Showing posts with label spinning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spinning. Show all posts

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Mittens for Winter

Remember this yarn? I love the colors, love the yarn, but just didn't enjoy the scarf I knit from it. I decided bright mittens for this winter would be best. So I frogged the scarf and knit up these babies. I didn't follow any specific pattern and had almost exactly the right amount of yarn for them. I love them, and will enjoy the bright colors in the gray of our NW winter!


Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Hanging with Clowns



Some of my friends are real clowns...literally!! A new store in our area had their grand opening last weekend. My friends, Gadget, Cha-Cha, and Rudy were there sharing the love! (That's me in the middle!) Cha-Cha even made me a Lady-Bug balloon bracelet. Love it!!!



Rudy just had his 17th birthday. Tall for his age, isn't he?!

Back at home, I'm finally getting back to spinning some of my CuckooBatts from Art Club. This is my Happy Birthday batt from December! It reminds me of vanilla frosting with sprinkles! Yum.


Saturday, January 12, 2008

Spinning Bob



During a conversation about our pets recently, one of the teachers at school mentioned she has a female Miniature Eskimo dog named Bob. I asked if she had ever saved her hair. Of course, I got the expected response of "?????!" I explained that some dogs' hair spins up to make beautiful yarns and I would love to show her. I asked her to to just save some up as they groomed her and bring it to me when they have a bag full.



So last week, Bob went to the groomer. My friend's husband, expecting a strange response, asked the groomer to save Bob's hair. The groomer asked if it was for yarn! (I love it!) So Bob's mom brought me this! It was already very clean -- they had obviously bathed Bob prior to the brushing. It spun up very well, with little prep necessary. The result was a nice little 43-yard skein of soft, fuzzy white yarn.



When I took it back to school, another teacher who knows Bob well, was grossed out by the idea. I reminded her that sheep are not at all clean animals and yet we wear beautiful wool sweaters all the time. She didn't buy it. She said it bothered her more because she knows Bob personally!

But Bob's mom seem pleased with it. I encouraged her to save more of the hair so there would be enough to make something special for her. If not, I think a pair of mittens with "Bob Cuffs" might just be perfect!

A side note: when I opened the bag at home, I had mixed reviews from my pets. I expected Ashes (my 15-year-old kitty) to make a fuss at the smell of another D-O-G in her house. But no. She just sniffed it and turned her back on it.



Latte, on the other hand, seemed to just know there must be a puppy in that bag to play with! I couldn't keep her head out. So funny!!


(Notice the Bob fluff on Latte's nose!)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Surprise!!

I love surprises. The happy kind. Not the, "Surprise! You have a flat tire" kind.

At Copperpot, Tracey takes her leftovers from her own stash, etc., and puts them into lots she calls "The Pit." Since I like surprises, I ordered one. Surprise! Look at all the great colors and fibers!



I was near the bottom of the box, and suddenly my happy unpacking was interrupted by another surprise. Look who stowed away all the way from Michigan!!



At least that is what we are assuming. I've never seen this kind of critter in these parts. After letting the little creature loose in the back yard, my mind began to conjure up Steven King titles involving the spider who ate Vancouver! Ah, well. Now I know the wool is insecticide- and moth-free!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Yay! A new toy!

Don't you love new toys? I do! Today I received my new swift. I was so excited when I arrived home and it was waiting for me. As soon as I set it up, we both got to work. Now, I have mixed reviews.

While it really is just fine... turns well, no rough edges, is the right size, etc..., I'm now realizing I should have ordered a different style.

My old swift had a hand crank, my new one does not. The handle breaking off my old swift is what prompted the ordering of a new swift. Now it seems that finding one with a handle would have been my top priority. But dork that I am sometimes, I didn't even look for that. So, I am just going to have to build up my arm/shoulder muscles and spin it myself!

The light blue yarn on the swift is being recovered from a wool/silk thrifted sweater. More about that later.