Blog Neglect

Oh, my gosh, you need to go here and see what Kristen has written on her blog about me. It makes me feel a little sheepish and sort of embarassed - yet really pleased and is giving me big smiles. I've gone back and read it a couple of times for a big ego boost.
Kristen is one of the very first folks that I felt a connection with a few years ago when I started my Etsy shop. I have checked out her blog weekly and admired her handwoven goodies. You know the pictures that you get in your mind of what someone must be like? Kristen remains there as a kind, generous, intelligent woman out East, but I was sure she must be in her late 20s 'cause she has two wee kids. Now I find out this Attorney trained woman is about the same age as my own girls. Well past 30.
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I've been neglecting this blog because I'm out of my normal routine with the grandgirls and their dog, Knox, staying with us for the week. We have played tons of games, knitted, spun, shorn sheep, groomed winter hair out of the horses, and last night went to see "Nim's Island" 8 year old Meredith has decided that she wants to put some stuff in my Etsy store so is right this minute weaving a pot holder.

Renee and Magnolia

This delightful little hat is from white Magnolia's fiber that I handdyed and spun. It's created and knitted by Renee from Madison, Wisconsin, (solmama on Ravelry) (graymama on Etsy). I know that I've said it before, but it's so much fun to see where and how our fiber ends up.

My Little Corner of the World

Because I love to see other folks' work spaces, I just naively think that everybody does. This is our living room where I spin. Normally the drapes are open so that I get great light. Cassie, my Golden, is usually to the left of my chair, and Max, our Sheltie, lays along the wall to the right. Bliss, I tell you....
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Tomorrow I am going to Corunna to stay overnight with the grandgirls, get them to school on Friday, and bring them home for a week. Their folks are taking high school students to Costa Rica. And my other daughter is in Germany chaperoning high school students for two weeks. This daughter, Terre, is a high school counselor here in Ithaca. Don't you think that it's amazing and wonderful that kids today have such wonderful opportunities?

Fun Weekend Spinning

Did some fun spinning this weekend..... The skein above is a single alpaca blend plied with a gold flecked Wooly Nylon serger thread. I threaded about 300 gold and pearl beads onto the thread before I plied. I thought I had about a hundred yards of the white all spun up and figured I wanted a bead every foot. For some reason I came out with beads left on my thread but think that this looks nice. Maybe the left over beads need to go on some black now. Think that will be today's spin. I listed this in my store here.

This was also a fun spin. Remember the Tulip inspired roving that I dyed last week. Here is some of it. I couldn't resist it! I still have a couple ounces left. This was experimentation - It's a single. The thread that you see, I just added as I was spinning the thick and thin, slubby single. I never spin singles because I'm always worried about the finished knitted project slanting - and after knitting this little swatch (there's that dirty word, Cary), yep, it will slant. It's here in my Etsy shop. I hope you don't think I'm blatantly promoting because that's not why I have my blog. It's only if you want to see more picture. Really!

Remember you can click on a picture to enlarge and see all those happy slubs.

And here's the guy responsible for all this. Okko. Yea! Okko! The fiber is from the blend that I picked up last week at Zeilingers. 75% alpaca, 20% merino, and 5% mohair.

Go State!

This is a big weekend for Michigan State hockey fans because the team is out in Colorado playing for the National Championship. They won last night and if they win tonight they move on to the Semifinals on April 10 in Denver.
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You may recognize these two darlings as my dear granddaughters. The pictures were taken last year when Michigan State won the NCAA National Championship in St. Louis, MO.
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And I'm sure you are asking why the kids were at that game...... Right? Well, their Dad is the hockey team physician, so, of course, goes to the games - and the whole family got to go.

Life could get a little sticky for their family because next week the girls will be staying here (YEA!) because their folks are taking high school students to Costa Rica. They will return April 10th when, should State win, Dr. Bob will fly to Denver instead of home to Michigan.

Sunday a.m. - just in case you care, MSU lost last night..... :-(

Soft, Clean, Colorful Raw Merino

Oh, look at that crimp, look how clean, over 3 inches long, and, Beth, you can huff it 'cause it smells so good. I bought 4 pounds and 11 ounces of this gorgeous Merino lamb from genopalette. If you go to the Etsy store right now, nothing will be listed, but look and click on what they have sold to see their lovely fleece. If you contact Desiree through the Etsy Contact, I know that she will have some for you. This is my third purchase from the McMurry's and I couldn't be happier.

I really thought that Merino came only in white, but look at this. The colors are deep to pale ashy greys and tans and browns. I can't decide what I'm going to do with it. Maybe send half with Sonata's brown fleece to Stonehedge to be make into yarn. I have 5 pounds and 5 ounces. The rest I'm thinking will go to Zeilingers with some fawn fleece to be made into roving.

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Since becoming part of Ravelry, I am learning that many knitters really don't like to use pure alpaca. They want more memory and bounce, so I'm trying to provide them with it. Speaking of Ravelry, I found out how to feature my yarn to sell so have spent several hours today getting that organized. For you Ravelriers, I'm Maple there, and my yarn is NorthStarAlpacas (all written together like that)

I'm Dyeing for Spring

This plant from Nikki for Easter was my inspiration yesterday to heat up the dye pot. My dyed stuff makes a lovely background for the Tulips.

This fiber is dyed from roving that I picked up on Saturday from Zeilinger's mill in Frankenmuth. They did a beautiful job cleaning and processing it. And (heh, heh, wringing hands and cackling) I have over 5 pounds that will keep me dyeing for a long time.

The fiber itself is 75% white alpaca that I purchased from Okko, 20% white lamb Merino that I purchased from McMurrays, and 5%Mohair that I purchased from Edie at SpinningMoonFarm.

I'm so pumped to dye that I'm going to get at it again today (as soon as the View is over ☺)