Handspun Hootenanny Questionnaire

So, despite my huge temper tantrum about my lack of swapping prowess (for which I can only apologise), I decided to sign up to my first spinning swap.  Not only is this an indication of how deeply I have fallen in love with my newest addiction, but hopefully it will encourage me to keep practicing, practicing, practicing as I see all the wonderful spinning done by other members of the swap.

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself?

For about five minutes. Seriously. Ok, so not completely seriously, but I started spinning once in November last year, gave up, and picked up the spindle again in May. I am about as close to complete-and-utter beginner as you can get. But I practice heaps.

2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?

Generally 2-ply, because I haven’t yet learned how to do a balanced single – I am terrified it will fall apart, so I overtwist everything pretty badly. I want to do some 3-ply though, and learn how to do proper singles. I’m not so keen on art yarn, but I guess there is a place for everything.

3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?

Spindles! I have a heavy spindle I got from Stitch and Bitch UK, and a lightweight wooden spindle from Scottish Fibres at Wonderwool Wales. Seriously, I think I should stay away from fibre festivals. Since I started spinning ‘properly’ I have purchased a green agate .6oz spindle from ButterflyGirl Designs, and I looooove it.

4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don’t like?

So far I am loving BFL. I tried spinning with Merino/Silk and that was fun, but I don’t think I did it justice. I’ll try anything – I am so new to this that quite frankly spinning cat hair would probably seem like fun.

5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)?

Again, I’m new to this, but I’ve already scored 32oz of different fibres from Spunky Eclectic, joined the Spunky Club, and bought three different 100g lots from the Yarn Yard. Ahem, well at least you cannot fault my commitment to my obsessions…

6. What kind of fiber do you want to try?

Cashmere! Quiviut! Ok, probably not . But I wouldn’t say no to some good alpaca.

7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn?

Um, anything? Seriously, I’m a blank canvas – come scrawl all over me!

8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn?

Not yet, but I would love to when I have a bit more time/space. It’s not a priority at the moment though.

9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber?

No, just teh spindles, so ready-to-go is much appreciated.

10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed?

Hug it and squeeze it and call it George. I am just so amazed that it finally clicked that I just leave it lying around so I can gaze at it in admiration.

11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)?

A WPI gadget would be cool. Other than that, I’m good for now.

12. What colors “fall into your shopping basket”? Any colors you just can’t stand?

I buy more blues, greens and purples than I can shake a stick at. Bit of an addiction. I’m not particularly keen of apricot or peachy or coral, but really I’ll take any colour.

13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now?

“Dreams of Gold” Superwash BFL from the Yarn Yard

14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?

Knitting – although spinning is winning at the moment! And cross-stitch sometimes, a teensy bit of quilting, a touch of embroidery. I think about crafting a heck of a lot more than I actually do it.

15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about?

My husband (bleh! I know, right?) Moving to Australia in September is consuming my thoughts at the moment. World peace, an end to child hunger, reasonably priced love, and a hard-boiled egg. Oh, and Discworld, obviously.

16. Do you have an online wishlist?

Nope.

17. Is there anything that you collect?

Carved stone turtles, matryoshka dolls, dust bunnies. Y’know, the usual.

18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have?

I subscribe to Interweave and Rowan. I would love to get a copy of the Knitter’s Book of Yarn, as it is super-pricey over here.

19. When is your birthday?

August 6th. Good timing, huh!

20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?

I took my pseudonym from Granny Weatherwax in the Discworld, and, while I like to think I am just like Granny, I am not as strong as she is, and a smidge less cantankerous. I’m probably a blend of Granny, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat.

21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)?

Well, I’m going to be moving from an English summer (wet and cool, with occasional heatwaves) to an Australian winter (coolish), so meltable stuff should be fine.

22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!

My husband likes to stroke my hair when we’re watching teevee – and I purr in happiness!

Favorites
favorite painting/picture(link): Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’

Candy: chocolate-caramel pretzels – so good!

Food: Yes, please.  Um, Nepalese, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, English, Cajun, French, Spanish, Italian, Greek.  I think that’s it.  Favourite meal would involve seafood, roast lamb with roast potatoes and mint jelly, and tiramisu.  Good thing I don’t throw dinner parties too often.  I love to bake, and am always on the look out for good cookie recipes.

Drink: Beer.  Sweet, sweet nectar of the Gods.  Otherwise champagne, real cider, or water.

Movie(s): LOTR, Some Like it Hot, The Producers, Amelie, and the original Indiana Jones trilogy.

TV Show(s): Pushing Dasies, My Name is Earl, Heroes, Waking the Dead, Spooks, Brothers & Sisters, Peep Show, CSI Vegas and New York (not so much Miami), and Criminal Minds.

Book(s): The Hobbit, One Hundred Years of Solitude, White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Never the Bride and Something Borrowed by Paul Magrs.  Discworld is my comfort zone.

Guilty Pleasure(s): Good chocolate, pizza, and a soppy movie.

I done spun yarn!

So, yeah, spinning. Latest in a long line of obsessions. But oh so awesome. The above is my first ‘proper’ handspun – i.e. something that looks like yarn and not exploded muppet guts. And I am so, so proud of myself. The spinning thing, well it isn’t totally new. I bought a spindle at the Stitch and Bitch show in November (with my trusty enabler Clare by my side), but I really didn’t get it. Like really did not get it – hands working in complete opposition to each other, forgetting about the spindle until it had fallen to the floor. I was tempted by all the wonderful fibre on show at Wonderwool in April, and got some alpaca, some merino, and a fluff of merino silk, along with a lightweight spindle (the other one is pretty hefty). But, although it was better this time round, I still wasn’t getting it.

And then, on Thursday last week, I came home and bam! It just flowed. The fibre ran effortlessly into the drafting zone, the spindle spun for ages at a time, and I managed to keep the yarn fairly consistent. The results of Thursday’s session can be seen in the foreground above. That skein, around 42yds of approximately DK weight, and the one behind, 88yds of thick worsted weight, were spun from 100g of superwash BFL in ‘Perthshire Berries’ from the Yarn Yard. I love this fibre. It is soft, but not too slippery, and the longish staple length makes it perfect for beginners like me.

In fact, I loved the yarn so much that I immediately started spinning another lot of Yarn Yard. This one is called ‘Dreams of Gold’, and I’m using the Butterfly Girl Green Agate spindle I got from Spunky Eclectic. I really like this colourway, and the colours are very apt. There’s been a bit of celebrating this weekend. But I’ll have to tell you about that next time.

Checking in

Still here, I promise. Knitting away in between packing up and working extremely hard. On the Australia front, my application is still with the embassy, but hopefully we will hear soon.  However, we have decided that Tim should go out ahead and start looking for a job, so that we have something to go to once I get the all clear.  He is headed to NZ to visit with family at the end of the month, so we’ve given notice on the flat and are clearing out all of the gubbins we’ve collected over the past six or more years (I have bits and bobs floating around that I have hoarded since prep school!)  Although cathartic and liberating, it’s a mite traumatic to evaluate and discard all of the things that define a life.  But then, I guess it’s a good lesson to be more present and not to rely on stuff to create a sense of self.

Or something.  To be frank, it seems more like a major pain in the arse.

Anyway, keep on keeping on, my dears.  Hopefully I will have more exciting content for next time.