Saturday, March 08, 2008

Hi all!!

This week Ive managed to finisha large bobbin of angora wool from a bag of the soft luscious stuff found at the Bendie woollen Mills nearly five years a go on a trip through there(very disappointed that I couldnt do a tour of the joint)
It was fairly matted and needed fluffing up to spin, with Mandies help in acquiring a carder its just as fun to card it and much quicker than doing it by hand,hence I was able to do a little bit of spinning each night to get it to the stage of plying it with some silk thread I got ages ago from the Hawthorne Cottage(think thats right) on Ebay.
The effect isnt coming up like I envisaged but there will be heaps so a nice broad wrap may develop.The Louet S10 has large bobbins and fine spinning can result in a quite a bit of metreage! I wanted to emulate the skein that I gave away a couple of years ago but remembered half way through plying that I actually plyed two strands of the angora/wool and on the Ertoel which although was a nightmare in the fagility of the fibre(fairly short fibres),was an absolute delight in the end, soft and plump,all squooshy and elicious,AND I gave it away..... anyway Im hoping that this week to take a break from the angora and try to finish one of Mandies last Club Issues... took one out of the cupboard looking for the silk thread....amazing what things you find stash wise when hunting something else down....and thought,oooohI really want to do this one and seeing the other and ooh I really want to this one toooooo, one for the colour and other for the fibre...big decisions.....
Knitting....
I finished the first Opal Snake sock for H. and made a head start on the second,it was a secret but he has big feet and I just had to get him to try it on to check, very happy with them he is..big feet I mean by 14 years and size 11/2, the 12 year old is already 11 so its a competition to see what sizes they end up,Son 1 I think is 12.....Hubby is size 10 1/2, Im a 8 1/2 to 9, even the younger boys have big feet compared to their friends!!!!
Anyhow I have to this week get a hold of the Opal Frog socks for P so hes not too insulted,hes a wonderful boy,helps out heaps so I have to get a move and do his sockies soon...
I havent touched anyother knitting or UFOs though I look and want to,spinning has taken much of my very small free time this week,I really want to finish a couple of things before the cooler weather gets here,likethe CPH and JoSharps Wrap Jacket,I remain sceptical if I have enough wool (Alabaster Silkroad Aran) It seems like a thick yarn for an aran especially compared to Bendies Aran

Onto this week,I again earned myself a dubious record to solving problems,you see we have an increasing population of feathered friends,Pideons to be exact,24 at last count but they dont all seem to hang around much, anyhow they leave an auwful mess and everyone seemed to be stumped to how to get rid of them,no one ,in short,wanted to ,too much effort and dont know how? I went into work early one morn and while doing my rounds I came up with the idea that these birds were so secure they totally ignored meas I walked bywhere they were roosting. Next day at 515am ,found me with

  • A box and milk crate to stand on.
  • Place quietly under window ledge where fluffed up pigeon were sleeping
  • stand up and quick as a flash grab a bird by the wings where they cross over
  • Place in box and
  • repeat.....

6 birds down and a possible 18 to go..though they are getting wary.....

Ill be back,about to loose power, action here house at Renovation Central!!!!Ill do some spinning til its back!!!

3 comments:

  1. I'm 3/4 way thru my first bobbin on the 2nd hand ashford traddie. I keep lustfully looking at my EGMTK fibre....practice, practice!!!

    Can't wait to see some pics!

    Hope the reno's are going well

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  2. I wish I could spin like you do!!! I'm so envious... Looking forward to some pics.
    Well done combating the pidgeon problem. ;)

    Jodie

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  3. Hey it's a Lovet S10 that's my door stop, they're supposed to be a good wheel.I thought your wheel looked similiar from the photo in your last post. I'll use for it's proper purpose..... one day

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