Tuulia Salmela, an incredible knitwear designer from Finland, dyed, spun, designed, then knit this incredible shawl. Then, for some completely unfathomable reason, GAVE it to me. The least I could do was photograph it in all it's glory. Tuulia is the model. Read more about Tuulia's adventures in knitting at: http://tuulia.blogspot.com. She calls it the Red Dragon. (More photos of the Dragon here.)
A pattern will be available shortly! Check out her blog or her Designer page on Ravelry. Click a photo to see it big.
And for fun, another kind of tale-- Ben, one of my cats is VERY social. See him hanging all over Tuulia as she spins. Hilarious!
I've been thinking about why I have more than one spinning wheel. I can really make all the yarn I want with only one wheel. One could argue that I reallly needn't even bother. I can buy all the yarn I want. There are shops full of skeins and skeins of beautiful yarns. There is no necessity to make it.
But I have found myself with more than one. Several more than one. And I find that I am drawn to each one, compelled to spin, on each one for very different reasons.
Lendrum is a workhorse. It will spin at my bidding. Thick and thin, lace, spiral yarn, more. It keeps going, needs no maintenance, is beautifully plain and just keeps on giving. Really, it is all I should ever need.
But the sirens sang, and there I was - enchanted, drawn to the elegance of Schacht. Beautiful, stands heads above others. Insistent on elegance, quietly whispers in my ear. Never pulls hard or drags, smoothly executes and dances with me. The yarn we create together sings. All I should ever ever need.
And yet.
Suzie gave me a glance, called my name. Said she could travel, was flippant. Dared me to try her, to play. Came home with me. What to do? She has joined the household. She is finicky. She wants tension here, release of tension there. She wants adjustment over there. Oil now. Well, she is entertaining, she is engaging. I keep coming back to her, despite my queen Schacht. Despite my sweet hard-working Lendrum. I am afraid that Suzie will be the death of me.
And still....
There is a new gal coming to town. I walk to the end of the drive everyday in anticipation, looking for her. She'll be here soon. Lithe, athletic, limber. She promises to slip into places no other can. She fits in a pocket. I await her arrival.
Summer is near the end, evenings are cool enough to require a wrap or scarf. I'm gearing up for the Winter with hand-dyed roving, ready for spinning. Click the image to see notes on it with fiber info.
Normally this blog is focused on knitting and spinning and all topics related. However, today, I just have to share with you some photos I shot this summer. They are straight out of the camera with the exception of some noise reduction. No color added. Where did I have to go to get these loverlies? I stepped out my front door.
Two different sunsets in August 2008; Pacific Northwest/Washington State. Image on left with Canon 20d pro camera, image on right, point-and-shoot Canon Powershot.
I admit it, unabashedly, undeniably, I love knitting scarves. And hats. And socks. But, you already knew that. I live in the Pacific Northwest where those accessories are something that can be worn almost year round. Even today, 24 August 2008, it has poured rain all day and it's cool enough to throw a scarf around your neck if you head outside.
Knitting small things means I can do lots of them, try lots of colors, and textures.
