Time to Knit and Spin

It's in the cards

2012-01-28T22:48:00.000-08:00

Here is one of my guild challenges. We drew some cards and have to create a project using all the cards we drew. We had to have at least two. These are the cards I drew. What would you create?

What ever I decide to make should be lucky since I got 21

Here's where I started, I spun this yarn to do something with, not quite sure what, but the colors are close to the middle card. Any ideas?

Now, I am working with this Jacob fleece.

I dyed it using sky blue.

Then carded it to create some rolags and am thinking I will spin a DK weight yarn. I have an idea where I am going with this project, but how would you interpret the cards?

Spinning Winter

2012-01-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

I just finished spinning a pound of Teeswater/Wensleydale/Rambouillet for a Rock Day celebration. While I was spinning the fleece my daughter said, "Mommy, it looks like you are spinning winter!!" I added some Firestar acrylic white for a bit of bling. Her words fit the handspun so perfectly, I decided to call it Spinning Winter and knitted a hat for winter. Part of it I hand dyed using sky blue, emerald green, and a bit of pink. The projects represented CO winter perfectly at least this year.

90 inch scarf

Spinning Winter

The winter in CO is very different than other places, so I would really like to see other people's spin on winter. Here is the challenge spin winter from your state or country and show me how different or similar the handspuns might be. What would you spin for your winter? What project would you choose?

Spin with the massess

2012-01-15T23:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, so to create a blog that no one might read lets see, I guess it is just as easy to talk to possibly no one as it is to talk to my husband or daughter. I want to talk about spinning and knitting. I have told myself I will spin each day in the year 2012. Thanks to this wonderful Raverly group http://www.ravelry.com/groups/a-year-of-spinning-dangerously
Anyone with me??? I need time for myself and that is my spinning time. After I have spun, then comes my knitting time.
You see I am a full time teacher of fourth graders and I come home to be a mom of a four year old and a wife. I have discovered I need my sanity (only took me 39 years to discover this). Spinning is soothing for me, but since I have only spun for about a I have discovered a few things.

1) Only spin art yarn when you are angry, frustrated, or the Broncos have lost (better luck next year) because each piece will have an artistic flair (I find thick and thin with crazy colors works well for me at this time provided it doesn't keep breaking) I am new to art yarn and I think all handspun yarn has an artistic flair. There are some great books out about art yarn maybe someday I will master it. My point is, my yarn takes on my feelings, how about yours? Who would ever want angry yarn unless you were knitting for someone you disliked (not likely).

2) Disney music helps me spin surprisingly well, not sure why maybe because I can sing every song, or because it is what my four year old wants to hear when she works with me in our craft room. Some recommendations are: anything from Lilo and Stitch, The Little Mermaid, The Frog Princess, Tangled (personally my new favorite), but then of course there's the Chipmunks as well. I find my tension depends on the beat of the music how weird right?

3) Always let your child (if you have one) name your yarn. They come up with pure and amazing names.

4) Challenge yourself in Ravelry groups, guilds and just get your voice out there. I just want to talk about the crafts I love with others so we can guide each other or just laugh about mutual frustrations, and of course share the work we have done.
another inspiring group on Ravelry:
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/picto-create

What is your advice to a new spinner? What music inspires you? Do you find one type of music promotes a certain type of yarn?
I am sure I will come up with more things along this journey which I would love for as many spinners and knitters to be a part of please tell me what projects you have going and any helpful advice is more than welcome. Unleash your spinning voice.

Spin long and prosper

Craftycass