Lately, as time in front of a spinning wheel has become both scarce and precious, I have once again found the joy of the spindle. So, I wanted to share a music video about Andean spinners. The title of the song, which is in Spanish, is "Mujer Hilandera" which literally translates into "Woman Spinner."
On a much earlier post I shared how from an earlier age wool fumes have made it to the core of who I am, thanks to my grandparents' yarn store and small sweater mill. But, my youngest recollection of actual handspinning comes from watching Andean native women spin while selling produce in the local markets. It was always mesmerizing as a child to watch how they filled the spindles with such grace and ease. With a baby on their backs or breastfeeding, while talking to customers, their spindles would just dance harmoniously. I wish I had ask them then how they did it, but alas I remain grateful at my later journey of discovery!
I have been looking for a traditional, Andean-made, spindle for a while. They are called Phusca (or Pushca...the spelling is a mistery as the language is mostly only spoken, and Pushca also means "to spin") and are for spinning singles. The spindles used for plying are called Kanti (which also means "to ply".) I guess I must just visit home again! My mother brought me one used by an Andean spinner she had found along a roadside in Ecuador. I promise photos of it soon. What a simple tool (and much simpler than the ones I get to enjoy, for this one has a made-up shaft).
Anyway, here is a song dedicated to all handspinners out there!
Wednesday
Monday
Long sabbatical...
Wow! It has been ages since I last posted here. Babies, family life, new town....just the busiest summer ever. But now I am slowing coming back with vengeance.
Finally set up my online store at Artfire. I spent some crazy weekends handpainting fingering weight sock yarn (75%superwash/25%nylon). I invite you to take a look.
Pretty soon I will have my handspun for sale there too as well as other goodies.
And, on my next post, I long overdue tribute to the new wheels in my studio, starting with the gorgeous 30" Norwegian wheel - Marie Antoinette - that craftsman James Watson in Canada made for me this year. Just gorgeous...and spins like butter!!...So, photos coming up soon. And, also of my new additions, the Poore sisters (Pipy and Wendy)!
Finally set up my online store at Artfire. I spent some crazy weekends handpainting fingering weight sock yarn (75%superwash/25%nylon). I invite you to take a look.
Pretty soon I will have my handspun for sale there too as well as other goodies.
And, on my next post, I long overdue tribute to the new wheels in my studio, starting with the gorgeous 30" Norwegian wheel - Marie Antoinette - that craftsman James Watson in Canada made for me this year. Just gorgeous...and spins like butter!!...So, photos coming up soon. And, also of my new additions, the Poore sisters (Pipy and Wendy)!
Friday
Sharing some more...
So, this is not fiber related either....but! it's my blog so....I wanted to share this great animation (and pass it along)!
Monday
Too late partying ... thus the silence
Well...I feel like I was on standby for many weeks and as much as I was trying to avoid it, the US elections were really having an impact on my daily life. So, after the elections it really has felt as if a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I did party on November 4th...mostly with tears...but were tears of joy. It has felt as if I need detoxification badly =)....so I have been pretty quiet here, recuperating I suppose...
Before I forget, here is a really cool tea dyeing tutorial from Tiinateaspoon. I haven't tried it on my fibers yet, but I am already thinking of some fabulous earthy effects.
I finally finished putting my sock machine together. I have had many mistakes and a hard time getting started + had to stop for a bit since I have tons of projects to finished before the holidays. But I finally picked sock yarn from the stash for a first project, yarn with whom I tried to make peace and reassured it that if all goes wrong I will recycle it and make something nice....I can feel the skein shaking in fear though....
Finished 2 sweaters this weekend...one is a man's shawl collar jacket....huge!!!...the other one a cardigan in laceweight yarn that I have meant to finished for the past 2 years....had too many problems with it so I put it aside for a breather...will post photos soon...
On the pregnancy front....I am having to monitor my blood glucose levels for potential gestational diabetes, every day 4 times a day....it is a hassle and certainly not the way I imagine I wanted to spend my last months of pregnancy. But, that is how things are....each pregnancy is different and this one has brought this challenge for me - during the last one I had major sciatic pain...which now I barely notice thanks to a wonderful chiropractor! It is hard though as I am very anal about what I eat and thus fixing my diet is getting very complex....so in my case it pretty much means cutting off certain foods altogether....(deep breathing)....hubby is being very supportive because he knows this endeavor looks almost ridiculous and since I am not a big person (5'2" and 105 lbs when not pregnant, and an active yogini), it is rather comic to watch me count carbs...
But, I am entering week 31....yeahooooo!!! and I pray for peaceful weeks ahead and a sweet baby in my arms in January.
Before I forget, here is a really cool tea dyeing tutorial from Tiinateaspoon. I haven't tried it on my fibers yet, but I am already thinking of some fabulous earthy effects.
I finally finished putting my sock machine together. I have had many mistakes and a hard time getting started + had to stop for a bit since I have tons of projects to finished before the holidays. But I finally picked sock yarn from the stash for a first project, yarn with whom I tried to make peace and reassured it that if all goes wrong I will recycle it and make something nice....I can feel the skein shaking in fear though....
Finished 2 sweaters this weekend...one is a man's shawl collar jacket....huge!!!...the other one a cardigan in laceweight yarn that I have meant to finished for the past 2 years....had too many problems with it so I put it aside for a breather...will post photos soon...
On the pregnancy front....I am having to monitor my blood glucose levels for potential gestational diabetes, every day 4 times a day....it is a hassle and certainly not the way I imagine I wanted to spend my last months of pregnancy. But, that is how things are....each pregnancy is different and this one has brought this challenge for me - during the last one I had major sciatic pain...which now I barely notice thanks to a wonderful chiropractor! It is hard though as I am very anal about what I eat and thus fixing my diet is getting very complex....so in my case it pretty much means cutting off certain foods altogether....(deep breathing)....hubby is being very supportive because he knows this endeavor looks almost ridiculous and since I am not a big person (5'2" and 105 lbs when not pregnant, and an active yogini), it is rather comic to watch me count carbs...
But, I am entering week 31....yeahooooo!!! and I pray for peaceful weeks ahead and a sweet baby in my arms in January.
The NZAK is here!!
So, my sock machine arrived this weekend =)...
I am excited and a bit overwhelmed....it will be a steep learning curve for now. But, here are some pics...and I will share more as I put it together and begin learning to knit in it =)
I am excited and a bit overwhelmed....it will be a steep learning curve for now. But, here are some pics...and I will share more as I put it together and begin learning to knit in it =)
Tuesday
Finally some updates...
Here are some pics of various projects I have been working on lately. First, here is the spindle spun alpaca for the heirloom newborn hat I was writing about:
I used my Greensleeves spindle and ended up with two skeins about approx. 2.5 ounces each in aran/worsted weight. They are soooo soft and tweedy (one of my favorite yarn textures). I used my Handy Andy Andean plying tool and I loved it!!
I also made a jacket for my son Nicolas...he was very excited to try it on - maybe it had to do with it having ships and planes as buttons :-)
Here is my Norsk Strikkedesign Kit....cannot wait to start it!!
And finally, here is a look at my sock yarn stash....the new NZAK will indeed do wonders!!! and will probably be arriving at my doorstep anyday now...
I used my Greensleeves spindle and ended up with two skeins about approx. 2.5 ounces each in aran/worsted weight. They are soooo soft and tweedy (one of my favorite yarn textures). I used my Handy Andy Andean plying tool and I loved it!!
I also made a jacket for my son Nicolas...he was very excited to try it on - maybe it had to do with it having ships and planes as buttons :-)
Here is my Norsk Strikkedesign Kit....cannot wait to start it!!
And finally, here is a look at my sock yarn stash....the new NZAK will indeed do wonders!!! and will probably be arriving at my doorstep anyday now...
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