Thesockladyspins

Merino-Silk mix from Dicentra Designs, bought it last fall at OFFF, immediately (or almost) spun first 4 oz, then fickle fingers tried something else, now with TdF getting close I didn't want a big amount, so grabbed 2nd 4oz bundle. Color is called Sherwood and will be a very masculine color once plied, should be fingering weight if my fingers remember. Pix of just the fiber shows the colors, a deep dark purple-maroon with small amounts of green (but of course). Started spinning this morning just after 6 am while still cool enuff in wool room to need a flannel shirt on. Now just after 1 pm temp is 25°C or 78°F, perfect, altho forecast later is for 32°C or 90°F. Will be glad for the leftover macaroni salad for supper. Just to show that I don't only spin green a pix of the 2 ply fingering weight Sand color from Smith & Ewe, ended up with over 1000 yards. Then a pix of the blue that I will start plying tomorrow morning. Someday down the pike the Sand just might turn in...

Finished the latest green BFL this morning in a marathon spinning session, started at 6:50 am and finished at 8:30, nice spinning in the morning while its still cool. Temps are predicted to soar over this weekend, low 30's C, close to 90's F, hot in either. Will break out my antique tower fan when it gets hot later, only one speed and it doesn't rotate any more. Critter must be close to 20 years old. Someday while in town will see about getting a new one. Had Lucas in yesterday morning pulling weeds, Toadflax is a nasty invasive weed (but with a beautiful yellow flower), there was so much it barely fit in the back of my car, took it straight up to the dump. Will keep my eyes open for anymore, get rid of it as soon as I can.

With almost 2 weeks before the TdF starts needed something else to spin, so last night got out what I thought was the same green merino I had spun over the winter, wasn't exactly dark when I got this mix. But in daylight this morning I see its a completely different color than what I had wanted. The bobbin already done is a merino from Cindie K at Eweniquely Ewe in Grants Pass, OR., so now with quite a bit of the different green already spun, might as well soldier on and finish it, the wrong green is a BFL from Smith & Ewe in Kamloops, BC. First pix is the BFL that I currently have on wheel, 2nd pix is the merino that I really wanted, 3rd pix is the merino already spun. Oh Well just another green to plug into the stash. Also on the go, are two bobbins of Sand merino that has been done for awhile, now time to get it plied, much as I dislike plying its a necessary evil to keep me supplied with empty bobbins.

First pix is the full braid of the Sweet Violets a bit over 5 oz, 2nd pix is whats left after two days of spinning, 3rd is whats been spun on my S 90 Woolee Winder bobbin. Not the best pix of whats already been spun. With nothing going wrong with plans I will finish whats left yet today. This pix is another green to add to my stash, singles of pencil roving and an unknown green plied tog, 480 yards. Very happy with the colors, was surprised at how well they went tog. With temps forecast for low 30's (upper 80's F), not at all fond of the higher temps about the only good thing I can think of is that it should help tomatoes grow in Spences Bridge, my main source of tomatoes later this summer. 2pm on 22nd Finished the braid of Sweet Violets. With almost 2 weeks before the TdF starts on July 4th will find something else from the stash to spin.

Finished 5 of the large batts from the Romney I bought from Harriet at conference, still one left but it wouldn't fit on the two bobbins I figured on. Now will hit the spinning wheel hard, as much time as my right leg will allow, spinning Merino (so nice after the coarser Romney), have 150 grams that I will get finished and plied before the Tour de Fleece gets underway. Its the second bag of Sweet Violets from Smith & Ewe from Kamloops, BC. Sun just came over east mountain into wool room, feels so good. Frost again this morning -1°C or 30°F, almost cool enuff to turn heat on. Heck & Darn its nearly the end of June. Today is the start of the annual Gymkhana in Tatla, everyone with a horse will be up at the grounds, especially enjoyable for the kids with lots of event for them to ride in. I wouldn't be caught up there for anything, skeeters and prolly other flying critters will be thick, staying home with my wool and wheel. Have J.J. Cale on iTunes, 81 songs some wit...

The socks I just mailed down to Vancouver Island and current sock seem to follow the reoccurring blue theme, just can't help it. Between the many blues I have on hand and followed closely by greens, can easily see where my comfort zone lies. Then got looking at the DK-Sport weight yarns in my handspun stash, guess what the 'GREENS' win there as well. So took a pix of the greens and then one of the blues. And just plied two more bobbins of a really dark green. I'm lost. Maybe the stuff I'll be spinning for the Tour de Fleece will fall out of the 'comfort zone', no wait its a blue theme as well. Guess after its done will go to a bright red or maybe even black just for something different. The green handspun. Greens just seems to jump into my shopping bag while at places that sell roving, some I even dyed myself, using CIBA acid dyes. Then the blues. Left two windows open in the wool room overnight, temp this morning was in upper 30's F meaning it...

The first two bobbins of the mixed greens plied and skeined, ended up with 784 yards of two ply, about DK or sport weight yarn. Have about another 30+ minutes to finish bobbin #4, then in a day or so will ply it as well. Next will be to decide what to do with it. A sleeve to sleeve sweater is in the queue and this yarn just might work. Now I must find and get yarn on my Woolee Winder bobbins plied, want to have at least 4 empty for the TdF starting on July 5th, will be spinning two bundles of Crown Mountain Farms merino from my stash, knew I saved this for a reason, perfect fiber for TdF. And should I get it finished before the Tour is over will have another bunch of Orange Creamsicle from Smith & Ewe, also merino. Have first bundle done, 2nd is 5.3 oz. Am sure I could fine more if I should get all the above done. Will if I am able to go down to OFFF buy 3 or 4 more Woolee Winder bobbins for my Louet S90. Have plenty of the regular bobbins but verra low on the WW bobbins...

Bobbin #3 of the mixed greens is over half full, should finish it yet today. Got in nearly an hour spinning this morning and will do more later, hopefully before it gets to hot. Bobbin on the left was the progress for Friday, right side this morning. Am running out of some of the colors with the darker purple especially so will plug in another green with lighter shades of purp. The first two bobbins. Feeling much better since getting back to my wild mountain valley, eating different (conference food) was for the most part out of my normal routine. Now instead of eating on conf schedule I can pick and choose when meals are to be. Prefer eating my main meal of the day around 3-4 pm.

Was held at University of Puget Sound, while its a beautiful campus parking was not close to anything, construction everywhere. What had been parking close to dorms now is a grassy area with flowers and more construction. Our spinning area was in way to big tennis pavilion, again parking was almost non existent. At first Gail was able to drive my car into vendors unloading area, slick, made for lots less walking and packing for me but then the powers that be decided that we couldn't do that anymore, altho was open for vendors to load and unload. Pix is inside tennis pav. Next years conf. is in Lewiston, Idaho, nearly a 3 day drive for me so will skip it, then rumors are back to Willamette in Salem OR won't attempt that one either, so kind of looking like this one I just did will be the last hurrah. I took the 'blending board' class and soon found that it wasn't working for me, while I thought it would be good for using up leftover odds and sods, resulting rolag...