What to do with a week off?

I had a whole week off in May and I filled it with many things I enjoy doing such as:

some knitting on a Lopi cardigan with a zippered closing down the front. In the photo above it is still on the needles as a work in progress. Last week I finished it - well sort of. I wove in all of the ends, washed it and blocked it and it just came out beautiful and fits perfectly. Now to just get the zipper sewn in and I can say it is really done. I had sticker shock when I purchased the zipper a few days ago. $7 and change plus tax seems out of line just for a 28 inch separable zipper. When the zipper is sewn in I will update with a new photo. Hopefully it will get done tomorrow.

Ile de France

I  scoured the remaining Ile de France fleece I picked up at the end of the winter.
I had time to spin three skeins and dye them by hand painting them.

Ile de France

Ile de France

Ile de France batt

All of these were drum carded and spun semi woollen. This is quite short stapled, about 2.5", which if you look closely, the angle of twist can be seen.
Acid dyes were used.

Ile de France rolags

At the same time I was having fun I was also working on my in-depth study for Olds College. It turns out I had more revisions that had to be done. I can really say it's finished now. It was mailed away last week and I have received my mark. I have joined the Olds College Master Spinners.

Bob

This is Bob, one of our Australian shepherds. He is a young dog only nine or ten months old and quite inexperienced in the world.
We live in a rural setting and the only way to get some new things for him to get used to is by popping him into the car and heading out to a park.
Woodstock has a lovely park and often we go there for some doggy education. He has seen fishermen, skate boarders, joggers, kids, water, walkers, lots of stuff.




You can walk in the woods or by the water. It's a really nice place.

Last few times we went out to a different park, this one a little closer. Here we met up with some horses and riders and later an ATV. Bob's socialization is coming along nicely.
More about my week off will follow in part two.

'The' Study is Finished!!

I feel like standing outside and telling the world it's finished!!

I made the trip to the post office last Thursday, April 14 to send away the 'Blending with Hemp' study, my final requirement for Olds College Master Spinner program.

I took a couple of vacation days to finish it up and spent the last day with some dye and 1000 grams of Dorset roving just to relax and have some down time before going back to work the next day.

That's what I call down time - doing the fun stuff.

I got out a new book I purchased from Susan Rex called 'Complex Colour' about dyeing and chose a colour scheme and then my colours. 10 colour recipes. Actually 4 formulas and some different depth of shades and a couple variations.


Here they are outside drying on the shrubs and then a sample to see how they look together.

I like the colours together and now I'll have to look for the right project.

In Depth Study

I have been so busy with my study 'Blending with Hemp' for my Olds Master Spinner course, that sadly I have neglected the blog.

I have taken days off from work and ignored many things at home just to forge ahead on the study. 

The spinning was a huge task.

The writing was a challenge to present everything orderly and complete without going into too much detail on points that didn't concern spinning.

The formatting was a challenging monster. 

The grammar was important. 

The printing is a task I'm still at work on, but the end of that is in sight.

I've learned a million things about MS Word 2016.

Tomorrow I hope my colour printing is ready for pickup and then I can design my sample pages to insert. 

Then all I have to do is decide if I should bind it or use a binder.

I will be so ready for a trip to the post office...and the wait to hear back from the school.

It's Saturday night and I took time to start a new pair of socks. 

Relaxing just a little.