Back to wool biz..

I was very busy whilst on holiday, spinning.  I took my Majacraft Little Gem complete with jumbo flyer for plying and skeiner.  After all, I was visiting my wool friends on a farm..what better place to take your wheel.

I did actually start spinning at the beach.  I took some English Leicester/Finn/Border Leicester/Corriedale fleece in white, all carded and ready to go.  Also some black English Leicester/Finn.  I started on the white, plied it with some black, finished the white then continued with the black.  Unfortunately my subconcious has had enough of finer spinning and each ball got thicker.  The last of the black is a chunky.  I do have more of it so will try to spin some finer to use with the white or black and white.

black top 235m 350g, bottom 139m 157g, white 562m 355g, black and white 417m 350g

I came back from SA with quite a bit of raw fleece only to realize that I left my carder clamps with Jane's daughter who is playing with my Knitters Loom.  Luckily I also bought back some exotic blends and decided to spin one up and keep it for myself rather than sell it.  It is Blue Faced Liecester and Tussah silk. 50/50 blend.  BFL is not found here in Aus at all.  It's a very lovely wool, fine, soft and glossy.

I have plyed one skein so far..it is very nice in chunky..

I still had quite a bit left on my bobbins considering the above skein is 387g, 266m.

I could not fit any more onto the bobbin but I could have if I had been more careful in moving the yarn guide.

So I guess I had better find a pic of the fleece I bought back..

Left, Priscilla English Leicester/Merino

back black, Sista EL/Merino

Clear bag(back right), Mooritt Romney X

Black front, 2 Tags, EL/Finnx

White Front, Pure English Leicester Stud Ewe

Might just show off a few other goodies I got from my friend Ron who works wood.

An Ebony spindle (18g) and a custom made diz with threader (you use this for making batts into roving, if you are interested in seeing one work have a gander on uTube, also if anyone wants one they are $25 AU+post, send me a message and I'll put you onto Ron)

And the Pièce de résistance for me was doing a deal on this...

The jumbo ball winder is mine, it's the wood bit below that is cool.  It's called a Squirrel cage Swift.  The wood is gorgeous Sassafras and again, if you want one let me know, I'll put you onto Ron.

So back to what I am up to atm.  Very busy spinning that white loveliness above but also I have a knit I have finished and one in progress.  I hope to one day do a book of patterns and wool information and these two patterns will be in it.

First, my lovely slouchy hat with lace band.  Wool is Merino/Bamboo/Nylon blend, mostly used for socks, gifted to me for my birthday by a friend.

The colour was called Wildberries and the yarn is available at Moseley Park Online

And the second number is a hoodie jumper, knitted from the top down.  It is in progress but it's coming along nicely.

Modelled by the recipient, she's very pleased with it.  The colour is Pillar Box Red, the wool is superwash Merino, hand spun by Me.  It's about a chunky.