In Which I Go to the Maine Fiber Frolic

I went to the Maine Fiber Frolic, held in Windsor, Maine, about two and a half house away (well, a bit more than three if you get lost). I got up early so was there just after 9 AM and got to check everything out without a huge crowd and then enjoy the mass of people that are fiber-lovers.

There were a TON of vendors, something for everyone - fiber, yarn, some wheels, some spindles, lots of knitting needles, a wool pool, hand-knit things, hooked rugs, felting fiber, baskets, livestock, fencing, the list goes on and on.

First, let me introduce to the stars of the show - the livestock!

We will start with the llamas.














Llama fiber is lovely, very fine, comes in lots of different colors, and has no lanolin so it doesn't require the same preparation as does other fibers (namely wool). Plus, they're pretty cool dudes, the surfer guys of the fiber livestock world. Good karma.

There were also lots and lots of goats, in many different varieties, angora and cashmere. All were friendly, from the adults on down to the kids, and there were several for sale.

There were signs posted all over the place, warning everyone not to feed their fingers to the goats, but all were very sweet to me! A few were very indignant at being penned up, calling to their owners and to other goats, demanding to be heard. I took pity on one and stopped to say hello - as you might imagine, he was very grateful.





For most of the llama and goat farms, you could buy their fiber right there - meet the goat, take his coat kind of deal. Everyone was very friendly and I learned how to groom a goat (much like grooming a dog or a horse, really) and how different their personalities all are.


Not do be outdone by the goats, the angora bunnies were out in full force. And since they breed like rabbits (obviously), there were a lot of bunnies for sale. I was very tempted, but I held firm. But don't you think an angora bunny would be perfect for my St. Louis apartment?

Since I was there already, I figured I would hang out and learn how to groom and shear angora rabbits - it's much simpler than I supposed, but I think it must be pretty hard to get the knack of. The bunnies don't seem to mind at all!

Then, of course, we have the sheep, the beautiful, beautiful sheep. I may stray off to other fibers, but I think wool is what I really love.














There were white sheep and black sheep. Young sheep and old sheep. Sleepy sheep and hungry sheep. And, as always, sheep interested in what I was doing.


Throughout the day, I wandered through vendors, had a go on some gorgeous (and perfectly balanced) spindles, talked with everyone I saw, and fingered and smelled all fiber in sight. I also tried my hand at selecting a fleece - yes, that's right, a whole fleece. There was a building devoted to it, whole fleeces bagged with the type of sheep and information - where it was from, what the farm is like, what the sheep was like, some of them even had the sheep's name! Of course, there was also fleece from other animals, but, like I said, I'm a sheep girl.

My fleece is pretty small, only 2.25 lbs of Border Leicester with a staple length of about 3 inches. I'm really really excited. Selecting this fleece took me about an hour after digging through dozens of other fleeces, finding the really expensive stuff and then looking at the cheap stuff to try and sort out the differences. Unfortunately, I forgot that sheep like hay and that I'm very VERY allergic to it, so by the end of it, I was happy but my arms and hands were a bright angry red from the hay.

At lunchtime, I set out to the field where Dave Kennard, an honest to goodness professional shephard, gave a sheepdog presentation. It was incredible. He was working with several sheep and two goats, one old sheepdog, one puppy (only nine months old!) named Dottie, and two middle-aged dogs, Nellie and Brittany. All were border collies and even the puppy who was having a very hard time listening, were incredible. They know over 40 verbal and whistle commands, including directions for clockwise and counterclockwise, lieing down, crawling on their bellies, backing up, the list goes on. It was absolutely fascinating. Borders heard with "eye power," essentially staring the sheep down. It only takes three dogs to move a herd of sheep down a road (you read that right, down a road) - one in the front who walks backwards, one who pushes them from behind, and one on the side to keep them in the correct lane of traffic. The entire time the sheep were being herded, made to stand in a square made by cones, and split by the dogs, the shepard stood still in front of us.

Last, but not least, I have to show off some of my new fibers. I've already spun up some of it and will post pictures as I go.

A picture of my fleece is above, but here is a lock to show you staple length - I can't wait to prepare it!

I found some gorgeous Navajo-Churro roving, it's delicious, a long, pretty straight staple, really textured,I decided it was time for me to try something new - vegetable fiber. I chose some gorgeous bamboo. It has a lovely sheen, almost like silk, and has a super-short staple that will be a challenge. But it is so so so soft!














Now for some exciting stuff - blends and colors! First, we have some hand dyed roving, 50% Mohair and 50% wool. It's really really soft and lofty, and I think it'll spin up beautifully. I think I may try for some plied worsted-weight with it, so I'm going to practice some more with my regular wool first. Sadie, who you see modeling the fiber, is one of my god-dogs -- we spend a lot of time together. Her dog-mom's blog is here.














Last, but certainly not least, is this gorgeous hand dyed blend of wool, mohair, and silk. It's incredibly textured, each fiber taking the dye differently. I've spun it up (as you can see here - and more pictures to follow), and it's very moody, jewel colored, changing from green to purple to almost yellow, and quite strong. It's spinning up to be about lace weight, a bit more a bit less.















I will keep you updated as I spin up this wonderful fiber and prepare my fleece.

Happy fibering!

Novel thoughts.

A room without a book is like a body without a soul.
- Cicero

I took an awesome trip to Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire the weekend before last, and I promise that my next post will be all about the hike. I had a magical experience today, though, that I need to share.

I am now a member of the Bar Harbor library - the Jesup Memorial Library. It's a beautiful library. Think a miniature of Henry Higgins' in My Fair Lady combined with the feel of the Strahov Monastery library. It's really tiny and lovely. You walk in the front door, and the foyer is a round room, the floor a moaic of black and white hexagon tiles. To the left is the children's library, a room about the size of Syme rm. 312, complete with a reading area, books on tape, and young adult's fiction. To the right of the foyer is the periodicals room, about the same size of the children's room, a room bathed in sunlight (or at least outside light), with all the newspapers you'd ever want.

Straight ahead off the foyer (that you really must pronouce foy-yay) is the main library. The room is borderd by alcoves of books - the first floor is fiction and mysteries. Of course, there are those books that are fiction but don't quite fit anywhere, like Westerns, are shelved in the deep window sills. Each alcove has a table or a desk and there are stairs to reach the tip-toppy shelves.

At the end of the long room are two spiral staircases that creak beautifully when you step up them. Below the right hand staircase is a closet that is the 'Maine room,' housing all the Maine and local authors. The second floor, reserved for non-fiction, is open and bookshelves line the walls. Keep in mind that these are all actual old-fashioned wooden bookshelves. There are so many books that every bookcase has books crammed onto the top.

Of course, I checked out several books -
The Fifth of March by Ann Rinaldi
The Secret Life of Lobsters by Trevor Corson
Five Sisters: The Langhornes of Virginia by James Fox
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
My Father had a Daughter: Judith Shakespeare's Tale by Grace Tiffany

I think I'd like to start keeping track of the books I read. So the list begins...
I'll give an update when I go through all the books in my room.

Happy reading!

Spring Cleaning

I had an awakening a few weeks ago when I was at the gym and stepped on the scale. I’m not as bothered about the weight I’ve gained as I am about my health dwindling. It also hit me that I was letting my hair grow out – that means a change is a’commin’! I realized today that about this time every year at Uni I did an inventory – a spring cleaning of sorts.

So, for this year, instead of spring cleaning your house spring clean yourself.

1. Spring has (started to) sprung!

Take advantage of the nicer weather and walk. Take the mile or mile and a half challenge – walk, run, or bike anywhere within a mile or mile and a half. For me, that means walking to friends’ houses, the grocery store, and (starting this week) to work.

It’s rainy, you say? Embrace it. Invest in a good raincoat shell, some fun wellies, and go jump in some puddles. It’s too hot? Take some extra water, indulge in some Gatorade.

Rules for walking:
- wear good shoes
- walk on a sidewalk or on the LEFT side of the road
- always, always, ALWAYS carry water. And actually drink it.
- don’t forget your iPod (I’ve named mine Lucy)! Make sure to keep the volume low enough so you can hear cars and other walkers
- take a little bit of time to wander – notice something new, find the sunshine, take a mini-vacation.

2. If your body is a temple, it’s time to start treating it like one.

One great thing about living in Bar Harbor is that there are no fast food restaurants. When you go grocery shopping, look and see what produce looks good. Cut down on meat and get your protein from beans and fresh-tasting salads. For myself, I’m taking out all sweets and “extra” carbs like crackers and chips. The ice cream places are starting to open up in town, though, so once in awhile I’ll splurge on some really really good ice cream.

3. Your temple needs to live in a temple.

I know, I wasn’t going to start talking about spring cleaning, but that’s an important part of personal health, too. I’ve started really hating doing dishes, so today I’m going to completely tidy up the kitchen and try and keep on top of it.

It’s time to switch out the winter clothes! Since I live in a pretty cold place, I’ve got to keep some (ok, a lot) of my winter layering clothes, but I’m going to re-think my storage situations, use my clothes and colors to decorate my shelves. Also, since I’ve lived here for a few months (hard to believe), I can figure out how to use my space more effectively.

Evaluate your space. Switch things up – spend twenty minutes putting up a new pictures or posters. It’ll freshen up your space with no cost to you. Oh, and make your bed. Every day. It’s much more relaxing to LOOK at a made bed – and even better to sleep in one.

I am also going to try to institute a computer-free area. I love having wireless, but I’m much happier if Mildred doesn’t tempt me away from my reading or fiber time.

4. Nurture a living thing.

I am a much happier person when I’m giving part of myself to something else. Whether it’s a plant or an animal or another person. I have a plant that my sister gave me sophomore year, a Christmas cactus, and I live with two dogs. In addition, I’m an adopted “aunt” to my friend’s dog and I let her out a few times a week.

5. Give of yourself.

Find an hour or two of your week and volunteer, whether it’s with Girl Scouts (I’ve got a Daisy troop!) or shelving books at the library or just doing paperwork at your local Good Will. It doesn’t take a lot of time to give back to your community. In giving of yourself, you are most yourself.

6. Find something you really love.

Identify that thing that you really love (riding, spinning, whatever it is), and make it happen. Schedule a time every day or a few times a week to do something you love, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Use the time to come back to yourself.

7. Take the time to look nice. Every day.

Now, I’m not talking about wearing your prom dress or a business suit. But wear a clean t-shirt. Wear fun socks. Add a scarf. Once in awhile, shake it up. When you’re going to have a paper-reading day (or it’s lab meeting day), wear that blouse you love but never get to wear. Carry a cute bag. Everyone feels better when they look better.

For the gym (yes, the gym!), go to Good Will and find some funky colored t-shirts that are way too big and cut and tie them – fun color and design that’s cooler than just a regular t-shirt.

8. Treat yourself.

Paint your toenails. Create a new bag. Find some new fiber to spin up. Watch a favorite movie. Buy yourself some flowers. Do something once a week just because. It's a time to re-fresh.

Happy Spring! We’ll see if I can keep all these up into the summer.

Letters

I was reading some of the archives of one of my friends' fabulous blog and discovered post where she wrote a letter to her 12-year-old self. Got me thinking. I know I wrote a letter to myself to be read at the ripe old age of 18 when I was 10, but I've never thought of going in the opposite direction.

When I was 12 I thought I'd change the world. I was your standard goody-two-shoes student and my greatest ambition was to get a good education. I guess I thought subconsciously that I'd do something great early on. I wanted to write a novel, that's still on my list. I wanted to go to NC State and be a vet, so that's one of the two done. I took for granted that I'd have lots of interesting friends and a significant other by the time I was 22. I certainly have a few interesting and close friends, but no significant other. I thought I'd have a good job and have figured this whole 'life' thing out, I figured I'd be grown-up.

I think that my 12 year old self would be disappointed in me. I was supposed to be doing "cool" things when I was 22, not looking at another five or six years of school to do something that I'm pretty convinced that I want to do....but then again, five years ago, I wanted to go into business. Ha. 22 seemed so old when I was 12. 22 meant I was an adult, that my character had been settled on, that I'd know what I was doing in life.

I would want my 12 year old self to know that life is sometimes scary, but it's been totally worth it when I've pushed my limits. I'd want her to know that it's normal to question everything and that for a lot of the questions, she'll have mentors to help her work them out. (And that a lot of them may never be worked out, and that's ok, too.) I would want her to know that she'll grow 'younger' and more mature in college, learn to have fun and not worry so much, become more capable and more spontaneous. I'd want her to learn that sooner, to remind her 22 year old self to stop taking the safe roads.

I guess I can still make a difference, I don't know. I'm hoping I'll figure out what I want to do in life soonish. I feel better with a plan. I have in my head what I want to do, sort of, but I'm not sure how to get there. But then, 32 seems a long way away, much like 22 did when I was 12. A lot can happen in 10 years.

A few thoughts on weaving.

It's Holy Saturday, so I figured I'd post about weaving. What does weaving have to do with Holy Week and Easter? Well, I didn't make the connection until last night when I was at church for Good Friday.

"When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took His tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in once piece from the top down. So they said to one another, 'Let's not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be.'"

During the homily, Fr. O'Hara mentioned that what he was most fascinated with as a young person in this gospel was the everyday details that are included, from what the soldiers carried to the garden, to what type of fire Peter stood by to stay warm, to the quality of Jesus' clothing. "Mary was a really good weaver," Father said, "to make a garment seamless and strong, especially something that would have been worn so hard as a tunic."

I like knowing that Mary was a skilled weaver, though if you think about it, she would have had to have been in that time. To think about Mary the Mother of God spinning and weaving to clothe her family, probably going to the equivalent of our 'Stitch 'n' Bitch' or quilting bees. She must have had a favorite spindle and little tricks for drafting. She definitely must have had tricks for keeping her weaving even and strong.

I did a little bit of online research, and (of course), I'm not the first person to have thought a bit about this. According to one blog, the Eastern Orthodox tradition generally depicts Mary spinning at the time of the annunciation, rather than reading like we most often see in the Western European tradition. She is usually shown spinning a red thread that would later be used to weave the veil of the temple.

Separate from the Annunciation and spinning, the Virgin Mary is often depicted weaving in The Book of Hours, essentially a lay-person's breviary or Divine Office. The Book of Hours is an illuminated manuscript, or one with decorated letters, borders, and miniatures. It is interesting that these miniatures show Mary doing essential household chores, doing the work to care for her household.


It makes you wonder why most images of Mary depict her either holding baby Jesus or at the base of the cross. She was a busy woman, with friends and responsibilities. She had to learn to spin and weave as a child and probably started off with pretty lumpy-looking, uneven yarn, weaving it into stretched and uneven cloth. She had to go through all the growing pains and frustrations that we do - all while caring for the Son of God. Talk about responsibility. And through that all, she still was a superb craftswoman, clothing her son in a beautifully woven tunic.

a good reason that Maine winters are long

Fibers of yarn...

I finished my hat last night and wore it to church this morning. So far I've only found one mistake, but I've decided that I subconsciously put it there on purpose (for the evil spirits to come out, a custom I learned about in the fifth grade when I was learning about Australian aborigines).

I can't believe that I didn't discover cables before now - they're so easy. The hat is a wee bit too long, but it cuffs up pretty nicely, so it works. A big plus is that it covers my ears, a must when it's cold out, especially since I don't like ear muffs.

I was worried about running out of yarn, but I must have had more than I realized because I have quite a bit leftover. Maybe I'll make something else, we'll see.


and fibers of life...

I've (finally) decided on a grad school! Mum and I had a long talk today trying to talk things out. I've chosen Washington University in St. Louis - I think it has much more of the atmosphere I'm looking for and a greater variety of research. I'm a little bit overwhelmed with it all at the moment, but I'm excited, too. It's really happening!

Mad as a hatter

My first project, start to finish--a hat! When it comes to that, it's one of the only projects I've ever finished at all. You can find the pattern here.

It's cabled (another first) and a little bit too long, but now I know. It's long enough to go down over my ears (a must for me), and it's fine to cuff up. Another plus? I've got quite a bit of yarn left...whoops.

Pictures tomorrow.

The wheel's been a spinnin'!

Well, I've not kept up with this as I ought to have, but life's gotten in the way.

I spun up another bobbin-worth of my standard gray heather and ended up plying it, finishing it all up during Too Cute Tuesday (see the blog that started it all: http://www.breakingeven.typepad.com/). I ended up with a skein worthy of knitting and a few people to ooh and ahh over it.

I've finally gotten so I'm pretty good at keeping even tension and twist. Next? Getting the final weight to be what I want. I think this time, I was shooting for worsted, but I didn't make the singles thin enough.

I'm trying to sort out what to knit with it. I want it to be something I'll use, either wear or have about. My mum found a great website - http://simpleknits.blogspot.com/2008/03/500-patterns-to-knit-with-1-285-yards.html. I'm enjoying looking at my yarn and imagining what it will be. In the meantime, I may have found a sweater I want to try. Anyone who knows me (and my problem with UFOs) must be surprised. A conversation at work with one of our postdocs made me start thinking - maybe I just get bored too quickly and need a more complicated pattern.Last night, I decided that I needed some spinning therapy. Ghandi believed the deepest state of spinning was a state of zen, and I think he had a point (like he did about so many things). I decided to spin up the wool I dyed green a few weeks ago. I like it much better all spun up than in the fiber - it has lovely tones of grey you can't really see in the pictures. On that note, I need to work on taking much better pictures. I guess that some pictures are better than no pictures.

The whole bunch of it (and it was quite a bit of a bunch - you can see the dyed roving in an earlier post) was spun up in about an hour and a half. It's about lace weight now so now for the big decision: do I keep it at lace weight or ply it with some lace-weight gray?

Now that I look at these pictures, some of them are pretty good, nice and "arty." One of these days I'll get good functional pictures, too!


Tomorrow or the next day I'm going to be going on a fiber-slurge. I think I'm going to try some dyed wool from a different type of sheep and probably some vegetable fiber, bamboo or soy. I would desparately like a new bobbin for my wheel. It's getting old to wind off the single to ply anything or work on another project. I'd also like a niddy noddy so I really know how much yarn I've got. We'll see.

pet peeves.

Open pipette tip boxes.
When the revolving door to the dark room is left part way open.
Deliberately misspelled words (like thanx or kewl).
When my name is misspelled (the 'h' is important).
Part-way opened (or closed, I suppose) drawers.
When my last name is mispronounced (it's not hard - two syllables, Am-End)
When assumptions and impressions cloud sound reasoning.
An empty glove box (why doesn't the person to take the last glove just replace it?).
Tubing that isn't the correct size for the biosafety cabinet vacuum.
Running out of bleach.
Not being able to find the scissors.
Rolly chairs that don't actually roll.
Having frost on the inside of my windshield.
Having to use the last aliquot of Taq.

The fabric between fiddling and football

I went to McKay's Public House this evening to have dinner and listen to a co-worker (and friend)'s daughter fiddling. She was incredible. She has only been playing for five or six years and is way better than I could ever be. She's been in multiple bands and in at least one orchestra. Practices at least three hours a day. AND seems to be like a normal 13 year old. Her notes were so pure and strong, her double stops right on, her fingering pristine.

I've always wanted to be really good at something, to have a talent for something. You know, like the college football star who is fabulous and loves to go to practice, to hold a football.

I've never been just good at something. I've never had that burning passion for something. I've never had talent and the drive to become better. I thought I had it for dance when I was a dancer. But I was never really great at dance, I never went to the next level. And even if I had that drive, I wasn't meant for a ballet dancer, couldn't hack it as a modern dancer.

I thought for sure I had it for riding. I have a talent there. I can stay on a rearing horse, I have the patience to teach ground manners, I can go into autopilot whenever I'm in trouble, and I really good at preping for a horse show. I ahve But without a horse, I've stopped advancing. I can ride anything, but I can't do it really well. I'm an ok rider. I'd be placed in most advanced classes, riding advanced riders at most riding schools, but I'm not an advanced rider. I can't go over fences. I can't rope a cow. I can sit on the back of a pleasure horse.

On the other hand, I love horses, I am inspired by them, I am empowered by them. Maybe that's what talent is, maybe that's what makes greatness.

I'm also good at inspiring others to do big things...but is it enough to be the guy the guy depends on? I don't know.

I want to be great.

Fibers of friendship.

"You're young and I'm old, but our souls are about the same age, I reckon. We boh belong to the race that knows Joseph, as Cornelia Bryant would say."

"The race that knows Joseph?" puzzled Anne.

"Yes. Cornelia divides all the folks in the world into two kinds--the race that knows Joseph and the race that don't. If a person sorter sees eye to eye with you, and pretty much the same ideas about things, and the same taste in jokes--why, then he belongs to the race that knows Joseph."

"Oh, I understand," exclaimed Anne, light breaking in upon her. "It's what I used to call--and still call in quotation marks--'kindred spirits.'"

"Jest so--jest so," agreed Captain Jim. "We're it, whatever it is. When you come in to-night, Mistress Blythe, I says to myself, says I, 'Yes, she's of the race that knows Joseph.' And mighty glad I was, for if it wasn't so we couldn't have had any real satisfaction in each other's company. The race that knows Joseph is the salt of the airth, I reckon."

L. M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

Fibers of challenge.

"We'll eat when we're hungry, sleep when we're tired."
- Bengt, team leader of The Western Family

I think a lot of the time, we all (and by we, of course I'm talking about me) forget about what we think is important, why we do what we do. On the Caldwell Wilderness Trip, summer 2008 in Zion National Park, I became centered. I realized that all I really needed to life was a lot of food (high energy), even more water (with or without iodine for flavor), people to share the experience with, and time to appreciate the grandeur of everything. Time is just a way to parcel experience. "Time separates stuff during a day." Ultimately, time doesn't really mean much, it's what you and experience during that space that matters. Don't get caught up in the "should"s we associate with time.

The importance of the details is only found when it's taken as part of a big picture. A rock, a tree, a stream, none of them are spectacular in and of themselves. But a rock to scramble over to reach the summit? A tree blackened by a forest fire with new growth? A stream of water after hiking through a sandy desert? They are more.

Other lessons learned? No pain, no gain. Challenge hurts, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Challenge feeds the soul, though, turns the focus outside of yourself and, in turn, you are most fully "you," giving you time to remember and identify what is important.

But still, we're left with the question of why we face challenges at all. Why not take the easy way out? Walk around the mountain instead of over it?

"You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen."
- Rene Daumal

So take yourself outside of time. Turn the focus outward. Remember what is important.

And see.

What's on the spindles...

It seems that my high-whorl drop spindle efforts have been better, more consistent than that of my wheel. Go figure.

I use a Schacht Hi-Lo Spindle with a 3 inch whorl that ways just over 2 oz. I'm a fan of the high whorl and this works great, but it only has a single notch that I'd like to deepen. I'd also like to add another one or two, though. I generally spin in a Z-twist and ply S-twist. I'm trying to get better at supported spinning (using my leg), but usually fall back to suspended spinning. We'll see.

My wheel is a well-loved model of mysterious origin. I picked her up at the NCSU Craft Center surplus sale before the Thompson renovation. She works great, but is a little bit finicky about the weight of the bobbin and tension. No over-filling the bobbin, unfortunately, or at least I haven't learned that part yet. I've tried out a few more modern wheels, but, for me, a spinning wheel is a piece of usable art as well as a tool. I also don't like a double treadle - I like to have one foot for support of the fiber, etc. The wheel-treadle control isn't great, but as we get to know eachother better, we're doing better. The other downfall? No extra bobbins, so it's more of a pain to ply - I have to unwind the yarn onto a plying stick (an old lonely knitting needle). My mum's got a nostepinne that I've been angling for, but no luck yet.

As you can see from the pictures, I'm getting to be more consistent, but not great yet - not big slub, just have a hard time keeping even tension. I'm hoping some of it will lessen a bit when I ply it.

Next project for spinning equipment? Coke bottles or milk carton to make a pseudo - lazy kate. I might cave and buy a niddy-noddy, though, it's a pain to not know how MUCH yarn I actually have.

Really looking at my yarn today has made me feel more inspired to make something with the yarn I spin. Krisy suggested the Calorimtry from knitty, but I might make a hat. We'll see.

Looking for spinning references? I love my book Spinning in the Old Way by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts, all about high-whorl handspindles. If you like lots of different types of fibers and have to buy fiber off line, but aren't very good at just recalling what different wool is like, try In Sheep's Clothing by Nola Fournier and Jane Fournier. It tells you everything you need to know, from the fleece to the personality of the sheep. Pretty fabulous.

Happy spinning!

Curl up and dye!

I've dyed fiber with kool aid before, but it was in my dorm room and with nearly white and quite dark greasy. So this time, I tried it both in the microwave (which I much prefer) and on the stove-top with some of my standard 56' Heather Gray Wool roving. (On a side note, it's quite nice to spin, medium-range staple length mid-range crimp, and a nice, warm gray.)

Kool aid dying is nice - you have everything you need right there in your kitchen (or kitchen-y area), it's non-toxic, it's fun colors, the kids can help, the dogs can help, and the fruity smells combine with that of wet wool to create a simply lovely, delicate aroma. Just remember that kool aid dyes natural things...that includes your clothes and fingers. Especially important if you leave the next day for a grad school interview...hmmm....I use my hands for things a lot (ask the people I've made record bowls with) and have only a slight green smidge on my left index finger, so don't fret.

1. Go buy sugar-free kool aid. Check out a color chart to give you an idea of what color's you'd like. Keep in mind that the amount of kool aid and fiber (and type of fiber) will change the color. And you can combine different colors of dye for more fun.

2. Plop your wool in a microwave-safe bowl (or pot for the stove), enough water to cover the fiber and your kool aid. Some places say to soak the wool first, others to dissolve the kool aid before adding the wool, some say vinegar and some say not. I've tried it all, and think that it's all about the same. Leave out the vinegar (who wants vinegar, fruity, and wet wool smells all at once?) and do whatever's easiest for you.

3.a. For the stove version, put your pot on the stove, covered, and keep the water hot, not boiling, until you see the water lose its color or your wool is the color you want. Remember the dried wool will be much lighter than the wet wool, so grab a spoon and pull it out to get a more accurate idea. Smush around the wool from time to time to make sure all of it is fully saturated.

3.b. For the microwave version, put a cover on your bowl (a big plate works great) and microwave for 10 minutes, take out and smush, microwave another 10 minutes...you get the picture. The water will become colorless and the wool nice and colored. For mine, it took between 20 and 30 minutes.

4. Spoon out the wet wool into a colander and rinse briefly, just to make sure the extra dyed water doesn't go all over the place. Be careful here. Sometimes if you switch the water temp too quickly (hot to cold for instance) it'll felt the wool.

5. PAT (not wring, not fluff, not anything that'll agitate it or you'll get felt) the fiber to get the excess water out, pull apart the fibers a bit, and put on a towel to dry.

6. Congratulations, you have lovely, colorful wool to spin! Try carding it together, card it with natural stuff, ply two colors together, enjoy some singles, take bits of it together to make some varigated yarn, you get the idea. Just make sure it's completely dry before you try to spin it - sticky yucky fiber? no thank you!

If you DO end up making felt, no worries, it can be a lot of fun. Think felt balls for your kitty or little creatures or a hat or whatever else you think would be fun. :)

The pictures here don't show how bright these colors are and how rich they are. I've still got some nice gray in there, but it's a good blend, so I'll card it a bit, and I'll be set.

my yarns

Keeping a record of the fibers of life - from my stories of experiences to the stories of spinning and knitting.