Is the Rain Washing Away your Vibrant Color Yarn Mood?

Rain has been flooding us out here! It seems like the gray days has put me behind in everything. You'd think with the lack of color outside I'd be spreading good cheer and brightness with some vibrant new yarns. Not so...look at my newest creation made straight from my drop spindle:

It may be gray, but it sure is pretty! It is tencil and merino. It has that lovely shimmer that the camera never captures correctly.

This new yarn has a dab of color. It's 100% Merino and super soft. The colors are white, purple, and green. All looking rather washed out, as the weather has made us all feel!I am SOOOO ready for some football! New team for my oldest this year. He is now playing for our middle school team. Woohoo! His first game was last Saturday and we won. Oh yeah! Nice way to start off the season.

It has been quite awhile since I posted anything to the blog. Things here were crazy getting the kids ready for school. Of course there was the maddening boredom that encompasses the kids at the end of the summer. But now I am free! My youngest started Kindergarten and I am free to create and dye and spin all day long. I sure do miss my little helper, but you know...maybe now I'm not in so much danger for being fined for child labor laws. ;)

Talking about missing vibrant colors...well let's not talk about that anymore! This is what is on the spinning wheel as I type. It's literally calling my name in the next room to hurry up and get it finished. It will not be plied. I'm spinning it really thick. So it will be gorgeous when it's done. Lastly, you know how I said I've been behind...well here is this month's Fiber of the Month (for those in the spinning club). I worked up a bit of it, just for fun on my drop spindle.

With the markets winding down for the year, I plan on opening up my Etsy shop once again. Once I get some things posted I'll be sure to share!

OK, on a totally bizarre, and non-fiber related subject. This thing is too weird. It is a Wampus Cat. It is our town's high school mascot. I know, odd.

More to come, super soon! I won't take as long for another update next time....really. ♥

Conway's Farmers Market & New Roving

Monday's Manic Dye Day produced five new batches of roving. Here are the new colors:

Green Blue Pink White

Red & Purplish Brown

Lots of Pastel Colors with Gray

Lavender and White

Royal Court

This last roving is the August Roving of the Month Subscription. The freebie for the Roving Club was a cute pin made by HotButtons.etsy.com. The pin says "Does this Roving make me look fat?"

Conway's Farmers Market move is going quite well. Tuesday, tons came out and shopped. I had the boys with me, which is always a bit challenging, but entertaining. They took turns grabbing the camera and entertaining themselves by snapping shots of the market in action.

That's me! Enjoying the breeze and meeting new people.

Below is a partial picture of our booth set up.

Lastly, a great shot Brady got of Austin sitting in the chair behind the table. It give a great overview of the table setup.

All in all, Conway's Farmers Market is a blast! I have made some wonderful new contacts, including Martha Rojo, who owns Alpaca and German Angora Rabbits. She came by our Yarn-Aholics group last night and brought me a sampling of her Angora. I have been in fiber heaven ever since! The fiber is silky and soft, just like touching a cloud. It spins up beautifully. I am very excited to be able to have found a local supplier of fiber. With that being said, keep your eyes open for our new line of Angora Handspun Yarns and Alpaca Handspun Yarns...your fingers will thank you. ♥

Hand Painted Wool Roving Process

Today was a manic Monday dye day! I managed to produce 2 and a half pounds of painted fiber, all 80's grade Merino Wool. Here is a quick glimpse of the new colors...remember they are wet, so the colors will look a bit different next time I show them off.

With the Roving of The Month Club shipping out soon and all these Market showings we've been doing, I really need to schedule repeated Manic Monday Dye Days.


Some have asked a bit about the process of dying wool roving. Here's a few pics I snapped today during the process just to show off.

First the wool has to soak for about thirty minutes in a water and acid solution (acid as in vinegar or citric acid). I use citric acid, just because I am not a huge vinegar smell fan. The smell of wet wool is something else. Some say they hate it, me personally, I love it...but I am a bit of a weird duck.

After the thirty minutes, the wool blossoms and is ready to take the dye. I use many different dying techniques. Depending on how I want the end product to come out. In this example, I laid out the roving and painted the sections in bulk.


This one will be a red and a brownish purple when it's all said and done. In the above picture, the wet wool is laid out on some plastic wrap. The dye was painted onto each section using foam brushes. Once one side is finished, I flip the entire thing and then paint the other side to ensure full dye coverage.

The next step is steaming the wool. This sets in the dye. Now, I personally use the steam method, because when I took my class from the company I buy my dye from they were very insistent that steaming to set the color is the only method anyone should use. Other methods, including microwaving the wool, does not produce longest lasting life of the color you are setting. You can set the dye using different methods, but my color is always set using steam. I want the end product to be the very best quality and I want your creations to last for generations to come. So enough ranting...here's a steamy pic of the roving soaking up the dye:


The wool has to steam for around 30 minutes and then it is ready to be carefully rinsed (you don't want to felt your new painted roving) and then hung out to dry...see the very first picture.

Along with all the wool I painted today, I also painted 10 new silk scarves. I just recently ordered some new silk to paint, they were a bit smaller than I originally planned, but they are perfect hair ties. I painted a bunch purple, for the University of Central Arkansas's school color. UCA BEARS! I figure they will be cute to tie in your hair to head out to football games. Man I wish football would hurry up and start!

So, that's it for today! Tomorrow we will be in downtown Conway at the Farmers Market. Come see us and check out the new hair ties and new fiber. ♥

Fiber Combination to Die For

I have always loved boucle yarn. A boucle is the style yarn that has the little loops in it. The first hand painted yarn I ever saw was a boucle and it has been close to my heart ever since. Painfully so, to spin a boucle is just not going to happen. Leaving each little loop out would take ages to do. Digging around in my fiber closet, I realized I had some boucle left that was not dyed. I took a single ply handspun yarn and then spun it together with the boucle. Here's a picture of it. Yum!

For those of you who have visited us at the different markets and shows this is nothing new to you, but here's a picture of a few Hand Felted Soap we sell. Next time I have one with a design, I'll be sure to take a pic before it sells.

In digging through the same fiber closet...I found some Kid Mohair and some Angora fiber. The two alone are both divine. But I started thinking...what if I combine the two. Can you say heaven??? Oh my! This fiber combination is to die for. Really, I may have to keep it in a safe cause people will be breaking down the doors for it. Once I get some spun up, I'll be sure to show it off. Just wish there was a way to let you feel it....hum, wonder if Bill Gates is working on a touch through the net program.

We have a new Patchwork Quilt Spun Yarn:

Here's what's on the drying rack all ready for our debut appearance at the newly relocated Conway's Downtown Farmers Market. That's tomorrow, by the way!

And lastly, non-fiber related news...I have to give a shout out to the Birthday Boy! Austin turned 7 on Wednesday! We had a blast going and seeing G-Force in 3-D and are having a big party for him on Sunday.

Gotta love that goofy boy! Have a wonderful week and as always happy crafting!!! ♥

Blogging Women!

I'm pleased to announce my little blog is being listed on the amazing Blogging Women website. Woooohoooo!

We have been making a few interesting items lately. I'll post some pictures tomorrow and show off a few new things.

It's Summer and We're Everywhere

Summertime brings warm memories of watermelons, fun hot nights with good friends and good times. Here is some watermelon roving soon to be spun into a summertime fun yarn.

I have been busy, busy, busy! Each Tuesday, I have been setting up at The River Market's Farmer's Market, in Little Rock. Be sure to look for our booth. The Market is open from 7:00 AM to around 2:00 PM. Stop by and see all the new yarn and other fiber creations including the ever popular felted soap.

Every Saturday, I am at the brand new Argenta Farmer's Market and Art and Crafts Market. It is located in the heart of North Little Rock's Argenta area. The Market is right on Main street and is right on the trolley path. Just look for the tracks and it will lead you right to the market.

Here are a few pics of new yarn:

Sunflower

Groovin'

Here's some of the new yarn laid out to dry:

Last Saturday, at the Argenta Market, a really nice man stopped by the booth and snapped an amazing shot of my wheel in action:

This was one of the daily photos for a really cool blog called 365Argenta be sure to check it out when you get a chance.

Lastly, Sunday's through Tuesday, some yarn is still listed on Conway's Locally Grown. The market is online and you pick up your purchases in Conway, Arkansas.

In facebook news...we have a Brand New Fan Page set up. Be sure to check it out and become a fan.