Day 21 Tour De Fleece 2011 - Challenge Day

Today I was in the saddle early, I have had great fun spinning 200g  lumpy bumpy 'Art Style' Batts from YummyYarnsUK.  I purchased these batts to take part in a 'Spin Along' with the 'Yummy Yarns Group'.  I have really enjoyed spinning them today and they are really bringing me much joy seeing them dangling on the washing line to set the twist in these low twist singles.  These really are my kind of yarn!  I have four skeins out of 200g with about 30m, 20y of yarn in each skein.  I love very chunky crochet and I can see chunky 'Freeform' crochet hats on the horizon.  It has been a liberating experience after trying to spin fine, even yarns to embrace each lump and bump.  I practiced slubs and shoved more through my Orifice than I thought my little wheel could cope with.  (Yes Orifice is an official spinning term!  I will let you have a little snigger though.)  I also emptied four bobbins by Navajo plying all my left over yarns, that has been good practice.  I may chill out tonight with a bit more crochet on the 'Saggy Bottomed Bag'.

Day 20 Tour De Fleece 2011 - Navajo plied Yak Yarn

I did it, I did it!  I managed to Navajo ply.  I have managed this new to me method, by no means have I mastered it but I have managed to Navajo ply.  I understand the principal, it would be great when I have practiced more and can manage a nice even ply.  Navajo is a method of ply from a single bobbin.  You make a large, long slip knot and work a kind of extended finger knit chain with spin to ply, if you google it or search Youtube you can easily find tutorials explaining far more succinctly than I can manage.  The resulting yarn is a three ply.  I love Yak yarn and would really like to make a big project in this fibre or just buy a Yak hair cardigan.    

Schools Out!

I have broken up today for my Summer Holidays, no school for six weeks.  I have mixed feelings, I am glad to be work free but I will miss the children that have moved on.  I am one of those people that hate goodbyes!  We had a great morning going to an Outdoor Education Centre and learning 'Bush Craft' skills.  We made shelters, including carving our own tent pegs.  The kids also built and started their own fires with 'Fire Sticks'.  Then they made bread dough and twizzled it around a stick to cook in the camp fire.  I got delegated the job of making three mugs of tea and three hot chocolates with a pint of water, no milk and no spoon!  I am good but I aint that good!  Black tea was revolting.  We ended the morning toasting marshmallows and burning our tongues!  Delicious.  It really was great fun but the downside is I have a few unpleasant insect bites from the bugs in the woods.  Two of which are on my right hand and are nicely swollen, they are very itchy and aching.  I am also no martyr to pain or discomfort.  I have managed to spin some more Yak hair today, I really love it.  Tomorrow I should find time to learn how to Navajo Ply, I chickened out at the weekend and taught myself Andean ply instead.  That was not easy and caused me to use a few unmentionable words, when my camel ended up in a spaghetti heap on the floor!  Navajo plying looks even trickier to me.  I have enjoyed reading your comments about my spinning escapades, thank you very much for stopping by, making me laugh and offering your support and compliments.  Blogland is such a lovely place.  Wishing everyone a happy Summer if you can find it where you are!  

Tour De Fleece Day 18 - Yak

Today I have spun my first ever Yak hair, courtesy of handspinner.co.uk.  Tomorrow I will probably go out to work covered in dark brown fluff.  I think I may be slightly allergic to yak!  I mean how would you ever know?  My nose is tickling, itchy and hot and my eyes are itchy but I love Yak fibre.  It is a treat to spin and makes a lovely soft, smooth yarn.  It feels like very soft, silky wool.

  I think knitted Yak knickers may catch on!  Mind you could be problematic with an allergy!  Bed socks would be luxurious.

Tour De Fleece 2011 - Angora Rabbit

Angora Rabbits are one of the oldest breeds of domestic rabbit.  They originate from Turkey along with the Angora goat.  They were bred for their soft long fur.  I can't quite believe there is a rabbit under there!  Of all the fibres in my sample pack I was least enthusiastic about Angora rabbit.  I found it an interesting spin but personally I did not enjoy it.  I had a nasty allergic reaction to an Angora Mix jumper once, where some fibre got in my eye.  My eye was inconceivably swollen for three or four days before the fibre worked its way out and became apparent as the cause.  It was a beautifully soft, grey and embroidered jumper, I only wore it once!  It was with a considerable amount of trepidation and the sort of willfulness that gets me in to trouble that I set out to spin this fibre, with the attitude of getting it over and done with.  It is a shame because it has some really wonderful qualities.  It is soft, fluffy and the resulting yarn has a wonderful halo.

It has little elasticity so I think it would be useful to explore blending Angora with other fibres.  I can't see me experimenting much with it though.  It is a bit like joining a Gym, it has little appeal to me although I can see why others like it!  It did make me itch, I expected to get hives (seriously), my nose tickles and my eyes don't feel great, however even though my clothes are covered in a layer of white fluff I am not sneezing or as bad as I expected.  I was reading about someone with a severe wool allergy, can you imagine such an affliction?  Rabbit hair I can probably live without, but wool!  Perish the thought!
Edit:  We all went out covered in white fluff today.  The little one had it all over his school trousers and I had it all over my behind!  Not a good look!

Camel - Tour de Fleece 2011 Day 15

I have to own up to having a 'Tour de Fleece' Puncture on Friday.  I think Birthday's and a busy week caught up with me.  Henry had a good last day of work experience for his birthday and then he requested a Barbecue at my parents.  Henry is somewhat of a food connoisseur and likes to try new (to him) foods Oysters, Octopus, Lobster, Rabbit etc.  He has quite adventurous taste.  He had requested 'T Bone Steak - Rare'.  My Dad bought him a whopping 'Black Welsh' beef steak.  Henry really enjoyed it.  So all the frivolities meant I got a bit off track.   Never mind I am back in the saddle and ready to attempt to spin everyday again until the 22nd July.

Day 15's attempt was something new to me.  Camel!  I never used to be a Yarn snob.  However I can see myself getting that way if I'm not careful.  Shiela at Handspinner.co.uk had a very generous offer in June, for subscribers to her Newsletter.  She sent out a Fibre Selection.  The fibres were Camel - Natural 'White' Tops, Angora Rabbit - Natural white, Cashmere Tops - Natural white, Baby Alpaca - Natural white, Kid Mohair 'Super Grade' - Natural white and 'Fine Dehaired Yak wool.  The subtle nuances is fascinating.  I have worked mostly with wool.  I have spun a little silk and some 'Dog hair' in the past.  This was a fantastic opportunity to try something new. 

Camel is something else!  It is so soft and silky and I really wouldn't call the colour white.  I would call it 'Caramel Camel'.  It is beautiful.  I am however very allergic to Angora Rabbit and also cat hair.  I have a feeling I am a little sensitive to camel.  It could be that it has shared space with the Angora though!  My eyes swell and my nose itches when I come in to contact with Angora or some cats.  I used to have a lovely Tom Cat called Buddy, I loved him very much and put up with the sneezes and sniffles, which only got bad if he brushed himself on my face.  I love cats.  I am still going to attempt to spin a little angora though. As I type it is sitting next to me and I can feel a huge sneeze coming on.  The Camel spins into a beautiful soft yarn and feels very warm in my hand as I spin.  I would love a jumper or cardigan made in fine Camel, Oooh Bless Me! I have just had a huge sneeze!  No good wearing a jumper that feels great but makes you sneeze and gives you Hives!  I am going to knit swatches with these fibres and sew them together for a Display.  I may add fine 'Lacey Hair' to the collection - 'Natural Black!'

I am looking forward to spinning Yak the most. 

I was reading last night about Qiviut - which is the fine undercoat of the Musk-Ox.  It is reputably the finest 'wool' in the world.

The wool is stronger than sheep's wool and eight times warmer but finer than Cashmere.  22g of Qiviut Yarn sells for about $42 dollars!  That is a price not to be sniffed at!  Achoo!  Oh Bless Me again!  Hope you are all having a good weekend.