Week 42 of 2026

This week I prepared and spun some more of the raw fleece I was given -

This was the beautiful locks I washed last week.

I dyed abut a third of it with black and grey acid dyes.

Drum carded it a few times to open up the locks and blend the colours together.

I used a diz (it's a button) to remove the fibre from the drum carder.

Creating little nest of fibre (I find this easier to spin than tearing pieces off a batt, and in a way it aligns the fibres a bit more).

This is the first skein so far - about 140g/230m of about a sport/DK weight, 3 ply yarn (I have about 500g of fibre in total).

This week we added to our flock - three new pullets (young hens not yet laying). I think they are Orpington crosses.

All the best!♥︎

Week 41 of 2026

This week was all about spinning and washing fleece -

It started with buying some minimally processed wool from a local shepherd - I recently decided I wanted to try spinning some different breeds of sheep just for the spinning experience. This first one is Wendsleydale - a sheep with long curly locks. When I spun it the yarn was smooth, but after washing the finished skein the curls popped out. About 100g, and over 300m of light fingering weight, 2 ply yarn.

The day after buying some different types of roving for spinning, a friend gave me different types of raw fleece.

I spent a couple days washing fleeces. It always surprises me how dirty raw fleece can be, and then how beautiful it cleans up.

I received six different types of fleece (I don't know what they are), and these are the first two I spun. These both had quite long staple lengths, and some other similar properties, so I think they are the same sheep breed, they are just different natural colours. I drum carded the clean fibre, and used a diz to prepare the fibre for spinning. The finished skeins are about 50g and over 100m each, of fingering weight, 2 ply yarn.

This was the biggest lot of fleece (photo before washing),

it came out amazing after washing, long, shiny locks - the most beautiful fleece I have ever prepared! I should have enough to knit a garment with this one. 

Even GingerSnap! was involved with spinning this week.

All the best!♥︎

Week 40 of 2026

This week has been about getting the yard and gardens ready for winter, but progress is still being made on a couple of projects I am working on -

This week I finished knitting the sleeves on the cardigan, and I am back knitting on the body.

I tried out a different tie-up and treadling pattern on the Big Top towels.

Photos from Around -

Miss Maggie and GingerSnap! taking turns at the water dish (GingerSnap! didn't have much patience and took a swipe at her, but he was the one that ended up with a cut on his nose!).

This Great Blue Heron flew around the yard and frightened the chickens.

Molly kept an eye on the chickens.

She was not the bravest when someone got the scale out to weight themselves, and had to hide in the basement.

All the best!♥︎

Week 39 of 2026

This week I started a new "take-along" project -

A pair of handspun socks. Knit two-at-a-time on a long circular needle, from both ends of a ball of yarn. Knitting toe-up, with a simple stitch pattern for interest (knit for two rows, K2, P2 for two rows).

Still working on the "Big Top" towels.

The sleeves on the cardigan are slowly growing too.

Photos from Around -

This year's harvest of garlic, onions and shallots (some dried flowers in there too).

The cats tagging along on a walk.

Full moon over the horizon on tonight's walk.

All the best!♥︎

Week 38 of 2026

This week I finished knitting a hat -

The pattern is the Musselburgh by Ysolda Teague. This is the second one I have made and it is a lovely pattern. This has been on the go since January as my take along project because it is simply knitting in the round (I finished a few other projects along the way too because I knew I wouldn't need a hat for a while).

I used some handspun that had been a few other projects before this, but I think it is perfect as a hat. It is a very light fingering weight yarn (almost lace weight), knitted on 2.5mm needles.

Photos from Around -

Sunset this evening.

Miss Maggie so high up.

Chickens helping clear the garden.

Molly at sunrise during the week.

GingerSnap! having a nap.

All the best!♥︎

 

Week 37 of 2026

This week I put a new project on the loom -

Another set of towels. The pattern is the "Color Nuggets Towels" from the Summer 2026 issue of Handwoven Magazine (on the cover of the magazine). I put on a longer warp (over 7 yards) using colours I have, and will probably try a few different tie-ups from "A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns" by Carol Strickler, since this is a light/dark straight draw threading and there are a few interesting pattern options in the book.

I have also been knitting on my cardigan - the sleeves are coming along.

Photos from Around -

This week has been about cleaning up after a storm last Sunday (quite a few trees fell). GingerSnap! wasn't bothered about the chainsawing that was happening.

The chickens came for a visit.

This week has also been about canning different types of tomato sauces.

These are some of the ingredients for one batch, but the tomatoes are inside because I can't let them ripen in the garden or the chickens will eat them.

All the best!♥︎

Week 36 of 2026

This week I finished hemming tea towels, and knotting fringes on table runners of my latest handwoven project-

This was woven as part of a weave along on Ravelry for the Marguerite P. Davison in Colour Group. The draft is the Rose Point Pattern on p 86 in the green book. I used 2/16 cotton for the warp and tabby weft, and 2/8 cotton for the pattern weft (all from Maurice Brassard). I used treadle sequence II for the yellow towel, and treadle sequence I for the all the others. More details can be found on my Ravelry project page.

This week has really been all about preserving apples - apple sauce, spiced apple sauce, freeze dried apples, and I tried something new, apple jam (the jars on the left, next to the apple sauce, link to the recipe I used), I am hoping it will be good to flavour homemade yogurt.

Pets - 

Miss Maggie has been spending a lot more time sleeping inside during the day (we still have summer weather).

GingerSnap! is always up to something.

Molly was hoping for a ride in the little truck.

A treat is how we get the chickens back in the coop after a day out.

All the best!♥︎

Week 35 of 2026

The table runners/towels came off the loom this week -

The towels still need to be hemmed,

but I have started to knot the fringe on one of the table runners (I am trying something different for this one).

I finished a ball of yarn on the cardigan I am knitting, so put the body stitches on hold while I knit the sleeves (two at a time on a long circular needle). I should have plenty of yarn, but just want to make sure.

Photos from Around -

Preserving the bounty of the garden is still well under way. This is the start of salsa - I thought the red onions were so beautiful.

Molly had an itchy nose on our walk.

GingerSnap! found an odd spot for a nap.

Miss Maggie found a better spot.

All the best!♥︎

Week 34 of 2026

The garden is doing well, and this week has been taken up with preserving the bounty of the garden and the fruit trees (apple season is in full swing) -

The vegetable garden.

Almost finished weaving the warp on the loom.

The sleeve stitches for the cardigan are on hold, and it is just straight knit/purl for the body.

Photos from Around - 

Miss Maggie returned from hunting covered in cobwebs and seed heads.

Molly having a rest in the shade.

GingerSnap! resting after a night out.

All the chickens this morning.

All the best!♥︎