Fiber Weekend

This weekend was wonderfully exhausting!

It started with hauling two equines over the pass in my horse trailer – Chris, who was going to a new home (she loves him!) and King, a B Welsh pony for Correy’s next driving project. Talk about Mutt and Jeff! Since the weather has been icky, I figured I’d have to chain up, and needed chains for the trailer. When I went to get them, the ones they had were so slick to put on, I bought a set for the truck too (I have some chain chains that I’ve never opened, and will now return). I had Correy’s daughter, Brin, with me – what a helper! I guess I should admit that until this time, I’ve never put chains on a vehicle… in my whole life! Fortunately, these new-fangled chains are a snap to put on, and easy to take off. It was slow going over the top, but we made it, and everyone was fine.

Got to Correy’s and dropped off the pony (sorry no picture, I wasn’t thinking…). He looks like a miniature Clydesdale. We then went to the fairground to set up (Correy and I share a booth). Again, no picture (ditto…).

We went back the next morning to finish, and these pictures don’t really show much… (Except LindaLou having a good time!!)

I was surprised very surprised by the almost complete sell out of my dyed yarn, and all but 2 skeins of Mom’s “Vintage” mohair yarn. I sold a fair amount of roving, but not as much as last year. The yarn was a total hit, in spite of both of my swifts committing suicide the night before I left so I couldn’t finish rewinding the skeins (to mix up the colors). I sold all of the superwash/bamboo, and all but 1 skein of the superwash. WOW!

I couldn’t resist this picture:

This little guy was “helping” his mom and dad in the booth behind us. It was a very long day for him (and everyone else). I was so envious!

On Sunday, Correy and I traveled out to Ashwood so I could pick up this year’s pigs. After helping with pig rodeo, I brought home these 3 boys:

They’re still pretty wild, and contained in my horse trailer. I don’t think it will take long for them to get used to the human that feeds them, however!

Rainfall total: 75 inches since November 1, 2010.

Have I mentioned that I’m ready for spring?

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!!

Newest residents of the farm...

First to be totally up front:  I raise animals to eat.  I have 32 Cornish X chicks that are growing nicely, and will soon be turned out on the grass.  I have raised lambs, and once raised a steer (won't do that again), and raise turkeys and pigs.

This year, I have 3 little pigs.  They are sisters, and are wildly cute. 

They gave me pause Wednesday, when I came home to an empty pig pen.  I've only had them a week and a half, and I wasn't sure if they would *allow* themselves to be caught.  I have been setting up a Pavlovian response when I feed them - I snort like a pig, and they come running with their tails just wagging!  Didn't know I spoke swine.  So, when they were MIA, I started walking around snorting.  Ok, so this isn't something you would want to do in the city - your neighbors would think you needed mental assistance.  Fortunately the friend that was with me understands my quirks, and went along with it!  As I passed by the "old growth" laurel behind the house, I got a response - they all came running out, but seeing that I had no feed scoop in my hand, ran back under the tree.  So, being a trainable chimp, I got the feed scoop, filled with feed, and snorted again.  They came running, and then followed me like the pied piggy piper, back into their pen.  Said pen has now been fortified, and there should be no further field trips until I move them out of the barn (when they're a little bigger) to the big outdoors in the orchard.  They will be finished on the fallen apples - pre-applesauced pork chops - yumm!

Last year I raised two, and sold all but 3/4, which I kept.  This year, I'll keep one, one is going to the family of a dear friend whose husband replaced the clutch in my truck, and the third will go to my neighbor who has a backhoe.  He's kindly come and dug great big holes when I had to put my horse down (twice - last year was not good), and will grade me a 60 x 120 riding arena so I can actually work Merlin without hauling into town (unless it's raining).  He has a smoker, which I'm hoping to get him to do some of my pork chops - I can hardly wait.

In the meantime, they are a riot, make me laugh out loud, and amuse the alpacas.

Next post - fiber pursuits.