Friday, October 17, 2014

Autumn


We have all the windows in the house open. After two days of non-stop rain, we have a glorious, clear day. I did take advantage of the rainy days to dye.


The twisted skein on the left is worsted 100% wool and the loose skein at right is 70 / 30 wool and silk, fingering weight. They were both immersion dyed together. I reskeined the worsted because I was curious to see how it would look. 

Here's a swatch of one of the skeins I dyed a couple of weeks ago:


It doesn't look too bad, eh?

Look what Mom made me!


A table-top horizontal swift, something like what is sometimes called an Amish yarn swift. You can see better below how she used an inexpensive 6-inch lazy susan (purchased at Lowe's) to get the spinning action. All of the wood, including the dowels, were scraps and pieces that we had collected in the garage (we have that kind of household). She added little cork circles to the bottom to protect the table surface. It's heavy enough that it doesn't move while being used.


I do have a store-bought metal and plastic umbrella swift, but it is not very sturdy (at all). We have a clamp on it to hold it at the desired height or width.

See? It doesn't even see fit to take a good picture for me. 
I'm charged with purchasing a nice new wooden swift for the Smoky Mountain Knitting Guild's members' use when I go to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF). I am so looking forward to SAFF! You may have heard of Rhinebeck (the affection name for the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival), which happens this weekend. Well, I can't see myself being able to afford the trip, so SAFF is the closest I have, and it's a pretty big deal for this area. Rhinebeck has over 250 vendors (not to mention a much larger livestock competition), but SAFF brings together over 150 vendors and packs them in pretty tight at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center, located in Fletcher, right across from from the Asheville Regional Airport. 

Well...the lucky ducks attending Rhinebeck work towards having a fresh new sweater completed in time to wear to Rhinebeck. Regardless of the sweater's design, it becomes officially dubbed the person's "Rhinebeck sweater." I, not being a lucky duck, am working on a "SAFF sweater" this year. This would be the Wayside Lace Sweater that I've been working on:


There are seven days until SAFF. I have worked further than the above picture shows. In fact, first thing tomorrow, I will put in the second arm hole. Then I just need to finish the right front and both sleeves. Then block it. Wish me luck!

3 comments:

  1. Good luck with the sweater! I love the swift your Mom made - very inventive and it looks like it'll work great.

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    1. Thank you so much! Mom is very creative and practical, but since she works with yarn, too (she crochets), she knows the swift needed to have a heavy base and also be pleasing to the eyes--and no snagging allowed! As for the sweater...more on that, later.

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