Lots of plans - little progress!

I seem to have gotten bogged down in making spinning plans but not actually getting a lot of spinning done. Since the partial spool of alpaca I did manage to spin up a spool of thin singles in South African Fine (4 oz.) - "Istanbul Sunset", November Club fiber from Spunky Eclectic. Last night I started "Cockatoo" a Tussah Silk from Southern Cross Fibers but it just got too late to make much progress there. I plan on plying the 2 together. Also on the plan list: Wensleydale Dec. SE Club fiber "Cold Front" spun as a single; SCF "Funhouse" and "Katoomba" spun as a 4 ply and the already mentioned purple alpaca with SCF "Funhouse". Those plans don't include the 10 bumps of fiber on my way from SCF or the January SE Club or the fact that I am planning on participating in Ravelympics!

Woolgathering

Lots of knitting going on - 5 projects on the needles and at Thursday night sit&knit I will be starting my Ulmus shawl. In addition to all this knitting I seem to be having trouble focusing on one spinning project. I have been spinning an alpaca single (pictured to the left) for a possible future Plying Games project even though I have settled on how I will spin Plying Games Project 2. I will use Southern Cross Fibre "Funhouse" (Falkland) and "Katoomba" (Polwarth) , each will be spun in 2 singles, fractal spinning, for a 4 ply. I am really excited about this but had already started sampling the alpaca by the time I decided. I really didn't like including the Spunkey Eclectic "Istanbul Sunset" (South African Fine) which I sampled too, that seemed to wash out the colors. Just as well since I plan to ply that with SCF "Cockatoo" (Tussah Silk) - maybe project 3? The Alpaca will be plied with SCF "Deep Thought" - yikes, Plying Games project 4. ANYWAY, here is the picture of all my sampling for Plying Games Project 2:
























Now to just get busy and SPIN!

Another First Day

January 1, 2010 - wow, a new year with another shot on resolutions. Spinning and knitting goals set for the year along with a healthier life style. 2009 seemed like a hard year - not sorry to see it gone. I am going to give blogging another go too. Spending the first day of the year spinning and knitting - YEA! I have some lovely alpaca given to me for Christmas by Mackenzie. I am still overwhelmed with her gift - 3 10 oz. balls of Alpaca. The one I am spinning today I may end up plying with one or two Southern Cross Fibres ("Deep Thought" in oatmeal BFL -the one with browns and/or "Ulyssyes" in Merino/Cashmere) for the Plying Games thread activities. The Alpaca is almost a perriwinkle (the picture of it alone is more accurate), very bright and very soft. This is my first only alpaca spinning experience and it is lovely to spin. I am still working on Christmas knitting, socks for Chris.
I am excited about all the new things I have to learn about spinning and knitting. I am also planning on setting up my loom as soon at the Christmas tree comes down. Weaving ahead for this year too. Sounds like a fun year ahead.