How Do I spend my Evenings?

Making rolags!

It's fun to see unexpected combinations of colours blended together to make attractive, spongy, sleek rolags. They are more like punis than the rolags we create on hand-carders.

I don't wind them too tight, so they are easy to draft, giving more options when spinning a yarn.

I have been making a lot recently to add to my sales stock for Fibre East.

We have made a few blending boards for friends and they all seem pleased with them.

I have found that I can use remnants of fibres from other projects on the blending board to make very passable/pleasing yarns and it gets the stash cleared out. Now I need time to spin and weave or knit them up!

Dye, Dye, Dye.

I recently decided to take a stand at the local fibre and yarn event, Fibre East. www.fibre-east.co.uk
I had thought to wait until next year but decided to grab the bull by the horns and increase the amount of stock I have to sell.

I have dyed the double knitting and 4ply yarn I had in hand. The knitting kits went well at 'Living Crafts', Hatfield earlier this month.

Double Knitting

4 ply

Soon, I will have some more 4ply sock yarn to dye for self striping socks.

But mostly, I have been dyeing silk fibres, mulberry and tussah.

I am uncomfortable wearing most woollen preparations, even Merino, unless the sheep are organically farmed and the fleece organically prepared. I have found that Polwarth fleece are a great alternative and hope that others who become itchy when wearing woollen garments will find the same. So...

I am into the realm of 'Custom Blends' and because I specialise in silk fibre and yarn I have bought a 50/50 blend of Polwarth and silk. It feels good! I am also trying a 50/50 blend of Super wash Blue-faced Leicester and silk, but will have to report on that at a later date.

New Arrival

What have I been doing all this time?
Helping to renovate a house, teaching and partaking in workshops, decorating and gardening, dyeing yarns and fibres, awaiting and visiting our first grandchild.

Edward William Stearn weighed 9lb 12oz when born 9th December 2013. Gorgeous!