# FAC-Sept. '07



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It's September so time for the new Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). This is the time to come out of the woodwork or better yet out from under the fleeces and say hello! Let us know what you have been up to, what challenges you have been working on, and questions you may have. Newbies jump in and introduce yourself. 

***Junebug this is your chance!!!!!! She is someone on another forum who is famous for lurking and I have been encouraging her to poke her head in and say hello.***

Fall is definitely in the air here. The leaves are beginning to change colors and the nights are perfect for sleeping. This weekend will be the last of the warm weather I am sure, 80's and sunny. That is way too warm for me but it will be nice for the holiday. my fingers are getting itchy for the feel of wool.

There is still a lot to do around here, does it ever end :baby04: My pear tree is loaded with pears. I need to do a search on the variety since I have no idea what to do with them all. They are small and hard as rocks, I'm thinking chutney, but there are so many on the tree I think I'll be working on them fro weeks. What else do you do with hard little pears :shrug: I'm not even sure when to harvest them or what they are supposed to be like. They are a mystery to me.

Life has been so crazy the past month or more I've been feeling very grumpy :grump: With getting ramped up for school for my own son, I also have my best friend's living with me for the year :dance: So if you all hear me talk about "my" you will know who I am talking about, her name is Cait. She is starting her first year of college and wanted to live here instead of in a dorm, I feel honored. Besides she is a fiber person who I think has lost her way. She spent the majority of her school life at a Waldorf school so has grown up knitting, spinning and weaving at school. Unfortunately her mother is not much of a fiber person so she hasn't carried on much. I'm hoping to make a solid addict of her :baby04: :dance: 

What are you all up to?


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I just SUCCESSFULLY spun on a drop spindle for the first time ever! :clap:

Once you "get" it, it's surprisingly easy - 'cept my arms are simply not long enough.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Falcon what type of spindle and what finally made it click for you? CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Yes it is surprisingly easy once you "get it" :dance:


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

We're going to the annual sheep drive tomorrow, Sunday. It's always pretty entertaining and this year we got a booth and we'll be selling roving and handspun yarn. They have sheep shearing and lumber jack competions and an auction and entertainment and a street dance. The sheep run at 4:00 p.m. 
http://www.visitmt.com/whatsnew/features/sheepishfun.htm

If anyone's in the neighborhood, stop in! 

What's everyone else doing for the holiday weekend?

Here's a picture from last year's sheep drive ---


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

March, it's a handmade spindle from Aulsbeleth on eBay. She and her husband are active in the SCA and she markets spindles, fiber and yarn (and other stuff, I'm sure). But it has much better balance than my attempt and spins very nicely. Maybe that's what the key was - it does its own thing whilst I do mine instead of my having to constantly start it going (like mine). While the parade was going by the house today, I was out there spinning away. Got lots of second glances, too . I can get about a 5 or 6 ft thread spun standing up before winding...... unless my arms grow a lot longer, I'll have to be satisfied with that. How women spun every single thread they used with a spindle, though, I'll never underestimate again!

Two of our very good friends have come down for the night from KC and we're all out in the backyard enjoying a live concert. Well, I'm in here typing at the moment since I'm watching the brownies and getting ready to set out the vittles.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Pear pickles?

Sold my first skein today at the Farmer's Market; Dorset, 120yds, hand dyed with koolaid for $8, she looked up and said "are you sure?" Well, didn't that give me a nice feeling - that someone would actually appreciate what she was buying. Of course she is an artist herself. The market was very quiet with the holiday. Taking my wheel next week, in the meantime back to spinning, I am thinking of carding some llama with Jacob to spin and then weave into a poncho. Has anyone here any opinion about those 2 fibers together?


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Hi Liese ...

Can't help you with carding together of the llama with Jacob, but I did do up a spindle of llama singles and one of kool-aid dyed wool (not positive what breed - the kool aid thing was an experiment, so I had used some commercially prepared generic 'wool' that I had handy) and plyed the two together. It made a really nice yarn, with the brown and the green twisted together. Maybe, if you were after the variegated effect, that would be something to try.

I knitted it up into a cowl for my mom for Christmas.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Congratulations, FalconDance! I'm very impressed.

I'm not doing anything with fiber right now. In a couple of days I'm leaving to drive my one and only child 10 hours away to start college.

After that, I have to come home and decide which of my little Shetlands I can keep over the winter and which have to go. That will be even harder than saying good-bye to my son, since I'll see him again after Thanksgiving!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

frazzlehead said:


> Hi Liese ...
> 
> Can't help you with carding together of the llama with Jacob, but I did do up a spindle of llama singles and one of kool-aid dyed wool (not positive what breed - the kool aid thing was an experiment, so I had used some commercially prepared generic 'wool' that I had handy) and plyed the two together. It made a really nice yarn, with the brown and the green twisted together. Maybe, if you were after the variegated effect, that would be something to try.
> 
> I knitted it up into a cowl for my mom for Christmas.


That sounds very nice and I'm sure your Mum was thrilled. That gives me an idea tho of doing some sublte overdying on the Jacob, hmmm.

I didn't want to go thru a lot of prep with the llama so thought I'd just add a bit, maybe 20%, to the Jacob for interest and lustre and with doing an outer garment thought perhaps any guard hair issue wouldn't be too annoying. Lashes' fiber doesn't seem to have much in the way of guard hair but since this is the only fiber llama I know.... :shrug:


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

I found a box of purchased white roving from last fall...been a happy spinner for the past couple of weeks! We did a neighborhood market this weekend and sold five skeins of it. What I'm not selling is the naturally colored yarns...guess they're a big yawn from consumers.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I'm doing nothing recouperating from about 20 honey bee stings to the head, face & neck. spent last night in the hospital for observation. Thank God for the Epi-pen I keep handy. Within 5 minutes of the stings, my tongue started tingling, then swelling. I jabbed the epi pen into my thigh and Paul took me to the ER. My BP was low and my pulse was high.

After I was set in my room, Paul brought me back some books (one was one of my new weaving books). Gotta love the husband that knows how important fiber related things are to healing!

I've started combing and spinning the black Icelandic kid fleece for my daughter's hoodie sweater


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

Yikes, Cyndi! That is exactly what stops me from keeping bees. I'll get honey from the neighbor, thank you. Hope you heal up quick and start feeling better soon!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Cyndi, you weren't wearing the goofy looking hat, were you? :nono: I guess Amazing G & I will have to come keep an eye on you and bring you Benadryl.

How is your spinning program coming along? Amazing G is looking forward to seeing your program almost as much as she is looking forward to seeing you!

I'm saving my pocket change for a wheel--shhh! I hid the jar from dh, & it's getting kinda heavy. What I'd like & what I can afford are miles apart at the moment, but ya gotta start somewhere  I get such little time to spin, that I think a wheel might help with consistency.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

When I was about 15 yo, after closing up a hive on a dreary MI fall day, walked away , oh, about a 100' or so and then took off my hat/veil - big mistake! Suddenly had a head full of bees! The man with me helped combed out the bees with his bare hands. Of course standing in a parking lot I didn't have a convenient pond of water to dive into. I had a headache for a week but no swelling. A swelling tongue is a scary experience, I think I will make certain Bob, who is allergic, calls his MD for an epi-pen today. Am glad you are okay.


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## Caren (Aug 4, 2005)

well I am going to take my first true knitting class on Friday. I am learning to knit the toes up sock on two circular knitting needles. I can't beleive how expensive it is going to be. BBBUUUUUTTTTT I won a bet with DH and he has to pay for the class. This is the first time I have ever heard of a class being charged for by the hour. $12 an hour. Is this a normal in the price range sort of thing. I used to take quilting classes that were never this expensive.

Anyways I am off to bed. I worked MN last night and am ready to croak.

Caren


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Cyndi, isn't this the second run-in with bees in as many months for you? Stop being so sweet and they'll leave you alone!

I'm getting a little (lot) discouraged. The silly Art Show is in a month, and I'm having major trouble finding time to get spinning done - always something else to do or someone's sick needing tending (I'm still fighting off whatever this nasty virus is that's rampant right now). By the time I get home from work and get supper ready, all I want to do is curl up in bed and sleep - which means in few enough hours, it's get up and do it all over again. :Bawling: 

Any advice?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

kesoaps said:


> Yikes, Cyndi! That is exactly what stops me from keeping bees. I'll get honey from the neighbor, thank you. Hope you heal up quick and start feeling better soon!


The swelling is almost gone. This is the first time in 5 years this has happened. I promised Paul I'd wear the hat/veil that zips on to my bee suit instead of the cross tied one from now on.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Cloverbud said:


> Cyndi, you weren't wearing the goofy looking hat, were you? :nono: I guess Amazing G & I will have to come keep an eye on you and bring you Benadryl.


Yes, I was fully suited up. They have me on a methylpred pak for the swelling.



> How is your spinning program coming along? Amazing G is looking forward to seeing your program almost as much as she is looking forward to seeing you!


Haven't thought too much about it - it's still a month away. I can hardly wait to see you guys again!



> I'm saving my pocket change for a wheel--shhh! I hid the jar from dh, & it's getting kinda heavy. What I'd like & what I can afford are miles apart at the moment, but ya gotta start somewhere  I get such little time to spin, that I think a wheel might help with consistency.


When the time is right, your pocket change & the wheel will match up.

I see Grams listed a wheel ....


> I am selling my Ashford Traditional? single drive spinning wheel. The wheel does not say Ashford, you can tell where a label used to be. Everyone who has seen it says that it is in fact an Ashford.
> 
> Included is are 4 bobbins and a lazy kate.
> 
> $200.00 plus actual shipping from zip code 72039 as well as insurance.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Liese said:


> When I was about 15 yo, after closing up a hive on a dreary MI fall day, walked away , oh, about a 100' or so and then took off my hat/veil - big mistake! Suddenly had a head full of bees! The man with me helped combed out the bees with his bare hands. Of course standing in a parking lot I didn't have a convenient pond of water to dive into. I had a headache for a week but no swelling. A swelling tongue is a scary experience, I think I will make certain Bob, who is allergic, calls his MD for an epi-pen today. Am glad you are okay.


I never work bees on a cloudy day! 100' from the hive? Wow! That's some agressive bees. The epi pen saved the day for me. It's not a cure for an anthropalictic reaction, it just buys you time to get to the hospital.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

FalconDance said:


> Cyndi, isn't this the second run-in with bees in as many months for you? Stop being so sweet and they'll leave you alone!


next time I'll suck on some lemons!!!  



> I'm getting a little (lot) discouraged. The silly Art Show is in a month, and I'm having major trouble finding time to get spinning done - always something else to do or someone's sick needing tending (I'm still fighting off whatever this nasty virus is that's rampant right now). By the time I get home from work and get supper ready, all I want to do is curl up in bed and sleep - which means in few enough hours, it's get up and do it all over again. :Bawling:
> 
> Any advice?


I wish I did. Get your sleep so you can get over this virus. You can only do what you can do. If you find a way to make more hours in the day, pass it along!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi I'm glad to hear you are doing alright. How scary that must have been :help: Hopefully you will be up and spinning in no time.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchwind said:


> Cyndi I'm glad to hear you are doing alright. How scary that must have been :help: Hopefully you will be up and spinning in no time.


Odd, I wasn't scared at all (okay maybe a bit nervous when my tongue started tingling) but I had my epi-pen and we're only 15 minutes from the hospital!)

I was spinning again yesterday and back to work today.


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

YIKES! Cyndi! Lucky you were prepared!! That must've been horrible..... so glad you're okay!! (((((CYNDI)))))))


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## Caren (Aug 4, 2005)

Gosh you guys must think I am terribly rude. I am sorry about Cyndi's bee stings. My son Got stung on the finger and I had to take him in to get a shot. First we went to the walk in clinic just to wait for an hour to be told to give him benadryl. I tried to tell him about the allergies in my family but the DA Dr wouldn't listen.

So the next day when his arm was swollen up too I took him to my Dr's and they gave him a shot pf Depomedral or rather I did because he freaked out when he seen the needle and would only allow me to give it.

I'm a nurse and on tuesdays and wensdays I work midnights taking care of a 12 year old girl on a ventilator. This morning I got home and since DH had training in Lansing all day after working Midnights so i had to do all the chores this morning 22 calves on milk then had to give silage and water to all the older calves.

So one again I apologise for jumping in midconversation with a nonrelated comment. I really shouldn't be allowed to post in the middle of my night. :shrug: sorry.

Caren


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Caren said:


> well I am going to take my first true knitting class on Friday. I am learning to knit the toes up sock on two circular knitting needles.


I have a book about knitting toe up on two circulars - just can't get it though. Guess I'm stuck on cuff down using 5 DPNs!



> I can't beleive how expensive it is going to be. BBBUUUUUTTTTT I won a bet with DH and he has to pay for the class. This is the first time I have ever heard of a class being charged for by the hour. $12 an hour. Is this a normal in the price range sort of thing.


I've taken a few fiber classes (locker hooking, basket weaving) at fiber fairs they were a set price for the class (including materials), not by the hour.

This link might help for toe up socks on circulars:
http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Intro.htm

I think I'm going to locate the book I have and post it for sale (or trade  )


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Caren
:nono: You have no reason to apologize - I'm thinking I've been rude taking up so much of this thread on a few bee stings. Doc has me on a medrol pack for 6 days.

Choring that many animals after working a full night has to be tiring. Go get some rest!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Caren don't be silly! This thread is for all of us to post about all our life's joys and troubles.

I read your post and just thought, wow, she is a brave woman :baby04: :baby04: I'm with Cyndi, cuff down and 4-5 needles for me thank you.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Just got back from the monthly City Hall meeting. Took a basket with a couple small batts and my drop spindle. Was rather funny - sat in the back row (it's a really tiny place) and distracted the mayor who was facing my direction *devilish grin*. When it finally came time for us to voice our concerns, etc., he called me "the lady who's been making lace the whole meeting". Of course, I had to correct him that this was the wrong spindle for lace, it was merely wool thread .

Except for getting a bit of spinning done (next time I may just take the Traveller and _really_ be productive!), though, the meeting was rather same old-same old nonsensical ineffectiveness.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Wool washing day. I almost cried, though. Brought out a lovely white Romney fleece I bought about a week ago and decided to wash about half of it today (roughly 3 + lbs). Laid paper on the living room floor since I knew I'd need to lightly skirt the fleece. Is all Romney so absolutely scrumptious? My hands and forearms glistened with lanolin halfway through - a lanolin junkie's dream  - and the pre-wash color was a lovely ivory cream. Yes, I knew the lanolin would be mostly washed out and yes, I knew the ivory would, as well. But when I pulled the clean, non greasy bright white fluffiness out of the washer, I still wanted to :Bawling:. 

It's all Meg's fault! She got me hooked on Romney. (Donsgal'll have her day to be at fault when I work up the Shetland )

Found a foot-treadled carder on eBay I'm seriously considering instead of a regular drum carder. It takes up a little more space, obviously, since it's treadled and not just plunked on the table at random, but it appeals to me a great deal more. Kind of an in-between in technology. Also just bought a half pound of hemp for spinning and a half pound each of bamboo and pima cotton. I'd like to swear that's all the fiber I'm buying until Nov when I pick up the Karakul in Booneville, but then I might be lying.  Fiber Addiction is an illness from which I never want to recover.


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Uhhhh...Falcondance, I hate to break it to you, but that Romney you got from me, with all the lanolin? It was already washed. It had LOADS of lanolin before washing. I did a light wash to keep some in there. You don't HAVE to wash it all out, ya know! 

And they can't make me, either! :nono: 

I still have 8 or 9 lawn and leaf bags of wool out there to sort and wash......someone come :help: 



So, Cyndi...How are you doing? I think perhaps it's time for you to let someone else handle the bees....

Meg


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I know it was washed, Meg . I could smell the difference. And as soon as some of the white dried, I realized I'd been successful in leaving some lanolin in - just not as much as I'd prefer. I is so picky!

Guess what! I just bought a carder! One that's treadle powered rather than a drum carder - couldn't resist it once I'd talked to the gal at length and seen the pics and then thought about it some more. Husband was all about it, as well - told me I didn't have to talk him into the purchase, he sees how long it takes to hand card as opposed to spin and knows how much I need to get done in short order. *sigh* Just gotta love a man like that!


So, I'm all excited now. :bouncy: It'll be about three weeks before I get it - her hubby is Army and does things like this in his spare time (as well as helps her with her fiber business in general, sounds like).










Is it here yet?


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## still_renting (Jul 13, 2007)

Hi Everyone! This is one of my first posts, so I guess I will introduce myself. I am 21, and live in Edmonds, WA. This is a town about 20 minutes north of Seattle. I am not a homesteader, but I am always working in that direction. This year, my focus has been on knitting and growing vegetables. (I grew carrots, peas, string beans, lettuce, spinach, and attempted zuccini, althought that didn't produce). All these I did in pots on the side of my apartment building. I also have several pots of fresh herbs. Also this summer I made my first batch of jam, with cherries from the farmer's market.

I have been knitting for about a year and a half, so I am still building up my supplies of needles and such things. With each new project I try to learn a new technique. My last project I learned a broken rib pattern for a scarf. (k3 p3, then k1 p1). I loved it because it doesn't bunch up like a k2 p2 rib, so you can cover more area in less time, but it also doesn't curl at the edges like stockinette. The project before that was a little bag, and I learned to make an I-cord for the strap.

I hope to learn a lot here and maybe get to know some of you!

Sonya


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Welcome to the Fold, still renting!


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

Welcome to the fold, Sonya! I've always thought that homesteading is a state of mind and not a location. You certainly have your head on straight for one so young! All us mother hens around here will be more than happy to be your enabler and can't wait to get to know you.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Welcome, Sonya. It sounds like you're doing all the right things to get prepared for the big move. Feel free to ask questions; there are a lot of experienced knitters here. And when you feel comfortable with the knitting, then we'll be happy to get you spinning, right girls?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Another new one :baby04: Welcome to the FOLD Sonya! I totally agree with the women above, you got your head in the right place and homesteading is a state of mind not a place. I bet you could learn to spin while you learn to knit. The two go together like needles and yarn  Get a little drop spindle doesn't take up much room at all. Now the fiber is another thing altogether. You will have to find a small storage space for your first fiber accumulation. (shhhhhhh ladies, don't tell her the truth yet).

Good work Falcon! I'd love to see a picture of this thing when you get it, it sounds interesting.


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Yep, yep, yep! Welcome to The Fold, Sonya!

As you learn all those knitting stitches, you will eventually realize that if you spin your own yarn, you can have any type and color imaginable...and some that aren't!  

As Marchwind says, all you'll need is a little drop spindle, and a place to stick a bag of wool.  there's no law that says you have to buy more than you need at any given time, is there girls? 

Of course, since you're knitting, you already know that NOBODY buys yarn without being ready to knit a particular project. Just doesn't happen. :angel: It's exactly the same. Exactly!

Good job on growing veggies in pots in an apartment! As already said...it's a mindset, not an address. 

Welcome again...


And, Falcon...I knew you knew it was washed...just picking at ya. That Romney is something else, isn't it? I may add another Romney ewe to my flock. It's tempting.....

Meg


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I am going to bed right away, but I just had to post about the fleece I sheared today ... Wow.  Bruce is one of my rams, Icelandic/Suffolk. This was his first shearing - he is a year and a half old (ish).

I've been spinning in the grease, from fibre taken straight from the big UHaul cardboard box I put it in after shearing and skirting outside. Okay, I did use a dog comb to flick the ends open (they were gucked together with lanolin and ... whatever, but a few flicks with the comb opened them right up).

The wool is so soft (I love spinning in the grease, especially Icleandic, which hasn't got too much 'grease' to it ... and actually this is a cross, so it is lacking entirely in the tog hair fibre and is just luscious crimpy soft stuff!). It definitely has more lanolin than straight Icelandic, but aaaaaaaaaaah it's so fun to spin. 

Just had to share that!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Welcome Sonya!

Frazzle - that sounds wonderfuL!!! I'm spinning some black kid icelandic in the grease. Wonderful!!

Went back out to collect the rest of the honey yesterday. Boy were the girls aggressive! Managed to get 2 more supers full of honey and ended up with 2 stings.

The surprising thing is, I didn't swell up at all! Not even one little bit. Wow! That's a first!! I wonder if the major stings I received last week has upped my immunity to the honey bee venom???

WOOT!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

FalconDance said:


> Guess what! I just bought a carder! One that's treadle powered rather than a drum carder -


I can't wait to see pictures of this!! :dance: 

My husband is the same way with my fiber. I guess it's easier just to accept & encourage it - after all, it keeps us happy and a happy wife is a grateful wife, eh?


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Went back out to collect the rest of the honey yesterday. Boy were the girls aggressive! Managed to get 2 more supers full of honey and ended up with 2 stings.
> 
> The surprising thing is, I didn't swell up at all! Not even one little bit. Wow! That's a first!! I wonder if the major stings I received last week has upped my immunity to the honey bee venom???
> 
> WOOT!


Oh.
My
Gosh.

:nono: 

You got a death wish or somethin'?

Remember we actually like having you around, and I'm sure your family does too! You be careful, and take care of yourself!

Meg...giving the 'mom talk'!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> I wonder if the major stings I received last week has upped my immunity to the honey bee venom???


Or maybe your steroids are still looking out for you? Either way, that's good. I know you're careful,but we really like you not swollen like a balloon.


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

Hello! Helloo! Hello!

I am the other newbie here and am also new to homesteading. Been dreaming about it with dh for years and now, here we go!

For september the big things on my plate are selling my business - I own a breastfeeding/natural baby store and am a breastfeeding consultant. I met with awesome potential buyers today - they would be PERFECT for our store/community, please keep your fingers crossed. 

Besides selling my store, hmmm, packing and moving and caring for our 2 young kids while my husband is on the road for almost the entire month? Deep breath. I know it can be done so I'm gonna do it. Deep breath.

Just jumping into fibers - spent a few spare moments looking on ebay at the drop spinners that someone from here just bought - much more reasonable i price than I had expected! I have a birthday in november so dreams are in play.

wish me luck surviving and thriving in september~
Cathy


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## still_renting (Jul 13, 2007)

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! I will be sure to keep you posted with my questions as I go along.

Sonya


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cathy your plate is awfully full. Good luck selling the business will you do something similar in Wisc.? I would imagine you could just keep the business but run it through the internet or open another one that is net based. I always wanted to be a lactation consultant.

Drop spindles, gotta get the terms right, can be very inexpensive and the can go way the other way. 

Let us know how the sales of all your things, house, business and anything else go.


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

Marchwind said:


> Cathy your plate is awfully full. Good luck selling the business will you do something similar in Wisc.? I would imagine you could just keep the business but run it through the internet or open another one that is net based. QUOTE]
> 
> Hi Marchie,
> I've had an internet business, www.babybellebottoms.com , for 5 years now.... part of what I'm trying to sell off. If the retail store does not sell by christmas then I'll close it and sell of the inventory via the internet store. But I've yet to have a single day of not working while having my kids - and I'm beat. Home-based businesses or being a business owner means a brain that never really rests... or that's the way it feels to me. I am in need of rest and restoration, big time. Lactation work is incredibly lovely work! and I hope to apply my skills to sheep and goats at this point. LOL.
> ...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cathy way back when my kids were babes (they are now 21 &18) I used cloth diapers and bio-bottoms, I think they were the first of the wool soakers to be sold commercially. I loved them. Now there are many makers out there and several patterns for making your own. I'm such a slow knitter :shrug: 

Good luck with your sales, Goats are wonderful critters.


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Hey all!

The truck is loaded to the gills with bags of alpaca fiber I am bringing to the mill tomorrow. I suspect it is close to 40 lbs. I will bring Mom to the Alzheimer's unit at a nursing home (90 miles away) so I have the weekend off, and then drop by the mill on the way home. This weekend is my friend's threshing bee, and I will be doing spinning demonstrations all weekend. Sat night they have a bluegrass jam session that goes on until the wee hours of the morning, (I'm staying over) and then Sunday we get up and do it all over again. It looks like we will have perfect weather, mid 60's and sunny. 

Have a nice weekend everybody!


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Chris, my hubby, is here for a week...sorta...while he's in the States for a conference.  He's finally gotten to see the picker and carder I bought, and see them in action. And he loves them! He's actually thinking now about taking six months off after he retires, to help me get this fiber business off the ground! 

Between the sheep in my assorted handspinners flock, the angora rabbits, and the mohair I get from a friend, I have a good start on producing some interesting blends. I also have some stashes of llama and alpaca...in smaller amounts, and a bit of silk. I've got some good sources for buying the fibers I want but can't produce. So, I'm lined up to start, anyway! 

For right now, I'm simply looking at selling blended batts, or spun yarn, and of course, felted items. I can do most of my own dying, but I prefer natural dyes, and those will be limited for now. I can also sell any extra angora I produce; that's never been a problem. And of course, I have bunnies and lambs available on occasion. 

A friend of mine designed a new logo for us, and did a lay-out for a new business card using it. It's at the printer's now. She's also going to help me set up a website for the homestead, which will be great, since I'm a computer idiot!

It's been really tempting to switch my flock to all Romney! I've restrained myself, though. I do want to find a good white Romney ewe, as mine are colored, but I'm going to keep my Icelandics and Cotswolds. All the texture differences are marvelous! I can't wait to see next spring's crossed lambs! I'm hoping for another white ewe or two from Fern, my white Cotswold cross, but we'll see. With the loss of Annie this summer, Fern is the only white ewe I have left. The white ram lamb is scheduled to go to freezer camp, but I'll shear him first. He's by my Icelandic ram, Socrates, and out of Annie, the Leicester Longwool ewe. Very interesting fiber; more like his mom's. Too bad he's not a ewe!

I did decide this summer to reduce the rabbits to just French angoras, and no longer have Satin angoras. They're a lot more time consuming than the sheep, since they have to be groomed regularly, and I much prefer the fiber on the French.

Hmmmm...I guess I'm rambling on here, aren't I? Well, if you have questions or suggestions, I'd love to hear them! But, if your suggestion is one that won't work for me, please don't get offended. Some things work great for some people, and not for others. I think sometimes we forget that!

Meg


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

Hearing that angora rabbits are more time consuming than sheep made me feel a bit better about not making the decision (yet) to add them to my 'flock'. 

How come fall comes every year right at the beginning of my work year? It seems that I'm always feeling good about being ready for fall-until school starts. This year changing schools has left me feeling behind in everything-work and home related. I am enjoying the new school, but really miss the place I worked in for so long. Not having the long commute and making better money helps, but I sure miss the children ( and staff as well)

Our weather has been wonderful-Indian Summer with a few showers to ward off fire season every so often. It was seductive and I fell for it, and now I'm in a rush to get the last things done before the first frost and the begining of the rainy season. Today I dug the potatoes, canned the last of the pears, finished processing the elderberries gathered last weekend into juice for use later, and put a few steamers full of green and yellow beans in the freezer. What I wanted to do was spin for the sweater my daughter wants, and knit for the new little 'granddaughter'. Oh well, soon enough it will be dark and cold when I get home from work and I'll have lots of time to spin and knit.
I'm missing the time spent at staff meetings with my knitting-haven't felt that I can bring it out yet at the new school.... but soon...

Of course there was the usual housekeeping and laundry chores as well. I'm going to get used to having to iron clothes for work...for the first time in nearly twenty years I have to dress like a grown up for work! I'm not comfortable yet in slacks, blouses and sweaters. I liked my jeans much better.

While out in the orchard checking on the damage done by deer and elk-and hoping the last apple tree was ready because I had time to pick it today-it wasn't-I had time to play with fleece on the hoof as I filled the water trough out there. The little darlings have about 3 inches on them already-I hope it's not a portend of a hard winter! My little shetlands are such curious things- As soon as I went through the gate they came running down from the barn to check on what I was doing. My little Moira likes to come up and get her chin scratched. Sooo, even though I didn't get to spin today, at least I got to play with fleece on the hoof.
Hope you're all ready for fall-making plans for many happy days spent with fiber by the hearth...betty


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Betty I'm glad you are beginning to feel more comfortable in your new job. It can be so hard when you have been so comfortable at a previous place. Hopefully you will learn to love this job and the staff and children as much as your old place.

I have to tell you how much I always enjoy reading your posts. I feel so relaxed in my mind after I have read what you have been up to. I always get beautiful pictures of you with your sheep in very green pastures.

Meg you also give my mind pleasant pictures to enjoy. I hope you have a nice time with your husband while he is home.

As for me, I haven't been up to much fiber wise. Ive felt very scattered these past few weeks. My routine has been disturbed, in a good way. The airport was closed for 10 days but we still had to go to work. So basically I had days sitting on my butt for 10 hours a day. I took my computer and my knitting but even that gets boring after a short time when that is all there is to do, I wished I could take the time off but I didn't have enough annual leave to use. I still have so much to d here to get ready for the cold weather. I got the house buttoned up yesterday. I'm hoping to have time today or tomorrow to spin some.

The leaves here are becoming beautiful in their oranges, pinks, and reds that Maples get in the fall. We have had a few frosts but nothing so hard it killed everything. One day last week it was cold enough that snow flakes were seem. I think I am going to have to start making a date with myself just for doing fiber related things each day. I'll start with an hour a day and hopefully I can expand that.


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## Pigeon Lady (Apr 4, 2004)

Hi everyone Marchwind suggested that I come here and introduce myself. Feels a bit strange as I've been on HT for a long time but I am new to this part of the forum

Anyway, I'm Pauline, married to a wonderful guy and have one 12 y/o son. We live rather remote on a farm here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

I'm originally from England but came to the states 26 years ago. I've been spinning sort of off and on for about three years and knitting for as long as I can remember - doesn't mean I'm an expert or anything, it's just something you grow up doing if you're raised in cold, rainy, sheep infested old England  I like to make socks, hats and sweaters. 

We don't have any fiber animals but I'm thinking about getting an angora rabbit from MegZ in the spring. (She lives right down the road from my old house and we never knew each other.)

I love reading about everyones projects and seeing the pictures you guys have posted. There's so much to learn! I never give fiber arts a second thought during the spring and summer but as soon as the weather cools it's like someone flips a switch.

So, thanks for having me,

Pauline


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Hi Pauline! Welcome to The Fold!


Just got a google alert about my spinnin demo on 10/22

http://www.neabigread.org/events.php?mode=communityCalendar&communityID=756

Paul & I will also be involved this Sunday for "Settlers & Prairies" at the local community college


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Just plied 216.3yds. Took some 2 hours to ply *groan*. It's now soaking in the bathroom sink and will be hung to dry overnight. Since both plies were lightly pre-washed (left in just a touch of lanolin), I doubt there'll be much loss to the soak, so roughly 6 oz if my postal scale can be believed. I'll check that tomorrow, too. Would've preferred a finer yarn but :shrug: .

Forgot to add: Valley of Many Deer Gallery Fall Festival Oct 13 & 14


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

I'm battling a cold and so I missed the fiber guild meeting tonight (well, plus we were having torrential storms..) But my BF and I spent the evening watching Sweet Land - and excellent movie about a mail-order bride, and while I did that, I finished my little knitted cell phone holder project I was working on. I did a horrid job of sewing on the handle, I think I need to use 1 ply yarn for that or something. But I'll wash it and set it tomorrow. I guess it's a good try for my first non-scarf and first purled knitting project. I now need to teach myself to read a pattern.

And in the mail today, I got 2 complete romney fleece, one a silver gray and one white. Gorgeous fleece that I'll wash up this weekend. Plus 1 of the 2 boxes of the superwash roving someone posted on here that was on eBay. It is GORGEOUS. I'm not sure how it's mill end roving, or why you'd recard it, but at 4.00 a lb including shipping I am so happy. I see lots of socks in my future!!

I'm still saving my pennies for the Jensen, but I'll have a surprise hopefully next week... 

Tomorrow I work my long 11 hour day, but then have 2 glorious days off to play! If I can only get over this dang cold!!!

Falcon - what kind of wool? I hate to ply..

Hope everyone is having a great week!


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## therealshari (Jul 10, 2007)

Where has this month gone? 

I've got fleeces to skirt yet, and that's on my project list for next week. Since I do this outdoors, I need little to no wind and less than 100 degree heat. Looks like that should be next week.

Of course it's also time to rake the sheep pen and add all that manure and hay to the gardens. Time to put them to bed for the winter. This weekend we should have our first "hard frost" and that will nip more plants. We had a light frost last week that took out the cucumbers, tomatoes, and nasturtiums. 

We've been spending considerable time with our horses (three now) as we build their new stable/corral area. Also, taking time to do ground work whenever the weather permits... that's light wind only.

The chickens are now starting to lay their eggs, so we've been working with Mom to get her used to going out with her little basket and collecting the eggs. It's "her project" and she gets any money from the sale of chickens or eggs, so she has to do a little bit, like open their outside door in the morning, remember to save all the kitchen scraps, and collect the eggs.

Add to that the book I'm writing, and my day is about done.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

In about an hour and a half, husband and I and another couple are going to the KC RenFest. Both drop spindles go with, I think, just to give me something to do when we're stopping for a rest - or during the joust .


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

We have been playing a bit with KoolAid dye here ... I had some commercial batting and we did three different pots: ice blue, a purpley-pinkey colour, and some VERY pink! Last night I was spinning up the ice blue - it sure comes out a neat colour! No idea what this wool is gonna want to be, but it's fun making it.

Today I am procrastinating - I have to go outside and pound in T-posts along the weak spots of the fence. The sheep keep getting out and my sweet fiance has had ENOUGH of chasing them back inside! 

I did get my fence line feeder built last week - we'll see if it'll help keep the hay out of their neck fleece this winter. It's two 16 foot long sections of fence, with vertical dividers about a foot apart so the sheep can stick their heads into the area where the hay goes, but the hay is left down low to the ground ... the idea being that if the hay is up higher than their heads, when they pull it off the bale/rack they drop some on their neighbour's head and voila, you have VM. Guess we shall see!

I also want to shear one of the Icelandics this weekend if I can manage it ... gotta increase my stash! 

Oh, and yesterday I got a parcel in the mail from Morehouse Farms - I ordered a couple of their really cute critter scarves to make for my step kids, a caterpillar and a dragon. They come complete as a kit with merino wool (!), and I figure I'll be able to re-use the patterns with my own wool later on, too, and make some more.

Oh, and I have one mitten done up to the thumb part - I really have got to get knitting if I want to have any presents to give away at Christmas time!

Okay ... off to do fencing!


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## short farmer (Oct 16, 2006)

Have had the most awesom fiber life since moving to Ore in Mar. Got to join an active fiber guild, be mentored by an awesom lady who taught me to spin in an hour something that I have been trying to learn on my own for 15 years.Learned to warp my loom will start weaving tommrow. Got to attend the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene and today got to go to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Gathering in Canby Ore. The gathering was wonderful, I touched and smelled and ran my fingers thru thousands of pounds of fiber. They had sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, camels, rabbits, and even yaks. Bought wool winders,fiber and dyes. Then to frost today's cake got to go to the Pendelton outlet store near Portland and bought mill ends for making rugs and wool yarn for warping and other goodies. Can life get much more fun????


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Oh how I wish you ladies could've been with me yesterday at the RenFest! We were there for about 8 hours - most of which I spent either standing under a tree or walking (mostly walking) about spinning on one or the other of my spindles, talking with folks or otherwise just spinning contentedly whilst listening to bagpipes or dulcimer. Several visitors took pics (altho husband didn't get any of my spinning  ). Even spent a bit of time with Her Magesty's Lacers talking wool and such! 

*sigh* Such fun. Next year, I think I'll join my friend Greta and work there as guest relations/history personage/demonstrator (maybe).

There were several booths with wool yarn (I counted three wheels in total but only one was actively being used). Unfortunately, only one - the one with the active spinster - had handspun. The others had beautiful, homogenous, perfect machine spun. Less expensive but sooooooooo boring and lifeless. I'm pretty sure only the spinster was actually selling any .

Oh, and after the show in Oct, I just lined up a holiday bazaar in Nov then the Yule show again here in Dec. Husband already offered to man one of the wheels if I need a little "novelty" yarn.

Might just make a paying business out of this 'quaint little hobby' of mine yet!


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## therealshari (Jul 10, 2007)

Frazzlehead, we built a fence-line feeder that was closely based on the Premier-1 plan. We even ordered the wire panels, before realizing our sheep had heads more like large sheep.

I've now fed well over a ton of feed (about 25 bales) and am very impressed with how clean the fleeces are staying. That's good, too, because this batch of hay is awful. The guy who cut and baled it waited too late. It has seed heads galore, and the sheep won't eat them... but they sure can get stuck in the fleece.

We took the wire panels out and they just stick their heads straight through. I use the wire panels if we're having a high wind day just to keep the hay from blowing out of the feeder. 

When we have lambs, we'll have to build another fence-line feeder just for them and we'll use the wire panels for a while.


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Well, I put Chris on a plane today. He's on his way back to Afghanistan. he'll be back in November to stay, as he's retiring, but I'm so dreadfully paranoid about these last five or six weeks. I know it's silly, but I am.

On a brighter note, he got the mowing done while he was home, and we sheared the sheep yesterday, which was interesting. I did something incredibly stupid, but I'll heal.  

His mom came to visit last weekend, as did our daughter and son, so he got to see everyone. He enjoyed that. He did the two conferences he had to do, and got a total of 6 whole days at home, and a couple of part days as he was in and out.

He's excited about the wool possibilities, and plans to take six months to help get the show on the raod, here! yeah!

I just want him to come home safe in November.

Meg


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## therealshari (Jul 10, 2007)

Meg, I'll keep him in my prayers for ya'. I know what you mean about those last six weeks. Be strong, woman!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Meg I hole Chris in my thoughts until he is home safely. It was nice that he was able to see everyone while home and to be able to get so much done in the process. He sounds like a fantastic husband.

It is 80 degrees here, less than a week ago we were having freezing temps and some snow mixed in with the rain. Crazy weather! I think this is the last hurrah for the summer though :Bawling:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have had a mos productive morning :hobbyhors I finished the laundry, I whacked the weeds down on the path and washed the path, cleaned the car. This included the windshield and put the Rainx on it. I vacuumed and rinsed out the furnace filter, we're ready for the cold. It was 80 degres here yesterday and it feels about that hot today. But we have a cold front moving in from Canada :dance: I'm so ready for cooler weather. Now I just have to vacuum the house but I'm pooped. 

I think I will treat myself to spinning a bobbin of fibers


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

FalconDance, did you get your treadle carder off of eBay? I saw one there today, and while it looks very cool, it also looks like I could hurt my oh-so-graceful self. Probably when my foot slips and I smack my face on the table  I'm looking forward to hearing how it does for you.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Meg, Chris will be kept in daily prayer that he comes home safe in November.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Meg, Chris'll be fine. Bet he's chomping at the bit for November to just get here, already. How long is his Honey-Do list getting to be now? 


Yep, Clover. I've bought goodies from her before and been very pleased. She and her hubby are _very_ good people and so pleasant to work with - we exchange emails frequently just to gab about ....... (surprise!) fiber and related fibery goodness. I sent her some of the Shetland Donsgal had sent me since she, too, had never had/spun any. But I'm not too worried about accidently KOing myself on the tredle carder. Not so graceful myself, I figure that it's just another skill to learn, and sometimes that means bumps and bruises. :shrug:


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

Sounds like you all have been busy. Meg, I'll remember you and your dear one as he does his duty and waits to return to you. Sometimes it's hard to keep positive when those we love are far from us.

I've been busy today indoors and out. Our weather has taken a turn toward wet and cold earlier than I expected. After house work, laundry, two pies and 16 quarts of apple pie filling this morning, I went out to play in the yard. Got my yard furniture, a canvas gazebo top and the lawn mower all cleaned up and in the barn. Also trimmed the rasberries and pulled out the garden after our frost this past week. The sheep, chickens, ducks and goose were delighted when I tossed it all over the fence into the compost/manure pile....which is just next to the garden in the pasture. My little Jazzy girl (one of my fawn ewes) got tangled up and scared herself, but a sheepy friend removed the offending vine by grabbing a bite as she went by sideways trying to get away from "the thing" following her. After that they all followed me down to the orchard to check on the last apple tree-finally ripe and will be picked later this week- and then back up to move the smaller water trough under the rain gutter of the barn. Yesterday's rain washed the roof clean and now I won't have to haul water to the barn until it freezes! All the water troughs are cleaned and ready to empty and put away when it gets cold enough to freeze, then we go back to buckets hauled from the house all winter (and filled at the kitchen sink no less!) Tomorrow I'll get to the aquariums and maybe the hamster cage (the poor little thing has been trying to hibernate!)-and I hope to be able to remove the eggs from under a very irrate little cocketiel as well.

I'm ready to begin spinning for the next sweater-hopefully I have enough wool carded to just be able to spin through the whole 1 1/2 pounds without having to stop and change gears. I think I'll do some Christmas spinning and knitting first, then start the long haul after the holidays. The wool is from little Jazz and while she looks a darker fawn, she's brown underneath and the fber cards and spins up to lovely light milk chocolate color. My daughter chose the fleece after seeing a little shawl I made from it (and plan to give to a friend who also admires it greatly. ) I hope this sweater is easier to do than the last one. At least using the same pattern it should be..right?

I'm missing my daily knitting time! There aren't daily staff meetings at my new job, so my daily 1/2 hour isn't happening right now. There is so much to do to prepare for winter right now. Hopefully once it starts getting darker earlier I'll be indoors and knitting more. 

May this harvest season grant you just what you need to get you through the winter happy, healthy and grateful for all the blessings you have been given. betty


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The new FAC for October is up. Please post there. Here is the link http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=2553837#post2553837


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