Having Fun with Fiber!

I promised I would share some of my recent fiber exploits.  Somehow, in between cleaning up dog disasaters, training dogs, hauling dogs to the vet, giving medication, vacuuming up dog hair, letting dogs out, bringing dogs in and separating jealous canines when the tension gets a bit too high, I've found time to SPIN...

I'm currently working on some white Shetland/kid mohair roving from my Shetland sheep and Mc Steamy, the white Angora goat wether that I used to own.  It is heaven to spin!

I'm using my "Roberta" electronic spinner.  The truth is, I haven't used my treadle wheel since I bought the Roberta!

"Betty" just spins so much faster and effortlessly than a treadle wheel.  And I can sit back comfortably on the couch while I spin!

I'm in love with the soft, shimmery yarn this roving is making!

This is a damp skein, drying in the sunshine, on the back of one of my dining room chairs.

Heck, I think it even makes pretty pictures!

I've been pre-drafting roving in the morning, spinning in the afternoon (better light) and KNITTING in the evening...

This is a pair of socks that I'm making for my baby Sister, Penny.  It's a Thank You gift for all that she did for me (and my animals) when I was so sick last year.

I would have knit her anything but she wanted wool socks!

This is the first pair that I've made using double pointed needles.

Jill (who is feeling MUCH better!) supervises.

The socks are NOT knit from the yarn I'm currently spinning.  They're from a bulkier, musket yarn that I spun months ago.

I'm going to use the white yarn that I'm spinning as part of these:

And this:

They're the "Drifty" mittens and hat patterns by  Mandy Powers on Ravelry.  Click on either image to take you to the pattern!

What are YOU working on???



About "THAT CONTRAPTION"...

In yesterday's comments, Kathleen (do visit her blog! She's got some wonderful posts about beating the Winter Doldrums.) asked about "that contraption" pictured in my Grey Blanket post. I'm assuming she meant my Roberta Electronic Spinner.I LOVE my Roberta!!

I love my Roberta SO much that I'm seriously considering becoming a distributor.... stay tuned!

;-)

DREAM says...

"THAT's what Mom needs...
another project!
I guess she has to do whatever it takes to keep us girls in HAY..."

You got THAT right, Dreamer!

GREY BLANKET.....

Typically, at this time of year, when one thinks of a Grey Blanket, one is likely to think about a dreary, dull, depressing day.

Not in the Bluff Country!

I've been spinning in every spare moment to make more yarn for my Queen sized, Shetland wool, Grey Blanket! I only work on it in the winter because it is WAY too hot to knit in the summer!

I LOVE my Grey Blanket! Even if it is only about 1/2 done.

I love the natural variations in the silver-grey fleece. And it's yummy soft and unbelievably warm!!

I love my Grey Blanket and was planning on keeping it for myself. But, lately, I've been thinking that I should offer it for sale (for a ridiculously high price!) because I really need to try to bring in more money to maintain my flock...

We'll see when it's done (which could be in another year or so!)

;-)

DREAM says...

"It takes me a whole year to grow a wool Blanket too!"

Just in the NICK of Time.....

The 2009 "REAL SHEEP WEAR SHETLAND WOOL" Calendar is on the way! I finished editing and put in the order at MIDNIGHT , last night/this morning. I had to get it in because the free shipping offer expired today! Nothing like waiting until the last minute!

The cost for a Calendar will be $25.00, which includes shipping. Lest anyone think I am getting rich off of these things, MY cost is $15/each. And that's if I order enough quantity to get a discount and order during a free shipping offer. So, I actually make about $7 per calendar. I hope nobody thinks that's excessive...

The calendars are printed on card stock paper(by Kodak), full color and each page is suitable for framing. I use my previous year's calendars for various decorating and promotional displays. Anyone wishing to order a 2009 Calendar, who has not already reserved one, can contact me

What ELSE have I been up to???

Carding and blending.

This is a mix of Fawn Shetland, llama and kid mohair!

Spinning ~ I'm going to make myself a scarf/wrap!



I'm trying to work on a couple of Christmas presents, too. It seems I'm not very good at multi-tasking!! ;-(

I haven't even put my BREEDING GROUP together yet!!

I'm working LOTS of overtime...
There just aren't enough hours in a day!

I'll try to post more often

Bella and Sadie are keeping an eye on things for me while I'm so busy....


P.S. Lucca CROWED!!!!

Sheep to Yarn....

Here's the thing: I have no life. My idea of a good time (and a little excitement) is photographing yarn that I've spun. I can really "spice up" the process if I include sheep and/or teddy bears in the endeavor...


In the above photo, Bear is showing some of the yarn that I spun from the roving I bought at Jefferson. The small skein is the sample I spun up from the roving its self. The larger skein is the same roving, spun thicker and with some red roving and a strand of cashmere singles added to it. Bear likes it.

This is the smaller skein with the roving that I bought.


And this is the bulky skein with the red roving & yellow cashmere that I added.


In this photo, Bear is modeling the white Shetland/Mohair (50/50 blend on my drum carder!) that I spun into fingering weight yarn. It is SOOOOOO soft!

I love my basket too...



OOOO! Here's a nice Sheep Shot! This is Masquerade (for sale!). Isn't she growing up to be a beauty?


DREAM says...

..."Nice job Mom but where are the cookies???"

I Took SO Many Pictures Today....

*As always, click any image to enlarge *

It started because my BBG asked me to post some pictures showing the fall colors changing. So I got one with the Bluff in the back ground. Very subtle changes thus far. It'll be another week or two before the colors peak.

I took some pictures of the ewes in the pasture.

The boys on one of their final days together.

I got some cute pictures of Bella with the ewes.

Some really beautiful shots of Alice with her daughter, "Destiny".

I had a blast setting up photos shoots of my latest spinning results.


I have lots more pictures of each of the above ~ let me know if there's something that YOU would like to see more of...

DREAM says...

"I helped with some of the yarn pictures!"

Fall Colors....

The trees are just beginning to change into their Fall Finest in the Bluff Country. The cooler temps and cessation of growth of outdoor vegetation brings me indoors to start spinning up my own fall colors...

This is some roving that I bought at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. Yes, I know ~ like I really NEED to be buying roving (or can AFFORD it)!

But it's MY colors! I so love the autumn colors.

I'm playing around with how to spin it. I'm just going to put a little bit on each bobbin and then see how I like it plied. I may add a little bit more red because I like a lot of red in my autumn mix...

DREAM says....

"I think I'll take a nap while Mom's spinning..."

la lanterne rouge...

*As always, click on any image to enlarge*


For those not familiar with the cycling world, the term "lanterne rouge" (="red lantern", in reference to the lamps on the last car of a train) is used to refer to the cyclist who, well, comes in last in the race.

And it has a kind of mythology all its own -- while normally you wouldn't think to celebrate coming in last, tour riders and fans do, for a very simple reason. If you're coming in last, it means you're still on the Tour. It means you've actually finished the Tour, which is rather an accomplishment all on its own.

The Race is over. I give you evidence of why I feel that I deserve the red jersey:

This is what happens when I attempt to ply my over spun singles from a center pull ball!

I actually started out with one strand of yarn from the center of the ball and the second one from around the outside of the ball. As I ply, the center of the ball comes globbing out (technical spinning term for those of you not "in the know") and the strand from the outside of the ball tangles with it's self and from the mess from the center of the ball.

Not a particularly effective technique for me. At least I tried. Now to see if I can untangle this mess and salvage any usable yarn from it!

On a more POSITIVE note:

I've started flick carding some of the white Shetland and white mohair that I'm going to spin for one of the colors in my "Modern Quilt Wrap".

With any luck at all, I may just be knitting on this by NEXT year's Tour De Fleece...

Coming tomorrow...

...DREAM returns!

;-)