I'm having loads of fun playing and sampling bits of the fleece I've been gathering from small local flocks, scouring a little bit at a time and mostly carding but combing some.
Knitting is on a bit of a go-slow at the moment, but I'm putting the final details on the cardigan I've been knitting in my undyed Zwartbles yarn before beginning a new knitting project using some yarn from John Arbon Textiles*.
*This is an affiliate link, so if you tap this and shop with them, I get a little commission from anything you buy (and it doesn't cost you anything extra)
Lots of spinning projects and spinning side quests, an almost finished handknit cardigan, and some new yarn from John Arbon Textiles
Hello hello!
If you caught last month's update, you'll be fully aware that the studio is full of local sheep fleece that I am sorting, ready to be sent off to a local mill for processing.
Here's a quick run-through of everything that's been going on, including lots of small spinning projects and plans for a future knitting project, but if you like to watch the full video update, it's live and available to all my Patreons.
If you'd like to keep in touch and stay up to date with my current craft projects whilst I'm on maternity leave, Patreon is the best place to be. I'm continuing to share regular video updates whenever I get the chance, and there's also a big back catalogue of previous videos, so you can catch up on previous projects and ramblings in the meantime.
So yeah - if you're not, but would like to join me on Patreon, you can do so just here.
I'm still knitting my Zwartbles DK cardigan
Knitting has been on a bit of a go-slow lately as I've been spinning more - probably a bit of a summer craft thing, so I still haven't quite finished my undyed Zwartbles cardigan. However, I do only have the pockets and buttons to go.
If you aren't already familiar with this WIP, it's a self-drafted cardigan with construction and shaping based on my Quickbeam Cardigan design. The Zwartbles DK yarn is incredibly scrummy, and I now only have 11 skeins left in the shop.
Once the pockets are done, I'm thinking about finishing it with some Laburnum wood buttons handmade by Tom Dyson. I love Tom's buttons, and I know you do too, so I shall be placing another order with him very soon!
I'm sorting through my local British sheep fleece for the mill
I've spent a lot of time sorting through the mountain of local sheep fleece I acquired last month, and it turns out I have a lot of Zwartbles. The Zwartbles fibre is really good; some parts legitimately feel like baby alpaca. There is a fair amount of sorting still to go, so it will be a little while before it reaches the mill, but I'm excited to see it eventually become something you can spin with too.
I have been having fun using the bits of fleece that are not quite good enough to be sent to the mill...
Dilly and Whitney's fleece has become handspun yarn
They were in rolags last month, but I've been practising my backwards long draw and spinning a few mini skeins. The woollen spinning is allowing me to let go of perfectionism and instead jsut have fun. Yes, the yarn is lumpy and inconsistent and all over the place, but I am really enjoying the process.
Meanwhile, the 'good' bits of Dilly and Whitney's fleece have now been sorted and are ready to be sent to the mill, so you will have the chance to spin with them at some point in the future.
I've been combing their leftover leg fleece
I have a bit of leg fleece leftover from sorting Dilly and Whitney's fleece, so I've been having a go at combing it to process, ready for spinning. I was sent some beautiful combs by Wingham Woolwork, the mill I use for all my British wool spinning fibre blends, and I've been giving it a go. This is my first time combing fibre, so I don't really know what I am doing; however, I am finding it better and easier and more fun than I expected, which is great!
I've got some nests that are ready to spin, and a bag of fibre left to process. I'm also saving all the leftover scrap fleece from the combing process, which I will eventually card up for more of the wild, woollen spinning.
I've also been spinning some lovely, naturally dyed fibre, and getting distracted by spinning side quests!
I've been talking about this spinning project for a while now; the green, naturally dyed blend of Shetland, blue-faced Leicester and Cheviot I got from my friend Lorna at Thread and Yarn. It was supposed to be a nice and easy spinning snack, but I accidentally spun it a little bit too fine.
The plan is to spin up some fawn coloured Shetland from Wingham Wool Work to go with it, but I've been distracted by spinning side quests! Skip to around 21:45 to hear more about those in more detail, but there's some Dorset Down, some Lleyn and even more Lleyn fleece...
My next knitting project
I recently went to the John Arbon Textiles open weekend, which was so much fun. I knew I wanted to find some yarn for a jumper for my father. I went with their Appledore yarn in the shade Billy Down Pippin, a sort of teal which I know will look great on him. I was convinced I was going to get the DK as I have used it for many previous knitting projects, but instead I went for the lace weight to hold double.
If you are considering buying anything from John Arbon Textiles, I would love it if you bought it via this link right here. They have finally set up an affiliate link for me, which is very exciting as I do genuinely think I might be the number one fan of their Appledore yarn. So yeah, you can use my affiliate link or the code MARINASKUA, and I get a little commission from anything you buy (and it doesn't cost you anything extra).
That's all from me for now
Thank you so much for joining me. I really hope you've enjoyed this update and you are excited about the fleece madness - it really is worth watching for!
If you'd love to chat and hang out whilst you wait for the next update from me, I've been posting some updates on our Patreon Discord channel. If you haven't joined the server yet, it’s easy to get started - you can find all the info on how to join just here. And if you're not a Patron yet, but would like to be, you can support me on Patreon just here.
A final quick reminder that orders from my website are still being posted out, just quite sporadically, so you can still buy anything in stock that you have your eye on.
It's been lovely chatting to you. I hope you are all well and I will catch you next time.
Marina
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