I forgot to share.

What with the Ravelympics and the furious knitting I forgot to share the beautiful new spindle purchase and some new Merino roving.

First off, I bought a beautiful new hand crafted spindle from here. Kevin is great and delivers a very fast and efficient service, I ordered it on August 15th and it arrived the next day. It's 39g and spins beautifully.

Next I bought some beautiful Merino from Kraft Mania, this stuff is so soft I can't help but fondle it. I got 100g of each colour (soft lilac and purple), going to see if I can make a nice variegated yarn. I'm having a real purple phase at the moment and all the yarns and fibres I'm attracted to seem to be in the purple family.

Just hope I can do the roving some justice and get hours of pleasure from my new spindle.

My first handspun.

I've now got 34yards of handspun and hand dyed thick and thin yarn, that's all I got from my 50g Shropshire wool top. I'm assuming the better I get at spinning I'll get better yardage.

The dyeing was easier than I thought, it was just a Dylon cold water dye in colour Sea Green. After spinning the yarn I set the twist by putting it in very hot water for about 15 minutes, I think you're supposed to let it dry before the dyeing process but I didn't. Seen how it was already wet I decided to just go ahead and give it a go.

With an old bowl I added enough really hot water to cover the yarn, I added 13floz of vinegar and dropped in the dye tablet, very gently I swooshed it around and then left it for about an hour. I gave it another swoosh and again left it for an hour. Then I just rinsed it in the sink until no more dye was coming from it and dried it with a towel then hung it from the banana tree to dry, this morning I had a lovely pale coloured yarn.

I was hoping to get enough yarn to make Urchin a hat from thick and thin yarn that only requires 77-109yards of yarn but that obviously wasn't to be. Now I'm on the hunt for a pattern that only requires my 34yards hehe.

I've got a 100g English wool top that has yet to be spun, I'm hoping I'll get a much more even yarn and enough yarn to actually make a hat or something. I've also got my eye on a new spindle from here, not only are they really pretty but from what I've been reading are highly recommended. The price is also really good.

The spindle I've got is great, but it's probably better for laceweight yarn (when I'm even and consistent enough to actually start spinning laceweight LOL) and I want to do more sock/dk weighted yarns so think I'm going to go for a spindle in the 35-40g weight.

No matter the outcome, it's just so much fun, plus the pleasure from seeing my own little mini hanks of spun yarn is too good to pass up. yes, a new passion as been aquired.

Okay, I succombed...

I did it, I've just ordered my first drop spindle. A 28g top whorl drop spindle, at the same time I also ordered 100g English wool top for practice with.

Also for the wool top and the drop spindle I got a real bargain, it only cost me £7.09 with shipping from here.

You know this means that I'll be on here in a couple of days either sobbing about the fact that I can't do it or crowing about how easy it is and what wonderful yarn I've spun.

Of course it'll be the sobbing as nothing ever goes right straight off and it's not so much making mistakes as gaining experience on what not to do LOL. I'm so sticking with that one.

So wish me luck and I'll report back, hopefully before or during the weekend.

Spinning out of control?

I'm getting sucked in further and further...but I think I like it.

I've been reading up on spinning, yup that's right, spinning. As I can't afford a spinning wheel I've been looking at drop spindles, dear god how did I miss this? It looks fantastic and I think is going to become a new passion.

I've been looking at an Ashford drop spindle that comes with 100g of merino roving to get you started, my mind is awash with all the things I could do.

I could make beautiful yarn, I could dye said beautiful yarn into beautiful steins that I could then stroke/admire or even gosh darn it, knit with.

My mind is buzzing with ideas and imagination, is this something I really want to plunge myself head first into, damn right it is and I'm going to have a blast doing it as well.

I checked out a couple of videos on Youtube as to how to do it and I'm sure they make it look easier than it really is but I'm all geared up and raring to give it a go. Just now have to wait till payday when I can buy a spindle and give it a go.

My stash is going to grow and my bank balance is going to be hit (hard) but it'll all be worth it when I'm wearing my first hat/scarf/gloves made from my very own spun and dyed yarn.