More News from the Scottish Wool Producers Showcase.
The Dealgan (pronounced Jal-a-gen) is the whorl-less Scottish drop spindle that I’ve looked at in photos and YouTube videos and have been unable to imagine how you’d keep it spinning. In fact, I’m guessing that if I’d seen one out of context, I might not have guessed what it is. It immediately appealed to me when the vendor I purchased it from told me that you create a center pull ball as you wind the spun wool onto the spindle. That right there is a great incentive!
You can usually find this in two sizes — a small one like this is about 3 1/2 inches. I also bought the larger one (about 7+ inches) which is considerably heavier. I learned that the small one isn’t just the child-sized model (although that’s certainly how it was used in teaching youngsters to spin), but is a handy size to carry in a pocket and spin with as you walk along. In the category of walking and chewing gum — I’m certainly not ready to walk and spin.
I bought the spindles from John Glen who hales from the far north of mainland Scotland (a town called Thurso). John’s website goes by the name Beardychiel, where you’ll find his knitting designs, croft yarns, tools, and recipes.
One of his patterns — Kirtie’s Handmade Christmas Jumper — won first prize in a 2020 competition. The pattern can be purchased from his site, or on Ravelry.
In getting ready for a trip with Bruce to the Highlands, I thought a read through Debbie Zawinski’s book In the Footsteps of Sheep (now in its 4th printing!) would be helpful in developing more of an understanding of the huge variety of sheep in Scotland. There are many endangered breeds throughout Scotland; not surprising since so much of the country is difficult to access. I’ve already mentioned the North Ronaldsay (my fleece of sorrow) and the Castlemilk Moorit from which I’m knitting a shawl/hap. I’m hoping to see a small flock of the Castlemilks, as well as North Country Cheviot (both white and black), Teeswater, and others. I am unfortunately going to arrive at the hight of lambing season, and the crofters may be otherwise engaged. We will be playing this one by ear. However, I think for sure I’m in for an overdose of lamb cuteness….wonderful!
I did want to say a few words about Debbie Zawinski’s book (available from Schoolhouse Press). It’s an interesting read, and I was quite impressed with her passion to literally walk the crofting areas of Scotland while spinning and knitting socks. I’d have totally fallen apart with having to sleep outside in the weather she encountered. And, while I can certainly understand her walking regimen, that certainly is not my style. One thing in the book that particularly caught my eye was her spinning tool. It is a simple stick. Her tools are completely rustic, made from what is at hand, and like the Dealgen, her spinning stick has no whorl — it’s literally just a stick; proof that you can pretty well spin with anything you can wind the yarn around. The other impressive thing about her journey was that she gathered the bits and bobs of fleece from fences the sheep brushed by, left on the ground, and caught in the bushes. The Shetlanders call them henty leggits, the loose wool that sheep lose in the summer. This is a most interesting form of foraging.
In addition to her spinning/knitting adventure, Debbie provides patterns for the socks she knit. Fortunately for those of us who don’t have access to the henty leggits, the patterns were test knitted on commercial wools that should be relatively accessible across the globe.
Meanwhile…..
I’m so far behind on my breed study spinning. I tried to ply some to test out the various drafting techniques I was using and my plying bracelet got tangled. I think I was trying to rush too quickly to get it done and move on to the next project. Ah patience…the virtue I consistently come up short on. I’ll give it another go today (having put the spindle in temporary “time out.”)
Keep centered and carry on!