Christmas spinning preparation

After Christmas we go down to Skenes Creek near the beach for a long awaited and restful holiday.  My DH is very understanding of my passion for spinning and understands the need to take my equipment with me.  Spinning wheel, carder and of course fibre all has to be taken down.  I think however he would start to shake his head if I took the dyes and dye pots so in preparation for the separation from these items I am dyeing.

I have gone back to my usual style of dyeing which is to grab a handful or two of each fibre and silk cloth that I want in the yarn, put it in a pot and then add the colours that I want.  Each fibre takes up the dye differently and when I spin it the yarn it has the different textures and sheens and yet they all marry together.
I usually dye in 200grm lots but this time I was getting to the 300grm.

It's a perfect day to dry it so I am now having a rest and planning my next combinations, after all I will be away for a while and I wouldn't want to run out.  When that has happened in the past I have been known to take a trip over the Otways and visit Wendy Dennis and purchase the odd bit of Polworth to satisfy my addiction.  I am lucky never to be too far away from a supplier.

Christmas is coming with a rush I had better start the food shopping soon, but maybe I will just work out some more colour ways first..............

The three p's or loosely translated, it's about time!

The three p's in business are people, product and persistence and they say that the greatest of these is persistence.  Well, I don't know if I've got the greatest of the p's but I do know that my husband and friend Mandie from Ewe give me the Knits, have it for me. For the last six months or more, probably since the Bendigo Wool show, they have been 'encouraging' me to get my website up and running.  I won't go into all the things that slowed it down because speed is a relative thing and the end result is, ..........it's up and running!

It's been a learning process, probably only the start of a whole heap of learning and on the whole I have enjoyed it.  A little tweaking here and there, but I am happy, and I hope that those who visit are too!

So here's to my spot on the w.w.w.,  I hope people like what they see!

Fibrefanatic Designs

I love sandwiches!

It's been a while since I blogged about anything fibrey and yet most of my free time is taken up with fibre related activities at the moment.  I am a breath away from launching my website ( I know that I have said this before) and my yarns and batts have been quite popular at the guild and other venues.  So much so, that I have been struggling to keep items for the website, a great problem to have really.

Batt at the bottom, the fibre layers on top

So I have been carding and carding and then the other day I thought I had better do some fibre sandwiches.  You get such a different look from spinning from a sandwich. As the name implies it's layers of fibre placed down by hand one on top of the other.  However as in the food variety sandwich there is a process to making a good one.

I firstly put down a fine batt of fibre as a base for the sandwich (like the bread really) and then I place the filling which is layers of different varieties of fibre on top.  I like to colour co-ordinate, and also lay the fibres in the same direction so it makes it easier to pull off when you spin.

Sandwiches have had some rough press, and really the early creators of this method have brought it on themselves.  It was  marketed as a way of getting rid of fibre that you didn't like, and it didn't matter what colour it was, as that was the 'fun' of a sandwich, you didn't know what you were going to spin.  Oh yes, I have taken home a pulled off,  hotch potch of fibre, spent my time spinning it and then found out I got the same result as when I took all the colours of my painting set, as a child, and mixed them up — a muddy brown.  

As for the fibre, quality in, quality out! I have never had the magic sandwich moment, when all of my rough dull scrappy fibres suddenly transformed from being in the 'filling'.

Final layers

The benefits of a sandwich made in a thoughtful way is that after stretching out the batt (bread), layering your fibre (filling) out in layers with fibre going in the same direction as the batt, you can roll it up (fibres running along the length) like a swiss roll — full of food metaphors today.  You can either pull off handfuls of fibre from the end or hold the whole roll under your arm and just draft off the end.  The resulting yarn has the opportunity to be more textured and defined colour-wise. It is also the perfect method of carrying your fibres in one 'organised' bundle and great for those who don't have a carding machine.

All rolled up

Yummy filling inside and it's ready to spin!

As you might have gathered I am very partial to a sandwich!  This one just begging to be spun by me.

Quick trip

My DH made a quick trip to Skenes Friday afternoon, mowed the lawn and then woke up in the morning to a very thick mist coming off the sea.  Everything is growing like mad in this environment and I can't wait to spend three weeks down there after Christmas just pottering around in the garden and spinning my heart out.

I love Nasturtiums, but have to keep them out of the bush!

Vegie/Herb garden is doing well, although things are already going to seed!

The block next door has sold and I do hope they come and mow the grass soon!  The vines are apparently growing very well according to the 'keeper of the vines'.  He reckons that we will be drinking the 'Deck House Red' in three years.  I am so looking forward to that, withstanding plague, pestilence and the birds!  I have my doubts about the location and the climate, but then again I could be proven wrong, and let's face it, I hope I am wrong!

The Pizza oven is the Christmas holiday project, along with a shed to keep all the manly tools in.  Judging by the size of the base of the Pizza oven, and calculating the normal relationship in size between the two, the shed will be huge! DH assures me that it will diminish in size at the next level of construction and that this base is for storing the wood.  I hope so otherwise we will be producing Pizzas that could feed the whole neighbourhood!

Growing up in the world!

Helicopter pad? No, the base of the Pizza Oven

What a weekend

I just had one of those weekends, you know, the type that makes you think I don't care that tomorrow is Monday!

We went to the Leonard Cohen concert on Saturday - A day on the Green - quite an experience.  The weather was perfect, we had enough food to feed an army and my favourite musical poet did not let us down.  It was an afternoon/night of memories and we are still talking about it.  People around us were sociable and so varied in age groups, it was so good to be involved.



Then on Sunday,  I went to a group called the Crazy Crocheters in Healesville.  I caught up with a friend from Horsham and made a few more friends!  I was invited by Gayle Burgess of
Gayle Lorraine Designs to come and show my Art Yarns and I also had the opportunity to look at many interesting 'show and tell's of treasured collections, and recent finished projects of these wonderful artisans. Everyone was so generous in their suggestions to others and many things were discussed, not the least was how to price our hand crafted items and how to sell them and target our market.

A perfect day, what with the weather and the lovely lunch that was provided.  Everyone had favourable comments about my yarns resulting in quite a few sales!  Now here is an interesting dilemma, well not really, but now I have to spin more yarns to replace those assigned for the impending web site.  At this rate I am always going to play catch up, what a wonderful predicament to be in.

 Introducing the Crazy Crocheters, many thanks for making me feel so welcome!

Well I know what I need to do today......spin, spin...........and spin!  Not to mention card and dye and wash fleece.  The weather report is for an ideal drying fleece day!

Who would have thought




Just a little TLC and it comes to life

  At my last visit to the Guild, when they had the Textile Bazaar, there was this black garbage bag on the floor with some very dull, straight, matted Mohair in it.  My friend Dianne and I looked at each other and both had the same thought at the same time.  I dutifully paid exactly what they wanted which was $10 for the bag and we then divided it up between us.

I gave it a very hot soak in some very soapy water and then another and another and finally a hot rinse (soak) with a little vinegar.  I am now rewarded with a beautiful shiny mass of conservative curls which will look fantastic as tailspun  yarn and it is soooo soft.  Yep, you just have to look a little deeper sometimes and take a plunge.

I think by the time it is spun up and dyed it will look like this. Sometimes you
just don't want those baby curls!

Adding to the stash

I had a great day yesterday at the Guild as they had their Textile Bazaar.  It was pouring down in Melbourne, but this did not deter the determined Spinners and Weavers, who apparently were queuing at the door before 10.00am!  


Lots of bargains to be had at very reasonable prices.  I was restrained, well not really considering the size of my stash at home, but I am excited about my purchases.  The lazy Kate will just keep my wrapping threads out of the way of my other bobbins and the Mohair slivers will add a lovely bit of lustre to some Batts.  The two cones were a good find; the wool will act as a great core yarn but the Linen is destined for a project I have in mind.  I am sure that the lady who advised me it would make a wonderful warp would be horrified to know that I have no intentions of weaving with it but for $10 it was worth the investment for an idea.  

My purchases at the Textile Bazaar

After much chat and catching up I left to go to the newly opened shop of a friend of mine called The opendrawer


I could have spent hours there, the space was so beautifully presented with lots of wonderful textile craft to tempt you for Christmas presents.  It is a credit to Robyn and Prue for it's presentation and the fact there is exhibition space and classroom space attached is truly amazing.  I just know that this will become a meeting space for all things textile in Melbourne - there is even a space designated for having a cuppa and a chat - how good is that! 

Hand made buttons,  just had to have them!

After spotting these beautiful hand made buttons in one of the open drawers, I just knew they were destined to meet the linen. It was just one of those days where ideas were facilitated and who was I to resist fate.


On the way home I went to visit Mum and Dad and then arrived back home just as DH rocked up.  A glass of wine and a moment to catch up on each other's news and then a bite to each out at our local Greek restaurant.


One of those days to remember.

Where does the time go?

I don't know where the time goes and I know from reading other blogs that there are many of us in the same situation.  I used to think that if I didn't have a whole day or a whole afternoon to do something with my fibre then really what was the point of starting.  However my DH reminded me that an odd 10mins here and there, and just doing a little something of what I want to do each day, means that you can achieve quite a lot. 

I used to work for a chain of stores called 'Knitwit' and I taught stretch sewing.  Each season we would have fashion parades where we would have to make the clothes, a huge job considering sometimes we would have six outfits each to make in two weeks.  Our boss Dierdre used to say "How does an ant eat an elephant, one bite at a time."  We always got it done and in those days I had 4 small boys! 

Mohair tailspun yarn

Mixed Fibre Batt

Mohair, Wool and Silk, wrapped with a silk and stainless steel  yarn

Mixed fibre Batt

I have been trying to complete my Web site for ages, and could never get on top of the thought that it was such a marathon job.  However bit by bit it has come together and now I can see the end in sight.   Breaking everything down into small sections has at least given me a sense of achievement along the way, and now I have just about got my products ready. I am keeping my fingers crossed, that I will open soon.

Mohair locks

Mohair tailspun yarn on my wonderful Majacraft Aura wheel

These Mohair locks are bound for a project that I have in mind for me. The inspiration for the colour way was from a silk and stainless steel fine yarn that I found from wonderful shop here in Richmond Melbourne, Dairing.  Teresa, the owner, had knitted the most wonderful fine shrugs and tops from this yarn and it scrunched up and kept it's creased texture because of the stainless steel in the yarn - amazing!  I bought several bobbins off her and so the project started.  I now have a single spun in silk, wool and mohair, with the silk and stainless steel yarn as a wrap and now the Mohair tail spun yarn to go with it.  Now with the three yarns I must think about a project with me in mind.  Something will come to me, the creative process is interesting, but can't be rushed.

Rose Street Market

About four times a year I put my name down to help out at the market stall for the Hand Weavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria.  If you sell work at their shop then you are required to volunteer at the markets, which only seems fair and is a great way of doing some research as to what non spinners like.  As I produce yarn that I want to sell, it seems fairly pointless to keep spinning with no customers in mind, and attending these markets just keeps me informed as well as a lovely day out.

Yesterday was no exception, it was a "Pearlah" as my darling husband would say.  The toys at the front of the stall were a big draw card and got lots of cuddles and found new homes.  Skeins of wool did well as always and one of my friend's felted scarves is on its way to Ireland!  She was thrilled especially as she was manning the stall with me and got to chat to the customer.

DH came and met me for lunch and looked round at what was for sale.  This market in particular is totally dedicated to crafts people and artists so it was very inspiring.  DH will one day go back to furniture making and sell at various markets like he used to.  So a browse round yesterday was a tempter for the future.

Sales were good and I got to do some spinning, which drew a bit of attention.  Came home, had a glass of red and cooked a stir fry for dinner, a lovely end to the day.

Out of chaos comes organised chaos!

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Melbourne and what better to spend it than to clean out my work room. Ahh yes the work room, formerly the bedroom of my eldest son who had a hard time figuring out what colour to put on the walls and where to put his shelves. Hence the patchy paintwork and the odd hole in the plaster. Anyway, I digress.

How come one new piece of equipment seems to provoke a whole reorganisation of every piece of equipment you own? Not to mention a complete re-shuffle of all the work surfaces and a big dust and mopping session of all the corners that haven't seen the light of day for many a moon.

After shoving and pushing and pulling (we women know how to shift furniture) I am happy with the result. The freezer (formerly in my workroom) is still in the hall, which made a very interesting trip to the toilet in the middle of the night. A new trolley still has to be made for the new carder but all in all I feel a sense of achievement and the room feels right and inviting.

Now to get to work!

It's arrived

I wasn't supposed to be at home but my boss said take the morning off.  The postie wasn't supposed to deliver it, only card it.  But there I was sitting at the computer catching up with end of month accounts and I hear this gasp at the front door.  I opened it and there was a very puffed out postie and a very happy me!

Got to go to work, but so looking forward to putting it all together tonight!  Carding here I come more details later.

The dye pots are simmering

Just watched a video on dying fibre from Namaste Farms on Facebook- Natalie Redding - she is truly inspirational if not a little unconventional (that's the part I like) on dyeing. Seeing it is my day off I am inspired and have got the dyepots heating up. Grabbed some washed fleece, silk, mohair and some silk fabric and put it all in the pot with a some vinegar. It is heating up as I type. I am planning to put two or three colours in the pot and we wills see what comes out. I love this way of dying as the colours come out differently on each type of fibre. I can then card the fibres and blend them together to get a very muted result or I can spin then as they come into my hand and get a very textured and yet co-ordinated look to my yarn. I am also going to try dying some Merino top in the oven. I have a roasting dish that I never use, even though it is stainless steel the heat distribution for roasting is less than favourable. I hoping that dyeing in this way that there will be less movement and the top will not felt. Here's hoping, its all drying outside, looks good but the proof will be in the spinning!

The best laid plans!

Yep 'the best laid plans of mice and men are apt to go astray' I don't know who said that and I'm not trying to hex myself, but I have a weekend coming up on my own. Well part of the weekend anyway. Now for those of you who have lived on their own you know the drill if you want to get things done - don't you? You eat take away, you don't do your hair, in fact you could stay in your dressing gown for the best part of the day. Going out for take away could even take up too much time if your on a mission, therefore toast is the best standby accompanied by lots of cups of tea.

I think you might be getting my drift, I am planning to get lots of spinning done with the aim of getting my web site up and running.

I was inspired by the lovely cheque I received from the Guild for the sale of my yarns over the last 6 weeks - a nice surprise, and big enough to tell me that I should be getting over my preconceived idea that I don't know enough to get this website up and running. So shhh, let's not say it too loud or someone might hear, but the whirring and soft breeze that you hear and feel this weekend will be me spinning away - wish me luck.

New Batts!

I am still experimenting with my method of making mixed fibre batts. Whether to dye my fibre in separate colours and then blend or contrast in the batt or dye the fibre in mixed or blended colours first. Doing it the latter way means it tends to become more muted in the batt but it can still look inspiring. I also find that the colours start 'bright' in the fibre, look muted in the batt and then brighten up again in the yarn, it's amazing what a bit of twist can do to concentrate things. These are all destined to be core spun yarn. When I have three batts in one colour way I tend to take a portion off each batt and then spin them this evens out any differences in the yarn.

Take a deep breath!

Well here goes, I have been going to start this for so long and I have just been letting 'stuff' get in the way. Now I am taking a few moments, hopefully each day, to put down a few thoughts on the progress I am making with my Art Yarn spinning.

I have been spinning Art Yarns for at least 4 years and it is my favourite form of spinning. I just love how the colours and textures come together. My aim is to produce artistic, yet practical yarns, that knitters want to incorporate into their work. I don't really like knitting so I talk to knitters to find out what their pet peeves are and what they look for in a 'novelty' yarn. Why they don't like them, and what would change their mind about them etc. It seems the best way to research this subject because after all I don't want them just sitting there doing nothing no matter how wonderful I think they look. Admiration only goes so far.

Well, today I am working on some cream coloured yarn for an order and then making some multi coloured sari silk yarn for another. In between I am taking Mum to the doctors and doing some cooking for the week. Sounds like a plan - let's see how it goes.