Blog

Holiday Cheer

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Just a note to say that I will be participating in the Alger Homegrown Holiday Market next Sunday, December 11.

It promises to be a festive time, with coffee and cider to enjoy while you shop for unique, local gift items.

Will have a few new spins available, including some fun tweedy blends.

As well as one of a kind hats, cowls, and mitts to help to fend off the cold in style 🙂

Tis’ the season for Wool!

Digging and Spinning

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I’m pretty pleased with the progress I’ve made recently with expanding my garden bed just east of the hoophouse-

My goal is to put about 80 more square feet under cultivation for next year’s veggie production. (Would eventually like the bed to extend the entire length of the hoophouse, but I’m taking it in stages.) The toughest bit is removing the turf, and trying to retain as much of the topsoil as possible. The digging is actually not too hard once the grass is up. And I do enjoy a bit of digging. One of my favorite forms of exercise.

I’ve got about 20 more square feet to go (that remaining green quadrant). Then it will be onwards to digging in compost and lime. Getting excited about next year’s garden planning already!

And on the spinning front, I’ve been playing around a little with that grey freebie fleece from the summer. Spun some fairly fine singles on Elsa, and decided to try something a little different with the ply- chaining a double strand (singles from two bobbins) in to a six ply yarn. No pictures of the setup or process, because I only have two hands, but it’s basically just using the two strands as one. Here is my result after a quick hot soak and drying on the pellet stove.

Not perfect, but not bad for a first attempt. It’s quite a round profile yarn, so I thought it might be really nice for cables- lots of pop! So I’m working my small skein into a headband- which may or may not turn into a hat. Will see how it goes

Also using the grey wool in some blends with dyed fibers in the stash- currently on Mighty Red I’ve got a grey-green-blue-purple kind of thing going

And waiting in the wings is the next little batch of colors

The grey wool is still a bit greasy, so the more fully scoured dyed wool lightens up the batts a bit. So nice to have a stash of dyed wool to draw upon when I feel the need to blend.

It’s kind of funny, a couple weeks ago I had this thought that maybe I should seek a new home for the Mighty Red wheel- somewhere that could take her to the next stage in restoration (new rear flyer bearing, upright end cap repair, perhaps some refinishing work). But then I sat down at her again and realized that I think I’m too attached. She’s such a good spinner. And has so much character.

I believe that this might be what animal rescue groups call a “foster failure”.

Bup

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Sitting on the couch with my tiny pup.

Bup. Noodle. Sweet Patootie

Budgie. Bubba

Gus

He seems intent on preventing any blogging his evening,

So I’ll take the hint and just wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving-

What’s in Store?

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Yarn, of course 🙂

Just wanted to share that for the next couple (few?) months, my yarns will be available at Northwest Yarns in Bellingham. Here they are getting sorted for tagging.

Also two-ply skeins in a variety of weights and natural colors. So, if you’re in the neighborhood and need a fiber fix, go check it out. They recently took over the shop next door and their newly remodeled space is very cool. Yarn, looms, wheels, fabrics, fibers. Just go see. You won’t be disappointed!

Also wanted to share the newly revised hat pattern that turns a few of those fun little skeins into something like this-

Calling it the Coast to Coast Colorwork Cap, as it’s a perfect travel project.

Have a good week everyone. 🙂