I did forget to bring a spindle when I went on my trip north. Horrifying, I know. I rallied by finding a smooth stick and screwed in a cup hook at the end.
Using a stick with a hook is actually my preferred method to teach people spinning. It slows down the twist, making it easier to see and control.
I crocheted several more rows onto LazyTCrochet’s circle vest pattern, past the “plus size” listed in the instructions. I followed the general feel of the pattern up to that point, and crocheted until I ran out of my hand-spun Teeswater yarn. It was still feeling small and tight.
I do have more Teeswater roving, but need to spin it up. I decided to tie off the row and weave in the ends, then give the vest a good soak with some gentle fabric wash. I laid it out to dry on a homemade PVC and nylon mesh drying rack.
The stitches relaxed and the vest increased in size.
It is now a wearable garment. The wool feels softer after blocking and has a beautiful drape. I call this my “Shave ‘Em Two Save ‘Em” vest because both Jacob and Teeswater sheep are on the Livestock Conservancy list of Heritage Sheep. Jacob is Threatened and Teeswater is considered Critical.
I’m rather excited that I have created something I will actually wear and supports farmers raising endangered heritage breeds.
My friend brought me a bag of dog hair! For a spinner, this is an exciting thing, especially when the dog has an undercoat.
I chose to separate out the white and fawn colored hair, because it didn’t seem right to blend it when Baxter the dog is spotted. The hair was clean with only a slight doggy smell, so I did not wash it. I did card it with a fine toothed set of carders.
I chose to spin Baxter’s fur with a spindle shaft without a whorl, so I could have absolute control over the twist. It was a moderately difficult spin, not as easy as Samoyed, but still spin able.
I chain plied the singles to make a three ply yarn. I like chain plying potentially delicate singles because if I do get a break, I can ply it together relatively easily.
Because Baxter is a beloved pet, I decided to make a small keepsake with this yarn. I crocheted the white yarn in a circle, then used the fawn colored yarn to crochet a heart shape.
I believe scent is an important link in memories, so I did not block or wash the heart, but instead placed it in a plastic bag to preserve the scent so it will be a comfort when my friend pulls it out in the future.
I wanted a travel case for my tiny Turkish style spindle, so went digging through my cupboards. I found a stainless steel can cozy that was just the right size, but didn’t have a lid.
I measured the space and used my laser cutter to cut and engrave a piece of thin birch plywood. I sealed the wood with modge podge (white glue), which also holds the circle in place.
The can fits nicely in the bottle pocket on the side of my purse and fits a handful of wool and the spindle inside.
And yes, I really did pull it out and do some spinning waiting in the line at grocery store!
Squee! I ordered a femto spindle from Turtle Made on Etsy, which is a 3D printed Turkish style spindle that is teeny tiny!
With a spindle this tiny, the obvious choice is to spin as thin as possible. I have some green dyed Corridale mix wool from AnnieWhere that I used to get started.
The spindle works amazingly well for something so small. I plan on finding a case for it and have it be my emergency spinning kit. The emergency would be if I am out and about without a project! Or need to meditatively spin anytime, anywhere.
Critters and Craft 