The First Official Skein

Here we go! The final installment of the saga of Tom's first skein of yarn. I suppose I should give the history of the fibre that we are using also. Did I do that already? I need to start reviewing what I right before I start blogging.

Oh well, I'll say it again.

This yarn came directly from Tommys' "Nanty". About 20 years ago they owned a farm and had some sheep as well as other animals. When we stopped to visit her a few weeks ago, I got to watch this 70 year old Nanty crawl into a little teeny hole in her basement and start tossing bags of fibre out at me! It was pretty amusing. Most of it is not really usable anymore but perfect for practising! And fun to know it came from the "family" farm!

So here is the first picture of Tommy wrapping the yarn from the bobbin around the back of a chair, obviously we don't have a skein winder!

Then we tied little bits of yarn to hold it together, at this point, if you let go the yarn will twist up into a bunch of little squiggles!

Then we have to wash it, but we just got it wet this time.

Then we hung it up to dry, and hung a brick from it to keep the tension! Everyone pause here to feel envious of my beautiful blinds and wood panelling. Nice isn't it?

Then a day later it was dry, and we have to put it in the shape you see on the shelves at your local yarn store! This has always looked terribly difficult, and when my skeins come undone I had no idea how to retwist them. But I found the instructions on ehow and it was really easy, watch this!

I know, I know, look at the yarn, not me...I still have a few Xmas pounds to lose. We are working on it. (Tommy has some too, FINALLY) Salads for lunch every day this week!

Here it is! Looks good I think! Nice Spinning Tommy!

If it was summer we might have tried some all natural dyeing. But maybe some other time.

Now....what to knit???