I got some really pretty 100% Targhee Top from my local yarn store - colorway = Northern Lights.
Here's a little info on Targhee from, 'In Sheep's Clothing' by Nola Fournier and Jane Fournier.
The Targhee was developed by the US Department of Agriculture as a dual purpose sheep adapted tot he dry western range lands.
The foundation of the breed was a cross of Rambouilett rams and Corriedale x Lincoln/Rambouillet ewes.
The fleece is fine and dense with very good loft, indistinct but well-developed crimp and short staple length. The staples are blocky in shape with almost no luster.
The extraordinary loft and elasticity of Targhee make it particularly suitable for fine, light, knitted and woven fabrics with good shape retention and crease resistance. In blends with other short fibers, Targhee adds loft and elasticity.
I got some gorgeous Dorset roving the other day from Kris' Etsy shop (stseraphinaknits). The roving is called, PAINTED DESERT. I absolutely LOVE the colors!!!
I've also ordered some fiber from TheBellwether. I hope it comes tomorrow!
Anyhooo, I have had a ball spinning the roving (see below). Can't wait to knit it up into a bag for my new camera!! (Oh, I'm gonna knit it and then felt it!) Stay tuned. Since it's knit night tomorrow night at StarBucks I'll probably get started on it then!
Ain't it purty!? (The spun wool is still drying. I wish the colors showed up better online!)
The first several McMorran Balance Kits have been sent out!
I have had a few people ask what is included in the kit.
The kit includes the following:
McMorran Balance Instructional DVD on using the balance (and using a Skein Winder and Niddy Noddy) A small card with some helpful fraction info in case you've forgotten your fractions!:) A flyer with complete instructions including a helpful worksheet to figure out yards per pound) and yards per ounce. (Below is a small sample of the flyer. You can click on it to see a larger version.)
Ok, I gotta tell ya... I LOVE this tool and I betcha all of you spinners/weavers/knitters/crocheters out there will too!!
SPINNERS:
Have you ever been spinning yarn on either a spindle or a spinning wheel and wondered how much yarn you had spun OR if you had spun enough for a particular pattern or project?
Well, you could wind your yarn off the spindle or bobbin onto a niddy-noddy or skein winder BUT you could also use a McMorran Balance!! If you use a McMorran Balance you would know immediately (well, almost!) how many yards you'd spun without winding off! You would know if you needed to keep spinning because you didn't have enough yarn by simply measuring a length of yarn on the McMorran balance!
KNITTERS, WEAVERS, CROCHETERS:
Do you have leftover balls of yarn and wonder if there is enough in the ball for a certain project? The McMorran Balance helps you know this info in a skinny minute!
Have you seen a pattern on Ravelry that you have the 'perfect' yarn for but aren't sure you have enough yarn on the label-less ball of wool? Use the McMorran Balance! :)
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This DVD shows (and leads you through) a hands-on lesson measuring yarn yardage using the McMorran balance. The DVD also shows how to use a niddy-noddy and a skein winder.
McMorran Balance Kit includes: A McMorran Balance Yarn samples to use as you watch the DVD A handy card with printed directions
I love the way this novelty yarn turned out. It's a great one for beginners to practice!! First spin a thin singles yarn and then a thick singles yarn. Ply them together. Voila!
The first DVD sets of "Spinning with PattyAnne" are shipping TODAY (6/24) -- almost a week ahead of schedule! Oh, did you hear??? There are TWO dvds in each set! Soo much fibery goodness!!
Oh, hey, you first spinners to get the DVD set....please LMK if the roving I use as packing material is useful. I'm hoping y'all will be able to use it for some practice!
I hope everyone enjoys and learns a little something from the DVDs. I sure loved sharing what I know on them!
I would love your feedback on Ravelry and Etsy if you've got a minute!
Psssttt... do you listen to podcasts? Tune in to the barknknit podcast. Natalie is going to review "Spinning with PattyAnne". Thanks Natalie!!
I've been having a blast recording the video - getting my teaching 'fix'. Hmmmm I guess you can take the teacher (me) outta the Middle School but you can't take the Middle School TEACHER outta me --- or something like that LOL. And, yes, I am a former middle school teacher!
Anyhooo, if you're new to spinning, this video could be just what you need to help you get started!! I know when I was new, I did searches all the time for YouTube spinning videos. I just couldn't get enough of them!! Well, this new DVD of mine has a bunch of really cool teachings all in one spot.
Here's what's on the SIX part Beginner Spinner DVD:
1. Let's Get This Party Started (Setting up)
2. C'mon Baby, Let's Do the Twist (We'll explore twist "S" and "Z". We'll also discuss too much and/or too little twist and simple adjustments you can make so that your twist is -- just right!)
3. Eenie Meenie Minee Moe - Fiber Prep (Combing locks, carding/rolling rolags, and using a diz to create rovings. Also blending colors with handcards and spinning from handcards!)
4. Spinning Wheel - Got to Go 'Round (Woolen and worsted preps.)
5. Plying Yarn and Finishing Yarn (Palm plying, plying from a center pull ball, plying from two bobbins in buckets and plying from a lazy kate.)
PLEASE send me your feedback... as comments. If you don't want your comment posted just let me know!!
I got this comment on Ravelry:
PattyAnne, this is BRILLIANT!!! perfectly clear, lovely to watch, thank you so much for doing this. The new camera angle works just so well, and I learned several new things just in the space of that one brief video! thank you so much for doing this.
I love your reassuring tone, too – every time you say, oh that’s fine, that’s okay, it’s so good to hear! because as a beginner there’s that feeling that it’s important to get everything right,immediately, hah. As if that were possible without a lot of practice.
I read about SFG on a Rav post and decided to give it a try! You won't believe all the stuff I have planted in this four foot by four foot garden!! Banana Peppers - hot and sweet Bell Peppers Tomatoes Cucumbers Eggplant Zuchinni Some other squash LOL Watermelon (I hear you laughing!! But honestly people say they DO plant watermelon in a garden like this. I noticed I did do something wrong though... I should have allocated two 12" squares for the watermelon. OH well, I can pull out the marigolds when the time comes.)
So anyhooooo, I put a picture of my garden up on Rav and someone in Maine (I'm in SC) SWEETLY said, "Ummm PattyAnne. I THINK your tomato cage is upside-down or did you do that for a reason?"
Well, I fibbed just a tad on Rav and said that it must have been because I was exhausted LOL. In reality... I thought it went that way although I was surprised there wasn't a nice way to keep that round hoop anchored in the ground at the base of the 'tom' plant.
Well, thanks to the Rav group, I now have 'proper' cages on my plants. The photo, however, still shows my lack of gardening 'know how'. Hey, what can I say? I'm a city-slicker gardening wannabe and this is my FIRST ever garden! LOLLOL.
Wish me luck! I hope I get some good eats outta this garden! :)
Yep, it's true. Patsy Z is coming in November 2009 and Judith in the spring of 2010 (or maybe sooner!).
We are sooo excited!!
Oh, both ladies are sending us some special goodies for either raffles or doorprizes on Fiber Day! We are so happy for their interest in and support of Fiber Day.
Oh, yeah, before I forget.... since we KNOW classes for both Patsy and Judith will fill up quickly .... we think it's only fair to offer sign-ups for all Fiber Day attendees first!! (You get first 'dibs' as we used to say when i was a kid!)
How 'bout this... having two such well-known and beloved teachers in our own 'backyard'!!
Here's a short video of Judith. We hope to have one of Patsy soon too!
You’re going tolovemeeting all the fiber animals - and watch how they’re ‘turned into’ all kinds of textiles and mementos that will outlive them! Come join us - and get your hands and minds full of fiber!
Well, it was back up to NC (Perfect Spot Farm) on Monday (4/6/09) to pick up this little fellow and a 'relative?" of his.
This little guy was one of a set of triplets born on 4/5/09. His mom accepted and fed his sister and brother but would have nothing to do with him. We were told he would need to be bottle fed 'round the clock if he were going to survive. (He was less than 24 hours old when we got him and would need to be monitored REALLY closely during his first 48hours.
He spent the 1 1/2 hour drive home from Forest City NC area in my lap very quietly sleeping -- occasionally alert but mostly snoozing. What a good little fella!
Here's a shot of Caron holding him AND driving!
Shhhhh.... .... don't tell anyone but we snuck?? him into our knit group at Starbucks. Latte on the hoof anyone?? Anyhoo....everyone LOVED him.
His 'relative' on the other hand (3 month old male just weaned that day) 'hollered' the whole way home LOUDLY!! BBBBAAAAAAAAA. BBBAAAAAAAAAA He didn't quit crying when we got him back to the farm either.. Needless to say, the little guy was hoarse by the end of the evening.
On Saturday, Caron and I went up to NC to pick up some BEAUTIFUL angora goats. Meet Nep and Noil (spinning/fiber terms). I haveta admit that sometimes I call the one Daryl the other one his brother, Daryl. Why you ask? Well, I guess the Yankee in me just cain't say Noil right.. to me Noil rhymes with OIL and where I come from, OIL has two syllables OYE ILL. So I call the fella NOY ILL which isn't quite right. Guess it should sound like Noll. Anyhoo... I was trying so hard to say his name right that I must have really contorted my mouth... Caron was ROFLOL. Humph. :)
So anyway, here they are!! Nep is the darker one and DARYL is the other. GREAT fiber pets!!
