Little Projects

While watching tv, time is available for more interesting things to do - like this sot of thing. Fingerless mitts. Replacements for ones I lost last year. 

A handsun 2 ply in Border Leicester, silk & kid mohair. The pattern is 'Tiriaq Fngerlings' by Knotty Turtle Design by Selena S. Which can be found on Ravelry. 

Also done are these socks in a cable & chevron pattern. It's not homespun, but from a 31/2 lb. cone of a wool/nylon fingerling yarn from last year's (2012) Woodstock Fleece Festival. I think it was from Shelridge Farm. U

A Little More

Putting white with the rainbow.

Some white roving, some rainbow

results of white w. rainbow

Comparison of white w. rainbow & just rainbow.

Mixing white & rainbow on combs for blending.

Blended

Comb blended result is on bottom

All were spun using short forward draw. Medium ratio. 2 ply.

Tea time with a plum cake made with the plums from my tree. It is an Italian prune plum specially for jam making. Not enough yet for a batch of jam, but plenty for a little cake.

A little canning had to be done today too. Tomatoes from my garden & white grape jelly from my garden.

Canning

 

 

 

 

Experiments

I've no idea of the content other than being 100 % wool. Glowing. I went searching for flax, but found this instead. I've taken a short strip of roving to see the results. It's not wet finished yet. Lustrous... If that's what you want. 

That's the strip I divided into 4 to make a two ply. Here it is spun. 

Where were you on Sept. 14/13

I had the pleasure of attending the Knitters' Fair with Kim, a very dear friend today. It was an absolutely perfect fall day with a bright blue sky and we had a terrific time. There were so many beautiful colours & fibres to be tempted to take home. Lots of fun we had.

I was so controlled. I came home with alpaca insoles for my hubby & myself to help keep our feet warm this winter, one skein of a beautiful hand dyed silk fibre from Sericin Silkworks, whose colour I cannot describe and a little bit of flax. Oh and one pattern for a new pair of fingerless mitts.

And all because I got a new roof on part of the house. The best birthday present I ever could have had. It's beautiful!!

Tomorrow a visit with my daughter & her partner on my birthday.
A whole day with no pictures. I forgot.

Summer Almost GGGone???

Having had a night where my sleep ended at 2:30, I gave up & decided to use the time for dyeing some wool.

I didn't grow any woad this year, but I had a 5 gallon covered pail of a woad vat I made last year & didn't use. Everytime I left the house I had to pass by the pail which I looked at from the corner of my eye. Not one to waste much, I had too much time involved in it already.

Heck, just harvesting the leaves for that strong a dye probably took me 1.5 hrs. alone. Not to mention the time involved at the stove & stirring, etc.

So last night I went over my old dye notes and looked at some articles from some books on the subject and mentally prepared myself. I had in mind the wool (an assortment of my combed top, my carded batts, and homespun skeins) last night too.

I have loosely planned 3 rugs in variegated colours of coarse fibre I have been preparing over the past 3 yrs. I figure I will need 6 lbs wool for each rug. The rugs will have a dark warp and many shades of green, both from acid dyes & nature dyes.

Anyhow here are a few pics from today.

Woad over G. Marguerite & on white wool on botton.

All 5 skeins.

Batts & top

Skeins Drying

Batts & top

The Day's Work Summed Up