It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 9: So Many Projects, So Little Time. (Oh well - I almost made it rhyme!)

[Fairislefandango]

A thread for woolly crafters of all types and levels.
Previous thread here

Oh I see @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound thank you! It's interesting to know!
It's surprising how once people know I can crochet and particularly that I can sew they ask me to make them all sorts, it normally works out more expensive once you've got the yarn/fabric and if I actually charged for my time (which I never do) 🙄 I think people automatically assume if you know someone that can make things it will be a lot cheaper!

Yep, definitely not cheaper! But fun and rewarding!

I had my induction day at my new school today. It was lovely but absolutely knackering - information overload! I need to do some spinning but I can't make myself get off the sofa atm!

Steadily improving...

Oh you’ll like @ canyousewthisforme on Instagram then @sophs29!

Glad you had a good induction day @Fairislefandango 😀 Your spinning looks fantastic!

Thanks! I've come to the conclusion that the overspinning was just a case of too many turns of the wheel per draft of fibre, which sounds really obvious now that I put it like that . So now I'm just drafting faster. It's confusing though, because I swear that when I watch videos of expert spinners, they appear to be treadling much faster than me, but drafting quite slowly .

I'm loving the spinning, but I really must get down to some knitting and/or crochet too!

I had a look at that Instagram page @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound and it brought memories back of when I got asked to make 24 nativity costumes for DS's reception class. I said I couldn't do that on my own and several other mums volunteered to help and then later dropped out. DS is 25 now and I'm still scarred by it!

The spinning is fascinating @Fairislefandango and I'm glad your induction went well.

I have an interview on Monday so I'm prepping for that in-between working and making the occasional granny square. Its a permanent job rather than contracting and its an online panel interview with five people. Hopefully the fact that they are just little faces on my screen will make it less intimidating.

Very good luck with the interview, @StillNiceCardigan !

Wow @StillNiceCardigan! That is a right cheek of all of them, I’m not surprised you’re still scarred!

What ratio is your drive band in @Fairislefandango? You want it in the biggest whorl on the bobbin and smallest on the wheel to add less twist. But pedalling slowly is perfect, you’ll learn much better that way, you just need to adjust the brake tension to take in more slowly. The people on YouTube might be spinning thinner yarn perhaps, it would need less twist.

Ooh, good luck on Monday @StillNiceCardigan!

Thinner yarn need more twist I mean @Fairislefandango , not less! Sorry!

I've got the drive band round the biggest whorl on the flyer, @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound . I think my twist is ok now. What do you reckon - does this still look overspun to you?

No, it looks great! It’s a lovely colour too 😀

Ahhh I don't have any social media @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound apart from using YouTube and Pinterest; if that counts as social media as I don't actually talk to people on there so it's hardly social 😂

Lovely spinning @Fairislefandango and I agree, beautiful colours! Do you know what you'll make with the yarn yet or are you just playing?

Good luck for the interview @StillNiceCardigan ☺️

I’ve finished the unicorn blanket for my friend’s little one.

That is sooo lovely, @InTheNightWeWillWish !

Fabulous! @InTheNightWeWillWish

Wow! That’s amazing @InTheNightWeWillWish!

Thanks all. It’s not the most interesting blanket to make, it’s quite repetitive and there’s a fair bit of sewing but I do like the finished product! We’re on our way to see our friends now and hand it over. I don’t know if the little one will open it today or wait until her birthday. I did remember that she doesn’t like things on her head but her mum said she does enjoy snuggling under a blanket, so even if she doesn’t wear it at least she’ll be snug under it!

I woke up early and have had a busy morning spinning, plying and soaking,and now have 3 skeins hanging out to dry! The colours of the first two don't look as good together as I hoped (doesn't mattet - I'm still just practising really!) but I plied the last half of the purply Corriedale with some of the white Jacob and really like the result! It's definitely my favourite ply so far.

I thought I didn't really need the 'combining colours' bit of that series of Craftsy spinning lessons, @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound , but actually I think I do! The white Jacob spins really nicely. I definitely prefer spinning from carded batts - I like the slightly softer, fuzzier effect.

That is very industrious @Fairislefandango! I found a bunch more of the fibre I was spinning on my spindles so my plying is postponed until I get that spun too. I’ll be interested to see if I can fit it all on, it’ll be tight!

The shift cowl is really good for using up odds and ends, you just join on a new yarn when you use up one and the chaos works! It works so well for handspun.😀

That's lovely @InTheNightWeWillWish I start blankets with enthusiasm and then it gradually wanes!

You've been very busy @Fairislefandango early morning can be such a lovely time to get things done though.

I'm sitting in the shade about to do my interview prep. I've had the full invite now and its three people not five which is a bit less daunting. Its going to be really hot here tomorrow so I've been spending ages worrying about what to wear in my oven of a spare room. DH and DS have been no help whatsoever!

Very industrious FairIsle.

StillNiceCardigan I like making blankets but it does become hard to maintain enthusiasm for them. I’m hoping to do 6 more blankets by the end of the year! Good luck for the interviews. This is going to send crazy but if DH can get to a pet shop ask him to pick up a dog cool mat, they will all be near the front of the shops with weather like this. You can put the mat over your chair to help cool you down or drape it over your legs. We have one for our dogs but last year when I was pregnant I would just drape the cool mat over my bump and it was bliss!

I found a great project for some of my uneven handspun! dragonwell cowl - it uses bought yarn, with a highlight section of handspun!

Ooh, that’s brilliant!
Holding two strands of uneven handspun together works really well too, it evens it out really nicely

That's lovely - fab colour!