I give a special reverence to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, for what they loved, a free and safe country for their families and all of us. May we honor them in all we do and may we always keep this country free and safe in their honor.
May we also always remember that Freedom has a price and all those who have paid that price.
I gave my Kromski Polanaise spinning wheel a work out this week and got a skein of yarn done! I have always struggled with left over singles on a bobbin when I’m done plying, so I thought (after I started of course and was on my 2nd bobbin) that I was going to weigh the 3rd empty bobbin I had to see how much the bobbins weighed. Then I would weigh each of the singles when I thought I had them about half full (always hard for me to judge) and see if I could get close to not having much left on one of the bobbins after plying the two singles together. As you can see the first bobbin weighed 101 grams and the 2nd bobbin was 93 grams, so I took 8 more grams of the fiber and added it to the 2nd bobbin. They both weighed 101 grams. The empty bobbin for plying was 53 grams.
So I plied the two singles and ended up with 139 grams, and I thought, um, how is that, oh yeah the weight of the 2nd bobbin. I weighed the now empty 2nd bobbin, it was 57 grams, ugh didn’t take into consideration that the bobbins might not weigh the same. So all in all the 1st and 2nd bobbins weighed 57 grams each and the 3rd bobbin that I used to ply them with was 53 grams. I ended up with 90 grams (202 yds) of plied yarn after it was washed. It looks like a light sport weight yarn. I ended up with only 1 yd and 6 inches of left over singles on one of the bobbins, so my experiment was successful. I know the differences between the amount of the singles on each bobbin will always be there because of the inherent inconsistent spinning for hand spun yarn, but I’m pleased over all with how it worked out and how to cut down on left over singles on a bobbin. 🙂
Off to find the perfect pattern for a scarf for my friend, and then on to my next spinning project :).
Hope everyone is having a great Spring. We have had rain for most of our days throughout this Spring. I dream of sunshiny days. I am not a rain person, one reason I don’t live in the northwest coastal areas, I need the sunshine! The few days we have had that were dry, sunny and warm enough to be outside on the balcony without high winds, had me outside on my balcony spinning on my spinning wheel , it’s a peaceful thing to do. Hope you find a peaceful thing to do too. 🙂
Wishing all Mothers, step Mothers, adoptive Mothers – all Mothers everywhere a very Happy Mother’s Day. I know this is a hard day for those who have lost their own Mother or lost a child or couldn’t have children, but you are all in my thoughts and prayers, as I also went to visit my youngest child today at his grave side, but I find peace in knowing I will see him and my Mother again. Wishing all a Blessed Day.
With the help of the Kromski Raverly group and a local friend, I was able to get the Polonaise configured to be a scotch tension drive, thankfully it comes with both options :). The pictures do not do it justice, it is a dark mahogany color but looks like a walnut color in the pictures. It is portrayed a little better in the picture of the singles I am spinning tho’ it still does not show the dark mahogany color as it is, it is really beautiful. It spins like a dream and I am enjoying spinning on it immensely. The fiber is some super wash merino that I had dyed some time back when I spun a skein for a friend. I am spinning this skein to make a scarf or cowl (we need those here in the winter :P) for Marge’s sister (also a friend). Something for her to think about her sister when she wears it.
I also cast on a new project. Was going to make this last year for Christmas for a family member but I fell and broke my hand so that didn’t happen. Not taking any chances this year, if I procrastinate, “Murphy” will come to visit again and he is not allowed in my home :P. This is the Changing Staircases shawl by Trysten Molina of Dragon Hoard Designs. I am using Stroll Tweed Sock Labs yarn by Knit Picks in the Teal Tweed colorway. It’s really pretty and has a generous 462 yards. Because I am a loose knitter I am using a size 4 instead of a size 5 circular needle. Tho’ it looks difficult, this pattern is very easy and easily memorized :). Not sure if you can see it very clearly but I am using a beautiful bronze heart progress keeper made by Stephanie of the Knitting Samurai podcast, from her Adore Knits Etsy shop.
I am loving Spring but could do without all the rain, but at least it’s not snow :P.
Yeah, it’s that time again! I just have to do this every year because it’s so darn cute. 🙂
LDSVenus-knits 