# FAC-March '08



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Happy March everyone! Sorry I didn't get this up sooner but I was at work all day.

For those of you who are new this is the Fiber Arts Chat thread. Here is where we touch base with each other and find out what is happening in our lives not only with fiber stuff.

Any newbies or lurkers this is a great time for you to stop in and say "Hi!" and introduce yourselves. Don't be shy around us we all love the newbies and the lurkers. If you want to learn some fiber art just ask I'm more than sure there is someone here that can help you or at least point you in the right direction.

As for me the only fiber thing I have going on this week is the second hat for my friend's son. Ive had this thing cast on for ages but I just couldn't get the numbers right. Throwing it across the room did no good at all so I tried having several other people count for me  Have you ever had thos sorts of days. This is a pattern I know very well and it was just so stupid that I just couldn't get the numbers to come out as I wanted them to. After I let it sit in my bag for a few weeks things finally worked out. I swear the little knitting fairies must have come in and worked on it when I wasn't looking. So today I finished the body of the hat and now I just have the ear flaps to put on. I like this one much better than the first one. At least I like the colors better.

I didn't get a chance to work on my weaving at all last weekend like I wanted to. Maybe this weekend. I think I heard rumors of freezing rain tonight so maybe tomorrow will be a good day to start.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

> Actually, we agreed on a different project for that skein. I'll post pics of it in a week. Sorry, gotta wait 'til then!


I know what it is!!! Wait to you see!! Shoot, I can't wait to see it!!!


WARNING: Ex-husband rant

The children's father and I have been divorced for 13 years. It was a good ending to an abusive marriage. Just a few months ago, he was just as angry at me for divorcing him as he was 13 years ago. Conversations between us the past 13 years have been few and far between and usually consisted of him calling me up to scream obscenities at me.

During our marriage, I was the main wage earner. He had quit his $18/hr job (back in the mid-80's) a few months after we were married. He jumped from job to unemployment to job all the time. Actually, it was more unemployed than employed. In our 8 year marriage, he was working only about 24 months of it.

With his 3rd wife (I was his 2nd), she also was the main wage earner. He worked under the table or held a job only long enough for child support withholding papers to be served to his employer. He's only about $26,000 behind in child support (not counting his half of the children's medical expenses.)

His last wife recently left him and I guess now he's mad at her, because he's been quite pleasant towards me....until tonight.

I get a call from him tonight asking if I had received papers about child support. I told him I received the latest witholding. He starts yelling and crying and telling me how it wasn't fair. He's losing his house, his electricity is being disconnected. He's going to kill himself. I kept repeating to him he needed to talk with a counselor. He kept on telling me how unfair it all was. I finally asked him if he thought it was fair that I had to pay off the thousands of dollars from the bills he left behind when we divorced or if it was fair that I had to raise the children on my own without any financial help from him. Then I told him I didn't want to hear how unfair he thought his life was and how he thought it was my fault that this was happening to him. He needed to get off his lazy ass and finally take responsibility for his actions and the outcome of his actions. (maybe not the best thing to say to a guy that was talking about suicide). He hung up on me.

I called the police station in his city and told them about the conversation.

On the fiber front, I started and finished a stocking cap made from white and brown merino and have started a knitting a collar for the MIL of a lady at the farmer's market. Same lady has asked for a pair of fingerless mitts for her MIL (who is confined to a wheel chair).


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Good rant Cyndi!!!! Don't ex's just suck? Lately mine has been so nice to me it very disturbing. It always makes me nervous when when he is calm and quiet and nice, that just isn't a normal state for him.

All Ill say is that you handled the conversation correctly. Everything you said was correct and accurate. You are NOT responsible for his actions he is. Having said that, I hope things will be okay, for your children's sake. I can't imagine if their father killed himself that that would be a burden on them that is needed. 

Keep your chin high and go do something with fibers to calm yourself and hug Paul for being such a wonderful man. Sorry you have to deal with this stuff.


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## LFmenagerie (Mar 29, 2007)

Mullers lane - Nice! :goodjob: Sounds like he needed more of these :frypan: or is this more appropriate :bdh: (him being the deadbeat horse) a long time ago.

This is my first time back in the site for a few months again. I just sheered my two pygoras.....rather badly

I ordered a DVD on how to but it didn't work. So I proceded with little knowlege under my belt. I don't even know for sure where on the goat to start. My blade didn't cut through the already felted stuff on the back legs so I had to scissor that. Mabe its alawys like that, but I have no idea! :shrug: I needed to take the fiber off before it felted, though. I'm sure I will be better at it some day but right now....lets just say that the goats will be warmer on some parts of thier bodies than others. 
I did put a shrunken woolen sweater on each of them. After sheering I saw that the weather is supposed to get cold in a few nights. Figures. They looks cute right now, like big dogs in doggie clothes.

Off topid- My daughter and I made some goat milk soap in the Fall and again beginning of Feb. Its been working very well for people with sensitive skin. Our first time and very successful:rock:

Pam VanDamme


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

Dang Cindi - why is it men always seem to think it is OUR responsibility that they can't get their own act together? My sperm donor aka mom's ex husband was like that. Poor him, he can't afford this cause he kept on getting married and having more kids. HMPF. What about the kids and the ex's? 

My fibery day was capturing one of my preggo ewes that have been literally 'on the lamb' <har har> for the last 2 weeks. I took a ton of pictures, and I have a ewe who is in early labor (I think). I sheared one yearling, fixed fencelines, and am about to collapse of exhaustion.

I have a couple contacts here that I'm behind with - if I am to contact you about raw Black WElsh - hang in there, I'm going through emails now! I'll have LIMITED fleece this year - most I'm spinning up myself or processing into roving for the local fiber shop!

The whole one woman farm team with a hired hand sometimes gets a wee bit tiring ;-)

oh, and I think I see signs of pasture life out there! WEEEEE spring is coming!


Andrea
www.arare-breed.net


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## longearsfarm (Oct 30, 2003)

Sorry Cyndi, your ex sounds awful but you handled it all beautifully. Ugh, why can't they just move on? 

What's everyone doing fiber-y? I finished yet another one of my knitted "Native American" style pots, and have now cast on for a huge one...and am also doing a small skull and crossbones purse that I think will be for DD for Easter. Oh, and a felted, stuffed pig. Oh, and felted chickens...

Can you tell I've been spending way way way too much time on Ravelry? I am pattern central LOL.

But I love to hear about what everyone else is doing, so let me know.
Val
longearsfarm, here and in real life


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

As for ex's, some people just need to trip in the hog pen.

Cyndi, :icecream: for you with extra sprinkles, for not reaching through the phone and choking him.

Hmmm...I think I'm gonna torture people with a pic or two...



















Now you just gotta wait a week for me to tell you what it is!

It's from that skein of Poopy Polypay (sorry, weever!) that we KoolAid dyed at Cyndi's, then run through the wash twice. I like it.

I'm on doe watch again. The little Kinder doe that Trish (nduetime) gave my daughter last summer. I had to chuckle--she will be the kid's mother and aunt. The sire is her half brother, so he's their daddy and uncle! (cue the banjo music *giggle*) All I'm hoping for is healthy, ALIVE babies. I missed the last doe (blasted job!) and lost triplet bucklings. Kind of ironic--I'm at work saving people's animal's lives, and my own are dieing at home. sigh...

On the up side, the bottle babies went to the barn for the first time today (BEEautiful weather!!) and were playing King of the Hill on dd's gelding. Darn, I didn't have the camera, but it was so cute. Poor old Charlie!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Clover I love the way that yarn knitted up. Is it a head band? I reminds me of confetti.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

That's the most beautiful poopy polypay I've ever seen! Don't wait too long to tell us what it is--I usually drop out after page 2 or 3 of the FAC. My eyes glaze over...


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Nope, not a headband. It's for someone, so I really gotta wait until that someone gets it before I can tell you *what* it is. It's just a flat piece, stockinette on size 8's. I have just a wee bit of it left. It looks like it wants to be a crocheted flower. 

I really like the dye. I'm definitely going to do KoolAid again. There's a KoolAid group on Ravelry, and some of them use Wilton's frosting coloring stuff. So many fun things to try!

weever, should I pm you next week? It's the least I can do after getting the word "poopy" stuck in your head!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Morning, gals. The 'flu bug hit our house _hard_ last week with no warning or provocation and is just now _beginning_ to take the hint to leave already. 

Am thinking of putting the tabletop loom up for sale. The girlfriend who just _had_ to have it has had since August to pay - and a friendly enquiry in Jan to remind her still owed if she wanted the loom. No word since, and she was rather upset that I even mentioned the fact that she needed to either pay me or I'd sell it elsewhere. Dunno how I'd ship the darned thing - it's not one of those that folds down all nice and neat. Guess it'll require a little more thought.


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Oh, thanks for the torture, Cloverbud. What pretty colors. Are you going to tell us exactly how you got all that color? I want to do it!

Yes, the flu bug has hit here too. Everyone I know is sick, I think. And it likes to hang on. It's been a terribly hard winter here, not just the weather (bad enough), but people I care about are having health issues. A friend just died yesterday of breast cancer that spread. My soul sister is fighting it now and having problems. She's stage 4--isn't that bad? What would I ever do without fiber arts to soothe my soul and keep my hands busy?


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

You're welcome, Ana! :nana: 

The colors are Flavor Aid drink mix. We used grape, lime, cherry, and some blue flavor. After Cyndi washed & rinsed the yarn, she placed it on a long piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Then she sprinkled stripes of drink mix powder on the damp yarn, leaving undyed space between each color, and worked it in a bit with her fingers. Next she folded the long edges of the plastic over the yarn like a burrito, and rolled it up like a cinnamon roll. I was surprised when Cyndi then popped the 'cinnamon roll' in the microwave for two minutes! Let the roll cool off a little before unwrapping--we were impatient and toasted our fingers.:nono: The last step was to rinse it until the water ran clear. 

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! 

I'm sorry everyone is getting sick! I'll send up prayers for you.

Amazing G had a bit of a throat thing a couple weeks ago--she was telling everyone she sounded like Naomi on the show "Lost." About 10 days after that, she woke up with wry neck again. Doc says that when the lymph nodes in the neck get inflamed, they irritate the surrounding muscles, and in her case, the muscles just lock up. It's supposed to be little old ladies in those foam neck braces, not 9 year old little girls! The worst part (according to her) is that she has to miss out on dodgeball in PE.

I'm plying my third skein/second bobbin today. It's massively over-twisted. We'll see how it turns out. I don't think it's going to be my favorite, but I'll post my progress.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

This has been the worst week ever, I don't want to lessen the human loss that ana bluebird is suffering.

I lost one of my best friends, the first cow I ever owned( she was the dairy queen not me). We had been nursing her through her second case of milk fever this year, (she got down with it in the night with out warning), was recovering slowly but steadily, was almost up saturday night when she lost her passion for life, vet came out and said it was heart failure, and that he gave her 10 percent chance of *ever* getting up. I made the choice to have her put to sleep as she was suffering. Yes I know it sounds stupid to have a cow put to sleep, but I couldnt bear the alternative.

*ETA* she had been retired as a milker a few years ago, we just let her raise her calf..

Now why I was so fond of her, who knows, she was an absolute pain to try to milk. She would have driven someone less stubborn than me away from the idea of milking running and screaming. She never did learn to stand still( or she did and chose not to). Outside of the milk barn she was a different creature all together. She was an absolute hoot to be arround. She always got hay fever of all things and loved to have her big eye socket bones rubbed. She was short and fat and proud of that to quote winnie the pooh. She would hold her back legs up(one at a time) for me to pick of ticks(yuck) or put bag balm on.

my dad I think is right, its harder sometimes when the animals pass, because, I suppose of our responsibility to them, and their service to us through the years. we expect people to pass, but our pets are supposed to live forever.

I like my other cows just fine(well most of them) but there was just something about her that was special.

Thanks for letting me vent this, I know its not directly fiber related, but today I did do a couple of hours of "therapy".


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Ana, I'm so very sorry to hear about your friend.

And Jerzey - I can relate. When our Dolly died at Christmas, if was as if we lost part of the family. Loddie (another Jersey) just doesn't take her place.

I decided to take the high road with the ex. I went on the IL CSE (child support enforcement) website to see what I could do to lesson the ex's burden (since 2 of the children are emancipated). Found out that Jan 2005, IL passed a law that if they were behind in CS, that the full amount of CS (including emancipated children) will be withheld from their pay until the back support is paid in full.)

The website has him listed as being over $29,000 in past due support ....


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Up last night from 3:30 to about 6 with our 4yo little girl with an earache. She and I finally went to sleep in the chair in the living room. Now the 11yo has an earache. Second son's birthday today, he turned 15. Sold the jacob sheep wether and pygora wether today. 

I haven't touched anything fibery today. But, I made 5 tiered skirts over the weekend. That was fun! Here's the girlsies' skirts, the brown print has got cowboy boots and chaps and spurs on it.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Such losses in our group, how sad! Hugs all around.

Good work Clover you're plugging away on your spinning. Soon enough you will be spinning just as you want your fibers to be.

I spun up a bobbin of beautiful gray Alpaca that I had washed awhile ago, very nice. I've been very bad and buying fleeces, like I need them. One is a Navajo Churro and the other is a Romney Lamb fleece that is from a breeder who has only black sheep. She has Romney x Dorset, and Corridale ( not sure on the spelling on those), Nice stuff, I wish I could have afforded all of them.

I'm slowly planning my house how I want it to be once the youngest is gone (somehow I don't think that will happen for awhile yet). Each day I'm taking a room and redoing it, as in taking everything out and reassessing it. This may take me all year to do. My house is huge, when I bought it, it was great for me and 2 growing boys, but now. So I'm trying to look into the future and see what I can do with the place.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Warm fibery hugs to everyone struggling with pain-in-the-butt-ex-relatives, passing friends (human and animal), illness, and all other aches and pains. Life is the journey, but some of the days sure are harder than others. It's so nice to have this place full of friends to come to. I just love y'all! 

(How's that sound in my Canadian accent? goofy, eh? It's still true!)

In fiber news: I finished the 3 pair of mitts and the drop stitch scarf for the lady who ordered them from me - they have been sent off but I don't think she's received them yet (I know she goes out of town fairly often so perhaps she's not around as I've not had a reply to my email either). Pictures here.

I started socks for my fiance The Reluctant Farmer. I washed, carded & spun some of the brown Corriedale I purchased here, and plyed it with mill-prepared Columbia/Hampshire fibre spun up as a nice thin single. The resulting yarn is a white/brown twist, and it is making neat looking socks. I am doing Elizabeth Zimmerman's "afterthought heels" because The Reluctant Farmer has those horribly rough heels that wear through EVERY sock in record time, and this way I can pull out the heels and reknit them. I am thinking of plying up some Southdown singles with the two ply I already have and making a three ply yarn for the heels ... any thoughts on how to make them more durable? I've heard mixed things about the nylon thread idea - and I confess, I'm not quite sure what people mean by "nylon thread". Like, fishing twine stuff? I'm confused! 

Oh, I also redyed some pink KoolAid dyed fibre - I spun it up into a thick/thin single and then dyed it again in Cherry to make it more vibrant and less pink, it is pretty colourful now. I think it might end up being a purse, or maybe slippers. Not for me, I don't really do pink. 

I'm not feeling very well of late, but I have a physical on Thursday so no doubt we'll uncover the root cause. I have this feeling that she's going to say "stress" and then I'll just feel like a wuss, but I guess we shall see! 

Oh yeah ... and we have baby lambs, too. Now THAT makes up for all sorts of things. Check the blog for pictures & stuff. (www.applejackcreek.com/blog)

Hope everyone's month improves steadily!


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Mogal, sorry to hear about the flu... Everyone at work has had it, except maybe 5 of us. It's been horrible. 

Jerseygirl - so sorry to hear about your girl. Losing a pet is so hard, and it seems like the difficult ones are the ones we love the best. 

Cyndi - Child support is a weird thing. I never received any from my dad, or rather my mom never did. I could go after him now for back CS but haven't chosen to do that. It's his problem to deal with, or not deal with. There's nothing you can do about it...

Clover - gorgeous girl!!! Now you'd addicted HAHAHAHAHA!

I've been working on blending some colored silk with silver gray alpaca. It's gorgeous. The colors are jewel toned so it just blends like crazy. Silk and alpaca is my new fave fiber mix.

Thursday I head to Missouri. Hopefully we'll meet up with Redbudlane, and maybe a few other HSTers for the Fiber retreat. My boyfriend ended up wanting to go, so it'll be a spinning vacation. Or something like that. He's never been to Missouri, I'm just hoping for warmer weather. And I mean above freezing for highs. I'll be content with that. 

I also was a VERY bad girl. I bought not 1, not 2, but FIVE California Red fleece. Five. Yes Five. Save me. I actually wanted 7... I pared it down. I love that stuff though. And I mean, they only shear once a year. And I really needed it - right? RIGHT? I mean, it's a limited supply.... sheesh.

Hi, my name is Heather, and I'm a fiber addict......


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

I'm gonna try this again....my last missive got lost in cyberspace...glitches abound!

I've been busy spinning up warp thread for my latest adventure....weaving rugs out of old denim jeans....churro handspun warp...came out very nice....

I did an experimental skein of an older alpacas silver grey fleece...that I carded with bamboo....about 80%/20% that came out VERY lovely...lol Very nice and soft...with a nice sheen to it from the bamboo...I did one with bfl and bamboo...dint care for that one as much.

I've sold a few skeins of yarns, which is nice, since I don't knit....lol

Oh, yeah...I pulled off a magic trick...I turned feathers into fur! I sold the baby african grey, I've been handfeeding since September....and turned around and bought a mother/daughter pair of llamas....I'm hoping to bring them home by the end of this month....lol...hehehe:bouncy:

NO,,....I'm NOT addicted to fiber..........

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt!:happy:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle you sure do nice work! The person you made them for better be happy with them or she has a problem. Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, hopefully the doc will be able to help. BTW, stress isn't for wimps but it happens. Some of us deal with it better than others. Ive learned to know the warning signs for me and them I slow down and get extra rest. To answer your question about the nylon thread, you can use just regular sewing thread just get the kind that is mostly nylon. Supposedly (I'm not a sewer) there is a sort of fuzzy nylon thread that is used for surgers.

Nellie very cute girls!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchwind said:


> I've been very bad and buying fleeces, like I need them.


Yup, the fleece buying bug has hit my house too.

I picked up a pound of raw black Rambioulette X Cormo X Corriidale X Merino and 2# of raw white Rambo ($21 for all)

3# of Carol Lee's blue/white mill ends

another black Icelandic kid fleece (you should see how black this is!!!)

and just making a deal on a fleece of California Red
http://www.applerose.com/Sales Red.html :goodjob:

(and the fiber fest is next month :bouncy


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchwind said:


> I'm slowly planning my house how I want it to be once the youngest is gone (somehow I don't think that will happen for awhile yet). Each day I'm taking a room and redoing it, as in taking everything out and reassessing it. This may take me all year to do. My house is huge, when I bought it, it was great for me and 2 growing boys, but now. So I'm trying to look into the future and see what I can do with the place.


A room for the fiber, another for the looms???

remind me again what's so wrong with 'empty nest' syndrome????:happy:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Oceanrose said:


> I also was a VERY bad girl. I bought not 1, not 2, but FIVE California Red fleece. Five. Yes Five. Save me. I actually wanted 7... I pared it down. I love that stuff though. And I mean, they only shear once a year. And I really needed it - right? RIGHT? I mean, it's a limited supply.... sheesh.
> 
> Hi, my name is Heather, and I'm a fiber addict......


so _you're_ the Heather that bought those fleeces. They are yummy looking!!!


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

80 sheep in one day would have killed me. We did three yesterday, and I have four more to go. I could use a 19 year old, too!

We've been considering switching to hair sheep, and me just buying wool, as my husband recently informed me that he HATES shearing. Since he does the catch-up and hold, neither of which I can do any more, I don't think it's fair to ask him to do something he really hates to do. But, when we sheared Clover (first time for us on the Romney's) he loved it! She stood like she does it every day. The wool peeled off of her like a sock...no second cuts except in one spot. Gorgeous lush wool well worth rolling in. After her was Meadowsweet. She's a beauty, but she's a Cotswold/Tunis/Lincoln Longwool cross. He stuck his hand in her wool, and pronounced it coarse compared to Clover. It is, although it's still great wool. It's funny; he's never paid attention to the textures of the wool before.

He actually said he thinks he'd like to get more Romneys! Of course, then he qualified that by saying maybe he should wait until Naly (the other Romney) gets sheared, and see how she does! She's a bit wilder than Clover!

Maybe he won't hate shearing so much....

Here's Clover before...NO Falcondance, you may not roll in her!










And after....she's soooo small now!











And Meadowsweet...the one who was storing hay in her wool  before:












And after...wanna start a pool on how many lambs are in there? She's not due until late April/early May!!











Meg


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> so _you're_ the Heather that bought those fleeces. They are yummy looking!!!


Guilty. Sigh. I really REALLY want 222 also, I bought mine before she put up the pictures.... But I couldn't afford any more. Maybe no one else will buy it and eventually I'll be unbroke again. I bought a small lamb's fleece from them last year. Not one ounce of veg in it, super clean, and it is SOOOOOO gorgeous spun. Spins super fine and rivals cormo lamb in the softness factor. I have a local source for cormo, but I will say, if I ever buy my own sheep, I'm getting CA Reds.....


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

one of the bottle lambs I got is red, not sure of the breed of course but i assume its either tunis or california red from the color(she is why I bid on them) one of the others looks like a shetland for real but who knows...they were all the odd triplet from a major big sheep farm, doing good at 3 weeks old so I am happy,


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> And Jerzey - I can relate. When our Dolly died at Christmas, if was as if we lost part of the family. Loddie (another Jersey) just doesn't take her place.
> 
> 
> .


I'm sorry to hear about that, I wasnt on much during the holidays. All the cows I have are daisy's decendants, so that is nice, one acts like her almost, and one looks like her almost, I like them but its not the same as you said.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Sometimes, Meg, you're just no fun !

Look how embarassed poor Clover is with you showing her nudie pic to us. Gorgeous coloring, though! Silver under that oatmeal? Yummmmm.

Too bad Meadowsweet was so ... talented with her hay storage. Those colors (yeah, I'm weird, I like the bleached tips as long as they're not uber-weakened) would spin into a lovely soft dark heather.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Oceanrose said:


> Guilty. Sigh. I really REALLY want 222 also, I bought mine before she put up the pictures.... But I couldn't afford any more. Maybe no one else will buy it and eventually I'll be unbroke again. I bought a small lamb's fleece from them last year. Not one ounce of veg in it, super clean, and it is SOOOOOO gorgeous spun. Spins super fine and rivals cormo lamb in the softness factor. I have a local source for cormo, but I will say, if I ever buy my own sheep, I'm getting CA Reds.....


222 caught my eye too, but it was a bit pricey for me.

It's good to know suppliers that care so well for their fleece. I have a couple of places I buy from where their fleeces are soooo clean!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

New fibre-on-the-hoof at Frazzlehead's house!

I'm trying to determine which of the 2 half-Icelandic rams fathered these little ones ... I think the ram lamb (now a wether) is from the Icelandic/Suffolk, given those black legs (although the mama is a Columbia/Hamp and the Hamp half of her would suggest black legs, even though she herself is all white) ...










And this dainty ewe lamb, I suspect is out of the Icleandic/Southdown, with her tiny little ears. Her mama is a psycho sheep with really crummy fleece, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of improvement we get ... 









I am really excited to see the colour, at least, I want more colour in my flock and all the lambs last year were white Southdown babies, so this is exciting!


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

Ohhhhhh....they're soooooo cute! I bet you'll have some really interesting colors. I love spring with all the new babies. Ours aren't even hardly bagging up yet so it'll probably be awhile. 

Thanks for sharing!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

how precious!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Those are the cutest babies I have seen. I love the spots.

I need everyone's positive thoughts and good energy to come my way tomorrow. This is our yearly recertification for our jobs. I'm first up at 8:00 am. This is only phase one of a many phase process that seems to last for months. The potential is if we don't pass we could lose our jobs and if we don't lose our jobs we could lose our end of the year bonus. Although I'm not too nervous right now I'm sure I will be by tomorrow morning. This is my 4th year of doing this and it gets pretty old. But if I don't know my job by now what good am I? I'll let you know what happens.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

you got it Marchie. I'll keep you in prayer.

8:00, eh? You have another 19 minutes. I'll be praying calming thoughts for you.


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

Don't worry Marchwind, with four years experience you should do fine but I will keep you in my thoughts.

I'm loving the pictures of all of your babies, reading and trying to keep up with what's going on. Prayers for the losses ladies, human and animal friends, there is never a good time to say good-bye it's just too hard.



The only baby things around here chirp and will eventually give us lots of eggs. Our fiber group at church is coming along nicely, I am so proud of the ladies learning to crochet and knit. I'll give them a little while to settle in then take the wheel and some spindles to try to lure them into spinning. Who knows I may get them into wool instead of synthetic once they realize how nice natural fibers feel.

I have a new wholesale account wanting to sell my soaps, lotions, balms, creams, etc. It's keeping me busy putting together the package for her to decide exactly what she wants to initially stock. She's been a soap customer for a while now so that's a plus. But.........I'm itching to wash, dye, card and spin.:help:


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Keeping you in my thoughts.

Those babies are so cute! Man I miss having sheep - hopefully that'll be fixed by fall though.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Warning:

Another ex-husband rant.

Why does this man think I have to pick up his responsibility when ever he sets it down? 

Why should I have even an ounce of sympathy for him?

:bash:

Just got off the phone with him. 

He told me he just got out of the hospital. 
"Oh, I'm sorry, I hope you're feeling better." 

Well, no he wasn't. His mind decided to not function and they came and locked him up. 
"Oh."

After talking to so many people, he realized he wasn't going to be able to afford to come pick up Michael every other weekend to see him.
"Okay. Did you call Mike and let him know?"

That made him angry. Couldn't I even come up with a way to have Mike visit him?!?!?
"Um, can one of your friends come pick him up for you?"

Guess that was the wrong answer ...

He was furious now. I get almost half his check ($29 K in back support) and he's losing his house for non-payment, his electric was turned off and he was just getting his water turned back on that day. He couldn't afford to spend $20 in gas every 2 weeks to pick up Mike.
"Okay, did you call and let Mike know?"

Oops, wrong answer again.

He can't understand why I won't take 3 hours out of my life every other Friday and Sunday to drive our son back and forth for visitation. It wasn't fair that I was taking all his money and I couldn't give back in return. He has to do without now because I'm taking all his money

I reminded him that for years the children and I had to do without when he wasn't paying child support. Karma has a way of evening things out.

According to him I have a whole lot of bad karma that will be coming to get me.

That was close enough to a threat that I wanted to get from him. Before he could turn more of his anger on me, I told him I was at work and needed to get going and reminded him to call Mike and let him know he wouldn't be picking him up tonight. 

Again I have to ask myself, "Why does this man think I have to pick up his responsibility when ever he sets it down? " & "Why should I have even an ounce of sympathy for him?" :hand:

eta:

Frazzle, those lambs are so cute!! I keep coming to this thread to look at them and smile!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Cyndi,
:grouphug::grouphug:
Long, strong, squishy, and full of love.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Hey Marchie ... hope your discussion is going well. I hate ANY conversation with management that has a closed door - even when I know it'll go fine,I still sweat Tell us how it went!  Holding you in The Light. 

And Cyndi ... oi. You are one strong woman and I'm impressed by your restraint! My ex, when he was alive (he died six years ago yesterday from the brain tumor that made him a nutcase and a stranger) could hit my buttons every single time - even when I knew the proper, calm response I ought to give, and that his intransigence was not his fault ... I still couldn't do it like you do! Still, giving those calm responses over and over is exhausting, and I feel for you. I'll go outside and hug those two little lambies and tell them it's from you, k? 

And when you need more cute lamb pictures ... look here: http://www.applejackcreek.com/photogallery/main.php?g2_itemId=162


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Oh, Cyndi, I'm sorry to hear he's trying to put everything on you again - would a clue by four help any? :bash::viking::bdh::frypan: I really hate it when people act like this - oh, well, I treated you horribly so obviously you should bend over backwards for the all-important me! You are the mark of patience to even try to work with this guy - next time he bugs you, just tell him it's not your responsibility & it's his choice whether he wants to go to the effort to see his son or not (of course, that's easy for me to say) :grouphug:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle I wish these were discussions, no such luck. I suppose I should tell you all what I do for a living, most of you know. I work for TSA (Transportation Security Administration) it is a department of Homeland Security here in the US. I work at our local airport as a security officer. Every year we have to be tested and tested and tested to be certified or recertified for our jobs. We are the most tested federal employees in the US.

So today there were 6 of us who went through recertification and we all passed :bouncy: So that monkey is off my back for awhile. No word yet on when the next phase of testing will be yet.

Tonight we all (at work) have a retirement party to go to for the man (Gene) who made me those beautiful cotter pins for my loom. He and his wife are having the party at their house so this is my chance to scoop out the decore. I want to make them something on that loom for not only a Thank you gift but also as a retirement gift.

That's all my news for today. Thank you all who sent all your great thoughts and prayers my way.

BTW Cyndi, Should we send any special thoughts or prayers to your ex? Hugs comeing to you. You are much nicer than I would be.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Well, we're in Missouri. So far haven't run into anyone from here, but have been bopping around.

There IS NO SNOW! And it was above freezing! We even saw water that wasn't frozen!!!

Yesterday was spent driving down here, and today we went to the fiber retreat for a bit, and also to the lake down here. 

So far I've been bad. I bought some alpaca roving, some with cormo, some with silk, and some alone. Person is shearing in April so I wanted to play with some fleece. Looked buy didn't buy a luscious blanket fleece. We'll go back tomorrow so I'll see. There is also a bigger purchase, but I think I'll wait to tell everyone about that...    :bouncy:


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Susan, glad to read that your testing went well - no doubt you came thru with flying colours! 
My days have been taken up with our new chicks (pics on blog), planning new weaving projects for spring stock and soap making. It rained today which is good for the land but bad for shearing - will have to look at doing some midweek if Bob can take a day off from his real job . Right now he's in the kitchen making dinner so I'll ask about this after he's had another glass of wine, lol.
Cyndi, you have more forebearance than I would but I'm sure you're treating your ex so well because of your son. I have to wonder how much Mike appreciates visiting with him; doesn't seem like a positive person to hang out with- whinnying gets so wearing after awhile. Keep well everyone!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

No fiber fun fest for me - we're still getting over the 'flu here and not up to snuff yet . I missed my 'remedial' on rug-hooking last weekend, too. Definitely not a happy camper - BUT at least I feel human most of the day now!


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

Maybe this will help cheer ya's up.........
Think SPRING.......!!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2318614508/


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Easter egg yarn!


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Wow, flwrbrd where's my easter basket!!!!
I have been playing around with a layered bat my dd and I bought last year. We had no clue what to do with it, so instead of asking you all,(which didn't enter my mind) we split it into lights and darks,and greens. I have spun up the darks, and the greens, and I think I will ply it with some red mystery roving I have on hand.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Well, we had been home less than a week from our big trip when we had to make an emergency 2 day trip to L.A. when my MIL was hospitalized with pnuemonia and the family thought she wasn't going to make it. (She is recovering fine at age 92, but we doubt she will survive this year, she is going downhill so quickly.)

While in L.A. I made a trip to Sit N Stitch, a yarn/knit/cross stitch store in Toluca Lake. Now, here on the HT FA forum one person had photos of socks she was making, a while back. Then I got my AboutKnitting.com's March newsletter and it said March was the month for socks and it had all kinds of beginner info in it. So at Sit N Stitch I bought Cat Bordhi's book on making socks on 2 circular needles and a pair of circular needles in size 2. 

Once I got home on Thursday I began spinning some thin plies for sock yarn, and made a 3 ply yarn with them in moorit and white Merino for a tweed effect. Now I'm knitting and following the book, but I'm confused about moving 7 stitches to another needle, and I don't know which needle tip is the right one! I have 3 to choose from! So have to figure that out today, I gave up last nite with it. Figured a clear head in the morning would help.

From Amazon I've ordered a new book for beginners on socks, and a book about knitting both socks at once on circular needles. So hopefully the light bulb will come on in my head and I'll figure this all out. I am feeling a bit intimidated by all the new info zooming around in my brain...

I found uncovered Corriedale fleeces for sale by a sheep farm in NY State for $3 a pound including shipping, so I spent $100 on 5 fleeces, 2 of them black lamb fleeces. I couldn't pass up a deal like that when the bad economy is affecting us so much. They ought to ship on Monday. I am so excited to be getting them soon, I can hardly wait! I'm planning on doing a sig vat of indigo this Spring and Summer with one white fleece, and I'd like to write and submit an article for Spin Off magazine about that. I also got a pound of sari silk to play with and blend into the wool.

So that's it from the No CA fiber front these days... the weather is nice and sunny here, and on March 15th it's tomato seed planting day, starting them for this year's garden. Spring is such a busy time of year!

eta: I figured out my sock knitting mistake and am busy fixing my errors of last night.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Susan I like your yarns, what fun colors.

Lezlie I bought Cat Brodhi's other, newest sock book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters Book One and then I also bought Ann Budd's new sock book Getting Started Knitting Socks. Both offer interesting ways to calculate and knit socks that I'm not familiar with. Cat's new book shows three different ways to knit socks using dpns, two circulars, and using one circular. The ways on circular needles both using one and two still boggle my mind even after reading the directions. This book is more of a work book, work shop type thing. So I may begin at the beginning and learn the ways of the circs. Ann's book also shows the same 3 ways to knit socks. Her book seems to concentrate more on how to size any sock to fit you. It's interesting. 

Make sure you post pictures of your socks for us to drool over. 

My Navajo fleece arrived yesterday, I'm washing up a few handfuls to play with. My Romney lamb fleece will be shipped tomorrow.

The weather here today was beautiful. We have just come through another week of bitter cold temps. Double digits below zero yet again. I think it was -24 on Friday morning. Today was sunny and warm, maybe in the 30's there was a lot of snow melting. I heard on the radio today that the DNR is saying that the ice on most of the lakes in northern Minnesota is so thick, 40" on most lakes, that the fish are suffocating  I will be happy for spring to come.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Everyone has been making such beautiful things!

Well, the week is up, the party is over, and I can tell you what it is that I knitted from the formerly poopy Polypay. Sunday was Pony's (yes, HT's Pony!) surprise 50th birthday party, and I knitted a coffee mug cozy for her favorite cuppa. She can wrap it around her mug and tie it with a ribbon or fasten it with a pretty stickpin, and she'll be all set.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

How nice Clover. I bet she loved it. Pony and I share birthdays and birth years.

The washed Navajo is dry and calling me, it is looking at me as I type. It washed up beautifully. I'll card it today and try spinning up a bobbin or two. Pictures will follow later today.

It looks to be another beautiful day today. I may have to take the dogs for a walk in the woods and wear them out. All the animals are getting stir crazy.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Oceanrose said:


> I bought a small lamb's fleece from them last year. Not one ounce of veg in it, super clean, and it is SOOOOOO gorgeous spun. Spins super fine and rivals cormo lamb in the softness factor. I have a local source for cormo, but I will say, if I ever buy my own sheep, I'm getting CA Reds.....


I received my lamb fleece from them on Friday. I have to be honest, I was not impressed with the condition of the fleece, especially at the prices they asked for. 

I had to throw away at least half a pound of deeply VM entrenched fleece - so much VM it just wasn't worth trying to get it out. IMO, it shouldn't have been included. 

There were also manure tags and 15 cockle burrs in the fleece. It took 4 washes and one rinse and I'm not sure I have all the dirt and sand out of the fleece. 

It's drying now and I do like the quality of the wool. It should spin up into a nice yarn. There isn't as much color to the fleece as I hoped there would be.

Heather, I hope the fleeces you get are more close to the condition they were in when you got one last year than the one I got this year.


Raw:











After 2nd Scour:










After Rinse:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchwind said:


> How nice Clover. I bet she loved it. Pony and I share birthdays and birth years.


Well, Happy Birthday (last Saturday) Marchie!!!


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Happy Birthday, Marchie! You just sort of slipped that in there didn't you, did you think we wouldn't notice? 

I am actually going to be taking a vacation and going to Texas the end of the month. I am trying to finish spinning/knitting a vest in time for the trip. I don't know if I'll make it, but I'm having fun trying!

Cyndi, sorry your ex is such a putz.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Yes, Happy Belated Birthday, Marchie! I hope you enjoyed yours as much as Pony enjoyed hers!


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Happy belated birthdays to both of you! I missed it!

Landmark 1/2 century!

(I can say that because I'm hitting that landmark this year, too)

Meg


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

I can't believe I'm so far behind reading all the posts. Just taking a break.

I hope everybody who made it to the fiber retreat in Jefferson City had a great time. I thought about you and was very pleased that the weather was good for traveling. Well, it was good here in Missouri but not so good farther south. DH worked in South Carolina this past week and due to a late season, very unusual snow storm Thursday into Friday in the area within a couple of hundred miles of Memphis TN where he was to have made connections, he didn't get home at all on Friday. Flights kept being cancelled and it was near midnight SATURDAY when he got home. Thankfully, he wasn't scheduled to travel this week or I would have been up most of the night doing his laundry! 
Actually the storm was the trailing end of the storm that got MI and other points north but its effect on me was in Memphis. 

It looks like this is going to be a bad year as far as animal losses here too. Of course, if we didn't keep every animal to the end of its natural life, we wouldn't have this problem. One of my 4 pullets that had just started laying well died in January--no emotional attachment but she had just started to earn what it took to raise her. The best goat we ever bred had to be put down in February. Last Thursday our 14 year old pit mix died of heart failure due to her kidneys failing and this morning one of my sheep Peeper was down and refused to get up. I pushed her onto her sternum and she promptly rolled back onto her side, lay her head on the bedding and stayed like that. All three of my sheep were born in spring of 1993 so the remaining 2 are now 15 years old. BaaBaa, my black ewe died in '02. I was given a bum lamb and I got Peeper and BaaBaa to keep her company. The bum lamb Ewenice is blind but she gets around very well. No way would I have figured she would be here when the others were gone!

I've been knitting some toes-up socks for a friend and combing a pale gray fleece another friend gave me. I'm throwing away a lot of it since the shearer second cut it pretty badly but since it was free....I don't have a clue when I'll finish with it because I start back to work next Monday when I'll be tied up with work related stuff for about 13 hours a day. Bummer. I think I'll apply to do substitute teaching on my schedule, not for the 3 spring months when I need to be in the garden. 

All the sewing, yarn and such looks great. Congrats on the new fleeces, critters and equipment everybody is acquiring!


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

I find it a little easier to use three circular needles instead of 2, that way you don't have to do so much twisting! Just use the two needles to hold the stitches and knit with the third. As you empty a needle, you use it to knit the next side. It helps with the ladders that can sometimes form in the middle edges between the 2 socks. Susan


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

OceanRose,
There is some discussion going on in Ravelry about the CA fleeces. Another spinner got a lamb fleece full of VM and very dirty also. Have you gotten yours yet??


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Happy belated birthday, Marchwind!


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Cyndi,

Could you tell me where the Ravelry discussion is taking place? I was thinking of purchasing some Cormo, so would like to be informed on everything.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Annie, it's in the group Fiber Prep


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Hmm, no, I actually mailed my check yesterday. I'm going to head over to Ravelry though, IF the fleece is this bad in 2 cases, I may cancel out. There's no way I'm spending that amt on VM filled fleece. Ever. Last year it was gorgeous, so I'm not sure why there'd be so much change - though I did notice her weight amts went up this year..? Annie - I do know of a cormo breeder in WI who is a bit cheaper and will deliver to the Shepherd's Harvest, if that works better for you.. PM me if you're interested and I'll dredge her e-mail up.

If I were you, Cyndi, I'd contact her about this too. Just not a good thing at all. I pay a lot more for clean fiber because I don't WANT to work on the getting the VM out myself period. Otherwise I'd buy cheap stuff and clean it


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Heather,

Is that Jill at RiverWinds Farm? I bought just 4 oz of roving from her last year at Shepherd's Harvest, it was great. I am hesitant to buy the other now that I am hearing this.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Heather, 
I did email Elizabeth and let her know my opinion of the fleece I received. 



> Hi Elizabeth,
> Just wanted to let you know that I received my lamb fleece on Friday. It appeared to have a lot of color to it and I was very excited. The crimp is gorgeous and the texture is so soft!
> 
> I did some additional skirting to remove manure tags and some spots of the fleece that were very heavily littered with VM. You may want to skirt your fleeces with a bit more heavy handed next year. I really don't expect to find tags and a lot of VM when I buy a skirted fleece for this price.
> ...


We'll see what she says.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Annie in MN said:


> Heather,
> 
> Is that Jill at RiverWinds Farm? I bought just 4 oz of roving from her last year at Shepherd's Harvest, it was great. I am hesitant to buy the other now that I am hearing this.


Yep. Her prices on full fleece were better. I need to get mine reserved, she said she'd set some aside so I could just pick it up there.

I was really happy with the CA red last year, and I really do love the color. But I'm not paying 17.00/lb to pick out VM and throw out fleece. I'll think about it overnight I guess. Sigh.

I need to get off the pc and spin, I am sooooo behind!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

When is the Shepherd's Harvest this year? I have never been able to make it to that. Maybe this year I will arrange to have the time off work and go. We should try to get together while there for lunch of something.

Sorry to hear you all are having such problems with the fleeces. I agree though at, at those prices you should expect to get fiber almost clean enough to spin in the grease. How disappointing. I'm reminded of that Gotland cross fleece that I thought was a pretty silvery oatmeal color. Once I had washed it 5 times it was bright white and I still hadn't gotten out all the dirt. I did write the woman who I got it from. She said she never even though that washing 5-6 times was unusual  Imagine what she has been missing all her life. Maybe those of us who live in fairly lush green spaces are just lucky.

Thanks everyone for the belated birthday wishes. I worked on my birthday and didn't do much of anything. My oldest son is the only one who remembered. My own mother forgot :Bawling: until I reminded her


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Just heard back from Elizabeth with the CA Reds



> Hello Cyndi,
> 
> I am shocked to hear about a fleece of ours going out in the condition you described. I skirt the fleece myself. Our sheep are covered most of the year and do not have burs growing in the pastures. The ram lamb, Roscoe, whose fleece you bought was born 4/11/07 and would have had 1/2 of the staple his original red and the rest could have been lighter. The red would have been on the outside. You may have skirted that color off. As for heavy VM and burrs I would not have deliberately sold a fleece in that condition. It would have gone in the trash.
> 
> ...


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I've bought fleeces from 
http://www.winterspastfarm.com/page2.html

A fleece from Clifford (tunis) and 2 fleeces of Clover (a dorset/hampshire X) The tunis fleece was clean enough to spin from the lock. Clover's fleece had a canary stain but I knew that before hand and love her fleece so much, I reserved it a 2nd year.


I also get my Icelandic fleeces from Cindy Grysban - simply marvelous!


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

Ladies:

Could you please fill me in on the who, what, when, and where is the Shepard's Harvest...it sound like fun.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Yesterday when I went to the big, newly remodeled library, I saw a man with a homemade spinning wheel sitting in a chair in the middle of the room spinning away. He told me that his dad made him the wheel from plans in a book he found at the library, and that he'd been spinning less than a year. Every week, he tries to get out to the library and spin and meet people. He was fun to watch - not what you expect to see in the library. There was an empty chair near him, and every time I looked, another woman was sitting there chatting with him. Spinning wheel = chick magnet? Who knew?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

r7flock the Shepherd's Harvest is a fiber event here in Minnesota. I believe it is held in Lake Elmo or used to be. Here is the link to the website. It would be fun to get a group to meet there. The weather that time of year is usually beautiful in Minnesota.

Ooops, forgot the link http://www.shepherdsharvestfestival.org/


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks Marchwind,

I looked at the link what an awesome festival. I might have to think about that. Thanks again.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

"Spinning wheel = chick magnet? Who knew?" hee hee hee hee! I read this to my 18 yo son and told him I'd teach him how to spin. He said "No way! That's not the kind of girl I want!" I said, "Sure you do! You want a homesteading-type girl!" He said "No! I want a HUNTING girl! You meet those out in the field!" heheheheheheh!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nellie what hoot! My 18 year old made some derogatory remarks when I was opening my box of Romney fleece. I just gave him the old evil eye that mom's are so good a doing  I know one day he may very well find someone who will be interested in these things. I have a feeling he may take a looooog time to settle, which is fine with me. Emotionally/cognitively he is very immature especially in the ways of the real world. He needs to get out and live on his own before he even seriously thinks about college. Reality check comes to mind. Oh, sorry to get off on a rant there 

r7flock where do you live? What state? I think it would be a blast to get a group together. I applied for that weekend off at work. This year I will go.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

ajaxlucy said:


> Yesterday when I went to the big, newly remodeled library, I saw a man with a homemade spinning wheel sitting in a chair in the middle of the room spinning away. He told me that his dad made him the wheel from plans in a book he found at the library, and that he'd been spinning less than a year. Every week, he tries to get out to the library and spin and meet people. He was fun to watch - not what you expect to see in the library. There was an empty chair near him, and every time I looked, another woman was sitting there chatting with him. Spinning wheel = chick magnet? Who knew?



LOL! My hubby pccasionally demonstrates spinning in public and I keep a close eye on him. :viking: It seems that he attracts equal numbers of women, children (who he really relates well to) and men (who just wanna know how that thing works!).

Chick magnet indeed...


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

My dad just loves my wheel. He made a little hinge for the pedal to the shaft. He likes me to spin when he and mom come over.  Boys like moving parts, heheehehe


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> Nellie what hoot! My 18 year old made some derogatory remarks when I was opening my box of Romney fleece. I just gave him the old evil eye that mom's are so good a doing  I know one day he may very well find someone who will be interested in these things. I have a feeling he may take a looooog time to settle, which is fine with me. Emotionally/cognitively he is very immature especially in the ways of the real world. He needs to get out and live on his own before he even seriously thinks about college. Reality check comes to mind. Oh, sorry to get off on a rant there
> 
> r7flock where do you live? What state? I think it would be a blast to get a group together. I applied for that weekend off at work. This year I will go.


I live in Northern Illinois


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

r7block,
Cloverbud & I will be going to the Stephenson County Fiber Fest next month ... Maybe we can meet up there?

http://www.suzybeggin.com/FAF.htm


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

ack, been down with the crud for almost a week now, first time online since friday, and that is only with the help of a heavy duty cough supressant...i think i may have strained my innards from all this barkin :s


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> r7block,
> Cloverbud & I will be going to the Stephenson County Fiber Fest next month ... Maybe we can meet up there?
> 
> http://www.suzybeggin.com/FAF.htm


I am planning on going, that would be way cool...are you a vendor? I haven't sent my registration in yet..but was considering two classes. I probably should do that real soon...:clap:


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

jerzeygurl said:


> ack, been down with the crud for almost a week now, first time online since friday, and that is only with the help of a heavy duty cough supressant...i think i may have strained my innards from all this barkin :s


are you feeling any better?? There is so much crud going around. Sending you get well wishes


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

r7flock said:


> I am planning on going, that would be way cool...are you a vendor? I haven't sent my registration in yet..but was considering two classes. I probably should do that real soon...:clap:


Nope, not a vendor, just a buyer!!! I'll be bringing my wheel and hanging out most of the day spinning & talking and buying!!!

Which classes were you thinking of taking?


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

I want to do the yarn painting, and the Kumihimo weaving. and then of course the shopping, talking and etc. also. I hope we can meet up.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Yarn painting goes on through out the day - there's no need to register for that one.

If the Kumihimo Weaving class fills up, I can show you how to make your own 'kumihimo loom' out of a CD and how to use it (either that day or at the homesteading weekend).


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Amazing G and I will be yarn painting, too. Cyndi, do I need to bring the traddy?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Only if you want something to do during the day, then again you might just want to bring some knitting. Amazing G could bring her weaving. I won't be taking classes so it will be a day of shopping and spinning for me.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Greetings, everyone. It's been a while since I posted, but I'm still here (actually at my parents') knitting and spinning and knitting some more. As I feared I've barely touched my loom since I warped it; did about 6 inches on the first rug and then stopped. I'll finish them, but that may be it for my weaving. I'd just so much rather knit or weave baskets.
We had such cool weather in February that I didn't get much done in the garden, but hopefully when I get home in a week or so I can plant peas, and my onions will be ready to transplant. I did bring some flats of seedlings and a couple of rosemary topiaries with me to sell to someone who is doing some sort of garden show here in a few weeks--that money helps ease my conscience at buying a kilo of gotland roving from New Zealand. I got silver gray and dark gray and am spinning it for the Orkney Pi Shawl knit-along on-line. I cast on yesterday, and it's really pretty. I was afraid the gotland would be too coarse for a shawl, but this stuff is pretty nice.
I'm sorry to hear that there were problems with Elizabeth's Ca Red fleece. I've ordered from her the last two years and really liked what I got (for a cabled sweater waiting to happen.) It sounds like someone made a mistake, and she graciously offered to fix it.
A belated happy birthday, March. The older I get the more like my 90+ year-old mother I am, thinking that birthdays matter little; what's important is your attitude towards life. It seems like your mother must think the same thing!
Has anyone heard from Betty? I miss her postings. I'll try to post more often, but I must admit that I get frustrated at this board because we're on dial-up in Ky, and it takes so long to get to the end of the postings, especially when there are pics involved (and I love to see pics!). I guess I prefer groups with digests of recent messages.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Hey all, I am home sick from church today. They were doing the baby dedication and I hated to miss that since all three of my grandbabies were there, so I packed myself up and went to church, lurked outside where nobody would see me and when I heard the baby ded. stuff happening, I slipped in. What a sweet time that was. I was able to wave to my gs Henry from the back. I could hear him say "Mimi", Tommy (dh, and pastor all at the same time) turned and said "there's Mimi", so we had a wave together. When it was all over I slipped out and came home.
30 minutes of housework, 30 of weaving,30 of spinning on the wheel (working on the supported long draw), 30 on the spindle (determined to improve that one), back to housework, etc. Getting things done and having a good time too. 
It's just a cold, so nothing messy going on, all in all a great sick day. Maybe I should call in sick from work tomorrow!!!!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Katherine so good to see you posting again. I remembered you had said that you would be visiting your parents. I'm sorry to hear you are not "into" your loom. But I can understand since you always have so much going on in your life. I have not heard from Betty but have been thinking about her. I will write to her and ask her to try to get into the forum again. Since the up grade I was thinking she may have an easier time getting in. We never were able to figure out why she couldn't get in.

Susan, sorry to hear you are ill. There seems to be a lot of sickness going around.

I cast on the Cobblestone Pullover for my son. Ill try to post some pictures of the fiber the yarn and the project soon.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I hav posted some new pictures on my Flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/marchie/

I have not only cast on the Cobblestone sweater (see picture), granted it is only the bottom few inches. But, I have also begun weaving the lap robe / shawl for my mother. I started weaving yesterday and got a few inches done. I have posted some pictures of that too. I finished carding some of the Navajo. I have pictures of the raw fleece and then it carded. Forgot to take some of it washed before carding.

Years ago the handle on my drum carder broke off. I finally got around to taking the handle off (a two person job) and sent it to Strauch so Otto can make a new one for me. I'm excited that I may have my drum carder back in service. I really have missed it.

I won a Boarder Leister lamb (yearling) fleece on eBay. It should be here by the end of the week I hope, it was mailed yesterday.


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

Marchwind:

You have been busy....The lap robe is going to be beautiful...I love the colors.

The sweater is also gorgeous. What are you gonna do with the carded fleece for a project?? You inspire me to learn more of this fun stuff. Right now I'm knitting a very basic scarf ( winter is almost over oh well) We are getting ready to shear sheep on Good Friday, about 45 head, so chores, work, housework and kids haven't had a lot of time to play. Keep on inspiring me...and all of the rest of us.


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## longearsfarm (Oct 30, 2003)

While the rest of you are doing serious fibering on sweaters, etc...this is what I've spent my time on the last few days:

before felting:









after felting:









Silly, eh? 

Valerie
longearsfarm (here and in real life)


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Susan, that shawl is going to be lovely, your weaving looks great. Today I'm going to finish tyeing on my wool warp to the dummy warp and get going on my project.

Valerie, those are silly & cute! Put into baskets with felted eggs they'd make fun table decorations. Or if they're hollow how about bottle covers?


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

Those are adorable. Sitting on a windowsill would be cute too!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Val I LOVE your chickens!!!!!! Can you share the pattern or tell me where you got it. I HAVE to make some of those. Too cute!!

Thanks Liese, I'm not real happy with how my edges are pulling in. I'm working hard on not pulling the weft and leaving a little ease in there but it doesn't seem to help much. I've been using a boat shuttle but the shetland warp is really sticky and found a few mistakes where the warp stuck up instead of being down or visa versa. I'm going to switch to stick shuttles and see if that helps or I may have to use a pick-up stick to hold the warp down when it is supposed to be.

r7flock thanks for the nice things you say. Lately I've been on a bit of a fiber kick and it feels good. My house is a pig sty but I'm having fun :rock: I figure when spring finally gets here the house will get clean. I'm really feeling the need to open the windows and let the fresh air in.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Valerie, Those are adorable! Did you have a pattern to work from?

I have been sick all week, not only did I stay home from church on Sunday, but I did call in sick on Monday. I not only missed Weaving on Tuesday morning (they said they didn't want me!), I also missed Knitting club on Tuesday evening (they said they would plug on valiantly without me!) I even called in sick today, even though I am much better. So this week, with the help of ibuprofen, has been a fiber week!
I made great progress on those gift hand towels:
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00547.jpg

I knitted some on the shawl mentioned previously:
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...ess march/?action=view&current=DSC00551-1.jpg

I also played with a new fiber toy, a Spindolyn, shown here spinning the fluff that came out of a medicine bottle at work. I think it will be great for spinning cotton.
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00549.jpg

Now for a question,I have some red mystery wool that I have spun on the spindle. I want to ply is with some multicolored wool done on the wheel. The spindle spun is much tighter than the wheel spun due to the fact that I am always afraid that the drop spindle is going to do just that, drop. If I were to feed that over spun red stuff onto a bobbin spinning the wheel in the opposite direction, would that loosen that single enough?
I wait with baited breath......actually I will probably try it out before I can get back here, I will give you a progress report on that issue.
Oh joy! The lazy Kate I ordered just arrived! Happy day! Susan


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

longearsfarm said:


> Silly, eh?


Valerie,

Where did you find the pattern for those?? I think they're adorable!


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Photobucket is not allowing any pic editing so we have to do it with links, sorry.
Before and after unspinning;
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00557.jpg

again
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00556.jpg
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...ess march/?action=view&current=DSC00559-1.jpg

cool new Lazy Kate;
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00554.jpg

some of the plied yarn;
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00561.jpg

Now to finish.....
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00563.jpg
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00562.jpg


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh my word--those are the cutest chickens!

Too bad I can't knit, or I'd be asking for the pattern, too!


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Well, I've cast on (again) Knitty's Branching Out scarf:
http://www.knitty.com/issuespring05/PATTbranchingout.html
I'm using a creamy white lightweight boulce that I got free with a bunch of other yarn off Freecycle. It's knitting up a bit heavier than the examples they have on the pattern page, a little bit more substantial than the lace. This is the start of my knitting for Christmas this year, for my niece who is in her early teens. Other than that, we've been getting over the crud, had DH's disability hearing today, am getting into the swing of spring break and am trying to do a lot of work ahead before my gall bladder surgery April 10 (good thoughts & prayers, please:angel


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Cat, What a great scarf, I am so galad you posted that, I am always looking for a new scarf pattern. I hope all goes well with your surgery. Keep us up to date please. Susan


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## longearsfarm (Oct 30, 2003)

This is another "blame Ravelry" post LOL.

I was browsing patterns under toys and found one person who'd made these...too bad that person was in Norway. And the pattern? Norwegian. LOL.

An internet search turned up ONE store in all of America who had the pattern -- in Minn. -- and I had to have it, so I called, and had them mail it to me.

Here are the details:
mfg is SandnesGarn
pattern is "Toving Tema 11"
(it's all felted items, some very cute flat chickens as well as flat rabbits, some bags, hats, jackets, etc...)
I found the pattern at:
http://www.threekittensyarnshoppe.com/
And yes, pattern is in English but is, ahem, a bit challenging to follow in some places ...I completely misunderstood the decreases, for example, but eventually figured it out.

All that said, I made a number of changes to the pattern, and am happy to share my version here, just let me know...primarily I changed the bottom of the chicken, and did my own i-cord version of all of the parts, and of course used different yarn and different sized needles, etc...

I am thrilled with how cute they are and have another one on the needles with plans for at least 10 more for gifts, etc...

Thanks for all the nice words!
Valerie
longearsfarm (here and in real life)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I know 3 Kittens, I used to shop there when I lived in the Cities. It makes sense that they would carry a pattern like this. BTW, anyone who is into buttons should check out 3 Kittens, they used to have a really extensive collections of fantastic buttons.

Thanks Val for the info for the chicken patterns.

Cat thoughts coming your way for a successful surgery and a quick recovery.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Susan n' Emily in TN said:


> Photobucket is not allowing any pic editing so we have to do it with links, sorry.
> Before and after unspinning;some of the plied yarn;
> http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/...gress march/?action=view&current=DSC00561.jpg


I love the color combination! So, I have to ask - was these spun from mill ends & #1 from Carol Lee? If so, I may have to try to spin these up in that color combo! thanks so much!


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

I finished my shawl, but have yet to load the pic onto Photobucket. Came down with a UTI over the weekend, which quickly became a kidney infection. <sigh> If you pray, please pray I get healthy! It's been one illness or another since Jan., on top of mysterious Chronic Fatigue for the last two years. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Oh, and I had an allergic reaction to the meds and am starting new ones this afternoon. 

But God is Good.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Nellie, So sorry to hear that you have been sick. I am getting over the upper respiratory kind of sicky, but that will be a passing thing. Keep us up to date so that I will remember to pray for you.
I can't wait to see the pics of the shawl. I am so partial to them right now! I have done a tan alpaca/ silk one, very slippery but pretty. gave that to my MIL. A blue variegated one that I kept myself, and while I was knitting that one my friend asked me if I would knit one for her, that is what I am working on now, the teal one, loving it, love the color, love the pattern.
I also love to see the pics of what everyone is up to, they are so encouraging! So post that pic as soon as you are up to it. Happy knitting, Susan


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi, I actually got the multicolor bat from the copper moose, I don't have a pic of it all together. I will try to find it so that I can post it for you. I didn't know what to do with it when I got it, never having seen anything similar, so My daughter and I split it up into *greens*, which I think I will ply with some of my own shetland white, a *light color * which ended up in the pink range or something, probably ply that with white to, not sure on that one, and then this *black/red/gold/white *stuff that really turned out cool I think. I had the red already here, not sure where I got that one, but it is a deep red, it looks much brighter when plied, go figure!
I ran it thru the wheel again today to tighten it up a bit more, and it really looks better I think, I will post a pic as soon as it is dry. I am thinking of using it as the center section on EZ pi shawl, using just plain knit until I run out and I will switch to a solid color, (maybe black?) and do a lace pattern in that, what do you think of that? There are 370 yards of this homespun, pretty close to lace weight, little more that 1.5 of a normal skein of lace weight. I need to knit up a swatch to see how it looks first though, I hate that part!


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi, check out this on Ebay, Item number: 230159334922, Mine was similar in what it looked like but lots of black and some red thrown in too. I can't seem to find the one I got. Susan


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nellie I will send you getting well thoughts. Being sick is not fun at all especially if it starts looking like a chronic thing. 

Val if you think you changed the pattern enough to not violate copyright infringement please feel free to post your version here. I went to the 3 Kittens website and didn't see where they had the book. Was there a specific link to the book or did you call them?


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Wow, everybody is so busy with projects! I am almost done with my first pair of slipper socks, will post a pic as soon as I'm done with them. I made a tweedy yarn out of moorit and white merino for them, a 3-ply. Plus I have been spinning more sock yarn. 

Yesterday in the mail came my 5 fleeces for 2008. I got a white Corriedale ewe fleece, a dark gray Corriedale ewe fleece, a light gray Corrie-Dorset ram (3yo) lamb fleece, and 2 black lamb fleeces. Plus Liese is sending me a white Corrie fleece soon. I guess I like Corries, hehehe... it's just what I'm used to spinning with.

So, I've been washing up wool in a garment bag in the sink, and the wool is slowly drying. It is coming out real nice with no matting or tangling.

I've got to get a new drive belt for my Patrick Green carder tomorrow. I tried to replace the old plastic one with a leather belt but it doesn't work very well.

New fleeces and the prospect of Spring make me happier, I have been suffering from a low-grade depression for a while. It is nice to have a place like this forum to come to chat with you all.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

5 fleeces!!!! Oh,My!!!! I guess I normally don't have the block of time I had this week to do my favorite things, That is a lot of washing and picking and carding and spinning. I felt like it took me forever to do the skein I just finished. I know you will enjoy every minute of it. Someday soon I hope to have more time too! Have fun, and post pics, Susan


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Here's me with my finished shawl!


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Great pic! I had forgotten you were working on that shawl! It looks great, and it looks like it matches your personality!!!! Thanks for the sunshine, Susan


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I drove to the Cities yesterday to take my oldest back to school. He is a junior at the University of Minnesota. We stopped at Trader Joe's and got him stocked up on food as well as food for me to bring home. I LOVE that store and always spend too much money there but we do eat it all. There are just so many things they carry that are so good and the price is so right.

I've been busy working on the Cobblestone sweater for the above son. I got too comfortable knitting on it at work and discovered I had screwed up and had to rip out about an inch. I like to listen to my iPod (podcasts) while I knit or work on fiber things. But I got too into listening and not watching what I was doing. I have to say that Romney is not a good fiber for ripping. It seems to be like Shetland in that it felts up with the action of knitting. This is of course a good thing if you are steeking but a real pain if you make a mistake.

Our weather is definitely turning towards Spring. All this week we are supposed to have days in the 40s. I think I will be tapping my Maples in the next couple of days. My chickens have begun to lay once again, woohoo!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

What, no chatter on the FAC? Oh noes!

As for me, I've none absolutely nothing fibery all week except literally blow th edust off the wheel. I'm getting over a surprise case of hideous hives that had me staying inside away from where anyone could see how swollen and scaley I was for a week. I guess I wasn't dealing with worry and stress nearly as well as I _thought_ I was.

Liese, is Puck's fleece available this shearing?


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I finally drove home yesterday--10 hours of hurtling down the highway is not my idea of fun! But it's really spring here--all the daffodils and the flowering trees and shrubs in bloom. I can already see the weeds poking up--guess fiber stuff is going to have to take a back seat for awhile. I did do some spinning while I was gone--a couple of bobbins of Gotland roving from New Zealand that I'm knitting into a Pi Shawl. I've never made one before; they really grow fast. I found my new Spin-Off at home. All the color makes me want to get back to dyeing. And all the new spindles that are now on the market--wow! I defintely need to stay away from fiber festivals and vendors!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Ooh, I know, Katherine! I got my Spin Off this week and poured over all the pretty pictures (even read a few words ). 

But all the shawls were knitted again *sigh*. I'm going to have to write in about the extreme preference given to knitting folks over us crocheters.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

I have posted pics of first lambs so far on the sheep forum....

i too crochet better than I knit, but I am working on it, I knitted a whole sweater for my sil for chrismas that was absolutely wearable lol it was from the interweave knitting magazine.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Falcon, 
yes Puck, Melody and Max fleeces are the three remaining available from this shearing - in fact Melody is still wearing hers! I've got pics of Puck's and Max's that I can send, just PM with a non HT e-addy since I can do an attachment that way, if you want. By the way, you may want to look into Homeopathics for hives/stress, it may help and can't hurt.

I'm giving up on my subscript of Spin-Off, I'm getting Handwoven instead, much of the article information I can find on-line easily, especially reading Abby's blog and ravelry.

Susan - it is 2 hrs to the nearest Trader Joe's but when we take someone to the airport, that is a must stop for the 3-buck Chuck - love it in the reds. 

Well as some here know I have had a terrible cold - this is day 4 and I'm now walking around for a couple hours at a time. Even got to the post to mail out 2 boxes but I talked to the clerk too much and left in a coughing fit - very embarrassing! The house is a wreck but now not filled with bags of fleece in boxes with notes - you'd have thought we were running a business here! But all the skirtings that I dumped into the compost bin have been scattered by the chickens and the dogs - it looks awful! So next week I'll have to rake it all up again. sigh.

I'm trying to get inspiration and ideas for dyeing some roving to spin up - does anyone here have a fav site that really helps them figure out how to do this so that the knitting will look pretty - not just the hank. I'm going the Menz's book too but it's been a slog with this cold muddling my thinking. The Farmer's Market starts May 3rd and I need to have some pretty & colourful stuff but everyone always asks "what can I make with this" So I'm trying to come up with project ideas to spin for - hope this makes sense. Well time for me to take a nappy-poo before feeding time. I sure hope everyone here is feeling wonderful and stays that way!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Falcon & Jerzeygirl did you know that Interweave has a magazine just for crocheters? It is called Interweave Crochet and they have som really nice things in there. Not to put you off of Spin Off or anything.

Liese, I am so sorry that you are feeling so crummy. Not fun at all! You could have waited to feel better before sending my fleeces you know  I will let you know when they arrive, hopefully today or tomorrow.

Katherine I bet it is nice to be home, you were gone for a ong time. 

We still have snow on the ground here but we also have big patches of ground showing. The chickens and geese have enjoyed having something other than snow and ice to scratch on. I didn't get the trees tapped last weekend but we had a little cold spell so the sap wouldn't be running. Maybe this weekend.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi folks - well I am sort of back to the fibre forum 

Has been a very dry couple of months having had no time fo ranything since before I went away and a few problems cropping up along the way. Hopefully things are coming back into line a bit and I will be able to get back to that spindle a bit more often.

Hope all is well with everyone

hoggie


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

:bouncy: Yeah, Hoggie is back! Glad to see you, how are you and your daughter.


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## organicfarmer (May 11, 2002)

Hello everyone,

Life has been very busy lately and now I am down with a nasty cold as well. We sheared the sheep on Thursday so my dining room is filled with 30 or so fleeces to sell. I have to post some on our website and decide which ones will go for processing for yarn and roving. There are some gorgeous variegated greys that I would love to keep, but I have enough to do until the next shearing next spring, so off to some else's home they go. 

I hope everyone has a nice day tomorrow. I am hoping to be better that the girls and I can sew or spin something tomorrow afternoon, as we have had so little time to do anything of late. DH has had too many commitments for me to meet with respect to the farm and our business and spring is coming on this week -- yeah!! We still have too much snow on the ground here in Ontario.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Hey everybody! I'm still alive, glad to see all is well around here, too. Hoggie, hope things are going well on the Island, and that all you sick folk improve rapidly with the longer daylight hours. 

So I have HUGE exciting news here ... huge!

I finally got ... my first, live, solid black ewe lamb!

She is 3/4 Icelandic and 1/4 Southdown, and she is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I'll come back and load a picture as soon as I get it off the camera. I have my son to thank for her survival, and her twin brother's as well - he went out and checked on the sheep and noticed that Natalie (one of my favourite purebred Icelandic sheep) was waaaay out back, so he went to look, and saw a nose and no feet sticking out ... he knows that's not a good thing, so he came running to get me. With the help of my very loving Reluctant Farmer fiance, we managed to get that first lamb pushed back in and repositioned so we could get him out, then get him and his mama to the isolation pen, and a little while later, the second twin arrived ... same presentation, so I was in up to the forearms again trying to get her set for her big entry to the world, but she came through it okay and her mama is doing fine. Both babies are up and nursing, and the mama looks for all the world like this was just no big deal at all. I keep telling her how happy I am and how proud I am of her ... and I just can't WAIT to spin this fleece! 

I will definitely be shearing her in the fall, so that I get a clean lamb's fleece from her. I'll also be redesigning my fenceline feeder, as everyone has hay in their fleece no matter how hard I try to keep them clean ... I had to throw away an entire (beautiful) Columbia fleece as it was hopelessly dirty (mind you, she came to me just a few months back, in full fleece, and where she lived before they weren't real worried about the wool). Needless to say, I went and got fabric to sew a sheep coat for her - her wool is GORGEOUS and I can't wait to see what a full year's growth under a coat will be like. 

No, I haven't sewn it yet.  Before I put it on her, I'll trim her again so she's clean. She looks like she was attacked by a weedwhacker (as they all do when I'm done with them). 

In knitting land, I have a purse nearly done for my mom, I'm on the second sock for my wonderful Reluctant Farmer, and I have a sweater that is very slowly progressing, but with so much spring stuff going on, I'm not getting much knitting time in. Oh, I did do a bit more spinning with the alpaca fibre I got at Christmas - the singles come out fuzzy but fairly uniform in thickness, so I guess I'm doing things mostly right. It's a lovely solid black ... I wonder what it wants to be? When knitted up, what is alpaca like? I am thinking it wouldn't have much sproing or stretch to it ... what about drape? Would it be good for a dressy shawl? It's very soft ... what about a cowl, or scarf? All inspiration welcome. 

Ok, I'm gonna go see about uploading these pictures... oh, and I gotta feed that bottle lamb (poor baby, his momma didn't want him ... I have no idea why not, he's very cute!).


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

Congratulations, frazzlehead!! That's so exciting. You and your family did a fantastic job... I can't wait to see pictures!!!


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Well done, Frazzle. How lovely to have black Icelandic! You asked about alpaca. Because it has no crimp, it tends to stretch and not return to its original shape. It's great for shawls or scarves. I blend it with wool for things like mittens or hats.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle congratulations on the babies! Your son and you and the reluctant farmer did a fantastic job of saving all three. Cant wait to see pictures!

Well wishes to all of those who are sick, this seems to be a bad year for illnesses.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

I've been so busy that there's been no time to spin, well, ok, a little but not enough! I've got to post some yarn on Etsy, have 2 skeins of a dreamsicle colored suri alpaca, some dark blue BFL, and one of a mohair blend to pop on there. My Jensen has a lovely handdyed bobbin half spun on her, it's lavender, deep red, and purple. YUM. And the Country Craftsman has some Qiviut started on it. Never spun that before but I got an ounce. It's super soft, lofty and I'm spinning it into a laceweight. It is SO warm, My hands sweat while I'm holding the little bit of fluff. I mean seriously, it is the hottest stuff I've ever felt.

This week everyone is out of town but my boyfriend and me. We're working on cleaning out the garage, and rearranging some other things around the house. Not exactly relaxing but it needs to get done and the weather is finally a little warmer.

I got some samples of Carellama's llama roving and this week hopefully I'll get it spun and pictures taken. Guys, this stuff is gorgeous. I already have mine reserved. The corriedale/llama is scrumptious. So is the silk. Will post pix as soon as I get time. Right now I am heading outside to finish the garage. So much fun.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Here's Despreaux, the black Icelandic lamb:


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Wow, what a beauty! Good job on the midwifery, and kudos to your son for alerting you of the problem before it was too late...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh my!!!! What a cutie. And he/she is pitch black.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Yup, she sure is black! I hope she stays that way. She got into the hay feeder today and I went "noooo! no hay in that fleece!" and promptly brushed her clean and put a lamb coat on her.  She won't felt just yet, and it'll keep the guck out until she is too big to fit in the feeder!

We went to 4-H weigh in today for The Boy and his market lamb - 56 lbs so far, one of the Hampshire's born in February. We are doing a grass-fed diet, so we'll see how she does for weight gain ... the market date is June 2 so she hasn't got long to pack on the pounds, but we'll see what happens.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Thanks for the welcome back Marchwind and Frazzlehead.

Yes thanks Marchwind - DD and I are OK. Spring is on it's way and that always makes things feel better 

Frazzlehead - that black lamb is gorgeous  Good job I'm not closer, she might disappear 

hoggie


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I've posted the new FAC for April. You can find it here http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=2983073#post2983073 Please post on that thread now. Thanks!


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