Vegetables, they really are good for you...

Lent, a time for repentance, reflection, discipline and setting priorities, to list a few treasures of this season, so if the posting drops off a bit you will understand that I am trying to put these into practice. Still I have said it before, fibre art is very spiritual and I can manage to contemplate what this time of year means for me and my relationship with our Creator while spinning, weaving, knitting. In point of fact these activities help me realize how blessed I am.

Right now I have several projects going on, if you have been following my posts you probably have already noticed, and may even be thinking...."Pick a project and follow it through". There is a method to the madness though. I am trying to work out what to bring to the project. What tools work best with which fibre for the desired end results. This is a little more difficult than it sounds, or at least for me it is.

So lets address spinning. I am in the process of spinning lace weight and currently have a bobbin of mohair, merino and corn. Yes believe it or not you can spin corn. I am still not entirely clear on the process but here is a picture of some commercially processes and dyed corn. I am told it is not the silky fibres you see covering the cob itself, that was my guess.

I was pleasantly surprised to find it so easy to spin. And interestingly enough it is turning out to look and even feel very similar to some silk I spun recently. The test, of course, will be how well it knits or weaves.

The reason for spinning a variety of fibres is, of course, to see how each responds to spinning lace weight. Which holds up better, spinning tight enough without pigtails and stays soft, since a little tighter twist is indicated the yarn can end up with something on the rough side. I also want to take note of each fibre's charictaristic. Which fibre is more elastic, which will still display it's luster at that weight and which is lighter, the weight determining which will drape better.