Habits.....

I appear to be a creature of habits, returning here at this time of year...again....
I am about to begin a Fiber Arts course that is centered around not only the technical 'Doing' of the craft...but also very centered upon introspection and understanding the driving forces of why I reach for certain colors and textures in my work.


I am incredibly excited about this, and I haven't even opened up the first lesson plan :) Bear with me while I savor these moments of excitement at the unknown potential for what this course might bring to me, and through me to my friends and family as they receive the lions share of my handwork and artwork.

It's Friday today, and as miserable a grey, overcast and cold fall day that Washington can dish out....yet the lack of sun and cold weather have never bothered me, I find it relaxing...but there's something more to today, it's a bit oppressive and as I checked in with friends across the internet, everyone else was saying the same things"it's like the day is still asleep' said one friend, while others cried out for the Sun to return.

I simply pulled an extra quilt onto the bed and continued on kitchner stitching up a cozy colorwork cowl I had finally finished, with Normal on my feet(as my lap was occupied space with the knitting and seaming up of the handwork) I found it a good day, if subdued. Tomorrow shall be a better day, and tonight...I shall study the lesson plan and begin the process of identifying and finding long shuttered doors and dreams-

The Whidbey Island Spin-In

I first must thank my Husband for being amazing, without all of the effort he put in for me I wouldn't have been able to attend this wonderful event. (He and his friend C. carried my wheel, chair, and bags and delivered lunch both days to myself and a friend who joined us)My hip is still not functioning properly, so I wasn't able to spin much, and lucky for my pocketbook...unable to go through the vendor area much, but i managed to learn a LOT and picked up a few beautiful things...And the bonus was that my best friend from highschool and 'my other mom' made the drive over for a day to join us :-) I loved that, as her Mom inspired me so much in my formative years...hell, she still does! And I got to spin with my girlfriend, it was the first time for that as I learned to spin After she showed me her wheel 2 years ago. If the Jensen Tina wheels weren't out of my price range i'd want one.(her wheel is Gorgeous!)
You can read bout the event at the event's website so you can make plans to go next year!
http://www.whidbeyweaversguild.org/spinin.html

I forgot to take pictures on day one...but this was the spinning area on day two, which had a smaller attendance than day one.


here is the fiber provided for the class on color blending for your project

here are my samples of the rovings provided(a pre-blend control group)



I found it fascinating...i had never thought about the fact you can spin a section ...say 10 inches long, then allow it to ply against itself to have test samples of how the yarn will two ply up. Seems simple, but it never crossed my mind, i'd just sit and spin full bobbins Then ply and see. Needless to say, this will be one technique i shall use regularly from here on out. THe idea of creating my own color blends was Fantastic as well....i would just search through rovings in stores to find colors i like, but now that i also have a drumcarder, it should make it that much easier, but the handblending worked great as well!
I must say, Jill Laski was a FANTASTIC speaker and teacher, and hew work is amazing...and i've been purchasing her fibers for some time as well, so it was cool to meet her!
here is the fiber(besides that class fiber) i brought home....it was Hard to not spend more, but with all the time i've had off work...i didn't have more to spend!! :-) From the left, the grey fiber a Lincon Romney batt(8 ounces) i won as a door prize !!! the BFL is soooo soft, and the price couldn't be beat so i bought a pound ....for my koolaide dying experiments! and the wonderful braid, 8 ounces of sheer goodness there...i ADORE the color transitions in that, and see some winter wear for myself to be knitted before next winter(i hope!) The cool thing is my girlfriend from highschool that met up with me there bought a braid of it as well...can't wait to see what she does with hers!


here we have the little bits that came home with me...
The sock keychain was too tempting:-) and with my newfound love of knitting i really needed a needle sizer(sorry, but all of those sock DPNs look like they're the same size!) and...hell, it's a sheep, you couldn't get much cuter than that!
The adorable little knit sheep and llama pins, bought my step daughter a sheep, and a local friend and new sock knitter a llama since she couldn't be with us(i understand though...Mexico is awesome as well!)
The three pottery pieces are buttons. Now if you know me at all you know my first real craft/fiber love/Obsession was Tatting. I simply ADORE lace, and those three buttons have simple little tatted motifs embedded in there. How simply wonderful is that?!


I don't currently have plans for projects that will use the buttons, but i will have the buttons when the time comes, and goodness it made me happy to see the tatting, as without that first craft i wouldn't be doing what i'm doing now. I'd likely not be around at all....doing my arts and crafts truely kept me out of harms way as a teen and young adult.(i'm not trying to sound melodramatic, but it's the simple truth. all of my spare time and money went toward furthering my knowledge and abilities in lacemaking, and i wan't computer literate at the time it wasn't until i was well into my twenties that i found the original pink pig tat-chat mailing list and then my world exploded with tatting information and techniques! Then it went further...bobbinlace, then beading as i found myself in bead stores looking for pretty beads to spangle bobbins, so bead weaving came next...then wire wrapping, my Mother showed me chain Maille working, i dove in..it's all so beautiful! Then this blog was created about the time i needed to learn to spin due to the operation on my left hand which left me craftless...so i started spinning, and realized i had to learn to do more than knit dishcloths and crochet granny squares!
So here i am today, just as in love with all of these craft forms...i believe weaving will come next, as i've dabbled in it in my youth(did some card weaving and a bit of work on my 4 harness tabletop loom) but know i would want technical information first now.
Ah, how i digress....
Back to fiber for a moment though, the Corriedale i bought raw from Crossfire Hill Corriedales (gotta plug Karen, without her inviting me to the spin-in i wouldn't be posting this Huge blog today!)
I washed half of the corriedale locks as clean as i dared(I'm afraid of felting and ruining it!) I was bummed to see the tips still looked dirty, and there's a lot of lanolin left on the fiber, but when i flicked the ends the dirt came off! So i didn't take a pic yet, but i spun up a wee sample then koolaide dyed it with tropical punch! it turned out lovely and Soft!!!Not sure what this lot will be dyed as yet after i spin it, but i can't wait!

The fun part about the weekend was my parents, without them i couldn't have afforded a hotel stay, nor could my girlfriend that went with us work that in her budget as well(i have pics, but since i haven't asked her...i try to respect privacy :-)And a friend of my Husbands wanted to hang out with him as well, so my Super-cool folks let the four of us decend upon them and stay at their place! It was a riot, everyone spent a Lot of time laughing, and a very good time was had by all.
My dear sister house-sat for me so poor Normal wasn't home alone all weekend...but he certainly missed us and told us so when we got home. Here he is claiming his roving-

This was a long blog, and i appologize if it ran on too long, but it was an eventful weekend!
Here is one last pic of Normal, just before bed.

love to all,
jen

Spinning, Knitting and Cat fur.....

Well not only have i been busy at work...and in my personal life, but I Finally took the time to read Elizabeth Zimmermans book, The Knitters Workshop, and the first project was a hat. I decided...i can do that. Then i decided i would use this Yarn i spun myself (this is what was left after making the hat)

It is one strand of BLF wool(the pretty creamy white) and one strand of my cat Normals fur, spun as you would angora rabbit fur. I did Not cut his hair, i simply collected it as i brushed him and spun the fluff.
Here is Normal

and...the hat...the white part of the cap is just the BFL wool i spun by itself, the crown is the cat fur/bfl yarn.


and of course a few of the cat in the cat hair hat


Normal is entirely too tolerant for his own good....actually, he thinks he's as human as we are, and is a little emo for a cat, always wanting love and cuddles.

So...here we have crafty happiness, i think i'll be making hats for anyone who wants them, as they're fun to knit up. (have already made one for Chris' son, and have started his daughters...they match the scarves i made them:-) Chris decided he wanted a set as well. i am utterly thrilled that my family likes my handcrafts enough to want me to make them things!

Spring is on the way, and i look forward to all that brings.....we have more shooting outings planned, it's the shedding season for pets, so i'll be able to reap Quite the cat fluff harvest...then i'll need to decide what to make with that yarn!
All in all i must say that my life is Blessed with love and a joy i had not known was possible.
love to all....
jen

Well....Hello everyone!

Well, it has been a bit of a break from blogging but So much has been happening that i haven't had time for updating my blog. So my apologies to all.
First we'll start with a wee update about my sisters wedding.
I finished the lace hankie...you all do know the tradition of a hankie for a bride? She has the handmade lace for her wedding and when she has a baby, it is folded Just So and is a bonnet for the new baby...who then either uses it herself(if female) at her wedding, or if it's a boy, he gives it to his bride at theirs....sort of a built in heirloom for those who like tradition :-)
Here is a pic of the finished object...



And a pic of my sister and Father at the wedding(i did say it was a costume wedding, right?!)

I am still living in my two bedroom flat but as it stands, i will not be living alone much longer. I have started to rewrite this paragraph for the third time now, but find i don't really want to blog about this remarkable....magical relationship yet. Let it be sufficient to say, we adore and love one another, but have no need for co-dependancy...happily support one another in our outside relationships/hobbies....and are fabulous friends. I'm happy as a clam....more at a later date i'm sure, but this is my craft blog...not heavy, personal stuff blog :-)
This last pic is of some of my spinning i've been doing. (drying after being washed to set the twist and get rid of excess dye.


Sadly, the pretty light green/blues colored yarn is my first Complete failure.
I had spun up several skeins of it for my friend Sherries Birthday, but FELTED every bit of it during the washing process....it has So much dye and wouldn't stop bleeding....so i over did it and lost all of it. Better i do that than send her something that would stain her when she tried to use it. It was soysilk. Sigh. I think i'll stick to wool and normals kitty Floof for now(yep, i'm still working on a bobbin of kitty fur!!!)
Love to all...
jen

Meet Maurice...

Here is Maurice and Normal.
Sharon from www.bubbiesfarm.com is an amazing fiber artisan, and shepard?- She has many fiber animals, sheep,goats and rabbits. She invited me over for the evening to try out all of the Kromski wheels, i tried the ones i had been thinking about purchasing, and the Sonata, which had not crossed my mind to purchase...and guess who came home with me? The Sonata, who informed me that his name is Maurice. He is stained a beautiful Walnut, and my flash washed that tone out in the next pictures, but you get the idea of the shape...which folds into a compact little travel bag so efficiently(it's kind of wierd, really)
Well, it has a poly drive band, which i was suprised to find i really like. I was getting a feel for the tension with the last of my lime green roving. Can't wait for my first big project on this, as the bobbins hold 4 ounces(the ashfords only hold 2)
Here is the other pic- i shall take more later :-), i'm beat, yet need to get things done before crashing!
Love to all...jen

UFOs and Misc....

Here are my tatting shuttles...although,....i do have another ceramic one coming in the mail from Sherry it has a pin up girl on it and i'm stoked to add it to my collection!!! (pictures upon arrival!)

Well this truely fits the UFO description. Started it last spring, haven't worked on it since! Ack, it is meant to be a queen sized quilt,a kindof oxymoron of a quilt though, It's a pieced block 'crazy' quilt. And we have Normal modeling it and the couch for us.

Here is the big project i have on the go...that i am more or less steadily working on, i'm spinning the wool for the scarf, and have knitted up 3 skeins of my yarn, and have a 4rth on the needles. I may have enough to finish it with the 5th skein on the spinning wheel!

Butterflies...Finished butterflies! however i need to make more of them(for my momma!)the bottom right butterfly is an original design from my friend Sherry(yep, the ceramic tatting shuttle goddess!)
I need to start on my tatting homework for the Spokane Tatting Workshop in April. So, if i have enough time tonight after noodling on the net and getting ready for work tomorrow, maybe i'll have a chance to start. (the workshop is one of the reasons i have the pic of the massed group of tatting shuttles, looking at the collection to determine which will be good for the Workshop!)
Oooooh. my Honiton studies. Neglected. painfuly and dreadfully so. I need to wind my bobbins and prepare my pillow for the next lesson(whic i should have done last week :-( work has been tough on my hand- so that's my story!
love jenn

The 'New' Spinning Wheel

Here it is, i believe it is an Ashford, possibly from the '70s.(previous owner had it 20 years, and she thought it was old when she bought it. I have placed an order to replace several missing pieces, and with this style of wheel- Traditional style(the other wheel i have is called a castle style) you need a lazy kate to hold the bobbins of single ply yarn so you can ply two or three strands together depending on the size/type of yarn you are after. (oops, got carried away there, i also had to order a lazy kate!)I'm considering buying a lace flyer for this wheel, if it performs well with the adjustments i'm making for it(the flyer set up is near 200$) So i would eventually be able to spin super fine lace weight :-)

The boys helping to model the new wheel.

here is another skein and the start of a bobbin of single wool,mohair and firestar, in a pretty lavender for the shawl i'm knitting. It will take Many skeins to complete i'm sure!
I very happily placed orders for the Denise knits knitting needle set(on recommendation of a dear, and quite talented friend) along with Elizabeth Zimmermans knitters workshop book, and two Cat Bordhi books on knitting. Hey- i'll have to do Something with all of this yarn!
Since i will be missing the Lace Guilds meeting tomorrow, i am dedicating my day to the next Honiton piece. I keep saying this and shying away from doing it. Before bed tonight, i look for a butterfly pattern for the exchange:-)
Goodnight all,
love jen

Saturdays Post...

Well, i returned to work on Monday wheich meant a cessation of crafting...and healing. By thursday my hand was so swollen i was put back on leave for another two weeks. It took until friday for the swelling to receed enough to continue spinning. And here is what i did.

It's a sweet merino, wool and firestar blend.

And the finished skein, i hae plenty more to spin, as i'm thinking a triangle(simple) shawl would be sweet with this spring coloured yarn.

Here's my hand, pre- work induced swelling(the ring has been off since monday afternoon!)
In other crafty news, the search to adapt my british Featherweight sewing machine is still on. No local sewing repair places want to mess with it. So i ordered a new plug assembly from brittain, which will hopefully fit the current converter i ordered. I found a fellow who refurbishes featherweights online, but to completely overhaul the motor from british to american electrical systems will cost about 200$.
So, i'll wait and see if the adapter will work first.(it's such a pretty machine!)
As the swelling receeds in my hand, the Dr. told me to carry on with my handcrafts as therapy. So i'll be back to my lace pillow within a few days, and plans for maille jewelry as well...and a few ideas for orifice hooks for spinning(thy're made of wire)
So, lots of plans...and not much time before i return to work- Again so,
Goodnight all
~jenn

Yet again....not lace related!

Well, if you know me all handwork stopped january 18th, for a minor hand surgery, i've finally healed enough to begin craft work again.....but not so that i wanted to jump into my Honiton course before working more of the scar tissue loose in my hand. So, here we have what i have accomplished in the last few days. Tuesday i took a 45 minute lesson on spinning, which i loved, so following are pictures of what i did when i got home(and more yarn i spun today as well.....remember, there Is a learning curve, so it's 'novelty yarn' as there are slubs in it:-)

The borrowed Ashford traveller, st, that my mom loaned to me.

The newly plied yarn, still on the bobbin.

The yarn on the niddy noddy(that i need to finish...think i'll leave that to jerry!)

and...finally, the two skeins of yarn, ready to knit into a silly scarf. I've decided to call it my doctor scarf, partly as the only reason i became interested in spinning was due to my surgery, and the fact it will be a long skinny scarf a la Dr. Who, and the colors and silliness of the yarn remind me of Dr. Suess. (i'll need to make more yarn to finish the scarf, which is good as i've plenty of different colors of green roving :-)
Oh, and my return to jewelry making- Finally!


So, tomorrow i shall be back to my lace pillow, at long last!
G'night all, love jen