The end. Of the year that is.

Is it really the last day of 2011?  How on earth did that happen?   How ever it happened, it happened.  So with ththe end of the year come resolutions.  Resolutions to do more, see more,  eat more, or eat less, have more fun, be more productive(!),  spend more time with family,  get fit, loose weight, gain weight....etc.  You know the usual suspects.  My Resolution?  To keep on keepin' on.  Nothing fancy.  Just to finish the things I've started would be win in my books.   Finish my homework.  Finish the faux chinielled blanket I started my daughter.  Finish the work table in my craft room.  But mostly, finish my homework!   I wont promise to blog more.  That's just wishful thinking.  I'll be blogging still though,  don't you worry.

And to finish up the year, here are a few pictures of things I've not posted because they were for swaps.
These are the BFL locks I've been washing lock by lock.  They take color wonderfully.  I shipped them off with a few chunks of bamboo top.


These next two are Shetland tops, kettle dyed.




And this yarn was1/2 spindle spun, 1/2 wheel spun.  It was pencil roving from The Woole Shoppe.



Remember Spin in your Jammies day?  Well, I've recieved my wonderful package from Tomorrow Farm!  A lovely batt and some yarn samples.  And again, my camera has up and walked away (go figure) so no pics of those lovelies.  For now anyway:)


And since I have the whole "finish what you start" resolution,  I'll finally post the pictures of the craft fair I've been meaning to post since the end of November.   I did really good at this sale, and alright at the other (that I didn't take pics of)  The big upside to the second craft show was not monitary at all though.  The big thing from that one was a new (Local!!!) spinning friend, and I made the cover of the local free paper!!  Which was all to exciting, as it gives a lot of press to spinning, and the notion you can even do that anymore to a lot of people who would have otherwise not known.  And, at both fairs I was able to convince a few young ladies to try the drop spindles.   I still have the sample of yarn, which I think I'll work into some project at some point.




I hope your 2011 was a fabulous as mine was, and I hope that 2012 is just as fabulous.  2011 proved I could take on anything, and I'll keep that with me for the years to come.

~Kara

What's been up..

I've been having fun spinning and crocheting and making a doll (most specifically a poppet)  So here are far to many pictures of wonderful things!!!!!!!!!

These yarns were inspired by a picture posted by Pluckyfluff on her facebook page.  She was plying a core spun with vintage chenille.    I had odd singles and eyelash yarn.  These were my results.





And since spinning the pink one, I've made this hat for my Daughter.   It has a whole bunch of odd singles in it.  I love it!


A friend of mine saw this roving I painted, and said she needed a scarf made out of it.  Here's the whole process.  I spun it "fractally".   Though I didn't split my roving quite right, as the shorter color runs ran out before I ran out of the longer ones!  Oh well, this yarn is still beautiful, and it makes a wonderful scarf :)









And I was in the Fiber Swap on craftster.org and received this wonderful fiber from Zombie Queen.  I spun it up slubby, and it's been turned into Poppet hair and a free form crochet cowlette.







I think for now, I'll leave it at that.    I don't want to explode your computers with to much yarn and craft!!!


~Kara

Fibre Week 2012

The schedule is up!!!!  click here to see it!

Now to set myself a firm schedule to be finished my Level 1 homework.   March 1st!  Less then 2 months to get a lot of washing, and spinning a writing done.  Wish me luck!


~Kara

Art yarn: A topic of discussion.

What makes a yarn art?
Who decides it is art and no longer craft?

IMHO, Just because it is spun thick and thin does not necessarily make it art.  Art is either created with intent, or is a form of expressing emotion or thought.   But even with that being said, even if I spin something creatively, using non traditional methods (traditional as in woolen vs worsted, different types of plies)  does that constitute art?  Or is it just a yarn spun creatively?
I think the term has also become synonymous with poorly spun, and something that would fall apart if you were try to use it traditionally (weaving, knitting, crochet).
I also feel the term is way over used. A quick etsy search for the term brings up  this yarn that is a traditionally spun yarn, with a few different colors and some sparkle.  And far to many like it.  Does this really constitute art?   I think not.
And also this yarn which is waaaaay closer to art, but can still function as traditional yarn.

I've spun the yarn below, but wouldn't call it art.  Yes it has nubs, but overall it's a traditionally spun yarn.



And this, which is more artful, but still not art.  It is a yarn spun creatively.



And this, which is art.  It was spun with intent, to evoke the feeling of summer.



So where is the line?  Is there a line?  is it a thick bold line, or is it blurred and skewed?

Okay, your turn.  Discuss!

~Kara

The last knit

A friend of mine shared this video with me, and think it's jsut great, and the end so true.  That need to create never goes away, no matter how much trouble you get into while creating!

Happy watching!

~Kara

Yay me!

So a while back Flannelberry Fibres had a giveaway and I won 2nd (or 3rd?) draw!  Wewt!  My fat lootz made it the other day, and I'm totally thrilled to bits!

Tussah silk noils, yak top (YAK! wow!) and 3 jars of Jacquard acid dyes -in jet black, red and blazing orange.   I'm excited to try out the dyes, as I've always been hesitant to spend as much as they are on dye, but maybe they are worth it?  (the Black especially, maybe it even turns the fiber black! ... and not grey, like the other brands I've tried...)  Ooh and there was tea!  There's always tea in her packages! Wewt!
Anywho, here is a picture!

....... you know, I'd really like to know why my camera so often grows feet and walks away......  If you see this, check back as I'll find that thing.  I *just* had it!!..........  
Turns out hubby had it!  Here's the great stuff I recieved!




And Tomorrow Farm on Etsy (and Rav) had a Spin in your Jammies day on Black Friday.  She just wanted a pic of you spinning in your jams, I'm always spinning in my Jams, so how could I not participate?  I won that draw to!!  I'll post pics of my great prize from them when I get it!
And here's me spinning in my jams!

AND!  (Yeah I've had a lot of happy moments lately)  I was a craft fair (which I'll post about in a bit, I've finally gotten the pics from my momma.  Hers looked way better then mine!)  A woman saw me spinning and has since convinced her husband to buy her a wheel for Christmas.  Yay for new spinning buddies!

It's been a great November/beginning of December.  So far a great end to a great year!

~Kara

All worked up....

I always love to see what happens to the yarn I spin.

This top (which I kettle dyed myself, and you've seen it before)




Was turned into this yarn (which , eep! you've not seen before, leaving me wonder what else there is you haven't seen yet!)




It then went to a yarn loving home and was turned into this beautiful Summer Flies Shawl by a good friend of mine!

It's gorgeous!  Well done Jess!


~Kara


More pics and such over on her blog  ::learning to love the little moments::