Vaihtopaketti Swap packet

Ilmoittauduin alkukesästä mukaan ensimmäiseen kehruuvaihtooni ja tänään posti toi minun pakettini. Paketissa oli pussukka projektille, käsinkehrättyä lankaa, villaa, sukkalankaa, wpi-mittari, muistilappuja, kimaltelevaa kuitua ja bambuiset pyöröpuikot. Nuo 2,5-milliset pyöröt ovat ihanat, nyt minulla on siis lentokonekelpoiset sukkapyöröt. (Lentomatkoja ei ole tiedossa ihan lähiaikoina, mutta eipähän tule ongelmia niiden kanssa.)

I joined HHHH swap on June (?) and today I got my packet. There was lots of nice things in it. I got a project bag (my swap pair sells them in Etsy), handspun yarn, roving, sock yarn, sparkling fibre, wpi gauge, notepad and bamboo circulars. Now I have one wooden circular for socks if I someday wanted to carry my knitting in airplane.

Vaihtoparini Heather oli kehrännyt tämän ihanan langan värttinällä. Villa on sininaamalammasta, joka on ostettu Pigeonroof Studios nimisestä kaupasta. Taidan tehdä tuosta kämmekkäät talveksi.

My swap pair Heather has spun this lovely yarn with spindle. It's BFL from Pigeonroof Studios, I think I'll knit fingerless mittens to myself with this lovely yarn.

Sain ihanaa vihreää Twist O Lime-nimistä kehrättävää, puolet merinoa ja puolet Tenceliä. Kuitupalmikon päällä on wpi-mittari, jossa on kauniit vihreät sukat.

I've got beautiful green roving called Twist O Lime, it has 50 % extra fine merino and 50 % Tencel in it. My new wpi gauge has some green socks in it.

Tencel kiiltää kauniisti ja väri on ihanan eläväinen.

Tencel gives nice lustre to roving and color is vivid.

En ole ihan varma mitä tämä ihanuus on, mutta epäilisin sen olevan jotain keinokuitua, jota voi lisätä kehrättävään villaan ja langasta tulee sitten kimaltelevaa. Ihanat väri ja kiilto.

I'm not 100 % sure what this sparkling beauty is but I think it is some sort of man made fiber which can be added to wool before spinning and it gives extra sparkling to yarn.

Thank You Heather!

My HHHH yarn

Nyt paketti on jo matkalla kohti vaihtopariani eli voin esitellä kehruuni tarkemmin. Kehräsin Etsystä tilaamani käsinvärjätyn villan ja kertasin Navajo-tekniikalla kolmisäikeiseksi. Lankaa on noin 130 metriä ja painoa tuolla vyyhdillä on noin 120 g eli edelleen lankani on paksuhkoa. En ollut koskaan kehrännyt tuollaista käsinvärjättyä moniväristä villaa, mutta kokemus oli vallan mukava, odotan innolla myöhemmin tilaamiani villoja saapuviksi. Tämä villa päästi väriä melko runsaasti pesussa, mutta olen ennenkin huomannut punaisten lankojen, vaatteiden ja villojen värjäävän tehokkaasti kaiken ympäröivän. Olen onnistunut värjäämään Kool Aidilla yhden pyyhkeen kirjavaksi eikä punainen väri lähde siitä pois millään.

My HHHH packet is now on the way to my swap pair so I can show my handspun more closely. I spun 4 oz of handdyed roving I ordered from Etsy and I Navajo-plyed my single. There is about 140 yards of yarn in a skein. This was the first time I spun handdyed roving and it was very nice to spin and I look forward getting other wools I have ordered. Wool bleeded lots of red while I washed it but I have learn that red color quite often bleeds. This swap was fun, I hope we have another round sometime soon.

Ja juuri kun sain yllä olevan tekstin valmiiksi, nostin kehruuhousuni pesukoneesta ja näky oli masentava:

And right after I had written text above I took laundry out of washing machine and saw what had happened to my trousers whicj I wore while I spun this yarn:

Jatkossa kehrään kyllä värjätyt villat ilman housuja, sillä samalla onnistuin värjäämään myös kesähousuni, toivottavasti väri vielä irtoaa. Olin toki irrottanut isommat villamäärät housuista, mutta muutama kuitu oli juuttunut kankaaseen ja lopputulos näkyy kuvassa.

In future I will spin without trousers if I spin dyed wool because my summer trousers were in same washing machine and they are now dyed too. I hope that I manage to rescue them.

Tour de Fleece

Tour de Fleece päättyi virallisesti eilen, mutta minä lopetin kehräämisen jo hiukan aikaisemmin eli lauantaina ja kädestä johtuen lepopäiviä tuli muutama ylimääräinen. En olisi kehrännyt edes perjantaina ja lauantaina, mutta tajusin etten muuten saa vaihtolankaani ajoissa perille. Tuossa keskellä se on ensimmäinen käsinvärjätty lanka, jonka olen itse kehrännyt. Tilasin villan Etsystä ja nautin suunnattomasti kehräämisestä, vaikken punaisesta erityisemmin pidäkään. Koska käsi oli lomalla olen sitten harrastanut värjäämistä, kattilasta kurkistavat vaaleanpunaiset ovat esillä alareunassa valkoisena. Olen myös nauttinut aurinkoisista päivistä kirjoja lukemalla ja neulomalla sukkia. Kyllä lomalaisen kelpaa. 

Tour de Fleece ended officially yesterday but I stopped spinning on Saturday and because of my hand I had some extra rest days. I wouldn't have spin on Friday and Saturday but I realized that I can't have my swap yarn posted in time if I don't spin. In the middle of picture you can see my first hand dyed handspun. I ordered wool from Etsy and it came quickly, I enjoyed spinning of it even though I don't like red. Because my hand has been on holiday I have done some dyeing, you can see the pink yarns in kettle in bottom of the picture in their natural color. I have also enjoyed sunny days by reading and some sock knitting. I'm happy to be on holiday.

HHHH Questionnaire

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

 I have been learning to spin since October 2007, so my skill level is beginner.

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

I create mostly 2-ply yarn but I would like to make some singles and 3-ply too.

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

I have both wheel and spindle but I spin mostly with my wheel.

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

I have only spun Merino, Alpaca and Finn sheep. I can't say what is my favorite fiber. I haven't spun any any cotton, linen or other fibers from plants.

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

I have seen many wonderful fiber sources but have tried only few of them. I have bought some wool fron Villa Laurila, Scottish Fibres and Wollinchen. I have admired Ilu's and Juuli's wools and I'm planning to join Finnish fiber club which they organize together.

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

I would like to try different wools and some wool blends. I prefer quite soft and long wool.

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

I would like to learn navajo plying and spinning better.

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

I haven't dyed any fiber ( I have dyed some yarns with Kool Aid), it would be nice to learn dyeing too.

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

I have hand carders and I can use them but it's nice to have ready to spin fibers. I'm planning to wash and card some Grey Finn so that I can spin it.

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

I haven't done anything yet, I think the hardest part of spinning is doing something with the yarn. I'm planning to spin enough yarn to make a wrap to my collague.

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

I don't have any gadgets, WPI gauge could be nice  I have used ordinary ruler for that purpose. 

12. What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand?

I like natural colors; brown, grey, white and green. I don't like red, blue, black or violet. I knit mostly with solid yarns but somehow I spin multi-colored yarns.

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

Nothing, but I have plans to spin some green Hahtuvainen (which is wool for felting sold by Novita). 

14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?

I knit socks and shawls. 

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

I try to take care of my health so I attend some Kinesis and Pilates lessons, I also like to read books.

16. Do you have an online wishlist?

I have a Amazon wishlist.

17. Is there anything that you collect?

Dustbunnies but please don't send me more of them.

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

I have Spin Off and Interweave Knits subscriptions and I don't have any yarn, pattern or needle wishes.

19. When is your birthday?

March 16th

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

Moominmama thinks quite much same way than I do. 

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

In summertime it could be quite warm but not hot in here. 

22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!

I like to eat raw minced meat.

Favorites

Candy: gummy bears and dark chocolate

Food: If I have to name only one food it must be liver in gravy made by my mother with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. 

Drink: water and tea

Guilty Pleasure: food and eating