It was good to have some time together and just 'play', although 'Miss Emily' was much missed ( but not at 6 am !!).
This is a photo of all the dyeing that took place; although not all of the fleece we dyed are on display , just bits of them to show the colours.
At the very front is a plain washed and extremely soft BFL x fleece which we picked up from the Wool Board at Porthmadog.That's a story for another post ;)
At the right is a collection of the yarns using natural dyes. The dyes we used this time were onion skins, madder and copper/ammonia. Its amazing how many hues you can get with only a few dyes. I need to get more pans for natural dyeing as we had hoped to do some weld, red cabbage and cochineal but ran out of time. The yarns we used were some hand spun and some undyed boucle . I love the way that all natural dyes blend so well together. Some are destined to be a waistcoat and I don't know what Kath is going to do with hers.
To the left are all the acid dyeing we did. Some were sock yarns and others are more hand spun.There are some gorgeous colours here I think, but as usual the camera never quite gets them all right.
Having the large boiler means I can now dye up large quantities of fleece to made a solid colour for a garment which is a bonus. Although some of this is destined to be used as a single ply for lace knitting.It's a Teeswater fleece which has a minimum staple length of 10 inches and the lady I bought it from has given me some tips re spinning a single ply.
We also had a go at the English Combs and although they do look lethal they make a fantastic thin roving which makes spinning a breeze.
The stand is clamped to the table and then one of the combs is secured to it . The fleece is then flicked on to the tines either on the tips ,which I think is easiest or the butt. I then move the comb to the side position as I find it easier. It's then a matter of combing it until the majority is off the clamped comb.
What's left on the clamped comb can either be teased and carded again or used for felting or disposed of. You then put the full comb on the stand and comb again. I usually do three passes but it depends on the fleece.
You then use the Diz and with a crochet hook to pull a thin roving through the hole and gently pull through all the fleece into a fine roving and wind into a ball and 'voila' your good to go.
I have been doing more spinning than knitting lately due to the fact that my joints but especially my right shoulder and arm have been too painful.I have been doing a little Xmas knitting but even knitting a few rows is uncomfortable so it only frustrates me more. I just hope that resting will help as I have so much I want to knit. I can't take any more painkillers so I guess a trip back to the rheumy doc will have to be done if things don't improve. Either that or I will have to commission someone to knit all my lovely hand spun up :(
I do have some FO pics to show you but I think I have gone into photo overload in this post !!
X fingers that by next week normal knitting will resume !!
