I’ve done some sewing! I made some bags using the Teatowel Bags link I posted last time, although I used fabric from stash instead of teatowels. I made three large bags and one smaller one to use up the last of the fabric. Finally, something to use my extensive stash of quilting fabric on! I liked the smaller bag, which was for a forum friend, and I plan to make another one for myself. I have a few more I’d like to make next time I feel like sewing.
I also made myself a linen skirt, for work. I like it so much I’m going to make another one in a different colour.
I’d forgotten how engrossing sewing is, though. You can’t pick it up and put it down like knitting or spinning, you have to have a huge work surface, a sewing machine, an iron, an overlocker….Once I’ve started I can’t stop until it’s finished or I drop with exhaustion. House need cleaning? Family hungry? Sorry, I’m sewing. Come back in a few days.
On the knitting front I haven’t done so well. The socks are still OTN and, although they have progressed, a definite effort is required to finish them off.
I’ve been practising my spinning as much as I can, and try to spin a bit each day.
I’ve spun just under half of my Water Lily and here it is, plied and finished.
I’m quite pleased with it so far – it’s still got some thick and thin bits because I was a very new beginner when I began spinning it, but the later parts are much more consistent. The colours have come out nicely, too, with some long colour repeats and some parts where the colours have blended. I’d like to get the same effect for the second half of the fibre, but as I don’t really know what I did to this half that might be tricky! I think I’ll see what would happen if I split the remaining fibre into two lengths across its width (as opposed to lengthways) and put them together. I think the yarn would make a small size leaf lace shawlette.
I’ve been to another spinning class (and I’m booked up for Superspin 2 in June) and have a bag of sample fibres to try out. I carded some alpaca and made rolags,
which I spun into this yarn, 
which I made into a tiny knitted square. It was lovely to knit with, too!
I flicked some polwarth locks and have spun them as fine as I could on a cute little spindle from Jesh. I haven’t plied and finished this yet – I’m hoping for laceweight. I’ve got a bag of Polwarth from Southern Cross Fibres in Cockatoo, and I’d like to spin that as a two-ply laceweight.
I’ve got some other sample fibres to try, including Wensleydale locks, merino silk and silk, which I haven’t used yet.
I’ve bought quite a bit of fibre actually, (she said nonchalantly) and one of them is a braid of Shetland in a beautiful pink and white shade called Apple Blossom. I think it would make a lovely blanket, so my idea is to spin it and then make a three ply yarn with itself and some oatmeal or white natural fibre spun to the same thickness. I’d be aiming for about DK weight. Then I’d crochet a giant granny square with it. I think it would be both pretty and warm.
I’ve also bought a couple more spindles: a Bosworth featherweight and a Wildcraft resin spindle. They’re awfully stashable…
And…I’ve ordered a spinning wheel. I have ordered a Majacraft Rose from P&M Woolcraft. I tried an Ashford Joy at the second Superspin 1 class, and it was so fun! I really like spinning.
