# FAC - April '08



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Because I'm such an in the moment person these days I'm posting this now because I'm thinking about it now. Besides my brain is such a sieve I'm sure I would forget by tomorrow 

So with out any more of my endless rambeling..............

Welcome to the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC) thread. For those of you who are new here this is a monthly thread where we connect with everyone. All are welcome to post here and it doesn't even have to be fiber related 

Newbies please take the time to post and introduce yourself same for you lurkers. We don't bite and we love all the new people. Feel free to ask any questions you may have. I can assure you we have all been there and done that before. Although we may look like we were born with needles or wheels in our hands at birth, we all had to learn just like you. So don't be shy. If you feel like you connect with someone and still feel too shy to post a question you can always try to PM that person and ask for help behind the scenes.

No April Fools jokes here. As someone who was always the butt of other people's jokes, I sometimes feel like I have lost my sense of the fun in funny. I sure can appreciate a good joke but......

I spent the day with a migraine and tried to work through it. I wove a bit and spun a bit and did little household things. Eventually I gave in and took meds and a nap. Its better now but not gone. I hate that I get these headaches on my days off from work 

My fleeces from Liese arrived today. As I told her I haven't had a chance to do much other than to peek at them. Tomorrow I will dump them out and take pictures, then I'll wash up some to play with. From what I could see they look beautiful!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I can't wait for my fleeces from Liese to arrive! This will be my first venture with working with raw Corriedale. I'm looking forward to it!

I received a bag of beautiful CVM roving yesterday in the mail. I can not wait to play with it!

Right now, I'm working on some 'coiled' yarn. I've seen some beautiful coiled yarns and the latest Spin Off showed a 'how to'.

I'll finish it but it's a PITA!!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

_Thinking_ about washing some wool and dusting off the carder(s) today. I figure that's a huge improvement over the past couple months. I just realized that technically I have a spring bazaar at the end of April (haven't decided to go or not) and a show the first weekend of May (am in by default) --- and nothing new worked up! And, of course, I forgot to pick up any kool-aid yesterday at the store to experiment with and no fresh flowers to dump in the pot for dyeworks ......... Could pull out the onion skins I've been saving all winter. 

If only the sun would shine again! Days and days of overcast and gloom do not make Falcon a happy spinster.


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## TiaD (Oct 30, 2007)

Last week I finished my last big project for the season - a patchwork style afghan (lots and lots of squares). After this, I'll only do smaller projects as it will be too warm soon to have a big blanket in progress on the lap. Over the next few weeks, I'll be focusing more on sewing projects, outdoor projects and gardening. 

and now that the afghan is done, I need to go through my stash and decide what to make as my next take-a-long project.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hi TiaD! Welcome to the Fold. I'd love to see pictures of your patchwork afghan.

Today is beautiful! The sun is out and it is warm, especially compared to the last few days. The last day of March brought nasty weather in the lower part of the state. Some place got about 8" of snow.

The dogs and I headed out to walk in the woods. We didn't get very far since the snow was way too deep to go on. It was up to my knees in most places. I was able to walk on top of the snow in most places but then when you broke through it was like falling into a pit. I should have had my snowshoes on. But it sure did feel nice to get outside for a bit. Im really feeling a need to air out the old bones and my house definitely needs the windows opened and to be aired out. It wont be long.

I stopped at Home Depot on my way home from taking my son to school. I bought myself two different types of clamp on lamps for my loom. I think it should help a lot especially if I want to do some weaving at night.

I'm off to take pictures of Lieses fleeces and I post them to my Flickr account when I'm finished.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Okay I posted the pictures of Frankie and Teacups fleeces on my Flickr account. Here is the link to my pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/marchie/ Feel free to look around. There are several other fleeces posted there too.

Liese I'm washing some of Frankie now and it is so soft and downy, and that is while he is wet. Teacup is next!


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Wow, here's April and it's still so cold in Missouri! Started the volunteer gardening at Watkins' Mill and froze myself, 38 degrees, no fun! We have the "Spring on the Farm" there April 19---it had BETTER be warmer! I'll be spinning on the backporch, but I think there's only going to be 2 of us spinners this year. I need to find a young, healthy person with extra time to teach how to spin, I think. So much to do---am spinning that llama that's so full of debri that it takes me forever---but am determined because it is so soft and pretty brown. Plying it with a multi-colored wool that I dyed---maybe a sweater someday. Started on chemo hats to donate to the Cancer Center in memory of my fiber friend that I lost this year---is there a soft cotton I can use for summer wear? Then, of course, I have those UFO's -- won't I ever get those knee-high socks done? And my husband is talking about retiring this summer, nice, but I'll never get things done if he's around all the time. Can't blame him cause I've enjoyed having time to do at least some of the things I want to do. He thinks (hehehe) fiber stuff that I do IS work, but I tell him "only if you don't enjoy it." Right?


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## TiaD (Oct 30, 2007)

Marchwind, I posted pics of 3 of my major projects from this winter in another post. Hopefully the links come through ok


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I have only been working part-time, so I've had my fill of spinning and carding and wool during the afternoons. I'm spinning up some black lamb Corriedale wool for my Aunt to knit with. It wants to be fluffy and I'm having a hard time getting the resulting yarn to be an obedient sport weight.

For those of you with drum carders that have those round, clear plastic, seamless drivebelts, I have an alternate source for them at a bargain price. I have a Patrick Green drumcarder and the drive belt was $35 from Paula Simmons and she'd mail it whenever they next went across the US border to WA. DH found it at Mc Master-Carr for $5 plus a little shipping. I got it yesterday and it is identical and works perfectly. Now I can cheaply replace the driveband every other year as needed, with fast shipping. That perked me up, getting my drum carder working again and saving some $.

MIL died last week. She was 93 and had a good life, but we cried for her anyways. She got interred in a beautiful garden plot where other family members will be laid, as well. Been out of town for that. Now we have to deal with her estate. Will be out of town for that, too.

Plus we have made the decision to move to Iowa like we've been wanting to do for the last 2 yrs. The first truckload of stuff gets loaded April 28th. We are going to make three trips with moving trucks. So I have begun packing things up. Moving to the NE part, specifically. I'm going to attend the Shepherd's Harvest wool show and sale in MN in May on Mother's Day. Anybody else going to be there? Want to meet up?

We are enjoying beautiful Spring weather here. I wish we would get a little rain, though.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

OMG from Calf. to Iowa  Do you know what you are doing? I would love to meet up with you at Shepherd's Harvest. I'm not planning on taking any classes, there aren't any that really interest me.

Good luck with all your plans Lezlie. Your life sounds very full.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

5 lambs so far this year, last week twin boys black with white manes, then monday a single from a first timer( and was she a biggun!!!!poor mamma) solid black, then twins today another solid black ewe and a brown ram with two tiny white spots on his head

2 more mommies to go


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Off to find "Mc Master-Carr" I need a new belt for my PG. Susan McFarland (Susan's Fiber Shop) is going to bring me one at the Stephenson Co fest - she wants $25 for it. Thanks Lezlie!

(found them on the web http://www.mcmaster.com/ -- now just which one do I want???)

What part of NE IA??? Used to stomp around in that area about 20 years ago. Will you be close enough to make our Homesteaders Weekend Jun 21-22? (We're just south of Rock Falls IL)

Jerzey - what breed?? Got pics??


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Just checking in. I went back to work Mar 17 and have met myself coming and going on I-70. The supervisors turned everybody loose for today since they needed to collate some materials for Monday. I have so much to do but what I really want to do is take a day long nap.

Found out Tuesday that the tumor our vet removed from our just turned 9 year old Great Pyr male was melanoma. This isn't going to be a good critter year as we've already lost a sheep, 2 goats and another dog. 

Congrats on all the new babies, fresh fleeces and a new home for Lezlie!


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Here is a pic of the socks I was working on in March. I am not done with the brown merino ones for me yet, but the tweedy slipper socks are for DH.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Mogal I'm glad you checked in I was beginning to get concerned enough to send you an email. I am sorry to hear about your dog. The other day I was calculating how long most of my animals have. I have one dog that is probably in his last year or so of life. This could be his last summer but it is so hard to tell. Many of my cats are middle aged, about 10 years old. That is the down side of getting them about the same age, I would guess about half of mine are about 10 years old, the rest are at various ages. My horses have many more good years ahead od them. I have some chickens who are getting up there too. How long do chickens live? I have one RIR that has to be 5+ years.

Lezlie those look like nice socks I bet they will get a lot of use when you move to Iowa and probably while you are in Minnesota for that little bit of time.

Jerzeygurl we NEED pictures of the babies. You should know better than to tell us all about cute little baby critters, especially lambs of color without providing pictures :nono: We may have to start throwing felted balls at those who forget to post pictures :banana02:


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

I have a thread in the sheep forum, but only have pics of the firstlings the twin rams...will try to get the rest tomorrow...

just got done pulling a calf...fun fun fun....at least it was a heifer this time...need to get back out and finish drying


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

You can tell it is spring around here!

I received in the mail a pound of CVM roving (not processed by a mill - it's wonderful!)

AND
from Leise's flock:

Mr. Darcy's (jacob) lamb fleece. Wonderful crimp for a jacob and super soft. Real clean fleece. It will be a pleasure to watch this fleece go from raw to finished.

ALSO

Betty's (white corriedale) lamb fleece. *O-M-G* Liese said Betty was a VM magnet, but she skirted this fleece so clean. it is so rich in lanolin, i'm going to cold soak it to remove dirt and only some of the lanolin. The crimp of this fleece is to dye for. I'm a sucker for crimp and this is the best crimp I've seen since I got my first raw fleece 10 years ago. Beautiful, simply beautiful. Even DH Paul raved about it and he's usually non-commital about fleeces. this is truely a special fleece.

I won't have pics until th 24th at the soonest


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

To start today off right, my daughter called at 7am to tell me my second granddaughter was born at 2am this morning. Leah Mae Flowers is now in this world with a full head of dark hair. 19 inches long, 6#3oz. 

Well, I'm almost done knitting my second ever pair of socks. I worked all day yesterday on the second sock, and got the heel turned without incident, and the gusset done. Now I'm in the home stretch working the foot, and today hopefully I'll finish it. I really like knitting socks. The 2 books I got about it really helped. I really recommend Ann Budd's book "Getting Started Knitting Socks".

I'm still spinning that black Corrie lamb yarn for my Aunt. I have been carding some white Corriedale, and decided I want to do some cold water dyeing with the Gaywool dyes I have on hand from many years ago. To use them in cold water, so as not to felt the carded batts I want to dye, and the raw wool, I had to go to the farm store and buy a 50# bag of pure urea nitrogen fertilizer which you add to the dye water, along with vinegar. I want to spin some variegated yarn for socks. Like self-striping. 

As I've said before, I did all this kinda stuff almost 20 years ago, but set all my hobbies aside for work commitments over ten yrs ago. I guess I can thank the crappy economy for time for spinning again. I've forgotten most of what I used to know about spinning, knitting, and dyeing, and I used to know alot. I used to spin complex yarns like boucles with ease, and I dyed all the time. All that knowledge is gone. 

Today the weather begins to warm up for real, and so wet wool will dry outside a lot faster now. Today I'm going to dye and knit.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Congratulation Lezlie! Now you can be knitting for that baby. Think how quick baby sock will go and how many you can do in a short amount of time 

I also think all your knowledge will come back. I think it is like riding a bike or speaking a foreign language, it will come back in force once you begin to really get back into it. Have you thought of microwaving the batts or casserole dying? I think there are a few people who do that here and could help you out.


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

It's good to be able to write that the sun is shining and that it has not snowed-well, not more than frosting the ground-for over a week! YES, we may get spring yet. I was getting tired of carrying feed and water to the barn while keeping the feed bags in the laundry room because I couldn't get them to the barn through the snow. I actually saw crocus this afternoon-and it's only April.... Even the elk are back on the mountain. I had to stop for them to cross the road on my way home from work on Monday. Today they were spread out over the high prairie hay fields along both sides of the road. I do love this place! Where else could you drive to work through elk, new calves, daffodils and snow? 

I'm nearly finished with the back of the hooded sweater I started for my middle daughter. I'm spinning as I go along-spin a few skiens, knit it up and spin some more-because I'm worried that I'll get stalled in the spinning and the sweater won't be ready for her before summer. She lives in LA, so it won't really be needed (unless they come to visit) before late fall, but I'd like her to have within the year that she asked for it. She chose the sheep- a lovely little fawn shetland named Jazz-the fleece- her lamb fleece- and the pattern- a loose open cardigan with celtic knot cabling up the front, around the hood and on the loose cuffs- in August when she came to help me with late summer chores for a few days. The fleece spins up a lovely, soft cocoa color and is very soft to the touch. I had just enough left of this fleece to do the sweater-almost to the ounce. It's all carded up, with three skiens plyed and three waiting to be plyed...and several empty bobbins.

I just finished cleaning up after a 10 day emergency foster placement. Two little girls- 5 and 7- made my life noisy and busy for those 10 days. They had been placed with grandmother for several years after mom gave up her parental rights. The week before Easter Nana died in her sleep and there were no family members DHS could certify. They attend the school where I teach, so the idea was to keep them in school and in the community. On Monday I delivered them to a family of teachers in the community who had been planning on foster care, and decided to take these little ones with the idea of eventual adoption. I love happy endings! Not all my foster placements end happy. I'm on the list for a 7 year-old boy who is coming out of residential care soon, so the girls were a good reminder of how active that age can be. This little guy can't be with other children without extra vigilant supervision (highly sexually active I understand), so it should be an interesting placement.

I'm still waiting for the shearer-last time he called we had 8" of new snow, with more falling. I wasn't ready for naked sheep in that weather, so I put him off. Thankfully, it's been warmer today, and is forecast for better weather for the next few days. I really have to get those fleeces off soon. One of my little ewes tends to begin to shed, then she felts-what a mess that was the first time. The fleece is unuseable and the shearing becomes a brutal job of shoving the shears through the felted mass. Not comfortable for man or beast.

I'm so tempted by all the talk of buying, trading and acquiring new fleeces....better wait until I deal with my own first though. I still have most of last year's fleece washed and in bags in my workroom. I guess I'd better wait... 

Hope you soon have warm weather, a good start on the garden, and lots of lovely fleeces to fondle and play with-take care of those you love, betty


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Betty,
Always good to hear from you! How blessed those children are!

You know, you can always place your fleece up for trade/barter here!! (hint-hint!)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Darn you Cyndi I was going to suggest she offer them to us :happy: Well, I suppose she still could. Those of us who are live sheep deprived have to live vicariously through you all who have the sheep and fleeces to share.

Betty can you take pictures of the hoodie you are making your daughter? I'd love to see what it looks like.

Like Cyndi said, it is so good to have you back with us.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Busy week here! Amazing G is apparently incapable of getting sick and then simply getting better--she has to throw in some weirdness as of late. Last month it was wry neck. This month, it's synovitis in her hip joint after a tummy bug/sore throat. Arrghh! She's limping like a peg-legged pirate, and no gym for a week.

My son is with us for a bit, and he's barking like a dog, too. At 20, he's too big for me to force the cold medicine into him, so I guess he's gonna have to suffer until he wises up. 

I have 100 peeps in my kitchen at the moment. They came yesterday, and with the weather here I can only get the brooder in the barn up to about 86 for them. I think that may be warm enough for them come tomorrow. The box they're in is pretty crowded, and one poor li'l fella got smooshed. 

I'm trying to get caught up on house things now that dh has gone back to work, so that I can get to scouring and spinning some raw Corriedale from r7. I'm excited! I won a ball winder on eBay for $9.99 plus shipping!! That will speed things up immensely. Right now I spin a bobbin full, wind on the nostepinne, and ply from the ball. It takes me almost as long to wind as it does to spin (okay, not really, but it sure is tedious and I get bored.)

Who all is going to the Stephenson Co. Fiber Fair? I know Cyndi and I are, and I believe r7flock is, too. Madame? Will we see you there?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

CB - do you need more bobbins? I can bring a couple up next Sat to the fiber fair. The bobbins for my Traveller fit the Traddy.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Only if you have extra. This is working okay, because it all fits back on to the bobbin when I ply, plus it forces me to finish one skein before I start another.

The brooder got up to 106!! last night. YAY! I can get the stinkers out of the house!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Guess who gets Teacup's coat next spring :nana:!

Went to a 'produce auction' this morning. Then the Amish store and _then_ a greenhouse. (There are now three and a half flats of herbs and veggies waiting for the garden - IF it ever dries out! - as well as the seeds I already had....) And what did I think about whilst breathing in all the wondrous scents of green growing plants? Being out on the porch or in the yard quietly spinning while the world goes rushing by in its madcap race to oblivion.

Must of been all those flowers I was sniffin' made my brain take a vacation .






I AM so looking forward to warm weather and taking the wheel(s) outside to spin again.


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

its supposed to snow this weekend

boy am i glad i put in 5 rows of garden sunday....


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

We got hit again last night by the storm. Im guessing a foot of snow maybe more. In some places it is well above my knees, blowing and drifting. The first flight was canceled this morning so I got to stay up a bit later and spin and watch a movie, No Country For Old Men. When I finally made it to work on unplowed roads  All the rest of the flights were canceled so I went home at 11:00, took a nap and have tried to assure my chickens that this too will pass. On the roads most of the snow is already melted. Next week it is supposed to be almost 60 up here so hopefully it will go. Once the ground thaws the mud will dry up. Until then, it is just messy sucking muck :help:

I took my son to take his written portion of the drivers test, he misses it by a few questions. While he was doing that I took myself to the book store and bought One Skein Wonders and The Friday Night Knitting Club. When we got home in the mail was one of Handwoven Design Collection books I won on eBay. I think Ill card up more of the Border Leicester and spin that tonight.

Flacon I think you will like Teacup's fleece, It would be easy to spin it in the grease, not much grease in it at all and it is very clean. I cant wait to see what it looks like in a year. I bet it will be beautiful.


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Well, didn't get much done the first part of the month because of getting ready for the surgery - which went well (thanks for the prayers/positive thoughts!) - but had an hour or two to work on the "Branching Out" scarf for my niece for Christmas this year - knitting it up out of a cream boulce and is coming out rather nicely for the moment. After that, I'll probably start on some Nifty Knitter halter tops for DD that I ran across on the web for some summer wear for her. I'm also thinking of working on a purse for myself eventually. DH has mordented most of our white yarns & is playing with dying them with dandylion (roots, I think), I'll post what he comes up with. Since I've got an enforced 10 days out of school, I'm going to make the most of it & really have some fun with my stash - heheheheheh!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cat so glad to hear your surgery went will. By all means take advantage of the break from school. You can do a lot in 10 days. Can't wait to see pictures of the yarn dying.


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

I finally finished the Japapnese feather fan, it is by far my favorite!
The color in the full view photos are more true. I think I will do one for me in the unspun icelandic wheels I have from schoolhouse press. Susan


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Very pretty! I bet it feels good to finish a project like that.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

I had to self edit my initial reaction to this shawl - I don't think it would have printed out but that is gorgeous Susan!


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

That is one drop dead gorgeous shawl! Wow!


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

Uhmm...WOW!

It looks like it would have required a lot of "Leave me alone" time. Stunning and impressive!


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

when I first started out, and wasn't sure of the pattern, I did have some unknitting times. As it progressed, however, I found it a very simple pattern. Well placed yo and knit 2 tog, and ssk, that's all there is to it. No fussy decreases every 4th or 6th or 8th row, like the cardigan was! The rows did get incredible long however. Also, between the pattern sections there are some just plain stockinette rows, to give you a break. You can find this pattern by searching for "Izzy's Japanese feather fan", it will take you right to it, and it is a free download. It is in chart form, and the chart shows you one spoke of the shawl. There are 8 spokes, and halfway thru the row you must mirror image the pattern. I know that sounds dreadful, but it really isn't. I used pink markers at the increase points (8), and other colors to separate the obvious pattern repeats, (11 stiches), I did fudge a bit with the border to make it fit the stiches I had, for some reason I had one stitch too many each spoke when I started. I also used a crochet hook to do the chain bind off. Chain 5 and go thru 3 stitches of the edge with the next stitch, all the way around. I didn't block it tight as you can tell by the photo, I just soaked it and then rolled it in a towel, then layed it out on the bed upstairs. I will get a pic of it on when it is dry. Susan


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Gorgeous!

When I'm knitting lace or until I get enough rows completed on a cable design, I use string markers just as you mentioned. It's a great help.

Thanks for including where the pattern can be found. I don't wear shawls much any more--they just don't look right with jeans, my usual "uniform"--but I may for something special.


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

What a beautiful shawl! I adore that color! I have a friend who is the "mutant spinner" - spins a four-ply laceweight yarn as her "standard" weight. I've got some two-ply from her that is thinner than embroidery floss (about the weight of a heavy thread) that I'm thinking of making a Shetland shawl with one of these days - in my copious spare time, of course


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

nice shawl.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

I've played with this ---- picture stuff now for 15min. -why doesn't it work? Anyway, this is what's been keeping me busy for 2 days - not done yet but a good way along. Sorry for the strong language - but this working, not working get's me irritated.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2213/2414219105_161cef7a16_m.jpg


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Let me see if I can remember and get it to work for you.









Liese that is an absolutely beautiful loom :goodjob: I bet you are excited to get playing on it.

Well that is just bizzare, the link doesnt even show up when I post it :grump:


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

I got it to work. For some reason, in the url, there were those .... instead of what's supposed to be there. Not sure why you got those. 
Also, for future reference, no matter whether you use the button above or type it in yourself







has to be after the url. And, you can only have one http:// and then the url. Also, the url has to end with the .jpg Hope that helps?


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Thanks Deb, and Lezlie sent me a PM to help too. Thanks everyone!

Well, I had a suspicion the cording wasn't right and sure 'nough I have to pull all the long cords from the jack arrangement on top and re do. Should have gotten a book first but still hoping to find a used copy of Tying up the Countermarche Loom. After I fix this little snafu then I have to figure out how to do the treadle tie up. I foresee a long courtship with this loom but it's a good challenge!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Liese have you thoug about trying to contact Sarah on Small Looms? I know she can be snippy but I think she sells these looms and could maybe help you out. I know she is capable of being nice especially if asked directly for help.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

You mean Sarah von T something? uhm, no I didn't, that's a good idea beat flailing around with a few mimeographed pieces of paper trying to make sense of the whole thing. Off to see the wizard....


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I just saw your post come through on small_looms I'm not sure she is on that one but she may be. Try Small Looms and maybe ask for her specifically. Something like; Sara I need your help with a Glimakra. 

Something like that, but yeah, she is the one. If you can find one of her posts you can go to her home page and she has a picture of herself (I think it is her) sitting at one weaving. I'll go have a look and see what I can find for you.

ETA: Here is her website. They have changed it but you could probably email her directly if you would rather. http://www.woolgatherers.com/


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

Liese, I can't wait to see it all warpped up and ready to go. Susan


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Oh, thank you Susan, I forgot there were 2 small loom forums there and went thru the membership of the wrong one. But the posting did yield one person with the same make of loom willing to help, so serendipity is still working!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

> off to see the wizard


ROFL!!

Susan, that shawl is so beautiful!! 


Fiber Fest this Saturday!! I told Paul that I promise I wouldn't be buying any fleeces when I was there. His response? .... "Why not?" I told him I had a room of fleeces in various stages of prep and really needed to get through those first. His response? "Well, that's no reason!"

Got to love a husband that understands!! (especially when he stubs his toe on the drying racks sitting around!!)


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Carol Lee had a blurb in one of my fiber lists this morn - they don't have any all white asst but the asst colors (in 15 or 30#) is still available. Phillip got up and came to look at the pictures when I was describing the deal out loud (he loved the red tone rovings - the greens were only 'ok' - I got last year and he went loopy over the 2oz 'sample' she sent a few months back of special dyed dk green/dk blue tones). He had that gleam in his eye --- could be we have a fiber convert here, ladies . Showed him the pics of Carl sitting at the loom making rugs .... and the gleam was_ definitely_ there!

From passive enabler to ....... potential fiber artist in his own right some day?


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

carol lee's blue's were wonderful....they are spinning up gorgeous. AND i LOVE the free samples


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Hello all, you're all doing some wonderful fiber things, both spinning and knitting. I need to find a high speed computer so I can really look at the pictures and the videos. It's so frustrating to be on dial-up with no chance of high speed in the near future. My fiber work has really slowed down now that spring is here. I've been doing a lot of gardening. My little spinning group is holding a fiber fair in May to try to entice others into the world of fiber. I agreed to be a vendor and sell baskets (for fiber of course!) and dye plants as well as some other stuff. I've got quite a collection of plants growing under lights in the basement. I plan to keep some for me to play with.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Now see, I THOUGHT spring was here. Had green grass, all that good stuff. Snow almost all gone.

Then, yesterday it started snowing. Today we are under blizzard warning. It's gonna be cold all week.

There go my plans for shearing sheep - they need their coats!

Ah well, it's a good time to do some spinning.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I have been busily washing, dyeing, drying, blending and carding wool for sock yarn from Precious' fleece, as fast as I can. I have a deadline ahead of me...

I dyed more of it that pinky raspberry, except I did it in hot water this time, and I dyed 9 ounces of it a tomato color to blend with red silk. I put it in simmering hot water in the mesh garment bag, and just let it sit for half an hour, then rinsed in 130 degree hot water. It came out without any felting or nastiness. Still in the lock. I am pleased. That first batch I blended up in raspberry is knitting up into some gorgeous socks. But my progress is slow on them.

You see, I'm freaking out. Today is the 21st. On the 26th we get our Penske truck and have 4 days to load it with all the stuff from our 3 storage lockers to take to NE Iowa, our first load. I get to drive our Tahoe, alone, the whole way following DH in the truck. We leave the morning of the 30th, driving across country on I-80. I've never driven all day, alone. The first day I have to drive to Battle Mountain, NV, through the Sierras. I'm dreading this...

I feel obsessed. I need to have enough sock yarn spun and ready to go so that I can have plenty of it with me for the 18 day trip. When I'm the passenger in the car I get a ton of knitting done during a day's drive on the Interstate, and once we get to our destination, I won't be driving anymore. Plus, I get a lot done at night in motel rooms. I figure I won't be able to spin after the 26th due to tiredness and busyness. I won some nylon blending fiber on Ebay but I don't think it will get here in time to use in this batch. Oh well. 

We have a laptop so I will be here with you all during the trip. You can follow me across country as I keep you updated on our progress. We are going to find our new home, a farmhouse, prolly a lease/option deal for now. I'm excited about that. We have several we will be looking at. And I will be at the Shepherd's Harvest Festival in MN, as I want to meet 2 vendors in particular there, and I want to see the wool show and sale. One can never have too much wool, even during a move! And I get to meet at least one HTer there! Will anybody else from here be going?

Sorry to be so talkative, I am a Nervous Nelly these days...


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## Corky (May 11, 2002)

HELP! I am about to be burried in fleece again!

LOL! Tomorrow is shearing day again. Has it been a whole year already?
I still have blanket fleece in the cabin needing spun and I swear, I have been spinning a bunch all Winter. I have 5 alpacas and I had a weak moment and bought another fleece last year. It is an awesome slate gray and I couldn't resist.

I am going to be the only person I know with an alpaca mulched vegetable garden.
I first learned to spin with leg hair and I would give it away but I don't know anyone around here that wants it so I am going to use it in the garden.
The vegetables and the birds will love it.
The birds around here have had alpaca nests for years.
I always spread some on a big flat stone in the yard and they come get it from there.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lezlie you have 5 days, that is plenty of time if you schedule things well. I know when I get to feeling like you are now, I just spin my wheels, and I don't mean the type we all love so much. I tend to literally walk from room to room with my mind working 100 miles an hour unable to get anything of real substance. I also find I get this way when I start feeling overwhelmed but things (not panicky but overwhelmed). You will be fine! Do you have a drop spindle? If I was in your shoes I would take the drop spindle and any fiber I might have and spin for relaxation at rest stops and in the evenings. Knitting is also great.

I think you will find that you will have many places to choose from when you get to Iowa. House prices in this area are finally coming back down to a realistic level and with so many foreclosures there are plenty of places on the market. Its what they call a buyers market. Good luck!

I'll start a thread for the Shepherd's Harvest. You know I will be there, can't wait.

Corky what fun to be buried in fleeces, especially Alpaca :goodjob:


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

We are officially snowed in! Well, we could get out if we really had to, but the school bus can't make it up our road and we do NOT have to go anywhere, so we aren't!

The other night I sat down and spun up a bunch of Icelandic, and plyed it up (2 ply). When I soaked it to set the twist, I took one skein and really wrung it out, and the other I was more gentle with. The end result is very similar as near as I can tell - I was wondering if it would 'set up' more as it might felt a bit from the abuse. It made it dry faster though, so since it clearly didn't do any damage, I'll probably try it again. 

A lady who lives near me contacted me (we know each other, but she found my blog and we didn't realize we know each other until after the first set of emails went back and forth!) ... she is interested in buying fleece from me! Yay! And ... she and a friend have purchased processing equipment (washing -> rovings or batts) and have a set up not far from here. I am hoping she will consider some bartering, or that they are taking in fleeces for processing ... hand processing is just not quite for me, I think - I enjoy spinning from the commercially washed & carded stuff I have, although I like doing some on my own as well. Anyway, that should be an interesting adventure!

The sheep are hiding in the shelter, the people are hiding in the house, and it's time for me to head off to work (I can work remotely) .... let's all do soemthing fiber-y to celebrate Earth Day! Knitting is eco friendly! Spinning is eco friendly! Weaving is eco friendly! Rolling around in sheep fleece is DEFINITELY eco friendly!


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Ok, I'll mulch around some plants with wool and llama guardhairs. That is, IF I can get any plants mudded in since a two hour t-storm made soup out of our garden again overnight. 

I'm afraid that's about as fiber-y as it's going to get today.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzelhead sorry to hear you are snowed in. I think we are done for the season. The ice is still on all the lakes, it was so thick this year. Hopefully we will have ice out by the opening of Fishing season. That is always a huge deal and it always falls on Mother's day weekend.

About you yarns. There are a lot of people who actually felt their skein of yarn on purpose. They say it is warmer and it doesn't shrink once knit. Good for socks. I've never tried it myself. I always wring out my skeins and I wrap them in a towel roll it up and stomp on it to get as much water out as possible.

The sun is shining today. We had a cold front come through last night, it was down to the 30s last night. I turned off the heat so my house is rather brisk, but the windows are closed. In the sun it is 80 degrees so I may go hang some laundry out and work on getting the roos put in their own coop.


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## r7flock (Mar 5, 2008)

Frazzle,
Sorry about the snow...We had T-storms most of the morning...so didn't get any outside work done...Happy Earth Day...Hopefully spring will get to you soon....


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## Corky (May 11, 2002)

Well,
I now have five new alpaca fleeces to go with the ones I have not finished spinning.
Shearing day was a lot of work and a lot of fun too.

I sold two alpacas while I was there so it was a very good day.


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

So how much time does it take to shear an alpaca? Are they pretty easy to shear or do they get rough and annoyed? 

My April has been - playing with my new fibery toys (electric spinner, another drop spindle) and now I'm on this 'balanced yarn' kick (thanks Marchwind oy!) - and really working on not overspinning!!! I came close with some polypay yesterday ;-p

This is what I finished today - calling it 'Moody Ewe' since the yearling I took the fleece off of was really not too thrilled and I got a lot of second cuts etc. She was very tipped (cocchdu/sunburn ends on the Black Welsh). I hand card blended it with some dyed polypay I bought off of Etsy. Spun two skeins on a drop spindle then plyed. LOVING the polypay by the way!!! 

It's going in the market/for sale basket - which I need to diligently work on filling up (note to self I CANNOT keep it all!!)










You guys have been very instructional and entertaining, I'ms orry I don't get time to post more!!

Andrea


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Compchick if my mention of balanced yarns caused you to create that :bouncy: It's beautiful and I love the name.

Balanced yarns have been my nemesis or goal all my spinning career. I can't even remember the first time I heard about it. I do remember taking a class from Rita Buchannan and her driving the point home though  Blame her! My favorite trick she taught the class was with a bowl of hot water in the middle of the room. If you take your plied yarn ( a sample) with a knot tied into the cut end) and tossed it into the hot water the thing was alive squirming all over the place until it found it's comfort zone. I think the class just went wild over watch int he yarn squirm. It really was fun!

Corky I could think of a lot worse things in life. You are a lucky woman. Enjoy your fleeces and have a little roll for me


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

You have me obsessed over it LOL. Marchwind's Balanced Challenge...I'm finding that the fiber itself has a lot to do with it! For example superwash merino is near impossible, but stuff with hooks and barbs and crimp like polypay, black welsh, rambioullet, and romney lends itself better.

I overspin (too much twist) a LOT. it's like I think it needs to be superglued together lol. Dunno if it's because I started with the Border and Angora, or what. It's a very interesting challenge March - and it has resulted in my drop spindles hitting the floor quite frequently lol!

But thank you on the yarn - it is nice and soft and fluffy. It's so cool how colors 'heather' with the black welsh' I want a hat ;-p errr another one... Oops - for sale for sale...

Andrea

www.arare-breed.net
www.faintinggoat.net


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

Sara Lamb, on her blog says that she only spins one size single, and then plys to the size she wants, a thicker yarn gets more plys. She spins tight and plies tight. Her stuff is beautiful, and she says it will last forever. Susan


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sara does a wonderful job. She is especially good with silk. I always love her dye work.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

....as in I received my Liese fleece yesterday from her sweet boy, Puck.

I was a little concerned, though. As I was opening the box, I noticed a scent not really associated with sheep. Not bad, rather green and healthy smelling, just not sheep-y. But, I thought, I've never spun Jacob, so maybe the relative lack of lanolin (from what I'm used to) makes the wool smell a lot different. As I opened the box, the prettiest wool sprang out at me --- and momentarily hid the bar of goat's milk soap nestled in the center . A-ha! Puck came with his very own suds. 

What a nice boy, don't you think?

(Btw, Liese. Showed Phillip the pic of Puck on your site and he was quite impressed. He thought it highly amusing that 1) you had a goat named Puck and 2) I managed to score the wool for some sort of special project for him  He asked about the one named "Melody" - which would be me - but I shook my head and said Teacup was coming next year instead. Oh, and what scent, if any, is this soap?)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nice surprises from our Liese, it is wonderful soap too Falcon. 

Hey Falcon, don't tell your DH, but Jacob are sheep not goats. I actually used to have a goat named Puck. He was such a sweetie.

BTW, how is his fleece? Do you think you will be washing it first or spinning it in the grease? Colors together or seperate? Enjoy!

Oh yea, don't forget the pictures


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Yeah, I know Liese's Puck is a sheep - a friend was over this morning, and we were talking about _my goat_ Widget as I was typing the post - didn't catch my typo 'til you pointed it out .

Never spun Jacob before (don't remember actually ever even seeing any in person), but this seems really nice. I haven't taken every lock out of its box yet but I think I may go ahead and spin it in the grease as soon as I clear the projects off the wheels. There's only a tiny bit of VM that I can see and not much dirt. The colored bits will be carded right into the white as if they were no different.

Darned rainy weather - I could take the drop spindles to auction with me tomorrow, but it's so bleeping wet outside......


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

sheep are sheared, yea, hired it out this year yea

probably have a few extra if anyone is interested.

me and dd did our first spinning demo's last weekend...thanks to another ht memeber on here..

dd and the drop spindle was the star of the show for sure, one of these days i may have to actually try it lol. we did meet another spinner which was cool...

I am hopefully soon going to be a proud owner of a drum carder....not sure which one to get...any suggestions

cool thing i did learn today,

with the dual coated fleece, it is easier to pull the long hairs off BEFORE washing....everyone else probably knew that but I didnt

last year the ram rooed off completly before i sheared him, this year I am quite pleased to see he has a nice soft crimp, may have to keep him, tho he seems to only sire black offspring, very pretty but I crave variety...


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Morning everyone,

Falcon, that's a mint blend, glad you like it. It was a little "I'm sorry your box was late" token.

Over on Ravelry in Spin Tech they have done a plying "class" which I don't have time to participate in. And several threads about "balanced" yarn. Apparently Judith McKenzie recommends shocking the skein hot, cold, then thwacking. Abby at abbysyarns.com who does alot of merino work writes about this on her blog. I've been spinning up some last year's Dorset to about 13 wpi in 2ply - gonna see how she blooms with this treatment.
Now I'm onto spinning sock yarn with some of Issac blended into a heathery grey.
I've been spinning several hours every day trying to get increase market skein stock. Also warping out for a couple of cotton baby blankets - 960 ends (threads) spaced at 30 /inch for a 2/2 twill. The nice aspect of this design is each stripe in the warp is 192 ends so I can measure out that many and then take it to the Artisat loom, do the next and so on. Today I dress the loom! I've also ordered from the Glimakra distributor 2 books - one she wrote herself and another she recommended so hopefully I'll see more headway in that department very soon.

Finally made it off the farm yesterday to go grocery shopping but forgot to put together my Dad's chevre package ... too much on my mind - or more likely- not enough mind to go 'round! lol Off to milking, have a great day everyone.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

jerzeygurl said:


> with the dual coated fleece, it is easier to pull the long hairs off BEFORE washing....everyone else probably knew that but I didnt


I found out the same way you did :buds:

I've been working l-o-n-g hours this week at my paying job (10-12 hours M-W plus an hour commute each way). In the evenings I started playing around with something I saw at the fiber fest last weekend.

Little crocheted bags stuffed with wool (I used waste fiber from my drum carder) to hang outside to give birds materials to build nests with.

Going to call them "Nest Builders"





































The brightly colored ones are crochted with leftover acrylic yarn. Found out I have really turned into a yarn snob ... it was a PITA to work with


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

OHHHHHHH AWESOME IDEA! Can I use it???

Andrea


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Cyndi, that looks much nicer than bedraggled clumps of wool lying around the yard like at my house! 
We are done lambing finally, and have 4 ramlambs & 2 ewelambs. There was one unfortunate stillbirth, but the mom is fine (my MIL who was here visiting was a bit traumatized, though). I still have shearing to get through, but my to-do list is too long right now since my husband got hit by a car last week when he was out riding his bike. His leg is broken in a couple of places, but otherwise he's okay - pretty lucky, actually - but not in a position to help out with chores right now.
I've been looking very critically at a sweater that I knit two years ago and finding it wanting. Now I'm thinking of ripping the whole thing out and knitting it up again as a warm weather top. It seems silly to start that now when there's so much to be done around here, but I miss my knitting needles and having something fibery to work on in the evenings.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Wow Lucy! I am sorry to hear about your husband. You are right though, he is very lucky he only broke his leg.

Cyndi wonderful Nest Builders. Can you share the pattern with us? I could make a zillion of those and hang them all over the place filled with left over wool and any pet hair, oh they would be good for putting dust bunnies in too!

We are in the middle of a winter storm :flame: We knew we were in trouble this morning when they were having to de-ice the planes before sending them out. Estimates are putting the total accumulation to 3-13" of snow :grump: I have to work tomorrow so I'm hoping they cancel the first flight so I can sleep in. This is supposed to be finished by now, spring is here darn it. I'm off to my corner to pout now.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Well, I can send warm melty thoughts to you, Marchwind - we are no longer snowed in, and things are starting to drip, so I'm sure the warmth will make it to you too ... eventually!

I have discovered that I like 'little mindless projects' a lot. Really, really a lot. It's so nice to do something small and you can say "that's done!" A friend gave me some chickens (she had too many, with feed costs going up so much, and mine were very old and several had died, leaving me short on eggs <gasp> so this worked out great) ... so I knit her a scarf for thanks. Super easy ... garter stitch for a few rows, then add extra loops between all the stitches for one row and drop them on the next, making 'lace'.  I have a purse I finished recently for my mom, and another scarf just like that one for my sister, when she comes home for my wedding (she lives in Lithuania right now, haven't seen her for awhile!). I have socks on the needles for my fiance, and I reaaaaaaaaaaaally need to get those done ... but somehow, these mindless simple tasks always appeal to me!

I suppose I just need to get good enough at socks that they become 'mindless simple tasks' too.  These are getting 'afterthought heels' so they are just plain old round knitting - he wears through heels like nobody's business so I figured making them ahead of time in a way that they can be replaced made sense. 

I think I'll go do a few rounds!

Keep warm all! Happy spinning/knitting/crocheting/fibering!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

As I had hoped and thought would happen the first flight was canceled  I got to sleep an extra 2 hours this morning. But when I got up and started to go out to let the dogs out I discovered we had between 1-2 feet of snow depending on which and where the wind was blowing. It hasn't stopped either. I'm supposed to be at work right now but mt car is stuck in my driveway. I shoveled (this is a really dense and heavy snow) the drive out but it doesn't do much good since the roads haven't been plowed. As I'm typing this a plow just went by. I suppose I should try to get out and to work. Because I'm considered essential/emergency personal I HAVE to be a work no matter what, that really sucks. During Katrina the people who didn't go to work and fled the flooding were fired from there jobs :flame: So next time you fly and you are tempted to get mad at the TSA please keep that in mind.

Alright off to brave the roads now.


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

Marchie, Marchie, Marchie, you brought it on yourself. You just had to go and say a couple of pages back, "I think we're done for the season". Haven't you learned to never ever say that in Minnesota? :doh:
Seriously, sorry you're having to brave the roads in icky weather.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Be careful out there!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Annie we are blaming this all on my co-worker who took down his snow fence and put his shovels away. This one even too the weathermen by surprise when they first saw it. But once they called it they naild their predictions on the dot. Have you noticed how good those guys are getting at their predictions lately? Annie, did you get much snow?

The drive in was exciting. Most ot he highway was in ok shape until I got close to town. Then it was like someone put BIG speed bumps about 3" apart on the highway  It didn't matter what speed you were going. I think it too me a half hour to drive 5 miles. Our second flight has been canceled too and I expect the last one will be too. Although they may have the runways plowed it will be sheet ice out there and all they can do is use sand, which in this wind does no good because it just gets blown away. No salt is allowed because planes are made of aluminium.

I have the Cobblestone pull over with me to work on. I'm starting on the sleeves now. I also have a dish cloth to play with. Wish I had brough some spinning with me. All My training for the week is finished so I really have nothing else to do that is even remotely work related. I'm sure you will see me popping in here from time to time out lack of nothing better to do.


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

More snow is in the forecast for the week, but I finally feel like spring has arrived. The sheep are sheared, the daffodils are blooming and the air has a different feel to it.the snow has even melted between the house and the barn. The trees are beginning to have that fuzzy green look to them, and I heard lawn mowers while I was outside earlier. Yesterday I saw a pair of mourning doves on the pasture fence while I was mucking out the waterfowl pen, and just now I saw one of our tiny, thumbnail sized butterflies flutter by outside my window. Now we just need some more sunshine to go with it....
We had snow last weekend right down to the coast (!?). It didn't stay long. Monday and Tuesday morning I had snow on the car, but it warmed up on Firday to comfortable. There is concern that the fishing season will start without access to the high-country lakes and campgrounds. Some of them probably won't be accessible until August this year. Even the early bear season will be short because the bears aren't out of hibernation yet.
The shearer delayed coming on Sunday because the roads weren't plowed, and the sheep got sheared in the snow. I was worried, but they seemed so glad to get rid of their winter coats. I'm ready to put away my sweaters too. I love the person I found this year to shear. Anyone who approaches my flighty little shetlands cooing, "come on my little beauties" has to be wonderful! He was fast, efficient, and couldn't resist pointing out how fat my little sheep are. He's right. They're spoiled rotten. Maybe I should christen my little place "Five Fat Sheep Farm"? 
When I wash my yarns and my woolens I use the spin cycle on my FL machine to spin out the water. I place items in mesh sweater bags and let the machine do the work. I hadn't thought to try washing sweaters though. I have a couple of light weight wool sweaters I wear in the spring and I think I'll try that with them. I run out time faster once winter is over and outside garden and yard chores really begin.
I'm jealous of the new wheel. I have been thinking about a new one as well. I want something with more range. I love my little Ashford Traverler though and the house is old and has small rooms-I'd have to get rid of something first!
I hear my sheep calling me for their evening corn and tuck into bed time...hope all is well with you and yours. betty


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Betty I moved your posts to this FAC thread. I figured that is where you meant to post it. If I'm wrong please let me know and I'll move it back.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

thatcompchick said:


> OHHHHHHH AWESOME IDEA! Can I use it???
> 
> Andrea


Andrea - why not? I borrowed the idea from a couple I saw at the fiber fair.

I had someone suggest crocheting the bags out of recycled plastic bags. I think I'll stick with yarn.

Sold a couple at farmer's market on Saturday - $5 each.

Lucy - I'm so sorry to hear about your husband. I pray he mends fast.

Marchie - I don't have a set pattern for these things. 

chain 3-4 & join. chain 3-5 stitches and join in loop, 4-5 times. slip stitch in first loop until you get to the middle and chain more, joining at top of chain from previous row. Repeat.

Depending on: how many chains you start off with, how many chains you use in your loop, if you increase the number of chains in each round, determines what it eventually looks like.


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Cyndi, I was going to work up a facsimile of those "nest builders" for the Spring Show this weekend - but just found out it's been cancelled/postponed (the owner's hubby had *serious* surgery last month to remove a tumor arpund his spine and it was apparently worse than we all thought. He's doing ok, thank the gods, but will need extensive therapy.). 

I was going to use the recycled bags, though, as they'd last longer in our humid weather than the acrylic string. Will still work a few up, I think.

Told Phillip that since I don't have a show to attend this weekend, that meant I could go to Maryland after all! He said, um, well, I'm still not going .


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Falcon, I made one last night that is more tubular than circular that I liked well.

chain 3, join.

chain 4, join in loop 4 times (last chain, join in 1st stitch of 1st chain).

2 SS in ch 4 loop, [chain 7, join at top of next loop], repeat []around.

{4 ss in chain 7 loop, [chain 7, join at top of next loop], repeat []around.}

repeat {} until length desired.

Have fun in Maryland!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi although I have crochet in my life (made an adult wool coat. First and only project) My point is I'm not sure I understand your instructions. But I'll try to figure it out. I suppose it is really a mini market bag type thing. Maybe I can figure out a knit version.

Would you say that they are about the size of a handful?


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Thanks everyone, for the kind words. DH is still not supposed to get up yet (which he HATES!), but is healing nicely after his surgery.
I just took some ibuprofen, so I'm out to handshear some sheep. When hubby gets better, I'll see if he's interested in building me a shearing stand of some sort.


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## Sherri C (Jun 21, 2002)

ajaxlucy I'm sorry to hear about your husband. Is there anything I can do to help?

I haven't been doing very much spinning this month so not much of anything to post. My big excitement is that my friends and I are going to see the Yarn Harlot tomorrow evening! She's doing a book signing at a Barnes and Noble bookstore just north of Indianapolis. I'm leaving work at 3pm so I can go stand in line to get a ticket that will allow me to stand in line to get one of the 200 seats available for when she speaks at 7pm. We're all bringing our socks and cameras so we can get photos taken too. Maybe we'll get lucky and end up in her blog! :bow:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Sherri,
I was in Atlanta a couple weeks ago, found out the day after that I miss the Yarn Harlot ....

what's up with the "Homesteading Has-Been"


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sherri good to see you posting. How are you? I agree with Cyndi what is with the Homesteading has been?

Lucky I'm glad to hear your DH is healing but ouch. Poor guy!

Betty did you see that I moved your post to here? I'll PM you just in case you didn't see my note to you. It is so nice to see you posting again.

I have had one heck of a week last week. Not only did we get all that snow (I have pictures but can't post them right now). But the day before that we had big t-storms and my desk top computer got hit. Well not the computer really, but the box from my server and my router and the ethernet card. I had insurance on some of it others I had to replace on my own. I got all that fixed up, no problem. But then my laptop, which I run with Ubuntu needed an upgrade. The newest version is available so I downloaded it. But my computer had a big fart or something and more or less crashed. This is a very old laptop but it's a good computer and works well. That is the one I use the most and have everything stored on :shrug: So I spent all night last night and most of today working with my DS over the phone (between his classes) trying to get this fixed. Sadly nothing seems to be working. So I need to ask one of the kids at work to burn a CD for me with the new Ubuntu on it. It is looking like it will be about a week before I will get it up and running again.

I NEED to do something with fibers. I have 3 movies from Netflix to watch. I am so sick of having my day off spent doing things like this. It takes up so much of my time and not only do I not get anything needed done but I can't do any fiber stuff either 

I did get a long nap in today though


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

All of the sudden, fibery goodness is raining down on me . I'm getting a b-u-tee-ful silvery fleece from a gal on one of my lists (quite affordably), this morning, I open my inbox here to find an offer for fleece AND, in another thread, yet another generous offer of Shetland fleece (still tentative)! I don't know what good deed(s) I did, but I wanna do it again!!!

Hopefully it'll be a dry but not windy day today. I *really* need to get some wool washed.

(You girls _do_ realize that Phillip is going to kill me when the new fleeces start coming in, right? I still don't have all last year's spun.)


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

When is he just going to give up and realize you have to have a 'STASH'????

<sigh> Mine is giving me the raised eyebrow lately - I've filled up the nook between the couch and the wall, under the corner coffee table, now bags from our freshly shorn Black Welsh piled up in our bedroom lol. 

hubby - 'it smells like sheep in here' 

me - 'hmm, wonder why? I only have 6 fleeces in here!'

he hasn't complained about the vacuum belts from the little pills everywhere...

Andrea
www.arare-breed.net


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## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

SMALL MIRACLE - STRANGE OCCURENCE

A couple minutes ago (after I posted to the FAC), Phillip walked in and looked at my screen. I had up an answer to an enquiry about fleece (fancy that  ). He saw that I was being offered lamb fleece (first shear) and TOLD ME TO GET AT LEAST TWO!!! 

I about fell off my chair! Here I was worried (ok, ok, a little concerned was all) that he was going to be seriously peeved I was even _looking_, least of all buying. And then he says that ...........


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Well, the 26 foot truck is packed full, the Tahoe is packed full of china and glass, and we are leaving today at noon on our trek to Iowa to find a new place to live. 

I got my spinning for the trip done in time, and have enough yarn with me for knitting 3 or 4 sock pairs. That ought to keep me fibery until we return in mid-May. I don't have a drop spindle to take along, and I have to draw a limit somewhere, as I have so much other stuff coming along with us. I have done a lot of traveling so I know what we need to have with us to make the trip more pleasant. Bringing our own pillows is most important.

I will be posting along the way as we make progress, and I'll see you, Marchie, at the wool festival on Saturday. I'm bringing my muck boots, since it looks like there might be rain.

I'm jealous of all of you that can keep on washing wool and spinning and stuff when I have to drop everything and leave home...


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

FalconDance said:


> (You girls _do_ realize that Phillip is going to kill me when the new fleeces start coming in, right? I still don't have all last year's spun.)


I was cruising in my fiber room and saw a raw fleece from 2005! I know I still have unscoured fleeces from 2006 & 2007 also.

hmm... I'm working from home today. I think I'll scour a few fleeces today  

Just put a brown shetland in


> and TOLD ME TO GET AT LEAST TWO!!!


Got to love him!

Lezlie - Godspeed in your travels.

Do you think you'll be up here permanently by mid-June? If so, would love to have you come to the farm for our Homesteading Weekend (June 21-22)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lezlie be safe in your travels. I keep checking on your progress. Why not start a new thread for us to keep track of you along the way. I think we will need to find you a nice spindle at the fiber festival. See you in a few weeks :dance:

Falcon I bet he is using that reverse psychology on you. Little does he know it doesn't work on true addicts :nana:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchwind said:


> Falcon I bet he is using that reverse psychology on you. Little does he know it doesn't work on true addicts :nana:


Maybe he's just given in to the addiction. I know Paul has. Well, I indulge him in his addictions to fur trapping, leather & forge work because I know it makes hims happy. Paul reciprocates and indulges me in my fiber 'needs'


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

As it should be :bow:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The new FAC for May is up. Please post there http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=3056226#post3056226


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