# FAC - Jan. 2008



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

This is the place for all newbies and lurkers to pop their heads out and say hello. Please take the time to introduce yourselves. Tell us what you are up to or what you have planned. Don't be afraid we don't bite and we love our newbies. We love to help and answer questions. Believe me we have all be in your shoes at one point.

This is also the place for everyone else to chat about fibery things and anything else going on in their lives. Touch base with us and let us all know what you have been up to.

I hope you all had a nice time in you celebrating of last evening and are now safely home and feeling fine. I was in bed by 8:30 last night reading. My son and I went to a movie yesterday afternoon we saw the new National Treasure movie. It was great fun. I havent even seen the first movie but I dont think you would need to. I had no problem with the plot and following what was going on. They also have it set up for the next movie. No spoilers here!

As this is the first day of the new year my plans are to spend it the right way, doing fiber related things. #1 on my list is to warp my rigid heddle loom with the Shetland for the throw project. I got some of the missing bits for my other loom and have installed them. I fudged the fixes and they will work just fine I think.

Other things I'm working on are the second hat for my friend's other son. Donsgal I will take pictures of the color knitting in progress so you can see about the twisting of colors on the back side.

Otherwise there isn't much going on here.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Happy New Year!!!

We've been fiber art heaven around here this last week. My sister has crocheted a ton of hats, a couple scarves and a zillion other things. Interestingly enough, this is the first time she's used real fibers and she LOVES them. Keeps saying how much nicer the finish project looks. I've finished 2 more bags, and started another scarf. My mom also finished a really cute bag though I need to figure out the finishing touches. I'll get pictures taken today. The absolute cutest is the kid hat my sister whipped up last night. Wait till you see the pictures!!

So now I am spinning so we don't run out of yarn, they've slammed through the 25 or so skeins I had here!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

I fine sanded and put a coat of clear Minwax on my niddy that Sometimes Paul made for me. I'll put on another coat or two, and call it good. I'm going to be starting a pair of socks (my first pair!), and then mittens for DD. I got 2 sets of dpn in each size so that I can knit both socks/mittens at once and avoid 2nd sock syndrome.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Happy New Year, all!

I just finished cleaning the house ... we took down the tree this morning and I knew there would be a huge mess when that was done, so it was a job I wanted to get out of the way NOW so as not to have to 'look forward to it' the rest of the time I'm off (I am on holidays until Monday, woohoo!).

I'm now sitting down, finally, and about to head back to the spinning wheel.  I spun up a whole bobbin of very fine (for me) singles in brown Corriedale, and then another bobbin of fairly fine Columbia/Hampshire. I plyed the two together and made a neat brown-cream combo yarn that I plan to use for socks. I have to do up more of the white, and ply some more, so that I know I have enough ... but I want to make a pair of socks from wool I spun myself. I figure the Columbia/Hampshire, being a Down type of sheep, should give some solidity, and the Corriedale is just so beautiful and I love the natural colour!

I was given a bag of alpaca fibre for Christmas (beautiful, hand harvested black fibre, sooo soft). I tried spinning it but it is so different from wool I'm having some challenges. Can you guys recommend a strategy for me? I was thinking of blending it with some wool ... or ... what would happen if I spun it by itself? what kind of yarn will I end up with (like, what is it good for? what limitations does it have?) It feels like it would make a lovely soft shawl or something in it's pure form ... but I am not sure how to spin it. Help! 

Okay, I'm gonna go and spin some more Columbia/Hamp and prepare for socks. 

Then, maybe I'll do some more knitting on the fingerless gloves I'm making - I found a ball of pretty store bought something-or-other-yarn and figured it'd make nice gloves, and those are such an easy mindless project I have one nearly done.

Oooh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you ... my son gave me a set of rosewood DPNs for Christmas! My goodness, they are a DREAM to knit on. If you ever get the chance to try wooden needles, do! They are one of the best presents I got for Christmas.  

More later ... have a fun and fiberey new year!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I've had a wonderful time having the past week off work.

I blended & spun (2 ply) over 1,000 yards of finished yarn, partially cleaned out my fiber room, knitted up a couple ice scraper mitts, a couple hats, finished a pair of mittens and am working on a hat for sometimes Paul.

Back to work tomorrow, but I'll be able to download the pictures of the yarn and post them!

2007 didn't end on a good note here at MLF. Good friends of ours (rcrewofmany here on the board) had to put down their Belgian draft horse on the 22nd. On Christmas Eve, one of our cats died. Looked like some kind of poisoning, but we don't have any type of poison on the farm. Then on the 28th, our 9 yo Jersey, Dolly, died unexpectantly. The vet can't figure it out.

It seems real strange not having a milk cow.


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## TiaD (Oct 30, 2007)

I'm coming out of lurkdom here and thought I'd introduce myself. 

I'm Tia and I've really been enjoying reading this forum. I'm currently in the process of using up the last of my acrylic yarn stash and decided that after that, I'm only using natural fiber stuff. I've had enough of the fake stuff! I'm working on two afghans and have a couple of stray skeins of yarn that will be made into slippers. 

If I'm not sewing or doing embroidery, then I'm busy with mostly crochet work. I'm limited in the amount of hand knitting I can do thanks to nerve damage in one arm but when I get the urge to knit, I use a simple manual knitting machine. 

This year I'm hoping to learn how to go from "sheep to shawl" - I'm involved in the SCA and a few people who have already said they are more than happy to teach me. Now all I have to do is find time for it!!!


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Here is the link to the album that I posted a few pictures of... Including this cute little cell phone holder... 



http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561967599jTJlvr

And the link to the album about how in 2007 we brought the roof down.....  

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561967910xiERkm


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

TiaD said:


> I'm coming out of lurkdom here and thought I'd introduce myself.


Welcome to the fold, Tia. I've been spinning with a wheel since 2003 and I still have acrylic yarn in my stash ... 

Downloaded pics of the yarn I spun up over the holidays ...

This is from Carol Lee's #1 wool roving. A deeper burgandy than what shows on her page. Paul fell in love with it immediately and asked for a toque. There is 366 yards of double ply, about 16 wpi:










This is 481 yards, about 25 wpi. I carded about 50/50 corriedale with the blue from Carol Lee's #1 wool roving. The pictures don't show the true color, which is more a purple than a blue. These will be knitted into socks for me:










A bulkier weight, heavy worsted double ply, about 220 yards. It is Carol Lee's olive green #1 roving carded with Carol's black mill ends (that she always throws in for free). The bits of yellow, orange, red are randomly placed soy silk:


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

Cyndi, so sorry your 2007 ended on such sour notes. May the entire year of 2008 make up for it!

Beautiful pics, thanks for sharing. What a nice variety you have to work with now.

I spun up some oatmeal colored shetland and used my new KK to make a hat for a friend that requested something from my homespun.









I also have my first weaving project ever on my new Schacht Flip rigid heddle loom. I need to find time to finish it and get it off so I can start something else. This will just be a dresser scarf for my cedar chest where I feed the cats. I used acrylic yarns because I knew it was a practice piece.

I'm also using up my acrylic making hats and experimenting with the KK. I still believe acrylic yarn has it's place. I made a hat for my 8 yo niece and she had it one day and lost it. Thankfully it was from acrylic. She turned around and made herself one using one strand of black and one strand of hot pink, we'll see how long she can keep this one! lol Her older sister (13) whipped a hat out too using a pretty variegated yarn and cream yarn. I'm thrilled that they are taking an interest in working with yarn and I'm thankful that I have a pretty good stash of acrylics for them to play with. Perhaps we'll let them take a turn at the wheel this summer....

I'm off to work, have a great day everyone!


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## TiaD (Oct 30, 2007)

thank for the welcome everyone - I thought about leaving the acrylic stuff for my DD but she has very little interest in fiber related crafts - she's still working on a KK scarf that she started christmas 2006!!! Fortunately the projects I'm making with this stuff is what I like to call "take-a-long" projects. Small enough that it's easy to take with you and do a bit while waiting at an appointment or do in the car while DH runs in to the store "just for a second", or to SCA events. One blanket is being done in strips - alternating lengths of brick and black that will be sewn together once I finish 3 1/2 more black strips (only about 15 stitches wide) and the other is being done with solid colored granny squares that will be sewn together on point (diamond shaped) with triangular pieces on the bottom to square it out.

now I just need to find more time to work on this stuff - they are being worked on between working on a long list of other projects like sewing, mending and embroidery. This is on top of being a full time mom and a part time student. 

Tia


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

redbudlane said:


> I spun up some oatmeal colored shetland and used my new KK to make a hat for a friend that requested something from my homespun.


I love your shetland!! I'm almost finished with both pounds of it!!! Beautiful hat!

Speaking of losing hand knitted hats ..... Remember the green/grey set of mittens & hat that I carded, spun, knitted??? They're gone. I think I left them at a resturant - sheesh! Can't take me anywhere. :nono:


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## shellbug (Jul 3, 2005)

i have lurked here (i might have posted once before, i can't remember)

i just finished 2 knifty knitter hats for my 2 daughters out of acrylic/specialty yarns. these are the second and third hats that i have done on this.

tonight i am going to try to whip out a scarf for my 6 yr old boy. his school starts back tomorrow and it is supposed to be around 20 degrees when we walk the nine blocks to his school (and then i will walk back 7 blocks to work) brrrrrrr!!!!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Welcome to the Fold, Tia and shellbug! I hope you love it here!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

I am more of a lurker than a newbie here. I'm Lona (rhymes with Donna), and I live with my family on a small farm in Michigan. We raise sheep (Suffolk and Polypay) and chickens and crops. My dh is the spinner (Ashford Traveler). I weave rag rugs (4 working looms) when I get time, and my portable craft (for dentist office visits) is crocheting. 

Nice to meet you all. Cyndi, sorry to hear about your losses (esp. the cow--ouch!). It's hard enough to lose an animal--but when you're not sure how/why, it's even worse. 

Lona


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## short farmer (Oct 16, 2006)

Happy New Year to all. Welcome to all the new fiber friends. Cyndi do hope that your new year is starting off better. All is well here in the wetlands of Ore. As some may remember I was given at Christmas the very special gift of my 10 year old grandaugter to raise, well for New Years we got her 5 year old brother. Life as my DH and I knew it has completely turned around for sure.
But am adjusting, get up at 4:30 instead of 5:30am to get a little spinning or weaving in(Grandma's quiet time). Have spun several skeins of what I call rug yarn and have just finished the first spindle of a odd unidentified wool that I got for Christmas at our guild party. Fiber is the cheapest and safest drug that I can find for sanity. :angel:


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

:clap: It's a new year, finally! Last year was a beast best left in the field.

I've _thought_ about fibery things - does that count? Starting to get a slight backlog of yarn so am sifting through project ideas to use some.

Come to find out, the postmaster's wife has mentioned to a friend (the same friend whose 8-yr old daughter now proudly spindles  ) that she really wished she could find someone to teach her how to spin.  Figure I'll inquire with the postmaster today on that. They also have fresh chicken eggs and since the grocers all seem to think that their eggs are made of solid gold ($2/doz _med_ eggs!!!) ....... I'd MUCH rather have fresh any given day.

That and need to alter the treadle on one of the vintage wheels so it can go to its new home next week or so.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

shellbug said:


> it is supposed to be around 20 degrees when we walk the nine blocks to his school (and then i will walk back 7 blocks to work) brrrrrrr!!!!



Shellbug - right now 20 degrees sounds warm to me!! Woke up to -7 if you weren't counting the wind chill!

Bundle up good and keep a good hat on your head!


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

So good to hear from everyone, welcome Newbies, and thanks MullersLane for sharing the pictures. Love to see your yarn! Here we have started up a group of people in our local home town that spin, crochet, knit, embroidery, or whatever. Despite the weather and holidays it's going pretty good, I think. We had 6 people today and loads of fun. Two are learning crochet for the first time and doing great! It's so relaxing and enjoyable when we work in a group. And so nice to see what others are doing. And I'm wondering: is anyone thinking of going to the Fiber Retreat in Jefferson City, MO this March? It has more affordable classes because it is sponsored by the university. But rooms are sometimes hard to find because of the university, so sign up early. I plan to be there. Here is their website: http://extension.missouri.edu/fiber/2008/index.shtml


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## Brea (May 23, 2007)

Lurker here!  

I crochet and have a huge stash I need to work through. 
And a bunch of UFOs I need to get done. I just started a coat for my niece that I HAVE to get done before she outgrows it.
I also have a round ripple, shawl, messenger bag and yoga bag to name a few.

I have to work through the stash before I buy any more yarn.

*Shhh. I have 5 rubbermaid totes completely full.*


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

WELCOME all you lurkers and newbies, what fun to add so many new people.

Who says you have too much yarn Brea? :nono: Tisk, tisk, repeat after us, I'm a member of the fold and there is no such thing as too much yarn or fiber or tools or ________ (<---- fill in the blank)

You will never hear us say those word to you :dance: 


Have we heard from Meg at all? Maybe she is too busy now that she has her DH home. I know she had a month off from school so maybe she is busy with that. I'd love to hear what she's been up to. 

Mogal also hasn't checked in for awhile.

Are we missing any others? Betty I know I need to email her again to see if she had got any info on her account here.


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## Brea (May 23, 2007)

I'm going to a knitting class tonight at Joann's. Hopefully I can pick knitting up this time. I think my biggest problem is I don't like to feel of all those loops of yarn on the needle. Messes with the feel of my grip in the needle I guess.
I hope she shows us the continental method tonight.


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

BEAUTIFUL stuff!!!

I'm kinda up to my armpits in goatie kids right now - but still working on my spinning. Custom ordered a drop spindle with goats on it... stopped short of asking him if he could carve the goats upside down (fainted)


Here are my new babies: http://www.gotgoaties.com/albums/kidswinter/ didn't get enough 'meat' goats this time for market - never thought i'd be complaining about not enough boys!

Here is me, my bottle baby, and my December spun -









Goal for Jan - COLOR!!!! And figuring out what is involved with superwash and can I do it??? LOL I'm also going to sign up for knitting classes after I am done crutching the ewes that are due this month and next...

Andrea
www.arare-breed.net
www.gotgoaties.com


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

LOL - love it. You know - if you cropped that photo to just the goat's head and the basket of wool, you would have a great caption conmpetition photo 

Well. On a fibrey note - I am still plugging on with my much needed work socks - they take me FOREVER, but I ned them so there you go  But I think I am going to get side-tracked and knit some mittens  And spinning - I finally got to the point where I thought I had enough spun to take off the spindle and wash it. So I did that tonight, and a lot of my questions have answered themselves. What I thought was over-twist, has straightened out with the washing? So now I have an empty spindle and can start on some of the lovely packages that came in the post - i am not going to say whose I am doing - I am just going to play with a load of them and then post pictures all together 

On a totally different note - I may be up all night tonight. I just went in to check on DD (she is in my bed) and found THIS










Even the dog (bottom left of picture) has had to curl up tight to find space  Oh well - might get some of those socks knitted 

hoggie


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can relate - couch works ;-) until the creatures two legged and four find you there...

Andrea


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh Hoggie how precious! Compchick I hear you about thr critters finding you where ever you go. I think when I go to my bed I look like Hoggie's little girl there only my animals aren't stuffed and my big Collie is curled up at the end of the bed like your dog. My cats rule the bed and the poor dog knows it. At least Im always warm in bed.

I got my loom warped, I took a few pictures but I want to take some more in the day light. I'm now thinking I will need to get the stand for this loom to do this shawl/throw justice. It will be for my mom maybe for mother's day and I concerned that the weft won't be even and nice if I use it as it is. But the down side to a stand is that it will be easier for the cats to get to it. Right now I have it on the floor on the porch so the cats can't get to it. This Shetland yarn isn't exactly strong and I have one cat in particular that thinks it's great fun to run in and out of the warp threads :flame: I'd welcome any suggestions. I suppose I could always hand it on a wall but then it isn't that accessible to work on.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

LOL, hoggie!! You've reassured me that my daughter is not the only child who, after the toys are in bed, barely has room for herself!

I think I have enough coats of Minwax on my niddy noddy, and my sock is about 2 inches long. WooHoo!

I'm going to the barn her in a few to check on Gabby, my goat. She's due Monday, but I'm nervous already. Not her first time, but it is mine, and last year she needed help with the 2nd triplet. I'll be sure to let y'all know when to check the goat board for pics!


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## Caren (Aug 4, 2005)

HI I'm back.

I don't know if any one has followed my story over in the single tree but I had to leave my husband. And ofr a few week (actually a couple of months) I was sort of out of it trying to keep myself on track and the kids fed and dealing with lawyers. But the good news is I did pack my spinning wheel!

So now here I am trying to get back into the swing of things. I really need to finish a hat for my stepfather. I will try to keep checking in from time to time.

Talk to everyone later
Caren


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Caren I'm glad to hear that you are alright and are getting your priorities straight  I mean spinning is so relaxing and just the thing for you right now. Take care and Ill keep you in my thoughts that everything goes well for you and the kids.


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## Caren (Aug 4, 2005)

I should call and schedule the classes. Some stuff came loose on the wheel when I moved so I will need to have it looked at anyway. 

I'm actually thinking of starting a scrap quilt. I am going crazy. I had to move into town and it is driving me crazy. I can never figure out how people can stand to live in town!

Caren


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

LOL - well it's almost fibre related. When dD wrote her letter to Santa, she asked for a book and a pair of slippers for me too. That put me in a corner - Santa doesn't bring presents for adults right? Anyway - I decided that as SHE had asked for it in HER stocking then maybe Santa should come up with the goods. So I ordered the Carla Emery book, and when I was looking for slippers I decided to treat myself to a pair of sheepskin moccasins with a collar. Well, Santa couldn't get them here in time for Christmas, but he did deliver them today. 

i think I may have made a mistake - they are so comfy and cosy, they just feel perfect for tired feet, BUT..........they are too hot. I wore them for half an hour, wearing only my pjs, and I was sweating. I had to take them off :Bawling: 

I guess for those nights when the wind goes East and even DD's toy polar bear is shivering they might be OK. Now there's a problem you don't meet every day :shrug: Maybe I need to buy pj shorts so that I can wear my sheepskin slippers  LOL

oh well - another day in the life of hoggie

hoggie


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## jkwd (Dec 22, 2002)

I just wanted to say hi & introduce myself. I so much enjoy reading everyone's posts. You are so skilled and knowledgeable! What an inspiration you have been to me as I lurked. I got my first wheel about 15 years ago, give or take. But shortly after learning the basics, my sweet husband's dementia worsened & my time went toward caring for him, dealing with the most stressful job known to civilized society & keeping hearth & home together. The lovely wheel did not come out of the corner for several years. My knitting was almost the same way. I learned back in college, but then went off to grad school, became busy with career building, marriage and living life. After my husband's death I was able to move from upstate NY to VT. Unfortunately the job situation there was worse, so when the opportunity presented itself, I transferred to mid-coast Maine. But I made good fiber friends in each place & go back to see them when I can. I would describe my fiber skills at the intermediate level. I intentionally came to New England because of the strong fiber interest & the great opportunity to continue learning . It was definately the right decision. Of course having my sister & all her sheep up on the border wasn't a bad deal either!


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Hi - no-one else seems to be around so I will up and say hello 

I am a newbie here on the fibre forum (although I have always knitted) and these poor long-suffering girls are trying to help me learn to spin  I guess they must like a challenge.

Anyway - this forum is so friendly and helpful - you'll love it 

hoggie


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

Welcome to the fold jkwd, sounds like you are in a good spot for fibery things. I am almost in Fl where people look at me like...........you do what? I got my wheel last summer and am loving learning. Taught myself knitting when I was 19 and didn't do too good a job of it either. ditched knitting for comfy crocheting until a couple of years ago when I picked up knitting again. Sometimes life leads in different directions. 

Sorry to hear about your dh, that must have been hard. I hope you will join in and not lurk anymore. It's good to have you.


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

A welcome from me, too, jkwd!

I have been out for a bit, in case anyone noticed. You won't get rid of me that easily, though!

Chris and I have been having a difficult time adjusting to him being here all the time. A friend who went through this several years ago called it a combination of relief that he's finally there to share the burden, and frustration that your life in no longer your own. He's trying too hard to relieve the burden, and trying to take away chores that I enjoy doing. He's also a do-it-and-get-it-over-with sort of person, while I like to linger and talk to the animals. I feel pushed when he's helping. And then, he took over the computer, and I didn't even get the relief of venting to online friends. But, we did solve that one by getting DSL and wireless, so he's got the PC and I have my laptop. Woohoo! We'll work it all out...we always have. It's actually better that the new semester has started, so I get to go to work to get a break!  

I called Liese on Saturday to share my day. I've had a lovely little purebred Icelandic ewe I wanted to sell/trade for some time. She's skittish, and I don't have the time to work her down. She upsets the rest of the girls. So, I finally placed an ad in our state agricultural paper. I offered her for sale, but said I'd prefer a trade, for a white sheep (she's moorit...brown). I got a call, and they had enough sheep that I could choose, if the trade was going to fly. So, Chris and I loaded her up Saturday morning and drove just an hour away.

The son of the family who was starting an Icelandic flock had had to leave for a short while, so his brother gave us a tour of the sheep while the mom kept an eye on a workman in the house. They had pulled up four possible trade ewes to a separate pen, but told me if I didn't like any of those, they could offer others. Two of the girls had flowing locks, and two had very crimpy fleece. She keeps Border Leicesters and BFL, and these were crosses. I wanted crimpy fleece, but I checked out the others first. The smaller one had really nice fleece, and a sweet face, good conformation, and was a really nice sheep...but I wanted that crimp! The first crimpy one, with a marked BFL nose!...had 'okay' fleece. Not bad, not great. The other, smaller one, had exactly what I wanted! Perfect! I just had to wait until the son got home to see what he thought of Sheledy. But I saw the Icelandics he'd found so far while we were on the tour. I knew she beat all his other sheep cold!

So, dad and son came back, he saw Sheledy, and we went in to chat and look at bloodlines and such. Then I found out that the little crimpy-fleeced girl was not bred. My ewe was bred, and I preferred to trade a bred ewe for a bred ewe. So I asked to go take a look at the others again. I decided to opt for the other crimpy-fleeced ewe, as she was bred.

Then mom and son got in a whispering huddle. I stepped away to give them some privacy. They called me back, and said they had an offer to make. Since Sheledy was such a good ewe, and the flowing-lock ewe was related to half their flock, they said I could choose whichever crimpy one I wanted, and they wanted to GIVE me the other!!! They felt from what they had seen of me, and the pictures I had taken that morning of my girls and the ram showed them my place...well, they figured I would give her a good home. And I am also well aware that sheep aren't selling right now due to the hay shortage, so that was a factor for them, too. Only meat sheep are selling. So it was agood deal for them in a way, to save the feed for their breeders. They had kept her twin, and her mom and grandmom. And their flock was over 50 strong! I ended up bringing home the little unbred crimpy girl with wonderful fleece, and the sweet flowy-locked girl who is bred!! 

The flowy-locked girl has the yellow/red face and legs of a tunis. Chris named her Daisy as she was white with ayellow center.  The sweet little crimpy girl has a delicate face and lustrous eyes and her name is Bridgette.

When I told them I owed them something back, Carolyn (mom) said then I would have to make the drive again to come the next time their guild met at her house!! This is payback??? :shrug: At any rate, I've offered breeding rights to my Icelandic, although he's having attitude issues lately. It's dawned on me tonight, though, that the problems I had with him yesterday may be related to me taking a ewe away from him! The new girls are in quarentine, so he hasn't been introduced yet.

AND>>>That's not all!! I'm sure some of you know that I am on the lookout for a Great wheel and a Gossip wheel. She had a Gossip wheel for sale. I'm picking it up next weekend...MINE!!! Her price was a bit higher than I wanted, but since I got a two-for-one sheep trade, I'm not arguing!

Now that I've written a book of catch-up......if you stuck around long enough to get this far...Happy New Year!

Meg


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Welcome jkwd!!!


Meg!!!!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Oh, my, Meg! The sun shines upon you!! Talk about coming out smelling like a rose! Two ewes, a baby on the way, a whell you've longed for, and more fiber friends. Plus things worked out with DH. Whew! That's a whole lot of blessings! Congrats!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Welcome to the Fold Jkwd!!!!! I am so glad you have decided to come out of lurkdom and to join us. I know you were hesitant and thought you had nothing to offer. Based on what you are posted so far I'd say you don't have a clue of your knowledge base. Girl you have a lot to share so please keep sharing it with all of us. I doubt there is one of us here who knows it all  We may think we do but when people like you show up I think there is a ton of things yet to learn. Welcome!!!!

Meg, I noticed you had been missing  I asked about you but never got any reply. I figured you and Chris were getting reacquainted. I suppose it is like learning to live with each other all over again. It sounds like you two have been there done that so hopefully you will continue to work it all out. But way to go with the DSL and your own computer :dance: Living in the boonies and having high speed internet really rocks. We had DSL long before the people living in town did. Crazy I know but it was part of some rural connectivity grant. Congratulations on all the new things in your life. Your starts must be well in alignment. Have you bought a lottery ticket lately?

Welcome back, I for one have missed you. BTW, I spun up a nice little skein of that white Romney. I took some pictures and will post them on my Flicker account. I think I'm going to try to dye it tomorrow. Who was it that said they sometimes sprinkle the kool-aid right onto the wool? I'd like to know more please.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Hi March, that'd be me.. (Meg glad you're back )

I start the wool to soak in hot HOT (just below boiling) water and vinegar. Let it soak up for 15 minutes or so. The use a plastic pasta fork thingie (you know the half spoon half fork with drains in it) to lift out a section, sprinkle the kool aid on top and resubmerge. Start with the light colors and work darker. It makes a painted yarn with vivid colors. I just keep going until it's all colored. It does take more kool aid to do this, but you get darker colors and it is fast.

Here's a picture of some of my rovings I've done this way (working on my website tonight) 



I love this method, and the yarns I get. 

I've been back to work, and also working on my online stuff. Tonight I'm putting my website together. And eyeing the huge pile of roving I need to spin up. I've gotta get crackin' cause I need to post more yarn on Etsy... Not a bad problem to have


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Thanks Heather! I only have two packets of each color. Maybe since this isn't a large skein it won't take that much. I was thinking of maybe trying the microwave method. I'll decide tomorrow, see what my mood is.

I did post the pictures of the Romney skein in Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/marchie/sets/72157603416702328/


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

Oceanrose, do you dye your roving this way or your finished yarn? Or can you do it either way? Can you also tell me about how many packets of kool aid per oz. of wool? Thanks for your help!

I haven't had much time for fibery things lately with working and homeschooling and trying to get my Schacht dealership going. I really enjoy reading about what all of you guys are doing though! 

Off to work...


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

I dye the roving and then spin. Though I need to break out some cormo and I think I'll spin that into singles and then dye.

In a normal batch of around 6-8 oz of roving (wild guess, I don't weigh it) I'll use anywhere from 6-10 packets of kool-aid. Partially to get darker colors. When I first started I dyed a lot lighter but since I tend to leave a bit of white it then ends up lighter overall. So now, I dye darker to compensate for that. 

You can also add color over wool already dying in a colorpot by lifting and sprinkling it over. I made some really pretty purple by doing that. I'd put some orange and purple in to the water (yes, weird combination, my nephew wanted to try it) and then sprinkled blue and some red over it to help with any spots that weren't snapping up the dye. It gives it more depth of color. (it turned out a pretty PRETTY purple with lavender and some blue and pink mixed in by the way, the orange just gave it a russet glow)

How is the Schacht dealership moving along? Do you still have shetland roving to sell?

I'm taking today off to spin. It feels WEIRD doing this but we were slow yesterday and it's a calculated move on my part, since I can get a whole bunch of spinning done. Plus wash some wool . I'm hoping that I'll sell a couple skeins that I spin today to offset the costs. We'll see.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Oceanrose said:


> Do you still have shetland roving to sell?


You'll love her shetland roving!


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> You'll love her shetland roving!


Cause I need more wool   

I actually do need more roving. I like processing my own, but I also like to have a whole bunch of prepped roving to just spin from. If I was smart I'd ship all these fleece to a mill and be done with it. Instead, mystery fleece #1 is soaking...


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Yup! I have a couple shetland fleeces that need to be washed & prepared but I bought a couple pounds of Deb's any way because I _needed_ some ready-to-spin and she has always had great roving


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well I got my little skein dyed. It isn't what I expected but I like how it turned out. I took some pictures and have them posted on the above link with the pictures of it undyed.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

March, that's really pretty! How did you end up doing it? And what colors?

I've just spent 6 hours getting a preliminary website up. If you guys want a sneak peak, (some pictures aren't working, there is no shopping cart yet, or prices, or 90% of the pages - did I just admit to spending this many hours on this??) go to: http://www.spinningwind.com


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Heather that looks really nice! Good job.

I tried doing it the way you said. But the skein was just barely over 1 oz. I used a full packet of Berry Blue and just a sprinkling of Blastin' Berry Cherry.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sorry I got those color wrong. I used 1 packet of Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade and a sprinkling of Blastin Berry Cherry.


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

Marchwind, very pretty yarn, I love that blue. I think I'm gonna give it a try this weekend...

Heather, the dealership is starting slow but then I don't have a lot of time (or money) to devote to it yet. I did sell my first Ladybug wheel. Yipee!!! I got my business cards today and they came out great. I have a Mac and I'm having a bit of trouble finding the software I need to build my own website. I have a call in to the Mac store so maybe they can help me out. I want to try to get my site up and going within the next two weeks so I don't have to sell on ebay.

I do still have some lovely roving left. White, oatmeal and gray, $10 for 8 oz. plus shipping.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Well, finally the art gallery posted a pic of me spinning back in Oct at the "show".

Gallery  

(Scroll down to the bottom left hand. That's my wheel that was hand crafted by a nearby craftsman in '95 or so - it's tempermental but functional  )

Still debating whether to leave yarns there or not. I'm not impressed with the advertising and exposure although to be fair, the owner is a full time teacher and doesn't have a lot of extra time really.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

I have baby pics on the goat forum thread titled "Kid Watch." Now off to nap.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Falcon it is so much fun to see what people look like, put a face to the name.

Congratulations Cloverbud! Hope you enjoyed your nap.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

I did, thank you! It lasted about 5 hours. Mmmmm. I started on my 2nd sock this evening. I'm doing the Muller Method--knitting both socks at the same time. I am the Empress of Procrastination, and I can easily see a pile of single socks hunting down a one-legged pirate if I didn't do them together. Plus, I think it will reinforce the heel process to work 2 heels so closely together. Then after that, it's on to Amazing G's merino mittens, and then baby goat sweaters.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

back to spinning again after all the christmas sweaters ect, finally finished dh sock #1 and on #2, its soo much more slower going to make them for his big ole feet lol

I am also working on a skirt from a pattern in one of those magazines

am spinning up the grey double fleeced shetland, she is lovely. working out my woolen verses spinning worsted. seems i am a control freek and tend to make it smooth. I also find it hard to spin thick yarn, must also be a control issue


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Falcon, I love the picture. I went to my knitting group this morning and worked on the front of a sweater - for me! My spinning friend was there with her portable wheel, spinning up more of my creamy beige Shetland roving for me (I paid her with another installment of fresh eggs). She had plied some together so I could see what the yarn will look like. Once I know how much there is, I can decide what to use it for. How exciting!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

So, this weekend I was at a 4-H leaders conference. In all the sessions, I worked on more of those fingerless gloves that I posted the link to (I can do them without a pattern now, and they're small and portable). 

This is not really something to raise eyebrows at a 4-H conference, really, we do have whole clubs that do crafts and such ... however lots of people seemed interested and that's always cool (it's the kind of place you can be certain nobody will go "oh weird, she's KNITTING" but they'll go "hey cool, she's knitting!").

During the day I was in several sessions with a lady who had tried knitting as a child and never gotten the hang of it. We talked off and on ... and at the end of the day she caught up with me and said "I've been thinking of you all day ... I would like you to make 3 pair of mitts for me, I'll pay you." She has some friends she goes walking with for exercise, and wants to give them all hand made mitts - one of the ladies had been admiring the set she has (made for her by her grandma) and really wanted some hand made ones. So, she contracted me to do some up! Cool, eh? I sold mitts!

I have to email her and confirm wool selections and such, but this is very cool. It inspired me to update my main home page (www.applejackcreek.com if you want to check it out) and put up prices for a few things that I'd be willing to make and sell. I can't do much in the way of volume so I'm not really 'promoting' it, but ... I'm good with starting small, and hey, you just never know who'll stumble across it, search engines being what they are and all.

I'm off to knit!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

So way cool!!! Congrats!!!

Your page looks great!! Hope you get a lot of hits and orders!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle that is so very nice. I need to find that link to the pattern Ive been wanting to make a pair for myself.

Well we finally got our winter back. No thanks to Frazzlehead and the other Canadians. We got hit by a mini Alberta clipper last night, only down to -5 over night and about 5 above during the day. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm again, 20's, then we get hit by another Alberta clipper and we could see -40 over night on Wednesday. I'm sitting here with a shawl wrapped around my shoulders and my woll sweater sleeves pulled down over my hands, oh yes and a space heater at my feet. Yep I need to find that pattern for those fingerless gloves soon.

I drive down to Minneapolis next Saturday to pick up DS and his GF when they return from their trip. I cant wait to hear about it all. Then that sane night I'm supposed to go to a full moon snowshoe, x-country ski progressive dinner party. I'm not sure I'll get back up here in time for the party, darn it all.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

w00t! The postmaster just asked for my phone number. :nono: tsk tsk, guys. Seems his wife had definitely decided she wants a lesson or two on how to spin and I'm the only known spinner in the area . Of course, it helps that a while back another friend passed along that she (the pm's wife) had mentioned it in passing one day ..... and I then asked the postmaster nonchalantly if his wife had found a teacher. He hadn't even had a clue she was interested . I just told him that soon I'd make sure he had a few sheep on his farm to go with the chickens and ducks. All he could do is grin and shake his head.

YeeHaw, a possible student! :sing: All excited now.

(But, ya know, after all the boxes and bags of wool that man has passed me over the counter in the past year and his asking me what I did with it, the idea that I was _really_ an actual _spinner_ hadn't clicked with him.  Men.)


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Here you go guys ... fingerless gloves!

http://slumberland.org/wp/2006/02/16/pattern-a-little-twist-wristwarmers/

Sorry 'bout the weather, Marchwind ... it's been a balmy -8 C here the last bit, we are loving the break! Had a windy snowstorm last night, I figured for SURE some sheep would decide to lamb in that, but they were all just piles of snow covered wool out there in the pasture, all seems quiet so far. 

And FlaconDance ... share the lanolin love! Good on ya ... just make sure that once you have her good and addicted the postmaster's wife doesn't get to your packages of wool before you arrive at the post office!


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## organicfarmer (May 11, 2002)

JKWD welcome. 

I so enjoy reading all of your posts. It makes it feel like a family just sitting around chatting. 

Today, I got a call from a fellow shepherd and she asked if I wanted a free loom. She gave me the number and it was still available. DH, I and DS3 made a round trip of things today picking up herb seeds for our market garden, the 36" Leclerc 4H jack loom, bench, yarn, reeds, etc. for absolutely nothing but our time and gas and getting information on supplies for our greenhouse that we need to construct to grow our organic transplants for our 5 acres of vegetables.

It was amazing. The lady said she had tried selling it on ebay but it didn't work out. I am starting weaving lessons next week and now I have two looms to work on. It was her mother's and had hardly been used. Now Abigayle and I can learn together and weave together. I just had to share with people who can really understand how exciting it is.

Also, DH and I are going to be visiting Green Mountain Spinnery at the end of January on our way to an organic conference. Has anyone been there? Is it worth visiting? Is there anywhere else along I91 we should stop? Thanks for any input you may have.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

bye bye tinkertoys i got my real niddy noddies today !!!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Wow Silvia!! you must have been very good!!!

Alright! real niddy noddies~!

Let's see pics!!


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

I'm going to try to follow this up next week with pictures. Chris says he'll help me figure out the picture thing.

BUT...Guess what he did for me???????

He built tables for my picker and carder. Each table built exactly how I wanted it. Each one on locking castors, so I can pull one out to work on it and watch a movie or something, and then put it out of the way. They are beautiful! 

I'm gonna keep him. 


AND...liznbeatle came over last weekend, and we had a lovely afternoon of wool and seeds. She's got every possible seed you could want, so if you're looking for something, give her a try! She and her daughter are now being obsessed by drop spindling... :dance: (I did some enabling...)

Meg


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

just finished a spool of true shetland moorit hoggett( OMG) carded and spun like buttah!!!!! 

rant(sorta related) ive read only shetlands have true moorit coloring...why is it on ebay i see moorit listed on every fleece breed- one fleece was actually white with tanish tips listed as moorit////ok not important but it bothers me....our llama is actually close to a moorit but i still thought moorit was specifically a shetland color ? You dont see shaela used to describe fleece colors on ebay lol....

any way i am now doing the true black( no fading to brown yea) hogget fleece from woolverine, i blended in some kool aid dyed berry blue white hoggett, it looks cool, i think it is actually going to be lace wieght... we will see, I still tend to get bigger as a i go along( well the yarn does not me LOL)


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

this is stuff i did before christmas...before all the knitting lol the red and orange is koolaid dyed


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

jerzeygurl said:


> rant(sorta related) ive read only shetlands have true moorit coloring...why is it on ebay i see moorit listed on every fleece breed- one fleece was actually white with tanish tips listed as moorit////ok not important but it bothers me....our llama is actually close to a moorit but i still thought moorit was specifically a shetland color ? You dont see shaela used to describe fleece colors on ebay lol....



I've heard people use the term with regards to Border Leicesters, which I thought kinda weird. See, I thought moorit was just used for Icelandics! :shrug: 

Meg


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Meg I can't wait to see the pictures of the tables. Lucky you to have a DH who knows what you want and can actually make it happen :baby04: 

As for Moorit, I though most primitive breeds could lay claim to that coloration :shrug: But what do I know, the only sheep I ever had was a white one who was a total bone head, she was Targhee.

Jersygurl beautiful yarns, you've been very busy.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Hi, I haven't posted to this forum much, I have no idea why NOT!! :shrug: What have I been thinking???!! I just discovered the Homemaking forum. I've mostly hung around the Homesteading and Countryside Families forums.

In the last couple of weeks I made my 4yo twin dd's ponchos, one pink and one yellow, from wool from our sheep. My 16yo dd and I used food coloring and kool aid for dye. Also a Knifty Knitter hat for one of the twins.

I just learned how to spin this last year. I've been enjoying it. I like sewing and crafts and just plain *touching* stuff! I never seem to finish much, we've got 3 wool fleeces and two llama uh, fleeces.. and one pygora fleece to wash and spin, too. Are they fleeces on goats and llamas? lol.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Welcome to the fold Nellie! Hope to see you here more often!

Jerzey - you were busy!!!

Meg - those table sound wonderful!!! Paul will be making an L shaped table for my picker, carder and 2 table looms .... one of these days!!!


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Nellie, glad you found us!

Jerzey, every time I see someone post pictures like that I just want to scream. WHY can't anyone who spins live NEAR ME!!! I need a spinning buddy sooooooo bad!

Just wait'll I get my camera figured out :help: ...then I'll make everyone else scream. 

Meg


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Well, not a newbie but have been away for a long while (1.5 years) after our lives kind of blew up . . . . .

Have raised Shetland sheep & angora rabbits (frenchies), cotton & flax. I've been playing with some colored cotton this past year (Earlene's Green out of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange). DH & I have been selling soaps, candles & fiber arts at local farmer's markets/reenactment events/craft shows for a little over 4 years now. I've been spinning closer to 6 or 7 years, knitting almost that long, and play around with embroidery on occasion. We do a lot of work in trade, which is fun.

My current wheel is a Hallcraft, some little 1970's brand that I haven't been able to find _any_ information on (the label says it's from Ohio), but am waiting on shipping for an Ashford Traveller from Ebay shipping from New Zealand here


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Cat, 
You're going to love that Traveller! Off to go look at your ebay win!!


eta.

I'm not sure that is an Ashford Traveller.

It is a NZ castle style wheel with built in lazy kate, but all the Travellers I've seen has had to mother of all above and off centered from the wheel instead of dead center above the wheel.

The mother of all on this wheel is rounded instead of flat like the travellers I've seen. The drive wheel is wider also

It does have a classic looking legs and maidens of Ashford.

do you know how old it is??? Maybe it is one of the first travellers.

I know Ashford has a history of it's wheels somewhere online but I'm only able to fine the history on the tradional wheel. Anyone book marked that??


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Thanks for the warm welcome! I LOVE the Tinker Toy niddy noddy!! LOL!!


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

desperate times call for desperate measures....

that was just one skein of each color for the picture....

my hands are purple 

i got my box of white wool from the brown sheep( i had too it seemed sacreligious to koolaid dye shetland for some reason) 
needless to say i took the wearing gloves idea and forgot it...

the house smells like pixie sticks

I am really loving the way the black and the koolaid blue( i think maybe it was berry blue lemonade?) is looking, reminds me of the 80's and makes me want dayglo earings again lol

i will have to get pic of the new along with the real niddy noddies


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Yep, it's an older Traveller:
http://www.nzspinningwheels.info/uprightp3.html


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions but one I did make was being more active on the FAC. It looks like the only one of the originals from "way back when" is you, March. I saw a reference to Betty and wondered what had happened to her. I had some time on my cell one day, must have been over a year ago, and called her. I really enjoyed that visit.

The wrist warmers posted earlier are really interesting. I've just finished a pair of short-fingered gloves for a friend in Colorado and have another pair done for my local vet. They are worked like regular gloves with individual fingers but they stop at or just before the last joint of each finger. That provides a lot more warmth when you do chores but still allows dexterity of bare fingertips. I think the wristwarmers would be more than adequate for a vigorous activity like walking but for chores, where you don't generate so much heat, I like the short finger gloves better. I've made both. 

March, that Alberta Clipper has reached central Missouri. My neighbors adjoining our place on the north asked me to tend their dog yesterday through tomorrow morning. As I walked across our field to feed him tonight, the wind shifted and it started snowing. The temperature has dropped 12o in 3 hours and the wind is still screaming around the house. UGH. I'm definitely going to have to wear my insulated coveralls when I go tend him in the morning when the temps will be in the single digits. Have I mentioned that I really don't like winter?

Take care, stay warm and keep those wheels a'turning.


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

Hey MOgal, it's cold up here in the NE part of MO too! Wow, that temp sure dropped hard and fast today didn't it? We got flurries but it didn't amount to anything. I sure feel for you having to get out and walk any distance in this. We are going to be enjoying this arctic weather for at least the next week.

I am working on getting enough oatmeal shetland spun to kool aid dye it. I was thinking about grape, will that be purple or blue?

All 3 of my boys have a friend spending the night so I think now is the perfect time to go shut myself in my room and spin! Stay warm and happy spinning everyone!


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

Hehehe Kool-aid stains, I go to work every monday with koolaid stains on my hands. Should see the look of the customers when I put their beer down in front of them.... "what's that?" "Science experiment gone wrong in the bar " 

Work was heck this past week, we got a new manager who got fired almost immediately for some unknown thing. The ramification of this is I am now doing the schedule for the servers. This is strictly a manager thing to do but the regional mgr likes me and wants me to go into management, so whatever. At least they probably won't fire me... I've outlasted 9 managers to date.

I sold 2 more skeins of yarn on Etsy, within 2 hours of listing them. Interesting what sells and what doesn't. Some of my favorites haven't sold, where others sell immediately even when I don't like them. Each sale though is one step closer to having a 'real' business.. Now just to get that darn website finished. I'm having an ethical debate with myself with whether to risk more and take one day off or to not. Right now I've shortened my long Friday to work on yarn but one whole day with quiet would be heaven... hmmmmm

It's -10 below, can't even imagine how cold it is at Marchie's house but all I can think of is warm sandy beaches and flowers. Or at least temperatures that can't kill you in 10 minutes.....


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

redbudlane said:


> Hey MOgal, it's cold up here in the NE part of MO too! Wow, that temp sure dropped hard and fast today didn't it? We got flurries but it didn't amount to anything. I sure feel for you having to get out and walk any distance in this. We are going to be enjoying this arctic weather for at least the next week.
> 
> I am working on getting enough oatmeal shetland spun to kool aid dye it. I was thinking about grape, will that be purple or blue?
> 
> All 3 of my boys have a friend spending the night so I think now is the perfect time to go shut myself in my room and spin! Stay warm and happy spinning everyone!


Purple - dark purple. Add some red to make a mauve or some blue to ease it up. But I LOVE it the way it is.

Here's some yarn I dyed with grape, orange blue and a bit of red:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8779595 I LOVE this color. Think I'm gonna take it off and make me something out of it...


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Oceanrose - sounds chilly. We just have gale force fog at the moment!!

Sounds like your job's safe anyway  How does a manager get fired that quickly??

Just checking in really. I am still ploughing on with the spindle. I think I am improving a little bit, getting a better idea of how much wool I am drafting in to the yarn. But I tried last night to go beyond the park and draft and FAILED miserably!!!!!!! There was no way I could draft quick enough to keep up with the spindle !!!!!

Oh well, I guess a LOT more practice before I try that again.

I am going to pluck up courage today and phone the lady who did the demo at DD's school. DD said that she demoed on a spindle as well as the wheel and "she didn't have to keep stopping her spindle" LOL

On another note - I collected some chickens the other day, and the lady also has a few sheep. I think I reported last year, that normally they just throw away the wool so I asked her if, when they shear, I could buy some fleeces and she was all up for it 

So I have some raw fleece here on the island sometime soon 

I have been looking through all the packages that you ladies sent to me, and have been spinning (or trying to) some. So now I need to get online and do some shopping for carders to prepare those that weren't carded. I THINK that's all I need for now 

Stay warm those of you that have weather 

hoggie


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hey Mogal! Deb is here and so is Carol there are a few of the others still here.

Our high today is is going to be -10f. I'm leaving in about an hour to go and pick up my son and his GF. I guess he will be coming back up here so I will have 4+ hours of hearing all about their trip, I can't wait.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

March and Oceanrose, there is definitely a reason I don't live farther north than Missouri! It's +4 right now with a -10o wind chill. I'm debating about walking 1/4 mile to tend my neighbor's dog this morning or driving 1 1/2 miles around our two farms on the public road. The other problem is that I dropped a piece of firewood, some oak from the sawmill, lengthwise on my right middle toes last night--my wonderful 110# GSD has already stepped on that foot twice this morning. The toes are bruised but I don't think broken. Don't think I can get my boots on regardless. UGH! Have I mentioned that I really don't like winter?

Just be careful on your trip today March. Since wicked cold is a routine thing in MN, I bet you have an emergency pack in your car.


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Hey MoGal! I've been thinking about you and wondering how you were doing.

I've been around too here and there. Mom is having some serious issues right now, so I've been using fiber as therapy. I got an order for a pound of some batts I had been spinning at my spinning group, but I have to try to duplicate it. I tend to dye by the seat of my pants and not measure anything, but managed to match the color. Now I am just blending on the drumcarder across the three dyepots it took to come up with a pound, but my customer is happy with it. Cranking the handle and seeing the colors blend is soothing.


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## jkwd (Dec 22, 2002)

Thank you everyone for the warm fuzzy welcome

Organic Farmer, I'd urge you to stop at Green Mt Spinnery for sure. It's not that far from the exit & interesting to visit-although surprisingly small with a limited, traditional yarn selection. I visited often when I lived in VT. Once, as I was paying for a pattern, the clerk casually said "I designed that" so I had her autograph it! They have samples of 2 sets of swatches. One was dark wool before dyeing, the other was white -- dyed with the same colors. Interesting to compare the outcomes. If you get as far up as White River Junction, be sure to stop in at White River Yarns & give a big hello to my spinning & knitting buddy-Lois! Tell her I'm the one that moved off to Maine a year ago, she'll know who you mean. Have her show you some of the yarn dyed by Ellen of Ellen's Half Pint Farm. Lois loves warm colors - her theory being never wear dark, bland colors in the dreary winter. Her shop is a great place. If you are in Brattleboro, stop in at Not Just Yarn-all kinds of treats in there. Wish I was going with you, it is a beautiful drive.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

I want to spin. And the woodstove is pumping out _oodles_ of heat. But it's so bone-chilling cold outside that even _inside_ is chilly (unless you literally sit on the woodstove). Manual dexterity is almost nil right now (you should see how long it's taking to type this and how many backspaces - arthritis sucks when added to cold), so I guess I'm waiting til the mercury climbs back up to above frozen :grump: .

Thank goodness we don't live someplace that's really cold!

~grumpy


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

I used the grape on the batting from brownsheep, and its a lovely purple mauvy bluey mix, the lighter colors are where it was bunched up more, kinda a tye dye effect

I do find when i use the lemonaidey flavors the color sets instantly, and water turns clear so fast, that you really got to get it all imersed fast. the red bases dont seem to set as well

i do have a question, will food coloring with citric acid work in the same fashion?


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

I am going to try to dye with my grape tomorrow. We are going to late service at church and since it's my mil's bday they are going with us and then we have to go out to dinner with them. Wish I could call in sick to that and just stay home and play with my fibers and kool aid. 

MOgal, sorry about your foot, sure sounds sore. March, I hope it warms up quickly and you are back to spinning!


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

The purples I've gotten from the grape have been a bit more plumish than anything else - I've got some waiting for me to free up the wheel at the moment (working on ice blue raspberry lemonade at the moment - a nice clear turquoise, variegated)


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

ozarkcat said:


> The purples I've gotten from the grape have been a bit more plumish than anything else - I've got some waiting for me to free up the wheel at the moment (working on ice blue raspberry lemonade at the moment - a nice clear turquoise, variegated)


yes thats the color im blending with a natural pitch black...its looks soooo cool


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

I'm still here, Mogal, occasionally!! :hobbyhors I went and got me a real job and it really cuts into my computer time.  There's a couple other oldies but goodies too. Katherine pops in once in awhile too and Sherrie and Aunt C (where's Aunt C been???). I sure wish Betty would get back in here!! We miss you Betty!!! (What's up with that??) 

It's so good to hear from you Mogal and so sorry about your foot. How's everything on your little farm going? 

We got winter back here too. Last week one day it got to 50 degrees. Today, it's a balmy 3 degrees and has been snowing all night. Sure glad I don't have to go out in it! 

QUICK QUESTION, PLEASE!?!?! For all you kool-aid dyers, how many packages of kool-aid, approximately, generally, do you use for a dye pot? 

Stay warm!


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

the instructions i have say 1 packet per ounce of wool /6 oz of water 2 oz of vinegar

I usually do 4 at a time with 3 cups water one cup vinegar....


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

It depends on how intense you want the color to be - I just got a clear turquoise, vivid scarlet red, an odd olivey green and a pretty variegated plum from using about 5 packets with 2 ounces of wool, plus a healthy slug of vinegar and the remainder of the container with water.


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

It is WAY TOOOO COLD HERE! Just got back from church and thought I'd share that with everyone. 

Since it's so cold my poor BF needed an indoor project, so he made niddy noddies all weekend the way I like 'em 

I needed some more just so I can process yarn faster but I also popped 2 different ones up for sale. I much prefer the 2 skein style but I had him do another that is traditional. Here's the one I like the best: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9044030

Now I just need to figure out some more spinning associated projects he could make.... I'm thinking a lazy kate or bobbin storing system. Any ideas?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It looks like we will be in this cold snap until the middle of next week, nothing above zero until then.

DS and his GF and other DS and I went to breakfast this morning then to the airport to get her car started. I had got it started on Friday with no problem. But this morning it didn't want to cooperate. I had rented a car to avoid putting miles on my car when I drove to the Cities yesterday. My car started just fine but I had a flat tire  It was going to be one of those days :grump: But when DS got the spare on and we went to the tire place and they couldn;t find anything wrong with the tire. They replace the valve stem and put some beading stuff on, thankfully it only cost me $13. Then we got DS's GF's car jumped and all is well now. DS doesn't have to be back until at school until Tuesday so they are coming out here for dinner tonight.

I was presented with a bag fulll of gifts from the GF's family. Now when they goes back to Malaysia I have to send things specific to family members. I'm not sure if I will get used to this cultural thing. There is a lot of talk about marriage. I don't doubt these two are very much in love and will one day get married but they are both so young and serious about thier educations, I think they need to wait until they are finished with school and get settled in jobs. But who am I to talk :shrug: With age it seems right to me that men and women should wait until they are in their late 20's or ear;y 30's to get married, oh well, they will do what they want. 

Thanks for listening.

Keep warm everyone!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

It's on its way! My hammer wheel has been shipped by the generous and kind Sherri - :bouncy:


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Have you seen any posts by tickranch? Turns out, she lives in the south part of our county and we've been visiting via email. She wants to learn to spin, knit, etc., and tomorrow we are going to meet at the library in Fulton for our first knitting session. I have made a packet of info to get her started and we will see how it goes from there. She was particularly interested in spinning but I suggested that since a wheel isn't in her near future, we should start by getting her a good way to use the yarn she will eventually spin. I'm really excited about having a fiber friend right in the same county since my last fiber "friends" were the mother/daughter who stole so many of my books and such back in '01.

It's still cold here, but not so bad as last weekend. I really don't like winter but I hate the hot humid summers down where I grew up. 

Take care, all.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Alright Mogal!!! Great enabling!!! Please post a progress note after your first meeting. It does make things more fun when you have someone close to enjoy fibers with.

Enjoy your time teaching.


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

FalconDance said:


> It's on its way! My hammer wheel has been shipped by the generous and kind Sherri - :bouncy:



WOOHOO!!!!! :bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy: 


You're gonna LOVE it!

Meg


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi, Deb! I remembered you had taken an off farm job. Everything here is going pretty well. We lost a hen Monday, one of last spring's chicks, and it wouldn't be a big deal if I had more hens. Unfortunately, I'm down to a 7 y/o New Hampshire, a 3 y/o Black Australorp, a Barred Rock and a Light Brahma raised with the hen that died, and a New Hampshire rooster that was supposed to be a pullet. I had another Brahma but she died shortly after they fledged last spring. Only the two young hens are laying right now. The goats are doing okay but the sheep will be 15 next month and I really should bite the bullet and put them down. Old age isn't kind to barn critters especially when we've had so much ice and cold weather. 

I met with Tickranch this morning and she picked up on everything I showed her very quickly quickly. I told her I was really pleased with how well she was maintaining her tension in her first piece. She will be doing bigger projects in no time. (Hey, she paid me to say something nice about her so there you go. I'm only kidding.) She is a really neat lady and we have much in common despite my being old enough to be her mother. Actually, I think I'm older than her mother. Oh, well. The up side is that she has inspired me to start a sweater with some yarn I bought in '98 or '99. 

Haven't had a chance to ask before, Falcondance but what is a hammer wheel? Forgive my ignorance, please.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

This is not spinning related but ...

Today the inevitable occurred.

I hit a deer on the way to work, just about 25 mins from home (work is 1.25 hours away, ish).

I was in the Intrigue, not either of the trucks, alone, no kids.

It dashed out of the ditch in a spot where the trees are right close to the road so of course I didnât see it until it was in front of me. Slammed on brakes, and heard shattering glass. Opened my eyes and was shocked to see the windshield intact. Looked to the right, and the rear view passenger side mirror was inside the car â ah, thatâs where the glass came from. Passenger window shattered. I got out and looked to see the deer â figured I oughta put it out of itâs misery if it wasnât dead (well, call someone to do thatâ¦ Iâm a country girl now but I donât drive around with a shotgun in my car) â it was nowhere in sight. Saw itâs hoof prints off into the trees, so I guess the coyotes will feast tonight. No way it got off without some serious damage, although there was no blood. I heard from my fiance that it's there in the ditch now, so maybe I just didn't see it.

So I checked out the car â¦ oops, the headlights are dangling out because the hood is buckled from impact â¦ but it was driveable so I put the flashers on and drove home (very cold with that window open).

I had to have a shower to warm up and get the glass bits out of my hair, then I went to lie down. My body kicked into âsedate this crazy person so she doesnât try to do anything elseâ mode, and I slept for a couple of hours. My Reluctant Farmer fiance woke me up, and I did a bit of remote work â we have a super busy day at the office, my poor partner is carrying a massive load today trying to do a bunch of stuff of mine plus all his â¦ Iâll go in tomorrow.

So yeah, thatâs what happened.

Oh yes, and one of my other coworkers kindly booked me an appointment with the chiropractor upstairs, for tomorrow. So thatâll be a good thing â it hurts quite a bit already but I did put Deep Cold on it!

In fiber news, the lady that wanted 3 pair of mitts from me has confirmed her order, and requested a long skinny scarf for herself, too! I found some lovely variegated wool/soy blend wool (some commercial stuff but wow very nice and on sale for $5 a ball) and am doing a super simple drop stitch scarf out of this. It makes it look kind of lacy and shows off the colour gradations nicely.

If you want to try one: 

Cast on 10 stitches (for super narrow, a bit more if you want wider). Do garter stitch until the side facing you has 3 ridges (the side away from you will have 2 ridges). On the next row, knit the stitch, then wrap the yarn twice around the needle, knit the next stitch, repeat to end. Turn the work. On this row, knit the knit stitches and drop the extra wraps of yarn. This makes a row of super tall stitches that look like a lacy row. Repeat until you run out of wool or patience, whichever comes first. 

Okay, enough typing for my sore body ... I'm off to rest.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

I'm so sorry to hear about this experience! I had a similar one in the late 80's that did over $1000 damage to both the truck and topper. She tried to jump the hood of my truck, didn't make it and caught the side view mirror on the driver's side. That folded into the window, shattering it and throwing glass all over the interior of the truck. I had seen her coming and had she stayed on a straight line, she would have passed behind me. Instead, she curved with the flow of traffic. It was October 31, the height of their breeding season and we'd had a lot of rain that displaced the deer from their usual haunts. Anyway, she probably weighed less than 80#. Like you, I had glass in my hair, down my shirt, even in the arm rest on the passengers' side. I had on sunglasses with tempered lenses--thank God--because each lens had a gouge in the center. I walked away with 3 small scratches on my left cheek. There were also new holes in the front of the topper where her feet had punched through--about 1' behind my head.

There were 3 men in the truck behind me who saw the whole thing. They looked like Larry, Daryl and Daryl from the old "Newhart" show but I was never so glad to see anybody in my life. One man came to check on me, the other two went to dispatch the deer. I asked him to please take my hand until someone of authority got there as I thought I might just come unglued. DH was a volunteer in the local fire department at the time and as an officer, had a radio in the truck. I used it to call Central Dispatch and the dispatcher contacted him, sent out a State Trooper to meet the requirements in such an accident, etc. A friend who was also in the department heard me on his radio and immediately left his business to come to my aid. I could feel glass all around me and waited until someone who could see my situation came to be sure I wasn't going to hurt myself getting out of my seatbelt, etc. He told me later that I really did a good job of making needs known to the dispatcher but it was obvious that I was totally rattled. I tend to hold together during an emergency but afterward, I'm a mass of jelly. 

Okay, I mentioned it was October 31. DH had gone to work in a costume as a street tough, complete with makeup to look like fresh wounds on his face, arm and under a "blood-stained" cut in an old T-shirt. The only person on the scene who didn't know my husband were the 3 guys who stopped to help me and the Trooper--and you better believe that all 4 gave him some funny looks until they figured out why he was dressed that way.

You and I were very lucky since deer cause more human deaths every year than hornets, bear, mountain lions, etc., combined. Right after we moved back to Missouri in '97, two election judges taking ballots to the Audrain County courthouse about 20 miles north of our place hit a deer. The driver died immediately and the passenger died within a week. These experiences are the major reason I hunt deer. I think they are beautiful but I also know that here in Missouri, they have a phenomenal birth rate. Without the annual harvest, we'd be eyeball deep in them shortly.

End of rant. Thank goodness you were cool headed enough to deal with it so well and wait until you were safe to have your meltdown. I'm grateful you weren't injured. I still flinch when I see deer while I'm driving and if at all possible, I slow to a crawl to give the ones hiding in the woods time to figure out what they want to do. Two days after my accident, we had to drive from Columbia MO to Manhattan KS then on to Denver. I couldn't believe how many dead deer we saw on I-70. 

Oddest thing--I haven't mentioned Frazzlehead's post to my husband or even mentioned deer hunting since the season ended. He just asked if I wanted him to book a week's vacation during deer season next fall.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

So glad to hear you're ok, Frazzle! (And on a related sidenote: humans are the reason the deer have become so hazardous to us. We've both taken away their main predators which used to keep the population in check and reduced/incroached upon their eons-long territory. So actually deer aren't the problem - WE are.)

Mogal, a hammer wheel refers to a particular kind of spinning wheel made by a Netherlands company called Moswolt during roughly the 1970s only. Instead of a circular wooden rim like most wheels, its spokes terminate in "Thor's hammer" shapes - thus it's the Moswolt Hammer Wheel. Moswolt also made a "square" wheel in which the center of the wheel (which was round) was square instead of also round. Both are sought after, but the hammer wheel seems to be the one hardest to find: not many who have them want to give them up!

You can see both here if you scroll down about halfway.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Falcon, I definitely agree with human encroachment on wildlife habitat but unfortunately, we are here and as such, must act as the terminal predator to control them. I'd rather have responsible hunters than more cougars, bear, etc., because THEY are here too. Do you get the Conservationist and see the cover of last month's issue with the article about black bears? Not keen on meeting one of them at all.

Thanks for the info on the wheel. That hammer is really neat. I wonder how stable it is.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Make no mistake, Mogal. I"m not saying we should turn over the keys of the city to the deer and quietly retreat back to the primordial ooze . Just sometimes people forget who set the situation up that they're grumping about now.

(Besides, venison tastes _mighty_ fine!)

As to the stability of the wheel. Meg has one and loves it. It looks as if it'd be well balanced, and I should get mine any time from today to the weekend so can report back next week. 

I think I'll grab ahold of my co-conspirator-in-mischief next week and get the "women's group" restarted. Several have expressed interest in (paid) lessons in spinning (and they tend to be a competitive bunch, if you know what I mean. If one has something, the others must, as well  ). Still seriously thinking on sending part of my stash to a mill for processing - it would not only speed my own spinning up a lot but give me roving to barter or sell.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

I meant the stability of the individual hammers on the drive wheel itself since they only have one point of contact to the hub. If you have looked at many antique wheels at all and I know you have, you will notice how many drive wheels are warped and don't run true. 

AMEN--venison does taste mighty fine, especially a nice fat young doe. While we are talking about human intervention, despite the best intentions of Man (species, not gender), we've screwed up too with the overpopulation of snow geese, et. al., destroying their Arctic habitat. Then our bear population didn't just jump out of the woodwork--they have come north from Arkansas like me  from reintroductions back in the late 50's and early 60's. In the last say 20 years Arkansas has reintroduced ELK--think what a job that would do to a car and its occupants at 55 mph! Telling self--shut up, MOgal! 

Stay warm, ladies. Have I mentioned that I hate winter?


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Frazzlehead, I'm glad you're okay--what an awful ordeal you had. I hate seeing deer anywhere near the road. Two summers ago one came out of a stand of corn next to our road and ran into my car that DH was driving; we lost a headlight, but that was it thank goodness. I'm already worrying about next fall since not many hunters were in evidence this past year. We're seeing herds of deer on our fields now, not just a couple here and there.

This group is sure chatty; I stay away a few days, and there are so many new postings  I've been trying to get caught up with a bunch of stuff at home and trying to stay off-line. I joined Ravelry just to see what it was all about, but I can see wasting, er..spending, hours there, so I haven't gone back. On the fiber front, I did a bunch of dyeing and made some batts to send off to a sick friend--Gulf Coast plus mohair, and Targhee plus silk in pinks and light green, her favorite colors. They came out pretty well. For one of the pinks I used Pro-Chem dye without looking at the instructions. Unlike Landscape dyes, you seem to need to add salt as well as vinegar at the end. I only added vinegar and got very light colors which was fine for what I wanted, but I'm going to have to try again with salt.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Hey Mogal - you should see the (slightish) wibble in my Ashford . I think all wheels probably develop a wobble in time as part of the nature of wood. Gives them class .


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

I hate winter too

2 calves born in the middle of sub zero temps, me having to drag the poor dears in the house. Bath room off garage has a heater, so i set them in front of it till they thaw Stupid cows, they COULD go down the hill and calve out of the wind, but then they would have to leave the hay, HUMPH. Every joint aches, cant even think about spinning, not sure if its the cold or wrestling calves arround that has me so drained....

I think the one will live in the garage till this week end...the other one will go out today for the afternoon with mom if it gets above the 10's


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

glad you are ok frazzlehead, conservation dept needs to raise them limits


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Jerzeygurl said "conservation dept needs to raise them limits"

Amen to that! And the duration of the season like maybe ALL FALL for firearms! I know they wouldn't do that as it would mess up the bow hunters and the muzzleloaders but I can only dream. 

My sympathies on having your cows calve in such harsh conditions. Hope both survive. This was why I seldom bred my goats to kid before the end of February into March. BRRR.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle I'm glad you are alright. That is so scary, my legs would be shaking and I'd have a hard time driving after something like that.

Hey it's me, from the deer and wolf capital of the country. I can honestly say that we have many natural predators for the deer but they are still a pain. They are as thick as cockroaches in the city, really they are. I live in what is called an "intensive harvest area". The other day I was doing dishes and there was a deer right there walking by the window to get at some crabapples and nibble on the hay bale and chicken's food. Most years the deer have twins and sometimes triplets, the warm winters have been so easy on them. I've learned where they tend to hang out on my road and look for their eyes to glow in the headlights at night.

Flacon have you tried out the Hammer yet?

I did somemore dyeing over the weekend with Kool aid trying to duplicate that last batch. Lets just say that I got variations on the same theme


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## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

We had a crisis here - my ball winder broke ARRRRRGH! Especially terrible since I've been plying from the ball... So ordered a new one tonight from Carolina Homespun, hopefully they'll ship fast. Was going to use the Woolery but their cart was down adn I won't be home to call in. Ordered some firestar nylon, a couple books and a new yarn WPI too. May as well since I had to pay shipping anyway..... I ended up buying the Strauch winder, need something bigger and it looked better than the Royal. 

I've been spending all week on the dumb work schedule. Only gotten one skein of yarn done, though I'm working on some earth toned stuff tonight. Slowly though cause I'm TIRED.

Hoggie- no idea how the managers get fired so darn fast. I have a hunch this last one was due to some sort of money thing since it was such a fast firing. Who knows. It's the restaurant business. People come and go daily (sigh).

March, sounds like your son has some choices. A marriage to stay in the country isn't great, but on the other hand if they're in love with each other anyway, maybe they're better off to get married now than wait. Some of the most successful marriages I've seen have been faster ones, some of the worst are the ones who wait. 

Sorry to hear about the deer incident. My brother hit one in South Dakota a few years ago, took out the side of their van. In Montana we had one jump OVER our hood, and I've tapped one (spun out to avoid it). Glad you weren't hurt!!

Off to work tomorrow, and to list more yarn. I'm going to start staying home Tuesdays to work on the business. I am praying this isn't a mistake - to stay home I mean, not the business. Just as long as I can pay my bills


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

March, tried to spin the hammer, but it draws like lightening! Faster than the vintage flax wheel, even!  Just have to figure out how to spin on its single bobbin-drive (rather than one with Scotch tension or a double drive). Also need to decide how to stabilize it a bit better--it's very top heavy with that big bobbin, and the center post wobbles more than I"d like.

(While highly grateful to Sherri for the great deal, I'm still upset at the seller for having modified the hammers with those fugly dowels between each hammer . )


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Falcon, mine has two tension bands. The one from wheel to bobbin, and the small one that goes over the oriface end of the flyer. Try playing with both of those. If yours is missing that flyer one, let me know and I'll try to figure out pictures so you can see mine. 

Mine snatched everything out of my hands at first, too! Once you get the tension the way you want it, you're gonna be very happy with that wheel.

I can't believe someone fuglied-up your wheel! Dowels, for goodness sake!

As far as wobbles go, one of the wheels I got last fall off ebay, the little unnamed castle wheel, has a horrible, very pronouced wheel wobble (ask Liese, she saw it!) I was gonna get hubby to re-balance it, but then I thought about it some more. That wheel spins lace weight wool, angora or silk without much input from me! Why mess with it? Sometimes, it may LOOK broke, but it really isn't!


Sorry about the deer...but I'm very glad you weren't seriously damaged! And, even if the deer wasn't the smartest member of it's species, I'm glad that it was apparantly a quick death for the deer.

My obnoxious ram leaves tomorrow, being replaced by the Corriedale cross. Keep fingers crossed, please, for a better outcome on this.

Meg


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Okay, it's REALLY REALLY COLD!

We are all being 'inside dogs' today - that's my mom's term for days that are so cold that even the outside dogs get to come inside.  Nobody's going anywhere - it's minus 30 CELSIUS with windchills making it feel like -45 ... in Farenheit, that is -22 actual temp, with it feeling like -49. It's cold!

However, we have the fire going, The Reluctant Farmer and I can both work remotely on our computers (would rather have the day off so I could knit but hey...), and The Boy is upstairs sleeping in. The sheep did NOT decide to have their lambs last night in this weather, thankfully, and their nice big coats of wool seem to be keeping them warm. We'll give them extra feed today and take Dog Food Soup to the guardians later on.

Hope you are all having warm wooly sorts of days where you are!


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Frazzle, my husband is a computer software trainer and he's worked during the warmer parts of the year in Edmonton, Calgary and Dryden over in Ontario. He was supposed to have gone back to Dryden week before last but one of his coworkers was sent instead. That guy is from HOUSTON TEXAS and really suffered in the cold they were having. We had to laugh at his emails to my husband because every day he figured out a new quite eloquent description of how cold it was. All in all, I'm just as happy my husband didn't have to go even if we did miss out on some extra pay because of it. One of my worst worries is the road, close to 100 miles, from International Falls to Dryden, that is so poorly traveled, no residences in sight and one gas station that has only been open once when he's passed it. The people with whom he worked in Dryden told him to be sure he went to the bathroom and fill his gas tank before he left to go either direction. You are braver stock than I am, Miss Frazzlehead. Take care of yourselves.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzel while you have had that horrid cold we have had blissful warmth. Keep in mind that "warmth" is a relative term. After you have had a week or two of the kind of cold Frazzle is having, ANYTHING above zero is like t-shirt weather. We have actually been in the 20's - 30's the last few days, and the sun has been shining. However, we are in a severe weather alert from this afternoon until tomorrow night. I'm sure Frazzle's weather will be down here in no time at all.

Keep warm Frazzle I feel your pain, really I do.

Nothing fiber related happening today at least not yet. Im catching up on house work. My dogs seem to be shedding like crazy. I got one of the collies brushed out, two more to go


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Hhhhmmmm - that sounds on the anti-social side of "cold" to me :shrug: 
Don't think I'll swap just yet LOL

We have had two lovely spring-like sunny days with just a gentle breeze, and then today is eerie. There was absolutely NO wind at all - felt almost as if there was a storm brewing it ws that still.

I am still struggling with the spinning wheel - I am totally out of control with it, I KNOW I am over-spinning now and don't know how to correct it, so for now I am going to stick to the spindle I think. Did I ever mention that I'm a simple soul  

And still soldiering on with my work socks - I allowed myself one quick project along the way (DD's chunky sweater) and now it's back to finishing the pair I have on the needles before I allow myself to get sidetracked again :Bawling: 

Keep warm folks

hoggie


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Yesterday was sunny and in the 60s. This morning was overcast but warmish, in the 40s or so, I'd say, at 8am. By 10:30, the wind had shifted to the north and it was COLD (easy 20* drop)!!!! Phillip went out to cut wood (hadn't needed a fire in three days) and in the few minutes it took him, it started snowing little tiny flakes. Now there's over an inch of white stuff all over everything, and the air is frigid. 

But in the midst of all this, the first vintage wheel went to its young mistress . She had her 9th birthday yesterday and received her "new" wheel today. Of course, she sat right down to it and got it going (gave me trouble - these are very particular since they're hand-crafted and not machined and perfectly balanced/conformed), made all the connections ("if I treadle this way, the wheel goes that way and the bobbin .... ). Told her this summer I intend to dress her up and use her to demonstrate - with her mom's blessing, of course.

She proudly carried her wheel out to the car. It was SO heart-warming, I tell you.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

What a lucky little girl to have someone like you to get her going on something she obviously loves. Great too that her mother also encourages her. 

We had similar weather, Falcondance. This morning at 10, I was bringing in wood to fill the firewood box--in a short sleeve shirt and jeans. It was 67o! By noon it was 36o. I had a vet appointment for one of the cats at 2:30 and thought I'd run to town afterward to pick up a few things including water softener salt and some "sand tubes" to help weight the rear wheels of my truck. I'm so glad I changed the order of things and went to town first. It's 3:56 right now, 17o and the snow is falling so fast and heavily I can't see the fence behind the barn, maybe 100 yds. from the house. 

I got the salt and sand because I have been called in to work Thursday morning in Columbia, 30+ miles distant. I have to be there at 7:30 a.m. to help test some new software but it's not compulsory. If there is fresh snow on the ground and it's snowing when I get up, I'll call in to decline. My bosses over there are very understanding of my situation when DH is traveling as he is this week. I do have neighbors who would come get me but why risk it? 

Have I mentioned that I don't like winter.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

when we got up it was 55, when I went to milk it was 50, when the hiefers got out it was 25 ( and i of course was dressed for 55 not knowing it was 25)

yuck


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yesterday we got p to 40 above zero it was beautiful. This morning it was -22 with windchills as low as -50. Luckly we didn't have any of the freezing rain or snow last night or all day.

Annie on the other hand is in the midst of a blizzard in southern MN, and it sound pretty bad down there.

Keep warm everyone. Mogal drive safely to work on Thursday.


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Yep, it is bad. They closed schools here at 10:45 this morning, and closed I-35. Blizzard/white-out conditions, -35 wind chill, no travel is advised. I'm glad to be home. I have pork chops and garlic mashed potatoes in the oven, almost ready for supper, and then I'll knit on my latest sock.

Stay safe everyone!


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Well, got the new wheel yesterday - the seller's about to get a crankygram. The second flyer that was supposed to come with it does not actually fit that wheel, the cotter pin to hold the wheel to the axle is the wrong size & won't fit through the hole in the axle, and the two uprights that hold the wheel are stripped where the bolts attach to the wood :grump: 

That being said, it's otherwise a great wheel, and other than the few repairs I've had to do & the fact that it's only got one ratio I can use, it seems pretty okay. I'm getting a nice chunky yarn out of it (when I say chunky, it's probably a worsted weight - I mostly spin a lot of sock/stocking weight) and can see some good potential to get some yarns that are different than what I currently spin.

Anyways, it's finally here from New Zealand - yaaaay!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Bummer Ozarkcat. Where did you get this wheel again?

Annie I'm glad to hear you are safe in your house and have power. Schools were closed here today because of the cold. Actual temp was -24 with windchills to -55, it's very cold. Last night at the airport the windchill got to -85  No nonessential travel is advised and the aren't advising people to do outside unless they have to. Unfortunately I have to work today but I can tell you that the wind is unbelievably COLD!!!!!


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

We found it here on Ebay. DH has been talking to the seller & has worked out that he's going to give us some $ back on the deal, so I guess it's okay :shrug: It'll definitely be a much better wheel to drag around with me - the footprint's about a third of my other wheel. Now I just need to spin a whole lot of yarn to justify the expense


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

just wanted to poke my head in.

It's been non stop at work. Working on a conversion for company one of our divisions bought. 'Go Live' is next week (actually tomorrow) and there seems to be more and more last minute stuff popping up.

I have been too exhausted to fiber when I get home at night

Dang - got to get back to it!

Stay safe ladies (and warm!!!)


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Cyndi, you take it easy! I know your back has been bothering you--listen to your body, sis.

There's a lot to be said for couch & blankie time.


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## BAmaBubba (May 10, 2007)

I was about to post and ask if anybody'd see you as I was getting worried. Glad you're ok!!! we're in the middle of the cert cycle for our next delivery so I understand the hectic work thing.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I've posted the new FAC for February already. Here is the link if you would like to post there instead of here. http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=2840312#post2840312


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

Cat...that's a pretty little wheel....
I'm amazed at how much different yers looks to mine.
I take mine with me all the time...buckle it into the back seat and we're off....it's not a bad size for travel.
I spin in parks and parking lots....wherever I happen to find myself waiting for any length of time...(I share a car with the hubster, and wait a LOT)!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Cloverbud said:


> There's a lot to be said for couch & blankie time.


LOL!! CloverBud caught me at home the other night wrapped up in a wool blanket and asleep on the couch - before 8:00!!! I woke up long enough to show her the kitchener stitch and the false cable then she went out with my DH to disbud the goaties and I went to bed!


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