A deal is a deal.
I got this fabulously fun haircut from the salon where the husband of one of my co-workers cuts hair. I told her if the hair stylist did a good job, that I’d start on a hat her husband had been asking me to knit for him for almost a year now, lol. So, I’m on the lookout on ravelry for a pattern for a newsboy cap. He has been looking for someone to knit him that specific cap for ages. Most of the patterns that I have seen tend to be on the ornate, more feminine side, in my opinion. But this search on ravelry had some good options. So, we’ll see which he likes. Any favorites?
In the meantime, I took on another spinning project. Keeps things colorful. 
Remember this one? It looks like this all stretched out on the floor.
I felt like playing with color. But, judging by the look of it stretched out, I thought that it might be short stretches of colors all jumbled up together in the yarn. The staple length is also longer than the color blocks in this, so I figured there’d be no easy way of trying to get any blocks of color isolated to spin any pure sequences. So, I did what I felt was the next best thing.
I took half the fiber and broke the sequences up into generalities. One bunch of these is predominately greens, browns and blue-greens. Another is mostly yellow greens and redish and yellow oranges. And the last bunch is basically redish oranges with brown and green tips. Well, that’s what it all looked like to me, lol.
After I had them all bunched up, I started spinning them, one bunch at a time.
The bobbin went from a burnt-orangey look, to a golden hue with red passages, all the way to this green medley with short bursts of oranges at the end that you see in these shots. You know I love that stuff!
Certainly keeps me interested in this spin…
This alpaca is so soft! But the monotone does get to me some times.
The best thing is that I can spin on it anywhere…like at the mill.
The board has been meeting for some strategic planning. We do that every once in a while to see how we can make the mill an even better place to visit.
I noticed many of you seemed to like the idea of using a water bottle to transport your spindle. I found out about this suggestion from a book called RESPECT THE SPINDLE by Abby Franquemont. It’s the best way I have found to carry my spindle without it getting broken or damaged. I would say if you’re going to use plastic to transport your spindle and fiber (whether that’s a bag or a water bottle), keep in mind that, at times, some fibers (not sure if that’s all, really) can sweat. I think it could have something to do with the weather as well. This has only happened to me in the hotter months. I recall last summer leaving some fiber and a spindle in a plastic bag to come back to later. When I did get back to it, it was a hot mess, literally. And smelly! It was so bad, I started using herbal sachets. I throw them in the storage containers where I keep my fiber stash. That way, when I take one out to use with my travel spindle, I don’t have to worry so much about that. When I open my water bottle, it smells pretty good in there! If you want to try that, it’s purely optional, of course. If sheepy smells (and really sheepy smells ) don’t get to you, no worries.
And, no offense to our sheep, of course.
I am a busy mother of two, artist and crafter. I use this tiny space on the web to post about some of my crafts, to discuss all things crafty and to follow other like-minded, crafty people. 
The fiber and the knitting look great. AS for the hat, maybe Morgan which was posted on knitty.com a while back.
I like that pattern! I will have to show him that one too and see if he’s interested. Thanks for the suggestion!
No Problem
Your spinning is beautiful! I have been trying to spin fine yarn, my sheep’s wool isn’t the best for it, (very bouncy, springy) but I was happy with the results.
I love the idea of putting herbal sachets in with your wool. I have lavender bushes in our garden, and sometimes I dry the flowers and put them into odd socks as a quick lavender bag. I could use “pretty” odd socks and put one in my spinning bag! (one year I knit little baggies and put lavender in for Christmas presents, nicer than used socks
)
Thanks! I think that’s my default yarn. I’ve got to mix it up soon…I’d love to do a thicker, bouncier singles one day! Always something to reach toward in this medium.
Herbal sachets rock hard! Do you mean the spinning bag you take along with you to spin during the day or do you mean where you keep your stash in a spinning bag? I haven’t tried putting them in the water bottle that I take with me. I just keep them in my stash boxes. I do like that the smell never seems old or too sheepy whenever I open it. And I’ve had this stuff in this water bottle forever now and it still smells nice. I can do a little sheepy. But when you stick that stuff in an enclosed area for very long…ugh.
I have some lavender “socks” in my stash boxes, but I think it would work in my spinning bag too. When I am going somewhere in the car, and I know I don’t have to walk much, then I use a a bag I got from a garden store. It is great, big; stands up by itself, with pockets inside and outside, and it was cheap. I can get spinning, knitting, and my square weaving loom in it. I think a small lavender bag tied inside would be great.
You’re one of my spinning heroes! No kidding! Awesome!
Really? Lol! Thanks! I am blushing now…
As you should! You make it look so easy and your colour choices are phenomenal!
I learn so much about spinning from reading this blog! If only I had more hours in the day to try all the cool stuff I read about!
Aww thanks! I’m not sure how that happens, lol. I never really feel like I’m teaching much. I just like posting the photos of my latest project. It’s like a big show and tell! I never got to do much of that in school-and I definitely don’t get to do that with this stuff in my family! I’m the big snore around here, lol. But I’m glad y’all feel it’s worth reading too.
I love your post! I’ve not tried separating my fiber in that manner to achieve a different color scheme. I will have to try this
You really have to try it. But, this probably isn’t the best example to give for a project like that. If the color changes had coincided with where the staple lengths ended, that probably would have been best for an experiment like this. The colors would have been cleaner and the repeating would have been more definitive. With these short bursts, I’m expecting the yarn to look a little more heathered or tweedy or something like that. I love the color of the fiber as is though, so it won’t matter much if I don’t get what I’m after. I just like experimenting! I think Felicia Lo talks about this in her Craftsy vid. I like reading about it in THE TWISTED SISTER’S SOCK WORKBOOK too.
Q – Question. Does your mill have a Back-to-Back team for the International b2b?
Is that the same as sheep to shawl? The mill doesn’t (sorry for butting in here); however, the FiberGuild that WeekendKnitter and I both belong to participates in the Maryland Highland Games (3rd weekend in May) and does a fleece to woven shawl.
Hi – Back to Back is an International contest: https://www.facebook.com/woolbacktoback It’s similar to the sheep to shawl, except it’s: shear, spin and knit a sweater. This link has the rules: http://www.paulbunyan.net/users/bsellon/intlchallenge.html.. There is a team in our spinning class which has been practicing: called San Diego County Spinners. We also have a Sheep-to-shawl (woven) team. The mill sounds so wonderful I figured you had a B2B team. Glad you butted in! LOL! If I ever make it to Delaware, I want to visit the mill!
I had never heard of that contest, but it sure sounds like fun! Good Lawd! Shear, spin and then knit a sweater! Is it all done in one day? I have to look at those rules…
I hope that you do visit some day. I’ll probably be the one with the camera, lol!
Q – Yep. One day. I think our team took 8 hours last year. The sweater design is all rectangles, wouldn’t win any beauty contest.
I’m the one with the camera in class.
Lol! Sounds interesting though. Any pics?
Q – I’ll post some on my blog after Wednesday’s class. Dang, got so caught up in the round Robin spinning that I forgot to take pics of the team.
Wow. Those colors are AMAZING!
Thanks Allie!
I skeined it tonight and it looks really pretty!
Oh I love how you’re separating the colors. That’s a beautiful spin! Kind of reminds me of this one where someone divided a braid into light and dark and made colorwork mittens: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/PatsKnitting/zinnia
Uh-oh. Now I want to dig through the stash to play with something different. I’m easily distracted today.
Those are beautiful mittens!! I want some now. My queue is just growing these days. I totally get hat easily distracted thing…
That is one beautiful yarn! Oh, the colors.
Thanks Libby! I keep trying to figure out what I will do with this. Still not sure. But it’s nice to look at.
I love how you separated the colors. Definitely gave me something to think about the next time I spin. Playing with color is so much fun!