Caught on camera

July 28, 2011 9:51 a.m.

Our trail cam caught a hummingbird checking out some Canada thistle that is growing near the camera. I couldn't have got this shot with my camera if I had sat out there and tried. How cool is this?

We also caught a photo of a bear checking place out. I always talk about the bear and I don't think everyone fully believes me. Now we have proof.

We also have deer running through the property too.

Tour de Fleece 2011 done

While I doubt the actual TDF is done, it is for me.

My goal was to spin 4 ounces with my faster whorl, into a fine weight yarn. I did it!

I LOVE how it turned out. Still debating on plying or not. Even if I do, should I two-ply it or navajo ply it?

I've been dyeing

My birthday was at the end of June. This year I got a serious stash amount of fiber. It's all a blank canvas and I am pretty excited to finally get my fingers into fiber dyeing.

Last week I pulled off a a couple 6 feet lengths of fiber and got to dying when I had an afternoon off from work.

This one was dyed in the pot. I just poured the dye here and there and let it go. I'm really pleased with the results. Though I think the colors will really meld when it's spun up. Either that or get some crazy barber pole action. I enjoyed this method.

This length of fiber I dyed by just putting spots of dye on the fiber and then setting the color in the oven. It was fun and quick. However, I think I needed to make the spots bigger.

Time will tell when it's all spun up.

Tour de Fleece, first few days

Day 1, I didn't get much time to spin but I was able to go for about 30-45 minutes. I wasn't really keeping track of time.

Day 2, I got to spin for about just a little bit of time before family came for a visit.

Day 3, I was able to spin on and off for the day. I made lots of progress.

Day 4, As of this posting I haven't done any spinning.

Court House square

Last week I made a second square for the "We Can Do it!" skill builders SAL hosted at SewnByLeila.

This one was almost as easy as the first square. It did come out a bit wonky. I was being interrupted a bit and I wasn't sewing as carefully as the first square. I'm still pretty happy with it.

Getting reading for Tour de Fleece 2011

Tour de Fleece starts tomorrow and I'm pretty pumped about it. This year I will be using my faster whorl and trying for a thinner yarn and going for more yardage.

This is the fiber I will be spinning. From my favorite etsy site, Forbidden Woolery. It's the poppy colorway.

Last week I prepped my fiber a bit. I split it in half and will try for two ply. Fingers are crossed that I can spin it nice and fine.

After I split it in half I broke it down even more and you can see that I have half the fiber rolled into balls and the other half rolled into rolls.

I don't have too many goals other than what is listed above. I don't think I will be spinning a lot each day, but 15 minutes a day should be enough to get me through the braid of fiber. If I do finish this I will go back and spin the white Corriedale that I have been spinning for the last few months.