Saturday, December 19, 2009


Six days until Christmas. I finished up my shopping and things I was making this last week. No more trips to the mall. WooHoo! I had done most of my grocery shopping for Christmas before Thanksgiving and put a lot of stuff in the freezer in the spare refrigerator. Right after turkey day I cleaned out that frig and turned it off. Unfortunately I also turned off the freezer somehow and we just discovered everything was lost. All the meat including my beautiful big lamb roast I was planning on for the 25th. Another trip to the dump was in order. I did manage to get the hat finished for my daughter. Now I'm working on a little crochet purse for her that I don't know if I will finish or not. Pix when I do. We still don't have any snow to speak of. We had about 3" this last week, but today its raining and most of its gone now. We got Bella spayed this week. She did just fine. I'm disappointed because I wanted to breed her in a year or so but with all the coyotes up here I was too afraid one might get through our fence and get to her. So now, she can just concentrate on her wonderful guarding capabilities. Already she's a great watch dog. And at 7 mo old and nearly 75 pounds, I would certainly be afraid. I've been reading on-line about a new dyeing technique I'm anxious to try. Its similar to tie-dyeing but with a much different look. As soon as the holidays are over and things calm down again I am heading back into the studio. BTW, here's a picture of my poor bamboo scarf that got 'kitty-handled'. Keep in mind that threads in this are about the size of sewing thread.

Friday, December 11, 2009


Brrrrrrrr. Temps much colder than they should be. Here's a sample from around 6am Tues morning. Bella is tolerating the cold by sleeping comfortably outside every night. So does Dolly with the alpacas and goats. I visualize them all huddling together in the sheds. Probably not. I'm trying to get my second bamboo scarf done. I've set a goal of six inches each day. I can't seem to stay on schedule every day but was doing pretty well until I found one of our kitties had sharpened his / her nails on the woven part. What a mess. I will have to un-weave about the last four inches and just hope the warp isn't damaged. The weft isn't so important and it could be replaced. Right now I have the bamboo warp on the Ashford, I'm winding the wool warp in the studio and plan to space-dye it when its all wound off, I have white-brown-black alpaca blended and on the spinning wheel, a hat for my daughter about half done with the knitting, my knitted sox about 3/4 finished, a cashmere knitted hat started, and a knitted scarf from dyed alpaca roving started. Anything else? I'll never remember. In addition, I've ordered two more painted warps and have one I want to paint myself and make a scarf. With only a couple weeks left until Christmas there is so much other stuff to do I wonder when I can get back to my studio. I went shopping yesterday and returned home nearly empty-handed. I can't seem to find what I want and the rest is way too expensive. We have no snow yet, just cold and wind. At least that wind has stopped for the time being. Good excuse to stay in and complete at least one project.

Thursday, December 3, 2009


Thanksgiving is past and only three weeks until Christmas. I'd like to impress by saying my shopping is done, but sadly not so. Who knows when that will happen. Its an hour drive each way to town, then shopping, a couple of errands probably and the day is gone. We feed the livestock in the morning so never get away from the farm until around 10am. Change clothes (yes! a must) and don't get back home until around 3 or 4pm. Phew! Makes me tired. Thanksgiving was fun, the only mis-hap was when Bella wanted some Pumpkin Dessert that was sitting on the kitchen counter. She tried to be sneaky and get it herself but only succeeded in pulling it off the counter on to the floor. Broke my dish but we only had a tiny little taste before it happened. One of my sisters lives in Spokane WA and came for dinner. And she brought home-made fudge. Thank goodness. She admired the rayon chainette / cotton scarf I had woven so I gifted her with it. She can't wear wool, so that worked out perfectly. And, its her colors too. Not much spinning or weaving going on right now. Who's got time? I am knitting a hat for my daughter, frogged it three times already but I think I have a good start this time. I will post a picture when its done, after Christmas. Its a surprise and I don't want her to see it. Nights are getting a lot colder, in the single-digits this week. Sunday its supposed to be windy and cold, nearly zero on Monday. Ouch. Animals are all holding up well to the cold. Bella likes it cold and I think the alpacas do too. Glad its them and not me out there. :-)