I Suppose You Want Details

I've been digesting my SOAR experience for a few days now and some thoughts are milling about in my mind.

But first, the obligatory photos.

The Delaware Water Gap from Cheryl's and my room.

A couple of photos of Abby Franquemont's Spinning for a Purpose workshop.

Marcy hard at work on her Alden Amos wheel, for once.

Deb Menz's table o' colors, with close-ups. Anybody want to join me in a dyeing spree?

Now for what I accomplished. On the third day of Abby's workshop, she asked us to choose a project to spin for, and to start making samples for that project. I thought about spinning Romney top for an Irish fisherman's sweater, but decided to kick-start my weaving by spinning for a woven shawl. After several tries at devising a makeshift loom, I finally produced this:

That's Spunky Eclectic BFL, in the colorway Thunderstorm, spun two-ply for the warp and most of the weft. The purple stripes in the weft are three-ply, just as an experiment. The woven part of this sample measures a grand 1 by 3 inches. I had wanted this to be a relatively balanced weave (meaning both the warp and weft would be visible), but this ended up being very weft-faced - and I love it that way! This is such a great fabric - drapey, but not too much, soft and warm, but not too much; just wonderful fabric. Then I knit up a 3-ply version into the swatch on the left in the first photo - very, very, very nice (aside from my wonky plying giving an odd slant here and there). I want a simple cardigan from this.

In Deb Menz' s retreat session, I spun five of the little poofs of dyed merino top shown above, and plied them with one strand of the pastel, multi-colored top on the bobbin below, to get five very different, but related skeins. Interesting, yes?

In Sara Lamb's retreat session, I dyed this raw silk warp. OK but not thrilling, at least to me.

Finally, remember how in my last post, I was planning to start a Mason-Dixon rug? Well, forget it; my stash wasn't suitable. Instead, I started this.

That is Manos and Elann Peruvian Sierra Aran (the solid dark red), beginning to be a throw, or wrap, or big swatch.

A few days later:

I don't know how this will turn out; stay tuned. (No, it will not be finished for Rhinebeck!)

Randomisms: As we were driving home, we saw the replica of Henry Hudson's ship migrating south along the Hudson River to New York City to spend the winter. Square sails, dark hull, high forward and sternwards, just like a pirate ship. Cheryl quickly looked up "old ship Hudson" or some such on her iPhone and was able to tell us all the details immediately. I think I may have to abandon my Ludditeness and get me an iPhone.

Beth's sparkly shoes. Pretty!

Good company:

Janel. No, she's not being obscene:

Well, it's taken me three days of moments snatched from work, sleep, bills, laundry, etc., to get this post cobbled together and I have to pack for Rhinebeck tonight, so you're not getting any thoughts as promised way back at the beginning of this meandering. Maybe after Rhinebeck...That Sue and I are zooming out there Friday night, by the way. That Sue has decided she doesn't want to knit any more, so we all need to gang up on her, OK?