Tuesday, July 5, 2011

To define "Ravel"




Wordsmith.org's A.Word.A.Day offered this up yesterday - I added a third definition which isn't necessarily "standard", but is certainly in widespread use among a certain crafty set:
RAVEL

PRONUNCIATION:
(RAV-uhl)

ETYMOLOGY:
From Middle Dutch ravelen (to fray out), from ravel (loose thread). Earliest documented use: before 1540.

MEANING:
verb tr. intr.:

1. To fray or to become disjoined; to untangle.
2. To entangle or to become tangled.
3. To foster one's addiction to knitting, crocheting, spinning or weaving in an online community of like-minded individuals. See also enabling.
There, that's better!

That enabling thing is key. Fellow Ravelers and Tweeps encouraged me to try the Tour de Fleece this year - so far, so good. I have managed to spin every day, although I fell asleep before I could post in yesterday's thread (drat). I'm mostly working on getting through the giant pile of tussah top I brought home from MDS&W in May (see photo at top).

Day three was finishing up the rest of the purple fluff pictured above, and that's all done. There's six ounces total, and since 1.6oz previously got me 120 yards, I think I'll have enough to make something pretty once I'm done. I think it's going to be two separate yarns - the purples, blues and greens as one, then all the warm colors together. Except maybe the bright pink; that might be on its own. These are going to be singles, since the batch I did up pre-fleece actually looks like yarn:


Anyway, Here's Day 1, which is some superwash merino:


I have 4oz of this, and it's a LOT:



Here's Day 2, which isn't quite as spectacular, but it's still pretty:


So, that's the start of my Tour de Fleece, and I'm hoping to have a big dent in the stuff I bought at MDS&W, and have the skillz/courage to spin up the pretty orange fluff A sent me by the end of it all!

1 comment:

  1. Isn't it amazing how 4 oz. seems so light but spins on and on?!
    Silk is NOT easy to spin! Congratulations on spinning every day so far!
    I was going to email you about knitting back backwards but couldn't find your email so here goes: Hey woman! I've missed reading about your needlework journey!
    I wanted to tell you that I taught myself how to knit back backwards by having the purl side facing me and doing the first step...yarn in front and needle in the first stitch; turning it around to see what it looks like from the knit side and then trying it from the knit side several times; turning it back to the purl side and wrapping the needle, stopping; turning it to see what THAT looks like and practicing it a few times; turning it back to the purl side and completing it without taking the old stitch off; turning to the knit side and seeing what that looks like and finishing. It sounds super complicated but it's really easy with some practice.
    I think of you often and hope you are well!
    Maria (knackfulknitter@q.com)

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