Focus, Focus, Focus!

Ok, I havn't posted in awhile. I've been busy (a likely excuse!). Yeah, Yeah. I know. I've had time to read everyone elses blogs.....on two different blog rings....and have got many fabulous ideas in the process. I'm blaming it all on nature. The sun came out, again, calling me to the yard to work. Yet there is so much going on in the house that needs to be taken care of that I feel pulled back inside. Oh, and of course....theres the craft stuff that fairly screams to be given attention!

Sunday I spent the day "deep cleaning" the kitchen (still not done there), doing laundry, cleaning the back deck and packing up a bunch of large dust collectors that I posted on freecycle and (thank goodness!) they were snapped right up. As it rained a good portion of the day here I didn't feel that inclined to weed or mow, which was a good thing. Luckily I still havn't gotten the seeds started and in my mini greenhouse on the deck because Monday we had a bit of a wind storm here and the greenhouse blew over on the deck. I would have probably cried it if had anything growing in it. At this point I wonder if those seeds will ever get planted. ;)

On the fiber front.....I have truely been blessed. A friend at work has another friend with garbage bags of fiber in her garage. It seems she has sheep, has them sheared, and doesn't have a use for the fleece. Evidently she's been taking them to the dump or burning them (GASP!!!! NO!!!) She said I could take them ALL!!!! I'm being told there's about 20 of them! Different colors! Can you see why I'm trying to keep fingers crossed at all times? (It makes it hard to type, knit, crochet, spin....scrapbook....ect.) So.....last night I get the call that she is picking them up for me tonight and I'll pick them up tomorrow. I really can't believe that it's going to happend though! Oh yeah....and the fiber source may sell me her drum carder too......YIPPEEEE!!!!

On another fiber front, I have a customer at the store I work at that has been inviting me to go to the spinning guild that she is a member of. The meetings are on one Tuesday night a month, which would seemingly work for me, but something ALWAYS comes up. Last month I was planning on going but she let it slip they were having a sale at that meeting, so I scurried home instead. A fiber sale is NOT the place for me right now. I have such little self control as it is! Anyhoo, she was telling me that she and her husband are getting a commercial/industrial carder (not sure which and not sure if there's a difference) and are looking for wool to "practice" on with the new machine. I told her about the wonderful amount of wool that was hopefully coming my way soon and that I'd share with her, as she has shared with me in the past. The conversation turned to drum carders as I'm desparately seeking one to borrow/rent so that some of these mountains of clean fiber can turn into spinnable rovings. It was pointed out that if "someone" would join a certain guild then "someone" could borrow one of the guilds drum carders....cough, cough. Ok I'm a fool. I should have joined last fall. (more on this later.) Anyway, she thought a deal could be made where they card some of my fleece for free just to gain the practice on the new machine. While I'm all for that.....I'm still giving her some of this fleece and will let her decide if she wants to do mine too.

So....now that I have quantities of clean fiber sitting around.........I can't get dyeing out of my head. From what I've read so far, I think the Kool Aid dyeing is going to be my first attempt. I've bought some Grape and Black Cherry and think I'll do some small quantities of mohair first. I've read that when the dye is exhausted in the process....the water turns clear or milky white. I'm so fascinted by that and just have to see it myself! Oh yes, I need something else to do...lol.

I'm nervous about joining the guild. I'll have to contact my friend and hit her with a bunch of questions first. Like, what happens at these meetings? What do you bring? What does it cost? Are they going to point and laugh at my work?---ok now we're getting into the real reasons I havn't joined before I think---Are they going to tell me that I'm doing it all wrong? I have visions of a group of people with hand spindles standing next to people at spinning wheels either pointing and laughing, or shaking thier fingers at me....saying "No! No! No!" I'm so happy with my crafts right now, and so excited about the direction it's taking me, that I don't want any negative input. Hmm....grow up. lol. From my experiences (limited) with other spinners, they will be friendly and helpful and I'll learn lots. I may even get to try out a spinning wheel sometime. Ok, the guild meeting is on my calendar, in ink. And I think I'll make arrangements to carpool with this friend so I can't back out.

Ok, I've re-read this and really, putting it all on the blog as relieved my spinning head some. Focus is coming back to me. (Well really....we'll call it focus.) That said and done, I have a lawn to mow, some fiber to dye....and a Mom that might need some stuff done for today. If the dyeing gets done, I'll post pics later.