Randoming

The most ramdon thing about my blog these days is how often I post. Or not. I am still here. Some time writing wants to happen, and sometimes other things want to (or need to) happen more.

Reese, the puppy of unknown parentage, is nearly 6 months old. She is as big as Rowyn, and weighs a few pounds more. With great relief, I've noticed her growth rate has slowed down. Maybe she'll merely be large, and not a moose.

Rowyn and I went up to Oregon, to participate in the 2016 ASCA National show, the big, annual show for Australian Shepherds. We entered tracking at the TDX level (didn't pass) and several agility events (we earned one qualifying score out of 11 runs). We had a great time staying with our friends at Morgan River Ranch.

Rosie

Rowyn and his mom, Cricket

Rosie, Cricket and Ro. The girls competed in stock dog stuff.

After that, Ro and I drove to Idaho for the almost annual sibling get together. We stay in a little town called Victor, just over the pass from Jackson Hole. My brother lives out there. We fish and raft and sight see and visit.

Out on the Snake River

Sight seeing in Yellowstone

Caught one! A cutthroat trout.

We've been back for a few weeks. I've knit a few things and spun some stuff and made some things.
Gifts for Evan's girlfriend, Sam. She's attending law school at Michigan State, and I've decided she'll need many, many knitted things. I found some pretty-close-to-Spartan-green yarn in my stash, and turned it into fingerless mitts and a headband.

The mitts are Lambing Mitts and the headband is based on Calorimetry, just few turns, as I didn't have very much green yarn left. The green yarn is something discontinued, and I've no idea what the white was.

I've been making felted dryer balls. I was going to make some for myself, and then the dog rescue group we adopted Reese from, Aussie Rescue of San Diego and Friends, put a call out for crafty things to sell as a fund raiser at a craft market. Well, if I was going to make some any way... And its a great way to use up odd yarns and bits.

I needle felted the paw prints on, I thought maybe more people would like them that way. I decided I preferred winding yarn balls and felting them to wet felting the balls. And even better yet, most of the waste wool I'd saved from combing, carding and spinning worked out great when spun into fat, low twist singles and then wound into balls and felted. By the way, one full bobbin equals two dryer balls.

From this

To this

To this!

Why Finish A WIP

When it's so much fun to start a new one?

I was looking for a little spinning project, something to work on whilst sitting with my spinning pals. Something that wasn't a huge project commitment.  So I grabbed a nearby roving. I don't even have a picture of that hank, or remember who dyed it up so nice and pretty.  It's mostly wool, with some sparkly stuff. Firestar, maybe. Here's a picture of the beginning.

 It started off purple, and then went into blue. (Maybe there is some silk in there too? I think I still have the label someplace.) After blue came green, and then silvery gray and then kind of mauve at the end. The color runs are long.  My plan was to ply this with a different colorway, one that isn't made up into batts yet, just sitting in color chunks of roving. But, I'm thinking of heading in a different direction now. I have this lovely, silvery gray roving, wool and tencel, and I think the two would look amazing together. So I started spinning that.

But then, for some reason I went back to the stash, looking for something else completely, and found another colorway that I like. So now I'm thinking about these together. Then I added some black alpaca. Here's what I'm talking about.

 All together, that's 19oz of fiber. To make... I don't know yet.

Just Plying Around

With Spinning & Weaving and Weaving Week coming up, I've decided to get caught up on plying. Most of this is destined for weaving and I'll make 2-ply yarns of them.

Museum Month & Spinning and Weaving Week

Its October and that means free admission for kids at over 30 museums in the San Diego area. http://sandiegomuseumcouncil.org/kidsfree  Make sure to visit the website for details, and download/save the coupons. Some good bets; Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the USS Midway,  and Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

And right after I posted the above paragraph, I was getting caught up on reading blogs and found reference to National Spinning and Weaving Week. Really? I'd never heard of it before, so I thought I'd mention it here, just in case you'd never heard of it either. Here is a link; http://www.weavespindye.org/spinning-weaving-week . October 6-12. I've seen mention of teams and competitions, I'll skip those and just make sure to give some attention to my spinning and weaving projects.

The Girls Get A Garage

Don't misunderstand, I love my spinning wheels. But I did worry about them, sitting all exposed out on the floor. Sometimes the cat would decide to try and play with the yarn on the bobbin, or some human would decide to move the wheel and (gasp) pick it up by the flyer. And the pet hair dust bunnies loved to hide amongst the treadles. So one morning I had a brilliant idea about re-purposing a piece of furniture that once housed an old, tube style TV.

What if the spinning wheels fit inside the TV space? And then the little drawers could hold bobbins and shuttles, and maybe the shelves could hold fiber tools? And I could get rid of the functional but unattractive plastic drawers (that used to hold Legos and such when the boys were little) and just make everything look nicer? What a great idea!

So, with the help of DH and Son, the old (very heavy) tube TV was taken to recycling, and the (also very heavy) armoire was cleaned out and moved from the office/man cave to its new location, my fiber hall. If all the fiber was stored here, then it would be my fiber Haul. By the way, this cabinet is solid cherry, and so well made. And it must weigh over 300 lbs. We had quite an adventure, navigating this thing through a narrow hall, up 2 steps, down 2 steps, almost from one end of the house to the other.

But now it is in place, and the girls are safely tucked away in the new garage. Now, I just need to finish moving the other tools, and hang the warping board. There's room right next to the armoire.

Gadgets

I like gadgets, and not just the electronic kind. To me, gadgets are something that I could live without, but having certain types around can make some things much easier. Sometimes, I don't realize how much I use a gadget until it stops working. Last fall, my digital scale went blank, and I couldn't revive it. It really isn't an important gadget, but boy, have I ever missed it. I finally picked up a new one, and what a looker!

I'm so happy I can weigh things again.

Last week, I got a gadget for another gadget. I've enhanced the drum carder with a fine fiber brush from Duncan. I haven't tested it yet, I'm going to try carding some dog hair. According to Duncan, the brush really helps with fine, low crimp fiber.  (Shae was happy to contribute some test material today. Lucky for me she loves being brushed.)

And I bought a new gadget, a bobbin winder. For months I've been making do, rigging my Pocket Wheel so I could wind shuttle bobbins. It sort of worked, but was awkward. And slow. And awkward. I knew a bobbin winder would make things easier. But I have many different types and materials of bobbins, with different shaft openings. (Thank you, Kelie!) I've been hoping to find a winder versatile enough to work with all those different bobbins, plus my spinning wheel bobbins. And I finally found just what I've been looking for. This!

A lovely, adjustable bobbin winder. Hooray for gadgets!

Lets Get to the Fluffy Stuff

Did I go to the Black Sheep Gathering? You betcha! Did I spend a lot of money? NO!

No? Yup.  While I don't believe I qualify as STABLE (STash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy), I do have enough fiber to keep me busy for some time, especially as my current project output level seems pretty low.  And, oddly, I wasn't on the hunt for any particular fleece. You know, a certain type or color, or one that jumps up and says. 'You Can't Live Without Me!' So I went to BSG, fully planning to not buy fleece. (Not that this strategy has worked before, because it is usually just a downfall waiting to happen.) Weird, huh?

What I did do was spend hours in the 'wool barn' watching and listening to Judith McKenzie judge fleeces. Wow. What a great education. What an outpouring of information. What an eye opener too! Judith would pick up a fleece and extol the virtues of that particular type of fleece and I'd think to myself, "Well, I'd never thought of using that kind of fleece before, but clearly I need a fleece like that." Dangerous stuff when you're on a fleece diet. I'll be getting back to fleece in a minute.

My apologies to all the vendors at BSG. Your wares were all just as enticing as always; the fibers, the colorways, the tools. It seems I had more than my fair share of self restraint this year, I bought only 2 things. I promise to do better next year. Here is my haul; a crochet hook, because I couldn't find the one I knew was in my notions case,

don't worry, of course the missing hook showed up after I brought this one back. What is 'knooking'? the package said this type is for knooking. It will work fine for knit repairs.

And this lovely little 1 oz. batt, purchased from a young man who creates and sells them to put toward his college fund. I couldn't resist. I think his name is Colton.

Now we get back to fleece. Remember, diet doesn't mean abstinence. My wonderful pal Dusty, of the ranch, decided to add a few wool sheep to her small flock of sheep, in order enable my fleece habit. That's what friends are for, right? She decided on Navajo-Churros and brought home two ewe lambs from Dot Ranch. One of them was due for shearing during my visit. Here is a (cell phone) picture of Kayla just before shearing. I love love love the color of her fleece, especially the golden color of the tips.

Here is what she looks like after shearing.

Yup, dark chocolate brown. At least for now. Her color will probably lighten up as she gets older. Here is the result.

Eye candy. As this is her lamb fleece, that inner wool is pretty soft. Maybe soft enough for next to skin. Maybe. I played around with a little bit, you know, just to get acquainted.

From right to left; intact locks, longer outer wool, shorter and finer inner wool. Without washing, I spun singles from the locks.

From left to right; intact lock spun worsted style, intact lock spun woolen style, outer wool spun worsted, inner wool spun woolen. The samples were washed after spinning, and they're over spun as singles. I was thinking I'd ply them, then didn't. The first 3 are pretty tough, not for next to skin, but I wasn't expecting that. However, I think they'll work wonderfully for weaving. The 3rd sample, the longer outer wool? That is tough stuff and I think would make great warp. The 4th sample might work for next to skin if I'm more careful with my spinning, taking care to keep it light and airy. Otherwise, it works well spun without separating the locks.  Bonus - spending time getting to know the Susie Pro.

See! I did bring home a fleece!

I've Been Meaning to Tell You...

There is a new wheel at my house. Not brand new, but new to me new. She's a Majacraft Susie Pro.

My friend Mags was looking to find the Susie Pro a new home, and brought the wheel along to our spin meeting last April so I could have a test drive. Susie Pro and I bonded instantly, and this terrific wheel lives at my house now. We've a great future ahead of us.

Spinning the Romney Fleece

This Romney fleece, brought home from BSG, isn't so greasy. And not so dirty. So I've tried spinning some from the lock and in the grease and I'm really liking how it spins. The grease helps hold this not very crimpy fleece together, and I'm finding it easy to spin a fine, fairly smooth single.

But, for the sake of learning, I washed up a small sample to spin clean. I didn't expect that much of a color change! Here are some washed and unwashed locks side by side. The top sample is washed with soap and hot water.

Here's how it looks on the bobbin, the top bit is the washed.

To further my education, and because I don't want to store raw wool inside the house, I've soaked some of the locks in cold water to see how they'll spin with less dirt. And I was surprised by the amount of dirt that fell out. These locks really brightened up.

 And they spin nicely too; here we are again on the bobbin.

Even though I didn't use any hot water and detergent on the wool, it feels less greasy than before. It doesn't stick together as much as it did raw, and I find I have to pay attention or I end up spinning cobweb fine singles. I'll try spinning that fine again, to see if I can do it on purpose. But for now, this spinning is sample work for the Armchair project. After I put a little more yarn on this bobbin I'll make up a two ply and weave up a small sample. I don't want to get to far ahead of myself.

Two more pics from BSG

Did I mention I didn't take very many pictures? Part of the time I'm so enthralled I forget I have a camera with me, 2 actually. And sometimes I get lazy and think, "well, in some ways fiber festivals look much the same."
Here are 2 pictures I thought to share; a shot of several Columbine spinning wheels in multiple colors, and an awesome felted art piece that might also be a bedspread. I really hope its a bedspread, I'd to snuggle under something like that.
The Columbine spinning wheels are made of metal and so won't warp or crack like wood. I'm told the bobbins hold a whopping 12 oz. of fiber. I can't speak to how they spin, I didn't try one out. They make great eye candy though.

Getting to Know Border Leicester Wool

One of the benefits of planning for a new fiber project is playing with new fibers. My 'Cover that Armchair' project meanders along, in no hurry at this point, whilst I consider project requirements and suitable materials. The stuff I normally choose for spinning, knitting and even weaving is normally geared toward clothing items, things that feel nice against the skin. Something like an armchair should feel comfortable, but I think the fabric needs greater durability than what I'd expect from a scarf, or even mittens or socks. Plus, this project will take hours and hours and hours. If I make it, I want it to last longer than the time I put into making it.

Good arguements for sampling new fibers. I've played around a bit with the Finn/Dorsett/Targhee. It has luster, it would make great socks, its almost next to skin soft, it should take dye beautifully. I almost want to save it for something else. Some days.

Next up is Border Leicester. Purchased from SuDan Farms in Oregon. This fleece is different from the fleeces I've played with before. Maybe because its a true luster longwool? I don't know. The locks are curly, wavy, shiny. They look silky, and almost like doll hair.

Until the comb runs through them.

Pulling the combed fiber into top is where this wool feels really different to me. It doesn't want to hang together like the other fleeces I've combed. I tried using the diz, (heeheee, it's such a fun word) but found it easier to pull the wool without it. Adding a bit of twist while I pulled helped keep the top together.

The Border Leicester drum cards differently too, still not wanting to 'stick together'. I might try carding with the drums set closer together. I know longwools have larger scales, so maybe there aren't as many grabby bits along the fiber shaft. I wonder if this stuff can felt at all? It spins nicely, and I keep reminding myself to add in a bit more twist than I usually would, seeing how this wool slides around.

I keep trying to get a nice, smooth single, and sometimes I think I've managed. But the yarn has a mind of its own. Look at all those fuzzy bits!

Spinning for knitting I'm comfortable with, but I've got questions about spinning for weaving, especially for making a durable fabric. Is a 2 ply with larger singles as durable as more plies with smaller singles? What will hold up better, a thin fabric or a thick one. Is one type of weave more durable than another, like twill verses plain? Hopefully the next few months bring answers. In the meantime, The Black Sheep Gathering is soon. I'll be on there, on the lookout for more fleece.

Another Sample

A second sample from the Finn/Dorset/Tarhgee fleece. Less twist, softer and loftier, even though its still woolen  worsted spun. Or as close as I get to woolen worsted spun. I thought I washed this fleece well, but there is still a fair amount of grease; it ends up much fluffier after finishing the yarn.
I really, really like this fleece.

FO = Start

Finished Objects. The satisfaction of making something with my own two hands. The delight of having a pleasing and functional result from my efforts. The relief of finishing a gift on time. The magic of transformation. And, the space to start something new. The excitement of planning the next project. Okay, sometimes its not excitement, its anxiety. Can't hop into the car without a project to take along. What if we get stranded? What to do, next? Start.

One of my next projects, and I know I've talked about this before, is to make a slipcover for an armchair. I've been thinking about this off and on for a few years, and this year is when the project gets underway. At first, my plan was to knit a cover. I wasn't sure what yarn to use, so I let things percolate. Maybe I'll use more bits of felted or fulled fabrics. Maybe I'll chicken out on the whole project.

When I added weaving to my addiction hobby mix, more possibilities cropped up. I could weave and sew, I could weave, full and sew. Weaving being faster than knitting, its less daunting for me to consider weaving some fabric and fulling it. I might do all of the former, and add knitting as well.

Before deciding construction methods, I want to decide construction materials. I'll hand spin the yarn, but my fleece stash is currently geared toward next to skin softness, not furniture durability. Oh drat, I guess that mean I'll need some different fleece. (heheeheee) But how much stronger does my yarn need to be? I bought the Finn/Dorset?Targhee to try out. Lovely fleece with gorgeous luster, spins like a dream. Softer than I thought it would be. Will it be strong enough?

The only way to know is to weave a sample. And I only wanted a little sample, so I made a little card-loom. I think I should've made more ends-per-inch for the warp, but didn't think the cardboard would hold up. The yarn is a finer gauge than what I'd plan, and could use more twist, but it worked.

I made my little sample, and then fulled it in soapy water. Note to self: this wool can felt. Here is the itty bitty sample, looks like a dollhouse area rug. Too cute. The jury is still out on whether this will work for a furniture cover. It might, especially if its paired with something stronger. Meanwhile, I still have enough yarn to knit a little sample, so I can see how it feels that way.

I've thought about procuring some long wool type fleeces. Lincoln, Romney, Wensleydale, Coopworth, Teeswater and so on. World of Wool carries some top made of long wool fleece, so I ordered 100 grams of White Devon top. Right now it looks more cream than white, but maybe that will wash out.

The staple of this is very long.

After spinning a little some of the top, I've found that there are shorter lengths and some fuzzy bits. Here is how it looks so far.

I'm going to run some of this fiber through the wool combs and see how that spins up.