New Toys

Its been a week for new toys for me : ) My new drum carder arrived - an Ashford finer one with 2 speeds and I immediatly got to grips with carding on it:

Then my Charkha arrived from America. It is made by Jonathan Bosworth and is weeny but very, very well made.

My first reaction was OMG what have I done, I can NEVER spin on that. Fortunately I went to Winham Wools for a 2 day spinning course last week and Ruth taught me how to do one-handed drafting and how to spin from the fold etc.

My first attempts are far too thick, but with practise the technique is straightforward.

Finally, remember the green merino I dyed? Well, this is it spun on my spindle. It is laceweight like the Oranges and melon spinning last week, so I am going to ply them together when I have made a lazy kate for spindles out of an old shoe box - watch this space!!!