From Two Spindles to One...

A sea of blue colors being spun into a two skein yarn.  I purchased this roving in a "batt" or "bump."  I didn't know either meant at the time of purchase.  I was at my second fiber festival and I thought the blue colors were pretty.  When I began pulling the roving from the "batt" it was stiff and sort of sticky.  I wasn't willing to spin it for a while and then I decided to see what would come of it.  Once I started spinning the yarn was pretty and didn't look any different from fluffier roving.  I did notice though that my hands felt sticky.  Maybe someone is willing to explain to me what the sticky feeling is in the roving.  I would love to know.  Anyway the yarn is pretty and I'm hoping to crochet a handbag and felt it.  Because I love all colors of blue I'm looking forward to the final project. 

Oh....Lazy Kate

Since I've been plying my single ply yarns I ran out of room on the spindles from my Kromski to complete the yardage of the yarn.  Searching the internet I found several Lazy Kates but none that seemed to hold as much yarn I would like to be able to.  I had the idea to find some antique loom spindles at our local antique shops and that was easy peasy.  I found a huge basket in the floor of one booth full of all shapes and sizes of loom spindles.  I bought my eight inch loom spindles for $5 bucks a piece and the smaller ones with the really cool gears on them for only $3 bucks.  I had an idea of what I wanted the base to look like to hold my new spindles  The men in my house build motocross cycles, street rods and houses but when I have an idea or ask for help....they seem to disappear.  There it was an oak DVD holder at the Goodwill and just looking at it I thought just maybe it could be modified to hold my loom spindles. When I got it home and placed the loom spindles on the horizontal posts I could not believe how well the loom spindles fit.  I was a happy camper.  With the loom spindles resting on the horizontal posts I knew that when I went to plying my yarn the spindles wouldn't move easy.  So with some 5/8" dowel rods and much coaxing for some holes to be drilled in the sides of the oak DVD shelf the loom spindles are resting above the horizontal posts and spin smooth.  Sure I would have loved to order the beautifully crafted Lazy Kate that matches my Kromski but I got a whole lot of bang for not much money and a lot room to ply yarn from on my homemade version.  I hope you are inspired to look around and see what resources you have to create your own Lazy Kate.  

The board behind my Lazy Kate is not attached.  I'll publichs another post after I load up some spun wool on these loom spindles with some pics to show you.  I purchased some pretty reddish color paint to spray my Lazy Kate - not the loom spindles of course.  That's going to have to wait probably until spring because it is freezing cold in our garage - snow fell all night.  Snow day for the kids but not for me!

Wool Stash for Felting

My wool stash is stacked on a shelf in my work....play room so I can see it.  I love the colors!

Worsted....naturally woolie...

All sorts of ideas run through my mind when I receive a new package of roving.  Like a lot of people who aren't fortunate enough to live on a farm with sheep and chickens I have a full-time job that gets crazy at times.  Spinning helps me chill.  I purchased this roving on-line from Ann Walter.  I wanted to spin another color roving with this roving but the dark brown was so rich I decided to spin two Kromski spools full of single ply and plyed them together.  Since I'm pretty new to spinning I go with the flow allowing the roving to work through my hands.  The yarn is thick and thin in texture.  I'm impatient drafting because I love spinning.  My fluffy dark brown yarn is 9 wpi "worsted" according to the yarn gauge.  

According to the yarn gauge guide I spun a "worsted" yarn at 9 wpi.