On Friday, a lady called Ans, who keeps sheep 50km from here, gave me a black plastic bag of wool to spin. I assumed that it was a smelly old fleece, but when I opened the bag I discovered that the wool has been commercially cleaned and carded. Wonderful! I can get on with spinning and leave out the more tedious business of cleaning and hand carding. While she was here, Ans persuaded me to go to a Women's Institute meeting on Thursday. I decided I wanted to make something for Ans with her wool before that. On Monday I spun and plyed a bobbin full on my Ashford Traveller spinningwheel. Yesterday I washed the two skeins and then rainbow-dyed them in the microwave oven. Luckily it was a sunny day, so they dried quickly and I could knit the Wavy Gravy Hat by Elizabeth McNamee. I hope Ans will like it.
What a wonderful work! And you have done it so quickly!
ReplyDeleteWell IF she doesn't like it she's a daft moo. IF she doesn't then you can send it to me. It's WONDERFUL. LOVE it to bits.
ReplyDeleteThe hat is super! I like the pattern and the color! And I understand your happyness reagrding a non semelling, non washing and non HAND carding whool present ;-)) How do you do microwave dying?? Never heard about that?
ReplyDeleteI poured the dyes onto the skeins, pushed it in a bit with a sponge. Then put the skeins into an oven bag and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high and 3 mins on medium. I left it for 15 mins to get cool, then rinsed it. Quick and easy! I've tried it for tatting thread, but that tends to dry out too quickly. Works well for wool though.
DeleteBEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteRainbow hat is very pretty! Lovely colors looks good in the pattern.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. Ok, Jane, if Ans rejects it I'll send it to you!
ReplyDeleteFabulous rainbow hat!! :)
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