#spindles

Finished all the singles of the swedish helsinge lamb fleece. I spun the tog worsted straight from the roving pulled off the cards. The thel I hand carded into rolags and spun worsted. I suspect some tog did get mixed into the thel because both kinds of single are somewhat scratchy, but I guess that’s to be expected from a lamb with immature fleece fibers.. It’s going to be interesting seeing how both singles come out when plyed.

Great Pyrenees undercoat is remarkably wool-like. It's hard to remove the guard hairs that make it through the carding process but those that remain provide structure & add halo.

The one & only Rosie produces a treasure of fiber every year. The staple depends upon the dog but will generally hit around 2-4 in. (50-100mm).

Additionally, the GPs guard hair has a light reflecting quality that adds luster to the yarn.

Great Pyrenees are valued for excellence in livestock guarding and steady, dependable personalities. Their abilities to care for & manage herds of sheep, goats, & alpacas are spoken of with reverence. What very few folk talk about is their value as a fiber producer. And -

they SHOULD be talked about because this coat sheds twice per year & heavily in the spring.

This is the 21st day of my Imbolc Spin Challenge. I was supposed to spin at least 15 minutes each day ~ ~ ~ I've spun so very much more and mostly on this GP project. Twenty-one days of touching, spinning, plying, washing, fulling, & knitting Rosie's amazing fiber gives me the confidence to say:

Too many spindles? Dunno her.

I’m working on building a fireplace/curio cabinet thing for my entryway in my 120 year old house. It’s loosely based on the black and white photo here, only I want something scaled to my house, and more asymmetrical, more Addams Family. It’s my sanity project because it’s distracting me from Trump Stupidity for a few hours a day, and it’ll be a sort of personal memorial to self care, in time.

It’s still in early stages; I cobbled together a crude rendering of the top and bottom halves thus far.

I have been collecting all the elements for this for decades; antique spindles and railings, finials and random millwork, some old wallpaper. It’s very gratifying to see them finally put to use, rather than jumbled in boxes. I keep altering the design as I go, incorporating more elements, changing my mind as it develops. There’s a tall, narrow wall opposite my front door, adjacent to the staircase, where it will fit perfectly, and to the left are some full-sized matching columns that are original to the house, framing the entry to the parlor.

Many more hours of building ahead, then finishing and installing. There is a small electric fireplace that will go in the opening. I have a few more throughout the house; they’re nice for the flickering light without polluting the air. More photos to come, to show progress.

A Golden Thread

Artist: John Melhuish Strudwick (British, 1849–1937)

Date: Exhibited 1885

Medium: Watercolour

Collection: Tate Britain, London, United Kingdom

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