UFO Sunday – Unwind and Restart

It’s UFO Sunday and it’s high time I come clean and just honestly admit…

free motion quilting | Leah Day

Yes, I am a spinner.

I started hand spinning about a year ago and have slowly acquired multiple spindles, pounds of roving, and a whole lot of finished yarn.

Why is this a UFO? Because I’m really good at spinning large amounts of yarn, but I haven’t been very good about taking it off the spindle and winding it into balls that can be plied or used in a real project. Rather than wind it off, I’ve just bought more spindles!

So today I’m wandering through the house and collecting spindles from every tote bag, bedside table, and nook and cranny I’ve stuck them in, unwinding the yarn, and trying to figure out what I will do with all of it.

I’m leaning towards plying all the yarn to make ultra bulky, art yarn, and then knitting up some super simple, super fast garments like this bulky vest. Regardless of what I do with it, I now have a nice collection of naked spindles to play with, which means spinning more yarn!
Let’s go quilt (or spin),

Leah

LeahDay

Leah Day has been teaching online since 2009. She's the creator of the Free Motion Quilting Project, a blog filled with thousands of quilting tutorial videos. Leah has written several books including 365 Free Motion Quilting Designs, Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day, and Mally the Maker and the Queen in the Quilt.

8 Responses

  1. I love the idea of UFO Sundays. As a machine quilter, I try not to work on customer quilts on Sunday, and usually sew on some of my own projects, but I really like the idea of focusing that time on UFOs. Thanks!

  2. jacob says:

    Whoa! That IS a nice vest!
    I have a friend making spinning wheels and he is looking for someone to test a prototype. Would you be interested?

  3. In shock. That's like the people who keep buying ice cube trays to to make homemade baby food. I only have one spindle. I use a PVC niddy noddy to make a skein. Then put the yarn on the umbrella swift to wind with my ball winder later. Due to the wool allergy, I don't spin very much. I'm still shocked that you have a house full of spindles.

  4. Kelly says:

    Playing with yarn today sounds fun! It made me want to go find one of my UFO-Crochet Projects. I always wait to do a lot of crocheting in the winter when it's cold. Summer heat and a lapful of yarn is never comfy. Have fun today!

  5. Leah Day says:

    Jacob – Is a bean green? I'd love to test a prototype spinning wheel! Hook me up dude!

    Jenny – Lol! Why does this shock you?? I have 4 sewing machines, and spindles are cheap so why not have one for every bag? You should try spinning cotton if you're allergic to wool. Grab yourself a charkha on ebay and cotton will be a blast!

    Cheers,

    Leah

  6. Leah, I really feel for you and your yarn. I haven't taken up knitting or crocheting, although I'm sure I'd love it, as I know it will just take me away from my quilting. Good luck with your UFO and thanks again for all your contributions and allowing us to link up with you!

  7. Anonymous says:

    Leah. Looking at those wonderful yarns reminds me of Carol Ann Waugh. Have you considered using some as embelishments in your quilt? They would be fantastic.

  8. Pat says:

    Have you tried a Turkish Drop Spindle? You don't have to rewind your yarn afterwards.
    http://halcyonyarn.com/products/equipment/68110100.html

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