Too Much

I am feeling overwhelmed lately. I have more wool to wash up. I have so many knitting projects started, well 3 or 4 anyway. I have a bunch of housework to do and other things too. Plus my social life may be getting more interesting. I need to re-organize and re-arrange. I now have mechanical project to overhaul and work is busy as always. I have so much I need to take pictures of and document. Plus there are so many other things I want to do. I guess I need to make choices. LOL

I joined the lace knitting group on yahoo. It sounds like fun and I also have been looking at lace collars because of my re-enactment. I love lace knitting but it is time consuming. I am also a member of the spin list and I find I enjoy reading those 2 posts once a day or so.

I am currently combing a bunch of Targee and Targee Cross wool. I also have some BF Leichester and Romney. I got some beautiful stuff from Canada and I can't wait to figure out what to do with all that. I guess I'd better get back to work. :-)

Canada

Acres and acres of Tulips in Ottawa. The colors were spectacular and even though I'm not a tulip fan, it was pretty cool. I had a fun time with my friend and scored big with fabric and experience which is pretty much priceless. We washed and dyed a lot of wool. We did lots and lots of driving, and it was pretty much cold and rainy the while time. But the company was wonderful and it was totally worth it.

I have been washing wool like crazy since I got home. I have a civil war re-enactment in a couple weeks and am hoping to take some of the wool with me. I also want to look into making some spindles with CDs to let the kids use. I'm doing a spinning demonstration, which should be fun. Everyone is always fascinated by it.

I have so many projects partially done for my knitting. I need to finish my other sock and do some fingerless gloves for the girls at work. I also got a beautiful baby sheep fleece from my friend that I am thinking to card with Angora and knit a wedding shawl for someone special. So much fiber, and so little time!

More Icelandic

I am still waiting for my second batch of Icelandic wool. I hope it comes soon or I shall have to email her again and see what is up.

I tried the hand cards and reprocessed the wool that I had carded on the drum carder. I spun it up and it seemed to work reasonably well. So no nice batts or rovings, but I can make little rolags to spin from. I carded the two together because I want it to be softer. The undercoat or Thel (I think) is very soft and pretty short, but it seems to hold together. I have yet to spin a second bobbin up and ply it into a 2 ply yarn. But it should be fairly nice. Not as smooth as I'd like, but it will be nice and warm, maybe for gloves or even socks.

I am going to Canada next week to see my friend and I can't wait. Hopefully we'll do a bit of fiber stuff, and she has promised me some black Angora. I can't wait to see it. I am reading with envy the women on Spin-list going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. I'd love to do that. I think I'm going to New York or something later in the year. I forget which one my friend goes to but prob NY. Then I hear the Wisconsin one is nice. So more to look forward to.

I have committed to doing spinning demos for a Civil War re-enactment in June, on Father's day actually. I also am thinking of being a vendor at a brand new fiber fair near where my daughter lives in Illinois. I could stay with her at night as it is not far from her at all. Then I might sell some of my stash and some of my friends stuff if she has anything she wants to get sell at that point.

I will post pictures of my icelandic yarn and the socks. I am still making the second one. LOL I think it's called sockitis, when you only make the first one. Ah well, so much to do, so little time.