Distaff Day

I had the best time at Distaff Day on Saturday, put on by the Front Range Fiber Artists. For those who don't know, Distaff Day is when women went back to the work of knitting and spinning and carding and combing after Christmas. Men, naturally, did not start back to work until the following day...what can I say? Of course, survival meant that they were all still "working", they just weren't doing certain things.


At Distaff Day, they had several demonstrations on weaving and spinning and dyeing - it was so inspirational! I just wanted to come home and start throwing dye on everything and spin up some more wool and knit up a storm. Note: I am resisting weaving, really I am, even though I have an inkle loom and weaving looks really cool, and some of the stuff they make is amazing, but resisting. I saw Navajo plying in person, and definitely want to try that again. The last time I tried Navajo plying, I ended up with a horrid knotted mess. I met a woman whose husband built her an electric spinning wheel. I saw every different type of wheel you can imagine, from well, electric spinning wheels to antique sleeping beauty wheels to fancy, expensive wheels.


And they had tables set up with different products for sale - mostly fiber. All different kinds of fiber at good prices, so I bought about four ounces of alpaca from a local breeder, a pound of undyed cormo (that is a sheep type), a pound of undyed mixed wool (golly, that was such a good price, such a good price! Really, such a good price I am using the word golly), a 4 oz. braid of superwash merino wool dyed beautifully for the cheapest price I have ever paid for a 4 oz braid, and another 4 ozs of mixed wool in natural colors which I may or may not dye,


I was very careful in my purchases, seeking out the best price and think I did very well. There were actual fleeces there that you could comb and card and make your own batts if you purchased them - that is truly the best price, but I don't have the equipment nor do I have the time. Someone even had adorable angora bunnies for sale - yes, angora bunny fur is spun, it is wonderfully soft and warm. No, I did not purchase an angora bunny. Yes, I did go temporarily insane and consider it, fortunately I realized I did not really want to brush and pluck bunny fur. I have enough trouble keeping up with the cat brushing. Seriously, look at that coat on her! And of course her face is in a bowl - she really can't have enough food and this was her morning drink of milk.



They had demonstrations on combing and carding. Ooooh, so cool. Several different types of carders and combs - even a nice electric carder was brought in for people to try out. It is so great that people want to share their tools and experiences. Next year, I'll take my camera so I can share the day with you.

Can you tell I found Distaff Day exciting?

Dyeing Lessons

I dyed some more fiber this week. I wanted to keep with the Halloween theme and do black and orange. I did some black and orange sampling and it was cute.

I failed with the reusing the black dye. I should have known it would be too faded. Here it is, lovely dark gray. No it actually isn't even a lovely dark gray, it isn't lovely at all. So overdye is tomorrow. Black, fresh black.

Now the orange on the other hand:

Turned out quite orange, just like it should. And it is drying and awaiting its fate in the spinning wheel....

Put On Your Sunglasses!

Put on those sunglasses, we have some very bright yarn below!

Well I warned you I had dyed some fiber bright blue and there it is! Bright blue, and doesn't it look smooth. It is - it is some beautiful blue merino. I am looking forward to spinning, but not sure how I want to spin it. Nor am I sure what I want that would be quite that bright blue. Ideas, anyone?

This yarn is spun from some wool remants I picked up at the Alpaca Show in Denver. I am continuing its name of Mardi Gras. As it is kind of garish, colorful, fun and pretty all at the same time. I even added a few beads in there on crochet thread, then plyed the two together. The results are much better than I thought possible!

And keeping with different themes, I dyed up some more merino into Halloween colors - can you believe Halloween is right around the corner? No, really, it is right there. Peeking at us from around the corner. Depending on your monitor, you can see that front roving is ORANGE. Therefore I am totally seeing a Halloween yarn - orange and black with maybe even a pumpkin or two spun in.

I am about 10 rows away from finishing a pair of handspun, handknit fingerless gloves. I look forward to posting those next with a little surprise.