Tour de Fleece - Day 1

I joined!!! Teams: Lantern Rouge and SSS Lovers

TdF Day 1: Since we were not home much of the day on the 4th, my "day 1" consist of picking out my goal and spinning just a little. I'm going to spin this bag of 1.5 lbs of SSS special dyed superwash.

Progress:

I may even do 4-ply for the first time :)

Blue Ridge Pkwy con't

Not much effort was required to name this overlook on the BR Parkway :) Don't you love it?!?!

Being in the industry, we could not help but take a picture of this crew working on a new gift shop at the top of Grandfather Mountain... several violations were very noticeable. Can you spot them?

As I mentioned previously, fiber activities did not cease while on vacation. Not only was there knitting, but stash enhancement took place. I told hubby the search was on for a spinning wheel basket... the kind you hang from the wheel, not the kind you store your unspun fiber in. There were baskets to be found, but several stops were made before I found exactly what I was looking for at "Spin A Yarn" with a little help from Nancy since the GPS was not aware that the street name had changed! Here she is with her new pup outside the store:

Here is the new basket... isn't she cute?!?

I also purchased a button and this new-to-me fiber that is a blend of 70/15/15 Merino, Cashmere & NZ Possum. I think I'll put this on the list for some Tour de Fleece spinning.

I also enhanced the stash in Burnsville at Yummi Yarns with more sock yarn: Unique Sheep Leili, Superwash Merino/Mohair blend and J. Knits Superwash Me Sock in Boston:

All in all, it was a very good trip and we enjoyed our time away and alone! I'm sure we'll go back and take some teens next time :)

Back from the Blue Ridge Mtns

Hubby and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway starting on Sunday, the 22nd. We drove up to the south entrance on Saturday from home and stayed the night in Cherokee. The mountains were beautiful and very cool. Back home was in the upper 90's to 100, we were enjoying temps in the 60's and 70's the first part of the week. It was cooler in the moutains of NC than in VA.

Sunday night we spent the night at Mt. PisGah Inn. It had a wonderful view of the mountains and the wind just about blew us away every time we went out the front door of the inn. There was knitting... and wine - I worked on the "Shur'tugal" socks with some stash BMFA yarn :)

Monday we were trying to find a place to eat lunch and the GPS said "Sally's Kitchen" was ahead... nothing there. Just woods! So, we went further down the mountain intio Burnsville and ate at an old inn. Just my luck, there was a yarn store next door - Yummi Yarns. Lunch was wonderful and Yummi Yarns had a great selection.

Monday night we were trying to find a place to stay and ended up in Boone. GPS directed us off the mountain on a very winding dirt road. It must have been a short cut... The view from the previous night spoiled us. We ended up staying at the Hampton Inn in Boone and eating next door at a restaurant called "Sagebrush".

Next day we visited Grandfather Mountain and Moses Cone House. The views from Grandfather Mtn could not be beat!

Next we had to travel off the pkwy because of road work and ended up driving through "Deep Gap" and West Jefferson.... which had, can you believe it, a yarn shop!!! Nancy from "Spin a Yarn" greeted me with a big hug just like an old friend. I could have stayed there all day and hung out... they had fiber, wheels, looms, yarn, locally grown meat and local cheese - and a shop angora bunny! She even has 50 +/- sheep of her own! Next time we go to the mountains we will have to stay near here so I can visit for a whole day or two. I bought a little basket for the new spinning wheel (to be shipped sometime this week) and some roving... pics to come.

Spent the night at another Hampton Inn - this one was owned by Shelton Vineyards in the Yadkin Valley. It was the nicest Hampton i've stayed in.... and the wine was wonderful! Knit down to the mid point of the sock and decided to give it a rest and started on a Swallowtail shawl with some stash yarn that was gifted to me from a lace swap from Yin in Australia.

Going up the pkwy, we saw some alpacas and had to stop. It was a shop and farm! What luck! The alpacas were so cute. There was the maternity ward first with two new babies just a few days old. Then we went up the hill and visited the adults. I bought some roving from the one named "Trixter".

Trixter is the dark (almost black) one to the right... the end of his face is cut off in the picture.

One of the hikes we took was to "apple orchard falls"... and boy, was it a hike!! We were in the woods hiking down and back up for more than 3 hours. The view was great and if we hadn't have run into another person, i'd have stripped and took a shower in the falls!

I do have more pictures to show, but that will have to be another day :) I'm glad hubby talked me in to a road trip instead of our usual beach vacation!

Vacation

Hubby and I are going on a road trip starting tomorrow for about a week. First time vacation that doesn't include children and first time vacation without a plan. I'm not good without a plan... this is hubby's idea... so we are going to start heading towards the mountains and see where the road will lead us. Wish us luck and good weather!

Wheel update: Supposed to ship the week of June 29th :) It may be late in the week, so I should have it by the end of the next week or so... can't wait!

FO - Soap bag

Today Stacey and I went to the monthly fiber guild meeting at the Bare Hand Gallery. I thought the turnout was great for June - about 10 - 12 people! We all worked on soap bags to go along with the soap made (or any other soap) from the demonstration previously. Elizabeth provided us with a pretty lace pattern and I finished the bag today! Here' it isc complete with one of my hand made soaps inside.



Even though it is lace, i'm going to give it to hubby to use in the shower. Thanks, Elizabeth! The meeting was great fun and lunch afterward was delicious!

Spinning Sunday

Been spinning... the new spinning chair is working out great!

This is some Frabulous Fibers BFL that I purchased at MS&W:

The color is pretty dark and doesn't photograph well. I have another bobbins worth to spin.

A little knitting with handspun

Handspun BSJ - no buttons at the moment, Gale's Art "Potluck":

The beginning of the Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl... this will be made with several leftovers from handspun skeins. This part is some of Funky Carolina's:

New spinning chair

This is the fugly old chair I found at a consignment shop that will be my new spinning chair. It is an old sewing chair... straight from the seventies era. This model is still made and is called the "stump" :)

The seat lifts up from the back and there is enough storage to put some bobbins, fiber, and miscellaneous spinning needs. The color has grown on me.... it may stay gold. It seems the perfect height for spinning. We'll see after some long sessions! Kinda heavy to cart around with the wheel for spinning, but for long spinning sessions like the January Spin-in, if there is room in the car, it will be going for a ride!

Update - No pictures

Knitting:

I've finished my first BSJ except for the seeming at the shoulders. It looks lovely in some of my handspun Gale's Art potluck and should fit about a 12 month old. In fact, I need to get more of Gale's potluck as it was such a joy to spin. I think the colors would go with either sex. Note to self: Need to find buttons - purple, blue or green. One of the knit night buds knit one in a variegated pink sock yarn that was just precious - should fit a newborn .... i'll have to knit another since the sock yarn stash has gotten out of control.

I found another lace shawl pattern that I want to knit. It is the cover picture of the new Spring 2009 Twist Collective - Aphrodite pattern by Sivia Harding. Can't decide between a dark green Zephyr lace or a cashmere lace in just about the same color as the photo... hmmmmm. If I can get my printer to work, i'll be ready as long as I can decide what color I want... already have beads.

Finally knit up my first linen yarn - stash purchased many years back when the Mason Dixon ladies were in town for a book signing. I'm now the proud owner of my first handknit towel. I'll be knitting more. In fact, I have some cotton/linen blend in the stash that will work :) Picture to come as soon as the camera battery is recharged.

Spinning:

The UPS truck pulled up to the house this evening. Hubby saw it and asked if I was expecting a delivery. "Nothing but the NEW WHEEL, which isn't supposed to arrive until the end of the month", I told him as I walked out the front door.... and was promptly disappointed since UPS was at the wrong address!!!!! (one digit off - he must have been a new driver and didn't know that the odd numbers were on the other side of the street)

Been slowly spinning on some fiber purchased at MS&W. Don't want to spin toooo much - saving some of the massive stash to spin on the new wheel once it arrives. I hate waiting.

I've been on the quest for a new chair for spinning since MS&W... If you look at the pics of Stacey spinning on the Schacht-Reeves, maybe you'll notice the perfect spinning stool that is not made anymore. I found an old sewing chair with a small back support that fits just perfect at a consignment shop. It is pretty heavy for such a small thing, and has a storage bin underneath the seat. It is soooooo ugly - complete with pure seventies gold pleather. Trying to decide if i'll recover or leave as is :) Picture to come as soon as battery recharges...

Spinning Update

I spent much of the day Sunday spinning. I plied up the alpaca/silk from Gale's Art in the grapevine colorway. I also finished spinning a hank of hand dyed wool/silk that I purchased at MSWF from Cloverleaf Farms booth.

Gales Art Grapevine:



I haven't washed or measured this one yet, but think it will be around 500+ yards of 2/ply. Look at the sheen! UPDATE 5/21 - Measured this last night and it is 641 yards!!

Craisins from Cloverleaf:

Haven't washed this one either, but it measures 400 yards of navajo ply!

Now to decide what goes on the wheel next....

Dream Wheel

This is my dream wheel... with the flyer on the right side... 30" Cherry Double Treadle...wonder how long it will be before this dream will come true... UPDATE 5/16/09 - Placed order!!! 6 - 8 week lead time...

Actual picture of one of these wheels w/flyer on the right (and modeled by Stacey):

I can't hardly believe it!!!! I'll have one of these soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No fleece purchased at MSWF

New stash enhancement from MSWF.... See the little yellow tee? It is actually a baby onesie for my friend Anna who is pregnant with her first child - a girl! Couldn't resist a MSWF baby item :) The rest of the new stash enhancement includes some silk hankies and caps, roving from a few vendors, and ONE hank of yummy natural yarn (cormo/corriedale blend).

and since I didn't purchase a fleece at MSWF, I couldn't resist splitting one of Pia's fleece with fellow fiber guild buds at the annual picnic today. Here you see 1/3 of Ashley's fleece, who is a border leicester mix (maybe with romney?)

Bandit had to get in the picture. (Forgot to take my camera to the picnic, so these were taken on the porch.)

I also knit a 1x1 rib scarf with some handspun this week... haven't washed and blocked or woven in the ends, but it is fabulously squishy:

Maybe I can convince hubby to model the scarf for me after washing.... now i'm off to clean some fleece!

Wee Tiny Sock Swap

My wee tiny sock(s) arrived when I was in Maryland for the Sheep and Wool festival all the way from Donna in Wisconsin! Aren't they cute?!?!

She sent along with the wee tiny's a tiny sock blocker keychain. The heavy sock is for early morning cold weather, and the lighter sock is for the warmer weather at noon :)

Maryland Sheep & Wool

The trip to MS&W was wondermous! We left early morning on Thursday and drove for 12+ hours to Columbia, MD. Last year we stayed in Frederick and I'm thinking that's where we will stay next time. Columbia didn't really have anything to offer other than a bed and a few restaurants. Stacey got a lot of knitting done on a beautiful hand-spun scarf for her hubby and when she was driving I was working on some socks.

On Friday we spent the day wandering around Ellicott City. It is an extremely old town full of antique shops, restaurants, and old train station museum and a brewery. It was drizzling, but not so bad that it ruined the day. Here's a shot of some of the 300+ year old buildings.

Then we drove on to the fairgrounds to see how the festival set-up was progressing and to time the travel from the fairgrounds to the hotel. We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard, which was very nice and met many people from Virginia, Pennsylvania, NY, and NJ. The lobby had many sofas and chairs that made for a great place to sit, knit, and talk fiber with the other festival-goers.

The festival was fiber-overload (as was expected) and we even ran in to a familiar face - Carrie!!

We shopped until we dropped both days of the festival and watched the parade of breeds on Sunday.... it was amazing! Stacey and I both were interested in trying out some saxony style wheels and found two that we liked. One was a Norm Hall, of course, out of the price range, but was wonderful to spin. It had tiger-maple in the wheel, single treadle, with the flyer on the right (which is our preference). It spun like a dream... but what was even more surprising, it was the Schacht-Reeves 30" double treadle wheel that stole our hearts. This is the wheel that we both want to buy... and saving $$$ for the cherry double treadle version will be starting with the next paycheck.

There were friendly sheep that made sure you could see them...

Stash was acquired and will be shared at a later date... it's now time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

Maps loaded and ready for the road!

Just finished downloading the newest maps for the GPS... ready to get on the road again! MS&W here we come!

Wee Tiny Socks....

The multi-color is a little taller than the solid hand-spun wee tiny. What fun :)

Almost time for MS&W!

Next weekend :) CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

DD Prom

Prom was last night at the high school... There are tooooo many good pics - these are some of my favorites:

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone is having a great Easter weekend! We are getting ready to head over to the parent's house for a cookout and to also celebrate my Step-Mom's birthday.

Yesterday I demonstrated to the fiber guild cold process soap making. I have unmolded the log of soap today and will cut it tomorrow. This recipe included some peppermint essential oil and some peppermint leaf. It is smelling good! The demo went well and everyone in the guild that comes to the next meeting will receive a bar.

Here's a pic of the log of soap:

The next recipe will contain some fresh rosemary that Elizabeth brought to the meeting. The rosemary smells sooooo good!!!

Lovely Lace

I fell in love with Nancy Bush's "Knitted Lace of Estonia" book the minute I saw the preview and knew that eventually I would knit Miralda's Shawl. I even had the Polwarth to knit it with, but had to spin it first! I purchased some Polwarth/silk roving from Rovings at the January Spin-In 2008, and spun it a few months ago with this pattern in mind. It took me a while to get in the frame of mind for casting on over 300 stitches, but finally got started. I've completed 12 rows so far... long rows:

The pattern calls for fingering weight, and this is pretty close. One of these days i'll knit the pattern on the cover....

Berets on the streets of NY City

I had to show you some cute pics from Peyton's NY trip...

My handknit berets:

and some silly girls:

White Clouds!

One short dip of Dolly's locks in wash water with Dawn dishwashing liquid, and BAMMMM.... white as white can get! My hubby said it's so white it is racist. big eye roll here.... Anyway, I just had to show you the cloud of white:

I tried carding on my hand cards... just cannot produce the lovely little rolags that most spinners can - and why learn when I have the drum carder??? If you see any darker bits in the cloud, it is because my carders were not quite clean when I used them. I've been using my hand cards to clean my drum carder :)

This fleece will take dye beautifully, i'm told... not sure if I want to ruin the white color though!

Edited to add: had to wash a bit more so there would be enough for a batt on the drum carder... look at this pile of white: