A personal best?

I've lost track of what my single best effort to date is, but today I dyed two lb of BFL multicolor braids, 1 lb of Panda yarn, 2 lb of Bamboo fiber, and a small skein of pure silk. That's slightly in excess of 5 lb of fiber and ten different colorways. Not too shabby...

Today's photo is bamboo Blued Steel. As usual, I don't feel like I did it justice, though I think I'm doing a little better.

Just three days to go!

Pygora

The Pygora goat is a cross between a pygmy goat and an angora; it's fiber is a cross between cashmere and mohair; lovely buttery softness with a mohair halo. Today's photo is of a 70% pygora laceweight in a coral color. Pygora of any kind is difficult to find and I am fortunate to have found a grower who will sell me yarn at wholesale.

Today I carded up four batts of baby white alpaca and three of gray shetland. These were very different experiences; there is no lanolin in alpaca; it is greaseless and fine, fine, fine like a cloud. The shetland was rich with lanolin (I generally wash with very mild detergents, to remove the other greases and leave the lanolin in). Both were lovely in their way.

I only have four or five dyeing days left! 8-O

It's *pretty*!

OK, guys, I promised I'd take more photos and post them, and I've taken them, but before I put them up I just HAD to share the photo that my friend Renee took! She's spinning up one of my blended bamboo/merino batts. Isn't she doing a great job? Isn't she a great photographer??? I've never take a fiber photo half that good, I'm sure....

Today I dyed up two pounds of silk/merino yarn; one pound in lilac and another in deep, passionate purple. I've also been selecting from my abundant stash of washed fleeces; I'll be offering half-pound bags of probably about six different sorts, so if people want to try playing with uncarded fleece they'll have some options.

Welcome Ravelers!

I posted this blog in the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art group, so if you're visiting from over there, welcome! I apologize profusely for the dearth of photos lately, but I promise to take some tomorrow. Honest! Good things have been happening here. Meantime, feel free to browse back and get acquainted; I was really good about photos in the first few months...

A break from vacation

We've been at a science fiction convention and are having a great time, but Midwest is pressing hard on me, and I wanted to get something done this weekend.

I often wake early (6:00 or so) at a convention, then lie there frustrated because I can't get back to sleep. If I creep out of the room so I won't disturb G, there's nothing to do out there.

Today I decided to make an advantage of this. When I woke at 7:00, I got up and came home. Home breakfast, cheap and very nourishing. One pound of Panda top on the stove, two pounds of bamboo in the vats, and it's about time to head back. There's a panel at 12:30 on Is Joss Whedon a Deity? :-)

I really MUST take some more photos. I've got interesting new colors!

Better Day

I didn't actually get much done today, but I did get an order from Knitter's Palette in Lakeville, so I will bring some things down to show her tomorrow; it's always encouraging to get an order. I still have a week after the con to get stuff done.....

Hot, tired, and discouraged

I am appalled. It is Wednesday, July 1, and I have to leave in exactly two weeks.

I have had to do something non-fiber every *single* morning this week; meetings, errands, doctor's appointment. Tomorrow's that way, too, and then Friday G and I are going to be out of town for the weekend. It's very daunting.

I have been working on several things; some intensely colored Panda top, a multi-toned pound of superwash yarn, and a multicolor length of BFL top. The Panda's the only one that's going well. I have ideas about how to improve or fix things I'm less pleased with, but man, I'm feeling the pressure today.

I need to get Visa capability...