Better than the Book

Usually when I read a book first, then watch the movie, I'm disappointed. Sometimes I'm pleased and think it's almost as good as the movie, but this weekend I watched a movie, that although not exactly faithful to the book it was taken from, was way better than the book! "How to Train Your Dragon" was cute and funny and Toothless was by far my favorite character - he reminded me of my cat Mia!


I'd read the book a while back when my son's teacher was reading it to his class - I like to know what's going into my kid's heads. And although I didn't have any objections to the book, I could see why it appeals to 8 year olds. But the movie was fun! Even G, who usually cringes when I suggest we take the family to an animated movie liked it - said it was better than Shrek!

On the fibre front, I finished up the singles from the "Harlequin Girl" Batts over the weekend and plyed them last night. It is very soft, which surprised me - I expected the firestar to make it a bit scratchier, but it's wonderfully soft.




250 yds fingering weight 3 ply.

Something Pink

With empty bobbins for my wheel, I began stash diving and came up with 3 batts from Knitty and Color. These three art batts total 4oz of merino, mill ends and firestar in the color "Harlequin Girl".

To spin, I open up the batt and rip strips off it. Each strip gets rolled into a little knot and then predrafted before I spin it.

Batt

Knot


Unrolled Batt (with batt and knot to show scale)


Predrafted Knot (this is the same knot from above)

One batt's worth on my bobbin.

Two more bobbins to go, and then plying!

I've been Spinning...

I'm not really sure why, but I have not been spinning much - maybe my brain thinks winter=knitting, spring=spinning? But last week I spun up the singles from a lovely braid of Romney wool roving from Feeling Sheepish in all sorts of blues - her "Magpie" colorway.





I finished plying them on Monday. I was a bit worried that I had overlplied the singles, but after a wash and thwack, the yarn was perfectly balanced.




I'm very pleased with how this turned out. I have approximately 210 yards of worsted weight 3 ply.

New Purchase - treating myself for the year

I've been saving for a new wheel. Not that I don't love my very old second (maybe even third or fourth) hand Ashford Traditional, but it's only got one speed and I hear all these neat things about ratios and wheels with greaseless bearings and smooth pedal action that I really think would make my spinning more fun. Don't get me wrong, my dear Ashford Traditional, I love the dead spot you have at the top of your wheel that I makes me have to pedal quickly to keep you from stopping and that if I want to make a high twist yarn that I have to pedal like a hamster on speed in his exercise wheel. But a new wheel would be nice. However, I kind of blew a hole in my savings this past week by purchasing the Sushi Club from Natchwoolie. Why Sushi? Because it's raw fiber from the animals Brenda raises.



Here's the description from the Etsy listing

"Make It RAW" receive 4 ounces of a different color or type of raw fiber or fleece each month of the year. We raise all kinds of fiber bearers....alpacas, llamas, cotswold, shetland and merino sheep, angora goats and angora rabbits in many different colors so you never know what you might get. It will be lots of fun when you get your fluff.

This is for raw fiber right of the animal and is not scoured or washed.

I'm so excited! I need more fluff in my stash like an extra ear, but I can't wait for my first shipment to arrive! and the second... third... excitement all year!!!