In living COLOR...

In lieu of our dreary weather, my dreary health and the previous Black & White post, I thought today would be a good day to share my latest fiber adventure:

I have done very little dying with my Shetland fleece because I so love the natural colors.  But, I decided that it was time to brighten up things around here a little...

I put some 'Rit' dye and a little vinegar and hot water in the bottom of a couple of large jars, than added four ounces of white, Shetland roving.

I then sprinkled more dye on top of the roving and poured hot water to almost fill the jars.

I also did the same thing in the bottom of the roasting pan that I was using to heat the fiber as it was soaking up the dye.

Then I covered the roaster and let it simmer, overnight.

I gently shifted the roving around in the jars a few times, to make sure that all of the fiber was exposed to the dye but I was hoping for darker and lighter areas from not mixing the dye in the water first.

I also did a small bowl, using left over dye.  In this bowl, I put red dye & vinegar/water in the bottom, then added a small ball of roving.  I added more red dye on top and then added another, smaller ball of roving.  Over that I put the last of the red and a little bit of the purple dye and then added water, almost but not quite to the top of the fiber.  I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and heated it in the microwave.  I heated it in one or two minute intervals and then let it sit overnight.

The results the next day:

I LOVE the darker and lighter areas of color!

On the top of this photo you can see the smaller sample that I did in the microwave.  There are areas of uncolored roving in that batch. 

The yellow surprised me with all the different shades it developed!

I can't wait to spin these up and see how the yarn turns out!

I'm not sure if I'll do any mixing of the colors in the yarn or just go for the multi-tonal shades of each color.  But I can't wait to start spinning!

I realize that the purple looks quite different in these two photos.  The actual color is about half way in between the two colors.

DREAM says...

"Speaking as a sheep, I prefer the natural colors.  But, I do think that you should knit a sheep of many colors out of that roving, Mom".

OOOO!  I like that idea, Dreamer!

*don't forget to visit Farm Friend Friday and see what your favorite farm blogs are up to!*



You're Invited to...

Hug A Sheep!

The first, annual Hug A Sheep (HAS) Day will be on Saturday, October 30, 2010.  There will be an Open House and Fiber Festival (complete with vendors, demonstrations and a needle felting class!) at Bluff Country Shetlands in Houston, MN.  from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.   "The Crazy Sheep Lady" of Punkin's Patch will also be hosting a HAS Day Open House in Cynthiana, KY.  We hope that others will jump on the bandwagon and share the joys of sheep and shepherding with others by hosting Open Houses or other events to promote our wonderful, woolly friends!

Feel free to vote for the sheep that you'd most like to hug at the Open House in the Bluff Country  ~ see the poll added to the side bar on this blog.  I will be offering photos taken at the Open House and Fiber Festival for those who chose to Hug A Sheep.  I will also be teaching a beginning needle felting class, at two o'clock and will have needle felting kits available for those who want to take one home and make their own fluffy sheep or soap in a blanket.  There will also be wool carding, spinning, knitting, felting and weaving demonstrations as well as a variety of wool items to show some of the wonderful things that can be made with the fleece from a sheep. Learn about how a sheep is sheared (it's just like getting a haircut!) and how to process the wool into usable items of clothing or works of art.

There will also be vendors on site, offering wool related articles ~ from raw fleece to roving to homespun yarns or knitted or felted items.  Be the first to purchase my homemade,  goat milk soap or add a colorful lamb or even a beautiful chicken to your existing flock ~ or start your very own flock!

You'll have the opportunity to sign up for beginning spinning, knitting, felting or soap making classes.  Enjoy the process of turning wool into  family heirlooms  or treasured gifts.  Those in attendance at the Open House will also have the chance to win a sheep figurine by voting for or suggesting a name for the new, home-based Fiber and Goat Milk Soap business that the Shepherdess will be operating from Bluff Country Shetlands.

Meet the  dogs, cats, mille fleur bantam cochin chickens, blue laced red Wyandotte chickens, and of course the delightful Shetland Sheep that make Bluff Country Shetlands (and Backyard Chickens!) a wonderful place to live ~ to learn ~  and to visit. 

DREAM says...

"I sure hope you can make it to our HAS (Hug A Sheep) Open House and Fall Fiber Festival!  Just think...you might even get your picture taken with ME! 

Donations of (uncarved) pumpkins and animal crackers are welcome and appreciated"...

Dream!

Please forgive her. 

 She gets a bit carried away...

For more information on the Hug A Sheep Day Open House and Fall Fiber Festival  email me at nkmajik@acegroup.cc  or call me at:  (507) 896-2487

What I Did This Weekend...a.k.a. My CRAZY Friends!

Here's the Thing...

I've been very busy trying to get things organized so that I can start Selling some of my rovings/batts & yarns. Saturday, I dug out tons of stuff that I've been "meaning to do something with". Sunday morning, I arranged a photo shoot ~ in my living room ~ so that I can start advertising stuff. (more about that later)

Shortly after trashing my house, setting up the 'photo shoot', my doorbell rang. It was Virginia ~ coming to spin, card, and knit with me. A few minutes later, Terry pulled up the drive. What fun! We're going to have a playing with fiber day!!

The ladies took turns spinning on my Roberta Electronic spinner (of which I have decided I am going to become a distributor!). Notice Terry's attire: I do keep my thermostat at 50 degrees! I did turn it up (all the way to sixty!) for the girls but they still seemed to think that it was "rather cool".

Virginia wrapped herself up in one of my shawls and was modeling the gigantic 'bag' that I knit ~ ages ago, and am finally going to felt!

OMG! She cracks me up!!!

Then, Virginia gets the brilliant idea that the bag would be a perfect "cat carrier".

ROFLMAO!!

Poor Lily! (this woman is a HOSPICE NURSE!)

Virginia assures me that Lily "likes it!"

OK, Virginia...let the nice kitty out now.

Disclaimer: No cats were harmed in the making of this blog post.

DREAM says...
"I was wondering what was going on in there ~ those ladies were mighty rowdy!!"

I'm still chuckling, Dreamer!