Saturday, January 11, 2014 at 11:17AM I spun this up during the Polar Vortex Blizzard of 2014! I spun some BFL and BL locks loosely at a pretty slow speed, then plied them with two strands of silk thread to act as a binder.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at 4:54PM Have you ever faced a project so big or intimidating that you didn't know how to get started? I experience this with rooms that need cleaning, basements that need organizing and laundry piles that need tackling, which makes sense to me because those are things I don't even like to do.
However, I've noticed recently that I'm hesitating over knitting and spinning projects. It took me a year to try weaving for goodness sake! These are things I love, what I'm passionate about, what a large percent of my time is dedicated to! And when I think of starting certain things, I freeze. So what gives?
I've rolled this around in my head for a while, and I think this is just one of those times where getting older and wiser isn't always better. The more I knit and spin, the more I know and expect from myself, and therefore, the more I can fall short.
So today the snow is blowing sideways, the wind is bitter cold and winter is out in full force: perfect day for me to break free of my own personal hibernation and overcome the fear!
I took a deep breath and started a big spinning project today. It's a doozie, and if I'm really honest with myself, pretty worthy of my fear. I'm spinning a pound of roving into fingering-weight, 2-ply that will be used by a knitting designer to create a project for a new spinning magazine. Yikes.
I've been starring at the wool for a few weeks terrified of starting. But look . . . I finally did it!
2.8 oz. down; 13.2 oz. to go. No stopping now!
Monday, February 18, 2013 at 7:22PM We're heading into the third year of our breed study club for spinners, and membership is open! Read on for more information about the club and signing up (first published on Ravelry) . . .
Welcome to year 3 of the breed study club! The past two years have been a delight, and I’m looking forward to this next year full of new sheep breeds to explore!
2012 Members/Renewals: Every member’s subscription will be coming to an end in April, with our last shipment being Corriedale. Next year’s changes include having Acorn Works Fiber Mill process the fleeces and the elimination of the dyed option for the club. We’re going all-natural! Read on for information about prices, registration and breeds. And check it out … the prices are staying the same!!! Every member that has been a part of the club for at least 6 months and renews will receive a special thank you gift with the first month’s shipment.
New Members!
Thank you for your interest in the Breed Study Club here at Inspiration Fibers! We’ve been going strong for two years now and would love to have you join us for next year.
In the club, you will receive:
2.5 oz. of fiber (processed as roving)
an unwashed lock sample
a breed information card
a spinner’s notes card
Unique to this club is our collective learning environment. Each month I begin a new thread dedicated to the breed we’re studying. On every Monday, I post a question or topic about the breed including history, random facts, spinning approach, opinions, etc. Every post after that for the week is entered into a random drawing for a prize on the following Monday.
I know we can all fall behind in our spinning from time to time, so as an added incentive, I create a “finished yarns” thread for the breed each month. At the end of the month, I draw a winner at random for a nice 2 oz. dose of additional wool.
All the wool comes from small farmers across America (except where impossible) and are processed at a local mill: Acorn Works Fiber Mill. None of the wool comes from commercial sources.
There are two options for enrollment: 6 or 12-month memberships. The cost of the club is $98 for 6 months and $180 for 12 months. Additional shipping charges are $15 for 6 months domestic; $30 for 12 months domestic. Canadian shipping will be $45 for 6 months and $90 for 12 months due to the increase in US postal rates. The total cost is:
6-month US membership: $98 + $15 = $113
12-month US membership: $180 + $30= $210
6-month Canadian membership: $98 + $45 = $143
12-month Canadian membership: $180 + $90 = $270
All payment will be through Paypal. To enroll, please send me a message via Ravelry OR email me at aj@hartrich.org
Shipments will go out the first week of the month beginning in May. The club runs from Spring to Spring to take advantage of freshly shorn wool.
Breeds that we’ll be studying this year include (but are subject to change due to availability):
Merino
Tunis
Texel
Polypay
Montadale
Icelandic
Fine wool Shetland (from my flock!)
Suffolk
Kerry Hill
Wensleydale
Coopworth
Bluefaced Leicester (this is a repeat from year one and may change)
I’ll announce the order of the shipments when I start getting fleeces in and talk with Diane and Acorn Works. I know Merino will not be until next Winter/Spring due to an October shearing.
Thank you for your interest, and please feel free to contact me with any questions,
Amanda Hartrich
Monday, July 16, 2012 at 3:20PM Last week, Morgan attended the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center's day camp and loved every minute of it! Beaver Meadow is a mere 15 minutes from us, but because it's in a direction I don't normally drive, I had never been there before. What a shame! It's a beautiful nature center with hiking trails that feature education at every turn.
When dropping her off the first day, I saw that there were signs for the annual Homestead Festival. It advertised iron workers, storytelling and hearth cooking. But not spinning! So, of course I asked if they needed a spinner, and a few minutes later, I'm an official volunteer with the Buffalo Audobon Society and have a tent space reserved for me!
I got to talk, talk, talk wool processing and spinning all day long! What a great day. Morgan was my assistant, but went AWOL for most of the day playing games, testing food and having a great time.
Because I needed to show my wheel in action so often (wink!), I got a LOT of spinning accomplished.
5 oz. of "Rocky Road" from The Critter Ranch. It's quite wonderful to spin, and I'm planning a sweater with it. Hopefully, I'll have enough finished to start knitting this weekend when Mike and I drive to the Syracuse Nationals (a super-wonderful car show). And we're leaving the kids at home! Woo hoo!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 4:43PM I always have too many projects going, so what's one more?
I recently purchased a simply wonderful BFL-cross fleece; the sheep's name is Aster. Barb Barnett of Barnett Sheep and Wool has been working on crossing breeds to get just the right fleece for her. It's also just the kind I like!
Long staple, but not too long. Soft feel, but still strong. And a gorgeous, silky handle. What more could you ask for?
This is the raw fleece right out of the box.
I washed and carded a handful, and the fiber didn't disappoint. It was easy to prep and then wonderful to spin.
This is 2.5 oz. of singles on the bobbin. I'm planning to spin up a second set of singles to ply with this for a 5 oz. skein of yarn.
The rest of the fleece will be washed, carded, dyed and put up in the shop. I'm just happy to get to play with it so much!