Patience Rewarded

Yours and mine!  And the kids’ too.  (three out of four anyways)  While I thought the best part of visiting the Mill was the fiber, the kids liked the animals outside.  Sheep, llamas, chickens and probably more that I just don’t … Continue reading →

The Process

Once inside the Still River Mill, the excitement builds for any budding fiber enthusiast.  All laid out in front of me, the machines that take fleece to fiber and fiber to yarn!  And the wonderful fumes!  I don’t know if it’s the oils, the cleaning agents or just the fiber, but I love the smell.

Washing and de-hairing machines

Carding then combing machines

Spinning and Plying

 

Steaming

 

Skeining

Then off to the Luxury shop upstairs!

Outside, even a few friends to keep the kids interested!

Sorry, there has to be a part three…too many pictures to play with!

Hope you enjoy your Sunday!  GO USA!

Another Interruption

It all started innocently enough.  A simple trip to Davis Farmland for the 2 girls, both the youngest of 4, whose mothers were feeling they’d been cheated out of some of the adventures the older kids had done MANY times in earlier years.

Tell me you could resist these three?  My little one in blue, her buddy and their newest companion, Tootsie Roll. 

Then, a simple inquiry from the new spindle spinner, “what did you do with Tootsie’s fleece?”  while thinking “I could make these two girls each a cute Tootsie Roll bear”.  And lo and behold, I not only owned Tootsie’s fleece but also Opal’s (Huacaya alpaca) and Pearl’s (Suri alpaca).

Fast forward from Spring to Fall 2009, I knew a spinning wheel was in my near future and I found Still River Mill, only an hour from my house.  I dropped off the fleece after washing 2 myself and left the rest up to Deirdre and Greg, the mill owners.  I got the call this week that my fiber was ready and scurried down to Connecticut to retrieve it!  Last day of February vacation and a field trip for the kids to the mill.  Should be fun, right?

The Still River Mill

Come back tomorrow for the rest of the trip…I have to catch up on my Olympic Knitting.   My medals are in jeopardy!

The Games Continue

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What a fun night of Olympic excitement last night! Snowboarding, Downhill and Short Track.  And now we are officially super-fans here in our house! Vancouver 2010 Red Mittens.   Hubster came home with two pairs of these sought after mittens yesterday.  … Continue reading →

We Interrupt…

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this regularly scheduled Knitting Olympics to bring you this special announcement… The fiddleheads mittens are done! And I love them.  Just love them!  One of my favorite projects and not a moment too soon.  This winter is cold and seemingly … Continue reading →

Let the Games Begin

The Winter Olympics begin tonight! And so do the Knitting Olympics! I am entered in both the Knitting Olympics and the Ravelympics as a member of Team Blue Moon. My projects have been chosen. 1. Ulmus Shawl in STR.  A … Continue reading →

Chugging Along

Things seem to be moving at a snails pace.  The needles are working but not fast.  The wheel is spinning sporadically.  But this is only because the family life around me is whizzing!  So, I will show what I can…

This is my newest yarn made from the beautiful Briar Rose BFL fiber. 

Here is the 3.5 oz ball:

Here are the bobbins:

Here is the 3-ply yarn (3.2 oz / 240 yds):

I really love looking at the progression of fiber to yarn.  When I became obsessed with knitting 5 years ago (after being a casual knitter for 20 years) I did alot of felting.  (I should show you…someday) I was always thrilled to see what the yarn would do and how different fibers would react.  Then once Clara Parkes came out with The Knitter’s Book of Yarn and its sister The Knitter’s Book of Wool, I was a fiber theory student.

I love this BFL so much, I think it needs to become mitts so I can look at it all the time.  The color is a bit difficult to photograph with its tealness and silvery grey tone, perhaps due to the sheen, but here are 2 more picture.  The BFL with the almost done Fiddlehead Mittens.

 

One more thing though…for spinners, what do you do with your bobbin leftovers?

Spin them as a two ply, save and wind onto spare bobbins for a mystery yarn? Care to share your secrets???

Spin Along

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I had my first (in person) spin along this week!  My partner-in-fiber Pat came over with her twin wheel and we actually did some spinning together! We ordered our Lendrum wheels (after much research!) the very same day and they … Continue reading →