SHADES OF BROWN

It's been a long time since I have had a gopher tortoise in the yard!  His shell is about 11" long so you have an idea of his size which means he is a fully mature female (10-15 years old!) .

The latest skein of yarn off the spinning wheel is at 200 yards and is the closest to the olive color I was aiming to achieve!

And the latest vase off the lathe--it is made from a small chunk of Black Walnut. It is about 9" tall and 3" wide at the base.  I used beeswax for the finish and it feels delicious in your hands!  Since the temperatures are still around the 100+F mark, I am very grateful for the window A/C unit Bill installed right over where I work or I wouldn't be able to work in the garage at all!

 

A DAY AT HOME

Every other morning there is a new flower blooming on the orchid!  I do love to have an orchid in my room!

My total yardage for the four skeins was just under 900 yards of superwash wool/nylon which I dyed. I'm thinking I will make a crocheted blanket since I have been enjoying that lately!  I still have 4 more skeins to add to the pile so I know I will have enough yarn for a blanket.  Or maybe I could knit some small mitered squares blanket--isn't it nice to have ideas?!

This pipe is where my 'lizard' lives--sticking his head out like a submarine periscope checking out the world. 

 I heard a flurry in the afternoon and she sat there for a bit 

but left empty handed, to my relief!  

I put out seeds for you so leave my lizard along, please!

 

MORE TDF DYEING

Another crockpot of dyed wool;  I'm still not thrilled with the color but it did improve some.

I squeeze out the water and hang them to dry overnight.

The first skein of the orangey-brown yarn;  it is soft and squishy!

The next skein is still an orangey-brown but lighter in color.

And the last hank of wool turned out the best in the lightest color.

I will look forward to a lot of spinning today!

WORKING WITH COLORS

The Posy table runner is a done deal!  

It was fun to use the Fat Quarters to make the flowers!

This 60" x 66" ,or so, quilt is all pieced except for the narrow top  and bottom borders!  I just ran out of oomph for the long strips! lol

I did piece some of the cat/flower layer cake blocks---the colors are so rich and a lot of fun to make!

A bit more spinning is happening also.  I tried to make some olive green roving!  It came out way too orange/brown---a common error when working with this color because it is made of green and red and the color 'breaks' into its components instead of the end goal color.  I will try again.  Yes, it is still a pretty color, just not the one I was going for!

 

THE POINT OF ALL THAT SPINNING

I plied the two singles into yarn and then I prepared the roving to spin the next two singles.  The fluffier roving on the left is the same length/weight as the one on  the right but I have stretched or attenuated the roving which opens up the fibers after being compacted by dyeing and drying.  I love how it makes the fibers light and airy and it calls me to be spun!

Here is a close up of how the yarn looks on the bobbin right after plying the two singles together.

And here is the skein of 230 yards of 2ply yarn, 

about a DK weight of superwash Merino.

 

PLAYING WITH YARN

The rest of the Gulf Native wool was spun up and I even plied the two bobbins into yarn--330 yards of worsted weight yarn!

This yarn is very soft and will join the skein I made a while ago but I don't know what exactly I will be making from it yet!  So often, I spin for the pleasure of spinning and not because of a specific project I want the yarn to be!

I also have a finish in the granny squares realm!  

This is now 48" x 60" which is a good snuggle/nap size. 

 The colorful blocks are from the Red Heart yarn made to make the granny squares with its own color changes preset for you. 

 It mostly works out! lol  

I already took a nap with it so it is approved!  

I will most likely gift this or maybe donate it. 

 I have been making a lot of blankets lately! 

 In fact, I have the pleasure of teaching a mom and her daughter how to crochet today but we will start out with a dishcloth 

to learn the basics first!

 

DIPPING MY TOES IN THE TDF

I don't think I even attempted to play with TDF (Tour de Fleece) which coincides with the Tour De France; a fun way to inspire and motivate me to get back to spinning!  This is some Gulf Native sheep wool that I cleaned and dyed myself.  I will finish up this fiber that has wanted to be yarn for several years!  It is very relaxing and I enjoyed the few hours I spent spinning.  

 

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!