SOME YARN

 250 yards of DK yarn from Blue faced Leicester wool. 

 It is so relaxing to spin wool;  I have some superwash roving that I need to dye so I can spin some more.  

That will give me something to do!

I go for another iron infusion this afternoon;

how's that for filling my schedule!

MORE DOWN THAN UP STILL

I bought some similar but not exact BFL to go with the last 4 ounces I bought.  I have the roving split up and started spinning it.

I have 2 ounces spun up on one bobbin and almost done with the second so I can start plying the yarn today.

So far there has been no more ripping out of this yarn--I might have the right formula this time but it is early days yet! lol  This is only 12 of the 14" needed for the back before the armpit decrease.

I am feeling okay but the energy I feel comes only in spurts and doesn't have any staying power yet.  I am hoping it will just keep getting better!

 

YARN PROJECTS

I am working down the body of the cardigan, it is boring but it is progressing.  I am about half the length I need to achieve.  I will be taking it with me to a new doctor's appointment today.

  I am hoping to learn some helpful insight today to explain the type of anemia I have and what to do about it.

I did wash and dry the wool I spun last week. Just like the magic of blocking a shawl, it is wonderful to see how washing/drying makes the yarn bloom and the plies to merge--delightful results! 

 I like it so much, I ordered another 4 ounces o

f the same lot to make another skein!

 

AND THERE IS YARN

I have been 'busy' plying the spun singles 

and wound them off the bobbin.

And now I have 225 yards of DK yarn from Blue Faced Leicester wool;  very soft and prettily colored.  No, I have no idea what I am going to knit from it yet but hope to find something to spark my interest soon!

Here is a bonus photo--A deliciously aromatic rose that was from Bill's Mom's house, she planted down here in 1979 and in 2019, Bill planted near the pond out back where it has more moisture.  It is thriving despite some loving attention from the deer and a few floods!  

 

TWO THINGS-NO FOOLING!

In the morning yesterday, I drew the cross hatching with an erasable pen on the table runner and then had fun using the faux hand stitching on my domestic sewing machine to do the quilting! 

 I couldn't do all of the stitching

 but I'm ready to do some more today!

And in the afternoon, I spun 2 ounces of the wool! 

 It was so relaxing the spin again!

 

SOME SPINNING THERAPY

I've been inspired by Deb's recent spinning adventures 

so I ordered some BFL wool from Greenwood to spin!

I am ready to add something new that 

I can do and still rest in bed!

 

AND YET ANOTHER CREATIVE OUTLET

The rest of the Cotswold wool is spun!  I made 1168 yards of dk weight yarn--that's .76 miles! lol  I will be dyeing some of these skeins and use it for a weaving project I am planning.

Mary and I went to JoAnn's this past week--empty shelves everywhere....very discouraging.  

However, we did get everything on our fabric list 

and a few extras, too.  These gourds are from Hobby Lobby 

where you can get a wonderful Fall fix!   

I will also making this arrangement of painted boards myself--

isn't it perfect for we who love the beach-y look!

And last but not least, this beauty was delivered to me yesterday!  (It's a Cricut Maker 3)

I have the machine and supplies all organized and waiting for me to get going--unfortunately, it will NOT talk to my computer by Bluetooth or by USB.  I do have a computer geeky friend coming this morning to rescue me---I hope!  I have ideas you know! 

 

SLOW DAYS ARE GOOD

The quilt group QOV is off the frame and ready to turn in;  

another will apply the binding on this one.

The spinning is continuing;  there will be enough for another bobbin and at least two more skeins of the Cotswold wool. 

 It has been a very good spin!

 

WOOLLY AND FLUFFY

I am back to spinning some natural colored wool, still Cotswold, but again I am out of batts.  Guess what I will be making today?

I whipped off a school of stingrays last night--

I hope to make them for some boys to enjoy.

 

TDF UPDATE

I ran into a little trouble with my e-spinner not wanting to play the bobbins of singles but I found a back-up plan by using an old flyer and managed to get four skeins equaling 793 yards so far. 

 These will end up in the dye pot eventually.

 

A HOME DAY!!!!!

Yesterday, I was on the road until 3:30 and when I came home,

 I was done in!  I sat in my recliner with Lena on my lap and didn't get up until 9:00 when I went to bed! 

 I had an eye Dr appt, ( I need new glasses with prisms to help with my double vision) 

a quick dentist appt to re-glue the temp cap 

and then to my primary care doctor! 

 In between appts I did some shopping which is Very unlike me!  But I didn't want to drive the 35 min back home and back in between things!!!  I did squeeze in a long browse at the Quilt shop and bought these three 1/2 yard pieces to help with the piano keys round on the patriotic quilt.

Today, I am going to spend some time with these batts!

 

TDF 2024 DAY ONE

The Tour de France  begins today 

and all spinners unite for their own event, the Tour de Fleece!  

I printed out the Tour's schedule to guide my spinning whether it will be easy, rigorous or a day of rest.

The first batt I carded earlier this month is now teased into a roving ready for me to start when the race begins!  

I will enjoy spinning some yarn today!!!

 

PLEASURE IN FINISHES

The skein of Merino/silk DK yarn is spun;  there are 200 yards which will be knit into another Dropped Stitch Scarf.

I made an adult double-layered hat on the Addi and it even has a label and pom!  (The pom is removable with a button on the inside to ease in washing care)

The only finish in the studio was the table runner! 

( Everything else went sideways-I left. )

But the runner adds warmth to the dining room

 and that makes me happy!

 

MORE YARN!

I have some yarn to show for my spinning time-216 yards of worsted weight yarn.  I have plenty more of this fleece so I hope I can match the results.  I wasn't able to wash this yarn to set the twist because it poured all day and that doesn't help it dry!  

 

BIT OF A CRASH

 In my usual MO, my body is needing a bit of a crash (in bed) to recoup from the travel, etc.  I did a bit of spinning to try out the weird batt/rolags and they were a huge success!  I will be making some more when I am upright again!  It shouldn't be long!

SETTLING IN AGAIN

I wound the plied yarn I had made before we left so I could count the yardage and prep it for washing and setting.

I have a skein of yarn that is probably between fingering and DK weight yarn with 510 yards.

I then began the job of picking and combing on the drum carder to get some new fiber to spin for TDF again!

  This is some Gulf Native Sheep wool I had dyed a few years ago and didn't enjoy picking and combing before spinning 

but I am going to finish it up this time with little whining! 

I changed the whorl set-up on the drum carder

to the larger one and then rolled the batting off tightly

 so that it is like a large rolag.  

I will be spinning it today and will let you know how it goes!

I unpacked, walked around a bit to see the flowers and was glad to see the orange tiger lily that was in bud last week-

I was so glad I didn't miss it!

This guy watched me water the plants--he is a a green anole;  he can change colors to match the shade of his background  and we call them chameleons but they are not true chameleons. 

 They are not as common as brown anoles in my yard so I enjoy watching them!

 

PRAYERS FOR SMOOTH TRAVELS!

I managed to get the two bobbins plied into yarn-7 ounces of 2 ply yarn.  I will let it set on the bobbin for a while.

The piecing and cutting are on hold for a bit, also.

We are taking a trip to see my parents to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with them!  I'm hoping for a drama-free day of air travel!

 

DAY ONE OF THE TOUR

After getting some morning chores done, it was time to head outside and play in the sun! I had a nice long extension cord so I could spin by the pool!

My view while I did my spinning!  I listened to an audio book for some of the time, too. So very relaxing!

And what I accomplished-almost half a bobbin. 

A great beginning!

My Many Facets

I almost made it around the whole round but I ran out of steam!  It's shaping up nicely!

I even made another row for this coral reef quilt.

I played with the knotty burl on the lathe.  It gave me fits at first;  I thought it was going to beat me but then it all worked out!  I even got to use my new gadget, a Sand-O-Flex which is made for sanding natural edge works--it buff the dirt and debris out but leaves the bark intact.  Perfect!

And the second skein of yarn was plied;  it took longer than I expected!  Maybe because this skein has 321 yards which is 100 yards more than the other skein!  I will wash and dry these today and then they can be put to good use!

And the second sock has joined its mate;  Winter's Frost pattern, KnitPicks Hawthorne in Compass Kettle Dyed yarn.  Knit on 64 stitches with size 0 needles.  (the pattern was written for top down but I knit these toe-up using the chart as written)  

 

Touching Bases

I've grabbed minutes throughout the week to work on the new bowl on the lathe, this is camphor.  I am on the sanding and polishing phase of this project.

I finished sewing the newly drafted top--it fits nicely except is a bit tighter than I would like in the bust area but I am going to enjoy wearing this linen top.

It has a casual feel which will work with cropped pants or a skirt.  Nice to have a success;  I sew the tank top today!

And I am still spinning for the TDF--the turq and olive roving is all spun on its bobbin and I will begin the last of the gold/white roving today.