The Weekly Wool

I’ve decided to start a new little blog series about my adventures in wool during the week. No specific parameters, just what I’m doing, learning, enjoying, and without pressure to produce a specific finished result. As much as I enjoy structure and routine, I sometimes need the space for whimsy. The Weekly Wool is essentially a diary of my playtime with wool.

This week I received a new spindle in the mail from The Spindle Shop in Queensland, Australia and let me tell you, it is a beauty! It is made from a variety of beautiful woods and is smooth as silk. It also spins like a top!

Of course, I need to create a fun fibre batt to get acquainted with the new spindle so I went through my fibre stash and settled on a blend of locally grown Icelandic, a bit of Corriedale, some lovely dyed Shetland from Good Fibrations, some Cheviot, a smattering of sari silk, and just a little sprinkling of angelina. I’m pretty happy with the finished batt and it is spinning up with a wonderful texture. I’ve set aside half of the batt as I feel this really wants to be a two ply handspun.

Another bit of fun I’ve been having is skirting and washing some local fleece. Usually, I just skirt and wash enough to serve my immediate needs but this time I decided to complete a whole fleece. Part of the decision to prep more is the fact that I am now the proud owner of both a box wool picker and a hand crank drum carder. This should make processing a bit easier for me. Also, the weather was fabulous and I was able to skirt outside and, once the wool was washed, lay it out to dry in the sun. Truth be told, I’ll probably skirt and wash another fleece this afternoon 😉

And lastly, not related to wool at all, my chamomile is in full on bloom. I love these happy little flowers and very much enjoy making tea from them.

I hope today that you find a little time savour and enjoy the things that bring you happiness and joy as well.