Spinning Meet

Yesterday’s spinning meet was a lot of fun. There was spinning, there was knitting, there was weaving, there was chat and instruction and yummy baked goods, including a gluten-free lemon cake baked by Rebecca that was to die for.

I took my weaving loom. But I didn’t weave the herringbone hand towel. After finishing the warping on Saturday I decided to make a start on the weaving, and next thing I knew I’d finished it. So I warped up the loom again on Rebecca’s kitchen table and made another towel.

This time a plain weave green one with just four white stripes. I expected that by weaving a mostly green towel I’d use up the yarn, but no, there’s plenty left. Maybe enough for two more towels.

I told my fellow spinning groupies that I was going to corrupt them, and turn them all into weavers. How they laughed! (Well, chuckled anyway.) But by the end of the afternoon they were impressed by how a towel could be whipped up in a few hours, and at least one mentioned aloud the possiblity of inspecting some looms at Wondoflex.

In the meantime, some amazingly thin, consistent pretty singles were being spun up, and some beautiful handspun was being knit. Helen, who makes and sells adorable little beading kits, gave us all a kit each. Mine is a cute pair of sandal earings that I might convert to stitch markers as I use them more than I wear earings. I’ll post a pic when I’ve made them.

Thanks must go to Danielle, who got us all organised. And I have to admit a teensy bit of anxiety that, having decided I’m no spinner, I might find I didn’t fit in. But I didn’t need to worry. I think we’re all so curious and adventurous in so many different fibrey, crafty directions that there’s still a heap we have in common, or can introduce each other to. Which has given me other ideas. Like hosting a dyeing day.

Last night I worked on Tomato…

I haven’t been posting pictures because, well, it looked a bit of a mess. The top down construction leaves the neckline all curly and unfinished, and I had both sleeves and the bottom hem on needles. And I’ve been a bit indecisive.

You see, the yarn is too heavy for a t-shirt, so I want to lengthen the sleeves. But I’m not sure how far I can stretch the yarn. I thought I might make the hem, neck ribbing and cuffs black. But then I began to wonder if I might get away with not buying more yarn and knitting 3/4 length sleeves. I’ve been swapping around, knitting one bit then another, as I tried to decide, and squeezing the last two balls of yarn in a vain attempt to guess how much longer they’ll last.

Last night I decided to knit the hem and neck ribbing, then see how long I can make the sleeves. Once I have run out of yarn I’ll try the jumper on and see if I like the sleeve length. If I don’t, I’ll see if the shop has more of the colourway.

I have to say, though, I’m really liking this form of top-down construction. I bought Knitting from the Top Down a while back but never got around to reading it, but now my interest has been renewed. Now if I could just find the book…

5 thoughts on “Spinning Meet

  1. I found Knitting from the Top in a secondhand book store, and it has been one of the most useful books.

    I struggled with it to start with until I hit on a mix of careful pre-reading and slavish following until I understood what was going on.

    My favourite style is the ‘set in’ sleeves one.

  2. I love the top-downs too. I also have the book but like ceels I’ve found it a bit of a struggle. I’ve knitted several Zephyr patterns like ‘Wicked’ and Green Gables and they are easily adapted.
    I should give the book another try I guess.

  3. Sounds like you had fun at the spinning and weaving day! Your tea towels look great – and so quick to make!
    I love the tomato red.

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