I received yarn from Great White Bale Lot 2 just before leaving on our big trip, and Lot 3 arrived last week – so it’s time to share more yummy photos!
A quick recap: Clara bought a bale of Saxon Merino wool and is having it spun different ways. The project is really a group yarn study. Lot 1 was mulespun at Bartlett Yarns and is big, uneven, and poofy:
I made a snuggly cowl out of one of my two skeins.
Lot 2 was spun at Blackberry Ridge in a woolen style, but the resulting yarn is denser and smoother than Lot 1. This time, one skein was naturally dyed with madder by A Verb for Keeping Warm.
I can’t bear to think of separating these two skeins, so I’ll be trolling Ravelry for projects that use two colors (suggestions welcome; the yarn is DK weight). Just look at the smoothness here. Mmmmmmmm.
Lot 3 was spun at Kraemer Textiles in Nazareth, PA – remember when Julie and I went on a mill tour there last spring? The wool was joined by a bit of silk and then dyed by Jennifer at Spirit Trail Fiberworks. Clara is really hitting it out of the Parkes with the handdyers, isn’t she? Haha!
And guess what? She included a sampler ARC (advance reader’s copy) of her new book, The Yarn Whisperer! I had already pre-ordered this, but now I can pre-read it, too!
How blessed I feel to be surrounded by all this wonderful fiber and the lessons that have come with it. The Great White Bale has been an exceedingly pleasurable elective study with Professor Parkes. Sadly, we’re nearing the end of the course – only one more Lot to go. I hope to get to take another class with Clara soon.
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Wonderful project! I was going to sign up for this too but with the overseas postage and all... At least I can enjoy yours vicariously!
ReplyDeleteGWB was a bit high for my budget at signup time, but seeing these stunning yarns really makes me wish I had found the $$ by skimping on food or some other frivolous expense that month.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what you knit with Lot 2! Do you have enough yarn for Sundry? I love the houndstooth pattern and think it would look great with the natural and madder.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sundry
The Explorer level is spendy, to be sure... but I was lucky to receive it as a Christmas gift (a singular, very special gift, to be sure).
ReplyDeleteIn the future, if I can't be an Explorer, I will still sign up to be an Armchair Traveler. That's how much I enjoy reading Clara's missives.
Bonny, I need to think about Sundry. Someone else already used GWB Lot 2 on it - did you see that one? I'm also considering Hawthorne, which requires 3 colors. I could divide the undyed skein in half and dye half of it to get a third color. HMMMMMM.