FUN WEEK

This week I have been very busy getting fibers and yarns ready for my booth at the Southern California Handweavers Conference at the Riverside Convention Center on March 6th, 7th and 8th. (www.aschsite.org) Despite the work that needs to be done, I did manage to take a couple of breaks during the week to play around.  My friend, Michelle, from Escondido came for a visit and we spun some bulky novelty yarns.  We made up a big mixture of mohair, mohair curls and such, and here is the skein I spun when she was here.  This is 46 yds. and weighs in at 3.8 oz.

After Michelle left, I kept looking at all these lovely natural colored fibers I had -- dark and light mohair, kid mohair curls, pygora, corriedale, merino, and angora. So I made up a concoction of fibers, threw in some novelty stuff, and here's the result -- 56 yds. and 4.5 oz. of loveliness:

Here are a couple of other bulky mohair novelty skeins I spun.

The bulky novelty handspinning really gets me out of my usual spinning box (below).  I handpainted some superfine merino wool recently, and began spinning two of the rovings with the idea of plying them together.  Rovings ("Avalon" and "Avalon II") and yarn below.  This is my normal spinning, 455 yds. and 3.8 oz. fingering weight -- knit on a US2 to US4 needle. 

I'm thinking this might be great for some more crocheted granny squares or maybe one of Vivian Hoxbro's mitered scarves.  

Yesterday, we had our little informal spinning group down at Common Threads in Encinitas. We had the best turnout yet -- I think we had eight spinners.  What a great time we had. We'll be meeting again on Friday, March 20th, from about 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  I am hoping Martie from Taos Sunflower will be in town and join us.  

Well, back to work!