Just sittin'and knittin'...

and listening to my ipod. I had only a few hours today to do my favourite thing to do, sittin and knitting and listening to J.V Mcgee on my ipod. but I got quite a few lessons done . As for my knittin I managed to start Alexis' cardi this weekend. And when I measured the back of the sweater (Coat Sirdar #1733) I was surprised to see that it was about 5 inches. I'm knitting this one for Alexis because Michelle didn't like the color of the dyed by me one that I was knitting for Chloe. So I have frogged that one (I can use this wool for a cowl maybe??) and started on the natural color for Alexis. This is the color that Michelle had in mind when she bought me the pattern (oh about 2 years ago) and asked me to knit it for her daughters. Chloe and Alexis.
Managed to sneak in a bit of carding this weekend, better get at it because I'm running out of fleece for the above mentioned cardigan. Please don't ask me what type of fleece I have yet because frankly I just don't know.
I learned that if you don't want the nubbies in your yarn, card your fleece really slowly. Painfully slowly. Probably a more experienced spinner would know how to get them out when spinning but I have a goal in mind (make the yarn as fine as possible so that my sister will be able to use some of my handspun when she makes her doll clothes and sells them on ebay) don't think I'm quite at that point yet but I really am enjoying this journey of carding and dyeing and even using the yarn winder. I guess it's about the journey, making (many) mistakes and picking up the pieces aka using the (frogged) yarn for something else, right?
I've learned that dyeing the yarn can come at any stage, before you card the fleece, when the fleece is roving and even after the yarn is spun. You can nuke it in the microwave, (my favourite) or boil it ( I mean simmer) it on the stove in a big pot or bake it in the oven or even crock it in the crockpot. There are so many books at the library to help you along the way but my favourite way to learn has become youtube, you can find anything on there that you are interested in learning, everyone has an opinion or a great way to do it. But nuking it in the microwave seems to be the fastest most economical way for me, oh and I'm using wiltons icing dyes and koolade. but one thing that is nagging at me, I can't seem to make it colorfast yet. I've been searching all over the net for a way to keep the dye from fading. I knit Alexis a beautiful pair of gauntlets only to find one of them outside (Monty the retreiver loves to pick up something and take it with her on her bathroom run) the sun had faded the bright pink to a faded pink. I just took that mitten home with me with my tail between my legs. So the hunt is on to find a way to make the wool keep its color. Using salt and vinegar don't seem to be working and setting the dye just doesn't cut it either. Too bad I couldn't find out what the yarn companies do. But one good thing I don't think the natural yarn I am spinning now will fade.
I bought a yarn winder on ebay a while back and wouldn't you know it Rick found me one at a yard sale for $.50 that's fifty cents, they sell for $70 here in Canada plus tax. Now if he could just find me an umbrella yarn swift.

I've gone and done it....

I've started a BLOG!

Now what to write about in my blog. What comes to mind is of course my hobby spinning, dyeing and knitting fibre. Through this blog, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at my life and fibre progress. A journal of my everyday life.