Work in Progress: Spinning Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) Top

In August I visited the Great Basin Fiber Arts Festival in South Jordan, Utah. Joel and the children came with me. It was an interesting experience. So many fun things to see. The kids loved to watch people spinning on their spinning wheels and the weavers on their looms. Mostly we saw wool and alpaca fibers. One alpaca farmer has my Maeve pretty convinced she wants an alpaca for a pet. 


I knew that I wanted to buy some more fiber at the festival, but only one. I wavered back and forth between a BFL top and alpaca. After talking to the alpaca farmer, who suggested I start with a rug grade alpaca top since I had never spun alpaca before, I decided to go with the BFL. It seems like the alpaca was maybe still beyond my spinning skills. 


The indie dyer at Wasatch Watercolours had some amazingly beautiful tops. They were all named after different mountains, national parks, and other outdoor wonders in Utah. I chose this purple beauty named Canyonlands. I really love the colors. 


It hasn't been too difficult to spin. I have been really trying to be consistent but you can tell that it is still a challenge. I am getting better and going back and fixing the slubs, thick places, in the yarn.  It isn't perfect by far but I am still really pleased with how it is turning out. I think this will be the first hand spun that I will actually knit with. I want to make this ribbed cowl from the Purl Bee. I think it will work well with the hand spun. Thoughts?


As far as reading goes, I stayed up until 1am yesterday finishing this 900 page book, The Undaunted by Gerald Lund.  It is about the Mormon pioneers that were called by our prophet to settle near the San Juan River. They are referred to as the Hole in the Rock Pioneers because they took their wagons through a narrow and steep crevice in the rim of Glen Canyon on their way across the Colorado River. We hiked that trail while we were down at Lake Powell over Labor Day weekend. It is madness to think of taking a wagon done that trail and yet no one was killed. The book is interesting and Lund does a good job of weaving historical facts with his fictitious main characters. I enjoy historical novels. Regardless of your feelings about the Mormons, it is pretty amazing to read about the miracles that took place during this unbelievable trek. It is hard to deny that God was watching over them. 

Joining with Ginny, Tami, Nicole, and Sarah. Go check out other knitting and spinning projects. 


Labels: ,