Project Rainbow

Every term my son’s school has a ‘theme week’ where each child is supposed to work on a project with their family on a particular theme. This week it’s ‘Rainbow Week’ so my son’s project was ‘Spinning a Rainbow’ – helping mummy spin yarn of course!

First we took some wool dyed in rainbow colours (from the Rainbow Room):

 

 We had to pull off little strips ready to twist into yarn – red, yellow, pink, green, orange, purple and blue.

 

Then we spun the wool using a drop spindle – you spin the spindle like a spinning top and it twists the wool tightly into yarn that you can knit with.

Once all the wool was spun we wound it off the spindle onto the back of a chair to take all the kinks out – can you see the rainbow? 

♫ Red and Yellow and Pink and Green, Orange and Purple and Blue, I can spin a rainbow…♫

 

 Then we had to soak it in cold water to set the twist

And hang it up to dry before twisting it into a hank ready to use.

 

 My son was so proud taking his wool into school today – and I’m sure he’s the only one taking in hand spun as his project!

 

Not ready for spinning ….yet

Jacob Fleece Raw

Originally uploaded by Bexyhop

Didn’t we have glorious weather at the weekend? Sunday was spent with my gorgeous goddaughter celebrating her 3rd birthday at Avon Valley Country Park.

I must admit to being a little distracted. In the corner, in a black sack, was a Jacobs fleece – for sale. I kept glancing at it and then I sneaked off to touch it, rubbing the wool between my fingers. I don’t think I’ve ever coveted something so much. But what to do with it?

I texted Mrs Flowerpot as I know she spins her own wool. Was it a good price? She wasn’t sure without seeing it but prices on the Internet were a little more. Did she want me to bring her one home? No,it was too much hard work preparing a fleece for spinning. So no chance she’d spin it for me then …

In the end it was a busy day and there were no staff to help me so I left the fleece behind. When I returned home this was in my inbox which gave me a pang but as I didn’t quite make it home without putting more petrol in the car it was a good job I hadn’t spent the last of my cash. Oh and my husband would probably divorce me if I brought more equipment into the house!

However my best friend did clock how distracted I was and the sign said ‘unusual Christmas present’ so maybe with a few hints …