Spinning Progress

I think I have made some progress, at least I am getting more consistent. It is like anything in needlework, you have to have patience and get the feel for it. This is spun from roving from Finn sheep, it has a wonderful feel to it and is a very easy roving to pull into thin strips to pre-draft. Hope to take more photos soon and keep up with the blog more consistently too.

Blessings.

Brings Back Memories

I found this site from another blogger. You can make these cards by filling in the form on the site, then you are given an image you can save to your computer to insert into posts, etc.
I wasn't sure what I was doing, but this is the result. If you fill in something where it says "scribble" you get the handwriting on it too.
I thought this was great because I have so many memories of when libraries actually used these. I hope some of you agree with me that it was much better in those days. So much easier to find something you were looking for. To make your own, go here.

Ten Years Later

Here is my first attempt after ten years or so of the wheel just being an expensive decoration. I totally gave up on the craft store roving, and drove up to this wonderful place about one hour north of me. Brenda at Rising Fawn Fibers really helped me understand the mechanics of the wheel tension and how important it is. I bought some great roving from her (Finn Sheep). I am going to knit something with this, will post a picture of how it turns out.

I know it is overtwisted with thick and thin places, but at least I got somewhere. This ball is from a full bobbin. Don't know how many yards it is.

I am working on a second bobbin from the same roving and it is turning out much better.

Is This Yarn ??

My first attempt at using a drop spindle. Do you think this qualifies as yarn? Well, at least it resembles it. The part wound around the spindle has some twist to it even though the tail end doesn't look like it in this picture.

I used a craft store roving out of desperation, which I would not recommend after this experience. I have a whole box of roving in the attic, but of course couldn't find it, and I got impatient, therefore the craft roving.

I made the spindle myself (a toy wheel, dowel, and cup hook). It spins very well. I am better at the top whirl, I think.

I find it easier to spin the dowel off of my thigh rather than trying to spin a bottom whirl spindle with a flick of my fingers.

Spinning, finally ????

After a ten year hiatus from attempting to learn to use my Ashford Traditional spinning wheel, I was inspired by Pixie Purls to get the wheel out and really give it another try. I also made a drop spindle thanks to this great site, Joy of Handspinning.

A very nice lady gave me a huge amount of llama fleece, here I am after we got it home. There is a second bag twice as big as this one.
I am in the process of separating the colors. It is surpisingly clean. This is all experimental, since I really don't know what I am doing!

Plaids and Stripes

This Churn Dash quilt is made from various stripes and plaids, only the sashing being a solid. There are several old cotton shirts used as well, one of my favorite ways to acquire fabric! It measures 60 by 60 inches and the blocks are 12 inches.
I used triangle paper to make the half-square triangles, 4 inch size. I spray starch all my fabric to avoid distortion, in fact that is the only way I ever have any accuracy in my piecing. This was my first "on point" setting, and I think it turned out fairly well. You have to have the entire thing ready before you begin that type of setting. It is machine quilted with rayon thread. I did not mark it, just followed the pattern pieces and used a walking foot. The binding is an old curtain. I wanted this to look really old, and I think it does.
Here is the back:

Old Shale Baby Blanket

"Old Shale" is another very easy lace pattern that becomes almost mindless, also called "Feather and Fan". This yarn is an inexpensive Red Heart worsted weight varigated. This is a very well known old standby pattern. There are many free patterns on the web for it in variations. I like it because only one row in each 4 row repeat is a little complicated, the rest are just purl and knit. Even the harder row becomes easy, making it an easy take along project. I used sized 9 knitting needles. This will be a charity baby blanket, or else a gift for someone. I like the subtle colors.
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Socks Completed!

After many years of knit and crochet, I finally learned how to make a pair of socks. This is Lion Brand "Magic Stripes" sock yarn (makes its own stripes). I used the Joan Fernbach pattern found at: http://knitting.about.com/library/blthreesock.htm
I used size 3 double pointed needles instead of the recommended size 6 because my gauge is very large. This is made with three needles and you work on the fourth needle, I could not get the hang of working with a five needle set. I had to practice patience and undo many stitches until I finally got it, then it was very enjoyable to construct.
I could not have finished without the great pictures found on this site:
http://www.socknitters.com/lessons/lessons.html
Here is a link to a page with some great sock sites, too:
http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/socks.php

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Prayer Shawl

This is my knitted prayer shawl, almost finished, the fringe isn't on it yet, and I still need to weave in loose ends. I made up the pattern as I went. It is done in stockinette stitch with a garter stitch border at sides, top and bottom.
"Pray without ceasing" , 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Dear Jane Blocks

Here are some of my blocks from the Jane Stickle quilt. I began in 2001, and still only have around 60 done. I was thinking of setting a time limit, and if I don't have all 169 plus the triangles done, then just make a small quilt, but......I probably won't do that. I guess it is a very long term project. I use every technique for this, applique, hand-piecing, foundation paper-piecing, machine piecing, whatever I can do to get the block done. For those unfamiliar with this 1863 reproduction quilt, the blocks are very small, 4 1/2 inches.
I hope some of you will leave some comments if you are doing one too.

Pinkwork

I am working on some nursery rhyme blocks, here is the first one I finished, "Little Red Riding Hood". After I did it, I realized I was supposed to reverse this pattern, but she stays as she is!
I am using DMC floss number 961 which I think looks like the antique double-pink fabrics found in old quilts. It is really a bubble gum pink, I love it. It is lighter than it looks in the picture, actually the color of a piece of bubble gum, looks very vintage! I used a small light box and red pencil to trace the design onto the fabric. I use two strands of floss, except for small details I use just one strand.
This was a free pattern, along with a whole set, here is the link, I hope it works:
http://www.patternbee.com/FREENQ.html

Vintage Blocks Rescued

I was given some very distorted old vintage blocks, so I put them together with a 1930's repro sashing, and added the pink corners with fabric from an old shirt. I think the original blocks were supposed to be "Ocean Waves" blocks. I machine quilted it. It is crib size.
Its funny how we strive to be perfect in our piecing these days, in the old days, they didn't worry about that.

Here is the back.