Thursday, June 05, 2014

Quickie

Yes, I’m still here! I’ve been somewhat busy as well as somewhat avoiding blogging. Nothing much to report actually. I’ve been doing the usual weeding and watering in the garden. I spent a hefty portion of 2 days printing out class notes and finding all the equipment for my kumihimo class on Saturday (with a second class next Thursday). Spent half an hour hunting for the bobbins and counterweights because I forgot where I put them! Doh. They were in the attic, logically enough right next to the box of folding stools converted into marudais. But I needed to dig for them. And use a flashlight.

Today was spent with my Spectrum Study Group and we dyed all kinds of things in 3 dye pots: osage with iron, logwood and cochineal. We threw in various mordanted skeins of tencel, silk, cotton, and superwash sock yarn plus swatches of wool, silk and linen fabric and silk/rayon velvet divoré. There’s photos coming (I hope) and I’ll try to snap one of my little pile of goodies which is currently drying on the clothesline. It was a fun day and quite productive.

Finally finished spinning the Rainbow Dark yarn. I might have gotten a little finer grist towards the end, both because I was worried I wasn’t going to get enough yardage (and there ain’t no more of this stuff to be had for love nor money) and also because if I’m not paying strict attention I tend to slide back into to a default thickness, which with this wool is a light worsted. I found when I began this project that I was somewhat out of spinning practice and it got quite a lot easier as I went. Now I hope it isn’t too thin though most of it is pretty consistent except for the first skein. If it isn’t too much thicker I think I have enough for my sweater plan. I have nearly 1400 yards total but I need to put the 6 skeins on the scale to be sure what weight I ended up with. Next project is to wind skeins into balls and swatch some more.

However, that will have to wait for awhile. I have to spend tomorrow cleaning up the house, setting up the big table on the deck and locating a few more items for the class. I’m hoping the good weather holds though they’re predicting more cloud on Saturday. As long as the wet stuff whose name we shall not mention stays away. Our deck definitely is the best place to hold the class. We can put the chairs on the grass and the marudais on the wide step and everything is at the perfect height to work comfortably. Lots of table space as well. I love working outdoors this time of year.

So, moving right along. Things to do. Swamps to muck out. People to see. How did it get to be nearly a week into June already? More soon!

1 comment:

pao said...

How did the workshop go? And the weather, did it cooperate nicely? I'm sure it was all amazing. So much going on - all creative, of course - from gardening to spinning yarn, to natural dyeing, to whatever its called your class is doing. shoee-wee.