From processing fleece to knitting with handspun, and everything in between.
I have at least the standard amount of suck in my life, but every now and then I have to realize how blessed I really am. This is how I spent my afternoon: In the screened-in porch at Breezy Willow Farm, spending quality time with the blue Dorset fleece I dyed a few weeks ago … More How Cool Is My Life?!
After working for Seven Months to create a whole lot of very fine lace that is very consistent and well-behaved… I needed a break. I needed to spin something fat and pointless. Conveniently, about halfway through my lace plying, the latest copy of Spin Off showed up at work for our perusal, and peruse I … More Extra Cathartic
There’s been a lot of plying going on around here lately. Both completely full bobbins of laceweight singles have become skeins of laceweight yarn, and I’m pretty happy with them. At least, I’m pretty happy with the first one – the one you saw on Sunday. The one I finished today after three episodes from … More Consistency
Spinning is immeasurably good for me. You may have heard that there are two kinds of knitters: process knitters and product knitters. They are fairly self-explanatory: Process knitters knit primarily for the joy of doing. They choose a project based on how fun it would be to do, they don’t care so much about the … More Plying Days
The last time I tried to wash a fleece, I didn’t exactly meet with disaster per se, but it ended up being rather complicated for a proper explanation. Luckily, I’ve gotten a second chance! This dorset is ten pounds of greasy white glory, and because I know you are so interested, I will show you … More In which I wash a Dorset
It’s well into the afternoon, and I think I’m finally over my hangover headache. We may or may not have attended an excellent cinco de mayo party last night at which Jared proved that the ice crusher he got at a yard sale is totally worth the real estate it takes up on my shelf. … More Fleecy Farmy Friends
Around 1:30 today, we finally made it back to the show for our non-working day, and we blitzed through the festival in fine style. I learned a ton of things just wandering around the big sheep barn with the guys, so I shall share some of them with you. I learned that you can tell … More Sheep & Wool 2010 Day 2: Shopping! Sheep! Sheep shopping?
I am so tired. and I need a shower. So badly. but because I love you, my bloglings, I will write a post for you with the awesomeness and stupendous insanity that was today, at day one of Sheep & Wool 2010. I got the the fest around 8:10, and so my mummy doesn’t kill … More Sheep & Wool 2010 Day 1: Retail! Spinning Children!
How to wash a fleece, if you are me. 1. Lay out your nice fleece on your deck. A fleece, if properly shorn from the sheep, will come off in one big piece, which it will handily stay in until messed with. 2. Realize your deck is filthy. Sweep it. 3. Realize you have no … More My own worst enemy
We will now take a break from our regular Olympic coverage for a message from our sponsors. Small Cute Humans in Funny Hats They are the real reason we knit anything. Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Ganomy Hat (rav link) in Jolene’s handspun, hand-dyed yarn. Also brought to you by: Figure Skating (photo from here) I have to … More We’ll be right back!
Osborn Fiber Studio 