Sometimes things go black by accident; or to cover up an accident; but these two lots were all according to plan. And while plain blacks and greys aren't typically my thing, these will make great combinations with some lively colour.
The row on the right is 2 ply worsted weight Mule Spun yarn, 100% wool from the flock. The colour is Charcoal Grey.
The row on the left is also 2 ply worsted weight Mule Spun, but this time only 30% wool and the other 70% is alpaca. Colour Jet Black.
'What is Mule Spun?" says you.
"Most woollen mills spin yarn on draw frames. The fibre is drawn out and spun as in a single motoin, and under a constant tension. A mule spinner, ancient technology dating to the 1700's, draws out a short length, stops, loops the spun yarn around the spindles, stops, draws out another length, and so on.
"The stopping allows the fibre to return to its natural tension and the resulting yarn is as close to hand spun as you can get mechanically. The term 'mule' refers to the hybrid nature of the machine - a cross bred between hand and machine.
"Mule spun yarn is softer and loftier than would be the same fibre spun on draw frames.
"To my knowledge there is only one commercial mule spinner left in the USA and one in Canada", says I.
And speaking of grey,
Here is the story of my grey cat, Kitty (of course), who passed two years ago.
I live in the country.
And the country is where some townsfolk drive, late at night, to get rid of their unwanted cats.
Sometimes they even slow down before chucking the cat out the window.
And so it was that one morning Kitty staggered into my yard, one leg clearly broken, and a body so devoid of mass I could count his ribs from a distance.
I have a 'death' allergy to cats. My throat simply closes. But I took some dog food in a bowl to Kitty, which he promptly consumed. I put more food in the bowl and took it to the barn. And Kitty moved in.
Before long Kitty was fit as a fiddle and a champion mouser. But poor Kitty longed for affection. And I, with my allergies, was unable to oblige.
There is a lot of manual labour on a farm, and I go through a pair of work gloves every few months. So I struck a deal with Kitty - every time I was ready to start a new pair of work gloves I would pet him with old gloves, then promptly dispose of the gloves.
Perhaps not an ideal relationship, but hey, it is worked for us and Kitty was with me until a ripe old age.
And lest the dey end on grey.....
Here is the progress on my berry coloured sport socks. Current colour, Prochem's wash fast acid dye Key Lime.
m-m-m-m-m-m; Key Lime Pie!
3 comments:
Ah, Kitty sounds like a real trouper. I am humbled when I think of how you did your best, and it was enough. What a gift.
I did a sock salad not too long ago, but you've got a sock fruit salad going on!
It's so fun to see the sock machine just overflowing with socks -- so productive! And I learn something every time I read your posts -- I didn't know that about mule spun yarn -- very interesting.
That was sweet of you to rescue that cat, even with your allergies. I'm glad he found a safe haven.
I am sad that Kitty is gone. My Kitty's name was Theo (see Thelonious Monk). It was cool of you to make him a part of your life. When Theo went away part of my heart went with him.
Fulay
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