Fiber journal: from concept to comfort
This blog began with the observation that I love designing clothes. However, being a lawyer doesn't allow much time to design and create garments. Neither does being in the construction trade. I had a window of opportunity last winter to indulge myself.
Last winter I began thinking of my brother Chris, whose birthday is in February. He lived near Seattle, which can be chilly but not cold. So I figured he might use a vest, but not something warmer. This is the design I imagined he would like:
Michael donated the notebook.
The next stage was to spin the yarn, which for this project was a Coopsworth fleece "spun in the grease"--meaning a fleece that had not been washed (but was wonderfully clean due to putting a coat on the sheep). I also had the fortune to be invited to a dye seminar by my friend Valerie. This was the result:
Michael, who served as my mannequin, from the back.
My brother loved it!
Chris in his vest
I showed my sister Angela the photos while visiting with her in March, 2015, and she mentioned she could use a vest for fancy events she attends as a musician's manager. I confess, I had been thinking of her. So I ran this design past her:
I love the notebook. I do keep notes on my phone, but I've accidentally deleted enotes before.
So this vest took me 9 months to complete, having a house and a garden and a tractor shed and a Supreme Court brief in between. The notes record measurements of swatches I knit so that I could fit the garment to my sister.
Daughter and niece artwork in the background.
Scarf compliments of my brother Juanelo. Fiber mania may run in the family.
Of course, I consulted with her on colors. I happened to have two lovely fleeces in a light and dark gray.
Border leister fleece. The other was a Coopsworth-Border Leister cross.
Unlike an alpaca, I washed these fleeces first. Then I opened the locks.
Opening locks means gently pulling them apart.
After the locks are opened, I use my carder for coarser wool.
Ensuring the locks all face the same way while carding and spinning makes a shinier product, known as spinning worsted.
This time, I lengthened the batts into long thin roving, to maintain the directionality of the fibers.
To keep lengthened batts in order, I wind them into balls.
From batt to ball to skein.
Border Leister single.
Back to ball to knit to finish (weave in ends, sew in buttons) to block to wear!
Voila.