Blue Lake Knitting – And Sometimes I Just Spin

I knit every day. I have for several years and I love to knit… but sometimes I get in a spinning mode and just cannot stop spinning.

Several weeks ago, our guild leader Marlene asked me to help her with a project. She had recently received batches of processed Wensleydale fiber from her own sheep. Wensleydale sheep have some of the longest locks of any sheep breed. And they are super curly… I used some of these on two hats for my grandsons for Christmas.

She provided me with this batch of fiber, nubs and locks and asked me to spin up yarn and then to knit swatches to showcase her fiber for shows/fair, etc.

Today I finished the spinning part of that job.

I did plain brown wool

I did hand dyed wool

I did green with blue nubs, green and brown plied together, and just plain green

Then came the hard part – my first art yarn… She asked me to spin up the white Wensleydale and to add the long curly locks to one of the singles and then to ply them together. I have NEVER done anything like this in my 2 years of spinning, and I was a little afraid.

I started with this soft beautiful fiber

Added these pieces of locks that I divided twice before spinning

Then I spun up these two singles

When spinning the second single (attaching locks every 18-24”) I had to totally resist my spinning urge to smooth the single while I was spinning… once the lock was firmly attached… I had to move on past it and forget about it. That was the hardest part of this exercise… but I think I learned something from the experience.

Finally I plied the two together, and this is the result.

Now that I have finished the spinning part of this project, I can start knitting the swatches. That should be easy.

I’m still working on my February Lady Sweater. It is nearly half finished.

Last Friday I had a birthday… and got some wonderful fibery, chocolaty gifts… Thanks to my family and friends for these.

Corriedale Roving (top left), soft alpaca roving (top right), knitted hat (bottom left), yummy chocolates and card (center)

I feel very blessed to have such good friends here in the KP Community. Everyone has always been nice, supportive, friendly and giving. Lately several of our members have gone through tough times. They have suffered losses and are dealing with those things the best they can. I want each of my knitting sisters to know that I love them, care about them, and think about them each day. You are all very important to me. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life.

Happy Knitting and Spinning!

Susan, The Blue Lake Knitter

Tags: alpaca, corriedale, fiber, knitting, spinning

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Comment by Elaine Wenger on March 8, 2011 at 2:34pm: Your Lady Feb Sweater is really moving along nicely. How did your Autumn Vest turn out?

Comment by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on March 7, 2011 at 1:26pm: Camilla. Thanks so much... for both of us!

Comment by CamillaInTheDesert on March 7, 2011 at 1:12pm: and YES you should be proud...your daughters yarn was awesome

Comment by CamillaInTheDesert on March 7, 2011 at 1:10pm: Susan...YOU inspire me.

I saw your Entrelac scarf on the Podcast ...beautiful.

Comment by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on February 27, 2011 at 8:52am: Beverly, Thanks for the birthday wishes... and with my fiber and chocolate... I celebrated well. What more indeed! So glad you found the blogs... I always love reading them myself. Wensleydale, along wth the other long wools, can make for some very interesting spinning and knitting. And those hats have become quite a conversation piece. Warm, too.

Comment by Beverly Roberts on February 27, 2011 at 8:24am: It seems I missed your birthday...belated wishes for a good one, although that seems a moot point at this time. I can see from the photos that it was lovely...fiber and chocolate and humor and friends...what more could anyone want?

Comment by Beverly Roberts on February 27, 2011 at 8:06am: thanks for the tip about blogs under Meet and Share. As you can see, I found them. And as a lover of Wensleydale, I really love and appreciate your writing of this blog. Those hats are adorable and your comment is touching.

Comment by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on February 26, 2011 at 9:45pm: Sorry to be so repetitve... but I am so proud of my DD, Deb... she finished her very first wheel spun skein today... not bad for spinning for two days...

No, it's not perfect, but for a first spin...I am so proud! I love you Deb. ♥mum

Comment by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on February 26, 2011 at 8:22pm: I got another Dean Koontz book to listen to... I knit much better with a book going.