Warping

Today between a couple of brief visits to gardens I managed to re-wind the skeins of dyed wool for the Wedding gift shawl into balls, and then wind the warp.  I knew I was going to be close with the amounts of wool - trying to ensure I had enough to dye the colours and also have enough to weave with, but knowing I might have to spin just a bit more.

As it turns out, for some odd reason I had plenty of yellow but ran out of both the dark blue and turquoise - only a couple of warp ends short, so I've made a slightly compromised version of the pattern which will mean it is not quite symetrical, but at least close. I figured the chances of making an exact match for the dyed colours I have with a second batch were probably zero so went with the compromise instead.

The warp all ready to head to the loom

Will be starting the loom dressing on Tuesday as tomorrow Anne and I head out to Decatur to drop off the finished wool/alpaca skeins.  I was also able to sell 5 Clun Forest batts at the lesson on Saturday and have an order for more to deliver in September, plus an invitation to head to Townsend (petrol paid for) to look at and try and re-assemble an old loom.  As Anne and I were keen to head back up that way for a weekend - sounds like a good deal...

Spinning Class

Today I attended a guild sponsored spinning class in Knoxville.  They were able to get Martha Owen from the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina (https://www.folkschool.org/ ) to come over and teach an advanced class entitled: "How to make the yarn you want to make in one day."

That title says it all;  Martha admitted that this was a whole heap of material from both week and weekend long courses at the Folk School, ied together along the theme of achieving consistency in yarn production when going for a desired outcome.

Martha is a storyteller and fiber instructor at the Folk School - this was obvious from the start, she managed to keep us all entertained through the whole 8:30 through 3:30 course while running through a ton of material and managing to spend some personal time with everyone in the 20 person group.

We mainly stuck with spinning woolen style, something I don't do much of myself (while spinning yarn for weaving), but luckily have done, so didn't find it as difficult as some of the folk on the course.  Martha took us through spindle, great wheel and our own various small wheels.  She had a whole heap of fiber samples for everyone, and there was much hilarity as the various 'divide by 20' solutions were found.

We progressed from spinning to plying and the day flew by - any spare time was taken up with viewing the 5+ tables of examples and photo's that Martha had set up.

With one goal (for me) to see how someone at Martha's level approached classes such as these so that I might look at my own teaching in the future more closely, I think this was highly successful.  When someone at Martha's level who interacts with and follows the 'elite' of US fiber - who I have paid particular attention to (online and via DVD purchases) - speaks she speaks with authority. 

I came away with a John C Campbell Folk School catalogue - maybe one day...

Shawl wool

I finished the last color for the shawl and scarf (wedding presents) today.  I've been dyeing one color a day so that I can also get other chores done.  Today was typical:

Get up at 4:15 and make breakfast for Anne and I before Anne heads off to work - today is an early shift.  The put the wool skeins in to soak for an hour and prepare the dye bath (Dharma Acid Dyes).  Once the hour is up transfer the wool to the dye pot - on the barbeque on the porch as it's a lot cooler out there than running the stove inside.  Bring the dye up to temperature and add the citric acid.  Hold the temperature for 30 minutes and turn off burner.  Head up to water our top garden - it has been 14 days since we had any decent rain here in SE Tennessee.  The two rain events combined didn't even fill up our first rain barrel.  Once finished that (about an hour, it's a large garden!!) wash (Dharma Professional Textile Detergent)and rinse the wool then hang to dry.  Then it was time to water the house garden and pick some blackberries.  Now with a coffee it's time for the blog.

4 colors for the Shawl and Scarf.

The color is all in the warp with a plain white weft and an advancing twill pattern.  Designed on my WeaveDesign software to ensure I had the right balance and yarn amounts for the warp stripes it won't be until I start weaving that I will see if the colours actually work as planned.  Dharma documentation suggest the colours will be darker on wool I don't think they could be more vibrant.

It will be a final check tonight to make sure I have everything packed up for the class tomorrow and an early start to be there by 8:30.  More to follow on that.

Finished Baby Blanket

Finished blanket after washing

We posted the blanket off today and it will be in Knoxville tomorrow by lunchtime.  The baby should be home the day after if all goes well.  We will be visiting in about a week and a half, hopefully by then it will be in regular use.

Once all the fringes were twisted I put it in a gently cold wash and laid it out to dry.  The mix of acrylic/wool/nylon makes for quick drying as it only seemed to take a couple of hours.

I've also finished the other bobbin of wool ready for the class next Saturday.  Time now to start dyeing wool for the shawl and scarf.

Final wash

The alpaca/wool skein order is now complete and only needed a wash to set the yarn and remove any final dust/dirt.  I used my standard wash of a little dawn dishwashing detergent in the wash water, then a clean water rinse followed by another with a little vinegar in it.  They came out clean after the two rinses and smell very fresh and clean.  A little drying time on the line and they will be ready to deliver (Friday hopefully).

Final step before delivery

Totals were: 15 skeins (and a small 10 yard 'remainder'), each approx 2 oz, and around 100 yards.  Total weight was 1 lb 15.1 oz. Near enough to the 2 lb planned.  This used up all of the white alpaca that was sorted from the multi-color fleece.  Being a 50/50 mix as carded I used about a pound of Clun Forest so will take 1 lb of the remaining brown alpaca for my own use as per our deal with the customer.  This is 'Fine' wool (about 13 or 14 wraps per inch) that has an alpaca soft feel but has the added 'wear/strength' of the Clun Forest.  Would work on most knitting/crochet work and I would happily weave with it.  I suspect it would take most any dye.

As potentially planned Anne has taken on the task of twisting the fringes on the baby blanket and has completed two sides in a couple of sessions.  There are less warp ends to twist so she is near 2/3 of the way.  Photo's to follow on completion.

Spinning progress

The pile of 50/50 alpaca/wool skeins is growing and the end is in sight.  I am just washing the last of the 'white' alpaca and have enough for about 5 or 6 more skeins to finish the order.

11 skeins so far

Carding is relatively fast once the fiber is washed, and I've been making a couple of batts at a time then spinning singles.  Two full bobbins of singles equals two 2+ oz skeins. 

Mixing wool and alpaca for carding

The other spinning work I've started is to prepare for the spinning class I am attending on the 27th of this month.  We have to take along 2 bobbins of singles in contrasting colors. I had some fiber that I had blended to make a lighter shade from the original dark, so have spun that and begun spinning a bobbin of the dark.

Bobbins of singles - in preparation for the spinning class.

More to come on the class which is an all day event organised by the Knoxville guild I belong to.