Happenings...

June has produced some highs and lows, with lambing started and some losses occurring, followed by several sets healthy twins. So with about 30 lambs and mothers running around madly it's a bit chaotic in the mornings during feeding.
Some market sales have improved with me attending the Echuca Steam Rally for two days and successful sales there.
At the moment I am spinning lots for the Bendigo sheep and Wool show.
The Dairy renovation is progressing getting ready for the application of the dairy licence prior to buying more cows.

This post is probably a bit garbled but I still have to put photos on the computer of new yarns etc. and I am heading off to Echuca to take my daughter out to lunch for her birthday.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Lots happening...

A lot has been happening on the farm as well as in the studio, which has decreased my time blogging, so forgive me.
I am currenly knitting for my grandchildren a cardigan and a jumper on the knitting machine, and now almost finished.
Handspinning goes on forever and who wants stop??? I have not enough of my natural coloured handspun for the markets so thais is taking some priority. And 3 skeins have just gone off to a happy customer, so more of that happening.

A little more handspun hand dyed thick and thin, and a natural coloured woven houndstooth scarf completed.

The cows continue to calve with 12 calves since January, more to come for June, and then the remainder cows will start to calve in July onwards. These are the beef cows, and they will have to found a new home when we get dairy cows, as the property is not big enough for all the animals.

A friend has been keeping an eye out and spotlights at night shooting foxes. The sheep have been shifted to smaller paddocks where I can easily keep an eye on them, as they will start lambing from early next week. All looking in good condition, and hopefully up to 30 lambs could be expected as there is sure to be some twins.
And the farm has a new silo in readiness for grain for dairy cows when all the works are completed for the dairy to begin operating again.

Wangaratta Wool Day...

...is on tomorrow, and I will be wearing my new wrap. I have dyed the fleece and spun the yarn from my own sheep, so it is very special. Also on my table some new thick and thin hand dyed yarn and hand dyed wool tops.

A lot is happening this month.

First... The Nanny and Ewe Fibre Muster to be held in Echuca this weekend, check out the website at
http://www.nannyandewe.com/
Lots of fibrey things happening there.

Second... The annual Wangaratta Wool Day on Saturday May 28th.
And I have updated the website with wool tops in semi-solid colours in lighter tones.

Winter is coming...

...so I have been working hard after the Harrietville retreat. Some new yarns and other items added to the website.
Harrietville was a relaxing and learning process, with lots of fun in between. The historical dyeing was fun and interesting to note that Indigo changes as the yarn hits the air (that's another photo I haven't taken yet).
How to make better drum carded batts, I also liked, something for all those add ins that are talked about these days. I made some batts but instead of using them for Artyarns I made 2 ply yarns plying with some of my hand dyed tops.
Weaving tips, and wool combing with English combs was something else I was happy to participate in.

Muliticolour wool/fibre batt plied with hand dyed wool top

Muliticolour wool top plied with solid colour wool top

Light colour semi-solids

Handspun jumper and woven scarf

So, now I have completed a machine knit handspun jumper in Natural dark grey, a scarf completed off the knitter's loom, and some hand dyed semi-solids in light colours for a change. I am also adding 50 gram carded dyed fleece batts to my market stall as I do them, unless I spin them first.

Hand dyed semi-solid

Hand dyed semi-solid

  This big beast obtained from a clearing sale. A Gardner wool press of unknown vintage but has been in the family for a very long time.

Harrietville...

...here I come.
Whilst I was working shift work, I was not able to attend any workshops over the years, so for the first time this year I am going to the Harrietville weekend retreat workshop that is put on every year by the Handspinners and Weavers Guild (Vic). So am busily preparing the the requirements for the workshops on hand.
Art yarns, wool embroidery, Historical dyeing, wool blending with combs, and ideas for the knitters loom.
The best about it will be the new comrades I will meet and some I already know and the casual way the workshops work.
Will have some posting to do when I come back.

Mooroopna Farmers Market...

...tomorrow from 8.00am. I have spun some new yarn and have a few small items added to the craft table.

Hand dyed wool top plied with natural coloured fleece.

Child's beanie

Hand dyed Machine knit Scarf/Shawl