Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Expotition Reeport

On Saturday I spent four-plus hours travelling so I could spend two hours here


learning how to produce this with a drop spindle

I don't feel I really understand what I'm doing but I'm sure if I keep practising I will be able to produce yarn which isn't twisty. Of course I bought a drop spindle kit! I haven't managed to hurt myself with the spindle yet but the roleplaying guys on Sunday evening were looking rather dubious as I was swinging it around.

The yarn isn't finished yet. I have to 'set' it, which involves dunking & soaking in water and then hanging up to dry. If it were thinner, I would 'ply' it, i.e. twist it together with another length, but given how thick it is in places, I think that might be a daft plan. This means when I hang the hank up to dry I have to weight it. I think this might be a bit fraught, given my clumsiness and Dave's erratic observation skills. Where can I hang the weighted hank where it will get plenty of ventilation and heat, yet not be liable to drop on heads? Further thought is necessary.

I enjoyed the class but the vagaries of rural bus routes meant a much longer journey than if I had gone by car. Perhaps I should start scouting for fibre freaks who drive & have cars. Apparently there is a knitting group which meets at Borders now, but it's on a Wednesday which simply isn't suitable for me.

The drop spindle class was the first part of my 2007 plan to stretch my boundaries. I thought if I started at the extreme end of scale, other parts might seem easier. In the end, it was Too Much for me, and it's taken me three days to recover, physically and mentally. As I said, I enjoyed the class but despite being interested in other Twist Fibre classes, I won't go again unless I can arrange another way to get there. My next Expotition will be probably be the March trip to the Creative Stitching Show in Glasgow.

Hmm, yes, my boundary stretching will probably be all related to yarn in one way or another.

Anyway, back to Twist Fibre. The shop is well stocked with items I usually only see online, including the most sock yarn I've ever seen in one place. The fibre was arranged in Pick & Mix fashion and was very tempting as was the penguin needle felting kit (duh!). I resented the ten quid I'd spent on travel because it deprived me of goodies. However, Twist Fibre do sell online so there may be some future purchases that way.

Time for Craft Group.

7 comments:

T said...

Power cut in the middle of commenting - the cheek!
Anyway, stretching boundaries has to be easier when there's something great to look forward to as the reward. I know how you must have felt afterwards, but you have yarn - yay! Hang it in a corner, Dave should be safe. Or does he sometimes hide in corners?

Anonymous said...

Do you have any more info about the borders knitting group? Do they meet in the day or evening? Thanks!

Lindsey said...

I think they meet in the evening but I'm not positive. It was written up on the board near the entrance but it isn't on the website. I shall ask a minion to check :)

Lindsey said...

Correction. It wasn't on the website but is now.

http://www.bordersstores.co.uk/events/event/EventID/30150/knitting-group,-6.30pm---8pm/

Rain said...

Your yarn looks very pretty. Yarn seems like a great incentive for getting yourself further afield. It's just a shame the journey was so horrific.

Anonymous said...

*cough* Some of us have cars and need to see you *coughcough* ;)

Drop me some details and we'll see what we can do?

F
x

acrylik said...

Your yarn looks gorgeous. Having yarn as an incentive to stretch your boundaries is a great one :)