Finally done!

This etsy update took forever!

First up, the fiber:

....and then the yarn:
I need to shake things up a bit, I feel like I am in a rut color-wise. Hopefully tonight I will get some time to plan a few new colorways.

For those of you in Michigan, we are shearing the sheep on May 8th starting at 10:00 am. Everyone is welcome! Please let us know if you are considering making the trip, that will help us make plans :) Details about our farm here.

A Funky Yarn

I brought my Phat Fiber Sampler Box to show off at Spin Guild yesterday and after everyone was done oohing and aahing I thought I would spin all the fibers together for one funky yarn!

Everything is all spun up and ready for plying. I chose Navajo Plying to keep the colors together.

And here they are in order of appearance:

First up is (Yikes I lost my little tag!).....okay I know this is from Danidocrafty, and I know that it is 100% Merino dyed with Greener Shades Dyes but I totally forgot the colorway...Someone enlighten me please? Either way it is so soft and shiny!

Next we have Kangaroo Dyer 100% Merino Superwash. The label doesn't list a colorway that I can find but it is wonderful pinks and oranges. Here is it as it is coming off the bobbin.....



And after it has been plyed. Sorry for the crummy picture :( Hey, I was spinning and taking pictures!


Next off the bobbin is Tree Canopy (100% Merino) from Woolyhands. This is the perfect name for this colorway!


And here it is once more plied (the yarn on the far back of the bobbin):


The next fiber on the scene is Beach Glass from Smoky Mountain Fibers. (That sure is a nice toe isn't it?) This one is close to my heart since I am from the Smoky Mountains! (This contributor is in NC though, I am a TN girl)

And here is where it starts getting really funky!


On the top of the bobbin you see 100% BFL in Mediterranean from Dicentra Designs with a bit of Kangaroo Dyer thrown in here and there. I had thought it would be a good idea to mix bits and pieces through out but changed my mind because I really wanted to see each colorway play itself out. Here is a link to the Mediterranean colorway so you can see it more clearly.
The next fiber on the bobbin is Green Earth Batt from Wild Hare Studio. It contains wool, ingeo (corn fiber) Tibetan Sari thrums and angelina. A nice blingy fiber!


Somehow I must have missed taking a pic of the single for the above batt, but the last single is Green Eire from Corgie Hill Farm. It is made up of Merino, Silk and Firestar. More bling!!


All plied up and ready to be skeined!

Until next time, happy crafting!

Wordless Wednesday

Are you Phat?

Wow! Lovely things come in these little boxes from Phat Fiber! This is my first time contributing so I am a bit apprehensive and anxious to see the response I get from the samples I sent in. There are some things I will do differently the next round but it was a good learning experience :) and I am really excited to be a part of it!


I have started dyeing with the intention of stocking up my etsy shop, getting my samples in for Phat Fiber ahead of time, and preparing for the two fiber festivals I am planning attending as a vendor.
I am trying to keep notes so that I can duplicate (as much as possible) the colorways I create. I am terribly unorganized by nature so this is a bit out of my comfort zone!

On the crafty side I attempted to warp the rigid heddle loom. Um.Yeah.Thatdidnotgowell. I am going to try again tomorrow :) But I have a pic of my first weaving!

Well, okay let's move on.........That's a bit easier on the eyes :) Alpaca and Mohair blend from YarnoraTale

Have a good evening all and let me know if you get Phat! (I especially would love to hear input if you get one of my samples!)

Lots accomplished!

It was a busy productive day today.

Lots of fiber and yarn got dyed using crockpot and kettle dyeing, about 4 lbs or so today. Some came out perfect, some will be visiting the dye pot again.

While the dye pots were simmering we were busy working in the garden. The baby chicks got to visit the great outdoors.
I even got time to weave! (My newest hobby is addicting!)

Just keep smiling!

Wow, has the etsy store been slooooow the last couple of weeks. I think there are a few reasons for that: 1) I forgot to sign up for my normal ad on Ravelry 2) I have been so behind I missed a week or so on updating and 3)A lot of us are just strapped for cash! I mean even if fiber/yarn were a necessity most of us have enough to knit the world a sweater (I hear the jingle now: I'd like to knit the world a sweater and then some mittens too sung to the tune of I'd like buy the world a coke or whatever that song is. Yep someone needs to go to bed)

Anyway I have corrected two of those problems. My ad is rotating again on Rav and I just dyed (as I mentioned in the last post) a ton of yarn and fiber and silk!!! So tonight's update is silk!
I love silk, and spinning it is a dream. If you haven't tried it yet here are a few links for ya:

Knitty: How to Spin Silk Hankies
Video: How to Spin Hankies (gotta love rexenne, she taught me to Navajo Ply)
Learn more about Spinning Silk

Oh and on the you poor baby side of life, I sold my Louet Roving Jr. Carder with the intention of buying a Louet S17 so I could totally pimp it out (I am thinking lime green and pink for real). Found a fabulous deal from a fellow phattie (check out her store for some yummy batts) so the sale completely covered the cost of the wheel. Then guess what? Yep you guessed it; the water heater broke tonight in one of our restaurants and refuses to be fixed. So it looks like no wheel :( Poor hubby feels terrible but honestly, I have two wheels hence the "you poor baby" (said with sarcasm of course). Praise God I have the extra money to give!

And on the smiley side of life:



You know you are a farm girl when you think keep baby chicks in your house is a good idea. Or when you ask for them for your birthday, then for mother's day.........I have been asking hubby for these for 10 years! Then today in he walks with a box full of chicks and I fall in love with him all over again. If you think that's something you should have seen me when I got my muck boots for Christmas.

So to end on a crafty note I have my Climbing Vines Sweater almost finished, just have the front left, on the bobbin I have a mohair/alpaca blend, on the other bobbin Lorna's Laces Roving (something about a mountain, can't remember.....) and the sewing machine is still quietly waiting to make me a skirt.

Please forgive the blathering, the bad spelling and incorrect grammar. I am too tired to re-read this :)

I've got skills.....

But organizing isn't one of them :( I did get a bit done with my dyes though.

The rest of the room is an absolute mess! But I will get there.....evidentually!

Yesterday I dyed about 6 pounds of fiber and roving (silk too!) I have no idea how tiring this would be. It took about 4 hours and I learned some lessons (like I need a more efficient set up) but I am really happy with the results.
Have a great day!

What a wonderful day!!

First a lamb was born!
And the rest of the day was spent at Chickasaw Farm for their annual sheep shearing. I have lots to post about that but will have to wait until later.......

Wordless Wednesday