I have been plying, winding off and setting the twist on skeins of the Border Leicester P-29. At one point, I decided to use the Jumbo Flyer attachment to ply with. I think this changed the drive ratio, and subsequently the take up was different and inconsistent with the other bobbins that I plied with the regular flyer. The jumbo bobbin easily held the 315 yards...but the finished yarn is different from the other skeins I have completed so far. Not to worry, I will keep this for myself to make the shawl, and package the remaining skeins for sale.
I plied using a sort hand over hand technique...counting the number of treadles between moving my hands together and then apart.
Plying can become mesmerizing as I watch the little bumps flow past my fingers and into the bobbin.
The weather has been recorded as the second warmest January for us. Most of the snow has melted off the mountain and the ground is showing itself once again.
The stream is rushing on its way to the river and the ground is soggy in spots....but the advantage to having raised beds that terrace down the hillside is that they drain off pretty quickly. It helps that the garden is situated on a southerly slope! I wandered over to the carrot bed and pulled a few for the rabbits. Soil temperatures and drainage really influence the carotene pigment of the carrots....I think the optimum is between 60-68 degrees...these do not look half bad all things considered.
I managed to do some clean up in the broccoli and kale beds. It was nice working out there! The river is up and the sound of the water over the rocks is so peaceful and constant.
However, there was a steady damp breeze that finally got the best of me and sent me back indoors. I planted the corn bed with some winter rye...I know I am taking a chance, but it's an experiment.
11 comments:
Thanks Spinner Gal-
This morning a squall came through and dumped about an inch of snow on the experiment...but now the sun is shining on it...so I am thinking it "watered everything in"...I've seen winter rye germinate on top of snow, so I am hopeful this will germinate under the snow too!
beautiful plying.
Are those last years carrots or can you plant fall for spring?
Cyndy, your yarn is beautiful! Where do you sell it?
Karen
hi judy-
Those carrots were planted late in August '05...I harvested the bulk of them at Thanksgiving, but always leave a row or two for winter harvest. Mulch the heck out of them when you see bad weather coming. I treat them much the same way as I do parsnips.
You can plant fall for spring...check with your local ag extension for good varieties...some do better than others ...climate as well as micro climate are big factors...
Hi Karen-
Thanks for the kind comment on the yarn! I will be selling it sometime, somewhere over the summer. I usually do a few shows and teach a few workshops...and offer my shawls and skeins at those functions.
Hi -I read in a comment you made to someone's blog (Can't get back to see whose right now) that you wondered about Brioche stitch. If you want I can share my source with you - I never would have been able to do it without this info. It's wordy and has pictures. Once you read the words the pictures make sense. Please email me at jfager@unm.edu Re: Brioche. I even am able to "Brioche in the Round" now. How, I don't know, but I just got tired of having to sew up seams on hats, so I just kept going on the last cast-on and joined it. Voila'! It's working. I have a BAD picture of the last hat on my blog, and I'm putting up a good one today. : ) Jeannie
jeannieshandsatwork.blogspot.com
Hi Jeannie-
How nice of you to remember my comment and rescue me from brioche confusion!!
I had originally tried to knit the Brioche Gaiter by Ann Budd in the Fall 2003 issue of Interweave Knits. It sounded simple enough...but...sadly, I was not able to make it work. I gave up.
I would like very much for you to share your source...esp. since the pattern calls for the brioche to be done in the round on circular needles...maybe there is hope for me yet!
Your yarn is beautiful; would look great with black angora, I bet! I love plying; it goes so fast and has such a rhythm to it!
It is a lucky person who purchases your yarn! It is beautiful! Carrots--what a pleasant sight to see. I am not by the river, but the wetlands are full & rushing through the streams--I love the sound of the water too & know what you mean by "steady damp breeze"--it can send me inside. Looks great over here, Cyndy!
Hi Leslie-
Hey, you just gave me an idea of what to blend with the remaining BL! Thanks!
Hi Judith-
Yes, the wetlands are full! I have to watch where I am walking...the other day I stepped where I shouldn't have and sunk up to the top of my boots! Mud season is on the way!
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