September was a month with lots of knitting and spinning on-the-go. I literally took a project with me to school, BSF, restaurants, and everywhere else. I am so done with hiding away one of my dearest past times passions for the sake of appearing conventional. I have truly enjoyed the liberation and made some new connections as a result.
One of my favorite events was spinning at Art Blitz in Valparaiso, Indiana at an art school with my guild, Duneland Weaver’s and Spinner’s. There were lots of laughs and sharing of ideas.
I also went to the Sauder Village Fiber Fest in Archbold, Ohio and participated in the Spin-in with Kate Larson and other spinners on retreat from all over Ohio. We had a good time. I can truly say I always find a friend with crafty people. There is a certain bond that is shared with people who like to create from raw material.
Along with the crafting in public I am proud to say I finally knit up something out of one of the crazy sparkly art batts that I’ve been hoarding lately. My Undercurrent cardigan is complete.
I only had 12 ozs of the DKish weight yarn so I paired it with some white commercial silk that I had plied with dyed silk hankies long ago and forgot about. I think it works well. I used all of the art yarn and barely got away with a bind-off only having a silver dollar sized yarn ball left over, phew. I really love the fit of this pattern and how easy it is to knit. I could definitely use another, perhaps in a more conventional yarn. I must say though, I really don’t mind all the sparkles. I’m giving this project 5 stars.
BTW, spinning wise, I was able to get a 4 oz. skein spun up of oatmeal colored Sally Fox cotton on my new Lendrum Very Fast flyer. That thing is crazy fast and definitely beats out my Ashford Traveller lace flyer (which I have since sold). I finally purchased the fast whorl for my Kromski Symphony and plied the cotton singles quite efficiently at the 25:1 ratio it offers.
My mint chocolate chip spin is off the wheel. I added in some grey Shetland breed wool in order to stretch the 8oz into a nice sweater quantity. I now have a gradient-like set of skeins to work with.
I’ve also spun up Hipstrings’ HillStreet District colorway and 8 ozs of grey Romney that is awaiting plying.
My latest spinning obsession is a tussah silk/flax blend I ordered from Inglenook Fibers in the Madras colorway. The plan is to hopefully get some weaving done one of these days this fall. I’m also spinning up 8ozs of recycled green sari silk on the Kromski Sonata which I hope to weave.
Traditions in Cloth 