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Friday, January 31, 2014

Journey To the Golden fleece, module 1



Module 1 Journey to the Golden Fleece Yarn
The story.
Once upon a time, lived a beautiful woman, who was quite content, happy even, with her situation in life. She was happily married, and had two wonderful and cute sons. The discussion of more children came up now and again, and they’d settled it, that they would at least wait, but were very uncertain that more would happen anyway. So this woman went and made an appointment to be sure that she did not conceive again until she was ready, if she would ever be ready. But the in the days before the appointment she found out they had in fact conceived despite their best efforts to not to. now, the reaction was quite the opposite most would expect. Shock, disappointment, frustration, anger, regret, resentment. Many tears were shed. She, they, were not ready for this. Everything had finally settled into routine! Her adjustment period to a new child was always much longer then what it seems most peoples was. She was not ready for the upheaval an infant brings, and she knew just what it would be like. So, despite always wanting a girl but not getting one, she did not find out what this little bundle was. She couldn’t bare the thought of it being a boy, though that would be okay, she’s got more then enough of the things boys need. She didn’t want to know who was in there, to have them tell her one thing, and it turn out the other. She left her answer to that questions “kittens”. So 8.75 months of being kept in the dark, turning over thoughts of the struggles alone, never thinking of the joys. Lying on the operating table, as baby was born via c-section due to the other two deliveries not going well, She was told “oh, what a beautiful face he has!” “A boy?” she said, just a bit disappointed, but not surprised, she rarely get’s what she wants. “Oh!!” say’s the anethesiologist ” I haven’t seen yet! our talk of boys had me focused on boys….. It’s a girl!!” “A girl? really?” At this point, the emotions should have went through the roof, elation, joy, excitement. However, while she thought those, intellectually, she did not feel them through. She was just happy the pregnancy was over, but still no where near ready for the challenges an infant brings. And there they were, forever entangled.
So, how all this related to the yarn.
The yarn starts off with a blue navajo plied section, that is candy cane plied with a purple crochet cotton. The blue represents the 3 boys in my life, the purple myself. These yarns are carried through the entire skien. Then, you can’t see it, but there’s a pink thread added as a core, and it’s covered in black/silver mohair. This mohair was a real PTA to spin like that, because when I washed it, I washed it with wool, and some of the lanolin must have stuck to the mohair. And didn’t come out. Mean while the purple and blue wrapped around, hid under and kind of did as it pleased. Then once I got short on the pink thread, I grabbed a chunk of hot pink merino and made a big slub. Towards the end, just the 3 threads are plied together, but you can’t see that in this picture.
And finally, how this all relates to my creative journey.
Have you ever just wanted to escape? Run away from the things that cause you stress? I do. All the time. So, this moment in my life pushed me to take the Olds Master Spinner course, sooner then I’d meant to. So much yarn, and soo much alone time in one big chunk. An escape. That course and all it’s requirements to end with a certificate are what lead me here. I needed an escape from the precise, accurate spinning, and this gives me a damn good excuse!! And often in the in-between time, when i just need some quiet, I head to my fluff room, and spin or card or whatever.
Final note: Know that this story does have a happy ending. The woman, while still struggling to balance it all, 4 years in, still not finding any balance what so ever, still mal adjusted to the life she has, she is content, even happy with the chaos. Embrace it, because within the chaos there is light.

~Kara

P.S. I kind of just copied and pasted my own words from the Golden Fleece Forums.  Because it was easier, and it was commented on that when I write in third person, it's a pretty good story.  So I'll stick with that. :)

P.P.S.  I nearly forgot!!  The second enrolment is open to the Journey to the Golden Fleece!!  Go to fiberygoodness.com for more details!!

Found it Friday - Hilarious knitting songs.

I saw this on Facebook.. It made my day.  And I shared it on my personal wall too.  But I'll share with you too, since it's quite cute.



And that promoted a friend to link this one to me.



All kinds of fun and awesome. Enjoy!!


~Kara

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

I did math.

And no, it wasn't the required calculations for my homework...  There are 143 days until Fibre Week, 2014.  I do have to say I've got pretty much none of the homework done for Level 3 of the Master Spinners Program.  In each level there is at least 150 hours of homework time.  While I know I've got one of the big, time consuming things done, the dye module, I've still got the be all and end all part of this level, and that's the spin to a certain TPI skeins.  Those are not very likely to turn out exactly at all the first time. I'll be really really lucky, if even 1/4 of them do.

So, let's say that I've still got a good 120 hours of work to do.  If I do 1 hour of work a day, every day from February first to June twentieth, I'll be golden.  The chances of that happening every day? Not likely.  I know it gives a 30 day buffer zone, but for some reason, I think I'll more likely have 150 hours of work.  Knowing my own pace, and desire for extreme quality in this endeavour, there will be more time required.

At least now I know. I've got to buckle down, and repeat my mantra from last year, and the year before. "I will not do this again next level".  I will not do this again next level.  I will spend all of the Tour de Fleece spinning my homework.  I'll get it done a lot sooner. Because this is crazy making.


~Kara

Friday, January 24, 2014

Found it Friday - Jumping Llama

This gif.
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/008/6/5/jumpingllama0000_by_x7994-d71dc5u.gif

If I knew how to embed it, I would.  Click it though, because it's awesome.

~Kara

Friday, January 10, 2014

Carding up a storm!

ThaI've been creating batts like a mad woman lately, so I decided to time just how long it takes to make one batt. 27 minutes, 13 seconds later, I had one batt.  Mind you these batts are more complex then some of the other ones, as they get a preliminary blend and a second pass to  add the pops of color. But the time is worth it for the effect I get! 
A follower on Facebook mentioned they look like Sulley from Monsters inc. I dare say they do!
I've got 2 more of those ones to blend, and one more, simpler color way to do up.  But this pile if fibre makes me happy 
That's over 20 oz of Fibery fun!!! Wewt! 

But all this fun will come to an end in February, when it's buckle down and do your homework time. I'm going to try to be done for the end of March, so I can be back to this fun stuff sooner rather then later!

~Kara

Friday, January 3, 2014

Found it Friday - Alpaca Hair do's

The good folks at Phat Fiber posted this link on their Facebook page, and incase you don't follow them on there, I'll share this with you now!  It's pretty cute! and made me smile.  You should totally check it out :)

http://distractify.com/fun/humor/the-most-ridiculously-good-looking-alpaca-hairdos/


~Kara

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Oh hey! it's 2014!

Another year has gone by, which in and of itself is not surprising. The speed at which the years are going by, however, still seems to astonish me. With that said, I'm making no resolutions this year.  i'm just going to keep going, hoping that life does not throw me so many curve balls. Simple enough.
I'll keep blogging, selling, and doing my class work. And the mothering bits, and the wife-ing bits, and the girl guide-ing bits.  When it all fits in.

Anywho, I do hope 2014 is a wonderful year for everyone.  The best yet! One that tops all the others.

I finished out 2013 by taking a project off the bobbins.  It's 6.6 oz of Canadian grown and prepped Ets D'Laine Merino wool, spun woollen from carded roving, making it a super squishy and wonderful yarn. There's approximately 330 yards of this one. Such a lovely 3 ply.
Canadian wool

And I'm starting 2014 by carding up some full sized batts of this llama merino yak blend that went out as samples in the Phat Fiber box! There will be approximately 12 oz (in smaller bits, likely 2oz chunks :) ) in the shop soon!
Phat fibre Jan 2014


Don't forget to check out the Etsy Shop! 10% off until the 15th of January! Enter code Spingrand0 (that's a zero, not an 'o')

Happy happy new year to you!

~Kara