, it's crochet. Already two people have said they'd love to make one. I can't wait to finish it and wear it.

 We got a new version of our Rainbow Prism and it is SO pretty! I love it even more than the old Rainbow. I'm trying to decide what to make with it. I'm thinking a really nice baby blanket- I have 4 balls of it and it would make something pretty substantial.

 I also ordered a new drop spindle. Isn't it pretty? It came with the white silk and the blue sparkly fibre. The silk is so soft!

 I love the spindle, too. It's really well balanced and pretty, and the snowflake shape makes it really easy to use- so many notches for my yarn.
I'm trying a new technique my friend Gabe taught me- or rather, she taught Ilana and I watched and now I'm figuring it out from what I remember. It's chain plying while you spin- I spin an arm's length two or three times, and then chain it together and twist the ply into it. It's so cool- I'm making three ply yarn in one go. Andrew called me a wizard. I feel like a wizard.

I'm really making progress, too. I already have more than twice in that picture spun. I'm probably 1/4 or 1/3 through the silk and I just got the spindle Friday night.
The silk, oh, it's yummy. I love spinning it. It's from Tannis Fibre Arts. It's Tussah Silk in a colourway called "Royal Flush". I got it from the Purple Purl in December. Since I'm on a yarn buying ban (and I've held fast, nothing at all since December except the two balls to finish my cardigan) I couldn't get any of the super pretty yarns there. But then I saw this and I had to have it. I'd never spun silk before and the colour is just so me. Turns out I love spinning silk. It's so smooth and flows through my fingers so easily. I just have to remember to keep a light hand and wipe my darn hand frequently, or I'll get all sweaty and mess it up.
I spent this morning watching yet another version of Jane Eyre and spinning. The Jane Eyre was alright, although having just finished the book, nothing else could live up to it.

Now I think I might go take a nap, I'm helping a friend move this afternoon and I have to drive a big scary moving truck across the city. Eep! Despite having backed giant moving trucks perfectly into tiny spaces (I got a round of applause from a random stranger for that!), parallel parked and driven through city traffic in them, I still get a bit nervous about the whole thing.

2 comments:

  1. I was gonna say, what you're knitting now?? the capelet def looks knit! Love your technicque.

    i tried a bit of spinning, but just not feeling it. Yours looks great, and waht a pretty spindle!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!
      Yes, I totally love this spindle. It's beautiful and really wonderful for spinning.
      I've actually been lukewarm on spinning until recently when the spinning bug hit me hard. Now I'm loving it!

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