Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Retreat to the Fleece!

This past weekend I trekked to Pennsylvania for a Spring Fiber Retreat.  I found out I loves my fleeces!  Beth, the owner of the Spinning Loft, taught us all about different sheep and fleece prep and spinning at her mom's B&B in Linfield, PA.

We each had clean little fleece samples to try


 My faves to spin were Cormo and Lincoln. 


The coolest locks were on the Scottish Blackface - easiest to process too.  Just pull both ends!



I liked the Cormo so well that a pound(ish) of greasy fleece jumped in the car and followed me home.

But that's OK, because I learned a new way to wash locks!


We also shopped in the mini Spinning Loft.


These pictures of the shop were after the ravening hoards had plundered it for the piles that were adjusted (upward) each day.



We also spun on the patio in the sun, and tried everyone's wheels. Of course we also ate and drank exceedingly well.  Got to keep up one's strength for wrangling fleeces, and rolling on the floor laughing!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Kittens!

I work for the Chesapeake Humane Society, and have been loving up this cat for the last 3 weeks.  She came in pregnant and has been getting bigger and bigger.


Wednesday I noticed some things that indicated she might be close.  Sure enough, last night three kittens were born!



You can see how big they are compared to her (yikes)! The black one on the bottom in this pic  took over 3 hours of labor!  He wasn't born til the vet said c-section.


Happy Easter Mama Cat!

Friday, April 2, 2010

Perfect Day

It's spring in Tidewater, and yesterday was the perfect spring day!  Normally  my S&B meets at Barnes and Noble in Chesapeake on Thursday.  This week we all met at my house and knitted (and spun) on the front porch.  Lovely!

Wallisknits came with Fairbanks,  Macadoodle, and Betty E were all there.  Being the week before Easter we talked about those Easter bonnets that we wore as kids.  I don't know about you, but mine always poked me in the head and itched.  Not to mention the elastic that was specifically made to strangle little girls!  My favorite thing was always my new, shiny patent leather mary janes.  I knew they were as pretty as any ruby slippers!
Naturally I didn't take pictures when everyone was here, so this is a shot of my empty porch.

Next week I'll take one when everyone is here!

After that we went over to The Knitting Corner for the big birthday sale.  Sue, the owner, sold some of my handspun earlier in the week, so it was OK to spend a few bucks!


I also kept reminding myself I wasn't going to Maryland this year (but it looks like we may go to Sedalia)!

Off to complete the taxes - going to need some cash for the festivals!