Monkey Business

I got some cool socks (seconds) from an online friend who makes looper rugs.  Well, before she cut them up I was lucky enough to have her send a pair to me so I could make this adorable monkey.  I'm hoping she'll come up with a kit form for making more cuz these are some really nice socks.  I checked the dollar store for some other possible socks-but the selection was not good.  Gotta find a source for some cheap socks to make a few more-some folks I know want me to make more.

Power Outage

What to do when the power goes out for 2 hours?  Hmmmm?  How about a little experiment with the home made hackle?  I lashed on some pretty colors of roving, some sparkle, and got out a metal washer to use as a diz.  This was my first attempt at dizzing roving off a hackle.  I found that the "pass" from right to left went well. The left to right not so much on the first try.  But I gave it another whirl, and it worked out pretty well.  I spun up my little rovings into a thick and thin single, and then plied it with some funky textured pink I had on another bobbin.  It's only about 10 yards, but it's very pretty-the picture doesn't do it justice.  It was a nice way to spend 2 hours without power.

"Laundry " Day

I hate doing laundry!  BUT.....this was definitely way more fun than regular old laundry.  I had been spinning yarns and not setting the twist because I was waiting for the time and the weather to all work together.  Today was the day!  I found a better way than "thwacking" the yarn to finish it.  I just spun it around by hand out on my deck and it helped to remove a bit of some extra twist and the excess water-the neighbors probably wondered what the heck I was doing.  So now I just have to wait for the sun and warm breeze to do their stuff, and of course I have to decide what to do with all that yarn.

"Yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full"

Well, I have my work cut out for me.  I just made a purchase from Lael (of Maplewood North/Hearthside Fibers).  Three very nice bags of smooshy soft wool.  My house smells like a barn at the moment-it's not a smell I dislike at all.  The dark brown/black is from a Shetland named Brie.  I had gotten her fleece last year and loved it so much I reserved it for this year.  (I'm still not through all of last year's)  Then I got a nice white Shetland named Vanilla.  The third bag is a white Coopworth (no name).  All look very promising for making some wonderful yarns.  So let the washing begin!  (Shhh-don't tell my plumber)

I'm feeling a bit blue these last couple of days.  I decided to sell my floor loom due to some financial "woes".  She hopefully is enjoying her new home somewhere in Minnesota.  I felt like I was selling one of my children,  Weird.  So, to help me move on,  I warped up my rigid heddle loom to weave along to the pool party theme with the Saori weaving group on Ravelry.  I've only just gotten started.  It'll be a scarf-just kind of wild and crazy.  A mood "picker-upper", I hope.