Just So You Know I'm Still Working . . .

I can't believe I've posted nothing in September. Well, September is my busiest month at work. But, I've been working at home, too - maybe not on quilting. I've been visiting a seller on Ebay I've bought from previously. He sells fleece for spinners and during a recent visit I saw some of the most gorgeous commercially dyed fleece. My name is Phyllis and I'm addicted to color. After drooling over it for quite some time, I have succumbed and bought some fleece to spin into yarn for knitting and weaving.

Why spin, you say, when you can buy yarn anywhere? Well there are a couple of reasons. Spinning is a very "zen" endeavor. You can sit at your wheel, set a rhythm and commune with nature outside or ignore the laundry and dusting waiting for you inside. I'm sure if you measure blood pressure before and after a spinning session, it will have dropped.

Secondly, items knit from handspun have a distinctive appearance. There's a different feeling that I can't describe as the result of using this imperfect yarn.

Anyway, after unpacking my purchases, I couldn't wait to get started spinning some of it. Look at those colors!! The brown one is naturally colored Border Leicester and the others are commercially dyed.

Before these arrived, I was spinning some dark brown Finn and fabulous, luxurious llama and silk blend (the ligher skeins)

Now I feel the need for color and I've started with this wonderful blue with shots of burgundy and green (lower left in the photo above). I'm spinning a conventional 2-ply to knit a sweater. The color is breathtaking. Remember my addiction?

After years of spinning "conventional" yarn, I'm ready to begin experimenting with some different techniques. So, I've purchased a book, Spinning Designer Yarns, to start my experimentation.