Packing Up

I have my workshop handouts all printed, collated and stapled, and the supplies gathered. The suitcases are as packed as they can be (until tomorrow morning and we can put the last minute things in: hair dryer, makeup... not that I plan to put makeup on in the morning). We head out tomorrow and will stay in LaCrosse, WI. We'll get to Hastings, MI on Monday, to stay with my sister in law.

I'll be teaching at the Michigan Fiber Festival on Wednesday and Friday. I'm excited to be a part of this gathering, and I'll take lots of pictures.

In the meantime, I spindle-plied the wool/mohair singles that I had spun already.

I did the plying with this spindle- the whorl is Bird's eye maple, and the shaft is lathe-carved (it's painted black). It's not a good spindle for spinning- it doesn't hold a spin (it's neither rim, nor center weighted), and the shaft is thick and a little hard to get twirling. But it works fine for plying, especially the slow plying that is my SOP. And it's absolutely gorgeous (which is the usual reason that I buy a spindle). I don't know who made this one- I bought it at the North Country Fiber Fair a couple of years ago.

My spindle-plying leaves very much to be desired. I am always much happier with yarn I spin and ply on the wheel, which is a really good reason for me to practice a whole lot more with a spindle.

The yarn is underplied here and there- it has a bit more kink than I like. But otherwise, it's soft and pretty. This is 1oz, and a shade over 53 yards. It will probably knit up nicely on 3.25 or 3.5 mm needles. I have 3 more ozs of the fiber, so I should have enough yarn for a hat and mittens when I get done. I'm taking the fiber and spindles with  me to Michigan, but I have no idea if I'll have any time for spinning.

At any rate, I'll check in from the road, and post lots of pics of the Festival. You all be good while I'm gone.