After knitting, and knitting, and knitting some more to get a bazillion pairs of socks ready for Christmas (okay, two), I happy kicked off the New Year by starting a new spinning project: "Rebel Rebel" from Spin City. (Well, actually, I kicked off the New Year by having a delicious meal with friends and eating twelve grapes for good luck, one with each chime of the clock at midnight - much to Ryan's relief, as he had previously been informed that Spanish tradition dictates the gobbling up of twelve oranges; Lauren frankly stated it would be impossible to even peel one before the twelve chimes were over, let alone manage to somehow consume a dozen. This was followed by a little bit of bar-hopping, then stumbling home on the night bus after perhaps a few too many glasses of cava, and groggily waking up at 2pm, searching for a much-needed glass of water).
This is my first fibre from Spin City, though I've had the privilege of owning a few of her drop spindles, beautiful top-whorl creations with dried flowers and glitter embedded in the resin. Probably not the best thing for butterfingers over here, having dropped two of them already, followed by a quiet sniffle as I threw the unsalvageable shards of the whorl in the bin. It's a blend of Merino, British Shetland, mohair, and carbonised bamboo, in shades of black, teal, purple, light grey, and a bright lemon yellow. The fibre combination makes for a soft and smooth spun yarn with a gorgeous lustre (thanks, bamboo!), and the colours spin into what I can only describe as an "oil-slick" - a bluey-purpley-black yarn with flecks of blue and grey and green and yellow and it's absolutely mesmerising. It drafts like a dream - basically, it almost spins itself. I'm just responsible for keeping the spindle spinning. The only downside is that I'm getting fluff everywhere, but that's just down to my slovenly efforts of being tucked under the covers with the fibre strewn on top of the duvet, dangling the spindle over the edge of the bed in true lazy-girl fashion.
Spun on my Wildcraft Cherry and Lavender drop spindle, cherry wood shaft - from the September 2014 Fibre and Spindle Club
As for New Year resolutions: take note of all the amazing things that happen this year, whether big or little; spin, spin, and spin some more, actually taking part in Tour de Fleece 2015 (it's no coincidence that this is the Year of the Sheep); and... probably re-watch Friends and Peep Show yet again. Could there be a better resolution?
