Today my new toy arrived. I splashed out to compensate for my imminent 40th birthday. I feel it is a bit extravagant and over indulgent but I can live with it!
It is a 'Minty' Drum carder. I managed to get it second hand so I can justify it as a bit of a bargain. I hope it will be very useful. I like my Ashford Hand Carders but as said in a previous post they are bicep builders, fortunately though my six year old seems to love carding fibre and can make quite a tidy batt. I feel awful exploiting him, but he is so willing to undertake this child labour. When he got home from school he could not wait to get his hands on the above machine. After tea I asked if he would like to help me and he was over the moon.
Our first project has been to try and make something out of my pretty awful experiment at dyeing with food colouring using my crockpot.
When we opened up the braid we were surprised at how much blue there was. This Merino wool has been through the wars, as it was the victim of a previous dyeing experiment gone wrong. It was put through the drum carder with approximately 20% silk and a sprinkle of Green Angelina (Sparkly). With the much needed help of my able assisstant it scrubbed up quite well. I have not take photographs yet as we worked in pretty bad electric light. I thought the batts were taking on a nice bluish sheen, The theme for our Weaving, Spinning and Dyeing Guild's (Birmingham) Annual Exhibition 'Competition' this year is 'The Sea'. I asked my six year old if the batts reminded him of the sea. He replied with positive enthusiasm 'Yes it does actually, ...that sea with the oil slick!' The truth hurts. I am currently spinning the fibre on my little Kiwi. I will have to see what daylight brings. I am sure my willing 'partner in crime' will be pleased with some 'Oil Slick Socks' as the fruit of his labour.
that's an amazing toy. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteA very topical version of the sea. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteclever kid you have there, I like the idea of the Oil Slick Sea for a fibre :)
ReplyDeleteYou could call it The Accidental Fibre or something like that.
Loving the new drum carder too, cant wait to see what else you and your handsome assistant come up with together.
My Ashford carders arrived this morning, Imogen my 11 year old and I will try them out tomorrow :)
Wow, I think I have a drum carder in the attic. I need to get find it and use it with my spinning wheel.. which is upstairs and needs to be brought down and re-strung, as the grandkids have messed it up royally. :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs, Teresa in Oregon USA
yay! for the berry lovely experiment :o)
ReplyDeletebtw one of the pics in your side-bar reminded me of the time some local(ish) people went to work with a ton of black bags one April Fool's day on the White Horse of Westbury, making it into a zebra!
Thank you for your comments, Learning2float I agree it would be quite a slant on a theme. Helen it is amazing what our children come up with when we empower them with opportunity and choice, you have a very talented brood. Teresa I hope you find what you are looking for in the attic and repair your wheel. My littlest can't resist a frantic treadle now and again and I have had to cut a tangled mass away from my wheel in the past. No harm done though they are experiential learners! Lol. Millie that would have made a great photo, the Ancient Zebra of Westbury. :)
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