Spinning the 100 gms of fleece

I've started spinning the 100 gms of combed fleece - well it's more like 130 gms as there were some combed nests lying around already.
Using the 9:1 ration on Ashford Traveller wheel and backward draw, I'm aiming for a bouncy Aran weight yarn with 2 plies.
I'll probably dye this one an blue-green and make another hat.

I aim to follow this yarns progress to finished item in this blog - well, we'll see.

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Wollywormead's hat workshop

Attended wollywormhead's (aka Ruth)  hat workshop in This Is Knit in Powerscourt Townhouse center Saturday last (July 20th).
Although it was a very very hot venue given the sunny day, it was really enjoyable and started the mind working on the structure of a knitted hat, its fittings, shapes and the maths involved. She gave us a useful written handout too. In the center of the table she had placed many of her own hat creatings - showing several of the interesting and different styles that can be made by varying stitch nunbers, patterns and colors.
I bought 100 gms of Aran weight Malabrigo Rios Lotus yarn from TIK - a nice merino-silk blend. However, being variegated, it doesn't lend itself to much stitch patterning so I decided to make a benay style with just a subtle pattern for some added texture and structure - and mostly to help me learn about shaping hats.

I have a big head! measured 23.5 " around from forehead to occiput. Must say the hat feels very nice - look forward to wearing it next winter.

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A trip to Doonis with the IWT

The Irish Wildlife Trust had a Creepy Crawley walk Sunday last -  21st July.
They had placed moth traps the previous evening and there was an amazing bounty in each of the two boxes the next day1 I saw moths I'd never seen before - didn't even know they existed.
The most striking were the Tiger moths - of which there were 28 + - very striking black and white wing markings over a bright orange back - and the Poplars - very large and complex - with no mouths at all!

We also walked around by the lake and on the raised bog.
It was a very pleasant outing indeed.

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Bog cotton

Ya caint spinn Bog Cotton! Grrr - picked a lot and tried - not 'cos its a short fiber, its 'cos it's too fragile.

Pity, it's such a beauty:

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Longford ICA Craft day

Went to the Longford ICA Craft day in the Temperence hall in the town last Saturday.
A very good display and I enjoyed the morning demoing my spinning on my wheel, Ashling.

Here's a link to their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/LongfordFederationICA?fref=ts

My photo os in their Album - as usual, I ooh like the hag fro hell in most of them, but, what the heck :).


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Huddie's new friend

Huddie (the ASBO Dog red border collie) had a great time earlier this year when he visited with Bobbie who lives right on Lough Ree, Westmeath. They had a ball together.

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