Beginning of February... status check...

Well, here we are. 1/12th of the year has passed already. Not quite 3 months to go before the big move.

I've had a busy fiber week. The number of projects I'm working on has peaked, and I love the productive feeling it gives me to move from task to task. Also, it's nice to be able to choose from several projects according to my current mood.

The granny square afghan is proceeding well. I like making these. Took this picture yesterday morning and I have since made 4 or 5 more squares. It's looking like 200 squares will be needed, but perhaps only 150 or 180 will work too. Will have to see once I start connecting the squares.

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The silk hankies I purchased at last fall's NY Sheep & Wool festival are now making their way on to my spindle. I started drafting the hankies and giving them a spin last evening. Such a riot of shimmery color. I can't wait to see what the plied yarn will look like--it'll be 2-ply. These hankies are a snap to spin, all the drafting is done before hand so at the spindle the task is simply one of adding twist. Plus, drafting the hankies is therapeutic: tear, pull apart, tug, stretch, elongate, repeat.

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I'm practicing on the Charkha and I'm thrilled by the results. It is so much easier to spin cotton on this clever wheel than it is on a tahkli (supported spindle).

As I was practicing earlier this week it occurred to me I never wrote up my experience with the kick wheel I purchased last summer. I have to admit being a little disappointed on my first attempts with it. Keeping the wheel in motion seemed quite the labor and it felt--well--just too awkward. So it sat on the floor for several months. New techniques sometimes need this incubation period. In the meantime I was thinking it was best suited for heavy weight yarn. Perhaps.

I took it out again recently to give it another whirl and it started to click, I started to "get it". For me it works best with the spindle pointing left so I can flick the wheel with my foot by simply swinging my leg down. Also--I discovered--a light touch makes a big difference. I think I was being "heavy footed" in my first attempts. Now I understand it better, can see it's usefulness, and am glad I own one. I did some practicing yesterday with some old top I was going to toss because it had a little moth damage. I literally pulled it out of the waste bin to use as practice material.

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Regular spinning continues and I get lots of joy out of it. Another skein will be finished in a few days.