Do you like the new look!

So I thought a change is as good as a rest....now don't know if will be able to post new posts as puter is still deciding to be a bleep regarding my blog....still telling me this account doesn't exist..well here I am again. Should really be tucked up in bed got a terrible throat at the mo feels like a golfball is stuck there. But been having a good nosey at all the lovely knitty blogs out there. Specially like Fairisle Fibres and Dances with Wool. Can you believe it its 1st April already, boy where has the year gone thus far. I remember in my early 20's with 2 babies, the days seemed so long and then when they went to school even longer, I used to pick them up get home by four and DH wouldn't be home until gone 7. Now whew seems only at times to be 18 hours in the day. My darling Mum used to say to be make the most of the children before you know it they'll be grown up and have flown the nest. Of course, being only in the 30's then I used to think yeah ok....if only I had listened and taken more time to watch and see...now in my early 50's I know why Grandparents enjoy their grandchildren so much, they take their time to watch and just see. Goodness me the things I used to do, most of us young Mums then in the late 70's early 80's didn't have our own cars, it was walking with the Silver Cross. Oh how I loved my Silver Cross pram then I had the toddler seat on the top and loads of space for shopping underneath.
No car so I used to catchthe train from Worthing in Sussex and would have to go in the guards van and I would train it to Brighton to see my Mum for the day where she would meet me at the station. I used to be so strapped for cash and things were so expensive then. Childrens anoraks had only really become fashionable then and I would hunt round for hours trying to find cheaper ones but then they were about£23 each....which was basically a average weeks wage...and as for shoes...well lets not get into that one I think most parents hate that nightmare!!!


So to change the subject here is a piccy of my latest spinning adventure it is merino in black and red and has come out at chunky (i know yet again) but hey am getting there.












Currently I am spinning some blue faced leicester in oatmeal and cream which I will ply. I actually prefer spinning this although it is taking quite a while. But seem to be able to spin it thinner so might end up with maybe fi I'm lucky double knitting...woah way to go....mind you tend to get carried away on the wheel and try the long draw...erm big mistake...darn fibre starts to drift apart. Not enough twist....but is all a learning curve. Anyway its now 12.58am and I best be away to get some zzzzzzz's...nighty night.

All I can say is bleeepbleepbleep!!

HELLO its me back again. Boy have I had mega trouble with this blog, it apparently got all stuffed up and taken a week to get sorted out. Will try to put piccys of latest spinning adventures on later...not much knitting has been done at the moment, have been doing MONKEY SOCKS....finished one thus far. Anyway ttttttoooooo tired to write anymore. Good to be back here cheer medears!!X

My new hat

Hello, haven't posted for a few days...been busy spinning well trying to.. My latest adventure into it hasn't really worked out that well. Have tried spinning corriedale in four different colours, the aim being to spin enough for some socks....just realised how much spinning it takes..the skein below is only 128 metres with 16wpi's. Only problem is/was think that I have overspun it, though managed to get some twists out by weighing it when drying. Also it seems a little bit harsh.


But very colourful!!!!

Anyway, what I would like to know is how does one make a blog more interesting without becoming too indulgent. Read lots of others and there does seem to be a knack to it rather than just blethering on. BUT

nevermind blethering.......LOOK....









Well pleased, its the BFL that I spun recently (piccy below) and I managed to actually knit with it...don't laugh, first spun fibre was big little big little...but managed to get some continuity with it. Those peps that don't spin may be thinking this womans lost the plot...believe me...the feeling of elation ...whoo----hooo! Oh I don't care. I'm happy and I shall wear it to my hearts content next week 'cos its going to be CCCCOOOLLLDDD!!!
Oh the pattern is from Spin to Knit.

Soooo chuffed.

Hello all, had an absolutely great day on Saturday at the Spinners Guild....had a lovely lady teaching me the spinning, she just sat with me first of all and went through how the wheel works etc....then slowly set me on the route to learning to spin properly. She didn't rush...I had so many questions that I asked her...(poor lady). Then later on another very very prolifant spinner toke me on board and sat with me... watching me treadle and just tellimg me when I was doing things wrong...which was often!!!!!...this lady it turns out had and has been demonstrating for years on spinning etc. She was such a good teacher. So it seems because of the two lovely ladies with their time/patience/enthusiasm. I think my willingness to learn rubbed off on them. So here is my (2nd) go at spinning. It is Blue Face Lecicester in Oatmeal...I have spun/plyed...and there is approx 98 metres. I marvel at the way that after setting the twist etc it comes out soo soft....oh yes and I managed to balance the yarn. Woo hoo way to go...now I mustn't get carried away...heres piccys!!!





And a more close up so you can see the ply....

My first attempt!!!

HURRAY I DID IT...well I achieved something. This is my very very first attempt at spinning on my loverly new wheel. The yarn is the fibre I dyed and called Brighton Rock and I'm well chuffed at the colourway. I was absolutely determined to do this today even though there were a few swearwords along the way, especially as I had never plied before and didn't have a clue but after a spot of reading...well just about managed it. Apparently even though this is BEGINNERS SPUN YARN....we should call it designer...Oh er Missus!!! yesterday I was mucking around with the wheel and wasn't quite sure if it was going to be my FRIEWND..
but today maybe there is a very small bond starting between us. Tomorrow I'm going to practice just treadling and stopping and starting to get a feel for the wheel...as I kept on backing up. But have had my play and so here it is...

LLLLLLLoooooookkkkkkk!

My spinning wheel came today, a day early...shes gorgeous far better than I have expected from the website photo that I ordered from....so firstly the package


Then I ripped and tore at the tape with my bare hands all to no avail, had to go and get scissors. Da da.


Opened...wowwoowowowowow....excited hands carefully bring her out of box, heart pounding with excitement. Quick put together....meet my new long term friend MAVIS IN ALL HER OH SO BEAUTIFUL MAPLE WOOD.......my spinning wheel...ddddddaaaaa daaaa!

Folk Mittens.

Done...finito...quite pleased with them...from the book Folk Mittens. Pattern comes from an area of Sweden a heavily forest Halland area where the loggers in the nineteenth century wore jerseys with this pattern. The sweaters were tightly knit and the body patterned with small diagonals and a framed border. The wearers initials and the date the sweater was made were often knit into the cuff or sweater body (hence the space on the mitten cuff). The sweater would orginally been made of black and white wool, then felted to size and overdyed red.
These mittens incorporate the traditional patterns of Hallands lumberjack jerseys.

I enjoyed knitting these and am pleased as this is the first pair that I have knitted...and by no means the last. Very enjoyable...mind you had to read the pattern instructions through a few times to understand thumb placement. A great book for the Knitting Library. I want to purchase Folk Socks next...(now therein lies a problem) eeeekkkkkk.....SOCKS! NOT GOOD FOR A SOCK ADDICT. hehe!

Join me on my journey!

Well I have news that I will be taking delivery of my Lendrum spinning wheel tuesday 6th March, the supplier rang me today and said that they had had a cancellation so this one now needed a new home...so its winging its way to ME....so perhaps you would like to join me along the way of my finding out and doing of SPINNING...WHO HOO!!!!. can't you tell as slightly excited (do birds fly)? Now I must try to resist rushing into this and take things slowly.....so next Saturday am going to my guild meeting where the lovely people there are going to start me off which is great as I was going to go on a day course, so there's a saving as didn't expect to have to pay out for wheel for another month. But have got fibre carders and all that I need, so hopefully will post pictures of beautiful (cough cough)!!!! spun yarn...well will post pictures of the mess I make and then we can all have a titter together.
Anyway must go and get DH from work and then tonight a nice Korma curry, poppadums, onion bhargees, aloo sag (take-away of course)...have a good weekend all.