Dye Days

  There are few things more splendid to see mounded up on the table then pounds and pounds of fiber, waiting to be dyed, carded and spun! I am changing suppliers as I was not happy with my last batch of fiber. So imagine my delight with all my new fiber when i discovered how soft and exquisitely silky it was. Such drape and buttery smooth fluff. I wanted to keep every last bit  for myself, but of course that is not possible and my shop was getting empty, so I set to work dyeing it up.

 Some of my dye stock was low, particularly the yellow. So I ordered a few colors and then set to work doing as much dyeing as I could without completely exhausting my yellow stock. BFL/Silk is an amazing combo to dye up, the colors are so unique and there is such depth to the colorway. 

 The above fiber is my new colorway ARCHIPELAGO is in my 85%/15% BFL & Silk blend and it is simply stunning. The above colorway sold right away so a few days later I dyed another to spin into yarn for my shop.  I also did the same colorway in Kid Mohair. It comes out a little different on mohair then on the wool, the colors are deeper and there is less of the natural color showing through, but it is still amazing.

All in all I am very happy with my new fibers and I am excited to be able to share some new colorways and blends with you all.  You can find all the loveliness here at Turquoise Owl Fibers.
For those of you who don't spin, but would love to knit or crochet with these fantastic fibers, there will soon be some of my colorways available as handspun yarn  in my shop! Stay tuned for updates.

I know these photos are old, about three weeks or more in fact, but I never got around to sharing them and I wanted to before too much time had passed. The last decent snowfall we had was melting in these photos, this was right before we were drenched with a deluge of rain that caused much flooding.
Of course things look entirely different now!Between the rain, warm weather and the natural course of time, Spring has sprung and everywhere leaves are unfurling, flowers are opening and all growing things are a rich shade of vibrant green.

Knitting :: Cowl For A Friend

Last November I spun and knit this cowl in a matter of days. The fact that it was on drop spindle is what amazes me for bulky weights on a spindle are not my forte. I should say Single bulky weight. But it turned out very nicely and I do believe my friend was quite pleased with her cowl. It was a birthday present and since I spun and knit it quickly I did not keep proper notes and write down the pattern like I should have.*Ehem. Cough.

One of these days I will spin up more bulky yarn and write out the pattern for all of you. I'll keep you posted if/when that happens.

Treasury Time :: Plum

Plum Floral Crown. Brid... rosesandlemons $38	Peacock Corsage or Hat ... HappilyFeather... $29.95	Bridesmaid Bouquet with... VVDesignsShop $55	Sola Shell flowers -- ... SuperiorCraftS... $24.95
ADELAIDE - Plum Purple ... TheHeadbandSho... $30	Plum, Grey & Purples - ... VellaWovens $60	Marbled Puni Collection... TurquoiseOwlFi... $20	Italian Plums and Anise lemonbird $12
Perfect Plum Kit - Set ... WillowTreeMine... $16.95	French Lace Plum Embroi... ShadesofGloryF... $28.99	Vintage Style Purple Pl... berratosun $80	Masham Plum Ombre Batts... TheSheepsCompa... $20
Plum Purple Lily Earrin... VestasStudio $12	HandSpun Bamboo Yarn Pl... kittygrrlz $32	Velvet Flowers Yoyo Mil... MaryNotMartha $6.25	Purple / plum Romantic ... cuteNtrendy $5.5

My Plum Punis seem to be quite popular for Treasuries. I do wish someone would decide to buy them and spin them up! But it is nice to see that they are loved in other ways. I'm sharing the latest Plum Collection Treasury. Feel free to stop by and visit the Treasury on Etsy. If Plum is your color, then there is sure to be something you will like!

Shop Update

There is a shop update as of today! Feel free to stop by and check out the goodies!
I would have listed more today but it was one of those days where little errands kept popping up and things needed to be done. Not to mention it was raining. And thundering. In fact there was lighting in the mix too so let's just say we were having a regular Thunderstorm! And when it storms I just want to curl up all cozy inside and enjoy the weather. A book, a snack,  a cuppa= Perfect. I didn't do much curling up though. There was a lot of tromping about through puddles and mud, in and out and all about. I felt quite damp by the time I arrived back at the house.
But once I was home and cozy, and had my coffee & an episode to get in my Doctor Who fix for the day, I buckled back down to shop related projects like batts and photo shoots.

So stay tuned, there are more batts and roving coming soon!

Introducing....Penelope!

 Yes, I do name inanimate objects. I think we covered that in the last post. 
Moving on. 
My exciting news is...(.drum roll please).....I bought a spinning wheel in March!
I had absolutely no plans of getting one anytime soon. But my Mom had been hunting around on the internet and told me about the excellent deal she found on a brand new Ashford Kiwi 2. It came from a reputable fiber company in Washington State, and after some deliberation, I placed an order. 
I was quite on pins and needles waiting for it to arrive. Well, finally it did, on March 21st and I was more then ecstatic.
The wheel also came complete with 1 pound of fiber, a niddy noddy, and a maintenance kit with extra parts, oil, etc.
For those of you who are new to my blog, this is my first spinning wheel. I have been a drop spindler for 4 years now. And while I have become very proficient at the drop spindle, and love my spindles dearly, it will be quite nice to be able to get a skein done faster and maybe spin some yarn to sell. That was never really an option with a drop spindle as there is so much time invested in a skein it would have to cost a fortune when sold!

 I have named my wheel Penelope. That was already decided in my head for quite some time as it seemed like the perfect name for a wheel. So Penelope it is. I actually didn't get to do any spinning on her until the 22nd. The wheel arrived unfinished so it had to be waxed to keep it clean and prevent any warping. I wanted to assemble it all then and there but I waited patiently (or maybe not so patiently) for it to dry.

The yarn shown is my very first skein of wheel spun yarn EVER! It was a single that I then navajo plied for a nice heavy-worsted, three-ply. I am very pleased with the way it turned out.
Thus far I have spun six skeins on my wheel, all in varying weights and yardages as I practice my spinning and get used to the differences between wheel spinning and spindle spinning. 
I'll have to share my photos as I progress. It took me a little while for me to actually like my wheel because I find spindling much easier. But now I am getting the hang of it and I find myself quite fond of Penelope. She's a simple but sturdy little wheel and though I still have a vast amount to learn,  it is nice to be gaining a better understanding of how things work with a wheel.

I am so very thankful to the Lord for making this opportunity available. It has certainly been a blessing thus far. I look forward to sharing more with you as I move forward in my Spinning Journey!

Liebster Award

I was recently nominated for the Liebster award by Una from Great Balls of Wool.

I was quite delighted to receive the kind nomination and I had so much fun answering her questions!

Here are her questions and my answers:

Which of the four seasons do you like best?

I find that as I get older I grow more fond of my least favorite season, there are such wonderful delights in all of them.

But I am very much a warm weather, outdoors type of person, so I would have to say that it is a toss up between Spring and Summer. I love being able to go outside without bundling up. I love all the plants flourishing everywhere. Green. The sweet smell in the air. Bonfires. Swimming. Being able to do my fiber-y things outdoors: fiber washing, spinning, hanging fiber to dry, knitting, carding, dyeing. Drying clothes on the line. Burrowing my toes in the newly tilled soil. All the outdoor activities: biking, walking, running, kayaking, tennis. Picnics. Rising early with the sun and going out to enjoy the day. The cheerful singing of birds.

My list could go on and on! 

Do you exercise?

Yes I do. Every morning. In the spring I also like to incorporate walking into my early mornings. I am trying to get back into running after a rather long-ish break due to health reasons.

What is your "guilty pleasure" food?

Probably chocolate. *blushes* I LOVE chocolate, of all sorts.

What was the last item you knitted or crocheted?

My Happy Shawl! Which was knitting and will soon be blogged about. I finished it while I was away and now it just needs to be blocked.

When did you last buy wool or yarn?

Hmm. I buy wool quite often for my shop, in one form or another. Let me see, I believe it was on March 1, 2013. I purchased an ounce of "Emerald Isle" Punis from Kate of Gourmet Stash on Etsy. They were such a luxurious treat to spin up. I highly recommend the spinners out there pop by her shop and check out all the goodies.

Did you enjoy your school days?

Yes, I did. I was not fond of arithmetic, but still scored decently in it. Summer Holidays were, of course, looked forward to with great delight and it seemed as if they would never end. 

If you could have only one, which would it be...dishwasher or microwave?

Oh a dishwasher for sure! I don't believe microwaves are healthy. Dishwashers on the other hand....if you get a good one it frees up all kinds of time to spend on other things. Like fiber and spinning! 

Do you follow any sports?

No. I used to follow Nascar, but not anymore. There is always the occasional football game. But I have never been into really any of that. 

Although I DO enjoy the Olympics when they roll around! Especially the downhill skiing, swimming, and skating events.

Do you have any pets?

I do! I have one darling Siberian Forest cat, named Sadie. She has the most amazing and unique personality of any cat I have ever met. She practically does everything but speak English! Even so we have lengthy conversations, though I'm not always sure what they are about. Sadie likes to sleep with me every night. She drapes herself all over me and generally gets in the way. But I don't mind. 

Other fun facts about Sadie: She comes when I call. She meets me at the door when I get home. She stays put when she is told. She thunders around the house by spells and acts like a complete lunatic. She ADORES boxes, the smaller the better. She eats flies and moths. She is super cuddly and friendly to everyone. She has learned to leave my spinning alone. And she gets embarrassed quite easily.

Which is best....sea view or mountain view?

Hmm. I have only ever been to the sea once. And I thought it was gorgeous. I have seen many photos and movies of it and it is amazing. I'm sure living by the sea in a tiny cottage would be superb  But to speak from my own personal experience, at this stage I would have to pick a mountain view. I just love mountains. Tall, gorgeous, tree-covered or snow-topped mountains, looming in the distance.

Maybe someday I can experience the sea more fully. I have a feeling if I do, there will be no going back and it will ever more be the sea for me.

If your house or apartment had a name, what would it be?

Oh my. This is a difficult one. I am forever naming things. My spinning wheel is Penelope. My cell phone is TARDIS.  My laptop is Sabrina. But a home, now that is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

I guess off hand I can't say. It would depend on the house, what it looked like, where it was situated, etc. And I would put a great deal of thought into it before settling for sure on a name.

Alright! That was fun. Now I do believe it is my turn to nominate four lovely bloggers.

So without further ado:

Tina of The Quiet Home

Kate of Gourmet Stash

Lucy of Attic 24

Kellie of Accordion to Kellie

My questions for you all are:

#1. If you could live in any time period, which one would it be? and why?

#2. What is your favorite way to spend your spare time?

#3. Are you in indoor or outdoor type of person?

#4. Do you have any pets or farm animals?

#5. Do you have a hidden talent?

#6. What was the last item you knitted, crocheted, sewed or spun?

#7. Do you (or have you) play(ed) a musical instrument?

#8. Are your tendencies more extrovert or introvert?

#9. What inspires you?

#10. If you could visit any country, which would you pick? and why?

That is it! Feel free to play along if you like, or if not that is fine too!

Have a beautiful day my friends!

Back to carding

After a month without my hand cards it felt good to be wielding them again. Color and texture galore! The puni pile is growing! I am not sure yet if I will be selling these punis, or if I will spin them into yarn and sell the yarn. Any thoughts?

My project corner.

Hello my blogland friends and family! It's lovely to be back here with you.
My trip is winding down and as you can see from the photo, I still have plenty of projects!
I always over-pack. I like to be prepared for every situation and mood. Since I was going to be gone for a month I didn't want to run out of projects. My family kindly sent me some sock yarn which was a nice surprise. So between my cowl, sock and shawl I'm quite set on knitting projects. I'm trying to decide which of the three to take on the plane. Between layovers and delays one never know when knitting would come in handy!
I'll probably take my cowl as it won't be done, it is on circs so I won't be dropping and losing needles in the nooks & crannies of the plane, and the pattern is fairly simple.
What about you? What projects are you working on these days? I'd love to hear from you!