Spinning Paper

So Boyo and I started playing around with newspaper and our drop spindles the other day. After being inspired by (Link to previous post) and hours spent on the Internet just goofing around!
Our goal is to re purpose of our newspaper into "yarn" using newspaper of course and our drop spindles.

These pictures make it look so wonderful! Look at at all that paper that could have ended up who knows where!   Boy Wonder was all for using something that may end up in a recycle bin (if we're lucky) and making it into something else! He's really worried about the recycling system here - mostly because the recycle trucks don't look much different than the garbage trucks and we think sometimes the garbage guys get the wrong cans........! 

This little project makes us feel better about waste and the environment but it really makes me happiest because it keeps his hands busy (and off my big spinning wheel!)

So totally running with a burst of inspiration and anticipation....

 We whipped out the paper, the scissors and of course the spindles.... we didn't get very far........

It's hard!

 We tried to do it the 'regular' way... using the weight of the spindle to pull the fibers and elongate them... rip! The newspaper isn't as flexible as sheep fiber! Hmmm....

We kept going (for a little while!) but I think Boyo got frustrated (oh really?). I'm serious. This is hard. You have to want to do it! You have to have results to keep a very busy 8 year old interested.... see what I was up against? My own frustration, his frustration and both of our very set .... this is how you do it ways! LOL

Oh don't worry... we're still working on it! I tried again this morning and I may have it figured out! I just gotta get my hands used to holding the drop spindle rather than uh.. dropping it! I just have to twist it while holding the paper.... hoping the paper doesn't rip..........

Here I am starting again............

and yet again...
BUT I think I've got it figured out!!! I just have to remember that it doesn't have to be perfect! No way it's going to be! AND to hold the spindle with my right hand, twist it counter clockwise ~cuz' that's the way I started and twist, twist, twist!
Boy just left for school and I can hardly wait until he gets home today to show him how to do it! I hope he will jump right in and try it again!

Progress... (or lack of)

Well? How are your New Year's Knitting & Crafting Resolutions going?
 You did see how I capitalized Knitting and Crafting, right? Yep! They are that important!! Really.....
How are mine going you ask?  Well....
Did you hear a big crash? A sound like broken glass tinkling all over the place? You did? You heard it?!
Me too..........
I'm still sweeping the remnants of those resolutions right under the rug! Don't want anybody to notice that they are broken!
Let's just recap here (1/1/12 Blog Post)
#1 Finish a project before starting something else............ um..... yeah...
#2  I want to sew more! I have! I joined a Sew Along & have made a couple of things. So this one is still in the running!
#3 I really needed this one! I want  to spin without dropping F bombs. Or as many F bombs as usually get dropped! This one is still in the running as well! HONEST!   I spun this morning before Boyo woke up and managed to spin for over 30 minutes and I'm not sure that I dropped one bomb.  I'm not really super duper excited about the quality of what I spun, but it's progress!
#4 This one was/is the kicker. The catchall.  For #4 the resolution was to stick with my resolutions until at least February. Well? Two outta four aint bad. Right? Man I hope February will hurry up & get here!
In all honesty, I don't think I'm doing that bad! I technically haven't started anything new........ because the one hat I cast on has been cast off just as much so it's really going nowhere. Nowhere in a hurry.... grrrrrr. I am still finishing up a hat I started for Big and I'm almost done. A L M O S T. That counts right? BUT! I haven't started the block for our mystery KAL yet so... I'm finishing up somethin' before I start that! Woohoo! Go me!!
Yeah... I know... doesn't quite get it. I need to accept the fact that a) my resolutions are busted and 2) the little hat in the KAL on here, well.... it might not get done!
I've ripped that baby out more times than I can count. AND (insert whine here) it is really simple. It's done flat, seamed up afterward and only has 4 different stitches! Knits, purls, YO's & SSK's. All of which are super simple and IF I could follow the pattern correctly, I could have made at least 7 of these hats by now!!
Here's what I have so far....... which I'm getting ready to rip out, because I'm off. Somewhere. Somehow. I've ended up with the wrong number of stitches and well, I'm tired of it!

I really like the pattern... how the little leaves will pop out.... if (IF) I ever get that far...

My friend Christen has completed her hat, sent it on its way and is now changing it up by doing it again, except using two colors. I think this is amazing. It kind of stinks though, because my progress isn't nearly (ha!) as good, but.....I may just have to "girl up"  & tell her she she wins.

  It's amazing isn't it! Yeah... I know.... not contest so Christen.... You Win!

(*this one*)

Just another project...........

So you all remember that New Year's Resolution I made? The one where I was going (try to anyway) to finish something else before I started something new? Um... yeah.... that one.
Well? Did you hear that little tinkling? Sounded like broken glass off in the distance somewhere? Yep. That was my first shattered New Year's Resolution! Gone! Broken into a million pieces!
But...
 I'm trying to figure out a way here that may save at least this one of my resolutions!
IF it's not a project for me? Does it count? If it's a project to get my kid started on something then it's really not a project that I'm starting before I finish one of my other projects? Right?
Yeah.. I didn't think so...... sigh.....
Anyway... it's recycling so that's good. It doesn't require me to purchase anything ~which is the bestest ever! AND it may help my kid leave my big spinning wheel alone! Yay! AND keep his little hands & mind busy!
He's been wanting to learn to knit but I just don't have the patience. I tried the finger knitting with him last week & he got it, but when he saw me spinning, he lost all interest!
He's used the drop spindle before & was actually pretty good at it. But, it's been a long time.  I know he would rather use the big wheel to spin, but we have these handy dandy little drop spindles sitting right here AND a whole bunch of newspapers just lying around.... off we go! ~hope I don't end up saying 'Off with his head'!!!
I was looking online for spinning classes and although I didn't find any that were close.... I did find this.........

"yarn" made out of recycled newspapers! Spun just like regular ol' fiber! Here is the LINK if you're interested! You fold & cut the paper into strips and then using a drop spindle (HERE is a link for that), you spin it into lengths which are then made into yarn stuff!

Attached to the spindle (left) & spun (right) into fiber.

Which is then wound into a ball...

And knitted into this. Which can be made into a rug.

Sounds kind of interesting huh? Yeah... I know what you're thinking... just when am I going to find time to add that into my already spinningly (har) busy schedule? I'm not! I'm going to get the kidlet started on it.... see if it fits into his schedule! It might only last 15 minutes (if I'm lucky) but I will be letting him participate in something I'm doing, have him doing something constructive, have him learning something that should be active enough to keep his hands busy......

See? It's all about me!!

Stay tuned for our progress................or lack of!!