Friday, November 10, 2006

Happy Happy Merry

Happy: One of the best things about last night's Big Game was New Brunswick police reported no arrests and commended the "good, happy, clean celebration" that followed Rutgers' upset win over Louisville. Colonel Henry would have been pleased. There are three more games in the season, plus a much-anticipated bowl invitation.

Happy: Reading up on mohair spinning techniques proved helpful. It turned out my two recalcitrant Rhinebeck rovings needed a slower, heavier spindle – my beloved Featherweight is too fast and light for these fibers.Border Leicester and Blue Face Leicester micro-skeins But my (clunky) learner's spindle is just right.

At first the singles had intermittent hairy spots and the ends had a tendency to unwind and become fluffy. As I got the feel for the fiber, the singles smoothed out. They plied up tightly – all the trouble with pigtails and interlocking long hairs went away.

The resulting yarn is lustrous and strong, like other BFL rovings I've spun, but also rather itchy, which is different. In the photo, 9 is Border Leicester and 10 is Blue Face Leicester. I still don't know what to do about the fluffy ends.

Merry: The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived. Watch it being decorated on TreeCam.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay Rutgers - what a great game! I saw the football score on the board while at the Devils game last night, and it looked bad at halftime. We arrived home in time to see the last quarter.
Oh, and the 'Go Rutgers' message on the emergency sign on the GSP yesterday brought a smile to my face.

I'm hesitant to start spinning. I think adding fleece to my yarn stash may just be too much. The temptation is great, though.

ginnyturne@gmail.com

--Deb said...

They look great!

My Dad was regaling Mom and I with "what a great game" stories all through supper tonight (grin). Go Rutgers!

Deborah said...

I'm done with my briar rose fiber poncho from rhinebeck. I have two more bags of yarn to go!