What wonders are to be found at the local library!

I was wandering through in search of a book on Microsoft Office for my mother (try as I might to teach her, she just needs to have instructions open in front of her), when I stumbled across this title. A book on spinning, written by someone who started out with no knowledge at all and got to be an expert? Sounds like a good read to me!

Before you pick the book up, realize that it was published in 1971. This may make it seem a bit "dated" if you're expecting glossy pages, artistic photographs, and modern prose. You're not going to get any of that. My copy smells a bit musty, there are no photographs, and the writing style isn't like the knitting books I'm used to. What you do get is well-drawn (and sometimes funny!) black-and-white illustrations, and an interesting approach to the subject matter.

Rather than writing as an instruction guide, Marilyn Kluger tells you a story. She starts with her first exposure to spinning at her grandmother's house, gives you tips on finding a wheel based on her own experience, and explains what she found was the best way to detangle and clean a raw fleece. Reading her book, you feel like you're learning right along with her, not being lectured.

The book does focus mainly on wheel spinning, but even as a spindler I found things to appreciate. There is one chapter on using a hand spindle, and the sections on finding, preparing, and dyeing fiber are useful to spinners of all tool preferences.

Maybe someday I will pick up a wheel and put more of the book to use, but for now I'm happy to appreciate what I can. After all, we're all just making string out of sheep.

This turned out even more gorgeous than I thought it was going to be. The colors came out almost perfect. There's one spot (about 2" long) where they sort of muddle together, but the rest of the scarf looks great, and the little mistake isn't noticeable when I'm wearing it.

I think the secret to getting a good result is to choose two skeins that CONTRAST rather than COORDINATE. That way you can always tell them apart.I used one in very bright colors, and one that was more cool/muted. Even though the skeins didn't "go" at all held next to one another, the finished product looks faaabulous.


If I did it over again, I'd choose a slip-stitch edge instead of knitting straight ribbing. The side where the stripes were carried up looks a little different than the other one.

And I probably will do it again, since both the boyfriend and various family members have fallen in love with it and now want their own.


For now, though, I just want to snuggle.

"Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue"
-Old Wedding Proverb

I think I've got all my bases covered.

In November, I went to a needlework festival and bought a few ounces of Colonial wool top:


Some of it I spun right away:


But the rest languished in my stash until recently.

A few days ago, I had a spinning kick. Since my usual spindle was still packed up (I just finished moving), I borrowed a dowel rod and a couple of CDs from my dad and got going. I ended up with a beautiful new single, in a lovely shade of navy blue.

After tracking down my own spindle, I plied the newly-spun blue single with the old grey one to get a very-full spindle of bulky 2ply yarn.

Once I got the yarn washed and skeined, I noticed how much my spinning has improved in such a short amount of time. My finished yarn has hardly any excess twist, and doesn't worm at all when two strands are held together. I've learned to be more intuitive as I spin, making the yarn the thickness and amount of twist it wants to be rather than trying to force it to be something it's not. I'm still not very good at getting a consistent thickness unless I do a lot of predrafting, but that will come with time.


The finished yarn is called "Heidi", because I plied it while watching "Project Runway". There are 46 yards, weight of 2 oz, and it's bulky (7 wpi). Outdoor photos taken with a crepe myrtle bush.

I don't know what to make with it yet. It's very fuzzy, so nothing that needs to be durable. I was thinking of perhaps a hat or a neckwarmer (like a Pidge).

Just dropping in to post a few better pictures of the kool-aid dyed yarn from Tuesday, now dried and skeined.

Runway Yarns "Raw", 4 oz of 100% wool roving.

We all know hand-dyed yarn is gorgeous and to be coveted. and something you dyed yourself is even more so, since it's completely one-of-a-kind and custom-made to your own tastes.

Have you seen Twist Collective yet? It's an awesome new online magazine. I haven't read through the entire thing yet, but a quick skim reveals technical articles and patterns. Looks like a great resource!