Finished spinning and plying the yak. Can't wait until it's dry so I can see how truly soft it is. I doubt if I even got 50 yards from 1 ounce but it was worth it.
The yak fiber was incredibly soft and dense. The staple length was almost non-existent--maybe 1 - 1 1/4 inches. I had to really inch worm along as I drafted the fiber.
It's amazing at how satisfying it is to experiment with a new fiber...to come to the end with a beautiful hank of yarn spun by my own two hands.
Showing posts with label spinning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spinning. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Spindling
So, I've got a serious spinning issue. This photo shows just a bit of the obsession with spindles containing Gotland, BVM and Tunis wool.
The Gotland is a lovely, slick silver color. It spins fast.The Tunis is shorter with more bounce. The black Welsh Mountain isn't as slick as the Gotland, but it spins very quickly, too. And I could easily get lost in the depths of it's chocolately browness.
The Gotland is a lovely, slick silver color. It spins fast.The Tunis is shorter with more bounce. The black Welsh Mountain isn't as slick as the Gotland, but it spins very quickly, too. And I could easily get lost in the depths of it's chocolately browness.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Creative Hibernation
I think my creative self is mulling over what to do next; however, there's nothing I'm burning to knit. Even leafing through my stash of knitting books doesn't inspire. Maybe I'm a little burned out. I dunno.
Because of my restricted driving status, I didn't attend the felted scarf workshop in Long Beach. I did buy a drop spindle the other day. I haven't figured out how to spin yet though. I plan on creeping in on Tuesday night to give it a try.
My cats are passionately in love with the roving that came in the drop spindle kit. They really get freaky with it. They act the same way as they do with catnip. Cat is the sweetest girl kitty and yet, after a few minutes of rubbing her face on the roving, she spiked me (without claws) when I tried to take it away.
I leafed through the book "Intertwined" the other day. Wowee--that's some weird and intriguing yarn. I can't really imagine becoming a spinner...but I'm interested in learning how to make yarn.
I've been working my buns off at work and that sucks up a lot of my creative energy, too. Even though it's technical writing, it's still writing.
So, I don't know what's up with me creatively. But, it's normal for me to burn hot and cold, to wax and wane in my interest towards my hobbies. My brain is wired that way.
And yet, my creativity walks forward. After college I took drawing and loved life drawing. I took painting and loved the smelly, juicy forgiveness of oil paints. Through the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts I learned to make paper, masks, and weave baskets. Mada Leach and David Speck were awesome teachers.
When I fell in love with basketry, I searched until I found the Misti Washington Gourd and Basketry Guild. I wove all kinds of baskets for several years. I even travelled to the AMB Convention in Michigan and the Indiana Basketry Convention.
One day, while I was shopping for basketry supplies, I saw a class for making books. I took the workshop and soon abandoned basketry for book arts. I travelled to the San Francisco Center for the Book to take workshops from master printmakers and book binders.
When I was hospitalized for depression in 2001, my desire to do anything disappeared. For years, the only thing I did was kung fu.
In 2006, I noticed a knitting store near my martial arts studio. I signed up for classes and learned to knit.
Because of my restricted driving status, I didn't attend the felted scarf workshop in Long Beach. I did buy a drop spindle the other day. I haven't figured out how to spin yet though. I plan on creeping in on Tuesday night to give it a try.
My cats are passionately in love with the roving that came in the drop spindle kit. They really get freaky with it. They act the same way as they do with catnip. Cat is the sweetest girl kitty and yet, after a few minutes of rubbing her face on the roving, she spiked me (without claws) when I tried to take it away.
I leafed through the book "Intertwined" the other day. Wowee--that's some weird and intriguing yarn. I can't really imagine becoming a spinner...but I'm interested in learning how to make yarn.
I've been working my buns off at work and that sucks up a lot of my creative energy, too. Even though it's technical writing, it's still writing.
So, I don't know what's up with me creatively. But, it's normal for me to burn hot and cold, to wax and wane in my interest towards my hobbies. My brain is wired that way.
And yet, my creativity walks forward. After college I took drawing and loved life drawing. I took painting and loved the smelly, juicy forgiveness of oil paints. Through the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts I learned to make paper, masks, and weave baskets. Mada Leach and David Speck were awesome teachers.
When I fell in love with basketry, I searched until I found the Misti Washington Gourd and Basketry Guild. I wove all kinds of baskets for several years. I even travelled to the AMB Convention in Michigan and the Indiana Basketry Convention.
One day, while I was shopping for basketry supplies, I saw a class for making books. I took the workshop and soon abandoned basketry for book arts. I travelled to the San Francisco Center for the Book to take workshops from master printmakers and book binders.
When I was hospitalized for depression in 2001, my desire to do anything disappeared. For years, the only thing I did was kung fu.
In 2006, I noticed a knitting store near my martial arts studio. I signed up for classes and learned to knit.
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