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 28 of 2026

Tour de Fleece (an annual spinning event) started this week (this is usually when I do most of my spinning for the year) -

This week I finished spinning fibre that I washed, combed, blended and spun a bit last year. The majority of the fibre is local wool in natural white and brown, along with some Angora and cashmere, as well as bits of dyed handspun and sparkle blended in for interest. I have another finished skein from last year, and it should be enough for a sweater (almost 500g total).

I was recently given an Indian head flyer and bobbin. We found an inexpensive treadle base, and used a salvaged piece of wood for the table top, to complete the spinning wheel (just in time for Tour de Fleece).

It has been a fun challenge to learn to spin on it. I am spinning some fibre that a friend in Australia gave me when I first learned to spin (she recently passed away and this is a nice reminder of her).

An Indian head spinner (also called Cowichan or Salish spinning wheel) is used to create bulky yarn, which is new for me.

Photos from Around -

Nap time

Hi

All the best!♥︎

Week 12 of 2025

This week I finished spinning a skein of yarn -

This is a 3 ply, BFL/Nylon blend for socks (the little skein is the leftover).

The fibre started like this (I dyed it last December).

I started another spinning project. This time something I saw on Ravelry about spinning a braid of fibre two ways for striped socks. I divided the fibre into two (about 60/40), one part will be spun in a way to create a long colour changing yarn (chain plied), and the other a traditional 3ply creating blended colours.

I dyed the fibre with bright colours I don't usually use, just to see how it works. This is another BFL/Nylon blend, dyed this week.

I finished knitting the Bubbly Shawl, it was fun to knit and the pattern well done, but I just didn't think the final product would work for me (the points along the edge stuck out of my coat in an odd way), so the yarn is back in a ball (it is handspun - merino/tencel blend that I dyed too).

The Pets - 

Miss Maggie was trying to hide from GingerSnap! with no luck.

A walk in fresh snow this morning (lots of new coyote/fox tracks too)

The chickens took a bit of coaxing with treats to come outside in the fresh snow (not too cold).

All the best!♥︎🇨🇦

Week 43 of 2024

This week I finished spinning a skein of yarn-

It is about a worsted weight, 3 ply yarn.

I won this beautiful fibre batt during Tour de Fleece this past summer. It is a mixture of all kinds of fibre, and was a joy to spin.

Colder temperatures on the blanket (and more yarn finished).

Photos from Around -

I finished canning yesterday (the last of the tomatoes in chilli) - the shelves are nice, and full for the winter.

Still some drying to do, and fermenting some of that garlic too.

The days are getting shorter, but the hens are still laying lots of delicious eggs.

They have had to spend more time in their enclosed run because we have seen coyotes and foxes around.

Sunrise.

All the best!♥︎

 

Week 28 of 2024

This week I finished a second skein of yarn for Tour de Fleece-

 A BFL/Nylon blend for socks.

Works in Progress-

A warm week and some new colours for the temperature blanket.

Chickens added to the cross stitch.

Photos from Around- 

Molly on a morning walk.

Tiger Lilies at their peak.

Tall Day Lilies, and some purple Poppies.

10 Week old chicks.

Changing everyday.

With all the heat (and pumping out the water last week) the garden is doing great, and I was able to finally get it weeded out (so many bullrushes growing in there!).

All the best!♥︎

 

Week 21 of 2024

A couple knitting finishes this week -

A pair of handspun socks. They are my regular sock pattern with a simple 3x1 cable rib added for interest.

A handspun hat knit as part of a weekend knit along challenge. The pattern is The Traveller Hat by Andrea Mowry, and the knit along challenge was in Andrea Mowry's Ravelry group, to knit the hat between May 24th to 27th 2024.

More knitting on the temperature blanket too.

I also finished spinning the Wensleydale/Romney fibre. The yarn is quite fine, but scratchy, and I think would work well for weaving.

Photos from Around-

The bees sure are busy with all the dandelions. The yard is flooded because of all the rain this past week.

The chicks are growing fast.

Such big feet.

The Cinnamon Queens seem to have the most feathers.

Each of the Sapphire Gems have a distinct shade of grey feathers.

They are all developing quite the personalities, and are very friendly.

The Barred Plymouth Rocks are the ones that try to jump out every time the door is open.

Miss Molly helping out getting the chicken coop ready (it is one of the grain bins in the front yard).

Miss Maggie supervising as I stitch a cat like her on my three year cross stitch project (which will  probably be my five year project now since it has almost been three years and I am no where near done!).

All the best!♥︎

Week 20 of 2024

Still lots of works in progress -

I have been spinning some locks from a local shepherd. They are a Wensleydale/Romney cross. I am flick carding the individual locks to open them up before spinning - something new for me.

The latest handspun socks are long enough to start the ribbing.

A few more medallions added to the piece of tatting.

A good selection of temperatures this week for the blanket.

Photos from Around - 

The chicks are now 13 days old, and are really changing.

Miss Maggie still keeps an eye on them, and they love her.

There are lots of other birds in the yard too -

A Kildare nest in the front yard - this one was under water a few days ago when there was just 2 eggs (lots of rain this week).

A Mourning Dove on her nest (I don't hold much hope for the two eggs).

Another Kildare nest in the back yard (I had to mark this out because it blended in so well when I was weeding the mulch). Four eggs in this one too but Mama is very protective.

Another Mallard nest - this one near the garden. The eggs are slightly darker than the other nest we found earlier (that nest disappeared one day - not a shell, not a feather, not a trace, and it had just as many eggs).

Maybe the Mallards knew that their nest would be near water, because now the garden is full of water.

The garlic is growing well and will hopefully be fine (more rain in the forecast).

All the best!♥︎