Spinning Ginny Spins up new Handspun Yarn

This past week I've been very busy spinning up new handspun yarn for both my website and

my Etsy store. Earlier this week I posted about my Begonia Garden Merino, Harvest/Ruby Twist Merino and Teal/Tartan Twist Merino.

Now I'd like you to meet 4 newly handspun skeins. The first is my Navy/Olive Twist Merino. I took 2 singles of Navy and Olive Merino and spun them together to make this beautiful new wool yarn. This yarn is 2 3/8 oz, 64 grams, and 286 yards.

My second skein is my Maroon/Lavendery Twist Merino. I took 2 singles of Maroon and Lavender Merino and spun them together to make this gorgeous new wool yarn. This yarn is 2 oz, 58 grams, and 209.5 yards.

My third skein is my Navy/Pewter Twist Merino. Here I took 2 singles of Navy and Pewter Merino and spun them together to come up with this pretty new wool yarn. This yarn is 2 3/8 oz, 64 grams, and 220 yards.

For my forth and last skein is my Pink Peach/Passion Twist Merino. Here again I took 2 singles of Pink Peach and Passion Merino and spun them together to come up with this lovely new wool yarn. This yarn is 1 7/8 oz, 54 grams, and 192.5 yards.

The total of newly Handspun Yarn that is now listed on both my website http://www.spinningginny.com/ and on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Spinningginnys is 7 new skeins. I hope to add more new skeins sometime in the future. Hope you enjoy these new skeins as much as I enjoyed spinning them up.

Thank you,

Ginny

2 Newly Handspun Yarns

This past Tuesday I took two singles of Harvest Merino and Ruby Twist Merino and spun them together to come up with this new yarn. I then washed it and hung it to dry.

On Wednesday morning I took the Harvest/Ruby Twist Merino (as I call it) and rewound it to get the right yardage.

This yarn came out to having 197.5 yards and is 58 grams. I have added it to my website as well as on Etsy.

Later Wednesday morning I sat down at my spinning wheel with two more singles of Teal Merino and Tartan Merino. I then spun them together to come up with this new yarn. I then washed it and hung it to dry.

This morning I finally took the Teal/Tartan Twist Merino (as I call it) and rewound it to get the right yardage.

This yarn came out to have 247 yards and is 58 grams. I have added it to my website and Etsy as well.

I hope to add a few more newly handspun yarns to both sites soon.

New Handspun Yarn

Begonia Morning Dew Merino
Originally uploaded by virginiasaccurso@yahoo.com

Yesterday I was sitting in my spinning room looking at half filled bobbins of Merino singles. I got an idea and picked two bobbins one half filled with Begonia Merino and the other half full with Morning Dew Merino. I started plying them together and this was what I came up with.

After asking a few friends on Ravelry what kind of name I should give it. They all gave me lots and lots of ideas but, the main theme was that it should have something to do with a Garden. So the name of this yarn is "Begonia Garden".

This yarn is a 2 ply yarn and has 238 yards and is 62 grams. Its a one of a kind yarn.

Busy Week Ahead

Well, yesterday started off a busy week here at Spinning Ginny's. I started it off with making 6 new bars of Yellow Lemon Goats Milk Soap. Then I felted a new purse that I had finished on Saturday. Loaded pictures on my computer of my Pink/Peach Diamond Handwarmers, Pine Merino Scarf, and Felted Purse with Clutch Handles. Then I wrote about each of these in my blog.

Today I need to knit on a new pair of socks that I started on last night. Then I need to wrap up my new soaps (that I made yesterday) and label them. I will also be spinning today on my drop spindle. I have the 4th batt almost spun up and need to spin up the 5th and last batt before taking it off and winding it up on my niddy noddy into a skein to be washed.

Wednesday, I will be carding up some new batts, spinning wool, and knitting on socks.

Thursday, I'm taking the morning off to take 2 of my dogs into the vet for their yearly shots. Then when I get back home its back to spinning and knitting.

Friday, and Saturday I will be spinning and knitting too. So you can see why I am saying that its going to be a busy week ahead.

Felted Purse with clutch handles

After finishing up the Pine Reversible Scarf, I wanted to knit something different, that would allow me to use up leftover yarn. So I went looking through patterns on Ravelry and came across a pattern for a Felted Purse with Clutch Handles. I thought it was was very cute and thought I'd give it a try, using some of my leftover handspun yarns.

I pulled out my size 10 circular knitting needles and rewound some left over handspun Pine Merino and White Blueface Leicester wool. I then started casting on with the White Blueface Leicester yarn first for the handle portion of the purse. After finishing the white portion of the front side of the purse I changed over to my Pine Merino and continued following the pattern, decreasing where needed for shaping of the purse. When all the decreases had been made for the front side, I knitted with no decreases for a few rows for the bottom of the purse. Then I started up the back side with some increases where needed for shaping. When I finished all the rows that were needed for the Pine Merino, I changed back over to my White Blueface Leicester and started shaping the handle for the backside of the purse. Once I finished that I sew it up and then placed it in my washing machine with some very hot water to felt it. I had to wash it twice to get it to felt to the right size I wanted. Then I sewed a snap to the inside and added a few embroidered flowers to decorate it up a tiny bit.

I had a lot of fun making this purse and will probably knit up a few more.

Pine Merino Reversible Scarf

On February 15, 2010 I started knitting up this Reversible Scarf. I started it late in the evening, so only knitted up 1 inch of it that night. The next morning I picked up the scarf and started in knitting on it and managed to memorize the pattern so didn't have to look at my computer copy of the pattern.

I used a size 10 circular needle as I didn't have any straight size 10 needles in the house. When I first started knitting on this scarf I was using a size 8 but the gauge wasn't coming out right and so I went up in needle size. After 3 days and 1 hour of knitting I finished this scarf. Its a very fast knit, But I had lots of interruptions, dispite the fact that my children are all grown up. LOL

Anyway's after finishing this scar I noticed when measuring it for the length and width, that the width wasn't 5 inches wide like the pattern called for. Instead its about 4 inches wide. Oh well, guess my 2 ply handspun yarn is much thinner then the yarn that the pattern called for. Still the scarf turned out pretty. Its very soft and definitely will keep you warm. I also knit tight despite the size needles I'm using so maybe that had some to do with the width as well.

Knitting 4 myself first in 2010 (Third Project)

When I decided to knit some items up for myself this year, a pair of handwarmers was one of the items. I had just recently knitted up a pair of handwarmers for a customer and really liked how they come out. So I thought I'd make myself a pair and went looking for a new handwarmer pattern. I came across this pattern on Ravelry and thought it was really cute. I pulled out some of my left over handspun pink peach merino yarn and started knitting. I had to adjust the pattern to the 52 stitches I was casting on and that took a little extra time. However, once I finished knitting up the handwarmer for the left hand, I didn't have to much to adjust too much for the right hand. The diamond is a little off center on the right hand but not by much.

Since knitting them up, I've worn them several times and the keep my hands very warm. I now have 3 new items I've knit for myself this year and I am loving all my new items. I'm wearing my socks right now and wear my hat and handwarmers everytime we go out.

http://www.simplysockyarn.typepad.com/

SSYC February Kal Finished

Finished these socks last Friday night. I took the picture Saturday morning but didn't get around to loading the picture onto my computer until today.

The picture has the socks looking more blueish, but they are really purple/blue in color. I enjoyed knitting these socks from my book "Socks from the Toe-Up" by Wendy Johnson. I've actually knitted several socks from this book since September when I bought the book.

I knitted these socks using Alchemy Juniper Rio Sock Yarn that I bought from SSYC I think back in November or December (I can't remember which month now). I love knitting with this yarn and the socks come out really soft. I knitted these socks for my website, they are also listed on etsy. They were knitted to fit a Size 9 1/2 Adult Lady.

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fans-of-simply-socks-yarn-company

Spinning Day in Phillipston, MA

This morning I went to Phillipston, MA to Sugar Hollow Farms to fix Lauren's Spinning wheel. I replaced the leather graumet that she had attached to the peddle of her spinning wheel and the leg that helps move the wheel. I put a new rubber graumet in and screwed it in place. The peddle now moves the wheel around continuously like it should for spinning. I tried spinning up some of her newly carded raw fleece and was able to get it to work. I then handed it over to Lauren to let her have a try at spinning.

Lauren found that the fleece is still rather sticky from still having a lot of lanolin in it and she was having trouble getting the yarn to wind onto the bobbin. She's going to try washing the fleece that she hasn't carded yet again, to see if that will help. Then she'll email me and we'll sit up another spinning day.

Now that I'm home I'm going to spin up some more of my Irish Spring Delight, as I'm now in the middle of my third batt being spun on my drop spindle. My drop spindle is getting quite full now and I still have 2 more batts to spin up. I hope to get this spun up before the end of the month so's that I can start knitting with it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my customers and family members.

Today my heart goes out to all of you, to spread love and cheer. May you be blessed with lots of Valentine's from all those that love you very much.

Many Valentine's Day wishes,
from Spinning Ginny's

Having way to much fun with my drum carder

This all started back in December when I started playing around with some Cinnabar Merino and some Superfine White Merino. I wanted to card up something that would be kind of Valentine's DaySo I began placing strips of red and white in my drum carder and would card it together. It came out looking like this. I think I ended up carding 4 batts, which I spun up on my drop spindle.

Anyway's after I had spun up my newly carded batts of "My Hearts Delight". I then had to play around some more on my drum carder. This time I placed Kelly Green and the Superfine White Merino into my drum carder. This what I came up with.

This is my "Irish Spring Delight". Now with my drop spindle empty of the "My Hearts Delight" yarn I have started spinning up some of the "Irish Spring Delight". This is yarn is turning out nicely too, just like the previous batt did.

Now that I'm spinning up my "Irish Spring Delight", I wanted to card up some new batts as well, to add to my Etsy shop and onto my http://www.spinningginny.com/ website. So I carded up some more of the "My Hearts Delight", "Irish Spring Delight". Then I started playing around with more fibers and came up with 3 other batts.

These batts are "Ribbon Delight"(top picture) "Garden Delight" (middle picture) and "Springtime Medley" (bottom Picture)

Right now I have 2 batts of each listed on Etsy and on my website as well. I will be carding up more of these batts. Its just too much fun blending different colors together.

In the beginning...............

back in December I was playing around with my Drum Carder carding up some Superfine White Merino and blending it with some Cinnabar Merino for my new carded batts of "My Hearts Delight". I thought this would make some great Valentines Yarn. Anyway's after I had card this up an Idea popped into my head for Saint Patricks Day.

So I began carding up some Superfine White Merino and blending it with some Kelly Green Merino. I came up with this carded batt "Irish Spring Delight". I continued carding up more batts (5 batts originally), to spin on my drop spindle. Then I came up with another idea about carding up some more to add to my Esty store and my http://www.spinningginny.com/ website. I was just having too much fun with this carding!

Finally though, I stopped carding and listed a couple of the batts on Esty and my website. Then I started in spinning on my drop spindle with one of the batts. So far I have spun up 1 1/2 batts on my drop spindle and this is what the yarn looks like so far. I like how its turning out so far, with some of the green spinning up dark, some medium, some light and some striping with the superfine white merino, and then a little solid superfine white merino.

This will make a great knitting project once I'm finished spinning it all up. I haven't decided as to what the project might or will be yet. I'm still in the thinking process right now. However, I am thinking Saint Patricks so maybe......something like socks, scarves, handwarmers, purse, or a hat. Just some thoughts though!

Spinning Day in Phillipston, MA

This Morning I brought my drum carder downstairs to load into the car. I also loaded my spinning bag (which contained my drop spindle and carded batt). I also brought along a couple of books on spinning, as well as a drop spindle. This was brought just in case the lady I was going to teach how to spin would like to learn how to use a drop spindle as well.

Lauren (the lady who's house I was going to), had mentioned coming around 11:00 am. So I didn't have to load up the car until around 10:00 am, and I knew that wouldn't take long to do either. In the meantime I went around the house straightening up hear and there. Then at 10:00 I loaded up the car, backed it out to warm up and then went back into the house to put the dogs into their kennels. I then grabed my hat, coat, purse and cell phone and headed out to the car. Once in the car I realized I'd forgotten the directions on the counter so had to get back out of the car and go back into the house to get them off the kitchen counter. Okay I now had my head on straight. LOL

Then I got back into the car closed the garage door and backed out of the driveway and headed out to route 202. Route 202 took me into Baldwinville MA and Templeton MA from there I had to follow the direction to get to Lauren's farm "Sugar Hollow Farm". The directions were pretty direct and I didn't have any trouble findin her house. Once there I parked my car and grabed my drum carder and spinning bag.

Once in Lauren's house, we set up the drum carder on the table (in the kitchen) and brought her spinning wheel in there as well. She then went out to her barn to get a bucket of fleece that we were going to card on the drum carder. When she came back in with the bucket of fleece, we went to work looking at her spinning wheel. Lauren has been having trouble trying to get the wool to draw in through the mother-of-all and wind onto the bobbin.

It took me a little while, but I think I found the main problem. There's a con rod joint missing, that helps connect the peddle to the wheel, to make the wheel turn. Lauren told me that it broke and someone mentioned to her about putting a leather joint there. Well, her leather joint was too long and there for the peddle would only alow the wheel to make a half turn. If you really wanted to spin you could just turn the wheel with one hand but you'd not get a lot of spinning done. Anyway's I remembered having a maintenance kit at my house that still had everything in it to fix her spinning wheel. I told her I'd bring it with me the next time I came.

So we started carding up some of her wool before we had lunch. Lauren had prepared some homemade Chicken noodle soup with some homemade bread. Mmmmmmmmmmmm, this was very delicious! After lunch I showed the my drop spindle and carded batt of Irish Spring Delight I was spinning up. She was really interested in learn how to use a drop spindle so I pulled out the one I brought to teach her on if she so desired. She learned pretty fast too! She liked the drop spinning so much that she bought the drop spindle from me, so's she could continue her spinning.

We've already set up another spinning day for next Monday morning. Hopefully the maintenance kit that I found in my spinning room will fix her spinning wheel so's she can learn how to spin on that as well. I will do my best to fix it and teach her how to spin on it.

SSYC February Kal (continued)

Today I was able to get the first pattern repeat finished on these socks. The pattern repeats are fairly easy to follow, but I can't memorize the pattern for these socks like I usually can on other socks. I find that I have to place a piece of paper over the pattern and move it up as I finish each row. This way I don't make a mistake and either repeat the last row knitted or skip a row. Then if I put my knitting down for any length of time I have to write down the row I'm working on. I do place markers at the end of the 24 row pattern repeat. This helps a lot so as to know were the repeat ends and the new repeat begins.

I am finding though that I still like this pattern dispite all these time consuming problems. I find that once I get into the groove I do move really fast with the pattern. I can't wait to see the whole sock finished though. Hopefully next time I post I'll have this first sock finished and the second one started. The picture here makes the yarn look more blue when the yarn has a purple/blue color to it. Oh well, maybe I need to work on my picture taking a little more. LOL

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fans-of-simply-socks-yarn-company

Winter Sky Merino Zig Zag Scarf

I finished this scarf this afternoon. I am so glad that I made the scarf wider then the pattern called for. I think it really gives the scarf some demension. Although, this scarf isn't as long as the pattern says to knit it (72 inches). My scarf is actually 57 inches long, and is 30 stitches wide. This scarf is very stretchy, soft and warm. I knit this scarf using some of my Handspun Winter Sky Merino Yarn. I love this pattern and will definitely knit it again and maybe with some Crystal Place yarn in the future.

SSYC February Kal

This morning I cast on for the SSYC February Kal around 9:00 am. I am using Alchemy Juniper Rio colorway. I bought this yarn last month from SSYC, but at the time I wasn't sure what sock pattern I'd use it for, or when I would be knitting with it. Then I came across the SSYC group on Ravelry and saw that they were talking about knitting some socks as a kal starting on February 1st. So I went to looking for a sock pattern and came across Ribbed Ribbons Socks from the book Socks From The Toe Up by Wendy Johnson.

Then this morning I started casting on using my Alchemy Juniper Rio colorway. I'm using my size 1 circular knitting needles and Judy's Magic cast on, to knit these socks. So far I'm enjoying knitting up this pattern and like the way its looking as well. I will post pictures, when I have more knitted up to show off the pattern.

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fans-of-simply-socks-yarn-company

Knitting 4 myself first in 2010 (continued)

This year I decided to knit a few items for myself. The first thing on my list was a pair of socks, to help keep my feet warm when the temperature get down in the teens. The next item on my list of things to knit for myself was a hat. So I pulled out some Pink/Peach Merino, that I spun up a while ago and wound it up into a center pull ball. Then I went onto Ravelry and looked up a hat pattern. I found this pattern called Painted Forest Ribbed Hat by Sarah Keller. I know its just a simple basic hat, but I thought it would be cute with my Handspun Pink/Peach Merino Yarn. So I started casting on using the larger number of stitches (52 sts) instead of the small number of stitches (48 sts), to make sure that it would fit my head. I know that ribbing stretches but I still want to make sure that it would fit. I was right to use the larger amount of stitches. The pattern said to knit in the k2, p2 pattern for 24 rows or until it measured 7 inches. Well, after knitting 24 rows I didn't have the 7 inches so I continued with the pattern until I had the 7 inches. Then when I had the 7 inches I started following the pattern to start the decrease. I like how the decrease was done on this pattern to keep the ribbing pattern insinc. After I finished this hat I washed it in luke warm soapy water and then rinsed it in cold water and rolled it up in a towel to absorb the water. Then I placed it on my styrofoam head to block and dry. I've already worn it several times already and love it. Its so nice to treat myself every now and then.

http://www.simplysockyarn.typepad.com/