Spinning, Crochet, Etc.

As I mentioned in this morning's (albeit a very late morning, so late its technically not morning at all) It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post, I've been doing a fair amount of crochet and spinning this past week. It's all thanks to the Spinner's guild table at the local fair. It's the only time of the year I get to really talk to other spinners - and there's a store there that sells fiber.

So, that always raises my enthusiasm.

Last year I bought a second spindle - along with a bag or two (actually three) of merino wool. I'm still on the first bag of that, although I've used up half a bag (I guess) of regular corriedale roving in a lovely turquoise on the wheel.

One thing I tried over the summer came from the book Get Spun. It's the only one I've tried to date from the book, though I bought some mohair locks to try spinning with for some of the other ideas in there - undyed though, so I don't know how well it will turn out. That attempt, which was the spinning plastic bags was more frustration than it was worth. It just didn't work for me, not wanting to feed through the wheel properly or wind onto the bobbin. So, that idea's a wash, but I want to try some of the others - maybe one day trying some of the ideas with beads.

At the time I wrote up my review of Get Spun, I was spinning a merino/silk blend. I have to say the spinning worked well, but one of the two hanks turned into a complete disaster - it's taken me three days to get it mostly untangled and wound into a ball - no thanks to the two kittens who managed to get their paws into it yesterday and bat it all the way around the place once. Thankfully they didn't tangle it up much, or break the strand.

In terms of crochet, I've been working on the shawl (still), it's up to row 28 now, and I've been trying to start a scarf from the Little Box of Crocheted Scarves and Hats by Denise Black. It's the Newport Scarf, and is the top right pattern in the photo. Thing is, I'm having trouble figuring out the stitches in the row, so I'm just not sure if I'm doing it right. At the moment, I'm figuring that it's going to have to wait until I can get to the local knitting/crochet group next week and see if someone can help.

At the same time, I've ripped out another project I had on the go to use the wool for one of those chain scarves - you know the type, where it's formed of loops in the shape of a chain? So, I'm attempting to remember how to knit after a year of crochet. And, I don't have a pattern.

This year's crop of buying as well is two bags of a soft blue corrriedale and the previously listed bag of mohair locks. Both of which are probably going to be spun on the wheel.