Things in progress.....

Since I wasn't able to get to Spinnerati on Saturday due to the staff meeting going later than I thought it would, I did some spinning at home. I pulled out the Abstract Fiber samples of the merino-silk and merino-yak, both 50/50 blends. I didn't weigh them before spinning and didn't loose any so 3 grams and 5 grams respectively. Finished total yardage is 39 - 19.5 and 18.5 yards each:




I started another store sample for Susan and a test knit for me of a babydoll dress for a little girl. I'm planning one for Jenna who turns 2 in May. The test knit, Dundee Babydoll, is the 3 month old size in progress modeled by my teddy bear that I think is of appropriate size representation. I hope/should have enough after completing the skirt to I think crochet a border along the sleeves and neckline. The sleeves need it to stop the rolling they want to do. Here it is in progress, more work on it later tonight at Moonstruck:


I have been working in fits and spurts on the second Burnside Winter Twilight Mitts and currently about half way through the thumb gusset. No photos of that because I work on it inside out and while the floats are pretty, don't really show the true pattern.

The camel was also washed today. So yummy! It's 779 yards of lace weight, if not mentioned in the previous post. I'm looking forward to making it into a shawl, possibly with some beads, sometime in the future.



Wednesday spinning I think I'll try out the apricot baby huacayas alpaca, Opal was her name, from Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. I have my fingers crossed that I can finish the mitt and start on a hat and I think another pair of socks. I should be doing more hats this month but I'm not sure who I plan to give them to and they are fast knits so not a huge worry later in the year.

And its not over!

This working thing is keeping me hopping. I had a very busy few hours where it would have been nice to have two people working! I have also been good and haven't bought anything this week - bonus! We have a staff meeting bright and early at 8:30 am (there was no mention of actually being functional - just there). Then on to the Portland Central Library for Portland Spinnerati for a few hours. spinning - yea! This means I will most likely miss the temptations that Susan will be posting tomorrow, most likely a good thing for my pocketbook! ;^)

I am happy to report that I have finally finished spinning my camel. I love it. Its soft, its squishy feeling and by the looks of the bobbin, I have a LOT of it. How much? I don't know, its still 'resting' on the bobbin. I'll probably try taking it off tomorrow and will find out then. Here is what it looks like currently:



The other project I finished is a sample for Susan at Abstract Fibers to use as an idea of what her sock yarn looks knitted up. I did a little cardigan in a 12 month size called Boheme, so here is 'Dundee Boheme':



I'm trading it with Susan for some of her yummy 50/50 Yak/Merino roving (my little sample of it):

I'm going to try to get a preemie hat made up of the last of the Dundee. Then it will be back to work on the Burnside Winter Twilight Mitts. I want to finish them before starting other projects. I'm 'trying' to be good and not have a lot of partial projects on the needles.

I need to remember to make the deviled eggs and I think Brandon is making his beans to take down to my cousins for the Bridges Family Easter Potluck on Sunday. Can I have a few more hours this weekend please?

Spinning, shearing, spring

One of the things I hadn't reported earlier was the home shearing that was done. I had decided that we were close enough to 'spring' that the dogs could go back to their non-winter coats. So trimming Norbert back into a more Scottie cut and Nessa into a modified Schnauzer cut. Nessa ended up a little shorter than planned but is looking good, well she's showing that we both need to get our butts out on the walking plan. ;^)

Norbert:

Norbert showing he doesn't like getting photographed with a tongue flick, but if you didn't know that you'd think he's dissing the camera:


Nessa:


If you've ever looked for a ball that you're dogs will love, look for a Cuz ball. They have feet and look odd but they have a tough rubber exterior and squeak.

I finished up on Wednesday spinning the first four ounce single of camel. It's deliciously soft and I've already started the second four ounces. There's more spinning on Saturday with the Portland Spinnerati at the Central Library. The camel:


In other shearing news I've been working the white alpaca and have 3.5 ounces. I'm going for a little more than one more ounce so that I can possibly ply it together with the apricot. Not fully decided on that plan of action though.

I've found out that my Icelandic fleece has something called 'scurf' - the dandruff that some may have noticed on the fleece. I've washed some of it and it cleans well and I think that a little work with the cat flicker and I can get it out and still let the fleece be usable. That's the hope anyway.

The bit of spring, my crocuses when they are shivering from the snow:

Couldn't resist taking pictures of the camel with them. ;^)

Autumn, Camel and Cookies

I finished up the Autumn superwash merino sample from Abstract Fibers this weekend. I soaked it and dried it this afternoon. I really need the smaller niddy-noddy for skeining up yarns. The n-plying kept the colors clean for the most part. I did get some muddying while spinning some of it and that still shows through. I think I would have liked a crisper purple color in it. The yellows, oranges and reds are pretty. I did have a bit of green but it didn't show well I think. I ended up with about 48 yards of fingering weight yarn to play with. Not sure exactly what, but nice to know that since it's superwash it won't felt!




I also started spinning the camel up. Boy this stuff is incredibly soft! Fluffy too!


I checked the back yard and the crocuses and daffodils are starting to peak their heads out of the ground. These are the crocuses, they'll be lavender and white streaked when they bloom:

While we were at the New Season's Chocolate Tasting on Sunday I found a cookie that reminds me of our family recipe called 'Wagon Wheels'. I have absolutely no idea why they are called this. New Season's calls them 'Crinkle Cookies'. A darker chocolate is used, or possibly less sugar but very similar to the family recipe. I can get a mini-fix with one or two cookies and not need to make a whole batch, or wait until Christmas and my stepmother bakes.....
Don't wear clothes that will show up the powered sugar sprinkles that you end up wearing. ;^)