So, got all the grape colored merino spun; plying it now with the dyed Shetland. Blue socks are done; re-knitting the beaded tam.
Put the zipper in the blue sweater only to discover that one front panel is longer than the other by about 1 1/2". How the hell did that happen?? Oh, I was soooo disgusted! Are you kidding me??! This sweater was knitted in one piece, sans sleeves. Crap. Crap. And not to mention, the sleeves are about 2" too long. Triple Crap.
So when the tam is finished, I will be doing some serious alterations. Hey, but the zipper went in like butter!!
Yesterday I finished the outside work. All yard ornaments, lights, fencing put away for another year; perennials all cut down. A couple Saturday's ago we had a good dusting of snow - like maybe 1/2". And just this weekend, we had 19 degrees overnight! I might've just made it under the gun.
Saturday we went to a fiber festival in Cambridge, MN. It was a spur of the moment thing. It was just a one day affair, and I asked a lady there how many years it's been going on. She said this was the first year. I certainly hope there'll be many more and that it grows like Lake Elmo.
A nice mix of vendors, a lot of alpaca. But I did score 2 bags (8oz. each) of Border Leichester from the same gal I got 2# from last year at Elmo. Only this time it's roving; the other was batts. And get this......$1.00 an ounce!!! It's beautiful wool; white; spins great; feels great. I commented to her about her prices, saying I can't believe she sells her wool at such a great price.
Her response was, she's not looking to get rich doing this, she has a lot of sheep and just wants to make the fiber affordable for everyone. Then we got to talking about how the price of wheels, accessories and fiber has gone through the roof over the past years. We both agreed that the fiber craft has really taken off, more and more people getting into it. Why do the prices have to be so prohibitive for those who also have a burning desire to learn and create? So sad. Do most suppliers want to be rich? Is this their "gold ring"? Sad.
Anyway, she was a woman after my own heart. I've been preaching the same ideal since I started crafting and selling some 20 years ago. It should be affordable for everyone.
Off my soapbox now. Anywho, BH is planning on getting the woodstove up and running this week. Good thing. We have one more day of warm weather and then it'll be back to the cold and dank. And even though that stove has saved us tons of money for heating all these years, I do hate the damn thing. Always hated it......except, maybe, when it's -30 outside with 25mph winds.....then maybe I like it...just a little. Well, one more winter after this one and we'll be in our new apartment! Yep, we'll be joining the 21st century...... with all the modern conveniences! Utilities be damned!
crafting on: bunty mitts and wee hats
6 years ago
3 comments:
I wish I could get my hands on some Leicester wool for $1.00 per oz. It's my favorite wool, so far, to spin. It seems as though it nearly spins it's self, it goes so smoothly. :)
It's much colder in your neck of the woods, than it is here. Although we've had 3 frosts here, but the other day we had the first heavy killing frost, where the ground was all white as well as the car. Then it started warming up again. So this weekend will be nice, sunny and warm, and next week we'll probably have snow. It's happened before. LOL :)
I have to agree. I was pretty disappointed to discover how expensive roving is. I mean - it's like going to a bakery and buying fancy croissants or buying the flour and butter yourself and making them and finding out that the flour and butter are so expensive it pays to just buy the damn croissant!
See - I'm a soap box girl, too.
Lol, Rani!
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