skip to main |
skip to sidebar
How is it that the days are getting shorter and longer at the same time? The tedious, boring, draining drama of everyday life that is common to most people is running full force around here. I'll spare you the details, but I just needed that bit of venting so that I could better move on to other things.
Anyway, I've been working on this month's goals. My first completion was watching my Spinning Stupendous Singles class. Now I just need to make myself put it into practice. You know how it is when you worry about wasting precious materials on learning something new. Anyway, I think I will start by seeing if I have any more small bumps of fiber to start. Then I should find something so wonderful that I won't want to stop spinning, right? Eh, I'm just tossing around ideas.
I completed the horseshoe lace chart of Bridgewater, so that's another one completed on the goal list. It's time to work the edging setup round, adjusting the beginning of the round and adding a few more stitch markers to mark the corners. After that comes a provisional cast on and then eleventy-gazillion repeats of the edging chart. For now, the big, brown blob sits and waits. Since I am having some computer problems but still want to include a picture in this post, you get to see an old picture of it. Truly, it does not look terribly different. Just imagine that the blob of garter stitch also has bunched up, unblocked lace worked around it.
I've been working on embroidering a handkerchief. This is my first time using q-snaps instead of a hoop. It's too soon to judge, so I just keep stitching. I already have an idea for the next handkerchief, but I need to finish this one first. I also want to try embroidering on kitchen towels, pillowcases, and maybe an apron or two.
That's all the progress I have to report so far, but hey, I still have about half the month left, so there you go.
It is a new month, so it's time for new goals. Last month I probably scored somewhere around 70% completion--not great, but not terrible. Let's see how I do with this month's list.
- Watch my Craftsy Spinning Stupendous Singles Class (Dear Craftsy, Please restore the ability to cast (Chromecast, y'know?) app content to my tv and develop a Roku channel. My back, neck, shoulders, etc will thank you. Also, I stopped buying classes when you did your unfortunate redesign of the app that took away the ability to cast.)
- Get the 15 dpi idea on the Ashford (if it works, that's great, but if not, then I know and will have learned something)
- Weave towels on the Cricket (we need some new hand towels in the bathrooms)
- Stitch/embroider a thing (should have enough thread, eh?)
- Go to the gym at least four times by myself (this might be my biggest challenge)
- Finish the Horseshoe Lace chart on the Bridgewater Shawl (only about eight more rounds to go on this chart, but those rounds are long)
That seems like a pretty good list--challenging without being overly ambitious, but I think for me it is doable.
Yes, once again, it's National Spinning and Weaving Week. That seems like as good a time as any to make a plan, but first I'll show a bit of my spinning and weaving from this year. I played with cotton for a bit. I had an idea and read in my books to try making it happen. Then I sampled. What? Yeah, it was the right thing to do, and I'm glad I did it. I'm not too disappointed with the results and feel that I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do differently. Then I returned to spinning the cotton singles. It is not my favorite to spin, though I do feel a sense of accomplishment when I do spin cotton. Anyway, the plan is to spin more of the textured cotton yarn and weave with it.
Then, I got into the silk hankies and spun some more. I had plans for weaving with them, but I don't think what I have right now will work. I have other hankies that I might be able to add to this pile and then maybe I can.
The other spinning was a getting-to-know-you spin for my Electric Eel Wheel 5. I do love that little machine. Anyway, I grabbed eight ounces of wool and spun for ages. The plying was a breeze. Plying on an e-wheel is wonderful. Winding off the skein nearly did me in, but I made it, and it seems like I made some decent yarn. I was proud that I only had a small amount of singles leftover on one bobbin to ply back on itself, so maybe I am improving.
As for weaving, I got out the inkle loom and tablet weaving cards and book and played a bit. It was about time, as I bought the cards and book a few years ago, and they mostly just sat all that time. Anyway, I now have some new lanyards and a bit of experience with tablet weaving.
The other weaving was a birthday gift for my niece. She loves little blankets for covering dolls, stuffed animals, and pets. So I made a long, random, textured warp on the Ashford and wove the blankies for her. I'm pleased to learn that she has been using them, so I consider it a success.
Now for the plan--I want to try out my new 15 d.p.i. reed for my Ashford rigid heddle loom. I have an idea but do not know if it will work, but I am ready to try. My other plan is to weave some towels on the Cricket because I need more. As for the spinning, I don't have a real plan, other than to spin some. I could return to the cotton, or maybe try something new. Who knows? So, what's your plan for the week?
