Monday, December 8, 2014

And some more wool...

 I have gone a little crazy ordering fleeces on-line the past few weeks. It can get a bit addicting for sure. Some are just beautiful. Others, not so much.

This one came from Windswept Acres. Romney sheep.  They are coated and this fleece is amazingly beautiful! I cannot wait to get it all washed and spun. It's just beautiful. I would love to get a Romney ram now to breed my Finn sheep next year. Wouldn't that make some awesome fiber?



I can't remember, but I think this is Border Leicester wool. I ordered 2 or 3 pounds of it. It's really pretty too. And clean. Came from John and Madeleine Messersmith.



This came today from Sycamore Farms in N.C. It's Shetland. It's really greasy but not too awfully dirty. I just bought some Orvus Paste from Tractor Supply, which is a horse shampoo. Sodium Laurel I think. It's supposed to really get fleeces clean and white. I hope this one gets clean and white after using it. It's really soft.



This is from Elk Sheep farm. Raw Lincoln fleece. Very crimpy and soft. I hope it gets white when cleaned. Don't really know what to do with this.




This came from one of my blog friends, Sandra Morris, of Mitten State sheep. It's BL too. SO beautiful and clean and soft. Can't wait to get it all washed up and spun too. Thank you Sandra! I love it!



Sandra also sent some BL roving too. Really soft and pretty. Thanks again. I love this!




Now this. I ordered 2 fleeces, which I can't remember what they are, probably Romney too, from an Emily on the Raw Wool for sale forum. When I got the box and opened it, it stunk so bad! And it felt wet. I had to leave the box outside. Then the other day, I opened the bags and put them on the racks. They are totally nasty. Full of VM and really quite gross. And still felt wet. I paid the most for these fleeces than any of the others.  I'll have to wait to even do anything with these til later, when I might not have much to do. I am not happy with these at all. And I hope I'm able to salvage enough to do anything with at all.





This is a Romney fleece that I washed last week, in Dawn and a whole box of  Borax. It's still a bit yellow and the tips are a mess. But near the bottom of the bag, toward the end of skirting it, I found some really nice parts. I am using this for needle felting and dryer balls. I might try to wash this again in the Orvus and see if I can get it looking whiter.




This is that same fleece, in some batts. It's  just a little yellower than I'd like it to be.



So, I will be busy, washing all these fleeces. They will become cute little sheep or owls or pin cushions or dryer balls. But most will become beautiful hand spun yarns.

It's been a learning experience for sure, ordering on-line. Not really knowing what I'll be getting. Some did not look like the pictures at all. And some I was very surprised and happy with. And I will be ordering more from them for sure.

Happy Monday to you all! Gotta get back over to the studio and create more pretties. What are y'all up to today?

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Wool...

I have been making lots of needle felted woolies this past week, getting ready for the first of 2 holiday markets in a row. The first was today. It was so fun! I did really good there. Sold a lot of soap and dryer balls. And sheep. Other things too, but mostly those things. So I will be making more this next week.

I made these cute little pin cushions. I love them. But didn't sell any today. I'll be going to the Main St. market Wed. so maybe I can sell a few there. I think this will be my last Wed. market. It's getting to be too cold for outside markets. Especially for just 1 hour.




Some more little owlies. They are so sweet. I need to look for some little feathers and put on the little heads.




I did sell lots of sheep. One lady bought 3, then wanted a little lamb. So had to get that made while there and her grand daughter took it home to her. I had one of the other vendors ask if I could maybe make a bass or catfish for her husband. I told her I could certainly try. She said she's call to see how much I'd charge. She'd like a life-sized fish, so not really sure what to charge. Also another lady wanted to me to make an Airstream camper for her husband who is restoring one. Still working on that.




I love going to markets and meeting new people. I met a new neighbor out my way here. She was next to me today. And saw so many old friends there. It's always fun.

Now to get ready for next week! Hope y'all have a great Sunday.

(Almost forgot to say that anything I make is for sale! So let me know if anything catches your eye. These would make great gifts! And shipping probably wouldn't be too much.)

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

December already!

    I am so busy I don't know where to start. Or go. I have a Holiday Market at 2 different churches the next 2 Saturdays that I am trying to get ready for. I've been ordering fleeces and getting some of them delivered. I've been washing a white Romney fleece I got Monday, so I can make dryer balls, snow people and owls with it for markets.

Also trying to take care of Mrs. T and her household problems. And trying to spend time with my Mom and sister, while she's here at Mom's. I am SO thankful my sister Heidi has been able to be here so much during this time. My mom fell a few weeks ago and broke her right knee. She won't be able to drive til after Christmas now. She's walking, so can do some things for her self now. And my brother was her last week from Colorado. He left Monday morning. So it's been fun. And lots of food. And traveling here and there.

So I am trying to get some things made for the holiday markets in between all this. Haven't had much luck though. I have 2 more full days to work at it. Just seems like so much to be done still.

And my hive outback was empty last Friday when I was showing my brother the hives. Slap empty. Well, we did see a few bees buzzing around it. I was just stunned to find it empty. It was full just the day before. I've been feeding both hives sugar water so I know there were bees in both hives.

So now, the garden hive bees have been out back in that hive, cleaning it out. I suppose some of that hive's bees joined the garden hive. The queen must have died. I did see what looked like a few queen cells on the bottom of a few frames up there. But the bees are doing a good job of getting all the pollen and honey moved to the good hive. When they are done, I'll put that hive away for next year's new bees. Or a split from the garden hive.

So this is why I have not been here lately. Just so much to do! What is going on in your lives out there in blog land?

Saturday, November 29, 2014

1st crocheted hats...

 My sister has been here since Monday, staying with mom. We went to my niece's in Tn. Wed. to learn to crochet hats. My sister just learned to crochet and loves it. And I have crocheted for years, but have never made hats. I had learned to knit a hat a few years ago, but it takes too long. And I HATE round knitting needles. So Jill said to come on up and she'd teach us a simple hat. And it really is simple and that's what we like! So this is my first hat. Made for my youngest grand daughter, Kansas, who was more than happy to be my model. She's just a natural, don't you think?







And this is my 2nd hat, made for my oldest grand daughter Chloe, who was too shy to model it. So Kansas said she would. It's more slouchy, which I like.




This is the 3rd hat, made today in a few hours, at my mom's. For my oldest daughter, Heather. I first made one too many rows at the beginning, where I have to add a few more stitches. So when she tried it on, it was quite big. Like she could do her hair in dreads and it would have fit fine. So I took it all out to the 5th row and then went from there to this.

I learned a new  stitch to make a ribbed look. I love this stitch. Something like front and back stitch. And this pattern is SO easy and fast to make for even a beginner. Heidi, my sister, who has just started crocheting, has already made 2 hats. So this is what we have been doing together. I love it!

So everyone is getting crocheted hats and scarves for Christmas this year! Done!



Thanksgiving was different this year. My youngest daughter and her husband always had to leave to get to his parents house by 4 on Thanksgiving day. So we decided to do it on Friday this year. So Thursday, we just had a ham dinner at Mom's. Friday, everyone came to my house and we had turkey and all the rest of the usual stuff. So much nicer.

AND, this is the first year I DID NOT LEAVE MY HOUSE!!! The WHOLE day! It was fantastic! We have always gone shopping on Friday. But the past few years, I have not wanted to go. But my mom always made me go with her. So I did. Naw, I really did enjoy spending time with mom. Just the past few years, I haven't even wanted to think about Christmas. And getting out in all that mess? UGH! Not my favorite thing to do anymore. Plus, Mom had broken her knew a few weeks ago, so can't be on her feet too long. So it was different this year. I am not complaining  at all.

I hope you all had a wonderful week with family and friends. And that you didn't eat too much.

Monday, November 24, 2014

John C. Campbelle Folk School...

This is some of the pictures I took of my trip last weekend to the spinning class. Look at the snow on top of this mountain. So pretty.




Bee hives out in the field by the house I stayed in. No bees in them though. Someone said they take the bees somewhere else for winter.



                                                                I just thought this was cool.




A greenhouse and chicken coop. I felt right at home with the chickens and bee hives so close.





If you click on this picture, you can see the name of the little town. There was a store and a few other buildings, called Clay's Corner.



                                                                 

This was so peaceful.





And a log house. Doesn't look like it's used for anything. But really cool place.




I am ready to go back there!

Friday, November 21, 2014

My bees...


I still have them! It's been 6 months and I still have 2 hives of honey bees. I don't think they are as strong as they were during summer. I have seen LOTS of dead bees. I am assuming they are drones. But we have had some nights in the low 20's. And snow Monday. But they are doing pretty good so far. I've been feeding them sugar water with honey in it. And when I find time, I'll make a "sugar cake" to put on the top of the cover.

This is the Outback Hive. I had a small box on top, but they never did anything in it. So I took it off a few days ago. I had read they don't need the extra room to have to heat during winter. I think they are much better right now with it off.



This is the Garden Hive. They are much stronger. More bees here and not so many dead ones laying around.
They go through a quart of sugar water a day and would take 2 if I gave it to them. I was going to take this top box of yesterday, but when I lifted it up, there were bees and wax toward the bottom. So I left it on for them.




I just hope they make it through the winter. I'll take these jars off when I get the cakes in and then put the entrance reducers in.

What about you other bee keepers? How are your bees doing so far? Would love to hear about them.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

I'm dying.

Yes, that's right. Dying. Wool. That I spun myself. And I picked the Goldenrod and Sumac a few months ago to make dye "tea" to use. I don't know what it's called.

So I stayed home ALL day today. Didn't even go see my poor mother. She fell 2 weeks ago at her church and broke her right knee. And fell right on her face again too. It looks much better. But her knee can't be bent. She is walking on it though. So she can do a lot now that she couldn't do last week. My sister came up and stayed with her over a week. That's how I got to go to my spinning class. Thank you Heidi!

I found some directions for natural dying. Went to the studio and got it all together. It takes 2 hours to wash the skeins. Then another hour to set the mordant. Then another hour to keep the yarn in the dye pots.

This is the rinse water.



Then they went into the mordant pots. I used alum and cream of tartar.



Then into the dye water. This is the Sumac. it's really pretty when in the water here.




And this is the Goldenrod. So pretty.




And this is the finished yarn, hanging outside on the front porch to dry. Or drip really. Then I brought it inside the studio.

I wish now that I had done all the yarn in the yellow. I love it.



But don't know if I'll dye again. It took so long to do and it's just an iffy thing. So not to knit up a pretty scarf or cowl.