Runo 3 (The Singing Challenge)
(Context) I have ten of thirty verses fairly well in memory; working on the rest. I've found that 'playing' the notes with my fingers, when I am sans instrument, helps me keep track of which permutation of the melody I'm on. (Also, keeps me from messing up the 11th measures, which I was doing regularly...)
I've tried the music on early harp, wire harp, and lyre. Not sure which I want to use for accompaniment yet. Also not sure if I want to have the accompaniment be the melody or some moving open fifths. Time and practice will help me figure out what's doable and what's not. I do eventually hit a wall where I can't concentrate on all the moving parts. And I'd rather focus on the vocal performance and simplify the accompaniment than the other way around. I can always do an instrumental intro and/or postlude to show off the instrument.
York/Dublin cap
(Context) Finally got around to reworking this. Managed to make it too short. Sigh. I have been really careful with pinning, ironing, and finishing. Somehow the pins that marked the right length the last time have resulted in a cap that hangs barely below my chin. Eh, whatever. It's still pretty cute. I need to make tying strings, and I'm trying to figure out how I should do that. My linen coif has 4-strand braided linen ties, made using a fairly coarse linen thread (1.5mm dia?). I have some nice blue linen thread, but it's much finer. I could spin it to cord, or try whipcording it... or I could use the (undyed) thicker linen thread I have in a braid or whipcord, or... I'm going to just play around with some things. I'm also thinking the edge by the face needs a decoration, either a matching blue silk braided band like the bottom edge has, or else those teeny Viking embroidery circles from Oseberg.
Hand spindle/nostepinne
(Context) Found my stuff! Hiding under fabric stash, naturally. I don't know/don't think the hand spindle I bought is actually an Oseberg repro, now that I look at it. It definitely does not function as a ball winder. It's got a knob at the end of it (like some other things) and the wound ball can't pass over it.
Spindle trials
My darling husband got me three spindles from Hershey Fiber Arts for Christmas, and they are lovely. I've used the low whorl one as both a low whorl and a high whorl, and I've also tried the spiral-grooved one.
Using low whorl as low whorl: This worked really rather well. I tried a combination of park-n-draft (modified for the way I'm trying to spin) and a more continuous motion when I spun the spindle in one hand, pulling it right as I drafted off the distaff with my left. But I wasn't using the tiny ledge cut into the spindle to secure a half-hitch, and I thought it might be abrading the yarn.
Using a low whorl as a high whorl: So I turned it upside down, because the tip in low whorl configuration was totally smooth. I think that helped, but I found the high whorl set up much harder to grasp. I had to do a supported spinning sort of park-and-draft, where I spun the thing on my leg until I had a good amount of twist, then drafted out. When I tried the grasped spinning, I tended to drop it a lot. I should also try her high whorl spindle, although I suspect the only difference between the two is which end the little notch goes on.
Grooved spindle: Just started this one today. It's low whorl. It also works very well. Jury is still out on whether or not the groove is fuzzing up the yarn. The yarn is already pretty fuzzy. I think learning to spin worsted in definitely on my to do list.
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