Craft & Quilt Fair

Off to the quilt show tomorrow for the day. Travelling by bus/train from Kyabram. Always look forward to more crafty sessions.
This weekend I have none of the regular markets so am taking the weekend to do more work at home, including getting on with some Alpaca for a customer.
I am on the computer now also working on some borders for round robin quilts. EQ6 is very helpful.
Better then go into town for some shopping and some material for these projects.
So, currently picking more Alpaca fleece, carding some very light grey, almost silver Corriedale fleece, 2 earflap beanies are off the machine, and another beanie waiting to finish. Handspun wool yarn drying on the clothes horse. Some thick & thin handspun yesterday waiting for the dyepot.
Sunday will incorporate a visit to Rushworth for a Chat & Choose your Craft day. Then sometime I must run into Tongala to catch up with Mandie at Ewe Give Me The Knits.
Two more calves born last night so will have to check on them last thing today as we won't be home till 9.30pm tomorrow.
I am looking forward to reorganzing my days better after this.

Surely it can't be February already....

The weeks are going so quickly, I am sure Easter can't be that far away.

But I have been busy, so I thought I would bore you with some of my current projects, some for me and some to sell.

A year or so ago I joined the Wangaratta Spinners and headed off to the Guild in Melbourne, where we participated in a "sandwich" ie each participant went round in a circle dropping small amounts of fibre on to the floor, which were then divided into equal amounts for each person. Lots of fun!! I finally carded and attempted (my version) of a thick and thin which I plied with a multi coloured rayon thread. I don't think I did too badly with this. Now I have to decide what to do with, maybe a beret or a neckwarmer comes to mind.









Last year I took on the job of spinning this Suri for a client. It was a very long fleece ( 2years growth), so sometimes hit the too hard basket but, here it is the finished product. Hopefully Cheryl from Chersam Alpacas will be happy with the result. I haven't weighed them yet, but a total 11 skeins have been produced.









Before I started weighing batts or tops prior to spinning I would have leftovers sitting on the bobins for awhile. I have come to the conclusion that these should not be wasted and I thought I might sell them as Mystery ends, because they will be a mix of Alpaca and wool.

Wool laps from Bendigo Woollen Mills can produce some surprise packages. This next skein is a blend of white, green and mauve. I have carded small amounts separately, then split and recarded to give this baby blue effect. This would look lovely as a baby's shawl or any other project for someone who likes pastel colours.

And, finally a wine tote depicting wine bottles and grapes as the base material design.

Sponge bars have been replaced on the knitting machines, so it is time to get them working and me to use them. The basic machine is easy but the electro card machines I have to learn.

With all this humidity we have been having, I have had to watch the sheep like a hawk, and try and treat fly strike as it occurs. A few sheep have been affected including the older ram who is really having a bad time. These fleeces will not be very useful this year.

I hope all those out there who have had a bad time with floods and exceptional weather systems are faring well. Bring on cool weather!!!