Chanterelle

Finished the first half an ounce of Chanterelle at Spinners' group today, Spanish Peacock spindle #5.

 

 

SP spindle #6 is ready to finish the next bit of Chanterelle.

 

 

Three Days

It has been a dark and stormy three days. No wind this morning, a good sign.

 

 

The sun shone brightly in the afternoon.

I gathered my gear to spin outside and started the second "Truffle" on SP spindle #4.

 

 

 

Quiet Moments

Enjoying the Mushroom Blend Spin

Started on "Truffle" Spanish Peacock spindle.

 

 

Finished "Death Cap" half an ounce on each SP spindle (I will 2-ply them together).

 

Mushroom Blend

I am thinking of spinning the Inglenook Fibers Sticklebatts with Supported Spindles.

It has been quite awhile since I've spun supported. Starting small with an IF Mushroom Blend Sampler, just 3 oz ~ 1/2 oz per color.

 

Death Cap

Spin Supported

 Nice day to sit and spin with the animals.

 

Spinning Fine (2)

 With the newly prepped fiber the Supported Spindle spin continues with Merino sheep wool "Delphae". 

Spinning Fine

 

Ember's Fine Fleece

(This post is three years in the making, you might want to get a beverage and make yourself comfortable.)

California Mid-State Fair 2022

Paso Robles, CA

 

7/30/22

 

 

My Sheep to Shawl journey came to an end June 17, 2022. That was the day I dropped off the completed shawl at the Mid-State Fair.

Remember when I first wrote about the project? Way back in April 2019 I had purchased one pound of Romeldale/CVM raw wool fiber fleece from CedarRidgePond Etsy store.

 

I knew from the beginning the project was going to take time - as I taught myself, as I practiced, as I learned - a slow process. It was also a labor of love.

A labor of love to scour (wash) the raw locks of wool,

 

4/25/19

a labor of love to comb the washed locks by hand,

8/11/19

8/11/19

 

a labor of love to spin on beautifully-made Spanish Peacock supported spindles,

 

9/23/19

a labor of love to transfer the spun singles to storage bobbins,

 

10/14/19

 

 

3/15/22

 

a labor of love to ply the spun singles on an EEW e-spinner to make a 2-ply yarn. The singles on storage bobbins were plied together to create a gradient yarn - from light to dark,

3/20/22

 

3/26/22

 

a labor of love to skein the yarn on the Niddy Noddy and to marvel at the movement and energy of Ember's crimp when the skein is released from tension,

 

4/10/22

 

 

4/10/22

 

a labor of love to - Yeehaw - finish three skeins of gradient yarn,

 

4/14/22

 

a labor of love to find the perfect shawl pattern to knit,

Time Trades by designer Caitlin Hunter

"Time Trades was inspired by a favorite song
of mine by songwriter Jeffrey Lewis- the
lyrics are about using your time to build on
a skill that you can get better and wiser at- "

 

 

a labor of love to knit several swatches with different-sized needles, wash, and block the swatches then start knitting using the darkest skein first,

 

4/24/22

5/8/22

5/12/22

 a labor of love to wet block the shawl,

 

6/12/22

6/12/22

 

a labor of love to finish-finish-finish (blocked, ends woven in, pics taken) the Time Trades shawl.

6/17/22

6/17/22

6/17/22

 

 

6/17/22

 

Ember's Fine Fleece

April 11, 2019 to June 17, 2022

 

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Time Trades

Time is gonna take so much away
But there's a way that time can offer you a trade
Time is gonna take so much away
But there's a way that time can offer you a trade
You gotta do something that you can get nicer at
You gotta do something that you can get wiser at
You better do something that you can get better at
Cause that's the only thing that time will leave you with
Cause time is gonna take so much away
But there's a way that time can offer you a trade
It might be cabaret
It could be poetry
It might be trying to make a new happy family
It could be violin repair or chemistry
But if it's something that takes lots of time that's good
Cause time is gonna take so much away
But there's a way that time can offer you a trade
Because your looks are gonna leave you
And your city's gonna change too
And your shoes are gonna wear through
Yeah, time is gonna take so much away
But there's a way that you can offer time a trade
You gotta do something that you can get smarter at
You gotta do something you might just be a starter at
You better do something that you can get better at
Cause that's the thing that time will leave you with

And maybe that's why they call a trade a trade
Like when they say that you should go and learn a trade
The thing you do don't have to be to learn a trade
Just get something back from time for all it takes away
It could be many things
It could be anything
It could be expertise in Middle-Eastern traveling
Something to slowly sew to balance life's unraveling
You have no choice you have to pay times price
But you can use the price to buy you something nice
Something you can only buy with lots of time
So when you're old you'll blow some whippersnappers mind
It might be researching a book that takes you seven years
A book that helps to make the path we take to freedom clear
And when you're done you see it started with a good idea
One good idea could cost you thousands of your days
But it's just time that you'd be spending anyway
You have no choice, you have to pay times price
But you can use the price to buy you something nice
So I've decided recently
To try to trade more decently

 

 Time Trades

Jeffrey Lewis

October 10, 2011

Like a Boss

Oddly enough when I woke up this morning Card-Making was the furthest thing from my mind. In fact, I had thought my day would include scrubbing the bathtub, laundry, and other fun chores. Woohoo

My To-Do list had gone unchecked because I had spent the last two days crafting all the things. I spent the better part of Monday outside spinning, spinning, spinning. When I finally went indoors I ended up weaving on a pin loom and then weaving on the Lil' Gem floor loom.

 

 

 

Tuesday was spent knitting on a pair of socks - I turned both heels and now it's just a straight shot to the toes. Lucky me.

This week I've been able to craft all the things because The Man is on a camping/fishing trip.

 

 

When we saw The Man disappear down the driveway Zeke, Jack, Boots, and I danced our "Home Alone Happy Dance".

 

So, anyway, back to card making. In between the crafting projects I also spent a goodly amount of time (as one does) on Etsy looking at stationary and handmade cards; I especially liked the embossed cards.

So this morning while I was on the computer I entered "DIY embossed cards" and found a simple tutorial. Fortunately we have white Card Stock (110#). After cutting a sheet of paper in half, I was back at the computer to google, "how to make a torn paper edge (deckle)".

I gave it a try and it was amazingly simple and satisfying.

For the second sheet I took pics.

First I folded the paper in half lengthwise. This is where the card will fold in half.

 

Using the back of a knife I scored the length of the long edge.

 

Next I painted water on both sides of the paper along the scored line. When it looked soaked through I carefully pulled the edge off. It magically tore away on the scored line.

 

 

 

When the paper dried I cut it in half, which makes two 4.25" x 5.5" cards.

 

 

Next up, DIY Embossed Cards here's the link to the tutorial again.

I made a stencil/template which is fancy talk for cutting a square out of a greeting card. Yes, I know it sounds simple enough but I'm terrible with a sharp blade and I especially lack Xacto knife skills.

 

 

Using the window as a lightbox I traced the inside edge of the square with a big fat wooden knitting needle.

 

 Ta-da, an embossed square.

 

 

The word "stencil" tickled a memory and in the kitchen drawer I found a package of baking stencils. I put the Xacto knife back in The Man's desk drawer. phew

 

 I positioned the stencil on the front side of the card, you know, the public side.

 

 

The stencil is under the paper and you're working on the inside of the card. This time I outlined the heart with a wooden crochet hook. See the multi-crafting theme here?

 

 

Ta-da, embossed like a Boss.

 

 

Psst, I'll be doing housework tomorrow. In addition to the chores on my To-Do list I'll have to corral the craft projects scattered throughout the house. Really.