Monday, January 29, 2007

The fiber is calling...

Today some white-gold metallic thread I bought on eBay arrived. I plan to ply it with some of my Shetland yarn for "fancy stuff." I think a felted handbag out of my first dye job (below) with the added metallic would be fun . . .
but I'm getting ahead of myself. But before I go back behind myself, or on top of myself, or wherever I'm supposed to be instead of ahead of myself, I must also mention that this great eBay seller, memc82/Fiber Options, also threw in a bonus ball of natural cotton flannel yarn that is just yummy and begs to be knitted into something.(There are 1.1 lbs of the metallic and 6 3/4 oz of the cotton.)

On the Yahoo Spinning Group list, I've been introduced to an idea for using the small quantities of yarn I will spin from each of the fiber surprises my friend Kathy sent me, along with the samples of Blue Texel that came with Louie Two, the rooing I plucked from Rechel last year and any other wonderful little bits of fiber that come my way in a special fashion.

And that big Blue-faced Leicester/Romney cross fleece my farrier gave me is begging to be washed and explored - as soon as I finish carding up the rest of Dinah's fleece. I've decided to shear on March 22 unless we're unseasonably cold then (that's the next appointment I have with our farrier, who is also a shearer), so more fiber is coming!

Too bad life gets in the way of my fiber addiction. Would using ALL my waking time to spin and knit feel like enough time, though? Maybe not - especially at my proficiency level! So it continues to be relegated to its "proper" spot, low on the list after I take care of all the "priorities" of family, home, business, and farm. Well . . . after taking care of MOST of my priorities, anyway. :-)

That's it for now at . . .

4 comments:

Kathy said...

I think when you only have bits and pieces of time to spin you tend to appreciate it more and maybe even enjoy it more.
And I wish I could shear in March! Our winter isn't over until May usually - sometimes even June. I wonder how long Amanda's fleece will be then as she looks like a puffball on four toothpicks right about now. :)
What time of year did Rechel roo last year? It would be great if mine would roo themselves. :)

Michelle said...

I WAS going to shear later, but since I'm thinking that I could shear Dinah, at least, twice a year, I've got to get an earlier start. And if I shear in March, Valentine shouldn't be so far along that she'll be too stressed - but I'd better get a coat for the preggers girl so she doesn't get chilled!

Rechel started rooing in March, but never released very much. That's why the rooing I have is "special," along with the fiber surprise I got from you. :-)

shepherdchik said...

What did you dye your fiber with?

Michelle said...

Kool-Aid -- cheap, relatively non-toxic, and fun to play with!