Spinning, spinning and finally weaving

Monday ....  found the grey locks, I think it's Romney.  It's very soft and lovely to spin, although a few bits are full of VM and other trash.   I spun one bobbin full and started on the second.  Loom is warped and ready to weave.

Tuesday... finished the rest of the easily useable grey but there won't be enough for the shawl weft, even if I take the time to clean the chaff and VM from the last few locks.   I dug through the stash and found  a lovely brown roving.  Wasn't sure there would be enough of it so I grabbed a huge pile of what seemed to be a slightly darker brown.  It was a cloudy, miserable day with flurries on and off all day and the ambient light really did make the roving look brown.   I spun up a bobbin full, realizing that it was black while my kids tried to reassure me it was just dark brown.  hehehe.. Got a second bobbin started.

Wednesday...  finished spinning the second bobbin.  It was more cloud, snow and rain outside.   I swear I spent half the day trying to watch the seedlings grow.   I plied the two bobbins into two skeins.   I have now about 337 yards of black, plied wool for the weft.  I'll need at least another 400- 500 yards according to my calculations.  I switch the sett at the beginning.   I was pretty sure that the EPI of 9 wasn't quite right.  I used 10 instead.  I think that small change will make a big difference.  It will however probably increase the amount of weft I need too, if I'm aiming for an even twill.

Today.... after fixing a couple of crossed threads and crawling around under the loom to re-tie all the treadle.. now that is lots of fun, I'm finally weaving.   While the black, or dark brown, really does show black and not the grey which is from all the sunshine today.. YAY for sunshine...  I think the shawl will be much more versatile this way than if I'd actually used the lighter brown I'd first decided on.   I do love when things come together in the end.


As a bonus, the seeds that didn't germinate yesterday, despite my watching them, have germinated today..  Some tomatoes, cabbages, summer savory, winter savory, marjoram, soup celery have all made their appearances!  Still waiting on a few things and still have to plant a few more..  some need to be started only 3 or 4 weeks early but the woad, madder, indigo and dyer's knotweed should get started soon..