one more post

In order to close the month in good shape one more post is needed.

The short, but really essential, holiday in Paris was totally awesome, and I could catch up wih good friends, and with many loved places. After living two years there (and being there many more times), I really need to pass by, at least once a year (in the ideal world).

Besides concerts, exhibition, dinners, long walks and book shops, a small visit was in order to some wool shops. First of all "La Droguerie"!

It's a charming, little shop, if a bit crowded, with lots of fabulous things, buttons, fabric and wool. Prices are bit high for my standards, but true to be told the wool is really fantastic, especially the Alpaca. And so I couldn't resist to invest on one of their models I have been looking at for such a long time.

Isn't it lovely? Have a closer look

The colour is fantastic and the wool so soft. I now itch to cast on (I also got the pattern for it!)

trying to spin

Assembling the new spinning wheel was totally easy and really fun. After all I'm a big assembler of IKEA furniture, so it was really a piece of cake.

Using it is all another matter. I have never seen a spinning heel used by anybody, and had never seen a spinning wheel in reality before assembling this.

I tried to learn something watching some videos on the internet, but as anybody will imagine, moving from videos to reality is quite a jump.

Once I had my wheel mounted, I decided to try to start spinning. I have a book documenting what you should do, so I took a piece of blue wool, fixed it to the bobbin, and started to pedal.... nothing happened. Of course, it was now time to understand all about the break, so I made several attembts, until finally the piece of wool started to be wound around the bobbin when I let it loose. I was really happy, and decided to proceed now with my orange rowing. Well, to make it brief, it was a bit of a battle, but I finally succeded to at least make something happen!

Hey, OK, it's not much, but I'm so proud of myself! I suspect it will be overspun (it broke a couple of times); it is really uneven, but I had something happening.

I still have a lot to learn: for instance, any suggestion on how to organise the wool on the bobbin? I have made three sections, but shall I fill it in blocks, or I should try to move the doodads (what's the name of the sliding things that guide the thred?) back and forth every now and then? I guess i'll learn by trial and error, but all suggestions are more than welcome!

the new spinning wheel

I bought my wheel at an on-line store, Alysse creations.

It was an excellent choice and I'm so happy with everything. I dealt with M.me Sandrine, one of the owners, who was very kind, ready to help and completely efficient. Once my questions answered, and once the order was sent, my wheel arrived safely and fast where I picked it up.

Then I just had to be patient, to arrive home and open my parcel....

It was hard to resist (and I did actually had a peek and squeezed the fibers I had ordered with the wheel (more about this in the next post), but it was absolutely worth it!

It was nice to open up the big box and find small, carefully packaged little things inside. There were also some presents: oil to keep the weel, and two small packets containing samples of merino and alpaca fibers!

Unpackaging was a lot of fun

And then the mounting begun

It was totally easy, with the clear instructions provided by Alysse Creations. These are in french, but on the internet you can find english versions and even videos ahowing you what to do. Personally I did everything with the provided instructions and it was really smooth sailing.

Halfway through it, I had the thrill of having my wheel turning around perfectly

And all was finished in about 40 minutes (it would have been less if it was a little cooler and maybe if I had not have to stop for a while).

Isn't it beautiful?

I really like it :-)))

a new adventure

During my recent holiday in France, I finally decided to but something I had planned to get since a long time, but never had the time or decisionism to realise.

A couple of years ago, I decided to get a drop spindle, and an orange rowing while I was in Melbourne.

Results were rewarding, but I didn't went too far, as this is the only tangible result!

Still, reading blogs and description of spinning on the internet has always been so nice, and I thought that maybe I should have a wheel.... Well, now I have it!

I came home with a nice kromsky Fantasia, and I'm really happy with it!

All the details in next posts....

a new "challange"

Going through "hard times" (relatively speaking), requires some treats and some activities to be distracted with...

I have discovered, through a friend's blog, an interesting proposal from a very talented lady, and have decided to take part to "the August break 2010". I wonder if I'll be able to oblige (actually, it is perfect with my 365 project, but I don't want the two of them to coincide!), but I'll try to, as taking pictures is really a balsam for me! (OK, I'm not able to post the image using the link from the blog, any suggestions?).

Added: Thanks Francinapaperina for the suggestion: it works!

the second woolly bit.... and MUCH more to come!

As I said yesterday, before leaving I did some wool shopping, partly induced by Ravelry friends, who signalled a nice site where a big sale was taking place... And needing some treats I allowed myself something!

There are some wools everybody talks about on the internet, saying fantastic things about them and producing wonderful knits. Some of them I have had the chance to see in reality (but did not buy them), others are just names and photos and comments.

A couple of weeks ago I bought all this goodnes, and i'm very happy I did!

First of all some Fyberspathes BFL sock wool, in a beautiful colourway:

Then some tweed, I love it so much! It's rustic tweed from Queensland Collection. I had never heard of this but could not resist, and i'm very happy with it. I may knit a small triangular scarf with it.

There was a big sale on Araucania wools, and I ended up exagerating a bit:

one of this:

And four of this (Ranco Multy):

A final consideration: usually I don't like much multicolored yarns, and so I'm now hunting for shawls patterns that may work with this yarn. I have found plenty, but any suggestion is more than welcome!

And to conclude, if you think, as I do, that I have got enough yarn to knit for the next year (not considering my huge stash), be prepared to something more, as one of my long-time dreams is coming true: I'm about to start spinning!

back and with many news

The (very) short pause was really needed and enabled me to see life more lightly. Which I really need right now, considering all the big problems we are facing, at home and work.

Before leaving, in the madness of things, I did a couple of wooly purchases that really pleased me SO much!

I'm going through a lace-phase, and so, while going at my parents, I stopped at Mafil, a big wool "outlet" from a large firm, and allowed myself to test four different lace-yarns.

First thing, a nice coloured, for me of unusual composition (I usually prefer pure wool) beautiful levender hank (here already wind in a nice skein):

It's 40% acrylic, 35% wool and 25% alpaca, rather soft and with subtly changing colours, 2ply yarn.

Second purchase, is a bright green very fine 100% wool.

I was attracted by the colours of this type of yarn, and need to try to knit it to see if it is something I can deal with or if it is really too fine.

Infact I did prefer the following hank:

which is a bit thicker, and always 100% wool. I love also the colour!

Finally a bit of Alpaca:

Maybe I'm going through a green phase....

I need a pause

See you soon, now I need a pause (here...)

a cowl for a change

Here is another finished object that has been languishing waiting for the ends to be darn in!

It is a beautiful cowl (if I may say so!), the pattern is Easy Peasy by Jennifer Casa, knit with a fantabulous yarn, dyed and spun by

the very talented and, oh so nice, IXCHEL.

I'm in love, it is a YAK + baby Camel mixture, super warm and soft.

And it is beautifully warm (let's not mention the 41°C we had two days ago).

I love the colours, they remind me of autumn leaves.

I'm keeping this cowl all for myself!

knit knit knit...

A new addition.... (Evilla pre-yarn)

Can't stop it!

a new super hat

I finished another WW hat and I'm very pleased with it!

It's called symetrie, another wooly wormhead pattern, this time using sock yarn (schanzer 100 g hank bought at Mafil). I'm so happy with it! (Ravelry links to designer page and to my project).

I followed the very clear instructions, except the ribbing (mine is k1p1, while the patterns calls for k1tbl). This was not my decision, I simply misread the instructions!

I like how the striped yarn gives the effect of a 9 points star, and also the colours combination. I almost finished the second skein of yarn (leftover from the shawl), and I still have plenty in stash: I bought several hanks at Mafil some months ago!

To end the post, a modelled shot (OK, not the best, but it is difficult to picture yourself wearing a hat keeping the camera as far as possible without looking ;-)!!!).

Some more finished objects very soon!

days like this...