Some Updates!

I have actually updated my etsy shop! <---click that link! I added six 4 ounce braids of Falkland top for spinning. 3 each in two different colorways: "Sweettart"

"Jawbreaker"

I really love how cheery these are! Each braid weighed out just over 4 ounces prior to dyeing (from 4.10-4.20 ounces) And Falkland is so soft and bouncy! Micron count is about 26 (almost as soft as merino).

Also (I know this is a late posting!) I went to the Madrona Fiber Arts in Tacoma last month and scored some gorgeous stuff.. A huge honkin' 8 ounce bump of superwash merino in "Wish You Were Here" from Crown Mountain Farm


a braid of handdyed Rambouillet from Rainy Days and Wooly Dogs (on etsy)


and a 8 ounce skein of natural silver alpaca!

I am thinking of spinning the rambouillet to match the gauge of the alpaca and knitting a vest for me with them..

fiber

I need more fiber in my diet. Trust me. But my DH doesn't always agree. BUT! my birthday is soon (the 11th) so I got to order my own birthday present. ;)

I ordered a big honkin' ball of SW merino from Crown Mountain Farms, in the colorway "She's Like a Rainbow" and a 4 ounce ball of natural white BFL. I can't wait! It was really hard to pick a color though.. I will definantly be buying more.

I am signed up for two fiber swaps happening this summer. First is a Fiber swap through swap-bot.com, and the other is Hush-Hush Handspun Hootenanny! I am so excited. The first swap takes place the end of this month, and it's just a straight fiber swap. The second (HHHH) I will spin 4 ounces of handspun yarn and also send 4 ounces of fiber! SO COOL! I really want to know whom I'll be swapping with so that I can go shopping and plan my attack packages. I LOVE doing swaps, it's so fun to create packages and gifts for others. I love birthdays and christmas. It's so much fun hunting for the perfect gift :)

I am also being a swap mom over on knittinghelp.com. It is another 'Surprise Theme' swap, and it should be fun! I love this swap, and if i wasn't doing two fiber swaps, I would probably participate in this one as well...

So if you are on KH, come over and join in the fun!

SHEEP! (picture heavy)

Todays posts is really just pictures. These are some of the sheep I saw at the Puyallup Spring Fair. We were also able to pet a lovely lamb named Charlie, but I was so distracted by his extreme cuteness, that I failed to get a photo! He was so sweet and soft. Peanut loved seeing all the sheep and wool. When we walked into the Shepherders Extravaganza, we were greeted by the sight of about a half dozen spinners! Peanut looked over and said "She's makin yarn Mommie!" There were a few commercial , smallish vendors here, but it was really about the small farm sheep. And I swear, Crown Mountain Farms is begging for me to order some Corridale Pencil Roving! They were at Madrona in February, and again here at the Spring Fair! I will order some, as I love spinning from pencil roving (so much easier to have practically no drafting!) And they have beautiful colors as well as a great deal on undyed roving :)

On to the sheep!Gotland Ewe

Merino (Not sure of breed) Ewe and Lamb

Jacob Ram

Romney Sheep

White Blue Faced Leicester Ram

Lincoln Ewe

Black Blue Faced Leicester Ram

A sheep being Sheared. She was very quiet and seemed unconcerned, even with a smallish crowd of people watching!

Five and a quarter POUND of Cotswold fleece. White, and the ewes' name is Rosie, six months of growth (Spring cut fleece). This was a gift from the DH! What a keeper!

Just beautiful curls. This sheep if from Muddy Meadow Farm

spinning is dangerous

Since i knitted so furiously this last weekend, my right thumb has been sore, so i decided to spin instead :)
First, I (finally) plied the tan/khaki superwash. I now have a nice skein of 2 ply, probably enough for fingerless mitts or a hat! a full bobbin (so 4 ounces aran/heavy worsted)



Then I decided to finish spinning the lovely alpaca/superwash merino i received as a sample from my LYS, Lambs Ear in Tacoma. This stuff drafted beautifully, has a lovely heathered color and did i mention it has alpaca? *heaven* about 20 yards



Lastly, I decided to dig out my silk hankies i dyed last year (using food color pastes). It was fun poking holes and stretching it out. Took almost no effort on my part. about 105 yards, 18-20 grams



Except, later I noticed the damage on my fingers! Yikes. Tiny blisters on my right pointer, bruising on my left thumb, and a superficial slice along my left pointer. WOW. But it is puuuurdy stuff ;)