Spinning for sweaters

Rambouillet singles

 When I go to Fiber Fairs, I am disappointed more often than not, because I am not interested in buying only 4 ounces of fiber.  I want 2 pounds if it is processed, and more if not.  So I have settled on just buying fleeces and processing them myself.  This is a Rambouillet fleece that I bought some time ago, I washed it then took it over to Ohio Valley Natural fibers and had it carded, put it into a storage bin and let it sit.  Since I had such fun doing the Jacob/Romney fleeces, I grabbed the next bin off the stack and started spinning this.  It is spun woolen, long-draw and I have 9 bobbins so far and about 1/4 to 1/3 of the fleece to go.







3 plied using the tensioning box that Carl made for me for Christmas.

First plied bobbin

 This is the first of the plied yarn.  Plied on the Roberta.












This is the amount of singles left on the first 3 bobbins. 

First skein 228 yards.

Coffin repair

Years and years ago, Carl got me a large cedar chest, from an old man who was not the woodworker that Carl is. (When I first saw it it was taking up the whole back of a 15 passenger van, my reaction was "You got me a coffin" and that is what it has been called here ever since.  They would have to bend my knees a little to bury me in it)

 He must have used green wood for at least part of it, because the boards have separated, and one even cracked from the stress.  a Cedar chest with wide cracks is not much use.

So last year Carl took it apart and attempted to get it back together the way it was supposed to fit.  He was able to close some of the cracks but there were a couple of them that were warped past fixing.  He put it back together and today he is caulking all the cracks and seams.  So it should keep the bugs out.  You can see one of the cracks in the top of the chest.

So I guess I can die anytime and I have somewhere to store my sweaters until then.

2013 in review.

This year  I finished the following knitting:

10 pair of socks - 8 regular adult, commercial yarns  1 pair baby socks 1 pair handspun, hand dyed, and hand knit.

6 Hats.




















4 Shawls.  (one handspun)

4 Dishcloths.

1 baby blanket.

2 baby sweaters.

1 sweater for me.  (and one that needs facing and clasps.)

Also spun

3000+ yds of Jacob Romney, and 7 bobbins of  DK.  Brown Rambouillet for a 3-ply yarn for at least one sweater.

Finished the turquoise merino/tencel for lace weight, winding it off onto storage bobbins and will commence plying shortly.

All in all not bad.

And I am weaving again.