Tour de Fleece update

The Tour de Fleece 2008 is complete. My goal to finish spinning, plying, and washing this roving purchased at OFFF 2007 has been obtained. The colors are stunning and the final yarn is in stash awaiting the perfect project.

Tour de Fleece and Shout Out

There's a new button over in the sidebar, yep, I signed up for the Tour de Fleece. This is my first year entering the race, and I am off to a late start. However I feel confident in my ability to earn The Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey). My goal is to ply the red/gold wool silk I purchased at OFFF last year, and was just re-inspired to spin up at BSG. This is an attainable goal if I set the proper amount of time aside. Priorities!

I'd like to make a shout out to my friend Kerry, who when properly motivated by promises of chocolate, STR, and cashmere, has finished her koigu sweater over the 4th of July weekend. Doesn't it look great? Well done, Kerry!

Tres Amigas

Is my Spanish right?


clickety click to embiggen



clickety click to embiggen

Black Sheep Gathering 2008

Every one has already posted their photos, I am always the last to share. Friday afternoon Barb and I headed down to the rim of Drain for what has become an annual pilgrimage to artist heaven. At least what I envision artist heaven to look like. It is a place to relax and unwind...



to commune with nature...


to find hidden inspiration...


to see the beauty in the every day...


to leave it with the goddess to handle...


There was spinning...

from OFFF 2007, merino silk, dyepots


BSG 2008, merino silk


MSW 2008, merino silk

I really enjoyed the spinning time, even if I am slouching.


Barb made a feeble attempt at entering the ugly sock contest, but Autumn declared that nothing ugly would ever grace her head.


Someone had to work...


Thank you Sheila and Michael for a wonderful, rejuvenating weekend! See you next year?

The arrival of Autumn

Fall arrived early in the Pacific NorthWet, and along with it came a cold. The entr fably hab been sik and now I thin I got it toooo. Achhoo!

It's been rainy and cold, as you have probably read about on other PNW blogs. The sun peeked its pretty head out for 5 minutes this afternoon, and DH was kind enough to snap a few pics of some FO's. He's never one to turn down a photo opportunity.

Here's a better picture of the Victorian Shoulderette, previously featured here. This shoulderette pattern by Sivia Harding is knit with yarn I spun from a roving purchased from the Artful Ewe.


Next up is a mistake rib stitch scarf knit from a singles yarn from Peru. Doesn't it look like reptile skin?


A birthday gift for my SIL is modeled by DD. The scarf is a free pattern on the web, and the head scarf is Calorimetry from knitty. I hope she likes it!


Finally, Ene's scarf from Scarf Style, more like a shawl, knit in the yarn called for, Blackberry Ridge laceweight.

True Blue(berry) Friends

When faced with reality, only true friends will help you out:



Barb is even letting me test out her new lazy kate. I am truely blessed to have wonderful, supportive friends.


Now, on to the plying:


Yummy blueberry yarn:

Imagine this

The server's down. The one that hosts my blog photos. But that's ok, because I have a totally awesome husband who will get the thing back up and running, I know it. I am very lucky to have that kind of confidence in my personal computer engineer's abilities. Plus, the same server hosts his dive photos, so you know it will be working soon . The server's back up!

Imagine this:

A freshly spun skein of a lovely natural colored gray yarn, blowing in the breeze on my back deck. Now for the close up - oh - there are two skeins! One is a beautifully spun two ply, very light and lofty. The other is a fat single, or at least is trying to be a fat single. Hey, I suppose I wouldn't want to be a fat single either. Badum bum.



I bought a pound of this lovely gray roving at the Whidbey Island spin in, from Heidi at the Artful Ewe. At first I thought it was BFL, but the more I think about it, it could be Shetland. I'll have to send her a mail and ask if she recalls what she was selling. Anyway, my goal was to practice spinning a two ply worsted weight yarn, and a fat single. Mom gifted me with some lovely roving in MD that I will spin and return to her to be knit. Plus, I have some Great Balls of Fire that I'd like to spin into a fat single, ala Manos or Malabrigo, and knit myself a cooshy scarf. Practice, practice, practice.

Spinning

Wow, that's an inspiring title, isn't it?

This weekend I went to the NWRSA group 2060 spinning meeting with friends Barb and Sam. I was inspired to finish up 6 oz of merino/tencel purchased at the Whidbey Island spin in. The problem is I forgot to bring the bobbin with the first 3 oz of spun fiber. So no plying for me.

Last night I was able to ply, and this morning I wound the yarn onto the niddy noddy. 225 wraps on the niddy noddy is about 375 yards. The yarn still needs a bath and then to hang to dry. I'm thinking about making a Gothic Lace Scarf with this.

St. Distaff's Day Celebration

Yesterday, January 7th, was St Distaff's Day, the day which traditionally marks the end to the Christmas festivities and the return to work; for women, spinning. The NWRSA holds a spin-in to celebrate this day, and for the second year in a row, I was in attendance. Over 150 spinners attended, and there were at least 20 local vendors selling their wares. My small group of friends grew this year: it was a joy to see Lo and Sam in attendance, and this year we hooked up with Annie and Terri as well. Of course, my good friend Barb was there as well, it was so nice to see her spinning something other than the gray fiber for her husband's sweater. Go give her a shout - out because she finished spinning 6 pounds of this stuff! Now if that does not show devotion, then I don't know what does!

Here's a few shots of the gym to show you how crowded it was:

Annie and I, I'm talking to my Mom on the phone so she could be a part of the celebration!


Terri, Barb, and Sam spinning away!


Barb, Sam, Lo, and Tammy, having a great time!

I haven't taken pictures of all the great things I purchased yet, so I will save those for another post.

On a sad note, my Baby Bagel is not the big dog he imagines himself to be. We spent several hours in the emergency vet clinic getting his ear sewn up. He's on pain killers and antibiotics, and pretty groggy. Send healing thoughts for my poor baby!