Copy Cat

And I wasn't even trying this time!  Pinky swear!!

I have scads of undyed yarn that I washed, carded and spun myself, and I've been looking for a project with which to display my handiwork.  Nothing too fancy, but I wanted a larger project, but not huge, and not too difficult.   As I'm thumbing through www.ravely.com the other day, I came across the "Shalom" Sweater.  Simple? Yes.  Stunning? Oh yeah.  But hmmm.  Looks familiar.... where have I seen that before?  I looked back in my "favourites" from over a year ago, and there it is!  Only, it's been slightly modified... by Amanda Blake Soule, AKA Soulemama.  Geesh.  I wasn't even TRYING to copy her this time and I did anyway.

Anyhoo... hoping it's a fairly quick knit as the weather up n' coming would be perfect for it.  A bit chilly, but not cold enough for a full-on sweater.  But, I'm sure I'll find plenty  of excuses to wear it!

To Spin a Yarn...

I've been debating about this post for over a week now.  I was all set to post something more on spinning and yarn and sheep... but then my favorite blogger Amanda Blake Soule posted something SO similar I just couldn't bare to mirror her... even though I totally am, but not by design.  We just happen to be very interested in the same things.  Probably why I enjoy her blog so much.  Hmmmm.

I may have mentioned, I bought an entire unwashed fleece from Margaret at Ranfurly Farms last March.  I washed it, carded it, and now, spun it...

plyed it (with itself)

And ...

Ta-Dah!  My first "real" skein!

 I have a few before this one, but THIS one really felt like I knew what I was doing, though I'm still not totally consistent with the gauge. Yet.

I have rented a spinning wheel for the month of February, as one whole fleece actually gets one a whole lot of wool.  I'd like to try dying some of it, but I'll hopefully spin it all first.  I haven't knitted anything with it yet, as my priority right now is getting something done for my little man whose birthday is fast approaching.  And, with a deadline of the end of February, I want to get as much spun as possible.  I figure that after I return the wheel, I'll have plenty of time while waiting for lambs to arrive to knit.  And ya, I'll probably copy Mrs Soule again and knit some fingerless gloves with the first skein... very practical for spring time and lambing time on the farm.

Wait. Did I say Lambing Time???

Yes.  Yes I did :)

The Learning Curve

I am learning a new thing.  It's something I've wanted to learn for a l-o-n-g time.  And in learning this thing, I am discovering how I learn, and I'm finding that, in itself, interesting.

First, I notice.  Then, I think and watch. Then I circle it.  Metaphorically, for sure, sometimes actually walking around and around the thing.  Sometimes for years, as in this particular thing.

Oh? What am I learning?  SPINNING.  As in, how to spin wool.  I am SO excited about this.  Well.  I am this week.  Last week was my first class and no matter how awesome I can spin in my head, my hands just couldn't get the hang of it.  I know I'm just learning and to give myself time and all that, but you know when you REALLY want to learn something and you're SURE you will be great at it and then it doesn't come together the way you thought?  I just didn't even want to TALK about it last week.  Then I had my second class and tonight, while children read and built marble runs around me, I spun.  And it was GOOD.

It amazes me how just a little wee bit of sheep fluff can be transformed into something much more.  And it's funny how last week, just looking at the spinning wheel made me a wee bit sad, and this week, I wish I had more to spin!  I do, actually, have 3 big bags of BFL wool to spin, but daughter says that the BFL is so lovely, I need to perfect my technique just a bit more before I go for the good stuff.  And I think I'll dye some of it before I spin it too.

I did take a few pictures, but my camera is not that good for indoor evening shots, so perhaps I'll try again during the day.

3 cheers for learning something new!