Spinney Stuff

So I mentioned that I'd been spending a lot of time lately at the Spinning Loft. I'm learning a lot about fiber--you know, aside from knowing that it's soft and fluffy and fuzzy and I want to snuffle it and roll around in it and make lots and lots of things out of it.

The first part of the Sheep Breeds Study was awesome (I'm already signed up for part 2--Longwools and Crossbred wools--in the fall) but since I don't have photos yet of all the beautiful fiber I got (like Merino, Cormo, Polworth, and my new favorite, Corriedale) and am currently spinning, I will tantalize you with a few photos of other things from around the shop.

I had no idea that silk came in so many forms...

...and that it can be spun right off of the cocoon. If you shake these little guys, you can hear the worm rattling around inside. Weird!

Mohair. Gorgeous, fluffy, frothy mohair. It veritably glows.

Cashmere. Need I say more?

One day I tried out this Ashford Traditional. I was wearing a long skirt, so I felt very traditional. Kind of odd using a single-treadle wheel (my Ashford Joy is a double-treadle) but it was a nice wheel. Quite classic.


Oh, by the way, if you like Spinning Spider Jenny (Jenny Bakriges), she's coming to teach workshops at the Loft in mid-November, and Patsy Zawistoski, the original Spinning Guru, will be there in mid-February. If you want to come, we'll have a sleepover!

Not spinning, but Eggsperiment #4 (which also resides in the craft room). We got a fan for the incubator, which should hopefully increase the hatch rate. I put in 47 eggs on July 21 and, after candling, I have 33 that all look viable. Hatch should begin Friday night/Saturday. More babies!

Knitting, with Pictures

I got my PRGE-mini package early last week but, as you know, have been offline due to a myriad of technological difficulties. However, this gave me plenty of time to begin knitting up the gorgeous skein of sea silk that my pal sent. I'm making it into a camisole with a lovely feather lace pattern, and I'm so enamoured of the yarn that I scarcely want to put it down to go to the computer (much less eat, shower, or do anything else).


Orangebuttercat also sent some really cool black cat (obsidian kitten!) stickers, an array of amazing cat and vintage postcards, stitch markers, a lovely candle, chocolate (mmmm!), and a pound of Peet's coffee (no wonder I can't stop knitting...). So sweet and thoughtful, all of it. A wonderful package to receive during an otherwise utterly challenging week.





I also finished a pair of socks, although from all the [four-footed] help I had during the process you might suspect otherwise. The pattern came from Nancy Bush's fantastic Knitting on the Road: Sock Patterns for the Travelling Knitter. This was only my third pair of socks, and the pattern was fairly complex, but they came out beautifully and I figure if she can write patterns I can follow, they must be pretty darn good. It's a great book. (Thank you, Alison!)






The pattern is Friday Harbor, and the yarn is KPPPM--what a treat that merino is to knit. The color reminded me of cranberry sauce, with flecks of orange and pomegranate swirling through the needles. Lovely.

I'm Back...and I'm Cranky

I don't know if you guys missed me, but I've sure missed you. I don't even have any nice photos to offer up, because Mr. O'Kitten's hard drive got wiped when its motherboard exploded. I knew I should've backed more stuff up on the Mac, but I'm lazy. Live and learn. Or, live and learn the hard way. Whatever.

I do have some new pics, but I'm too sleepy to upload them at the moment; mostly I just wanted to let y'all know I'm back online and I will soon be back in the swing of things. Although here are a few reasons why I haven't yet quite hit my stride:

1. I got a fantabulous package last week from my PRGE pal, Jennifer. I am currently so obsessed with knitting the huge skein of gem-like sea silk that she sent me into a camisole that I can scarcely be bothered to pause long enough to get on the computer. Plus, she sent enough chocolate and coffee to keep me going until I finish it. She totally rules, and I must post pics of all the goodies asap.

2. I also got yarn (along with an adorable handsewn rabbit) from Rhelynn. Plus, some beautiful hand-painted yarn from my friend PurlyBrite's new shop, YarnLust -- her signature series are based on the seven heavenly virtues and the seven deadly sins. Pretty cool. Don't click the link if you lack self-control around fiber and/or easily fall prey to yarn porn.

3. I've been spending bunches of time at The Spinning Loft, which has resulted in lots of time away from the computer and the addition of way too much new fiber to my collection. Of course, all of that is just begging to be spun into yarn and felted into baskets.

4. Birds grow fast. We currently have 1 rooster, 24 hens, 22 rapidly-growing chicks (which, to be honest, are really too big to be called chicks anymore), and 14 half-grown guineas. This sudden flock growth has demanded several months of hen-house division, new pen construction, temporary-fence erection, and bird rotation. And now I have 33 eggs in the incubator slated to hatch this weekend.

5. It's the dog days of summer, which I consider to be a generally evil time when, as Brady’s 1813 Clavis Calendarium puts it, "the seas boil, wine turns sour, dogs grow mad, and all creatures become languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies." I hate heat and generally despise this time of year. Frankly, I want to do little more than lie on the couch. Oh, and knit (see nos. 1 and 2).

More soon. With pictures, honest.