Tuesday, July 24, 2007

I have become totally obsessed with dying! Before I developed my crock pot method, it was a big mess, time consuming, and I didn't like the results. Now, I can do a pot or 2 everyday and not feel like it's such a big deal. The fiber is retaining its alpaca-like qualities and I'm loving it. Loving it so much, that I want to spin it myself and not put it into my Etsy store as roving. Maybe I will get so much accumulated that I will think I don't have the time to spin it. I know that I should be working on a custom order, but this is so fun! Actually, I do force myself to do a skein for the order and then reward myself by doing some dyed roving. I have to do up another bobbin of that green above, ply it, and then work on the order.

Son Rob left yesterday morning to go back to Pennsylvania and called about 5 to say that he arrived safely. That's just too damn far away. Miss him tremendously already.

We picked up two more sheep yesterday at Brooklyn, Mich. , a just weaned lamb and a 2 year old ram. I feel so sorry for the little lamb. She, Phoebe is her name, is quarantined in a pen next to the ram. Apparently, it's a good practice not to put them in with the rest in case they might be carrying some illness from their home farm. Phoebe doesn't cry but just tries so hard to get through the gate to be with her friend. We purchased these two from Larry and Joan Egeler.

5 comments:

Laughingrat said...

Aw, poor little lamb. :( Glad to hear your crock-pot method is a success! Yes, the alpaca-dyeing is going well over here--just waiting to get a photo of the first batch. I somewhat started to spin it tonight and realized I needed to be a little more alert for my first go at alpaca. It's drafting just fine, though, and is super soft. :) The batch I did yesterday is one ball of dark blue, and a ball of lighter blue/green which I'll wind up plying together; tonight's is a reddish purple, and a muted magenta/gold, which I'll ply together. "Pacific" and "Aguirre" respectively, it will be neat to see if my spinning experiment works. :)

Lovely, lovely roving! Thanks again!

Sheknits said...

Pretty basket o'fiber! I feel sorry for the lamb, but I feel FAR MORE sorry for you with your son being gone-- WAHH...it never gets easier does it?

Over The Top Aprons said...

Your dyed wool is beautiful. I can see why you love to work with it yourself. You are definitely a very busy and very creative lady! Your blog is so colorful... nice!

Lisa said...

The fiber looks wonderful. Such beautiful colors. I can see why you are enjoying it so much.

I can't wait to see pics of the new sheep. (esp that little lamb!)

skiingweaver said...

A basket full of yumminess! Isn't the crock pot a great way to dye? I just found out about it myself... (OT: my Mum has started reading your blog - she's also a retired teacher and is enjoying you tremendously!)

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