I'm back!

I wanted to take a moment to "show off" some of the new yarns I have made... and will be listing in the shop in the next couple of days.
I have been really loving to thread ply these super soft painted rovings!


And (in my opinion) you just can't beat a good chunky, textured, core spun yarn!


Alas... we have the old stand-by... the ever versatile single...

And, yes, I realize I was avoiding the elephant in the room by not explaining where I've been the past several months... but to be honest I don't even know. I did have some MORE health problems over Christmas. All is well now. And, I did lose the cord that connected my camera to the computer so I couldn't upload any pics. But, other than that I have no excuse. I didn't even realize it had been that long! Hopefully things will return to the semi-normal state they were in last fall. I have a couple of workshops to attend this year and really want to grow my business! Glad to have you along for the ride!

Leslie, Spinderella and Drummond!

Yarn!

As promised I spun up some red, white and blue fiber on Memorial Day! It turned out pretty nice (if I do say so myself). This little beauty is my first 2 ply yarn too! One thing I learned was that when you spin (or ply) the two yarns together you spin it the opposite way than you spun the original yarns. Crazy isn't it? I don't know but I don't think that would have ever crossed my mind.
Memorial Day Yarn

Most of the spinning I have done since the introduction of Spinderella has been scrap yarn or practice yarn. I have done a LOT of practice treadling too just to get the speed under control. It is really easy to get excited and start running on that thing! Just recently I have learned how to set the spin in hand spun yarn. Here is one of my first (and favorite) yarns I have spun and set.
Electric Slide
When you finish spinning the yarn you wind it off the bobbin onto a niddy noddy (or the back of a chair if that is all you have). I WILL do a video of this SOON. This is a way to keep the yarn from tangling and a way to measure the yardage.
Spring Fling

Now after you wind the yarn and tie it... it is time to "set the spin". The first step in this is to run some really hot water into a sink or bucket. You place the yarn in the hot water and let it sit until the water is cool. I suggest doing this with only one colorway at a time in case bleeding occurs. After the water has cooled you remove the yarn and place it on a towel. Fold the towel over the yarn and press the water out so that you do not agitate the fiber. Then hang the yarn over a hanger or door knob or something. If the yarn spins back on itself use a couple of hangers as weights at the bottom of yarn. When it dries... you have ready to knit YARN!
Pretty Pink

All of the fiber used to make these yarns was from the Phat Fiber Sample Box. Last month I got the "Just Fluff" box. Boy was that fun! I opened up the box and took out some fiber... when I looked back at the box it was full again! It was like Mary Poppins bag! Never ending fluff!!! Well, sad thing is... it did end. But I will have another chance at a Phat Fiber Box this month! Hope everyone is having a great week! Happy hump day!

LC

Introducing...

SPINDERELLA!!! She is my beautiful new Louet Victoria spinning wheel. I was introduced to her this past Sunday, April 26th 2009. I went to the DFW Fiber Fest to try out some different types of wheels. She totally won my heart! She is a little thing (weighing around 7 lbs.) and she has her own suitcase. As soon as I got home I grabbed some roving and got to work. These are some pictures of me *spinning Spinderella*...

The pictures here show my very first yarn. It is a little wacky but I think pretty good for my first day EVER!
Boy can she spin...

These guys (need a pedicure) know how to work it! I always wiggle my feet anyway... my boyfriend calls it *making biscuits*. You know, like a kitty? Turns out this was perfect practice for treadling(I didn't even know that was a word until last Sunday). Well, at least I don't seem to get tired.

Other exciting news is that I learned to knit last night!!! I was super excited when I finished up my little rectangle! I will treasure it always. I hope to have a short video this weekend. I have a list of topics all ready. I will leave you with a picture of my first knitting progect in progress.

Have a lovely day!
LC

Fiber: Fascination or Fetish?

Does it matter?

So what if I am a little obsessed with comfy, cozy, colorful, cotton candy... I mean... FIBER... Just look at it. It is full of potential and calling my name! Okay. You're right! It can do a lot... but it can't talk.

Anyway, this blog is going to be all about my adventures in fiber and fiber related things. Examples of this might be yarn, crochet, knitting, spinning, dying fiber and who knows what else?!?!?! Isn't that exciting?!?!? Well if you don't think so just mosey on along... you won't be missed.

Now, back to the fun stuff.

I don't quite know how I got all *wound up* in this yarn thing but I am here and things are lookin' pretty. I do know that this slight obsession started sometime in the beginning of 2009... somewhere between Twitter and Etsy... I know! Weird how one thing leads to another. Like how I learned to crochet from a woman who called herself a Mexican Jew while volunteering at KERA about 7 years ago. Pretty random. Or how I met a lovely lady at the doctors office waiting to have blood taken (again) who teaches crochet, knitting, spinning, etc. who told me I HAD to go to the DFW Fiber Fest.

My plan is for this website to 1) be a place for you to see how much fun I am having, 2) be a place for current *fiber fans* to hang out and remember the good ole' days when you didn't know anything and 3) convert some new folks!

I will try to get out a video a week of a new technique I learn. I will try to post at least twice a week about projects I am working on or maybe just some pictures of yummy fiber.

I am starting from the very beginning... it's a very good place to start...

LC

ps. My new Louet Victoria is named Spinderella (hence the name of the blog)