A few finished projects. And a dilemma.

I asked Kansas to model my shawl and hat I just finished. Look at this silly man. He just had to do this.

I love this shawl. It's made with Lion Brand Homespun yarn. I hate crocheting with this yarn. It's awful. But I do love how it looks when done. And SO soft. And heavy and warm. This is a c2c shawl. I think I'll put a few buttons on it.

 

And I made this hat this afternoon while sitting with Mrs. T. I was over in my studio, carding some wool, when my phone rang. It was Mrs. T's number. Betty, one of the caretakers, was crying. I immediately thought Mrs. T was dead or something horrible had happened to her, the way Betty was crying. But she said her husband's nephew just died. He'd had a stroke last week and they were just going to move him to a room and he died. She was so upset and wanted to leave. So I went to stay with Mrs. T til another caretaker could come for the night.

Betty did this same thing a few months ago. Called me crying and I could not understand a thing she was saying. Again, I thought the worst about Mrs. T. But it was her daughter and a grand baby disaster. Betty is a very emotional lady. So anyway, I brought my yarn and made this cool hat while I was there.

So I have been thinking about farmer's markets. And if I should really be going to them. I love the Main St. market. And the people who come there to shop. But it's $15 for a 2 hour Wed. afternoon. That's a lot of money. For 2 hours. And this year, the membership fee will be $100 for the whole year and $50 for half a year. And most weeks I would not make much money. Mostly around $100 or so. If I count the time I start preparing for market, picking veggies, loading up the truck, driving 30 miles one way, setting up, then the 2 hours selling, then loading back up and driving 30 more miles, it's just not worth it. And the other market is on Sat mornings. Same distance. 2 hours. Not near the people there and a totally different area and older customers.

So, I don't know what to do. I need to make money. I also need to do a lot of canning since I am out of most everything right now. I also want to be able to start selling my hand spun yarns. And other wool related items.

I also want to make soap. And lotion bars. I love making soap.

But I also would like to start selling wild edible plants. I have been thinking more and more about this. I have so much better luck lately with more wild crops. Like dandelions. And I want to grow more medicinal plants too. I would love to sell to restaurants and stores.

So there is Etsy. I could try that again. I could also go around to shops to see if they would buy my soaps.

I am just not a get-out-there-and-sell-myself kind of person. But I need to be. I need to be out there meeting people and letting them know who I am. And what I do.

I really would love to get my little studio up and running too. I'm going to talk to the sign people up the road about a new fiber art sign. I want people to come here to buy from me. That would be the best thing for me. Then I wouldn't have to travel much.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions or advice, I will gladly listen. I need all the help I can get here.

Oh, I am also trying to get AdSense on my blog. But not sure it'll work. I would make money for every click on the ads I get. I suppose I might need to get a real blog too. One where I could put all that stuff  where I want it. Like an Etsy store link and all.

Thanks for listening. And for coming to my blog. I hope you are not bored with all the wool and sheep posts lately. But I love wool and sheep! This is what I want to do.

PS- I stopped at the feed store in town and asked about putting my soap there to sell. She said sure, bring some. So yay! That's a little step forward. She is also wanting to start a little farmer's market there on Mondays. No fee either!

And I am still working on the AdSense. Can't seem to get things going. I may have to get my niece to come help me get it set up for me. I am not very bright when it comes to computers.

Just keep spinning, spinning, spinning...

I have been spinning Amarillo's wool for days now. And still have some left to do. It's really pretty and soft and really white. In the basket, which I am using as my Lazy Kate, are the 2 bobbins I just plied onto the bobbin on the wheel.The empty bobbin was as full as the other bobbin, but it was spun a little bit thicker. On the right is so thin, like thread. So on the wheel is that full bobbin plus half the other. I didn't think it would all fit, but I kept going and did get it all on.

143 yards on this niddy noddy. That's the most so far that I have gotten on here. I spun some more today and got 93 yards on the next one. I am rather proud of this yarn. I love it.

I feel like I am getting better and better at it. I so love spinning. This is just about all I want to do any more.

I started washing some of Buttercup's fleece Sunday. This is from last May. Finally getting around to washing it. I also have a bag of her mother Annabelle's fleece too. This will be the last of last year's fleeces. Then we start all over in March, shearing all 12 of my sheep! More wool to spin!!!

Buttercup's fleece is so pretty and soft. Lamb's wool. I washed a bunch and didn't flick the tips. Then washed more and did flick the tips. What a difference it makes to do this. I only had to do 1 wash, then rinse. So much faster to wash. But does take longer to flick. Can't wait to spin this now. I may just spin from the cloud. Looks like I could.

Almost. Maybe next week.

 I was going to do a little work out in the garden Saturday. Like take up all the tomato stakes and cages. And cut down all the okra plants left from the last garden. Take my loppers and cut all the hard trunks that the 2 old retired guys didn't get the other day. Even had my wagon out there to load with stuff.

But it was such a pretty day. So brought my bag with all my goodies in it and a cup of coffee and sat out in the sun, in the garden, in my old yellow garden chair. I worked on my shawl  I started for myself the other day. I really love this yarn. It's so soft and pretty. But I HATE crocheting with it. It's horrible to get all stuck on the hook or too tight or I have to pull it too hard and it snaps. But it's so soft and pretty. And warm too. I knit  Mrs. T a long rectangular shawl and she loves it. Wears it every day when it's cold.

I didn't do any of the other things I was going to do in the garden. I did walk around a little and saw the bees out and about. And washed some wool. And spun some more.

It's still just January. I have plenty of time to do things in the garden, right?