Thursday, February 23, 2012

Spinning The Blues

dark blue hand painted merino single
 
dark blue plied
It's been a long, strange winter this year.  It started out with early cold and snow and then fizzled out into a cycle of rain, snow, lots of ice, more rain, more snow and lots of dark gray days.  We tend to get a lot of those gray days here in the winter with low light.  Yesterday the news was wind - lots of wind with gusts up to 50 mph.  I am happy to say that my power bumped a few times but much to my surprise and joy, stayed on.  Around here when we get high wind warnings, I fill the milk jugs with water "just in case" and make sure there is a 5 gallon bucket in the bathroom for flushing.  I know, sure as I am sitting here, that if I don't, the power will definitely go out!  Well friends, since I was well prepared, the power stayed on.  You see, that's how it works in Sheri-land.  If I hadn't filled the jugs I know for a fact the opposite would be true.  So I got the added bonus of good light while I worked at plying the singles into yarn.

I finished plying the first bobbin while watching Nightline last night.  I find the irony of watching  high tech gadgets being manufactured in China with the tour of Apple's production line quite amusing as I am immersed with the peace of my decidedly "Low tech" spinning wheel.  If the power had gone out, I still would have plied the yarn because I am the power behind this little "machine".  I have to admit that I would rather do it with electric light than battery light & kerosene lamps but the beauty of it is that it really doesn't matter...


aqua, purple & teal single
I'm pretty new at the dying process so I am more than pleased at how my hand painted fiber is turning out.  The fiber I worked on yesterday was some singles that I started spinning on Saturday and was finally ready to ply.  I never know how it will actually turn out until I get it plied.

aqua, purple & teal 2-ply

I love the way this yarn turned out.  This is going to be a yummy color to knit with.  I still have quite a bit left to ply but I couldn't wait to share this lovely color.

3 comments:

  1. Lovely!! I too know that if I don't have things prepared that is when I get caught with my pants down. Glade you got to the plying and that the final yarn gives you joy. What you going to make with it??

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  2. Sheri, your yarn is beautiful, what a beautiful blue. I too think if the high speed world comes to a sudden halt, I will still have the joy of spinning wool and I can still take two sticks and make knitting needles (maybe 4)and the spun yarn and make sweaters and hats and socks.
    Is blue your favorite color too? Yummy!

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    Replies
    1. Actually blue isn't my favorite but it sure is fun to play with! I prefer greens, more aqua than true blue, and I love coral and purples. This batch has been so much fun!

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