# FAC - June '10



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well according to Minnesota Public Radio it is meteorological summer.

Okay so it is June 1st and this is the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). The FAC is where we all come to touch base with each other. Here is also the place where any new members can take the time to introduce themselves or if you have questions or whatever you want to talk about. It doesn't even need to be fiber related.

I've been busy with work and the summer schedule, too busy and hours are too crazy for me to do too much of anything fiber related.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

No fiber here, either, unless you count a road-trip to buy warp for my rug loom.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Today I was getting really stressed, nothing was going right. Felt like Monday! haha! Anyway - my computer wouldn't play my Star Trek dvd to start with (ugh!) then I couldn't get the code to work for a website... finally about 1 I went into the front room to do something else...and just sat down and started making some little rolags. Made a whole basket full! Then after supper I spun it all up. :happy: I am getting better. Still a bit lumpy/bumpy but I think I am getting the hang of drafting now. There was that 'moment' when I felt like I knew what I was doing and it was just so close to right! :baby04:

Anyway, I think I may go do some knitting now (on some store bought yarn! lol!) It was really sorta a stress reliever to sit at the wheel. I just gotta figure out which chair to use so my back doesn't hurt... or maybe just relax a little more.

Can't believe it is June! My 10 yr old DS asked me this evening if I could knit him up a 'bunch' of socks before camp - June 13 - :umno:
Don't even think I could get one pair done by then! lol! I told him I would at least get some started for him. Maybe they would be done when he gets home.


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## organicfarmer (May 11, 2002)

Mama Johnson - I liked your "Uh - NO!" Do they think we don't need sleep??

Washing more fleece today. We found some wool moths in the back bay of our big shop - I think they came in on some fleeces we purchased (tough lesson learned). We seem to have everything under control now.

No other fibre work here as they are calling for thunderstorms tonight and we are going to try to finish planting the garden today (we plant around 1/4 acre).


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

mamajohnson said:


> Today I was getting really stressed, nothing was going right. Felt like Monday! haha! Anyway - my computer wouldn't play my Star Trek dvd to start with (ugh!) then I couldn't get the code to work for a website... finally about 1 I went into the front room to do something else...and just sat down and started making some little rolags. Made a whole basket full! Then after supper I spun it all up. :happy: I am getting better. Still a bit lumpy/bumpy but I think I am getting the hang of drafting now. There was that 'moment' when I felt like I knew what I was doing and it was just so close to right! :baby04:
> 
> Anyway, I think I may go do some knitting now (on some store bought yarn! lol!) It was really sorta a stress reliever to sit at the wheel. I just gotta figure out which chair to use so my back doesn't hurt... or maybe just relax a little more.
> 
> ...


I am going to start a thread where all beginning spinners must (LOL) post at least 1 picture of their yarn because I am feeling a bit alone in my journey to spin.

I use my spinning when I am feeling a bit overwhelmed myself or stressed at the kids or just can't sit still. I have finally ended up sitting in my big overstuffed chair with a huge foam wedge pillow behind me it looks hilarious but it works.

This holiday weekend when all the boys were here I received a whole shopping list of orders and had to explain that I am much faster at spinning then at knitting so I will try to have everything done by Christmas.



I had some leftovers on different bobbins from plying and needed some cler bobbins so rather then waste I decided to atempt N_plying Oh MY! definitely not as easy as it looks, so gonne stick with my 2 ply for now.

I attempted to dye a skein over the weekend wanted burgandy with a bit of green and blue and wanted to try out my bronze but ended up having to overdye and ended up with mostly burgandy and brown as the bronze spilt. I should not have added any additional vinegar.

We are down to one vehicle and I told my husband he has 2 weeks to get a vehicle running for him or he is going to be wlking to work, ( HELLO he is a mechanic!!!!!!!!!!!!, and it was his fault the Durango is out of order, he knew it needed help and keep on driving it ..........wait a minute that is also how the jeep ended up out of order!) He has been a work stabbing semi teansmissions I think he can work on our vehicles also of course it will have to be early morning or late evening because it is getting in the mid to upper 90s here and I do not want him getting over heated.

I have told him to get a dr appointment as he has decided to change his PCP since he had not been to see him in about 3 years before this situation. Well I do not want to find him a dr. that he does not like, of course he has been putting it off. Even trying to get him to take the baby asprin the ER dr. said to take it like trying to get my kids to remember something, wait a minute my 15 year old remembers his meds but the grown man can not.

Going to take a fiber trip this Thursday not far but going to get some practice fiber for a good price. 

I haqve been procrastining on getting some of my paperwork around here done it is no fun at all. But I must buckle down and do it, so that I can reward myself with some fiber time this afternoon.


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

mamaj, don't tell the spinning police but sometimes I spin sitting in a rocking chair. 

I just built a little 2 harness table loom. There's no place nearby to try one before I buy, so I decided to try building one. I've woven about 2 feet of cloth and it's nice and straight so I'll post a photo later. And it's made from scrap wood so it was absolutely free! I based it on a plan from an old book I found in the library.

Ann


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

ok, spinning chair question.... is lower better? I have the Ashford traditional, double treddle. It seems I am hunching over - put my back in a bind. But that is from a fairly low chair. Tried a kitchen chair - seems too tall for comfort for my feet.
My rocking chair is broke. :Bawling: It would probably be perfect. ha!

I hope to have time to take all the yarn I just did and get it into a skien and wash it. That was some really really dirty stuff. vm everywhere!


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I think a lot of the chair selection has to do with the treadle(s) on the wheel. You don't need to be hunched over close to the orifice. MamaJ, try different chairs until you find one you like--you shouldn't get a backache from spinning! 

I spent the weekend at an herb conference where I was a vendor. I did a display of natural dyes from the garden and had my shawls and scarves for sale as well as baskets. Got lots of nice comments on the knitting, but only sold two scarves (shawls were probably too pricey, but I wasn't about to give them away). I sold all the baskets, though, plus some--maybe I should stick to basketmaking! So now I'm home wanting to get my garden all weeded and mulched, but the weather is impossible--sooo hot and humid. I feel like sitting under a fan and spinning, rather than facing the mosquitoes, ticks, poison ivy, and weeds. I really hate our summers. I need to live further north!


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

The weather here is still wet and cooler than usual- an El Nino after-effect, according to the local meterologist. It has made the last few days of school a bit easier on adults and children though. It feels more like April than June, so they're not quite as restless. Hope it lasts until next week's last day of school. 

I had company over the holiday weekend- my sister and brother-in-law. We did several things that are easier to do with help-like shelves in the carport, putting up the new mailbox, and butchering out the extra roosters (finally). 

I've finished some fingerless mitts (out of alpaca spun a few years ago) and am now knitting the sweater I've been spinning for. I'm almost ready to spin up samples for the sweater my son asked for at Christmas-he won't need it for awhile as he just moved to Maryland for the next 6 months...hardly a need for wool sweaters just yet (though I'm still wearing mine in the mornings and evenings here) The fleece didn't card out to show the color grade changes as much as I'd hoped in either of the lamb fleeces-but I'm going to try to do rolags instead of drum carding to see it that keeps the color better.

I hope to get to the garden this coming weekend-maybe it will be dry enough to turn over the soil. I bed my garden, so no tilling is needed, but turning over really wet soil isn't a good way to begin. Who knows when it will be dry enough at this rate.

Hope you all enjoy the coming summer-at least I don't have to have a fire every evening now..the rain is just about warm enough to leave the doors open.
I best be out to the barn-I just noticed how late it's getting already..
betty


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I think I have been spinning like the lady on the left WIHH! *ouch*
I have a metal chair like that - maybe I should try it. The deal is, my back almost always hurts, there are some things that make it worse than others. I have pretty much learned to deal with it in most stuff I do... but the way it was hurting the other night was pretty intense. BUT I don't think it is enough to make me stop spinning!  I will learn to cope.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Love the spinning pictures!

I haven't done any fiber stuff recently. We had two families as houseguests over the holiday weekend as well as our annual Spring Party, then I had to work at the hospital and finish getting the garden put in. At last, though, all the guests are gone, the linens have all been washed, the garden is in: even the okra is planted (I always wait until June for that).

At the Spring Party, guests voted on names for this year's lambs. The winners were: 

Biggest ram lamb = RAMSES
Orphan ram lamb = OLIVER
Twin lambs = ITCHY & SCRATCHY
Ewe lambs = MATILDA, MERIWETHER, and SOOKIE

Really, no one but me can tell them all apart, but people seem to enjoy choosing the names.


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

mamajohnson said:


> I think I have been spinning like the lady on the left WIHH! *ouch*


mamaj, I think the lady's posture looks hunched because she seems to be leaning her elbows on her knees -- not so much the chair as her position. It looks kind of painful to me as I've had back problems off and on for years. I wonder if it would help to wear a back brace while spinning if you can't find a comfortable chair?

Ann (who loves my rocking chair)


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Here we have a board that doesn't have to be fiber related, and what do we talk about?? FIBER!!! :hysterical:

I have done just a little bit of spinning. I have 4 teens and one 20 year old (isn't he still a teen??? <grin>) who are getting ready to go on a mission trip for 10 days. The 20yo just got laid off from his job with a landscaper, so he's going to stay at the mission place for the summer volunteering. My 18yo daughter is house sitting for a month, not very far away, but she comes home to milk the goat every morning. So while she's on the mission trip dh is going to check on the house to and from work and I'll be milking the goat.  

We just found out in the last couple of weeks that dh probably has Asperger's Syndrome. This sure explains a lot. So with everything going on I feel like my head isn't even attached. Kinda a cross between :stars: and :run:

Something really neat has happened, though, I joined a Meet Up group online for spouses of people with Asperger's, and I posted a drawing I did that expressed my feelings, and the lady who is running the group is a Psychologist and is writing another book about it, and wants me to illustrate the cover! :banana02: That was a huge boost for my moral!


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

mamajohnson--I have a little Ashford Joy (sits really low) and I've found the best thing is to get one of those office chairs that raises and lowers (I got mine used for $10). I lower it all the way down for the Joy. Works good at home---traveling is a different story as the office chair is hard to carry. (Grin) Just got back from vacation, drove through New Mexico and Arizona to the Grand Canyon (saw the Petrified Forest), back through the desert (never seen it before), Mesa Verde and back through Colorado (streams are wild and clear with melted snow)---so beautiful! 2,700 miles on that 15 year old car. I went by a Fiber Festival and had to be restrained! I found out high altitude bothers me a lot in my maturity. Took knitting but didn't do much. Now back to work.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I finally feel like life might get back to normal for me. My little farm helper left this morning. The garden is in and will just need tending. My sheep are having their little lambies. I will post a couple of pictures of them. I am still a cheese making fool and today I made bread. I wish I could sell my cheese. I am making way more than we can consume. I have used it for bartering with a couple of things. 

I still have my fleeces to finish up. I have not done anything fibery since my company came on the 14th of May. I want to start another pair of socks. That will only be pair #3 for me. I still have the little sweater I am working on. The girl I am borrowing the triangle loom from had her baby and her husband hasn't brought the loom down from the attic and I don't want to bother them right now. I was able to get a ball winder and with my amazon credits, I was just able to order a swift. YIPPEE!!! The friend took my spinning wheel piece and is fixing it for me. Soon, I should be up and running. 

This Saturday is chicken pick up day. I will have people coming all afternoon to get their chickens.

I will take us back to non-fiber subjects. I have noticed that some people (besides moderators) have something written just under their name on this forum (like WIHH). What is that there for and how did it get there?


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

> oh Nellie -a diagnosis can be scary but at least now you know what you are dealing with. Its amazing to me that so many go through life WITHOUT being properly diagnosed and treated. And congrats on the illustration gig -thats awesome!
> sorry bout the thread drift thingee - but as hard as i try NOT to talk about fiber - it keeps sneaking in!!!


You know, we've been seeing a Psychologist marriage counselor for TWO YEARS now, and everything that has actually been helpful has been something *I've* discovered, either online or in a book, not that she has told us. I'm very perplexed as to why she did not pick up on this right away. I had never even heard of Asperger's, but just happened to follow a link somewhere.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

My compute is acting up. I had a long response typed out and my computer locked up on me :flame:

MamaJ What I find to be the most important thing for me when I spin is to have my legs/knees at right angles and my treadling foot may be a bit extended. I prefer a straight backed chair and usually have my back and butt up against the back of the chair. I have long arms and legs and I just cannot treadle comfortably if my legs are bunched up. With WIHH's wheel the chair was a bit short but I found that to get the treadling right I needed to be up a bit closer than I usually am comfortable when I'm on my wheel. If I remember right you have a Traditional or Traveller, right? They probably treadle about the same and treadling should not be difficult or put any strain on your back or legs. Can you get someone to take a few pictures as you sit at your wheel and spin? Maybe we can look at them and help you a bit more figure out some solution.

WIHH, it was so much fun helping you, I would make that trip any time to help you out, you know that.

At work today one of my spinning students flew out and she presented me with a ball of angora she had spun on her new wheel, it was the second thing she had spun. I feel like a proud mama :banana02:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Everybody is so busy, even if it is not fiber related!

Me? I am kind of grumpy but will get over myself eventually. The details are pretty mundane, but suffice it to say that co-parenting teenagers in a blended family is the hardest thing that I have ever done. I keep telling myself all the ways it could be worse, and I know that it's true. Watching what Melissa has been going through has had a real impact on my perception of what is important.

Thank goodness for knitting! I am working on a hat from wool I carded, dyed, and spun myself. The first time I have started with raw wool and done the whole process.
I am nearly done with it, then I will show you all. The colors are pretty wild. 

My heart goes out to all of you dealing with challenges right now.:kissy:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Big hugs to you GAM. It's hard enough to parent your own teenagers (ask me how I know ) I cannot imagine the challenge of parenting someone else's as well, even if it was part of the package. Just remember if it doesn't kill you they say it makes you stronger. Wonder woman thought coming your way.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

MamaJ, another thought on the spinning chair: when I remember I take one of those wedge-shaped driving cushions with me to my guild meetings because the chairs there are wrong for me and my wheel. I can't sink into a chair and still treadle; I like my butt to be a bit elevated. I also spin with both feet on a single treadle to keep both hips evenly elevated.

My thoughts are with all of you going through difficult times right now. Know that things will get better!


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Hugs to Nellie. Hoping that the understanding you're gaining will help make everything better.

To GAM, too. I remember when my DH's 2 teens came to live with us, unexpectedly, after we were married for just a couple of months. Even after 20 years, and though they are dear to me now, it was probably the hardest time of my life. Many times I felt like the little "run for the hills" icon. Hang in there.

A stray cow wandered into our corn field the other day and pruned a bunch of our sweet corn. What next?

Ann


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

Mamajohnson, i sit almost sideways to spin, sitting head on hurts my back, so really its all in preference


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

gone-a-milkin said:


> but suffice it to say that co-parenting teenagers in a blended family is the hardest thing that I have ever done.


GAM - I inherited a 13 yr old girl when DH and I married. She moved out by 15 (back with her mom) I have since decided that teens in general are a pain in the rear! I am on my 4th teen, her and 3 boys, with one girl just turning 12 this month and my last son right behind her.... :stars:
Let me tell you, if they are his, mine or ours... they are just hormones waiting to explode. 



Marchwind said:


> Can you get someone to take a few pictures as you sit at your wheel and spin? Maybe we can look at them and help you a bit more figure out some solution.
> 
> At work today one of my spinning students flew out and she presented me with a ball of angora she had spun on her new wheel, it was the second thing she had spun. I feel like a proud mama


Marchwind - I have the Ashford traditional, double treadle. I think my legs are not sure yet where they need to be! lol! A picture is a great idea... maybe a video. But there is a problem. I spun up all I had ready... hmmmmm maybe I should buy some nice roving for demonstration purposes?? 



Nellie said:


> You know, we've been seeing a Psychologist marriage counselor for TWO YEARS now, and everything that has actually been helpful has been something *I've* discovered, either online or in a book, not that she has told us. I'm very perplexed as to why she did not pick up on this right away. I had never even heard of Asperger's, but just happened to follow a link somewhere.


Nellie I think it is great that you have the gumption to research, and are not just waiting to be 'told' how to be... good for you! And a big congrats on the book thingy! woohoo!!!



Mrs. Homesteader said:


> I finally feel like life might get back to normal for me. My little farm helper left this morning. The garden is in and will just need tending. My sheep are having their little lambies. I will post a couple of pictures of them. I am still a cheese making fool and today I made bread. I wish I could sell my cheese. I am making way more than we can consume. I have used it for bartering with a couple of things.


Mrs! do you have lambie pictures??? they are just so darn cute! Too bad your so far away, I would figure out a way to swap for some cheese.



Wind in Her Hair said:


> you drove PAST a Fiber festival?!?!?:shocked: ...unthinkable.  :sob: :help:  but its sounds like a great trip!!!


Totally agree with you WIHH!!!! I would just love to be able to go to a fiber festival. *sigh*

ok, well, time for me to go make the graduation ceremony circuit... see ya'll later! I am hoping to get in some knitting time this evening when I get home...


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Well back to the living with more excitement here, yesterday morning I was sitting at the computer and I heard a HUGE BOOM!!!!!!!!! thought maybe the transformer at the back of our properthad blown so yelled at hubbie that was laying down with the kids and ran ( as much as possible ) out the door. Not the trasformer But there are huge plumes of black smoke flowing across the area I like in and you could see that it was coming from the road over. I live in an area that has 50 2.5 acre plots, my nose, mouth and throat started burning. Come to find out that the older gentleman had finished mowing and put his lawnmower up in the garage still hot and fumes or something ignited, the BOOM was his welding tanks exploding so I am figuring this is what is still burning my nose and throat. Talked to a friend that was one of the firemen on scene he said unless I got to having more trouble breathing that I would be OK and to take some nebulizer treatments. 

In the midst of the fire I gathered everything important and had hubby load truck in case the wind picked up and we had to evac. Great grandma's rocker, keepsake totes out of closet, clothes for 2 days, pictures, and my wheel. Firemen rotated out all night to make sure of no flareups. But I am ready for some boring do nothing have no exciement kinda life things have just been keeping me on pins and needles lately, I feel so edgey all the time. 

Hoping to be able to save enough out of the next 2 paychecks to either buy me a couple of fleeces from a guy I know or go to the fiber festival up by Tulsa the end of the month I really wanna go to the festival but I hate the 3 1/2 hour drive both ways.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Whoa. That does NOT sound like fun. Anyone hurt? 

My dh is a part-time FF. They hate it when there are tanks in a garage/barn fire. So unpredictable.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Holy Cow luvzmybabz! I think that is way too much excitement. Hope the guy was ok.
I have never thought it was a good idea to put up hot lawnmowers... now I know for sure it isn't! 
Don't use one now... the goats/sheep do the grass trimming for me.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Luvamybabz wow! Hope no one was hurt. I'd be all about getting some spinning time in to sooth the nerves.


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

It sounds like all of you are getting lots of gardening done. I hope to get at it next weekend-this week was still too wet to work up the soil. WIHH, I live in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, just SW of Eugene, at about 2500' elevation-I back up against the Willamette National Forest, on a small,high, flat area called the high prairie. El Nino gave us a very mild winter-little snow and lots of clear, dry and spring-like weather in January and February. Until March there was clear worry about a drought-and we still haven't had all of our usual rain and snow for the year-We've had lots of wet, cool weather since then. In the past week we've gone past the record for rain in the month of June-most of it in one day. Some wag called it 'Junuary'. Now I think we're nearing summer weather-which is dry and warm from June to early October. Today we just had thunder, hail, rain, and sunshine...but it was warm enough to leave the door open (of course, I wore a sweater all day).

I'm still working on making it sane all the way through the last week of school- which ends on Wednesday for the students, but with work days for me until Monday the 14th...I always seem to have lots of end-of-year paperwork. Once school is out, I'm free (until workshops in July and inservices in August) to get my garden done, my fence's repaired, my fleeces all washed and stowed..and lots of spinning done out on the deck in the summery weather (which had better get here soon or I'll be growing moss, just like the trees in the woods back by the creek behind the barn). I'm saving money for the Black Sheep Gathering the weekend of the 18th...I have my 'wish list', and now I'm thinking about all those lovely hand-made wheels....

I'm a special education teacher so I know what Nellie's looking at. Lots of people miss Asperger's-it's not as easily recognizable as other points on the spectrum, and it hasn't been recognized in those who are 'mild' until recently. I'm not surprised that you had to do your own 'finding'. Hopefully the information you find will help you fall in love with this unique man all over again. Take a good look at his family (and your children) because it does seem to run in families quite often. I'll bet you'll find someone with similiar behaviors somewhere in the family tree. I suggest you look for the children's book "All Cats have Aspergers" -and of course I can't remember the author at the moment. It's a great explanation of life with aspergers-with a sweet and simple approach.

I'm working on the sweater I've been spinning for-it's a pattern from Spin-Off a few issues ago called the Oatmeal Sweater. I took out the sleeve cuff so many times to try to get it right, that I finally just knitted it the way the pattern called for, turned it inside out to get the pattern I wanted, and finished the sleeve. I hope the pattern for the yoke goes better than the cuff did. I did get the corrections from the website (as someone suggested when I first mentioned that I was spinning for this sweater) but it still is not right-either that or I just don't like the pattern in 'real life' as much as I liked the photo..

May your days be just interesting enough to avoid boredom, and just peaceful enough to stay contented,
betty

Okay..any of you who live in the Pacific NW now know that I'm directionally dysfunctional...the Cascade Range is SE of Eugene, OR-not SW...sorry


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Nellie,

All Cats have Aspergers Syndrome, by Kathy Hoopmann.  That is a sweet story. I also live with people in the autism spectrum. Once you can understand it, you stop taking it so personally. Not saying it is easy. Nope. It sure isn't. It isnt a "sickness" though. Yeah, the teen issues I am dealing with? Well, there is the Spectrum included in all of that.& betty is right, it does seem to be genetic. I am tracking 3 generations of it here, not all the same degree, but it is obviously not random. I hate "labels" and the stigmas that go with them, but documentation can be your friend (legal-wise). The issues I am having are based on what the tests deem "borderline". When people are highly intelligent they can really compensate for their lack of empathy. Oh, Nellie. Learn all you can.  It will change your parenting style too. 

betty modin, 

You are a Special Ed teacher? I never knew that. I bet you are great at your job.  I wish you worked in MY school district!
I hope you get the weather you need to have a successful garden this year. & good luck with the Oatmeal Sweater. It sounds challenging. 

Me? I am just excited to get a wheel. :dance: Soon. Pretty soon? Not TOO much waiting...?! Please. Whee, it is going to be so FAST! to make yarn. <sigh> 
Have I mentioned I am excited? LOL. :gaptooth:


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Betty, you know, I am positive that my father-in-law had it. My 18yo daughter thinks she also may have it. I kind of see some aspects of it in my oldest son, too. But he's very outgoing and makes friends easily. It's the empathy for others that he doesn't get. Anyway, I'm digressing... thank you, each of you, who mentioned knowing about this. I'm going to the library today to turn in my first batch of AS books, lol, I'll look for the "cat" one. Now that the whole topic is "out of the bag", my husband and I have been having our very first deep, meaningful conversations since we got married. He's finally letting me "in". The whole thing is very surreal.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Nellie said:


> Now that the whole topic is "out of the bag", my husband and I have been having our very first deep, meaningful conversations since we got married. He's finally letting me "in". The whole thing is very surreal.


:awh:

Nellie, this makes me sad. And happy. I just prayed that God would restore the years the locusts have eaten...


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

I've been cleaning more wool, picking and fluffing and getting it ready to card. I only have a little time during the day to do this, but it makes me happy to be able to get a little in here and there. We are milking two goats, raising bottle fed kids, taking care of a litter of rabbits and tending the vegetable garden as well as homeschooling still. The end of the homeschooling year is near, very near :bouncy: and I am so looking forward to being done with it! This will be 5 hours of the day I have to use for canning and other stuff. I haven't been able to touch my flower garden yet this year. Having the farm and homeschooling is really making me feel stretched beyond what I like. I'm currently praying about this and trying to decide if we need to get out of the livestock animals altogether or just reduce them more. 

I have about 4 oz of polyplay and angora rabbit spun up. I'm thinking of plying it and washing it and making a sheep. I think I have a crochet pattern I could use. It's nice to see all the stuff going on here.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Jo, how old are your kids? I homeschool too. It can be time consuming when they are little. I have 2 graduated from High School, One in High School, One going Jr High this year and one that is about 5th/6th grade level. They get easier as they get older, more self paced here, I give them assignments and expect it to be done (or there are consequences) That leave me a bit more time. Also give them more chores. Usually we don't spend 5 hours on homeschool, more like 3 or 4. But, then, I am pretty laid back on schooling.

Just wanted to offer a little hope.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Oh! Oh! You guys are homeschoolers, too! Yay! We just graduated our daughter, MissMenagerie. So we have two grads so far, two more in HS, one in JH, and four in gradeschool. I gave up schooling after the graduation, so I guess we are done. Although my two HS boys have a lot to do this summer to catch up.  All my teens are gone this week, though, I had forgotten how quiet a house can be with "only" four kids... :hysterical:

Weever, thank you for your prayers. That means so much to me.

Oh!! Cool! I just figured out how to make an avatar!


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

weever said:


> :awh:
> 
> Nellie, this makes me sad. And happy. I just prayed that God would restore the years the locusts have eaten...


I am praying this as well. 

We also homeschooled. I wish I still had some here to teach.  

Life is busy as usual. I am not sure why it seems busier, but it does. I don't have lots of time to be in here. I am trying to keep up with everyone.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

We homeschool, too. Two are graduated and off to college, and two high schoolers remain to finish the "grey hair" process.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

He was absolutely adorable too  Then again her older children were pretty well behaved the whole time Mom was looking at fibers


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

I'm finishing up another rug, have a couple of eyelash yarn fun scarves OTN (easy projects I take to play group, etc) and I just bought a skein of Patons yesterday I needed to start on a chulo ski hat for a friend to replace the one he lost in Colorado last year. I'm also shopping for a bamboo or other drape-y yarn to make a Coachelle top for myself. I don't think wool would work for this one.

Very windy today, but dry so maybe I can get a few things finished up in the garden. Time to start cole crop seedlings for the fall garden too. I have chicks, ducklings, guinea keets, rabbit kits and pot bellied piglets, so lots of animals to care for.


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

Sounds good! I'm looking for something soft with a nice drape.


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

OK I just looked back over the posts and for some reason I could not get on homesteading today but it looks as if no one else had that problem. maybe it was fate cause I only had one of my raverly boards to post asking for opinions and I just dug myself under a mountain literally somewhere between 80 and 100 pounds of raw wool columbian/dorset cross did get an excellent price and staple was longer the advertised but I have lots of work cut out for me this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

Yes, I have to say they were all very well behaved at the festival! 
My oldest is going to be nine this year, and then we have a son who's going to be 7, then a daughter who's going to be 4 and the little guy in the picture who is 1 now. I feel like we are just starting serious homeschooling. My oldest has had adhd and we just woke up to the fact (one year ago) that she's had this problem. I don't always know how to handle it and her and the schoolwork. I hope that we will be able to reach highschool with her. Sometimes I feel like that is sooo far away. But fun is such a motivator with her and she really loves doing things that are fun. Spinning is one of them. Talking about spinning has been a confidence booster for her. 
The adhd really makes it hard for her to concentrate long enough to get her stuff done. That's why it tends to take 5 hours! But that's just on the bad days, on the good days she's gets it done quicker. 

Thanks for saying those nice things. It's reminding me on a tough day that things are not really so blue here!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

luvzmybabz said:


> OK I just looked back over the posts and for some reason I could not get on homesteading today but it looks as if no one else had that problem. maybe it was fate cause I only had one of my raverly boards to post asking for opinions and I just dug myself under a mountain literally somewhere between 80 and 100 pounds of raw wool columbian/dorset cross did get an excellent price and staple was longer the advertised but I have lots of work cut out for me this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Me! I couldn't get on this morning for anything! I had to go run errands and pay bills... so when I got home this evening I got logged in no problem...

Ok, so - you REALLY have that much raw wool?????? (I have read it 3x now!)
Wow! where are the pictures???


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Wow, just backed up and read all that I missed. There are lots of homeschool fiber folks aren't there?? :grin:


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Jo, I've heard good things about omega 3 oils for ADHD and focus issues. Check it out--ask around on homeschooling forums (if you are on any).


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

mamajohnson said:


> Me! I couldn't get on this morning for anything! I had to go run errands and pay bills... so when I got home this evening I got logged in no problem...
> 
> Ok, so - you REALLY have that much raw wool?????? (I have read it 3x now!)
> Wow! where are the pictures???


Well i went with the intention of buying part of it however once I got there he said he would cut me a deal if I took all of it. Yep he saw me coming. Getting ready to work on a bit of it if I can find a dang cord to my camera. then I have to go to Dr. appointment this afternoon blah it cuts into my day but oh well they rescheduled the basket weaving class I was going to take this Saturday so I will have time to work on the fleeces.

PS that does not include the 10 pounds of raw llama or the other hideious ~7 pound fleece I purchased that was NOT as described and the pictures were of other fleeces. I am thinking about sking any of my friends that would not have 10 kinds of fits just for me asking to come out and have a wool day with me.


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

I think there are a lot of home schoolers on this forum. We discovered the omega oil thing about 6 months ago, and it seems like it helps her. A few months after we started using it she actually leaped from not being able to read much more than a few words to reading things by herself. She began to tell us street names, package labels and we found her reading a few books! Really amazing. 
We have musing lessons today so I have to get going!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Jo, when my 16 yr old DS was little - about 7-9 I nearly killed us both trying to teach him to read. His two older brothers were whiz kids... just took to learning like a duck to water. I discovered when Andrew was 9 that he was very dyslexic! WOW! All the tears and struggles and my thinking he was just being disobedient and onery. When that clicked, then things just fell into place with his learning. I do not stress over him doing 'book' work at all. He does what makes him happy. And that is researching on his own (google and wikipedia!) and watching videos to learn. Discovery channel, science channel and lots of online video's are awesome. When he was 9 my DH and I decided that the poor child had some sort of learning disorder and we would be happy if he learned a life skill, like car repairs or something. That helped me come to grips with not forcing something on him. Oh, and he does read now, it doesn't come easy, but he is happy to work for it. Believe it or not, getting a cell phone and texting has really helped! :huh:
So, (said all that to say this ) you have a clue as to how your adhd child learns, just fit the learning to that. They really don't have to do book work, do they? Teach as you go about your day. Kids are naturally inquisitive.


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

We just finished high school requirements for our homeschooled 17 yo ds. I was a school teacher and had no intention of homeschooling, but we had some problems resulting from birth trauma and public school wasn't the answer in our case. We all seem to come to the same conclusion -- sometimes it's hard, sometimes we think we're failing our children, sometimes everything "clicks". Hang in there. I love reading everyone else's experiences and wish I'd had some feedback 10 years ago.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Not a homeschooler but.... I am ADD and Dyslexic. and so is my #2 son, and #1 son is ADD Life is good but heck of a lot of work most days. Just don't ever think your kids are being lazy or disobedient, I still get that from people who just don't understand. It is very demeaning and frankly an insult of the intelligence that really is there.

Keep up the good work and love those kids.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Marchwind said:


> Not a homeschooler but.... I am ADD and Dyslexic. and so is my #2 son, and #1 son is ADD Life is good but heck of a lot of work most days. Just don't ever think your kids are being lazy or disobedient, I still get that from people who just don't understand. It is very demeaning and frankly an insult of the intelligence that really is there.
> 
> Keep up the good work and love those kids.


Good word, March. I have one that thinks differently. He is so bright in some ways we stand with our mouths agape sometimes. Booksmart? Not so much. 

However, I do think he has his share of laziness and disobedience. Don't we all?

:heh:


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

I'm trying to get caught up here at the Fiber folks forum now that my college student is done with his online courses (until the 21st). Geez I wish we could afford two internet connections.

I'm so envious of you who are attending fiber festivals, I can't get to one until September!
I'm stuck with Ebay for my mass fiber purchases...EVIL Ebay! Bad, Bad, Bad!
I got on there looking up a book and the next thing I knew I was in the Spinning, Fiber, Roving dept. I have 4 oz. of Yak-Merino Top ($16) and 1 lb. of Alpaca ($17) coming and knowing my luck they'll get here while I'm in Utah...EVIL Ebay...Bad, Bad, Bad!
What's really 'Bad' is that I don't really 'need' anymore fiber at this time, I have several pounds of natural and dyed ready for the wheel and a few more pounds of raw to skirt and wash. Add to that, I had a great day at the Flea Market last weekend, I bought about $90 worth of spun wool for less than $6 (imagine my GLEE!)

Maybe I NEED an Intervention!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

marinemomtatt said:


> I'm trying to get caught up here at the Fiber folks forum now that my college student is done with his online courses (until the 21st). Geez I wish we could afford two internet connections.
> 
> 
> Maybe I NEED an Intervention!


No Interventions!!!! Your fine. I promise. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. 

Hey, what about getting a wireless router and usb receiver stick thingys for your internet? We have 4 and sometimes 5 computers online at a time here.
Do you have high speed internet? Today I had 3 kids watching 3 different movies on 3 different computers while I worked on a website.

Yep, their spoiled... rotten.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

We've got an internet card thingy, works in all our puters...one at a time.
We've looked into something like what you mention, but they don't have an unlimited usage plan and with the kid doing some of his college classes online we need unlimited..and sometimes I forget to disconnect...Oops!
I'm afraid that if we can all get on at one time we'll forget how to be a family sitting on the couch watching the boob-tube...~lol~...


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

On Saturday I was able to go and pick up the triangle loom. It is now set up at my house. I want to watch the video that came with it and then I can begin to see my dream come true!!!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Marci, congratulations on the loom! Oh, I cant wait to see the shawl. Are you going to go straight to it, or try something else first, as a 'test'?

Me? I have been playing with Annie and getting a bit of a feel for how she does things. I think it will take several pounds of fiber before I fully 'get' it. Right now I am just putting in those beginners hours. I think I can get it though. Maybe in 20 years? 40? more? 
Oh well, you have to do SOMEthing with your spare time, right? Seriously, I am having a blast.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

GAM, the loom is borrowed from a friend. She said I should have no problems. I will watch the video that comes with it first and see what I think. I didn't think about trying something else first. Hmmm....


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

GAM don't forget to oil Annie liberally at all the moving parts that touch other parts. I oil my wheels every time I change out a bobbin


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I have been knitting a baby blanket, booties, hat etc... just sorta a straight forward knit blanket thing, nothing fancy. I am using bumpy yarn, so it looks interesting. 
Anyway - the lady I am knitting it for is due in mid august. Well, last night I was told the baby shower for her is THURSDAY!!!!!!!  So, anyway, I will be knitting every single chance I get. maybe, just maybe I can get the blanket and booties finished. I am half way done with the blanket now, so... ya'll won't be seeing much of me the next few days!
Geeze, I hate these kind of surprises! I figured I had at least another 3 weeks before the shower!


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

MamaJ, why don't you just make paper cut-outs of the baby stuff and wrap those up with a note that the real things will arrive before the baby? That way the mom will get a special surprise after the shower when she gets the real things, AND you don't have to kill yourself knitting this week. Just a thought...


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

Seems odd to be knitting a wool chullo hat in June, but here it is. Need to hear back from the customer on color choice for the applied I-Cord, then I can finish it.








Need to pick out a pattern and get started on a cowl for a swap on a fiber arts forum. hope I have some worthy yarn, they are into the pricey stuff!
Need a break in the rain to finish up the garden!


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> good reminder, Marchwind.
> 
> I am also spinning the flicked and washed locks from the fold - inchworming my way along. The singles aren't as smooth as I'd like -but I'm working on it.
> 
> ...


I will tell you my way of helping although, I have been told it is a no no by some people I received the advice for the exact same reason! when you are joining or spinning from the lock let a small amount of twist into the drafting area, Maybe 1/2 inch or so. WARNING: you must control how much you let in and I tend to hold the drafting fingers tighter when I do this because I was holding too loose and my roving got spun for about 4 inches.



yankeeterrier said:


> Need a break in the rain to finish up the garden!


I have yet to see if my garden has washed away today we had 6 inches of rain here today and more on the way. This past winter and spring has been a time for records where I live.

Records for earthquakes, blizzards, tornados, and now for rainfall in a single day.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Okay Ladies. I will oil Annie diligently.  
I have been lectured profusely by her creator on that very topic. 
I dug out the spray can of white lithium grease, which works wonderfully for this. 

Here is some yarn that Annie and I made together. 
We are starting to come to an understanding. I can now get her started with my feet almost every single time.
& I can get her to STOP in the right spot, w/o upsetting the bobbin. Yay. 
That just happened tonight. Woo-hoo. 
I also figured out that there is an acorn right by the orifice which works perfectly to wrap your yarn around, so no clothespin needed.
& I braided her an orifice hook cord. Did that while on the phone w/ my mom.
(my mom got herself a new Remington 30/30 carbine, that ejects from the top) she is 5'2" and a lefty, so you know she had to tell me all about it.  
<holds phone to ear and braids cord>. LOL.

yankeeterrier, is that the pattern from knitty? They have one with the applied I cord, which I have yet to try.
I am almost done with a Chullu hat too.  
I needa use up all my wool so I can get back to knitting. 











I am still getting the hang, but this purple stuff is nice and bouncy and holds together w/o being excessively over/under spun. 
It is various in thickness, but that is okay for now.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

luvzmybabz, we had 6" of rain at one time the past two Junes, so I sort of know what you're dealing with. I hope your garden survived! Never a dull moment with the weather, eh? This June we've probably had 6" of rain--but it comes a half inch at a time, raining every 2 or 3 days. My farmer hubby is going nuts--he's got beans to plant, cut hay rotting in the fields, and premium hay (uncut) going downhill fast. 

Such is life.

GAM, that is beautiful yarn. Yummy!

WIHH, I LOL at your description of the black Wensleydale in your basket. 

Our teens are away at camp, and we got a call last night that 15yods is sick. If he's still sick this morning, we get to road trip up there and bring him home. I feel badly for him. It's no fun to be away from home when you're sick. And it's really no fun to lay around in the infirmary while everyone else is doing wall climbing and kayaking and paintball...


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Katherine in KY said:


> MamaJ, why don't you just make paper cut-outs of the baby stuff and wrap those up with a note that the real things will arrive before the baby?


Good thought Katherine! I am nearly done with the baby blanket, and think I will just whip up some booties to match (shouldn't take long for those) and then I can make the little jacket/hat set for when baby comes! 



yankeeterrier said:


> Seems odd to be knitting a wool chullo hat in June, but here it is. Need to hear back from the customer on color choice for the applied I-Cord, then I can finish it.


Great hat! I think June is a good time to do all that hat knitting. I need to get some done too.



weever said:


> Our teens are away at camp, and we got a call last night that 15yods is sick. If he's still sick this morning, we get to road trip up there and bring him home. I feel badly for him. It's no fun to be away from home when you're sick. And it's really no fun to lay around in the infirmary while everyone else is doing wall climbing and kayaking and paintball...


ohhh so sorry your son is not feeling well. I hate when that happens. If yours are like mine they count the days until camp. Mine usually crash and burn a day or so after they get home. Last year one of them threw up for 3 days after. 


GAM - still love your yarn. I think I remarked on it over on facebook. 
And I am going to get my book out and check on the oiling of my Bessie, then remember where on earth I put that extra drive band! Thnx for the tips WIHH.

Well, I actually have to go do work now. (boo!) 
I sure do enjoy coming here and reading about all ya'll are doing. It is the highlight of my day. :clap:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> speaking of chullo hats....GAM???????


I still need to make the tassels!!! Who has time for that right now? 
When they just got a new spinningwheel not even a week ago!?! 
Golly, I thought you would understand that.  

My DS15 is also eager to have it done.Not sure why he needs it RIGHT NOW!
The weather has been absurdly hot and humid. LOL.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> How long is the staple on that fiber you are spinning, GAM? And are you inchworming or are you doing more of a long draw? Is it carded or combed or roving when you spin it?
> Or flicked locks? Inquiring minds....












This is my elaborate set up right here. A dog slickerbrush. That's it.
No authentic woolcrafting tools in my life (yet). One thing at a time. 

I wash the locks in ribbons all connected to eachother.
I dyed them in their lock formation. (not dyed in this pic, of course).
Pull one or 2 locks depending on how fat they are, off from the strand, then I twist it in the middle (actually below the yucky line), 
pinch that with one hand and then brush out the tip. Then I flip it over, twist it in the brushed out part, pinch it again and brush out the cut end. 
I think that a forceps would help with the pinching part. I need to go find them... 
That is the only part that I dont like, it hurts my fingers after awhile.

The lock to the left of the ruler has been brushed out. After that I put the lock onto the brush with the cut end in the bristles. 
From there I pull a little bit from the tip. I hold my thumb over the bristles to keep the wool on there.
I keep pulling and stretching the fibers apart from eachother until I get a long strand of fiber, maybe a foot long.
Then I put it in the stack. I like to spin from the cut end, so I mostly make sure the strands are all facing the same way on their stack. 

The end result looks like a roving kinda, but it isnt blended.
I am wanting to make a hackle eventually, to blend fibers and make rovings. 

When I go to spin this stack, I can take one lock at a time or 2 or more.
They come apart pretty easy. I guess my draw is about the same as the staple length. 3-4 inches. 
I also let a bit of twist travel into the undrafted wool. Just a little bit. That keeps it moving. 

I am practicing now on being more uniform in my twist. Kinda counting how many foot pumps before I draft again.
I can draft pretty fast with THIS wool, but it is super sproingy and needs a bit more twist than I was giving it, the last round. 

I am just experimenting! I am sure the next wool I try will be completely different. I dont know if this method would work for other fibers. No idea.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Sounds like son is doing better, and will stay at camp. Now I hope he wasn't contagious so that forty-eleven other campers come down with the same thing...


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Ok, this may sound dumb, but for a new spinner trying to treadle slowly, I find it helps to practice the foot action away from the wheel. Sitting at a desk or table, or as a passenger in the car, for example. I learned that when I learned to play the pipe organ many years ago. I could only practice the instrument at church, so I would "play" the pedals whenever I had a spare moment to get the feel of the motion and make it more automatic. You'd be surprised how often that ability to coordinate hands and feet has come in handy for me. On the other hand I do tend to appear a bit fidgity at times.

I wish y'all were closer ... I'm going to be swamped with sweet corn in 2 weeks. I oiled it yesterday to keep the worms out and I have 8 400' rows coming along nicely.


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

No GAM, it's not a pattern from Knitty, I kinda made it up as I went along. My friend has a pretty large head so it's 120 stitches at the 'brim'. I made him one last winter and he lost it in Colorado while skiing, so this is a replacement, but we went with a different color scheme.
This was the last one.










And can I add, I hate applied I-Cord!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

PollySC said:


> I'm going to be swamped with sweet corn in 2 weeks. I oiled it yesterday to keep the worms out and I have 8 400' rows coming along nicely.


More details, please. We usually just share with the worms, and we usually get to it before they're too bad. But if there's a way to keep them away w/out chemicals, I'm ready to hear about it.


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Weever, when the corn starts to develop silks, I walk up and down the rows putting a few drops of oil on the silk. I have to do this every 3 days or so till harvest. It makes the corn almost always worm free and the silks pull off more easily. You can use baby oil or mineral oil or any vegetable oil, and any thing that lets you deposit drops. I have a lot of corn, so I fill an old dishwashing liquid bottle with veg oil and squirt as I walk. Some people use an eyedropper but that takes too long for long rows. let me know if it works for you -- I was so happy to learn this trick a few years ago.

Ann


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Just got back in from the garden. Thank goodness the wind is blowing today, it's hot out there!

Had to replant my pole beans, again! All the plants I started inside back in March are doing real well, but the seeds I direct planted have all been replanted at least once. It's been a rainy and cool spring.

The radishes are doing over abundantly well, I'm thinking of slicing & dehydrating most of them. I really only plant them to mark the carrot beds. We like radishes, but they don't like us!

Visited with grandbaby for a week. She's growing so fast!!! Vacation Bible School this week (I'm doing crafts with the preschoolers) and next week is the rush to get ready for the Homesteading Weekend, then July 4, friend's son's birthday the following week, then only 2 weeks for the Fiber Fair a couple friends & are are hosting. By then it will be August. Where is the summer going and just how in the heck did I do this when I was working???


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Thanks, Ann--we'll give it a try!


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I'm hoping this is OK to do on here. Remember the cute felted bowl that my friend brought to me when she came to stay? She is making me five of those to give away on my blog. It is name the baby lamb contest.  If you are interested it is http://amazinggrazefarm.blogspot.com

If this is the wrong place just zap it.


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

I'm having terrible luck with edemame this season, and now it's so wet I can't get out to weed. Gah! Still so much to do out there.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Finally a day without rain, so I was able to get out and do some weeding in the garden. Wow does it need it! I'm doing an experiment with cucumbers, planting them where some radishes have grown big flowering stalks to see if that helps hide them from the squash vine borer moths. Pulled up lots of lambsquarters and then cooked them for dinner, along with a quinoa salad and cannelini beans. Black raspberries on ice cream for dessert. Maybe tomorrow I'll make a salad with some of the purslane.

Since the rain is holding off, I moved the turkey poults outdoors. They race after bugs that fly in to their little pen and practice flying from perch to perch - very busy! My youngest dog has learned not to push his face against the side of then pen; those little beaks are sharp on a tender nose.

I started knitting a kimono-style sweater for one of my nieces with naturally colored cream, brown, and dark brown wool from my Shetlands. The pattern is based on a sleeveless one in a book called _Knit Kimono_ (the Katsuri Sodenashi), but I'm going to add sleeves. My niece will be leaving southern California for college in New England in the fall and will need some clothes for cold weather. (She's very excited about winter).


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

It has been a weird Spring hasn't it. I see that some of you are having different garden issues because of it. I planted 2 long rows of lima beans. One is doing wonderful, and the other one hardly any came up. Same seed, same soil and only one row apart. :shrug:


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I was planning on spending June in the garden getting it all planted, weeded and mulched and generally cleaned up after last year's neglect. I'm afraid the weather has defeated me. It's been unbelievably hot and humid here; I keep thinking the heat will break, but every day the 7-day forecast still posts temps in the 90s with heat indices over 100. I manage an hour or two in the late afternoon, but that's about it. The rest of the time I'm parked under a ceiling fan (we don't have a.c. or I'd never go outside!). This morning we just had over an inch of rain in 2 hours--I can almost hear the weeds growing! 

On the fiber front, I decided to do a double weave workshop offered by the On-line Guild (of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers) this month. It's been years since I've had to think about tie-ups and drafts, but I was mostly interested in learning about the possibility of doing 3-D stuff on a loom. I remember years ago seeing a class advertised about making a basket on a loom, and I'm wondering if it involved double weave. At any rate, it's intriguing to think about the possibilities with pockets and tubes.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marci, I came up with a few (knitting) names for the boys ... For Knit's ... Ripple & Rock (it's a cable stitch).

Abigail's ... Picot (or Flag) because of the ear marking.

Almost finished with the Danish Tie-Shawl. Need to finish knitting the final color, then bind off.


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Man, It has been crazy here, goat tending time, hoof trimming shots, new collars made. It is so hot lately we are doing a pen at a time. 

Working on washing the mountain of fleece I have and spinning LOTS!!!!!! Problem is I like to knit and crochet but I LOVE to spin. Have dyed a little and 

Yesterday was my birthday and my nephew sent me a text one of those funny little bday sayings that was not so funny. I was not having any trouble with 36 until he made me realize it is much closer to 40 thaan to 30 so had a bit of a meltdown over that hubby and I have been considering another child but having to get the tubal undone and with my back problems and going on 40 just not sure even I could pull that off.

Next weekend planning on shearing or cutting the llama whichever works out for us. and getting sell pictures of all the goats for sale and gettting them listed for sale.

Hopefully this afternoon I can sneak out for a few hours to go to the fiber fun day at the new studio that is about 15 minutes from the house and then tomorrow taking a basket weaving class there.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Happy belated Birthday Luvzmybabz!! So sorry to hear you had a melt down over your age. I have always looked forward to getting older, can't say why I just have. Maybe it's a respect thing. Now that I'm 52 I love being older. I don't care any more what people think, other than what I think about things. I no longer feel obliged to make others happy, that's their job to make themselves happy. 

I hope you were able to get some joy out of your day.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Oh Luvzmybabz, Happy Birthday you YOUNG thing!!! I am 51 and remember how great 36 was. Enjoy today for what it is.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Hey, I had a baby at 37 and twins at 39.  You ain't "going on 40" yet. You are still in your mid-30s! Happy birthday!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Cyndi, Cant wait to see the Danish shawl. 

Kasi, I get to turn 40 this fall. <gulp>. Actually, I kind of enjoy the new decade idea.
I was happy to be done with my 20's, those were some hard lessons! The 30's have been a lot easier, but I look forward to the 40's. 
I will be empty-nesting during this decade, for one. .(not that I am counting the days or anything, ha!)

Most of the time I feel like the same young girl I have always been.  
I have always thought that the phrase "finding your inner-child" (even though it is cliche)
is very accurate as a way to know your true happiness. I still love the same things I always did, and get the most joy from simple things. 

Plus, as I get more mature, I care even LESS what other people think of me and my ways. That is truly liberating. :grin:


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> WHOA, NELLIE!!!!
> 
> hee hee (I've always wanted to say that!)


I said that same thing on here once.  When I uses to have the bulk food store, I would go a traveling to pick up cheese. I would go through a little town called Nellie. Right as you go the green sign that announced you were entering Nellie, there was a slow down children at play sign. I used to always say Whoa Nellie. My son would just roll his eyes at me.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Isn't there a joke about how 50 is now the new 40? 5 0 means 50 not 40...so 3 6 means 36 not 26...~lol~...just kidding...I'm gonna hit 5 0 in a few months and let me tell ya it's "50" no doubt about it...~lol~...

Got back from Utah on Monday...I HOPE TO NEVER have to go there again (but I will because my brother has Alpha One emphysema and has already lived longer than the docs thought). We're lucky we got out of Salt Lake without my car being a total mass of crumpled metal, those drivers are SCARY dangerous. The City is loud and smelly, the roads are crappy and it was way too warm for us Oregonians. I don't see how my brother and sister can live in that concrete jungle. (I grew up in SLC and after being married off at 16 I forced the old man (EX) to get me OUT of that horrible place)
The good about the trip? I spent time with my brother and sister and an Uncle (he's so funny!). We went up into one of the canyons and I helped my Brother and SIL renew their vows. And my husband and I braved downtown Salt Lake and found a yarn shop...I bought $30 worth of sock yarn and some #2 bamboo DP knitting needles....we braved more of the maniacle drivers and found "Emergency Essentials" and purchased a #10 can of freeze dried veggies and a hand crank wheat grinder.
I can't tell you how wonderful it felt when we pulled into the rest area just inside the Oregon border...I could've cried it felt so good to be back where we belong (another 6 hours and we were home in our wonderful green valley, home to my sons, dogs, chickens, duck and gardens...HOME!
BTW...just kidding about the age thing...36 is YOUNG (got my first tattoo at 36...~lol~...)


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

36, I remember 36. Of course I had Boogie (my first, last and only)4 days before I turned 45, so 36 seems pretty young to me.
We had more storms last night and into early morning after a very hot and humid day. We should have a few decent days and then hot and humid again for Saturday with the possibility of storms. Naturally, I am planning a trip over to Old World Wisconsin on Saturday, meeting an old Chicago friend from my stable ownership days and delivering a bunny to her and her children. I hope Boogie likes OWW, I love the place.


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

Well, life is as busy as ever here. I'm still working on carding rolags (polyplay and angora) to spin. We have little time right now for that though. We are selling the goats. I have 4 more to go, the rest of my Kinders and I am just praying for a good home for them. It will free us up for other projects but I'm going to miss them. But on the bright side of of this I will be able to have time for painting, and maybe replacing the old smelly carpet, and moldy windows and bad siding and I might have energy for canning this year....We've been taking this week off of school so we can just relax and have time to say goodbye to the animals. So anyway, that's a little bit about what's going on here.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Gearing up for the Homesteading Weekend, THIS WEEKEND!!

Monday, it is off the church camp (I'm one of the cooks) until Sunday evening, then back again the next two Mon-Friday.

One of those weekends, DD and granddaughter will be home & there's the Fiber Fest SpringValley & I are putting on July 31-Aug 1

(And sometime in there I need to get my canning done!!)

Marci, Did you select the lamb names yet??


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

No, I haven't picked the names yet. The girl just got the bowls felted and will be sending them this weekend.  I need to get on the ball. I slept all day yesterday. I must have had some sort of bug... BAD headache (kind of reminded me of my meningitis headache) and nausea all day. Back to myself today though.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Posting new thread for Danish Tie Shawl (bad phone pics, but you'll get the ideal)


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Hi everyone - I've been away for a week in CA, attending a teacher workshop given by Ocean Futures (Jean-Michele Cousteau) on sustainability. For those of you who remember The Undersea World of Jacque Cousteau (we lined up in front of the television set every week to watch the new world being explored) - it was so cool to hear his son Jean-Michel speak - it brought back great memories! 

The workshop was wondeful! The organization Ocean Futures base their message on scientific research, so it is not just emotional babble (well, it's emotional BECAUSE it is based on research!) They went to the Gulf right after the spill, and the stories they told are horrible - the public is not being told the truth about what is happening there... 
And the research on plastics in the environment - wow. I have tried to reduce my use of plastics, but after that presentation, I have vowed to reduce instead of recycle!

Anyway, I have so much reading to catch up on here, and I have another week of workshops before my summer really starts, so I won't be posting much till then. The garden has grown so much in the week I've been gone, and there's a lot to do, so one step at a time!


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Oldest son (15) is here for a visit for a few weeks between scout trips and we are just in from a soaking. I want to try the FSM method of washing wool and have very hard water so we rigged up some sheet plastic to hopefully fil up a few 18 gallon type totes and a cattle mieral feed hope to get enough rain water to have 2 batches. So right now it looks like my Dodge Durango has wings.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Got home from church around 2 and DH wanted to work on fences. Just got to sit down a bit ago. I am tired and hungry. But blah too. Don't even know if I want to eat. DH griped the whole time we worked outside. 94 degrees is to blasted hot to listen to someone gripe about the way I have been running the farm. I know he works a lot, but he never does anything here at all. It is all up to me and then he complains when I don't do it the way he wants. :grumble:
Do men get PMS? 
Makes me mad/hurt/depressed. ugh.
ok, so, thnx for letting me blow some steam ya'll. I used to be so 'up' about this place and what I wanted to do. Now I just really think I want to throw in the towel. Sell the animals, let the barn fall down (it's well on the way, I bought the wood to repair it months ago, it is all untouched) and just sit around and knit. Hmmm better keep the sheep. 
I dunno guess I am just a little down. Maybe I should just get offline and pull out the needles for some therapy.

Thnx for listening (or reading)


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

((((mamaj)))) sometimes there's nothing to do but feel a little blue, then get on with things. Tomorrow will be better. And if it's not, then the next day will be.

A nephew dropped a dog with us and she appears to be pregnant. A nice dog and she's responding well to our training but I've never in all my years of having dogs had one "unfixed" and I dread the puppy thing because I know I'll have to keep them all ... 

My hands are itchy from picking okra because I forgot to wear gloves. Youch.
You'd think I'd know better. :doh:


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Hugs, mamajohnson, we all have those days. Pull out your pen and paper and make a list. Things you love about having a farm. Great qualities of your dh. (Honestly, I just did this a week ago when I was hitting a rough patch!) Just general blessings... I find it very easy to notice the negative and hard to notice the positive, so I have to force myself to look and then write them down. 

Glad you came here to vent. We all need a place to blow off steam, to be sure! Your idea about knitting is a good one, too.

Blessings...


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

mamajohnson take those knitting needles and knit for as long as you can. It is good therapy. While you're at it, play the 'Pollyanna' game-you know, count all the good things that could come from today. (Maybe the day will convince your dh to do more around the place in the future-who knows) At least he helped today-and today is all we really have isn't it. It can be hard to get it all done on your own-I know because I'm on my own here. I do have the help of neighbors and friends, and my sister and BIL come down every few months to help with the really heavy stuff (like replacing carports and decks when they cave in from the snow...)

We finally got summer-on the first day of summer-and it's been sunny and near 80 all week. Early in the summer like this it is still cool in the shade-cool breezes blow off the snowy mountains, and the nights are pretty cool as well. Thankfully that makes it easier to get all the work done that's had to wait on the drier weather.

I've been working hard to catch up on all the chores and little jobs around here that it has been too wet to do until last week. My hands are aching from pulling weeds, fixing fence, and planting the garden. A few nights ago I put up a deer fence for the garden-hopefully it will work-and this week I need to fix the fences that are around each fruit tree in the orchard so that the sheep can't get at them-one of the wethers has found he can jump in between the current fences and the trees.... then I've got a patch to do on the fence between the orchard and the roadway before I can put the sheep into the tall grass in the orchard (hopefully before they destroy the part of the pasture they're in now.) 

In between, I'm at my daughter's beck and call to make sure that my side of the family is present and accounted for (as in RSVPs returned...) at her wedding over Labor Day. They're currently living in Canada on business, so she calls me; I call them; I email her; she calls me....it should keep my free time from becoming boring all summer. (I don't remember weddings being this complicated when it was my turn).

Enjoy your summery weather-save up the warmth and sunshine for later use as much as you can. (I've already done strawberry rhubarb jam to save some sunshine...and I'm after more berries in week or so)
betty


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I just want to say Thanks for letting me whine. Ya'll are the greatest ever.
I know know know that I really have it pretty good. Yeah, money is really tight right now, but this isn't the first time (lost about $900 worth of income last month, makes it tight!) My DH is a good man. He works a job with his whole heart, intent on making us comfortable, and he really desires keeping me here homeschooling the kids. He has his quirks, and they are really really annoying, but hey, nobody is perfect.

Weever, Polly, Betty, you are all right. I really need to just count my blessings and hush. I dunno, for some reason my head has not been real together lately. 
Betty, you are AWESOME! I don't know if I could hold up,,,,well,,, duh, evidently I am NOT! ugh! 
I am inspired by you. I will think of you often when I start that whiney crap. 

I just need to find my dream again. There was a time when nothing would stop me. I said often, well if you don't want to fine, I will do it by myself. Maybe the ageing process is what's doing me in. 51 this year seems soo old to me. 

Thnx ya'll... and I did get a lot of knitting done last night.  Now for a bit of camp delivery for the 2 oldest and then I must can up some green beans.
Perhaps with some knitting on the side.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Mamaj, I like to think of it as knitting, with CANNING (or laundry, or any other chores) on the side. See?  Hang in there! Summer is just hard.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((MamaJ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Oh yeah, MamaJ, I'm sorry. ((((((((hugs))))))))

This weekend was really rough here, but the good news is (I'm playing the Pollyanna game, I guess) that dh agreed to go see a Psychologist that specializes in Asperger's and get an eval done, as per instruction from our counselor.

The other good news is that we had fun watching the extended editions of all the Lord of the Rings movies, back to back. Took over two days, lol.


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

I sold 3 bunnies today, all girls of course :/
We ended up meeting my friend at Midway Village in Rockford IL, since OWW is closed for repairs for tornado damage
http://14acresplusorminus.blogspot.com/2010/06/visit-to-midway-village.html


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

I think it's great to whine here, mj--so I'd change your strategy to "count my blessings and come here to vent" or something like that.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Ya'll are the greatest! I am actually smiling and feeling a tad happier this afternoon.
And it was one goofy morning! After my post earlier my plan was to jump up, milk the goats, run the kids to town, can the beans and knit my fingers off! All by noon.
hahahahah! yeah, right!
So - the goats were NOWHERE to be found. DS and I looked for an hour. Up and down the hill, to the county road, back up the hill, back down, over the creek, through the woods, in every nook and cranny of this 26 acres. No goats. 12 invisible goats! ha! We were calling and rattling feed buckets (making the sheep crazy! lol)
So, I say, well, they usually come in to milk about 9, if we don't see them soon then we will just go.
about 10 min later there are suddenly 12 ninja goats coming from the woods, the very section we just searched. :hammer:

ok, so throw them in the pen and we run. We are right about 45 min late. And it takes me 30 min to get to the drop off point for the bus that was WAITING for my boys! lol! my my what a start!
Got there and all is well, except both boys forgot sleeping bags/pillows. How do you spend a week at camp without a place to sleep??? geeze! My pastor's wife is such a dear. Sent her son to retrieve their extras for my boys. 
Finally got home and got the girls milked, close to lunch time. 
Well, so I started on the canning. 10# of green beans that really needed to be done before they spoiled. I got one canner down (I have 2 pressure canners) and got started. Got it all loaded, 7 jars full, and ready to pressure it up. AND it never did. Nope, no pressure. 30 min later I pulled down the other canner, you know, the one that was made in 1920 and weighs right at 30# empty???
I had it loaded with the other jars that wouldn't fit in the first canner and holding pressure in about 15 min. SO,,, now I need to slide in there pull those jars out and put the others from the STUPID presto canner into the ancient awesome canner and get them done.

THEN there will be knitting. lots of knitting. Perhaps with Star Trek Next Generation on the side. 

GAM - I think you are right on target. From here on out it will be knitting/spinning with a tad of other stuff on the side. and I have a few bags of fleeces calling to me......:thumb:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Another successful Homesteading Weekend. See comments and photos here: http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=346271

My newest Fiber conquests ....

My mother (kaeko2003) and her first spindled yarn:











From L to R: Peacefulmama (Tina), Bwana (Dave), Mr. TallPines, TallPines
TallPines in her first spindling:










Even saw ForeRunner accomplish his first bobbin of yarn in the weight he wanted. I hope Rebel Lemming takes a picture of it and will post it here. I know their inverter blew and they lost internet connection from a storm last week. Hope they can get things fixed soon.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Love the pictures! I know ya'll had a blast.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

DD sent me a picture of Granddaughter, Kristany, with her Lucy Lamb (the one she picked out of my 'herd' when she was a few weeks old).


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Awwwww..... what a little doll!


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## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Boy, nobody's getting Lucy Lamb from that baby. Precious.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Kristany has 2 items where at least one has to be with her at all times. Of course, Lucy LamBee and a little rag doll


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

Got my scarf from the swap yesterday! WooHoo!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yankeeterrier, you mean your scarf from the Hiker's scarf swap? Really? Very cool. can you take a picture and post it? Put it either here or in the old thread if it is from that scarf.


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## northprairiegir (Apr 11, 2008)

I am so happy for you that you got your scarf! (Even if you might have to wait a while to wear it!) I am still waiting for mine. Not holding my breath mind you.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Have you all seen the latest Knit Picks catalog?
I WANT the Shawl on the cover (on page 15 too)!!!!! I NEED to learn how to knit the Lace stitch!!!!
My husband says/thinks I have enough shawls...NOPE, I need one for every day of the week...and lets not forget shawls for each season too!

I wish my Summer Spin-Off magazine would get here, I've about worn out the Spring issue....waiting, waiting, waiting.


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## northprairiegir (Apr 11, 2008)

I like the shawl on the latest knit pics catolog too and also thought that the market bag on the back look nice. I might order them both and give it a try!


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## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

Got a new old tractor today! If I can find a brush hog, we may actually get the pasture mowed!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The new FAC is up. Please post there instead. Here is the link http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=4509058#post4509058

Thanks


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## Rowenna7 (Dec 22, 2005)

yankeeterrier said:


> Got a new old tractor today! If I can find a brush hog, we may actually get the pasture mowed!


Hope the new tractor is working out for you, enjoy! :happy:


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