New Yarns, New Sheep, New Experiments

I have been spinning more yarns and  listing quite a few online I have to wait until Thursday when our data usage resets. Right now I am at Starbucks in Mt. Airy updating my web stuff. Too many videos that just start playing on Facebook are also an issue. I might have to un follow those who post them. The past two weeks have been horrible with nothing but email.

 

I have been shifting from art yarns to hat yarns since winter is coming. The three at the front are all from rovings that I just got back from Gurdy Run Mill. I am trying to sample all of the bags, so I can price them accurately. Just because they are mohair, does not mean that they are great!

 

Can't believe that the leaves are already changing and that I have had to strip out most of my garden to plant fall crops!

 

We just bought two dairy sheep, so I can experiment with their milk for cheese and soap next year. Most East Friesians are white, but as a fiber artist, I just had to go for the color. Their fleeces are not quite as nice as the Shetland's, but they have the advantage of being heavier fleeces and being dual purpose. If you are looking for lovely Shetland ewes for a spinner's flock, please come and pick some out really soon.



 

My latest experiment involves making soap using goats' milk. It was not as hard as I expected. I don't really plan on selling it. I cannot sell the blue green soap, since I did not use cosmetic grade dye. I plan to felt that soap and see whether it holds the dye. I don't want to have a blue body!

 

The huge squash is one of seven that are in my panty. The seeds were labelled as winter spaghetti squash. They look like butternut, but they taste like spaghetti. The largest one I have picked so far weighs almost 14 pounds. I am in the process of baking them and freezing them. I researched and this type of squash is supposed to turn orange when ripe and weigh between 15 and 30 pounds. The see package says between 2 and 3 pounds. Something must have been packaged incorrectly. I have a 20 pounder in the garden that has just started to change color. Any excuse for a new freezer!

 

And, I am still waiting on the alpacas to deliver. They are super spitty right now, but a week over 12 months. Maybe they are just trying to keep me feeding them grain! Will let you know, if they deliver!