Are you sure you should be drinking that?!?!

Kool Aid is wonderful stuff....it's an American cordial (sort of) powdery drink mix which comes in little sachets. I couldn't imagine drinking it, but it's wonderful because it permanently dyes fleece and rovings in lovely colours...which smell realllll nice! hehe! Tye tracked some down in the city and threw some my way, God love 'er.... These photos here are dyed only with the Kool Aid. I used a purple sachet(grape flavour??), an orange one, which was apparently a mandarin flavoured drink, a weird white polar icy thingo which I couldn't even get my head around, and another one that boasts being blue powder that made green drink that ended up as Cherry..(huh!?!.) Not that you follow the directions on the pack, of course....(you don't add any sugar when you're dying with it)....I was absolutely stunned to read how much sugar you're supposed to add when making up the drink. It was something like a cup to a pint. I'm thinking a pint is about 700 mls or so but don't quote me on that... This green dyed roving is made by the Cherry sachet. When I tossed in the White Polar powder drink it went fluro...I'm not joking. Fluro. To get the varied strengths in the one roving I simply tied it up in knots before I tossed it into the near-boiling mixture...all of a sudden the water in the saucepan on the stove top goes clear and that's when its ready to take out. This roving has had the powder sprinkled directly onto it when wet...then wrapped and microwaved for 7 minutes....very high tech!........not! One sort of disturbing thing, though.....I wanted to dye some bright orange rovings for a beanie for my brother so I drove into the Melbourne to the Spinners Guild and bought some "Citrus" landscape wool dye. I dyed those rovings up some time ago. It was still hanging on my drying rack when I dyed these Kool Aid rovings and I was flummoxed to see that THEY WERE IDENTICAL. Now either Landscape uses Kool aid or Kool aid uses Landscape...or they both use somethin' else. I'm not sayin' nothin'....... make of it what you will....hehe Well...that's it from Sheepychic bloggings. All the very best, and do try to get your hands on some Kool Aid. It's worth it just for the nice smell through the house! Any enquiries for yarn or rovings for sale please email sheepychic@hotmail.com All the very best, Ruth. Have a very, very Merry Christmas. Kiss ya man, hug ya mum, give the kids a lolly and pat the dog.

My name is Ruth...and I'm a sockaholic....

Just a quick post...to ask if anyone will please interact with my poor children and clean up my house. I am desperately addicted to sock knitting and I just can't stop! hehe....

Seriously, though...I am sooo enjoying knitting at the moment. I still

need to sit and flick through a step-by-step guide but I'm getting there. One fun aspect to all this sock thingie is rummaging through my old handspun projects and finding suitable yarn. I've never really bought yarn (I was a spinning before I learnt to knit) but seeing Tyes new yarns on her blog recently has got me wanting to!

This yarn is a Sheepychic Multi-coloured snowy hank I spun up a while ago...(yep..I hand dyed all o' that!) which, if you look closely, has a gold metallic thread running through it, too.

I wanted to ensure I had enough for a pair so I swung over to a nice fine little Sheepychic Natural Chocolate corridale single that was hanging about. I figured little D or P is constantly scooting out without their shoes so the corridale will be hardy and hide stains...and hey...it'll be under their boots, anyway. I was really pleased with how it all went together...

All the very best and thanks for logging onto Sheepychic bloggings. Be sure to leave a cheerio in the comments if you're visiting...and if you've enjoyed having a little gander please let a couple of your knitterly pals know how they can log in too....

Any yarn enquiries...contact me at sheepychic@hotmail.com

Regards, Ruth...x

First sock down......

I've often read over blogs such a the Yarn Harlot,http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/ Tye's MMD http://merrymunchkindesigns.blogspot.com/ , Spinning Athena http://spinningathena.blogspot.com/ and loads, loads more and admired the divine hand knitted socks. As a full-on Spinner and a happy beanie knitter I've always held hand knit socks squarely in the 'too hard basket'... but now...now thanks to Tye they're in the 'took half the night but can be done' basket.

This funny ol' sock is my first full attempt. It's made from my own handspun which I dyed and spun ages ago...(remember the Rushworth yarns?) with some gold metallic thread plied through. Tye taught me the long tail cast on method for socks, (which I photographed step by step so I could learn it later with my thinking cap on- brilliant idea!!) then lent me a cool step-by-step guide which was great. Da-daaaaa.....I did it! I actually knitted a sock! With my own yarn, too!! (allow me one little show off....hehe)

I can't tell how addictive knitting socks is...I just couldn't put it down!! hehe...and you get to look really clever, too 'cos you use four needles! I'm off to finish a tiny one I started at Tyes place...so bye for now.

Thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings and don't forget...If you'ld like to order some Sheepychic yarn or hats be sure to drop me an email at sheepychic@hotmail.com

Regards, Ruth...

Primary colours.....

Those who know me as I go about my life know that I tend to ride with the reins fairly loose..(so to speak) and I think that is a good thing where spinning and dying is concerned. It's a mystery, but when I throw caution to the wind and spin/dye when I'm just being me the results are just soooo much nicer! When I'm trying to do something, like replicate some specific colours, or follow a recipe I've recorded, quite often the results disappoint me. It got me wondering...when spinning and dying, just how loose can reins be? Can you give allllll the control away? Can you tear a picture up into a million pieces, throw them onto the floor and see something even more beautiful? I dunno. Sooooo...that wondering got me pondering. hehe... Isn't it weird and a little bit cool (although we don't really give it much thought) how all the colours in the world are derived from Primary colours (and dark and light.) Good ol' Red, Yellow and Blue. I decided to give all control over to randomness. I've grabbed the crockpot, made two hanks worth of Merino Tops coils, randomly placed pockets of primary coloured dyes and filled up with water. I didn't stir...I didn't plan. I put on the lid and walked away. I didn't allow ANY sneak peaks...when I lifted the lid I was agasp. It was breathtaking. It was beautiful. I haven't seen a Sheepychic roving THIS Divine for a while. I'm gonna say it.........it has to be said.......I think....it....could be...a..................................TROPHY YARN. I love it. To the point of tears. What a hopeless yarn junkie you are, Ruth.

I've called this roving Sheepychic -"random's gift" This photo doesn't quite do it justice, which sadly, is sometimes the case. It's the texture, too....it's so soft and fluffy. (These are really nice quality tops, though...got them at "That Spinning Place." I'll pop the link on the Sheepychic site in case you're looking for some)... I am making a vow. I will be dying with this cool Random Primary colours method I've used each weekend and will post each one. I am keen to see what the colour roving gods send to my old crock pot. Now of course I am after a clear turbo cooker so I can see what is happening in there...hehe. Stay tuned to Sheepychic bloggings to see it spun up shortly...

And for a change of subject I want to submit two photos I took this weekend which combine to help define the word "happiness"...its my boy, M. hehe!

The whole family enjoyed our night watching some Monster trucks (USA v AUST.) very much...although my insides are still vibrating from the noise!

We've all been to the zoo, museums, circus and even the symphony orchestra in the city so this time it was something for M. and B. It was great!! AND LOUD!!! ....(What??)....I SAID IT IS LOUUUDDD...(huh?)...LOOUUDDD!!!!!!!.....(tell ya later....hehe)

Thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings...all the very best. Don't forget to leave a cheerio in my comments, or if you have a liking for any yarns or rovings you see in the blog they are for sale and you can contact me at sheepychic@hotmail.com. Regards, Ruth xx

Good o' fashioned hang about dying day....

Fine day...kids outside playing. What to do? Break out the dye stocks, that's what! I've gone all out, with the not-tooo-worried attitude which I love to spin and dye by. I've dyed off about 6 hanks worth, all in different colours and using different techniques.

This fun bright bundle is a neat combo of blues, pinks and purples dyed with a 'wet n dry' technique which I love as it leaves some areas perfectly white. It's called Sheepychic - "Marrah"...

The second one pictured here is a rainbow dyed Merino roving where I'm aiming for soft, muted multi-coloured shades.

I have long learnt to stop predicting what rovings will look like until the spinning's all done....I don't let myself get too excited. (or disappointed) hehe

Well...a sneak preview...I'll post more pictures as they dry. Maybe I'll spin these up myself, but if anybody wants to spin them up their way Sheepychic hand dyed rovings sell for $10 for the 80gm bundle. I find 80 gms lots fit nicely on my Ashford bobbins. Any rovings or yarn enquiries can be left at sheepychic@hotmail.com

All the very best and thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings. Regards, Ruth xx

The Yarn Museum....

Just a little news flash! Sheepychic Handspun "Waterwheel" from the My town-Kyabram range has made a little appearance in the Yarn Museum! Hooray! I'm so proud! hehe

Thanks, Tye for letting us know about the Yarn Museum and putting the link on your blog! I noticed there is a category for the "first ever hank" at the museum site, too....wink,wink, nudge, nudge you guys leaning at Tye's Point Cook Homestead knitters and spinners...

This image is from the Yarn Museum's web site...here's the link:

http://www.yarnmuseum.com/gallery_shows_changing/anythinggoes_gallery.html

To finish up...a quick picture of what the Water Wheel handspun finished up as....funnily enough as a Sheepychic Witchie beanie that I knitted for Tye! There is a sparkle though there...but it doesn't really show up in the picture.

All the best, and thanks for popping into Sheepychic bloggings...any enquiries about buying some yarn, or a witchie beanie just like this one please email me at Sheepychic@hotmail.com

Regards, Ruth....xx

It's Subjective...it really is.

Hmm...the 50th. Sheepychic posting. Wow! 50 is a lot...isn't it? or is it?....

My children often ask very abstract questions. For example, "Mum...is 14 a lot?". My answer is always the same. (Dunno why they keep asking. hehe) "Well...it's subjective," I reply.

Kid: "But Mum, what does that mean"?

Mum: "Um..subjective means that it means different things to different people.."

Kid: (Insert a vacant stare here...)

Mum: "Let me put it this way. Would you like 14 pokes in the eye?...."

Kid: "NOOOO"

Mum: "Would you like 14 elephants in the backyard?

Kid: "No...imagine the poos, Mum!...so you're saying that 14 is a lot??"

Mum: "Maybe...but would you like 14 grains of rice for dinner?"

Kid: "That's only a tiny amount!!"

Mum: " Yeah..so 14 is subjective, isn't it....would you like 14 ricebubbles for breaky?"

Kid: "No, I don't like ricebubbles...I would like 14 weetbix".

Mum: "But that's too much!!"

Kid: "That's subjective, Mum...."

Mum retreats...you can see this was going nowhere.

So...that is my attempt at a world record for the longest, wordiest and most irrelevant introduction ever. I'm sure to do well! hehe.

Just talking tonight to Tye...and told her about my nifty handspun rope. I spun some of it at our Friday spin-in at the Point Cook homestead, and finished off at home. Can you believe it is 8 strands of hard Z twist which I controlled as it counter-twined back around each other.

I've got my eye on this for my Sheepychic bikini tops. Little D has been wearing it around his waist! I'm tellin' you...it is so strong! You could seriously tow a car with this, but it is still so soft!

I've also knitted up the sparkliest Sheepychic beanie ever! The body of this hat is made from Sheepychic "Sun Orchid" plied over with the silver fibres, and the cuff is made with some Sheepychic "Glacier-side" which is the handspun Merino, plied over with the commercial mohair/polyester yarn and also with some added sparkle. Of course, you can see the roll of silver ribbon that I've used as a little feature. Neato!!

Thats it for Sheepychic Bloggings, thanks for logging in....I'll catch up with you all reallll soon. All the very best, Ruth .xx

A fun afternoon at Broughtonlea...

This afternoon P, D and myself were treated to a great 'spin in' at the beautiful Broughtonlea assisted living nursing home. Assisted by my wonderful Sis, Sue, we set up the wheel and some yarns in the lovely Piano Lounge and as about 25 or so residents and staff looked on I spun up some really interesting yarn.

The first thing I tried was some gorgeous black alpaca rovings spun through with some autumn shaded silk fibres. The residents were delighted to feel the fleece and fibres...and I plied back with some cute Indian gold and orange metallic threads. Next demo was some hand dyed purple and pink rovings with silver fibres tossed through under some stunning Indian Silver metallic threads.

Sister Sue is Broughtonlea's much loved receptionist...I could easily see the affection of the residents and the esteem in which they held her. One resident made a comment to me: "Oh..she is full of so much love" and they all enjoyed watching her fuss about with the twins. If I was honest I would have to admit that there was as much, if not more interest in P & D playing with their crawl tunnels as there was in my spinning!

To top it all off Christine (another sis!) came to the demonstration along with my nephews and niece. It was lovely to see the children all together. They were soooo good, too. A golden moment was P&D taking pinches of my silver angelina fibres and pressing it into the residents hands. Some residents had a little less awareness than others...and to see them accept the strange little gifts from the babies was so joyful.

Toward the end of our visit I had a little poignant moment. There was an old man reclining and silently looking on from the sidelines at the twins and their games. A staff member kindly addressed him...."Its been a while since you've been with children, Doctor...." and explained to me that this gentleman had been a Doctor at the Royal Women's hospital for many years. It hit home to me that as a society we are all too quick to look beyond the elderly...to forget who they are and what they have given to the community. It is very sad when the elderly, especially those suffering from dementia, become so anonymous. What can we do? Smile and greet a Grannie anytime you can! hehe

Broughtonlea is such a nice place. The staff were so friendly and the building and facilities were stunning. Oh...and the receptionist. The receptionist is ONE IN A MILLION!! hehe! Love you, Sue. xx

All the best, and thanks for logging into Sheepychic Bloggings.

This 'n' that...and a one buck hat

I've got a little yarn junkie on my hands. My eldest daughter B has taken Sheepychic yarn to school today for show and tell.....again. The children sit in a circle and pass around some hanks one after the other. Apparently there is quite some debate in the school yarn regarding which one is nicest. Of course, anything pink rates highly...as does anything at all plied through with a few beads.

Beautiful B walked through the lounge the other day and spied a roll of extremely cute ribbon (that I found for $1 at a craft store junk bin) in among my yarn stash. She fell all over the place. It was a beanie that HAD to be.

I had some super soft 14 micron Merino which I spun with some shimmering cobalt fibres and gold metallic thread, that was left over from a beanie order.

You can see what I've done there....all white Merino for the cuff, ran them both together for a while, some cubish bits...ribbon stripes and a very ribbony top...'cos I ran outa yarn. This is why knitting free style is so nice....I love just wingin' it!! This hat is so soft it just drapes over your hand. Its texture is what is sooooo nice about this hat. And to think....it was built with left overs and $1 bargain basement ribbon. hehe.

Needless to say...B is delighted.

Some other little projects on the go....check out this. It's still a work in progress. I'm aiming for a real sloppy, hippy, somethin' kinda different style ready for St. Andrews market. I'm calling it a Kerchief Beanie until I think of somethin' better...hehe

I love this up close picture. The yarn itself steals the show a little. It looked nice as a ball, too. The yarn used in the main body is called "Water wheel" and was from the Sheepychic My town - Kyabram range. The Cuff is Rushworth Sky spun in a slubby style.

This last little picture is of a cool little Sheepychic Dreadly Beanie...you can see where long hair or dreadlocks can run out the back. It looks really good. Now I have to pounce on someone with long hair for a picture.

Anyway...thanks for logging into Sheepychic Bloggings. Any enquiries or Christmas gift yarn pack orders may be left at sheepychic@hotmail.com.

All the very best, Ruth xx

A fabulicious big ball of Sheepychic yarn...

He he...what a great big ball of yarn!! This is two bobbins of Sheepychic yarn (so it's two hanks worth) which I rainbow dyed at the rovings stage, spun through in the slubby style while tossing through some silver fibres. You could play soccer with this...its that big!

Hello all and thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings. Most of you guys visiting this site regularly probably also pop into Tye's blog at http://merrymunchkindesigns.blogspot.com/ so you would have already read about MMD's fabulous knitting group that meets at the Point Cook Homestead for lunch and fibre arts. It's great 'cos Tye patiently gives very cool knitting tips and how to's and the coffee...the coffee....and lunch..beeuuutteeeeeffulllll ! (and at $10...we were really spoilt!)

Our first project, if you had nothing planned, was Tye's cute Munchkin scarf. I had prepared my yarn earlier, (oh the joy of being a spinner!) grabbed my size 10's and I was off.

Here it is...all finished. I am a very loose knitter so I left out a bit in the middle...but all in all I am delighted with the result.

I banged out a sweet little beanie, too....well, I did say it was a big ball of yarn! hehe.

This yarn is so beautiful, soft and lovely to wear. I am delighted how it sparkles...and judging by this picture of li'l P I'm not the only one!

At the moment my hanks are selling for $20 each (normally $25) for the slower warmer months. Mind you...cute yarn like this is really season proof. I'm working on some new designs at the moment. Keep your eye out for Sheepychic's new handspun bikini/halter tops, sling bags and toddlers vest fronts....postings soon.

All the very best, Ruth. xx

Any enquiries, or if you wish to order some Sheepychic yarn please contact me at sheepychic@hotmail.com.

Also...if you know of any cool gift shops, yarn stores or funky wares store owners that may wish to stock a little Sheepychic leading up to winter please point them in the right direction. Thankyou so much.

One handspun hank...2 funky kids beanies

I guess in the year 2007, for your average knitter on the street (not you fibre art enthusiasts) hanks or skeins of yarn are weird. Handspun is weird. All that handmade stuff like Sheepychic and MMD yarns....weird, weird, weird.

In reality most knitters head down to Spotlight or Big W to grab some yarn...all kept in straight rows, bundled up perfectly, ...uniform balls...all identical...by the truck load...mostly from China. (Pretty inexpensive, too, yeah...?)

hehe...handspun can never take the place of commercial yarns, I guess. I mean Tye and I would get really, really tired..hehe. But seriously. It's kind of like comparing say, a reproduced poster print to a hand painted oil painting. There are benefits to being able to predict perfectly each and every time the colour, quantity and availability of yarn. However, there is something special and beautiful about snipping the bindings on a one-off hand dyed, hand spun 100% Merino hank of yarn, rolling it into a ball...and create.

Here is a beautiful hank of MMD yarn I pinched off Tye at the Craft festival. I loved it as soon as I saw it. (It's funny how that happens) It was for sale at a Craft festival bargain price of $15 (you need to contact her via her blog at http://merrymunchkindesigns.blogspot.com/ for her usual prices)

I've knitted two kids beanies...check out the two different effects achieved with the same yarn! Cool, hey! And the colour!! THE COLOUR!! I love it!!

As you can see I've added half a hank of white Sheepychic slubby yarn. The cute little beanie with the tele-tubby type thingo on the top also has a rainbow novelty yarn knitted right along side of the white. (See...there is a use for the commercial stuff! hehe) Check out the flat top beanie. I've knitted this off without a pattern...so it's a one off. It's probably a good thing! hehe. But little D looks adorable in it...believe me. I love the bibbly bobbly knit. Very unusual...but it's merely the wrong side of a stocking stitch switched so that it's the right side. Tye and I stumbled over how good this looks recently at our peaceful Thursday morning. (Twins are having a ball at occasional care) ( I cope..hehe)

So please. If you're new to handspun and you've never bought yarn that's hand made and looped beautifully in a hank consider giving it a go. You'll love it!!. You can email me at sheepychic@hotmail.com for any yarn enquiries. All the best, Ruth x

When the hat fits....

I'm often plopping a great big beanie on the first kid that just happens to wander too close to my desk for a quick photo for posting. It's starting to dawn on me that I should probably show you how these hats look like on people they actually fit!!! hehe

Here's the beanie that appeared a couple of postings ago...This time on me. Sheeeeshhh! I loved that beanie! So nice for the 'change of season'. (So hard to send off!) I promise I only wore it for a few seconds for the photo!

Regards, Ruth xxx

PS Late addition: This morning I received a lovely thank you card to the new owner of this beautiful hat ( Geeezzzz I loved that hat!) and it seems to have taken her under it's spell, also...She mentioned that she was actually a hat collector and that this beanie was "top of the lot!", (awwweee, shucks! hehe) and she'd like to meet me sometime! All the best, Karen, and thank you for your lovely card. Ruth xx

Hehe...look at us!! In the paper!! (thanks for scanning this up, Tye...I just pulled it out of your blog!)

So enjoying my spinning....lovin' it!

The rhythmic breathing of my wheel....the quiet of night...the feel of the beautiful Merino rovings running through my fingers and the anticipation of the finished yarn. I've somehow journeyed back to the meditative aspect of my spinning. (hence my temporary absence from the computer...sorry) I've really enjoyed making these cute little hanks. I haven't recorded the how-to's of these guys...I needed just to relax and let 'em flow. And flow they did. It's lovely to think that the new owners of these hanks will have one-off individual yarns for their projects. Gotta love that!

These hanks will be among the stock that will be available at the Werribee Craft festival this weekend. I'm pretty excited (and nervous) as Sheepychic yarn hasn't been available at a craft festival before...it's new ground. They will be alongside of Tye's beautiful range of MMD butterfly shawls and yarns which is a real honour for me. Tye has a few festivals under her belt now and to think shes happy for Sheepychic yarns to share her stall chuffs me up no end. ( See the link for MMD on my profiles...and while you're there be sure to pop into Carols Mosaicing the World web site and leave a comment. Tell her Ruth sent ya...hehe)

Also available will be some Sheepychic hand dyed Merino rovings. I often speak to people who have a dusty old wheel and an unused fleece stash so maybe I can tempt some spinners of old. It will be interesting to see how they go...but I must admit....it is so weird to dye some fleece and not spin it!...I won't see how they turn out!! (I may have to stalk them..hehe) Anyway...all the very best and if you're in the Werribee area call into the Market. It's big, busy and full of unique Christmas shopping ideas!! Oh...and bring us a COFFEE...hehe. Regards, Ruth. xxxx

I'm baaaccckkkkkk!

No, I haven't run away and joined the peace corps...can't get rid of me that easily! I have had a few fibre projects on the go...but with school holidays and with P&D getting older I'm ready for bed time rather than blog time. Here is some yarn from the "My Town- Kyabram" range and is called Grace Woods. I was very happy as I have a hat order instead of a yarn order so I got to pretend I had bought it...taking the pretty label off...carefully undoing the binding threads...laying it out as an oval over my legs and then **Joy** rolling the yarn into a ball ready for knitting. This (for some strange reason...why, Tye, why?? ) is a really nice thing to do. The hat created itself nicely..I knitted it pattern free which I am doing more and more of lately. I did have a small directive of making it similar to my beanie made with some M.M.D. yarn posted some time ago. I love putting a real Spring twist to current beanies (still chilly on our morning walks, girls!) so I've featured a cute brim, the lightest of the light 14 micron 100% Merino white sheepychic yarn where I've spun in a little sparkle and a cheeky little ribbon which ties to a bow at the back. I nearly chose a gold ribbon...then some raffia...then headed for some purple. This is easily changed or removed as I've run it through a row of cluster stitch leaving a nice pattern either way.

Ahh...it's so deliciously soft and light. Hopefully the new owner will love it!!

Before I go I'll post a cute picture of our bush disco we had while camping recently. Soooo much fun! Sooooo much washing!!! Thanks so much, Carol for lending us your little slice of paradise for our holiday. Be sure to pop into Carol's space here...http://gundydog.spaces.live.com/ and check out her garden and mosiacs and don't forget to leave her a comment congratulating her for surviving a week of us lot hangin' about!

All the very best to you all and thanks for popping into Sheepychic Bloggings. Bye for now.