Spinning Wool - Beyond the Basics

Recommended Reading for Spin-a-holics!!!!
I have been reading a book that I picked up in my local library by Anne Field - it's called 'Spinning Wool - Beyond the Basics'.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spinning-Wool-Anne-Field/dp/1408130815/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303038960&sr=8-1

It is packed with useful information about spinning wool from fleece, and also includes a chapter on different types of wheel - with some nice photos! - they are always of interest....!

Quite a factual book, but without being in any way dry (I've been reading bits to my husband before we go to sleep & he claims to be 'stimulated'.....!!!!) and I have learnt many useful things -  for example, my wheel is a double drive wheel, and I hadn't realised that both Scotch and Irish tension wheels do not let additional twist into the yarn once the yarn is pulled towards the flyer, but on a double drive wheel twist continues to be let into the yarn as it is drawn in.  The relationship between the crimp in the wool and the number of twists to spin per inch is also explored in detail - something else I hadn't thought about.

If you like a book with lots of pictures of lovely yarns then this isn't the book for you -but if you want something with lots of helpful tips then it definitely is....and it might stimulate your partner? (Or not!!!)

Equinox

I had three balls of Kidsilk haze in my stash for some time; two balls of soft blue (I believe the shade is called ‘Trance’) and a ball of black.  I wanted to crochet a soft wrap with it so started a piece using a stitch called Iris, a very simple repeat of trebles with a chain in between.  Everything was going well until it became apparent at the end of the first ball that I would not have enough yarn to get anywhere near the size of wrap that I wanted!  The thread is impossible to unravel once crocheted (I don’t know how it behaves when knitted….any thoughts out there?) and as I so loved the results I was getting with the yarn as it was so soft and light, I had a decision to make  – do I buy more haze in blue, or try and do something with the two remaining balls (one blue and one black)?

After experimenting with various widths, I created a two-tone scarf consisting of one half black and one half blue.  By chance, I finished this around the time of the Vernal Equinox and, as the scarf is half blue and half black it fitted the idea of equal day and night, so I have named it Equinox.

Crocheted in Kidsilk Haze, 2 2.25g balls, using a size 5mm hook.

I am so pleased with the result that I have my eye on some beautiful hand dyed kidsilk from  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Lichtfaden on Etsy (on vacation at the moment), I am sure some beautiful pieces are waiting to be made from this…!!