Field Trip!

This is the pet emu at Sumptuous Yarns just outside of Versailles, Missouri. I can't remember his name, but he's quite friendly. A pet emu. How cool is that???





These guys & gals were hanging out in the shade, since it was 99 degrees the day we went and visited the farm. The little goat looking critters are the jacob sheep. They and the alpacas had recently been shorn, so I'm sure they were much happier dealing with the heat this way. It sounds like they behave a lot like goats too, eating everything in sight and work their way through the fences whenever they're able.

Since I just happened to arrive after shearing time, I left there with a jacob fleece of my very own. :) YAY! After getting back to the lakehouse, I realized I had a bigger job than I'd realized. I also wished I'd paid more attention way back at my first yarn school, when I first saw Nikol pulling out a fleece, showing how to skirt it & wash it & all that. I remember walking away at that point of my first yarn school, thinking to myself, "What kind of FREAK would EVER buy a RAW fleece with the Crappy parts of it all still attached?!?" Apparently THIS kind of freak. ha! I also hated sparkle my first yarn school, and worked the entire time to come home sparkle free. Now I've EMBRACED THE SPARKLE...just WAIT till you see the batts I've been cranking out!

Here's a few photos pre-washing & pre-skirting. I have to say I'm sure I threw out more than the bare minimum due to not having a freaking clue what I was doing combined with it being 99 degrees with 66% humidity. OK calm down to all you true fiber people out there. I didn't actually throw it away, as in the trash. I distributed it up a hill that's full of birdhouses. I'm sure it'll line the nests for winter. (actually I just walked up the hill and heaved it out there but I was feeling all nature-ish)







After my own version of skirting, I filled the washing machine with warm water, swished some dawn dish detergent around in it, put in the locks and let it soak. Spun it out, hauled it out of there, then repeated the process 3 more times, then with just plain water once. It's dried and fluffy as heck. I can't WAIT to spin it up, but think it'll have to wait until I'm back home in the air conditioning.

Fiber (and family) Vacation at the Lake!

We're heading out for a long stay at the lake. We have people staying in our house while we're gone, one of whom is rather large and burly, so no freaky people need to come & cause havoc!

It's officially a "family" vacation. BUT one that I got to bring as much fiber as I wanted (or would fit) into the van & trailer. Ready to load up is one spinning wheel, one drum carder, one large skeiner because I'm NOT using a little niddy noddy for all that handspun, one large tub crammed with baggies of locks, roving, wool, alpaca, llama, SPARKLE, mohair and other fluffy things. And each of our bags of food may or may not have bags of fiber crammed below the cans & boxes. I was feeling quite Yarn Harlot-y while packing as I found remarkable places you can stuff fiber for this trip. If I even process 1/100th of what I brought it should be a haul.

Now, there should be lots of this...



and some of this...


plenty of this...


I packed an unbelievable crap ton of mohair for knitting, because who doesn't love knitting mohair in 100+ degree hot, humid weather? I actually have, um, SEVEN different projects worth of mohair packed. And one 100% silk lace project.


I also plan to do a ton of drum carding & spinning on the screened in porch in my bikini in between dips in the lake. No photos of that. You're welcome.

I hope to have interesting scenery for the next few blog posts. Enjoy, stay cool my friends!

WHEEE! LYS in KC has spinning fiber now!!!

The Studio KC now has spinning fiber!! It has some beautiful bfl from Mountain Colors combed tops of targhee/bfl wool, some amazing hand painted wool braids from J Wray Co and some luxury combed tops including baby alpaca/merino/silk, BFL, superwash merino and superwash merino/tencel from ME! TreasureGoddess hand painted fibers!!! SQUEEEEEEEE!

It's so nice to have a local shop with some spinning goodies to feel & squoosh & smell & see in person without having to find a fiber festival or drive to Lawrence.

Please go see and squoosh for yourself. I'm loving that the Studio is really pulling in some nice quality spinning goodies right here in KC!

It is mine!! Mine, mine, alllll mine! (insert evil laughter here)

At the Yarn U event at Lebanon, MO this weekend, I got me a drum carder!! WHEEEEEEEEE! Imagine the photo above, but with a sweet brush attachment and covered in brown & cream llama fiber. LOTS of LLAMA! I also bought a bag of a washed llama blanket from Whirlwind Ranch.

It's a beautiful thing, made by Hogge Millwork in Iowa. I'd been looking at the ashland drum carders for some time, but both my husband and I were impressed by the woodwork and precision of this creation. We'll see how it holds up. So far, it's amazing!

Also, it's 7-11 Day! Can I get another Woo Hoo? WOO HOO! Get yourself to a 7-11 for a free slushie! Click HERE to find a store near you. I'm thinking a coke & cherry icee sounds like a perfect breakfast for a day that's going to be 148 degrees outside. :)

Better photos soon, I promise!