oooh look how shiny!

Yesterday I decided to process some of the mohair that I purchased from Southern Mystic, a fellow Phatty for the Phat Fiber Box, on Etsy.  After washing in some Dawn detergent, I started up 2 different dye pots. After mixing and adding colors, layering the colors as the fiber started absorbing the previous colors, this is what I ended up with.  It took longer to dry because it got caught out in a summer rain storm yesterday. But today has been super clear and sunny, and the fiber is warm, soft, and super fluffy.  Might me time for a fiber nap...  I'm not sure if you can tell from the pictures, but this stuff is so shiny!  I thought I would only use it for felting, but I think I have changed my mind. I had to go back and order more today.  I also ordered her Sci-fi spin along, I got a sample in my Phat Sampler box and I was hooked! 

Core spun on wire

This is getting out of control.......but it's so much fun!  Spinning on wire is an experience.  I had to hand feed most of it onto the bobbin.  Next time I might look for a thinner wire.

Speaking of wire, look what my dear blog friend Norma sent me for my birthday!  Thank you once again Norma!  I love her!

Getting Ready....

My Suri fiber is dyed, and now in the process of becoming roving from my drum carder.  I have fiber everywhere!  It's going to take me FOREVER to clean all of the extra fluff off of my carder :)  I am going to card each color individually, and then spin.  I am saving my oranges to spin un carded and just fluffed.  I am gearing up for the Tour de Fleece.  And all of this alpaca fiber I have been hoarding is going to be spun.  I have Huacaya in  rose gray ( about 10 ounces or so), chocolate brown, white, a really pretty lighter brown color, and a beautiful gray.  I think I will be busy enough! In the pile of fiber in the picture, the green is the Suri I have already made into roving,  The rest is fiber that I have processed over the past couple of months.
I think I am crazy, but holy moley it's reaching intervention levels around here with all of the fiber, and I don't even own an Alpaca!!!

My team is Wonder Why Alpaca- Team of Wonder.  :)  Thanks Andrea for letting me join!  

My First Corespun

I decided to take some time yesterday to play with some new techniques I have been practicing on my wheel. So far my favorite is core spinning. I REALLY want to try weaving with some of this yarn. I used some domestic wool that I dyed in pink, turquoise, and a soft almost mint green. I made a fluffy batt and threw in some angelina and crystal metallic fibers. At first I was freaked out at how over spun my core was becoming but I kept plugging away. After I filled my bobbin, I decided to ply it with a hot pink. I LOVE it!! And what makes it so fabulous is it is almost perfectly balanced.......only a slight 1/2 twist at the bottom when I hung the skein!!!!

I think I will take a break from dyeing!!!

I have been having a blast dyeing wool.  Now I need to get busy doing something with it.  I started making some flowers today.  I have also been practicing my spinning.

I found a really simple crochet pattern for a cowl that I really liked on crochetspot.com.  I found a wool blend in my stash of store bought yarn to try it out with.  I am going to try it with a finer yarn and see what I end up with.  I love small projects, that still look nice!

The Ultimate Reference Book!!!

I am a book lover.  I especially love reference type books.  I have found the ULTIMATE reference book for fiber lovers.  Well at least I think so...... :)

It is called, The Fleece & Fiber SourceBook, I am not even through the first chapter and I am in deep like of this book!!!  In short, this book gives detailed information for more than 200 animal fibers.  The book is written for the person who uses these fibers to spin, dye, weave, and create with. 

Check it out, I think you will be happy that you did!

Congrats to my gal!

Well today was the special day.  My oldest daughter graduated from High School!  I am so proud of her!

Felted bag for a friend

I had a request for a black felted bag with pink stripes from a co-worker based on Heather's peanut resist bag that she made for me. I used a rectangle resist for mine. So today was the day to get that project completed.  I actually started it yesterday, but it got too hot in the garage to complete it, so I waited until it was cooler this A.M to work on it.

I have decided that I DO NOT like working with black wool!  I used a dyed merino.  It kinda reminds me of wearing black pants.....it attracts all kinds of fiber and looks messy.  After the photo shoot, I gave it a shave.  It cleaned it up much more to my liking.  I hope my co-worker likes it........giving something I make to someone else always causes me such anxiety!!!

Soooo excited!!!

I get to go to SAFF in October!  I mentioned it to my husband and he asked if I would be able to get off from school during that time.  When I checked the calendar, I noticed that we will have no school on that Friday!  So needless to say we booked the hotel and will be heading up to N.C.!!!!!!  Oh man I REALLY need to start saving now.  So if anyone is also going, I would love to meet you!  I will be easy to spot...... because I will be the gal who is pinging from booth to booth with a crazed look in her eye!  Oh, and I will be followed by a man who will be piled with bags of fleece! 

M-T-W SALE

Yarn & Fiber COMMUNITY Online Sale
June 6th-8th
20% off in my shop. Use code SUNSHINE20 for all fiber/batt purchases!