Yarn Porn

Yup that's what I said. Yarn Porn. No, there are no naked women or men. It's just pure yarn. Not what you were searching for? Well, at the very least you you might have learned something new today, you perv. People still make yarn.

Anyway, I've decided that at least once a week I will post at least one skein of yarn. Not always spun by me (I will give credit where credit is due when I'm not posting my own.) So, without further ado, YARN!





~Kara

I AM in love!

It's here! It's here! Okay, so It's been here for nearly 3 weeks. I keep getting distracted with life (mostly the kidlettes right now) But I definitely want to post my review of Flannelberry Fibre. The shipping was very reasonable, the fiber inexpensive and gorgeous. This is what I bought:

There's the Canadian fiber sampler, which is 6 types of different fiber. And 8oz of hemp fiber, which I'll probably wait to spin, since the project I need it for isn't something I need through the winter. And 8oz of each of the blue, purple and maroon wool, which is actually for the International day of Felt! I've started felting a few things in this years colors, but am no where near finished, and hope to make something to wear to.

I was so very happy with Flannelberry Fibre, and will be placing another order when I can justify more wool!

~Kara

I put the Pro in Procraftination

Right, so I was lamenting my procraftination last post.  So now that I have pics, I thought I'd share.

This first one was a beautiful Superwash BFL Hand painted Roving from Cordova Studios  It evolved on it's own into this yarn, complete with little eyelashes, just for that extra bit of ohlala.


And this one was intially inspired by the little bumble bees you see in it.  The kick in the butt to actually make the yarn, however, was this months challenge over at Crafster.org Make something inspired by nature.  Well this most definitely fits that bill.  Art batt I purchased at Fibre Week, needle felted flowers and leaves, some tail spun locks(to look like grass) and some beads, and a bit of the leftover from the above yarn turned in to coil beehives. All spun on a core of crochet cotton.




I hope to turn it into a little shrug in time for posting it in the challenge.  Because that is what I need, more procraftination.

~Kara

Making progress.

Part of becoming a Master Spinner is homework.  And for a while there, I was avoiding it.  Just because I could.  I don't necessarily have to have it in any time soon, but I'd like to have it in before next years classes.  I was full of cocky confidence thinking it could be done in a matter of a few months, but the more I looked at it, the more it freaked me out, and it was to daunting to even start. So I started doing things I wanted to be doing.  Spinning for fun. Crocheting Miss J's blanky.  Solar dyeing scarves.  Fun things!

But then I started.  And while I've made a small dent in it, I've made a bigger dent in the pile of things I was doing for fun.  But I started and that's the point.   So far I've spun a few sample skeins for my wash exercise. (Not washed the way I bulk wash, washed the way the teach wants it done.  And she  might be right.... This way might be better..) A sample skein for my parts of the fleece exercise, and another part washed.  And what I worked on today.  Part of my breed study.  Poly pay fleece Carded into rolags and slivers. yay! Here's proof:


It's a dent.  But I'm happy it's there, just like Mater (from Cars... like he says in Cars 2.... When Holly Shiftwell wants to fix it....  You mean you haven't seen it yet?  get to the theater!  it's great!)

~Kara

Wool Washing, a WIP

This is a summer long process.  Washing fleeces.

I was lucky enough to enjoy a sheep shearing day at a fairly local Dorset farm.  I received 5 BIG black garbage bags FULL of fleeces.  2 sheep fit in one bag.  10 whole fleeces.  10!!  So I took the liberty of only using the best parts, the parts that would be the easiest to clean and give me the nicest yarn (Thank you Master spinners course for teaching me this valuable lesson!!)  Still I've got more fleece then I know what to do with from that.



And my wonderful Father bought me 4 bags of Polypay fleece. Man is that the most interesting fiber.  It's practically elastic!!  I can't wait to play with it in a full skein.
And I bought myself a beautiful BFL fleece.  Oh, let me tell you, she's a gorgeous fleece!

This is my little corner of the yard.  with 2 lovely big basins to wash in! Fabulous!





But, with all this fleece comes a lot of work!  First you must sort and remove the veg. (hay and feed and other lovelies the sheep pick up from the field) Then soak it in soapy water and rinse, and soak and rinse, and soak and rinse.... I only do it 3 times, no matter how dirty the last rinse comes out.   


Okay, so that's only after the first wash.  But still.  It's dirty work too!

Otherwise it'd take me all day! Then the drying!  oh the drying.  This is the part that drives me nuts!  It seems to take so long!  And with wool holding 30% moisture and still feeling dry, you have to wait an extra day, just to be sure.


I've done 3 big wash loads of wool so far this summer.  And I've got at least 5 more.  And not to mention, all the wool we received with the course.  I just hope the weather holds out!

Oh and to satiate my need for color, I solar dyed some silk scarves!  oooh pretty!


~Kara