Apologies

Apologies for the lack of updates- I'm currently dealing with a family emergency.

In the meantime, this is some of my favourite fiber from the last batch I dyed:

Fairy Ring - Orbit Superfine Hand-Dyed Merino

I paid my bills, now I can shop!

I think I might go yarn shopping tomorrow. Much as I want to skip off to my favourite LYS, Uniquities, I think I will probably wind up on the cheap at AC Moore, since I'm buying yarn for a baby sweater. I don't feel a particular need to knit an heirloom-quality sweater, even if I'm hoping that the darling girl will get a few seasons out of it before it has to be relegated to the teddy bear wardrobe.

I haven't spun all week, and I have that itch of creation under my skin. I think tomorrow, after my massage (oh, the decadence!), I'll sit down at the wheel for an hour or two and see what I can get. It'll be prime time to catch up on my weekly allotment of "The Daily Show".

I hope your weekend plans are delightful!

What's in the basket?

Pictures of my current spinning project! As mentioned, a lovely alpaca/silk blend, shining in a way that only silk can. It's more of a twist than a blend, honestly, and I couldn't love it more.

I think batts are really my favourite fiber prep to spin from. There are so many possibilities! You can spin from the fold, you can pull it into top, or (my favourite, if I'm not going for a particular colour blend) you can spin it right from the batt. Next up in my spinning basket is the first of my batts from DyakCraft's ColourWays Club. I've always loved Linda's batts, and these are shining examples of what someone with an eye for colour and a good blend can do with them. I got the club membership as a present, and it's like opening a jewel box every month. I can't wait!

Long time, no post!

Things have been busy, busy, busy! I don't have pictures of my current spinning project just yet, but I suspect I will shortly. In the meantime, let me tell you all about it!

Saturday afternoon was spent partially being a douchebag hipster at the coffee shop, and partially spinning. I am working on the most luscious alpaca/silk mix right now! It's a rich fawn alpaca, and the silk is bright sky blue, and a light spring green. Combined with the sheen, it looks nearly otherworldly. I'm spinning it to a laceweight, with plans to ply it on itself (2-ply), and knit myself something ethereal and woodsy. An elf cloak, or a fairy shawl, or something earthy and a little magical. The pattern will find me when the time comes, I'm sure.

There has been so much writing, dyeing, and living going on, that my blogging has kind of escaped me.

What have I been up to?

wholesale, originally uploaded by Reesa.

This is my first wholesale order, shipping out to Pocket Meadow Farm, in Berkeley Springs, WV!

Very cool things are happening! Not only is my fiber now available in a wonderful yarn and fiber store- I'll also be selling it at a variety of craft fairs this autumn and winter! A complete listing will be coming soon, but in the meantime, I'll tease you with this, a preview of some new colourways, and some old favourites.

Experiments in green.

I believe I'm going to invest in a tester kit of Greener Shades Dyes. I want to see what kind of colour intensity I can get from them, and how they blend.

On the up side, they are available in several different base shades, and everything I've been reading about them says they are relatively easy to mix for a wide variety of different colours. They are heavy metal free (make your own Danzig joke, please), meaning there is no chrome involved, which according to their website makes them "non-hazardous". That's a pretty vague term, however, they also go on to state that the dyes meet the criteria developed by the Organic Trade Association and the Global Organic Textile Standard for Organic Fiber Processing and Handling.

On the down side, there are only 9 base dyes. That means a LOT of mixing to get back up to my standard array of about 35 different colours. They are also much more expensive than say, my Jacquard Acid Dyes.

If they are truly stunning in use, I will seriously consider making a gradual change to them, but they are going to have to wow me to outweigh both the drastic increase in price and the fiddly factor. I would find out about these after spending massive money on a full complement of dyes within the last 6 months.

Bordello Birthday Socks en pointe!

Bordello Birthday Socks en pointe!, originally uploaded by Reesa.

Michelle's birthday socks, all done and tested and ready to block.

Can I just say how insanely cool it is that I have MADE SOCKS?

The rest of the pictures can be found here.

I have cast aside my wooly shackles!

I'M DONE, I'M DONE, I'M DONE, I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9.5 miles of yarn, all in skeins I can dye and sell.

I'm REALLY excited about some of the new yarns, too. The Alpaca/silk/merino blend is soooo drapey, and the 500+ yard skeins of super soft, squishy merino singles are going to be PERFECT for felted bags. In fact, I'm thinking of either trying to come up with a nice pattern myself, or holding a contest to design one.

19.7 pounds, 9.5 miles, and it's all sitting in a box in my dining room.

HOORAY!

Feeling semisonic.

I am brewing up a batch of yarn that has fabulous hidden depths of colour. Every time it moves, you catch another shimmer that you didn't see before. All semi-solids, all kettle-dyed in 3-4 stages, and all based on songs, albums, or bands.

I'm not sure I'll be able to give it up.

pidgeonroof

pidgeonroof, originally uploaded by Reesa.

Look, I'm alive, and I'm going to remember that I have a fiber blog!

The yarn I spun this weekend. The stripey colour changes and silver and pink make me happy.

4 oz. BFL, pidgeonroofstudios, in...erm...Lady Heather colourway? Not entirely sure on that, since I bought it on destash from a friend.