Saturday, September 09, 2006

Oh, Oh...What Have I Done?

So, I got my keester out of bed early this morning in anticipation of getting to the Knitter's Fair before all the other knitter's invaded. No such luck. My future husband [a.k.a. the procrastinator]got us there at 11:30. Not bad, but we left at 9:30. We also had to make several stops on the way home because next week is the big "getting hitched" day and we still need stuff. Oh my Gawd, the stuff you need even for just a small wedding.

All in all, it was a fantastic day. I yapped it up with Kim [so glad I got to see you again girl! You're looking fantastic.] and her lovely mom. I saw Julie! I also got down to some serious shopping business.

First stop was to buy some Briggs & Little Heritage in a lovely light maroon colour.


The colour is really off in this pic. It's a much deeper wine colour than it looks here. This will be used to make myself another Rogue.

I also had to get the materials to make the Peacock Feathers Shawl. I decided to go with the colour violet. Very pretty. Now I'm only coveting the Creatures of the Reef shawl by Fiddlesticks.


I also decided to buy a pattern for Sanquhar style gloves designed by Shirl the Purl. There are those of you that will remember my attempt at only completing one Sanquhar glove for the Knitting Olympics. Well, these are made using fingering weight yarn as opposed to laceweight. I think I may have a fighting chance this time and actually knit a pair!

So, with the absolute must have purchases out of the way, [can you believe it, not one ball of sock yarn] I went searching for something that I had an absolute urge to try.

A spindle.

I found a cheap one. I have never spun anything before and didn't want to spend fifty dollars or more on something I might use for kindling.

I also found some nice roving? batt? top? Oh man, I have a lot to learn. The stuff in the bag on the far right of the pic I got for free as is the stuff that is on the spindle from The Black Lamb.


I was pumped! Excited to be taking on something brand spanking new.

"Get me home, future husband! I demanded. I want to spin!"

This is what I got.

Isn't it the most pitiful, retched, overspun, lumpy length of yarn?


You know what?

I love it!!

You wanna know something else?

I'm eyeballing a spinning wheel made by the same folks as my spindle.




I knew I would be in trouble.

Keep On Knitting...

9 comments:

Marlene said...

That looks pretty darn good actually. Save it. Everyone keeps their first effort to look back on. By tomorrow you will be spinning even better. The next day, better yet.

Unknown said...

I thought about you ... somewhere in between re-organizing the LP Bulky and playing with the KnitLites. I don't know what the mental connection was, but you crossed my mental path.

I'm glad that you had so much fun! I had a thing with a drop spindle once. It ended badly. 'Nuff said. Spinners' Quarterly editor Lorraine has promised/vowed/swore out loud while promising to teach me to spin. I think that I'm going to have to jump straight to a kick-ass wheel.

Lisa said...

Yep - welcome to the spinning insanity. I really didn't like spinning on a drop spindle but love my new wheel. I could do it all day (spinning that is) if I had the time.

Glad you had a good time at the Fair.

Dandy said...

your spinning looks like my first one too... it's great!
if you do get a wheel... I suggest getting a double treadle.. much easier on the legs.

enjoy your newest obsession!

Katy said...

That yarn looks MUCH better than my first attempts did! Way to go!
Which Ashford wheel are you considering?

Anonymous said...

I usually find Briggs and Little to be really itchy. You made another Rogue with it? How did it turn out?

AR said...

That's some great first time spinning. Mine still looks bad! I need practice!!

Michelle said...

1] Thanks Marlene. I have been improving slowly. I found I can draft better using the fold. I love learning!

2]I'm considering an Ashford Traveller as my first wheel. It's compact [I need compact] it's versatile [I'll want to spin laceweight and this has a lace flyer attachment] and it's pretty. Yes, I'm shallow. Also notice I said "my first wheel." I know what I'm in for!

3] Briggs & Little is a favorite hearty wool of mine. I don't use it to knit 'next to the skin' garments. But I find it's great for outerwear, which is what I use my Rogue for. It softens over time and keeps it's shape. My first Rogue was made using the Tuffy. The cables really pop using this wool and it still looks great.

4] Thanks for thinking of me Wannietta. I don't know why I crossed your mental path either, but I hope it was a good thing. [g]

5]Thanks to everyone else for the nice comments on my first spinning adventure. More will come!

dragon knitter said...

i think it looks pretty good myself. welcome to the dark side. and i've never even touched a spindle in my life. i started on a wheel. and mine is an ashford. a traveller,t o be exact. and i love it!

and no lie about wedding stuff! we dropped $450 on booze yesterday, and i'm not quite done witht he booze shopping yet! and i gotta pay the caterer on friday. that seems to be the extent of the wedding expenditures except antoher $30 for cleaning the dress, and the hair. god knows how much that will cost!

i must be bad (can't sleep, flowers & bubbles will eat me)