On Le Flambé du Pacifique
Start: 8th May 2008
Finish: 17th June 2008
Yarn: My own hand-spun - "Tahiti", merino optim from Chameleon Colorworks
Needles: Addi Lace, 3.5 mm - 80 cm (US#4 - 32")
Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark from Interweave Knits Fall 2006
Nothing much to talk about. Just wanted to show you guys my latest FO. It's the Swallowtail shawl knit from my own hand-spun yarn! I'm really proud of this project. ;-) It's the first FO that I've done with my own hand-spun.
Don't be fooled by the photos though, because the shawl's not that big. It measures to about 125 cm wingspan and 65 cm height.
"Flambé" is French for the Scarce Swallowtail...it's native to Europe and not the Pacific. I chose the name "Le Flambé du Pacifique" (Scarce Swallowtail of the Pacific) because the colourway "Tahiti". Besides, I reckon that the colours on the Flambé's wings also reflects the colourway of this shawl.
Well, that's all I have to tell for now. Here are the rest of the photos:
All photos were taken @ the courtyard of "Prinzipal" (the restaurant at Prinzregententheater)
Have a great week everyone!
ETA: And here's also the Hush-Hush Handspun Hootenanny Questionaire:
1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself?
- I started spindling back in August 2007 and wheel spinning in January 2008. I would consider myself an intermediate spinner.
2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?
- I usually navajo-ply my yarn because I don't like having left-overs...but I've also started doing 2-ply. Never done any art yarns before though.
3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?
- Both spindle and wheel. Usually if I want to finish something fast, then I would do it on the wheel. Spindling for me is for the real spinning pleasure and to refine the spinning techniques.
4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don't like?
- I haven't tried that many different fibres yet...but usually I don't have problems. The only one that I struggled with was a merino-silk blend. I've spun pure bamboo on a spindle before, too, and that didn't cause me any problems (until I went to Andean-ply it and lost the end somewhere in the bracelet...yeah, tragic.)
5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)?
- No specific one yet...but I usually go to Etsy as the first source. Otherwise I would probably look at EGMTK....now, if only the Wollmeise would start to do rovings, too. She'll definitely be my favourite crack dealer. ;-p
6. What kind of fiber do you want to try?
- Hmmmm...anything that's natural. I've got yak down and linen flax here that I need to dab in. I sure would like to try qiviut, cashmere or angora!
7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn?
- Errrr...not really sure. I just learned how to navajo-ply on the go on the spindle. Not sure what I would need to learn with the wheel though....perhaps attenuated long-draw when spinning with cotton...not that I have tried cotton yet.
8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn?
- Nope....I would try dyeing fibre just once to see what it's like. I dyed yarn once and found that the process was too tedious and I never did it again...but I at least tried my hands out at it.
9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber?
- I don't have any fibre prep tools....but if I had some, I would really want to try it out. Otherwise ready-to-spin fibres are definitely nice.
10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed?
- I keep saying that I will knit with my hand-spun...usually shawls, since I spin thin (even when plied). What projects have I completed? See above in this very same post. ;-p
11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)?
- Ummm....not really. Perhaps fibre prep tools would be tempting (but that will mean that I will end up with more stuff in my over-flowing tiny flat). Perhaps a distaff for my wheel?
12. What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand?
- Pretty much every colours. I tend to try out some new things...but I usually end up with something blue or green.
13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now?
- Haven't got anything on the wheel at the moment...although I'm tempted. I've just finished spinning up 50 g of the 100 g of singles of Ombria-dyed AustralMerino on my spindle. So, still have another half to go...not sure how I'll go about with it yet though.
14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?
- I knit and crochet...although knitting is bigger than crochet for me.
15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about?
- My boyfriend. :-p LOL. I would guess music. I play piano (got Grade 8 performance from the Royal School of Music) and cello...but ever since I've been in Germany, I hardly have the chance to touch any instruments...and of course, my skill just dwindles.
16. Do you have an online wishlist?
- Yes, my Amazon wishlists (English and German) can be found on my sidebar towards the bottom....or HERE (Eng) and HERE (Ger).
17. Is there anything that you collect?
- Not really, apart from yarns and fibres.
18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have?
- Cat Bordhi's "New Pathway for Sock knitters", Clara Parkes's "The Knitter's Book of Yarns",
19. When is your birthday?
- 3rd March
20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?
- Lawdy, can't think of one. I don't relate that much to this kind of things....hmmmm...but then again, perhaps Ally McBeal.
21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)?
- I'm in Munich, Germany. So, it does get pretty cold around here in winter.
22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!
- LOL, go listen to the Knitters Uncensored podcast. We talked about that in one of the episodes. ;-p
Favorites
Favorite painting/picture(link): There are way too many. I like the Impressionists though.
Candy: Mint + Chocolate = Heaven!
Food: Thai food, of course. But I eat pretty much everything!
Drink: Wine, Portwine, Baileys, Kahlua
Movie(s): Harry Potter, Lord of the Ring, Elizabeth, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Sound of Music, Under the Tuscan Sun
TV Show(s): Heroes, Lost
Book(s): J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Ring), Donna Leon (Commissario Brunetti), Henning Mankell (Wallander), Anne Rice (Mayfair Witches, Vampire chronicles), Jean M. Auel (Earth Children)
Guilty Pleasure(s): Procrastination. :-p
Current Mood: Good
Food for the Ears:
