So much fibre... so little time.

I adore fibre - of all descriptions colours and origins. I learned this only a few years ago when I learned that I could buy a spinning wheel and not have to inherit one.

Since that time I have been on a steep learning curve and tried every fibre that I have been able to lay my hands on - with differing amounts of success.

Possibly plying mink with muga silk was not the best idea that I have ever had, but you live and learn!

Now that I may have more time to adventure through the world of fibres, preparation, dying, spinning and knitting I hope that you may enjoy sharing the journey. Recently I have decided to work out EXACTLY how to use my drum carder to make what I want ( and not what it wants) and made some gradient batts.

They spun up really easily into a heavy laceweight yarn, which I am at the moment knitting into a beaded crescent shaped shawl.

For a change I am knitting the shawl from the darker shades to the lighter. At the moment I am on row 50/64 of the lace ... photo's will follow in another blog.

Finally my new adventures have just started. FLEECE. I have always worked from prepared fibres before now. Then a friend gave me some washed Clun Forest fleece to play with. I had a ball! I flick carded locks to my hearts content and made some lovely springy, soft 4 ply yarn.

My mission now to prepare fibres from raw fleece. The spin dryer has been obtained - as have 6 buckets. I have washed and dried 1 Portland fleece, 2 Ouessant fleeces and 1 Shetland merino cross fleece (so soft and wonderful). I have a llanwenog next in line and a Shetland fleece in the post on its way. As I said, so much fibre to play with so little time....

Shetland merino cross - raw lock, washed fleece, combed 'nests'