This and that

Jim and I helped Ben with some yard work.  His maple tree is just lovely and I had to hug it.

Halloween night

We wore our costumes from the Scooby Doo themed Cub Scout Camporee.  Albert and Alberta.

Jody's bunny was a cute attraction to the booth at the Cambridge Fiber Fair in October.
He says, "Spin more cotton."

I was spinning some kitchen sink fiber from Old Man
Wool Farm and while sitting on a felted karakul wool seat cover that Linda made.

The fabric after washing, steaming, and brushing.
I have to do a muslin mock up of the wrap skirt before cutting into this!

Mixing it up

Last evening was the last of the four-session learn to drop spindle class at Amazing Threads.  It is always fun to teach others the technique of spinning, whether with a spindle or wheel.  Observing how each student takes what they learned over the course and develop their own skills never gets old!  I was playing with the Blue Sky Alpacas Handspin, an alpaca/wool blend roving I received from them earlier this year.  It is a beautiful natural white and the perfect canvas for a bit of creativity.  A few years ago Joanne and I made art batts, which I wrote about in the Gone Batty post. I had some recycled sari silk, dyed fleece and a bit of natural gray Jacob wool to add to a batt I made a few months ago.  The wool/alpaca blend is beautifully soft and will work well with the add-ins.
Making a  sample art batt:

Bottom to top:  wool/alpaca, sari silk, dyed fleece, Jacob wool and the original batt

Sending the batt through a couple of times distributes the add-in fibers evenly.
I love how the silk colors pop through.

Flipping the fiber as I feed it through the carder helps with the blending process.

Using the small hand card held lightly packs the fiber

Pulling the batt off the carder--the reveal!

Pretty batt

A 25-gram batt ready to spin

Now the fun begins, spin the batt and then to extend the yardage I can ply it with thread, yarn, or spin another single of something else?  Endless possibilities!

Putting the Moosie to work

FOs and Old Man Wool Farm

Did you hear the latest? Deb of Old Man Wool Farm and I are dishing the dirt in front of the Debbie Gossip wheel.

It is time to post some finished projects.  I have been burning up the needles, spinning wheel, spindles, and loom with projects for work.  Here they are (not necessarily in order of completion).

30.10.14  Lots of projects going at the same time around here.  I have three samples for Blue Sky going (sorry, I cannot show them), some of the class samples are finished and on display at Amazing Threads, the Kaffe Fassett KAL is coming along.  I need to finish two of the squares in time for  the release of Clue 4 tomorrow, and it is time to cast on for my Custom Fit cardigan.  I am making the Acorn Trail with Frabjous Fibers March Hare (worsted weight) in Tulgey Wood, a lovely deep dark brown.  This yarn is special as it is dyed and spun in the USA and the inspiration is from my favorite story book Alice in Wonderland.

The Gansey Headband is a quick project and great stash buster.

Customized P Chullo hat.  Initials on the earflaps, 'I love wool,' and sheep adorn the top.  

Timber Mitt before cutting the loops.

Wavelength is a striking scarf.

Kaffe Fasset Mystery KAL from Rowan.  Clue 1

Clue 2

Clue 3

Intarsia in the round cell phone cozy.  Good tutorial.

Gansey Legwarmers.  I will need these soon!

Earlier this month AFW had a field trip to Deb Peterson's Old Man Wool Farm/Ewespun Fiber Mill.  It was a gorgeous day to visit the farm.  Deb fired up the card and blended a Jacob fleece with blue silk noil she dyed.  I purchased some fiber from Hidden Valley Farm and we loved the colorway called Dark Side of the Moon, a Coopworth/silk noil blend.  With half of the fiber spun into a single, I can spin the pound of Deb's into another single and then ply the two together.

It is fun to visit the sheep.

The llama was happy to butt in and get an apple treat.

This beauty had one of the top fleeces at Shepherd's Harvest this year.

One of Deb's wheels, a delicate French beauty.

The card had leftover colors, which looked really nice.  

Blue silk noil blended with Jacob.  This will go with my Cormo/silk noil blend.  Watching the roving come out is mesmerizing

Autumn was particularly colorful and the weather was just perfect this year.  

Pretty colors in the small wildflower garden.

The birch trees are always watching.

Some neighborhood turkeys joined me on my morning walk.

One of the yard critters.  We call them mini-bears at Philmont.  

I do not know how it happened, but this was a most unusual split!

My Moosie Has Arrived!

The wait is over--my Moosie arrived today while I was at SSK!

The box was at the front door...

...I anxiously opened it and saw my name...the suspense is driving me crazy!

Shiela Bosworth test-spun it for me and I am so happy.  It's just beautiful.  

The whorl has a pin weight by the notch.  The weight is 39 g/1.39 oz,
and the shaft is Kamphi Rosewood.  It was #3 in the release of ten spindles.

I finished spinning the roving that was on it and plied it.  

I may have to name it Bullwinkle.  This is the obligatory Moose and Squirrel photo.

Shepherd's Harvest 2013

For months I thought that our last Wood Badge Development before course in August was going to be the full weekend through Mother's Day.  We ended up coming back on Saturday evening, which meant Shepherd's Harvest  was a go for Kathy and me.  We were texting back and forth late in the evening making our plan.  It was a very fun day!  Lots of vendors, only a few sheep left on Sunday, but lots of llamas and alpacas.  We ran into lots of friends and made some new ones.  When I got  home from the festival I opened up the box of goodies I received from Fancy Fibers Farm containing the mohair locks, denim noil and sari silk.  I am excited to use the add-ins for colorful spinning.                                                                    
                                                                     

See the llama be the llama

Psst...you have something in your teeth.

Multicolor llama.  The llamas seemed to love being photographed.

CVM lambs were not as easy to photograph.

We stopped at Dunn Bros for something warm to drink and goodies.  I am working
on the Hitchhiker

Kathy is working on her Mullet Socks--business in the front, party in the back.

This is really nice roving from Handspun by Stefania.  I have 15.5 ounces.  The sample was really nice.  I know it looks like a German flag and I like that.  Fun and so soft!

Two ounces of hemp from Susan's Fiber Shop.  I spun a small sample and may use it carded with something else in the stash.

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A really pretty top to make with handspun.

Too pretty for feet!

Mmmm...for spinning:  denim noil, sari silk, and mohair locks from
Fancy Fibers Farm in Texas.