Fibery Stuff

I've been away for a bit and thought I should check in and let you see what I've been up to. I'm still working away on the Nutkin sock, but have not been working on it much as I've had other stuff going on.

Last weekend I decided to clear off some bobbins that have been hanging around for I don't know how long with bits and bobs on them, waiting for just the right color to pair them off with. I gave in and just started to clean off bobbins. One was this turquoise, that I was convinced I was going to spin up two copper colored singles and make a three ply out of. I finally decided that the copper wasn't going to happen any time soon and that the turquoise would look dandy as a two ply....and would free up a bobbin. So, that's completed and measured in at approx 138yards.

I also finished up the brown/yellow/blue color blending exercise. I'm not happy with the colors but the spinning is better. I'm practicing the long draw spinning method and I think I made great improvement in just this skein alone. It's certainly got more loft than I normally produce. I can tell you the plying was much easier than it has been in the past. (I'm also getting better at plying from a center pull ball. No feet were used this time and that's a huge improvement!lol) I personally dislike this colorway, but Don likes it so it'll end up being something for him.....if I can stand to knit it up. ;) It is only 93 yards.

I also combined about 3 or 4 bobbins worth of test spinning, all from the same natural brown fleece that will later be worked into a full skein. There's lots of brown to be done up yet, but just combining them freed up more bobbins. I'm sure there will be more posts regarding this brown project. lol

After cleaning all that up, I looked at my basket full of empty bobbins and decided it was time to get a variety of fiber prepped for spinning. I dug out the red/black/gray and got that ready to work on. I don't recall how I carded them together last time to make the yarn for the gloves (should have taken notes!) and I really want to try to match it as closely as possible so this time I carded them separately and will have to do the combining during the spinning. We'll see how that works out. I don't need the gloves to be identical, but I'd like them to be close.

I also sorted out my dyed fiber from ages ago. You know the stuff, the results from dyeing experiments using the Wiltons icing dyes? I went at it with the thought that I'd card up what was possibly acceptable, and put aside the rest to be over dyed a different color. From that lot is this "orangey" color that was suppose to be the aforementioned copper. It's not what I was expecting and carded up really nice, if not my favorite color. Oh well, it will be good practice and someone will like it I suppose.

In the "To Be Carded" pile was this Jacob. I've already carded up the "mostly white" portion of this small fleece and besides this "mostly gray" batch I have a "mostly brown" batch to card up. I envision a small afghan made of granny squares all from this one fleece. We'll see. We'll see. There's lots of spinning still to be done. This came out light and fluffy though so it should be a real pleasure to spin up.

I also pulled out the dark mess I call Dragon. It was atrocious in the bag and got only marginally better after carding. I'm reserving judgment on this one until it's spun up. There is something about the light and dark colors that intrigues me. We'll see how long that lasts though as I started to spin it up last night and it's insisting on being a fine single, and I've lots of this colorway carded so that means it will be a long spinning process. Sigh. That's the spinning fates for you. I may have to alternate between spinning this and the Jacob, just to keep my sanity.

This last one I finished off last night before starting the Dragon fiber. It's the sky blue/purple/vermilion/slate blue color blending exercise. I really like this one and like the end product. I will confess to the fact that I completely mis-plied this one and had to redo it as I'd plied it in the wrong direction and it was trying to eat itself in distress. It was a good lesson though as I think I now know what I did wrong on that cable ply last year. :) I don't have a yardage measurement on this one as it's still drying.

Well that's all for now. I'm gonna finish eating dinner and then work on either the sock or the spinning, not sure which yet. ;)

DOT-VICTORY! Oh And A Little Fiber.

*I know, a DOT post actually on Thursday! Before you die of shock, read on!
Dogs On Thursday-VICTORY!

I once stated on this blog that it's near impossible to get a photo of Cody, our "middle child". Since I blogged that, I determined to test that theory and see if maybe I was exaggerating it for humor sake. Well, I wasn't exaggerating at all. I've tried off and on to get quick candid shots of him and all I can say is, he's my dog. I hate having my picture taken and so does he. I was finally able to get a couple of decent shots of his front end tonight; however, every time he figured out the camera was out, on and pointed at him he would casually walk out of the room, through the next room and down the hallway. He's pretty adamant about not having his picture taken. I do love me a challenge. ;) (The next time the bathroom is clean and he's hiding behind the toilet, I'll snap one just to prove I'm not kidding!)

So first off here's Cody waiting in line at the "soup kitchen" we call Bandit's dinner. Bandit, having no teeth, eats special food and is watched over carefully so that other, teeth bearing, animals do not eat his dinner. (Yes the cats are included in this as they are bigger than him and sometimes willing to take his food. This ritual is performed at breakfast too. Yes, I have to prepare breakfast and dinner for him. Sad, I know.) Cody lives in hope that Bandit will walk away and that we will not notice him stealing the left overs. When this ritual started, Cody used to keep a few feet away. As you can see here, he's right up on him, next in line.

This one was taken as he's making his get away. I got another shot later of his rear end as he retreated, but the pic was to dark to see anything. lol. Every time he came in the room I'd turn on the camera and point it at him. Every time I did, he'd just turn around and walk away. Too funny!

This final one was taken by the hubster. Props to him for proving that Cody notices nothing while he's clearing the flavor of left overs out of Bandit's dish. ;)

On a completely fibrey note, I do save the undercoat from Cody when I groom him and plan on spinning it up some time. I've got a bit saved up, not sure how much exactly, but it's beautiful stuff and he puts out a beautiful coat of fluff. Pretty ironic considering how much he hates to be groomed.

Fiber!

Last night was our Spring Sale at Valley Spinners Guild. Historically the Spring Sale is not as large as the Fall one due to a large show that's going on down in Puyallup. (I'm going to get to that one eventually!) Most of the non-member vendors end up going to the south show, leaving a nearly member only vendor group. This years showing was pretty good though and there was lots of books, magazines and fiber to be had. I had a small bit of cash in my pocket last night, just in case. ;) Having spent the day "on the road", I hadn't taken my wheel with me this time. I think it's the first time I've shown up without spinning to work on in the whole time I've been a member. Many others bring knitting or crochet when they're not in a spinning mood, so I wasn't completely out of place with only having my sock to work on. Anyway, I walked through the vendor booths several times and couldn't settle on anything I had to have, but found myself at the same booth at the beginning and end of each walk through. The gal manning the booth was one I met on my first night at the guild and although she's not able to be there every month, I enjoy her when she is. I had looked at the natural colored fiber at the booth next to her, and the dyed super wash from across the way. Both were either alluring or within my budget for the night, but nether were speaking to me. Odd, because both were what I normally would buy. Amy's booth however kept calling to me. She had bright purple and "citrus" colors. Bright orange, yellow, neon green, neon teal, bright melon and pink and blends of them all. There was also a "ocean" blend that had teal, neon green, blue and purple. Absolutely beautiful! By the time I found myself in the purchasing mood, I was looking at "Mermaid" and trying to decide if I was buying a solid neon to go with it. Now wait a minute! I don't do neon anything. All of these colors were just way too bright for my normal palette. I think it was all explained perfectly when Amy asked me if I had a question and without thinking I answered, "No, I'm just mentally talking myself out of my comfort zone." I really wanted that Mermaid. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it spun up, but I wanted to spin it. lol. So, for $7.90, 7.9 oz of Mermaid blend came home with me. I started spinning it tonight and it's going altogether too fast. I'm calling it color therapy. Maybe it's the snow that fell at the end of last month and the fact that they're talking snow for this weekend. Maybe it's the rain that's fallen all week. Maybe it's the fact that the garden is not planted and it's the middle of April. I don't know. But this little bag of fiber spoke Spring to me. I'm so ready for Spring. I had to bring a little home with me!

I'm hoping to get some time in with the drum carder soon. I've dyed up some different colors in the hopes of creating blended batts similar to this and I've checked out the Deb Menz book to get some pointers on color blending but I'd love some pointers if you have some. I think I'll take stock of the colors I have already dyed and see if there are some obvious choices I've missed. Lord knows I've got plenty of white in the shed. lol. When I get around to that project I'll be careful to take pics and share that as I (hope) think some of you may be interested. Failure can be amusing some times.

I'm hoping to get up to the Alpaca Ranch this weekend to drop off the yarn I've spun for them. With the elevation they are at, I've been waiting for the weather to be decent at the same time that they are free for a visit.;) There's a possibility that I'll be picking up more Alpaca Fleece at that time too. OOOOO! Anticipation. lol If so, I've a couple of friends I'd like to share with. If it works out and the weather cooperates, I'll be doing quite a bit of Alpaca washing soon. Keep your fingers crossed for me.