Big Fat Slubs

My so-called week of rest and relaxation hasn't quite worked out as planned. I'm still working my normal job and was posting out parcels on Monday, dyeing in the workshop and ordering new supplies yesterday and off to see some alpacas tomorrow but at least it's not as manic as usual (and the pain I was getting in my chest has receded).

Over several evenings, I did manage to turn some of this:

Into this:
I know, I know, but it's my first attempt at spinning - it's very twisty with big fat slubs - but I can console myself with the beautiful colours. The batts came from Marianne otherwise known as picperfic who has the most gorgeous shop on Misi called fluff-n-stuff. I know Marianne as a customer and met her for the first time at Unravel, but only found out about her shop (maybe I should be keeping it a secret?) on Ravelry. I'm just sorry I didn't do her fibre justice! This colourway was called Fairyland. I'm still going to attempt to knit it!

As you can see, the spinning is coming on very, very slowly. To start with, I couldn't even treadle properly to get the thing going. Then I had trouble with feeding the yarn onto the bobbin (until I adjusted the tension) and I still have huge problems with over-twisting, but for the very small lengths that spin well, I'm getting the feel of how it should be. And I have my first proper spinning lesson on Saturday so I'm hoping some of the ladies at the Kennet Valley Spinners, Dyers and Weavers will sort me out with how it should be done.

I realise I do seem to have been purchasing a lot recently - well, you might as well share in the yumminess. This is from FeltStudioUK on Etsy and she even threw in the smaller "snail" for free.

Then some carders arrived (as if by magic) from Alpaca Spinner and look what they popped in for free:
And finally, a photo of the merino/cashmere I picked up from Elisabeth Beverley at Unravel. I love the simplicity of her colours and they're all naturally dyed.

From left to right: Pomegranate, Hollyhocks, Achillea, Walnut

And I have only three rows left of my Ishbel knitted in the latest installment of the Unfortunate Club yarn. Will show you just as soon as I know that all the international parcels have reached their rightful owners. I enjoyed knitting it so much that I'm already planning a second one (and have you seen Ysolda's latest beret version of Ishbel?). Baby knitting to be done first though!