Southern Cross Fibre

It’s been a long time between posts. Let’s just say it’s been a heck of a year.

It was bound to happen eventually. My love of textiles lead me to sewing. Sewing lead me to quilting. I have twin nieces-in-law due in March (who have also been a long time in the making! yay!), so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to learn some new skills by making a couple of quilts for the new arrivals.

Needless to say, my usual Complete and Total Immersion method of learning means I’ve been seriously overdosing on Craftsy classes and absorbing as much as I can. I’ve watched a lot of classes by a lot of talented instructors, but the stand-out winner (in terms of both knowing her stuff and knowing how to teach it - something that is equally important, if not more so, than just knowing what you’re talking about) is Ann Petersen.

I know how to sew, so the piecing aspect of quilting was kind of a no-brainer, but what happens after the quilt top is finished? That’s where Ann’s class on Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine comes in. It leads you through several different methods of finishing quilt tops, when they’re done or as they’re pieced (with a couple of options in between). All of her classes are thoroughly recommended.

Which brings me to Winding Ways… It’s a traditional quilt and is covered in Ann’s Playing With Curves class. Did I also mention the quilts are going to be PINK? I finished the first block a week or so back and have since cut out the rest.

I’m thinking the second quilt will be a modern interpretation of a traditional block design, a kind of mish-mash of Flying Geese, New York Beauty, and hyperbolic curves. The wheels in my head are still processing the design for that one, but it looks good so far

Spin 365/055: Plying, plying, plying. Finished plying “Rising Tide” Polwarth/Silk (SCF) for the Spunky Eclectic Less is More SAL/KAL (and sometimes WAL).

(front to back)
“Rising Tide” Polwarth/Silk (SCF)
“Harvest” Polwarth/Silk (SCF)
“Charred” Polwarth/Silk (Hello Yarn)

Singles fabric sample, originally uploaded by davidscf.

Project planning for an upcoming project. This is a 2/1 twill sample from handspun singles.

Warp - Grey Merino laceweight singles - z-twist - 45 degrees
Weft - White Merino laceweight singles - s-twist - 35 degrees

Spin 365 - 013/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

Part of a rug weaving project. "Java" Cheviot from SCF.

Spin 365 - 009/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

I finished off the first 2 oz of "Harvest" Polwarth/Silk (SCF) and will be making a start on "Aspen" Merino/Silk (Spunky Eclectic) tomorrow.

Spin 365 - 005/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

I finished off the first half of "Charred" Polwarth/Silk (Hello Yarn) last night and will be starting on some "Harvest" Polwarth/Silk (SCF) this evening after work.

Spin 365 - 004/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

Plying, plying, plying…

Burnt Henna, Cabernet, Potent Purple on Spelsau Wool Top from Southern Cross Fibre

Sping 365 - 003/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

Started on a bag of "Charred" Polwarth/Silk from Hello Yarn. Yum.

Spin 365 - 002/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

This morning I spent an hour sampling for the Less is More SAL in the Spunky group on Ravelry.

I’m aiming for around a 5000 m/kg (approx 2500 ypp) laceweight which will be woven into a vest. The first of seven colours (pictured) is "Swamp Monster" on Corriedale/Alpaca from Spunky Eclectic.

Spin 365 - 001/365, originally uploaded by davidscf.

Spin 365! A group of us in the SCF group on Ravelry are challenging ourselves to spin every day throughout 2014, even if for just a few minutes.

I started the year with the last ounce of a Spelsua in "Potent Purple". I’m putting my "standing around waiting for stuff to happen" time in the studio to good use and winding the singles into plying balls to free up the bobbins for the next project.