Lots of Spinning!

Look at what I did yesterday!  Despite the fact that I overslept and had a migraine headache (took something to help get rid of it), I managed to get all of this done.

I finished filling up the third bobbin.

The first bobbin (on the right) weights (with bobbin) 5 1/8 ounces - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 3 1/8 ounces.

The second bobbin (in the middle) weights (with bobbin) 5 ounces - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 3 ounces.

The third bobbin (on the left) weights (with bobbin) 5 1/4 ounces - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 3 1/4 ounces.

The total weight (with bobbins) is 15 3/8 ounces - 6 ounces (for bobbins) = 9 3/8 ounces of spun single white alpaca.

I then placed this empty bobbin on my spinning wheel to get ready for plying up my eighth skein of white alpaca.

It didn't take me very long to fill this bobbin with 3 ply white alpaca yarn.  Then I wound it off onto my niddy noddy, washed it and hung it to dry.

Then I reweighted these bobbins.

The first bobbin (on the right) weights (with bobbin) 4 1/8 ounces - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 2 1/8 ounces.

The second bobbin (in the middle) weights (with bobbin) 3 7/8 ounces - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 1 7/8 ounces.

The third bobbin (on the left) weights (with bobbin) 4 1/4 ounces - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 2 1/4 ounces.

The total weight (with bobbins) is 12 1/8 ounces - 6 ounces (for bobbins) = 6 1/8 ounces of spun single white alpaca.

I then placed this empty bobbin on my spinning wheel to get ready for plying up my nineth skein of white alpaca.  I then went right back to plying and soon had another bobbin filled with 3 ply white alpaca yarn.

Not a bad days worth of work, even with oversleeping and having a migraine.

 

 

 



#Socks and #Spinning

Yesterday, I finished the leg and heel flap and then started in on the heel turn.

Then I headed upstairs to the spinning room to do some spinning.  I finished refilling the second bobbin.

The first bobbin weights 5 1/8 ounces (with bobbin) and 3 1/8 ounces (without bobbin).

The second bobbin weights 5 ounces (with bobbin) and 3 ounces (without bobbin).

Total weight 10 1/8 ounces (with bobbin) 6 1/8 ounces (without bobbin).

Then I put the third bobbin on the wheel, now this bobbin isn't empty, so didn't start from scratch on this one, like I did with the second bobbin.

Anyways, I began spinning and only stopped now and then to get up and stretch, take sue-chi out, run a few errands, and cook dinner.  After dinner I was back at the spinning wheel again.  I finally stopped spinning around 6:50 pm and ended up with the bobbin being 3/4 full.

Today I start off finishing up the heel turn on the sock and going onto the gusset and instep and I hope to finish filling up the third bobbin and start plying up the 8th skein of white alpaca yarn.

 

 

 

 



Knitting needles clicking away bright and early, with a little spinning later on

What do you do when you can't sleep?  When I can't sleep, I head into the spinning room and start knitting and spinning.  Today was one of those mornings when I was in the spinning room bright and early, with the knitting needles clicking away.

I started off knitting on the Spinning Ginny Original - Handspun - Knitted - White - Alpaca - Adult Ladies Socks - Size 5.  I finished up the heel flap and heel turn, then started in on the gusset.

Then I changed over to knitting on the Spinning Ginny Original - Custom Ordered - Handspun - Knitted - Black - Alpaca - Infinity Scarf.

As you can see from this picture, the sun was up and shinning in through the window, when I put my knitting down, to go and eat breakfast.

Later I came back and picked up my knitting needles once again, but this time to start in knitting on the Spinning Ginny Original - Handspun - Knitted - Pink - Merino - Cabled - Hat.

I picked up all 68 stitches around and 17 rows knitted for the body of the hat.  I have 5 1/2 inches knitted from the bottom edge so far and need to knit another 1/2 inches, before I start decreasing for the crown.

Now I'm ready to head over to the spinning wheel to finish plying.

Wow, this morning has been truly productive.  I just finished plying up the 6th skein of white alpaca, from Bellagio's fleece.  Here's what my 3 bobbins look like now after plying up 2 skeins.

The first bobbin weights 3 3/8 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 1 3/8 ounces

The second bobbin weights 3 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 1 ounce

The third bobbin weights 3 1/4 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 1 1/4 ounces

Total weight is 1 3/8 + 1 + 1 1/4 = 4 5/8 ounces left to spin

Now if I subtract the 3 3/8 ounces, I started out with, from the total amount I have left after plying up the 6th skein, it would look something like this.

3 3/8 - 4 5/8 = 1 1/4 ounces is what I should have in the skein I just finished plying up.   Tomorrow is another day and I think, I just might ply up the 7th skein then.

Knitting and Spinning at Spinning Ginny's

Good Morning!  Lots of knitting and spinning going on here at Spinning Ginny.  I finished up the leg and started in on the heel flap, on the Spinning Ginny Original - Handspun - Knitted - White - Alpaca - Adult Ladies Socks - Size 5

I'm getting closer to finishing up this pair.  I'm really liking how the pattern is drawing in the leg of the sock, yet making it stretchy enough to keep it from sliding down on the leg and yet feel soft.  Also it draws in the top of the foot a little more so that it won't feel so loose and baggy (unless you like your sock to feel loose and baggy, like I do).

Then I picked up the Custom Ordered Spinning Ginny Original - Handspun - Knitted - Black - Alpaca - Infinity Scarf and started knitting away on it.

I've really got this pattern nailed down now, I don't even have to use my computer to look up my pattern.  I truly enjoy knitting this pattern, although there are times were I do make a mistake (especially, when I'm knitting with black yarn).  

After knitting on the first 2 projects, I turned my attention to my new Spinning Ginny Original - Handspun - Knitted - Pink - Merino - Cabled - Hat.  Now originally I saw a pattern similar to this, but the hat was knitted with commercial yarn and also on size 10 double pointed needles.  I really liked the pattern, but since I was going to be using some of my handspun yarn and size 5 double pointed needles (that's the size I know works with my handspun yarn).  I knew that I'd have to write up my own cable hat pattern.  So over the weekend, I figured out part of the pattern and wrote it down, then started in knitting on it.  Today though I finished up the cabled portion of it and now I'm starting in to pick up the stitches along one of the edges.  

  I'm liking how this hat is starting to look.  Hope you do too!

Once I got my knitting done for the day, it was time to head over to the spinning wheel and finish ply up the 5th skein of Handspun White Alpaca Yarn.

It didn't take long though to finish filling up this bobbin, so I immediately started winding it off this off onto my niddy noddy into skein.  Then I washed it and hung it to dry.  Then headed back to the spinning room, where I weighted each bobbin again.

The first bobbin weighted 4 1/2 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 2 1/2 ounces of spun singles

The second bobbin weighted 3 7/8 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 1 7/8 ounces of spun singles

The third bobbin weighted 4 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 2 ounces of spun singles

 Total weight is 2 1/2 + 1 7/8 + 2 = 6 3/8 ounces left to spin

Now if I subtract the 9 3/4 ounces, I started out with, from the total amount I have left after plying up the 5th skein, it would look something like this.

9 3/4 - 6 3/8 = 3 3/8 ounces

is what I should have in the skein I just finished plying up.  Now its time to start in plying up the 6th skein.

Its 5:00 pm so its time to close up the spinning room.  I'll be back tomorrow though to knit and spin some more.

 



1, 2, 3, full bobbins

Getting ready to ply!  Before I start though, here a bit of info

This first bobbin weights 5 3/4 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 3 3/4 ounces

The second bobbin (on the left) weights 4 7/8 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 2 7/8 ounces

The third bobbin (far left) weights 5 1/8 ounces (with bobbin) - 2 ounces (for bobbin) = 3 1/8 ounces

Total weight is 3 3/4 + 2 7/8 + 3 1/8 = 9 3/4 ounces

Now to begin plying!



Plying up the Fourth Skein

Last Friday morning I washed up the third skein of 3 ply white alpaca yarn and while it was soaking, I started in plying up the fourth skein.

After fifteen minutes of plying, I stopped to go and remove the third skein from the soapy water and hang it to dry.  Then it was back to the spinning wheel to finish plying up the fourth skein.  Two hours later I had another full bobbin of 3 ply white alpaca yarn (my fourth skein of yarn from Bellagio's fleece)

Then I proceeded to wind this off onto my niddy noddy and then wash and hang it to dry.  Now I was left with residual singles on 3 bobbins.  I wanted to see just how much was left on each bobbin again (like I did after I finished the first 2 skeins), so I weighted each one and here's what I got.

3 1/8 ounces (first bobbin) - 2 ounces = 1 1/8 ounces

2 5/8 ounces (second bobbin) - 2 ounces =  5/8 ounces

2 7/8 ounces (third bobbin) - 2 ounces =  7/8 ounces

1 1/8 +  5/8 +  7/8 = 2 5/8 ounces of spun single ply yarn.

 

Then I removed the empty bobbin and replaced it with the first partially filled bobbin.  Then I carried my spinning wheel and fiber downstairs to the car so that I could load the car up Saturday morning for the last day of the Farmers Market.

Then I started in knitting again on Custom Ordered - Handspun - Knitted - White - Alpaca - Adult Ladies Socks - Size 6.  I finished up the leg, heel flap, heel turn, and gusset.

Saturday at the Farmers Market, I made my last 2 sales of the market season.  Now its time to finish up custom orders (1 1/2 pairs of socks, 2 infinity scarves, 1 hat), and knit up Christmas presents.  Then start in on spinning up yarn, knitting up items, and weaving up items for my store. 

 

 

 

 

 



Another bobbin refilled and............

Well, I did it!  Yesterday I finished refilling the third bobbin.

So after removing that bobbin from my spinning wheel and replacing it with an empty one, I went and reweighted the first and second bobbin (as I forgot what they weighted).  Then I weighted the third bobbin and here's what I got.

5 1/4 ounces (first bobbin) - 2 ounces = 3 1/4 ounces

4 1/2 ounces (second bobbin) - 2 ounces = 2 1/2 ounces

4 7/8 ounces (third bobbin) - 2 ounces = 2 7/8 ounces

3 1/4 + 2 1/2 + 2 7/8 = 8 5/8 ounces of spun single ply yarn.

Now I was ready to begin plying.

Which I did shortly after that.  Two hours later I had this full bobbin of handspun 3 ply white alpaca yarn ( my third skein of yarn from Bellagio's fleece)

 

Today this skein is going to be washed and a fourth skein plied up.  Last night I ordered the pink dye to dyed this yarn for my customers daughters socks, it will arrive next week sometime and then I'll dye up this yarn, wait for it to dry and then start in knitting on another pair of custom ordered - handspun - knitted - dyed - pink - alpaca - adult ladies socks - size 7

 

 

 



A days worth of spinning and knitting

I spent the morning catching up on my ironing yesterday, then headed off to the spinning room to have some spinning fun.  I finished refilling the second bobbin, with more of Bellagio's creamy white fleece.

 

In Monday's blog I mentioned that the first bobbin was 5 1/4 ounces with bobbin and 3 1/4 ounces with out the bobbin.  The second bobbin now weights 4 1/2  ounces with bobbin and 2 1/2 ounces, so between these 2 bobbins, I have 5 3/4 ounces spun so far.

So after refilling the second bobbin, I started in refilling the third bobbin

I didn't get a lot spun up, before having to go and cook dinner, but I'll be back at the spinning wheel again tomorrow. 

After supper I sat down and knitted some more on the first pair of custom ordered white alpaca adult ladies socks size 6.  I finished the cuff, leg, heel flap, heel turn and gusset and only have a few more rows left to knit on the instep before starting to take off for the toes.

Not a bad days worth of spinning and knitting!



A Time to Ply and then beginning the process all over again

Friday I finished filling the third bobbin with Bellagio's creamy white alpaca fleece.  This bobbin weighted with 4 5/8 ounces when I finished filling it.  However, if you subtract the 2 ounces that the bobbin weights by itself, there's really only 2 5/8 ounces of spun yarn.

Once I had the third bobbin filled, I removed it and placed it on my homemade lazy kate.  These three bobbin together were 14 5/8 ounces with bobbins included.  When I subtracted the bobbins from this I came up with 8 5/8 of spun single creamy white alpaca.

Then I started in beginning to ply up my first skein of creamy white alpaca yarn from Bellagio's fleece.

I stayed up in my spinning room until I finished plying up the first skein.

I weight this full skein of 3 ply yarn and it weight 5 1/4 ounces, with the bobbins weight of 2 ounces subtracted from it, I ended up with 3 1/4 ounces of 3 ply creamy white alpaca yarn from Bellagio's fleece.

Saturday at the Farmers Market, I plied up a second skein of 3 ply yarn and 3 hours and frozen beet red fingers, I packed everything up and headed home.  Once home and after I had unloaded my car and put everything away, I took this picture of another bobbin of handspun 3 ply creamy white alpaca yarn.

Before I started plying up the second skein of 3 ply yarn, I weighted all 3 skeins and I had 3 3/8 ounces left on all three bobbins.  Then I took this picture of the 3 bobbins with yarn still on them, and weighted them to see just how many ounces I had left on them after plying up 2 skeins of 3 ply yarn.

There just happens to be 2 5/8 ounces left between these 3 bobbins. (left to right) First bobbin 5/8 ounces, second bobbin 7/8 ounces, third bobbin 1 1/8 ounces. 

Sunday I refilled the first bobbin again and then weighted it.

  It weighted 5 1/4 ounces with the weight of the bobbin, minus the weight of the bobbin it weighted 3 1/4 ounces.  Then I started in refilling the second bobbin.

 

Then I decided to stop and wash up the 2 skeins of 3 ply creamy white alpaca yarn, that I plied up on Friday and Saturday.  Once those were washed and hung to dry it was time to get ready for bed.

 

 



Pass the Alpaca fiber please

Good Morning Everyone!  Please pass the Alpaca fiber, its time to spin up some more yarn.  I've just oiled my wheel and I'm ready to start spinning, where I left off yesterday.

I just about have this second bobbin filled, with "Bellagio's" white alpaca fleece.  I've already emptied 1 bucket and I'm about 1/4 of the way through a second bucket.

I was curious the other day, as to just how many ounces I had spun up on the first bobbin.  So I pulled out an empty bobbin (the bobbin wasn't completely empty as it had a leader ont it) and weighted it,...it weighted exactly 2 ounces.  Then I weighted the first bobbin and with it being full and all, it weighted 5 1/8 ounces.  I then subtracted 2 ounces from the 5 1/8 ounces and came up with 3 1/8 ounces of spun single white alpaca yarn.  Its going to be interesting as to just how much this second bobbin will weight when its full, not to mention the third bobbin.  I'll keep you posted though!