The bittersweet feeling of finishing a piece of spinning

I don't know if other spinners find this but projects seem to have a definite cycle to them.  First off you have the excitement of a new project, all those plans and possibilities.  Then you get down to the spinning proper.... and suddenly realise just how long the singles are going to take!  Fairly quickly though you settle into that, just enjoying the slow and steady progress.  Then comes the excitement of finishing the singles and knowing you just have the plying to go, followed rapidly by the realisation (again) that winding the plying ball and plying isn't half as quick as your head thinks it should be.  Then you get to the end of the plying.  That is the oddest one for me.  I've been planning for ages what I'll make with this yarn but somehow finishing the spinning is still bittersweet.  I'm one step closer to that FO but have closed one part of the project.  A lesson in impermanence if ever there was one!

Anyway the spinning that provoked this thought :)  Firstly a shot of the almost finished singles:

Then the, now well travelled, cops ready for winding into a plying ball:

The plying ball itself:

Plying:

And the final very full spindle:

Washed and finished yarn shots to follow :)

Bizarre exchange of the week

On the way to Paddington this evening I was, not unusually, spinning on the tube. Now this normally gets its fair share of odd looks and funny comments, but tonight I was utterly flummoxed by a lovely older lady.  She was travelling with her daughter who had asked me what I was doing.  When I responded with "spinning, or more technically plying" (on my turkish), her mum promptly told me I was doing no such thing!  Daughter then helpfully explained that mum was an ex-textiles teacher and prolific spinner, not to mention an exhibitor this year at Fibre Fest!  Not really sure what the correct response to that is...

I must stop saying yes

I don't know if it is me or every handknitter but I'm useless at saying no to someone asking me to knit for them if they offer to pay. Now I'm not talking jumpers here! Scarves and gloves though and I'm here to spread the word that wool is "the" thing to be seen in. Whilst spreading the love is no bad thing, I'm not sure I have enough hours in the day!

Top bunk spinning

A new job in the big smoke has necessitated a somewhat drastic change in my living arrangements...in other words temporarily living in a YHA during the week.  Whilst this does come with the to be expected shenanigans of people switching lights on at stupid times, people snoring, multiple alarm clocks going off etc, it turns out to have an amazing advantage too...spinning off the top bunk means you get a really long make :)  Oh and the people you meet are pretty darned cool too

The Christmas rush

All crafters that I know will admit that whilst they love their craft (or crafts) birthdays and Christmas present a particular set of challenges.  Whilst we know how much a handknit etc can be loved by its recipient (or at least they won't be getting a second if they don't :) ) that sinking feeling around early November as you realise just how much work you've let yourself in for creates just a small amount of stress.

So in no particular order this year my challenge includes, but is unlikely to be limited to:

• Snug Hooded Wrap for my Mum - have the yarn, of which one of the 15 skeins has been balled.
• Spinning the remaining batts for my SIL
• Knitting (and possibly spinning) a pair of long gloves for my sister to match a coat she has with 3/4 length sleeves
• A matinee coat for a baby just born to friends of ours
• Finishing In Dreams for my friend's girlfriend.

On the list of things I'd like to finish (or indeed start) for myself are:

• Riding coat from the frogged/reskeined/washed/balled remains of the daisy stitch coat
• finish spinning Midnight's Socks and actually get on with the knitting

Someone wish me luck will you :)

Changing of the seasons and a wedding

For those of us living in the UK the weather doesn't seem to quite be able to make its mind up what season it wants to be.  We've had well above average temperatures, but with the odd storm that makes you think it really is Autumn.  For me personally, I've been loving the beautiful colours in the trees but lamenting the warmth preventing me snuggling up in my hand knits.

It seems though, that we might actually be in for a bit of autumnal weather... just as I head up country for a wedding being held partially in a marquee (after the main hall of the hotel suffered a major fire).  Now this poses a bit of a problem on the clothes front.  I've got a fairly heavy weight gorgeous red dress suit, but with the jacket it feels overly work-like, whilst without it is fairly low cut with no sleeves.  Whilst I have worn it with a wrap before, it really is a dress that you have to have something with all the time... in other words rather high maintenance.  My other alternative is a lovely purple number from Monsoon.  Again a smart dress, and as with the red, the plan is to combine it with a set of killer cream heels (despite the DH's objections that this makes me significantly taller than him!).  With either dress though I need a wrap, and whilst I want it to be very pale, I struggle to find creams that suit me.  For any other event I would go for white or possibly a silver, but for a wedding that feels a little tacky if you're not the bride.

In other words, I've got an emergency knit on the needles, Oslo Walk in Bluefaced.com's Silver Sparkle Sock... it remains to be seen if the colour suits me so wish me luck!