Category Archive: spinning
Spinning and gardening
As I sat down and thought about writing this blog, I wondered how I could make white fiber and an incredible number of hours seem like fun. I decided that only one who enjoys the process of taking the fiber from raw to finished could understand. And it would probably be the same if I had a piece of wood with which I was planning to make a fancy planter, or paints to create a photo. I cannot create the fancy planter or paint the picture, so am happy to purchase from someone who can.
As I brush the dogs, I save what is fairly clean to spin. The above is a pile of Pyrenees dog wool, which has soft undercoat mixed with the hair. I will spin wool and alpaca to ply with it. It will give me hours and hours of enjoyment while I think of those before us who had to make clothes this way. After I spin and ply it, I will select a pattern (probably a hat) to knit. Then in years to come, I will have a memory of these special dogs.
This a good look at hours and hours and hours and more hours of spinning. When spinning, a little fiber gives hours of enjoyment. I can’t think of another hobby that ones can get so much fun for the cost.
When the weather warmed up enough to go out and work, I did get another row and a half cleared of weeds and potatoes planted. As you can see in the darker areas, there are some volunteers from last year. I think we will try putting black plastic on the hillsides between the rows as there is just too much hill and too steep to keep it under control.
Spinning now on bobbins
We are enjoying spectacular weather and the weather man thinks it will continue this coming week. However he missed this 5 minute show yesterday. It really was only drops.
I have been spinning yarn between other tasks and thought perhaps you’d like to see some. It still needs to be plied before being knitted, but I’m still practicing the spinning part.
These are all the bobbins I’ve done since I came home from class. One can spin for a very long time and still it doesn’t look like much.
The one on the top is dog hair, the middle is wild silk and the lower one is wool. I am enjoying spinning. At this point it is relaxing and gives me thinking I
I can’t avoid mentioning that we have a new associate pastor – just out of college that has some energy. He started the sermon with a hoop and a holler which got everyone’s attention and I doubt anyone went to sleep.
July socks
It’s nearly the middle of the month and I am just starting this month’s socks. I’m hoping to get them finished.
Spinning practice has been taking a fair amount of time
And I should show you how our livestock wash their own fleece – lol – we still have to wash it after shearing
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Class day 3 and home again
Not only did Judith have an abundance of information to pass on to us, but her classes were an explosion of color. And of course some came to live with me. Right in the middle of this photos is one of the pieces that followed me – the ones that have green, yellow, red, and purple. These two pieces are supposed to turn into a pair of socks. I brought home much more fiber and have a lot of homework to do!
After our last class, we toured a small cottage industry. Barry and his wife, Linda, custom card for clients. They wash and dye it and then do the processing.
This is where the fluff is thrown after the picker attacks it
Then it goes through the carder
You can see some of his assortment on the wall to the left of the carder.
And then it was home again. It is so much easier to spin without one’s normal interruptions.
See the thieves in the raspberry patch? Actually I didn’t have time to pick before I left so they came and picked.
This is what I picked today. About 2 cups of raspberries and at least that many tomatoes. It’s really difficult to say how many when one is popping them in the mouth as they are picked.
Spinning class with Judith MacKenzie
Before I left today Kati and Zach came over for a bite of lunch and to pick the raspberries. And Bill found that one of the hens sought to hide her eggs in the chives while another hid hers under a small row-boat being stored there. Another likes a rabbit box down near the other chickens, two hens lay theirs in the cat bed, and wonder of wonder, 3 actually lay their eggs where they are supposed to lay them. It is a great hide and seek game we have here.
No photos tonight since I forgot to bring the cord that downloads them. Maybe tomorrow I can find the Iphone cord in the car and take some photos with that camera. Port Townsend is right on the tip of the peninsula so we look across the water and I’ll check tomorrow but I’m thinking maybe we can see Canada It was a gorgeous drive up here with the sun shining brightly. (80 degree weather)
In our room was a gift bag of lovely sample fibers from different companies advertising their fiber. They are such yummy pieces.
After a meet and greet time, with plenty of snacks, we met in the classroom. We first learned how to take apart our spinners and clean them. There are parts to clean that I didn’t know existed. Interesting and easy to clean. Then Judith the teacher gave us each a pack of roving we can spin at our leisure and helped any of us who could use some with the sample fiber she had there. Tomorrow she will provide the fibers as she guides us through the different tasks.
Mother Earth News Fair
This is a terrific fair! I always learn so much about living without making such a big footprint. Come with me as I share with you a few of the photos I did remember to take. I usually forget to take photos when I am so enjoying the moment
First of all there were the organic seed companies which I enjoy perusing.
This was the first time I’ve seen a freeze drying machine which could have been all mine for “only” $4000.00.
And of course there were the chocolate and other food companies displaying their latest temptations
We saw a variety of composting toilets much improved from the old “out house”
Soft hot tubs and I can only guess that this way of living is going to make one’s muscles need soaking. But when would one have the time?
There were lovely folding shopping bags for when one would make a shopping trip — not often because most of this show is geared to “backs to the land”
These women are promoting the North American Wool Association
LOOK! these are the baby Cormo lambs I purchased a month ago. The Association wanted some Cormos on display so my babies were happy to oblige.
I had not seen sisal made into rope before and this man was demonstrating how it was made 100 years ago.
It’s always fun to have period costumes when one is doing a craft that once was a necessity.
Although the fair had so many other things as trees and bees and soaps and books and a myriad of marvelous things to see, I leave you with the delighted look on the face of my daughter who was a 4H-er for many years
as she looks at these pygmy goat kids.
