Last year, for my birthday, I bought myself a ball winder and swift. They have quickly become indispensable tools. However, I always wind mohair by hand. I am currently knitting a sweater (form by Lori Versaci) which has a strand of Isager Spinni wool held together with a strand of Shibui Silk Cloud mohair. Yesterday, I needed to wind a new ball of the mohair.
Let me interrupt the narrative to tell you that I have the flu. This is the worst flu I have had in many years, and I am wiped out. I realised yesterday that I didn’t have the strength to wind a ball of yarn by hand, so I put the mohair on the swift, and quickly wound a ball. I paid no attention while doing it, trying to concentrate on standing up while turning the crank.
This is what happened:
Ha ha! This cracks me up; so funny! It looks like it is wearing a mohair toupée. Or like this:
I’m not getting any knitting done this weekend, but here is a photo from Friday, of me knitting while watching the Olympics.
I’m going to go collapse now. Here’s hoping you are avoiding the flu this year.
Still not treated myself to a swift and ball winder but will take note not to wind mohair when I do. Finding your advice on having projects on different sized needles very useful as my hands age. Love the fingerless mitts and will buy some Buchaille for them with my discount code. Thank you for inspiring.
Hi Jill, as one who has lots of hand and wrist problems, I find it invaluable to mix up your knitting. I am pleased that it is helping you. You just reminded me that I also have a discount code from Kate at the moment. I need to make some decisions!
Hope you get well soon.
Thanks, Laila!
Seeing the Trolls is a blast to the past for me. My cousin and I would collect as many different colored trolls as possible. Love the color of the yarn. The flu is awful, hope you feel better soon.
Always happy to provide a blast to the past! I had a bunch of trolls as well as a kid.
Feel better!
Thank you, Karen!
I’m so sorry you have the flu. Get well, soon! It’s funny you thought of the trolls, so did I when I saw your poor Mohair ball all frizzed out.
It’s the first thing I thought of, too. And then I tried to google for “troll” and realised that I was perhaps a bit dated…..
Feel better soon!
Thank you!
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Thanks!
Hope you are on the mend now, Kelly. We were broad-sided with the flu towards the end of January, and I personally spent 9 solid days in bed. Never have I been that sick. Eric was grounded and didn’t fly for 4 weeks, so that gives you an idea how bad it was. I’m sure you’re nodding your head in agreement, though. It’s hitting hard this year, and I don’t know if we’re out of the woods yet. This was a really scary experience, and next year, I think I’m going to be in line at the pharmacy when the vaccine comes out.
At least your ball of mohair didn’t turn into a total rat’s nest. I find lace weights the worst to deal with, and some yarns I won’t even keep in the same room as the swift, just out of superstition. Now if I could keep my cats out of my yarn and projects, I might make some progress. My knitting mojo is flat-lined these days. I am currently knitting on Bute in Felted Tweed and Colourspun and it’s quite the challenging project. While it is coming along (back done, fronts and sleeves done up to the shoulder decreases), just finding the concentration to sit down with the chart and work my way through it is next to impossible.
But spring is coming…we think…and hopefully it will bring brighter days and more energy.
Take care and rest up!
Ann! How lovely to hear from you! This is an especially bad year for flu. I actually had the vaccine this year, but it covered the wrong strain. (Apparently, it is a bit of a guessing game.) It should mean that I get less of a hit, I hope. I am glad that you are feeling better; it sounds pretty awful.
I hope spring is lovely on the farm! Best wishes!
Thanks for your wishes, Kelly. Hope you’re doing better.
I would never have equated mohair with trolls – hilarious! I love yarn winding on the swift – it is such a meditative process. But I can see that even this would pale when feeling rubbish. I hope you start to feel much better very soon.