YAY! How happy am I that the feed issues are fixed! I missed you all yesterday.
Saturday was spent organizing, sorting and assessing the fiber stash. As a new spinner one tends to buy a little of everything in the hopes of trying different wools, understanding fiber, and becoming a better spinner. After a time, one finds favorite fibers, and thus, many of the less enjoyable bunches and braids make their way to the back of the closet or bottom of the bin. A few bumps, colors and wools that will never be spun, made up a small discard pile, and that made room for more favorites to come into view again. The rest of the weekend I spent as much time as I could with Emmylou and we created beautiful yarn together.
Jennifer's Spirit Trail Fibers are some of my most favorite. Her colors and exotic blends are always a joy to spin. The latest offering, the first of this years club, was a Superwash BFL in a luscious colorway. This beauty didn't come with a name so I've dubbed it Sea Blue. The shades of blue and green vary, change and meld together in subtle ways. I'm not a big fan of superwash fiber, but this BFL spins more like "real" wool. One bobbin was finished before I knew it and I had a great desire to spin another. The plan is for a 3-ply sock yarn and we're one third of the way there, with more fun spinning to come.
To keep things interesting, Emmylou and I started another long term spinning project. We'll fill a bobbin of the BFL and then one of this luscious alpaca/bamboo from Anne. This is so beautifully prepared it just flows so smoothly through the fingers and creates a gorgeous single. This will be come a shawl and we, Emmylou and I, have two in mind. The choice will depend on yarndage. We expect there will be oodles as we have a full 6 oz and will spin it in a light fingering weight.
The fiber is slightly darker than the photo, but you can see bits of sparkle and the shades of gray pretty well. It's pure heaven to spin. By spinning as much as I can I hope to make a dent in the fiber collection. Spinning has become such an enjoyable part of my day.
Oooh! Sock and shawl yarn! I love the little shiny bits. There is just enough, and not anywhere the danger of too much. I have been searching my fiber stash in search of the next spinning experience for the wheel. The drop spindle has been experimentation.
Posted by: Sarah | March 31, 2009 at 03:37 AM
Gorgeous fiber and singles! I especially like your Sea Blue.
Posted by: Manise | March 31, 2009 at 04:36 AM
Just beautiful! Can't wait to see what it becomes.
Posted by: Nora | March 31, 2009 at 04:55 AM
Love them both, but the alpaca/bamboo has me intrigued. I best get a move on, huh? And, did I miss something yesterday? Weren't you picked up or something? I seem to live in a vacuum myself;--)
Posted by: cindycindy | March 31, 2009 at 05:05 AM
Gorgeous spinning. I love the colors of the Spirit Trail fiber!
Posted by: Carole | March 31, 2009 at 05:17 AM
Pretty! The discards make for nice presents to new spinners.
Posted by: Laurie | March 31, 2009 at 05:18 AM
Yay - you are back! :)
I love the colors in the Sea Blue roving - those will be so pretty spun up. And I am somewhat jealous your camera skills let you pick up the subtle sparkle in that roving. I certainly couldn't get that to work!
Posted by: Anne | March 31, 2009 at 06:18 AM
*sigh* So today I'm having feed problems...
Posted by: Chris | March 31, 2009 at 06:22 AM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Kim | March 31, 2009 at 06:43 AM
Lovely fiber and yarn! You've just inspired me to get up and spin for 10 minutes. T
Posted by: Angie | March 31, 2009 at 06:45 AM
The sea blue is a gorgeous color.
Posted by: Wool Winder | March 31, 2009 at 06:50 AM
The 3-ply sock yarn in those restful colors is going to be gorgeous!
Posted by: Norma | March 31, 2009 at 06:51 AM
I know that, for me, sanity lies in having several very diverse knitting projects going at once. I'm not a spinner, so must inquire if having two spinning projects gives the same kind of break.
Posted by: Barbara-Kay | March 31, 2009 at 07:24 AM
Its horrible how cut off and ignored one feels when the feed is down. Attachment once again shows its face!
Posted by: claudia | March 31, 2009 at 07:29 AM
I love spinning BFL but that alpaca looks so soft.
Posted by: Jewel | March 31, 2009 at 07:42 AM
I'm very much in the mood to spin myself. Once I get the girls' Easter dresses (a priority!) completed, than I think my wheel and I are going to have some fun together.
Posted by: Kristin | March 31, 2009 at 07:46 AM
Gorgeous spinning. I love seeing what you turn the fiber into.
Posted by: Kat | March 31, 2009 at 07:47 AM
I've never had any Spirit Trail fiber....have never been able to get waited on in that booth at various fiber festivals! Now I'll have to order some after seeing yours! But, I've got two pounds of Foxfire Fiber (Upland Wool and Alpaca) roving coming so there will be much spinning here, too. Think I should wait for You Know What?
Posted by: Marcia | March 31, 2009 at 07:50 AM
I've been waiting for the weather to change so I can get my wheel out on my deck-its been awhile! Love the colors!
Posted by: Jenny Bennett | March 31, 2009 at 07:53 AM
Beautiful spinning, makes me want to reach out and touch it.
Posted by: Renee | March 31, 2009 at 08:02 AM
I wonder if it was you, or if Typepad did something and blamed it on you, because now I'm getting Joan's feed too, and I hadn't gotten hers in over a week.
Beautiful spinning! I finished up that sock project last week, and now I can't decide whether to get out some prepped fiber or start washing some of that fleece...
Posted by: Carrie | March 31, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Gorgeous spinning. You're making me feel guilty for neglecting my spinning. I really need to sit down and spend some time on that.
Posted by: Stephanie | March 31, 2009 at 09:04 AM
Pretty, pretty. So glad your blog is geeting along with Bloglines again.
Posted by: Hillary | March 31, 2009 at 09:07 AM
So pretty! I especially love that sock yarn!
Posted by: elizabeth | March 31, 2009 at 09:51 AM
Beautiful fibers and beautiful yarns. They are each lovely in different ways.
Posted by: Doris | March 31, 2009 at 12:13 PM