combing for the first time

This week has seen me using wool combs for the first time and some of the nicest and most consistent yarn I've made so far.

The gauge is not only spot on, but I've been experimenting with colours. The black is the zwartbles fleece that I've been selling. I thought the yarn would be great for the trekking sock pattern in the background, but I've found that wool on its own wears quickly, so the middle grey section is with the addition of some mohair (I heard someone refer to this as 'nature's nylon' this week) and the top section is some brown shetland, again combed and mixed at the same time with some mohair. The decision is to make the socks using mostly the black zwart with the brown shetland mix as contrast colour / heel & toe.

So let's do this story backwards. I'm very proud of the yarn. Combing takes out shorter or tangled fibres leaving you with the best fibres arranged nice and parallel. (Known as worsted preparation.) Fabulous to spin. In my case there's a little grease left in the wool which also helps.

Short draw keeps the fibres straight and even. In this case quite a long short-draw worked well because the fibres are nice and long. With the combed wool drafting like a dream I switched to the faster ratio and have been working very quickly.

This pair of mini-combs has been knocking about here for a long time but drum carding makes such short work of fleece that I've not tried them before now. With lots of fleece around, curiosity got the better of me. Even with these small combs, I found that you can work with quite a few locks at a time.

You work with the empty comb at right angles to the static one and a sweeping motion. This transfers the long fibres onto the second comb leaving the rubbish on the first one which you remove. I've been repeating 4 - 6 times.

It pulls off the comb into a sliver which is ready to spin.

I love combing and am now in the market for a grown-up sized secondhand pair - if you can help, contact me!

The Frame-breakers

I read this blog post from Amy of Spin-Off magazine which made me think about the Luddites and their motivation. Wool and cotton mills and spinning and weaving machinery were broken and burned.

The recent distubances in London have similarities to the actions of the 19th century textile workers, but also some important contrasts.

'Luddite' is a term used about someone who has a fear of new technology. I think that's a bit unfair; the Luddites weren't simply afraid of technology and progress.

Unlike the young people in our cities recently, Ned Ludd and his followers were clear about their purpose. They valued their skills and employment and were fighting for their jobs and way of life. They believed in a skill-based economy and were resisting a move to automation and unskilled jobs.

Some were executed or transported for their actions.

Although it's not proved possible to halt automation and technology, we can't shake off connections with the past. It's clear that we still feel the need to develop and use manual skills to create beautiful and useful things.

back to back challenge - Fibre-East 2011

Thoroughly enjoyed a day sitting in the sun spinning with some lovely people. It wasn't a full attempt at the challenge but a dry run for the full version maybe next year. We made a child-size jumper so that visitors to Fibre-East could see the event from start to finish while they were there.

Some firsts:

• Spinning with unwashed greasy fleece
• Spinning longdraw from a teased mass of fibre without using carder or pet comb
• Spinning the yarn and seeing a garment knitted in one day

I enjoyed spinning wool with all grease left in. While it didn't feel too dirty, a small knitted sample square that we washed was much whiter. It's surprising how much dirty grease collects around the orifice and on your wheel generally

I wouldn't want to spin dirty fleece again (before the next b-to-b challenge!) but I will try washing without scouring out all of the grease, and try a 'dressing mix'.

I will also remember to put sun-block on my neck next time!

On your marks:

Finished:

My photos from the day are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shieladixon/sets/72157627145693505/

[edit] and the more official photos from the day are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65506020@N02/sets/72157627277558582/

First Tardis sock (almost) complete!

I don't remember being good at needlework at school, I don't think my gonk was very good, so I'm a little perturbed about having to embroider the 'Police Box' lettering.

The detail on the windows has gone well though, and I'm very pleased with the knitting generally. I really like the 'square panel' pattern (probably not easy to see in the photos) and so I carried it on over the top of the foot, knitting plain just on sole, toe and heel.

Size is spot on, Hoping the enthusiasm remains through its partner....

sneaky peekies

A newsletter reader asked for some pictures of the wide carder in use.

First up was some 'fairy wings' angorino. Just 50g but it fitted on the drum easily. I'd usually do that quantity in two lots so it made short work of that.

Next up was some of the Shetland I scored recently.

I kept feeding until the drum seemed full. A monstrous batt indeed, but weighed in at 66g, a bit short of the promised 100g, but I'm sure it's possible to get more on next time, particularly at the edges. The drum tended to fill in the middle before the edges, but I'm sure that's just practice.

And a sneaky peeky of a new range of hooks and needles - ebony and rosewood with the most exquisite finish:

Available on Handknitter very shortly and possibly p2tog too.

feeling sheepish

I had the pleasure of meeting these neatly-clipped girls this afternoon, and taking away some shetland fleece in various shades.

I now have lovely soft hands and the scoured fleece will be available at handspinner shortly.

Summer Flies

Do your knitting habits change with the seasons? Craftsy magazine held a survey on Facebook and found the top answer to be 'the weather doesn't affect my knitting'. The next highest answer was that projects become smaller; hats and socks.

In response to this, Stefanie Japel has put together her top five free summer patterns.

I guess that like me, you are not often moved by many of the patterns in a top five, but these ones really grabbed me, I've bookmarked three of them.

The Summer flies shawl (I assume meaning that Summer goes quickly, not a reference to the insects) looks lovely and is said to be quick and easy to knit. The Ornamental Socks have a fascinating heel! And the Suntrap Scarf just looks beautiful and summery.

The scarf is similar to one of my own WIPs and reminds me that I should get on with it!

Read more.