Sunday, December 28, 2014

Christmas and into the New Year

Wow, that went quick!!                 

Christmas was almost painless.  I got the kids presents that they actually needed, eg bedding.  And didn't cook to feed 50 instead of the 14 that were actually around.  Hence I didn't over eat either.

I spun up some lovely fibre gifted to me by a wonderful friend who visited all the way from the UK, thanks Picperfic!!  I spun up a whole heap of lace weight and decided it was destined for a summer cardi.  Check out the pics below.

Also on the needles is another lace circular shawl.  No pics atm but it's almost finished.  It's made from all the fibre samples I spun up for the show back in July.

Picperfics lovely fibre, Polwarth, kid Mohair, silk.


New Years is coming quick and I hope to get more beads in the mail between now and then.  I'm planning on making more lace markers.  Very cute and dainty small markers for when you are doing the fine stuff.  Probably more in a pack too.

Have a safe New Years Eve everyone and watch this spot!!  I promise to post more frequently in the NY (it's a New Years Resolution)

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Well...things have been quiet but that's because I have been busy...

I finally got the generic US fibre finished!!! Got a new wheel, cause I need another one.  Did a show and an exhibition.  Opened a new shop and dyed some commercial spun finn...
Pics..
I did an Ethereal for the show in lovely soft wool, my first being for my horrid sister in wool full of kemp.  After that I was asked to do one for one of the ladies at my spinning group for her sons wedding.
ethereal shawl for Chris
Love how it turned out..
Sunbury Show in October was fun.  My kids and I put a few things in with mixed results.
the display
the display1the displaymy display
My entries
my etherealfirst baby
Apparently this is not knitted lace...odd that it had pattern every row.
my bomb
The kids cleaned up
Kams best dressed doll
Kams doll
Pips scarf and drawing
pips scarfPips drawing
Brie's drawing
Bries entry
Charli's clean up...
Finger puppets
Charli's puppets
Drawing
Charlis drawing
And of course her doll that she rooted the hair and painted...another doll maker in the family!!
charlis doll1charlis doll2

Then I had the opportunity to buy an Ashford Elizabeth II with a woolee winder
43354045

Then we did an exhibition and sale at the Patchwork shop in Gisborne.
exhibitionexhibition1exhibition2
It was a fun 2 days.

At our exhibition at the patchwork shop I brought some of Maureens commercial spun finn.  Skeined and dyed 1700 metres into burgundy gradient.
line dry gradientfinn gradientfinn gradient1
It's going to be made into Birthday Pi since the needle size wasn't right for my original pick.

And last but not least.  I have been spinning some midwest US generic that I did a swap with dudleyspinner from Ravelry in America, omg well over a couple of years ago now.  I have only been spinning it at group so it's taken years.  I finally got the singles finished on my sidekick and plied it on the suzie.  The big ball is over 2000 metres.  I think I have just under 3000 metres all up.
USA generic
Tossing up between Montegosquare and Laramie, both require at least 2000 metres.  More pics to come I guess.

Currently on the needles is Persian Star.  Will have to take some pics..  I am spinning up some more Nom Nom (purple and black BFL/Silk) so I can finish it.  It's mostly using my sample yarns I spun for Bendigo.
samples
I didn't use the top one as it was spun a bit thicker.  It's the cashmere blend and I think it'll end up a pair of mitts for me.  The pinky one is the camel blend, Camelicious, purple is Not Sock and the darker purple is Nom Nom (BFL/Silk commercial dyed).

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Pass it Forward.....

It's a simple concept but one not a lot of people do. 

Imagine if everyone did one good deed per day,  in other words, passed it forward.

It doesn't have to be a big thing or an expensive thing, it just has to be something.

I try to do a little good deed as often as I can.  Whether it be not charging a 200% mark up on wool I sell or picking up some rubbish off the street when I am out walking.  Every little thing makes the world a better place to live in.

I was going to spout how I did something pretty awesome recently but I think I'll just leave it as is.

Do something nice for someone every day and your life will be enriched beyond belief.

xoxo....

Friday, August 15, 2014

Stitch Markers..

I remember 6 years ago, going to the Australian Sheep and Wool Show and not being able to find many stitch markers at all.  In fact, I only found one stall selling them and they were about $16 for 4 and they were made in America!!

Well off home I went, horrified and started making my own.  As these enterprises usually go, I made some to sell too and have since supplied my own spinning meeting and many others with them.  I started using clasps and now everyone has jumped on the idea....so much for not stealing others ideas, there's not much honour out there it seems.

I had a few people asking for dainty markers for using while knitting lace so I have endeavoured to fill that gap.  I've been using non magnetic hematite for years now.  It's awesome stuff, always cool to touch.  So anyway, I have some small magnetic Hematite beads and have made some cute markers out of them.
Gold Magnetic Hematite Lace Markers
 I am hoping that when they are put in your knitting case they will clump together and attract the other markers so you can just pull out a clump instead of fossicking around looking for the ones you want.
Silver Magnetic Hematite Lace Markers
 I am also making some standard semi-precious stone markers for Lace working.  These are the first lot and I have some lovely Lilac Jasper beads as well.
Goldstone Lace Markers
Needless to say, all my stitch markers are hand made by myself.  I also use them so I know how good they are.  If you're interested in buying some they are here at OZ HANDMADE under Woolz'N'yarnZ.

Monday, August 11, 2014

I HAVE A NEW SHOP!!

I HAVE A NEW SHOP!!!

COME BY AND HAVE A LOOK


WOOLZ'N'YARNZ
 
MORE GOODIES TO BE ADDED!!!

SO KEEP CHECKING IN.


This store is more for my Australian customers (I will get NZ Post up soon though)  If you are anywhere else and would like to buy something please email me at
woolznyarnz@hotmail.com and I will send you a PAYPAL invoice.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Australian Sheep and Wool Show 2014

Has come and gone now.  It was a lovely time catching up with everyone I don't see often.

The stall went well and I was able to enable many people for another year of fibre dieting.  The only downside is that we lost our camera so the only photos I have are the 3 I took with my phone.  There's still a very small chance someone may hand it in when they find out it's not much use without cables and chargers, so here's hoping...

The stall......
This is my goodies...
Oddly enough, all the rust and most of the greens sold out....Looking at what the shelves were like at the start of the show I am pretty pleased with the weekends efforts even though I have a fair amount of fibre left over.  How will I console myself with all that fibre at my beck and call.....hmmmm....

 
This is mine and my stall partners goodies on the right hand side.
 Here's my helper for the weekend playing with her dolly.  As you can see, it was cold enough for onesies



























Friday was freezing after putting everything together on the Thursday in the hail and rain.  Freezing was ok as it was fine so we didn't get too muddy.
My etsy store is open again.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

TIME IS FLYING BY.......

And I have been super busy.  So far I have dyed 21kg of merino top for the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.  Most of it was done while it was hot and it's taken months to finish it.  All wool ends up a little sad looking immediately after dyeing and needs to be re-fluffed before use.  This is very time consuming and something I do for my customers as it certainly isn't reflected in the price.
sooo...some pictures....










Thankfully I didn't give myself sun stroke this year.  My job is hardly done as yet as I have another 9kg to dye and some superwash as well.  I love the colours so far but I want to try for some darker colours.
Add to that, when I haven't been doing the wool prep and labeling I have been knitting.  I spun up some superwash I had dyed at the last dyeing day we had at our spinning group and have been knitting a lace shawl.  The pattern is Alpine Knit Scarf from Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby.  I don't have a great pic of it yet but here's the one I got dd4 to take with her iPod.
I really have to take a better photo of it.  This one hardly does it justice.  Seeing as it is superwash it will probably be labeled and put up for sale at the show.

One of our lovely ladies from spinning called me up one day and said she had a plum tree which needed to have all it's fruit stripped off it. So off we went with a few kids and did precisely that and I made my first foray into making plum sauce and a few jars of plum chutney.  YUM..it came out great!!


Friday, April 11, 2014

coming soon....

Righto...I have a few things to update just not right this minute but I am sick of looking at the xmas post..I will be back in a couple of days...

da da daaaaaa......rofl..

SOAP SOAP SOAP

The show went well.  Not as well as I would have liked but well enough... Now it's soap I am doing a lot of...Yet another old craft no...