Spinning

More Snow, and It’s Yarn again

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More Snow

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.It wasn’t snowing yesterday when I went to Church, however this is what it looked like 3 hrs later when Church was over and I was headed home.  And more snow storms are predicted for my area through Saturday.  Is it Spring yet?

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I finally got enough of the Llama roving spun to make a skein of yarn.  Because it’s a little bit heavier than worsted weight I could only get about 80 yards on my spool.  I will probably have about 2 more skeins of yarn by the time I am finished.  I hope my son will enjoy it, it is a soft yarn and should make a nice scarf.  Having a larger spool would be very nice for plying the bulkier yarns so that you have skeins with more yardage.  But you use what you have ;P.

Stay warm and enjoy whatever your local weather brings.  I’m gonna go turn my heater up ;P.

Christmas on a Tight Budget

/ LDSVenus
I Whisk you a Merry Kiss-mas

I Whisk you a Merry Kiss-mas

 With money a bit short, but still wanting to do something for my visiting teaching companion and the sisters we visit teach, I decided to do one of the favorite crafts I learned.  It’s easy, fairly cheap, but so cute.  You simply buy a nice whisk (they aren’t too much at Walmart), put Hersey Kisses in some clear wrap and stick it inside the whisk.  You then make a tag out of card stock saying “I (or We) “Whisk” You a Merry “Kiss-mas”.  You can decorate the card and I will probably add some sparkles and/or Christmas stickers to this before giving them.  I thought they were so cute when I first saw them, and I still do :).

Still working on the Llama roving and my grand daughter will be unhapapy to learn that I haven’t knit any more on her blanket.  But I will have time to work on it as I search for a new job after this coming week, provided the temp agency doesn’t have something right away.   It would be nice if they do, but it would be ok, if it took a week  so that I can have a vacation (which I haven’t had in over 7 months) even if it is unpaid.   The kids and I decided that we were only going to get things for their children this Christmas.  Maybe things will be better next year.

Winter has arrived.  It’s been in the teens the last couple of nights and 20’s and 30’s in the daytime.  We even had snow on Wednesday evening, then off and on Thursday and Friday, tho it didn’t stick, yet.  The weather will be getting colder, minus temps will come and snow will abound, I’ll just hunker down for a few months and then before you know it, it will be spring again.  I love spring, it’s my favorite time of year, when things turn green again and everything is new.

All Things New

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LDSVenus

 

Well, I finally heard from my temp employer that my job will end December 11th.  So I’m busy looking for another job as there is no guarantee that there will be another long term temp job from the temp agency.   So it will be out with the old and in with the new, hopefully soon.  My youngest son is working on fixing a car for me so that when the one I am driving gives out (and it has some major problems, but hey it’s 21 years old ;P), I won’t be car-less.

 My 3 year old grand daughter went to Church with me today.  Even tho’ Sacrament meeting is 1 hr & 10 min long, she is very good and patient, I know it has to be boring listening to adults speak, I do bring paper and crayons and her mom sends a snack to help with the boring part :).  She loves the nursery that she gets to attend after Sacrament meeting is over,  she calls it her “church school”.  She’s very excited to go to class and sing and play with her “friends”.  Today, I stayed after church for a few min to practice a solo that I will be singing for our Ward Christmas party.  I wasn’t sure she would be thrilled because listening to someone sing when you’re 3 years old can be pretty boring.  But she sat quietly and listened to me go through my solo “Oh Holy Night” with the pianist.  She then looked at me with her sweet little wide eyes and said, “That was awesome Grandma, how did you do that?”  I just chuckled and told her that Heavenly Father put the music in me and all I had to do was to let it out.  3 year olds are so funny and awesome.

I’m almost finished with the 2nd spool of Llama roving.  Soon I will be plying and getting a skein of yarn ready to give my son.  It’s very soft stuff, but it is slower than I thought because I have to stop and pick out a little vm (vegetable matter) as I spin, so it slows me up a bit, but I have enjoyed the softness of this fiber :).  I hope my son will enjoy knitting with it.

Suri Alpaca

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click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

 About 2 weeks ago I received a 1 oz sample of Suri Alpaca.  I have not had the pleasure of handling or spinning Suri Alpaca.  The fiber is very silky and drapey as compared to Huacaya Alpaca that has more spring or crimp, both are very soft.  I need to finish the Llama that I have on the wheel so that I can try this out.  I love new fiber experiences. 🙂  I appologize for not putting this picture up sooner, my life has been a zoo for the last couple of weeks.  I put Ann’s card on the fiber so you can see where this lovely fiber came from or you can click here to go to her website.

 

click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

 I have also finished a fleece tied blanket for my grand daughter Leena.  Her birthday was a few days after mine and things and time got away from me.  This was a little bit larger project than I anticiapated (probably because I had not done one before ;P).  But it’s finished and it looks very nice.  The color on the underneath side matches the bow tie on the teddy bears.

 

 

I have throughly enjoyed the wonderful 60’s that we’ve had here yesterday and today.  It is like an early spring and so very wonderful.  I will try to hold onto the wamth and sunshine during the upcoming cold winter that is sure to come soon.  But then spring will be just around the corner. 🙂

Christmas Cactus in Bloom

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Christmas Cactus in bloom

Christmas Cactus in bloom

 

 

My Christmas Cactus is just blooming away.  Those flowers are sure a pretty pink color.  I really need to re-pot it this coming spring into a larger container, I’m pretty sure it’s probably root bound.   I have a friend in TN that has a really large Christmas Cactus but she has potted it in a larger container ;P. 

 

My church had a talent show last night.  I took my spinning wheel and demonstrated spinning and had samples of fiber and spun yarn and items that I had knit from the hand spun yarn.  It went over well.  I had fun and saw some awesome talents from the other members, singing, instrument playing, skits, jokes, it was all good.  I love the talent shows. 🙂

**Thanks son, it does look better :).

Spinning the Llama

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click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

This is the chocolate Llama roving that my son bought for me to spin for him.  It is turning out a beautiful  heathered brown. 

People have said on my spinning list that the Alpaca and Llama are dirty fibers to spin, wonderful but dirty (because they roll in the dirt), and I thought how bad can they be?  Well, this was professionally processed and it still has some dirt.  I can’t even imagine trying to spin the unprocessed fiber.  Still I’m sure it would be worth it, because it’s soft and this one is a breeze to spin.  It will get another washing after the yarn is plyed and skeined and I’m betting there will be dirty water. 

I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to spin it thick enough as I’m use to spinning sport weight to baby weight yarn and my son wanted worsted weight, but it seems to like being worsted weight so I’m happy :).

Christmas Cactus

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Early blooms

Early blooms

 Last year in mid November came the first blossoms I had on the Christmas cactus that had been given to me for Christmas the year before. 

This year, because of the unusually cool Summer and early Fall temps, my Christmas cactus already has buds on it and it’s only the start of October.  Hmmmmm.  Wonder if that is just the difference in the cooler temps here for fall vs TN last year.  With winter coming soon, I sure miss TN about now :P.  I’ve already had to bring my plants in from my balcony due to the lower temps at night, sigh.

I’m still looking for that pattern that screams at me, KNIT ME, KNIT ME, for the alpaca shawl.  In the mean time I like to hold the skein of yarn and feel it’s softness.  It’s time to start spinning the 2nd skein of yarn :).

Yesterday and today I’ve been able to listen to General Conference on the BYU station of cable TV.  It’s been great and very uplifting, I love General Conference time in the spring and fall every year.

It’s Yarn!

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Handspun Cria

Handspun Cria

 

 Ok, I finished spinning on Thursday but didn’t have time to ply until today.  It’s offically yarn :).   It is soooo soft.  It came out about 16 wpi (“wraps per inch” for those who are yarn impared :P) that is, depending on what chart you use, fingerling to sport weight and I’m gonna call it sport weight, and this skein is 224 yards.  I was worried that I might over ply but I didn’t and it is luxurious to handle.  You can see one of the spools of singles and the fiber on my August 17th post.

  

click on picture for larger image
click on picture for larger image

 

 I’ve put this picture up so you can see the twist.  I’m pretty impressed with the results of this Cria Alpaca yarn.   I will need to buy some more of the fiber tho, as this was not enough for a shawl or capelett, it used about 4 of the 6 ozs.  I will need to spin probably 1 & 1/2 to 2 more skiens.  It will be a pleasure to spin more but I’m sorry that I have to wait to knit it up :P.  Maybe I’ll knit as I spin to urge me to spin more frequently to finish :).

 

I purchased this wonderful roving from Deer Trace Farm in Fayetteville, TN.  They don’t appear to have a website so if you are interested in contacting them regarding some fiber just email me and I will hook you up with their email addy and/or phone number.

Oh yeah, I got to watch the Dallas Cowboys play yesterday evening (still indoctrinating my 3 year old grand daughter to be a Cowboy fan :P.)  They won, I wasn’t sure they were going to, they certainly did not have it all together the 1st half and were down by 2 touch downs, but then they revved it up during the 2nd half and won.   But then they have always been known as a 2nd half team. 🙂

Baby Sweater

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click on picture for larger image

click on picture for larger image

 

 

This is a baby sweater I am working on for the new grandson of a friend in TN. 🙂   I’m using Caron Simply Soft, which is pretty soft and an acrylic so no special care will be needed.  I purchased this pattern on Patternworks .  It’s such a cute set.  I am only knitting the sweater and hat.  Ammon is about 3 months old but I’m making it to fit 6 to 9 months so he can wear it all winter.  It’s an easy pattern (most baby sweaters are), and because they are for babies, they don’t take a long time to make.  This one I’ve only had time to knit on during my lunch hr but I should have it finished by next week end.  I always think I am going to have time to knit on things during the week-end, but I never find the time,  I’m not sure why I always think I’ll find the time to knit on the week-end, sigh, an eternal optimist I guess :P.

I’m about 1/2 way through with my 2nd spool of the baby Alpaca roving.  Sometime this week I should be able to ply it and have a finished skein.  The singles feel so soft on the spool, I can hardly wait to get it plyed.

Are You Ready for Some FOOTBALL?

/ LDSVenus
Dallas Cowboys!!!

Dallas Cowboys!!!

 

 Woohoo!!! Pre-season football has started!!!  Dallas plays their first game this coming Friday night.  Since I babysit for 3 of my grand children on Friday nights, I’ll be training my 3 year old grand daughter to be a football fan, (don’t tell her dad I will teach her to root for the Dallas Cowboys, he’s a Bears fan)! 😛  The oldest one (11 years old) isn’t interested, waited to long to indoctrinate her :P, and the youngest (1 year old) will be in bed by then ;P.  So it’s Mady and me watching the Cowboys on Friday night :).

**UPDATE**  Oh goodness, I missed Dallas’s first game which was on 8-13, where they lost to my 2nd favorite team, the Oakland Raiders.  I can’t believe I missed their first game, sigh. 

 

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click on picture for larger image

 
 
I’m spinning the baby Alpaca (called a Cria) roving, that I bought at a fiber festival in TN last year, on my Ashford Traveler.  This roving is sooooo soft, I can hardly wait to handle the yarn and knit it into a capelet.  I’m not sure if  the 6 ounces I have will be enough to do a shawl, I’ll see what the yardage is after I have finished spinning it all, it should be a heavy baby weight or light sport weight.  If I think I have enough, I might do a shawl instead.  The jury is out on what I really want tho. 🙂   I have plenty of time yet to make a decision.
 
 
 
Hand dyed superwash merion roving

Hand dyed superwash merino roving

 
This is some of the white superwash merino that I bought some time back.  I dyed it with Wilton icing dye.  I used the purple, and it broke into different shades of light purple, lavender and light blue.  It’s actually a little bit more pastel than it looks in the picture, quite pretty.  The last time I used the Wilton purple it was just different shades of purple and lavender.  You just never know what you are going to get with the Wilton dyes, but they are fun to play with.  This should be interesting to spin. 🙂