It's Safe to Go Inside

Aha! Take that, TwistyKitty! It is overcast today. Dismal. Truly stay-indoors-and-revel-in-fiber weather! So that's what I'm doing. After Two Days stuck Outside in the Beautiful, Warm-and-Sunny Summer that is my Backyard --pity me, dear readers-- I once again feel justified in staying inside to work on my blog, organize my stash, and play with my wheel. Just joshin' about how terrible it was to have nice weather; it's been spectacular, and I loved it. Living on the North Coast, one never takes a nice day for granted. But today is nice in a different way.

Spent some time the last two days outside spinning in the sun. Such a tactile extravaganza, what with the warm rays on my skin and the fiber sliding through my fingers. Nothing better. Working on this blue and green single. Planning to make a hat for my friend Boomer out of the finished yarn.




He made me this mini basket last year (for scale, note that the basket is made from a sink drain/stopper), and I told him I'd make him a custy hat to fit his lumpy head in return. I've been promising him now f.o.r.e.v.e.r.



In other fiber news, has anyone heard of or even used Eco2cotton? It's a post-industrial (i.e. a pre-consumer) recycled product, both yarn and fiber, made from the scrap cotton left over from the t-shirt manufacturing process. Keeps t-shirt "waste" out of landfills. The press release from Jimtex Yarns is here, and a short article on it is here (scroll down a bit to read it). Sounds similar to the recycled polyester Patagonia makes from soda bottles and old fleece jackets. These add to the recycled sari silk fiber and yarn we all know and love, and the new banana stem yarn; there's even yarn made from nettles! Hopefully, recycled fiber will become more commonly available at the retail level. I for one would love to see more of these fibers available to handspinners. (Kudos to Modbuster for sending me the Eco2cotton link).

Finally, the mailman (yes, mailman, Tom) just arrived with a bunch of goodies scored on eBay recently. Some knitting patterns; I'm especially excited about the Asian couple and strongman dolls. I want to make them for my best friend's daughter, Sophie. And 8oz. of Border Leicester carded batts to spin.



































Tags: disc golf knitting spinning fiber handspun velma summer weather blogging