I was just reading my last blog post from September of 2018. That's right, September! Blimey it's been a long time!!!
At least let me follow up my last ancient post. Since the fall of last year, I have managed to get a couple projects done. The Daydreamer Dolman Sweater is my brand new pattern that has been months in the making. I really wanted to design something to showcase all of the fun, cake style yarns on the market. This was made using Caron Latte Cakes and I just love how the colors present themselves in cool, geometric patterns. Of course you could go solid or design your own. I made
up this second one with short sleeves using Yarn Bee's Fur-Ever Style and trimmed it out with a pretty blue from my stash. This one is lighter weight and a nice layer to throw on over a tank. It's worked in a free size for all of us fans of loose, comfy clothes.
So that's my big new pattern, but in my last post I was talking about my All Wrapped Up in Circles & Squares Applique and how I was working on project using this motif. I ended up assembling two of the 10" squares and designing a handbag. All of the details can be found on Instagram by searching #circlesandsquaresbag You can find me on Insta @jennofwindrose and here is what the finished project looks like...
Cute, huh?
I guess I have one last share before I call it a night. I recently found a source for really nice quality Recycled Sari Silk Sliver. It is free of little threads and bits that are commonly found in recycled sari silk so its pure pleasure to spin. If you love all of the gorgeous and somewhat random colors that can be found in recycled sari silk, you will go crazy for this fiber. Oops, can't forget the pic!
Okay, I am going to call this Wednesday done. Hope life is treating you well!!
For the last six weeks I've been taking care of the rather boring, business end of having a small fiber shop. I've played accountant, I've ordered supplies, I've replenished my inventory. Now, at last, I can return to the fun stuff.
I started off today by dyeing a little Firestar. I haven't done much dyeing recently and Firestar is a nylon that takes dye with ease. Basically, it was just something fun to do to get my mojo back. I'm not superstitious, but when it comes to dyeing, a working mojo is important. Otherwise you may become absent minded and neglect your wool. Even worse, you may overcompensate and agitate your wool too much. Neither of these scenarios produces a nice finished product.
*Note: Tongue in Cheek :D
After I finished painting my Firestar, which dried in about an hour on this blustery day, I was still itching to do more. I remembered the planed wood pieces I have stored in a closet. My brother is a carpenter and he offered to rescue some wood shavings for me. This was very nice of him as I am sure he generally does not sort his wood waste by type.
I've dyed with wood before, but never with large shavings like these. I decided to pack them into a jar and cover them with water. I'll wait for about a week and see how much color I've extracted. Right now I have one jar of Dark Walnut and one of Honduras Mahogany. The different types of wood looked so pretty to me, that I filled a bowl with them and set it out as a centerpiece.
I think the colors of the wood will be soft and pretty, but I felt the need to do a third jar with something more vibrant. I grabbed a bag of dried peppermint that I keep for making Tea. Then I decided to add even more green and went out to my garden. I picked a couple of lemon leaves off my lemon tree and cut a handful of parsely. Parsley, mint with a touch of lemon seemed like a nice idea. I covered my greens and mint with water and will let that steep too.
So now I wait. In the meantime I can mordant my wool and get ready. I'm contemplating an entirely cool dye method this time. I usually use heat when dyeing, so I think it will be interesting to try something new. I'll keep you posted!
Since last week, I've been busy loading up my shop with all sorts of lovely fibers. I seem to be particularly drawn to the silk blends. They are just so soft and pretty and of course silky. I love the quality silk adds to everything!
If you would like to take a look at all of the new fibers, here are their links. I'm going to link you to the 2oz sizes, but if you visit the shop, you'll find other amounts available as well. So here goes: Black Alpaca/Cultivated Silk 80/20, Fawn Alpaca/Tussah Silk 70/30, Mixed Bluefaced Leicester, Cultivated Silk, Fawn Alpaca, and Baby Camel/Tussah Silk 50/50.
Not all of these fibers are new to Wind Rose, but they are all newly replenished with plenty of gorgeous ounces waiting for good homes!
I managed to make a little progress today and as a result I have two new products to share with you. I've added Polwarth Wool Top to my inventory this year. Polwarth is a lovely breed of sheep that was developed from a stock of 75% Merino and 25% Lincoln sheep. The result is a fine, 23 micron wool with a longer staple length.
I'm also very excited to introduce Angora Rabbit Top. I love Angora. It's like spinning a cloud! It's a superfine luxury top (11-13 Micron), with a staple of about 2.5 inches. If you've never tried it, you can buy just 1oz to experience this gorgeous fiber.
This is the time of year when I like to rebuild my inventory at Wind Rose Fiber Studio. It's no small amount of work, but it's fun. I love to add a couple new fibers each year, and like other businesses, sometimes I let a couple go.
Yesterday was grey here in the Valley of the Sun, so I wasn't able to photograph any of the new fibers. I'm hoping I'll be able to get started with those today. In the meantime, I began packaging and listing some favorites back into the shop.
Silk Hankies are back. Just before Christmas, the last of my silk was swept away in the holiday rush, so it's nice to have these beautiful, delicate Silk Hankies back in the shop. I've also replenished my stock of Thick & Thin Highland Peruvian Wool Yarn. This is by far the most popular yarn I carry. It's perfect for making baby blankets or cocoons or any thick and quick project. It's so soft and dyes beautifully. I also replaced Deschutes Heavy Worsted Merino/Silk 60/40 yarn. I have to admit, I pillaged my own inventory in this case. I sent one skein to my mom along with a pretty snood pattern for her birthday. She remarked on how much she liked the yarn. I like it too and recently crocheted an entire lacey vest from just one skein. There's a lot you can do with a 500 yard hank!
Well that's all for now. I should be back tomorrow with more to share. The sun is shining and beckoning me to take nice photos of fiber!
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| Leicester Longwool Locks |
I couldn't let the year come to a close without one last post. My blogging has waned over the last 12 months, but certainly not my devotion to fiber. The irony is, that after putting off starting a Facebook page, I now find myself going there more often than not. I can't help but feel that my blog asks a bit more of me when I write each new post. I feel I should have something interesting to offer whereas Facebook doesn't seem to mind if I just check in and say hello. It's silly isn't it?
Now, on the precipice of a new year, my mind seems to be devoted to resolutions. It's quite out of my control. I'm on autopilot and personal pledges appear like clouds drifting through my brain. One such cloud is circling, promising to linger until I devote myself once again the my Wind Rose Fiber Studio blog. I'm determined to do so, but I want to make a special space for Facebook as well. I'm setting a goal to blog once a week, more of course if the muse strikes. Facebook will take over as a more daily exchange of thoughts and ideas. I would love to have your company there as it seems a more interactive and intimate place. I like to share my works in progress and, not to be a tease, but it is also the place where I am more likely to give away a new pattern or post a special offer at the shop.
Speaking of the shop, I just listed some lovely Leicester Longwool locks. This fleece was my last splurge of the year. It was rather greasy, so it has taken some preparation, but I am pleased with the results. It's so bright and pretty with a long staple and gorgeous curl. I have more to make ready, so for now I have just 4oz listed. I can't wait to spin up a few ounces myself. I'm trying to decide what sort of yarn these locks would like to become.
Before I close, I want to thank everyone for a wonderful 2012, for the community you provide and the positive energy I feel flowing. Creativity is a sustaining force in my life and your company is a big part of that. I only hope that I also provide a good and useful spirit. It is my sincere wish that 2013 will bring you joy and prosperity. Happy New Year!
It was a nice lazy weekend around my house. My hands needed a break from crocheting, so my thoughts turned to spinning. I went into my studio and dug a huge bag of German milk sheep fiber out of a corner cupboard. It's coarse wool, good for rug making, and I need a new rug right now. The small rug I keep on the back porch is beginning to crumble and it will be nice to replace it with something homemade.
After spending a large part of the afternoon filling this spool, I have to say that I don't know how people attend long spinning events. My backside gets so tired of my spinning chair and my neck and upper back ache from being in one aspect for so long. I guess I don't spin often enough to build up stamina. This fact is in direct conflict with my determination to spin though my mountain of wool. Today my chair will receive the addition of a pillow and I'll have to stop and stretch more often.
What I'd like to do is to spin all of this fiber into a nice heavy 2ply. Then divide it into around 200 yard hanks to be dyed in a variety of colors. This would be a nice project to weave on my rigid heddle, but I don't know if I can get myself back into weaving. Crochet is just so quick and easy for me. I guess I'll have plenty of time to contemplate this while I'm spinning.
I just added some Flax Top to my inventory at Wind Rose. I've been wanting to try spinning flax myself, so I thought I'd get enough for the shop too. This flax is very soft and fine. The staple length is approx 12 inches which means it would work well for doll hair. There are some very nice YouTube videos on spinning flax. Here's a couple of my favorites. Flax Spinning and Spinning Flax Into Linen Thread.
I have another treat to share today. This is my idea of a luxury fiber! This is 75/25 Bluefaced Leicester and Tussah Silk. I love spinning BFL. There's just something about the crimp and the feel of this wool that's so appealing to me as a spinner. The Tussah silk blended into this top makes for incredible softness. It also gives it a lovely shine.
Rachel Ray always wishes for "smell-o-vision". I'm wishing for feel-o-computing. Okay, so it's not as catchy a phrase, but I really wish you could reach out and touch this fiber!
I guess the best I can do is a close-up. I like this blend even better than Merino/silk because it handles so well. Of course Merino/silk is soft and pretty, but BFL/Tussah is just so spinable and the crimp in the wool gives the top a loftiness that I think is unique and special. Can you tell I like this fiber yet?
I linked to a 2oz listing above, but you can find it in other amounts at Wind Rose Fiber Studio.
I was ordering some yarn for the shop last week and I decided to indulge myself. I selected a yarn that I personally love, so I hope shoppers at Wind Rose will love it too. It's a single ply, heavy worsted blend of Merino/Silk.
This yarn is 60% Merino wool and 40% cultivated silk. It's wonderfully soft and has a gorgeous luster from the silk. This is exactly the kind of yarn you want for a snuggly scarf or a cozy sweater. It comes in generous 8oz, 500 yard skeins and is ready to be hand painted or dyed.
I'm playing catch-up today with a few posts to share some new products at Wind Rose. I'm an Ashford Bay dealer, so when I ordered some of this Superwash Merino for a customer, I decided to order a little extra for the shop.
It's a soft, 4ply yarn that comes in 8oz hanks. Eight ounces gives you 425+ yards which is enough for many sock patterns as well as hats and scarves. The hanks are loosely tied and prepared for dyeing or hand painting. I love the feel of this yarn and I think it will be a nice addition.
Is it spring down on the farm? No, actually Baby Chick and Grass Green are the names of the two shades of Merino wool roving I dyed yesterday. It might not feel like spring yet, but I wanted to have these colors ready in plenty of time to felt baby chicks and other springtime themes.
I didn't quite make it to the computer to blog yesterday, but I'm still busy dyeing this week. Normally I arrange my freshly dyed roving in some sort of design. Today when I plopped down this pound of fluffy goodness, I thought it looked inviting all cuddled up together, so I took a candid shot.
So as you can see, I now have Sapphire, Silver, Light Blue and Violet Merino roving back in the shop!
It's dyeing week here at Wind Rose Fiber Studio. That means I'll be showing off lots of fiber. Yesterday I dyed one extra color, this pretty Khaki Brown. Sometimes I get caught up in the process and like to play with my colors. This is a very earthy shade with undertones of olive mixed in with a warm light brown.
Also swimming in the dye pots yesterday were Golden Brown and Mediterranean. Today I'm shifting to cool tones with silver, violet and shades of blue.
I haven't dyed any wool for a while now, so this week I have given myself a goal. I plan to dye two colors a day for the next five days. This will replenish my Merino inventory and free me up to dye some samplers hopefully in the near future. I got a head start yesterday with a batch of Porcelain Fair Merino and Sun Touched Merino. Since I'll be in dyeing mode, this is a good week to hit me up for any specific color you may need. You may want to check my Dyed Merino section first because it has a pretty nice variety.
I just added 3 listings of Doll Mohair Top to the shop. This fiber seems pretty popular lately, so I thought I would share it with you. It's an ecru or natural mohair with an 8" staple length. It has a nice luster and makes ideal hair for handmade dolls. It's also easy to dye so you can customize your project.
Hi, I just wanted to swing by and let you know that I have Cultivated Silk Hankies back in stock. I also have Tussah Silk, Cultivated Silk, Fawn Alpaca and Baby Camel. Just check out the Undyed Fibers or the Alpaca and Rare Breeds sections of the shop. It's so nice to have these luxurious fibers in the studio!
Here's my Tunis all spun into just over 100 yards of light weight yarn. This isn't exactly an example of my best spinning or plying for that matter. I was kind of playing around with my new wheel and I also wasn't trying very hard. Sometimes, it's fun to just spin while watching tv or hanging out.
If I had been a bit more serious and committed to turning this fiber into a nice skein, I think it would have helped to run it through my carder. This Tunis really did have a shorter staple and the length was a little inconsistent. In retrospect, it would have been nice to blend it with another fiber.
Now I feel like I'm picking on this Tunis, but I don't mean to. While this yarn might be a little on the rustic side, I think it will be very pretty made into ornaments. Rustic and homey is what I'm going for with my 2012 Ornament Project, so I think this yarn will be perfect. I think it would be interesting to find some Tunis with a longer staple just to compare the two.
Last week was party week here at my house. My youngest turned 12 and we threw a little block party to celebrate. As a result, I didn't have any time to play with my new Tunis fleece from Tri-Ply Fibers. Today I plan to rectify that!
Tunis is interesting because it is not only a rare breed, but also the only true red breed of sheep. They are born red or reddish brown and even though this color fades with maturity, their wool retains a red undertone. I guess you could call it the sheep equivalent of a strawberry blond.
The first Tunis came to America in 1799 as a gift from the ruler of Tunisia. They became popular both for their meat and for their fleece. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had flocks of Tunis sheep. Tunis are still popular today with more flocks on the east coast than out here in the west. From my reading, they seem rather low maintenance to raise. They thrive well even on unexceptional pasture land and they often produce twin lambs. I've tried to select some of the highlights, but there is quite a lot of information on Tunis. It's well worth a Google!
From a spinner's perspective, I like the feel. This fleece ranges from 24-30 microns. I would say that mine is on the high end of that, but it still has a softness to it. I think it would be ideal for a warm pair of mittens or a nice winter beanie. In most of the articles I've read, they have given Tunis a staple length of 4 to 6 inches. Mine, raised in Queen Creek, AZ, has a significantly shorter staple. I don't find this surprising. It would be downright cruel in this climate to allow sheep to suffer under 6" of wool.
I kind of like working with a shorter staple length and this wool has a very nice crimp. I know it will draft easily and handle well. So that's just a little bit about Tunis. I have 2oz which I'll divide in half and then make into a 2ply yarn. I'll probably spin a sport or DK weight so I can get some yardage out of my ounces. I'm thinking that I'll devote my finished yarn to my 2012 Ornament Project since I'm making all of my ornaments in ecru. Having said that, I feel compelled to add that I can tell this fleece would take dye like a dream. It's very porous I think would achieve deep colors with little effort. Perhaps I'll dye the next batch.
