March Madness (fiber style)

Sometimes, when you’re in a hurry you don’t take the time to check… I was in a dyeing frenzy this weekend, and thought I’d use some of my remaining Gaywool dye for an 8 oz. chunk of Blueface Leicester/Tussah silk roving. When it came out of the steamer, it looked like this – kind of fugly.

Since I had invested 8 oz. in this fugliness, I thought I’d spin some up so that (hopefully) it would look like something people would buy. I think it works really well! Note the sheen - I really like this stuff!!

Ok, so I learned that the roving needs to be really wet to use the shake and steam method with this dye, otherwise the dye won’t dissolve through the roving.

I also tried spinning the moorit merino/alpaca blend again (see this post). I figured out that the whorl on my wheel was not the one that I was used to using, and once switched, it was really a breeze to spin. Ok, it took me 5 hours to spin and ply 171 yds. (about 1.3 oz), but I must say, it’s rather nice. I was going to sell all this roving, but now I need to keep a bit so that I can have enough for something…

Some of the results of the dyeing frenzy:

Yarn (superwash merino/bamboo)

Various rovings

I have 1.5 lbs. of yarn yet to dye, the above yarn to rewind so the colors get mixed up a bit, labels to make, and… Uh Oh – I think I need a list!!

Also found a wonderful home for the big horse, Chris. He’s going back over the hill to 40 acres, where he may be ridden, or be a BIG pasture ornament. He is a) too tall for me and my $100K knees and b) eats 3 times what one of the ponies or all of the alpacas eat. I will miss his sense of humor, and his general doofyness, but I won't miss the feed bill.  He served a great purpose - got me back on a horse before and after my surgery, and for that I'm grateful - but given the investment in my lower appendages, I need a shorter steed. I’m also hauling a pony over for Correy (a driving project), so I’m hauling the trailer full on the way over. I’m bringing 3 piggies back, but they’ll be riding in a crate in the back of the truck (they’re about 9 wks. old).

This will be a fun weekend at Fiber Market Day in Prineville. It will be good to see old friends, maybe make new ones, and sell some stuff!!