Spin something yellow

At SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival) in Asheville, NC, last fall I overheard a lady tell a friend, "I've never knit anything yellow."  I thought, hey, neither have I!

I immediately began searching for both yellow yarn and yellow fiber.  What I found was golden yellow wool for spinning and it's perfect for the cold, wintry weather we are having this week.  The fiber on my wheel right now is superwash merino and it looks so cheerful.  

I'm kind of looking forward to couple of snow days to play with my yellow wool.  

(Did I mention the mango colored sock yarn I bought last week?  Yummy.)

New year, new fiber

I can hardly believe it's nearly the middle of January already! Knitting has been high on my list of projects lately. Since finishing my first pair of socks last summer, I've gone on to knit six more pairs and am working on another. The sock currently on my knitting needles is hot pink, almost red. They will be, umm, noticeable.

After church yesterday, I headed to Augusta, GA, to the Tangled Threads guild meeting. It's a group of fiber enthusiasts who meet once a month and everyone brings a current project--knitting, tatting, spinning, crocheting. It's great fun to see what other people are making. Yesterday there was a cowl, a pair of socks, a sweater, a dress and a scarf, all being knitted.

There were also four spinners, including me. I started spinning a fiber blend of camel, merino wool and silk. It's very slippery, but drafts beautifully. I'm not sure yet what it's going to be when it grows up, but it's behaving nicely right now.

Hobbit-y Spinning Project

This is my current spinning project, a polwarth/silk blend in colors that remind me of The Hobbit.  It has forest and mossy greens, rust browns and a hint of turquoise blue.  

I'm trying to spin the singles fairly fine so my finished yarn won't be too bulky.  I haven't decided yet how I'm going to ply it, either a 2-ply or a chain ply.  

Because of the earthy colors, I think it would make great fingerless mitts or a scarf.  The final decision will probably be determined by how many yards of finished yarn I end up with. (I know, that's terrible grammar.  Never end a sentence with a preposition, kids!)

Most of my Christmas projects are done and I'm settling in for a long winter's spinning and knitting.  Thankfully my fiber stash is well stocked.

Fluffy Balls of Fall

I was separating my gorgeous, hand-dyed roving a few nights ago, getting it ready to spin when my college daughter walked by. She looked at the basket of wool and said, "It looks like little fluffy balls of fall!" I think she captured the color and texture perfectly. I've started spinning the wool on my drop spindle. I'm still very much a beginner, as you can see by the wide range of thick to thin places in my yarn. My more experienced fiber friends graciously call that "novelty yarn".
Most of the fiber arts people I've met are online friends. They are some of the most giving, helpful and encouraging people anywhere. They never make fun of beginners (at least not to my face) and they are quick to offer advice and instruction.

Even though I'm a complete novice, I'm made to feel like a part of the "in crowd" with fiber people. They jump at the chance to talk sheep, wool, hand spindles and spinning wheels, and don't get them started on roving vs. top! Actually, I love to get fiber people started. Uh-oh, I'm becoming one of "them".