Time warp

I'ld like to dedicate this posting to Pat. Pat is so generous and kind... although I've only met her a couple of times I sense that we've evolved out of the same swamp..(so to speak) Thanks to Pat I am the proud current owner of this beautiful old Drum Carding Machine...I say current owner as this ol' carder has been hand made and is of such quality I'm sure it will out-live me and a few more owners as well!! It sure is a wonderful and treasured gift, Pat, and to think you have given it to me the very first time we met! I am absolutely delighted!! Those who know me well realise I'm in a bit of a time warp. I enjoy old things...but what I think is really important is to experience old things and old ways and to make sure you enable your children to enjoy this as well. Everybody loves expensive antiques...but this isn't really what I'm on about. I'm talking about old equipment....turn of the century music and domestic / home history. Even old language...when was the last time you called someone a 'Mug'? hehe These days is more likely to be 'Dude'! (one of my proudest moments is when my son complained to his teacher that he'd bopped his 'scone'...hehe) I've had a wonderful evening...It's quiet..children all asleep. The fire is just smouldering and I'm using my Mum's campfire oven to cook some Pea and Ham soup for Sasa. (dunno what those black spots are....but like I said..it's for Sasa..) I have some of Tyes raw Merino which she has given up on...'cos it's soooo smelly. Strangely, I don't hate the smell. I ran some fleece though the Carding Machine after learning how to on http://www.worldknit.com/howto/howtospin/sfiberprep/card.html I enjoyed using the carder...and I am really happy with the results. Wow! I made a batt!! I will spin it and then scour it. I will also try scouring, then carding.....bit of Sheepychic research coming up!! Again, thankyou Pat. Your generousity is really appreciated...I'm off now to add the Carder to the "things to save if the house is on fire" list...hehe. All the best to all who've popped into Sheepychic bloggings...bye for now. Ruth xx

A red carpet beanie?!?!?!

Once again Monday saw in some amazing first try projects...and I would like to thank Tye for showing me her amazing gold fluffy stuff....and I want to apologize to Tye for....um...using up half of her gold fluffy stuff. I spun up an 80gm Merino hank sprinkled over with the gold schpritz and plied back with some purple metallic thread. After dividing this hank into thirds I dyed two of them different shades of mauve and dusty purple, leaving the remaining one white. (This colour scheme was requested by the next Sheepychic winter hat owner-in-waiting...ooohhh...soon the wait will be over!!) Knitted up to a Sheepychic Beanie Design...all written up, I promise....these colours are just so beautiful...and the gold...wow..(Madam, please place your beanie on the conveyor and pass back through the detector...hehe)

I must confess...I had 10 minutes access before I parcelled this little beanie up...I love it...I really do.

If you love it too I can knit your version of this hat...you can give me an outline of the colour scheme..then lemmie at it! Contact details are in the profile of this blog...

All the very best to you..thanks for popping into Sheepychic bloggings...Ruth xx

mm-mm yum....dates. hehe

Monday, busy Monday.....

Most people have Fridays on their minds...but I really love my Mondays. Mondays are the days where Tye and myself often get together and let rip with some weird and wonderful dying/spinning/all-things-fibrey projects. (I'ld like to introduce the word 'fibrey' to the English speaking world. See?!?!? Is there anything Tye and I can't create?!?! hehe) Here is a rainbow coloured Sheepychic Slubby...baring an amazing resemblance to Sasa's choice of Mothers Day flowers against our kitchen wall..(love ya, darlin') Also a beautiful hank of pale pinks and blues. Look closely... I've plied through with pink and blue beading..and a few shiny gold beads, too. Imagine working this hank into something special for baby! A little update on a previous posting...This is the other half of the hank that Kathryn and myself dyed up over a nice coffee afternoon. I went to town on the bling-bling...hehe

All prepared to go off to Kathryn to become something amazing...(no pressure..hehe)

If anybody would like to have a little Sheepychic yarn for themselves please don't break into Kathryn's home a steal her hank! It would be far, far easier to contact me via email and purchase some for yourself! (Details are available though this blog's profile) All hanks are $25 and weigh at least 80gms. If the hank you see is no longer available I can recreate it fairly closely.... Thanks for popping into Sheepychic Bloggings...all the best! Ruthxx

P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S. P.S.

If you haven't been able to leave a comment previously please try to again...I LOVE comments and feedback (but no spam...grrrrr) and now adjustments have been made to enable non bloggers to post comment..so drop me a line.....it'll make my day. (thanks Clint) hehe

When friends get together...magic happens!

Some people are loners...others love their dogs. Me?...I'm a 'friends' person. I love my friends...they are a big part of my life. Your children, your partner, your parents, your brothers and sisters....your God or other beliefs...these are the cogs in the gearbox of your life. Your friends...your friends are the oil that makes everything run sweetly and beautiful. Today I spent the day with my dear friend, Tye...which happens quite a bit. Out came the spinning wheel (and some interesting toys for P & D), some good coffee and on came the inspiration. I felt like trying something new. I have taken some elements of a Plied Snowy style yarn and some elements of our Slubby yarn methods and morphed them...creating this amazing hank....a half twist Slubby. I could make this in any colour...and I can't wait to see how it knits up! (Should be devine) Kathryn, a gal pal who is pretty new to the whole fibre art 'thang' and I were having a lovely relaxing time at our place recently...similar deal....P & D were busy outside, the coffee and cake enjoyed...so we dragged out the dyes and dyepot!! The one thing I love about Kathryn is her enthusiasm. It's funny how a little of enthusiasm can be catching and it can refuel the creative think tank. I'm so glad we caught up for a coffee, Kathryn, and even gladder that we busted out some dyes and rovings. I didn't dream we were about to make something sooooo beautiful!! What is it about good women, good coffee, a few laughs? Does it somehow boost the creative processess?? hehe...Maybe!

I've split this mass of rovings into 2 equal lots of 80 gms each. As you can see I've run one through as a Slubby. I'm going to let Kathryn decide what to do with her half...hehe!! Ohhhhh..I love that yarn!

Thanks to all my Pals...you all know who your all are...thanks to all who log into Sheepychic Bloggings. Remember: Strangers are only friends that you haven't met yet. All the best, Ruth xx

What is the plural of 'beanie'?...A Can! A can of beanies!! hehe

I am hat mad at the moment...I know! Apparently, in years gone by the phrase "Mad as a hatter" was coined by Milliners who over years plying their trade of hat making were sent slowly but surely...er...'dotty' by the particular chemicals used to process rabbit skins. (Tye..I'm sure you will know...what is the correct name for these rabbit skins...also...did Milliners only make womens hats while hatters made mens? hehe...I'll give you a prize if you know!) Check out the hand dyed rovings which I dyed specifically for this hat.... luckily for me there is a fair bit left over..hooray! I love the range of pink...from Musk through to burgandy. The yarn even looked great when it was still on the bobbin............. Well, I have to admit that my spinning is my strong point where knitting is my weaker feature...but it's coming along. Filling a winter beanie request of "different shades of pink, beads, gold thread, and big, soft and cushie" made recently by a work collegue of Sasa has been really enjoyable. I do love a little pink! When I was scetching out what look I was aiming for I was accompanied by 7 children which may explain my aversion of straight lines...hehe!! (we did have fun!!) . I have designed this beanie to be all comfy and floppy at the top...kinda' like a skiing beanie. The double over cuff keeps it nicely up off your face and it's a tiny bit smaller in an area around the forehead so it can stay up and still keep the look of the nice loose top. You can see we have our above mentioned yarn..in both beaded and gold threaded, some Rushworth Snowey, Sheepychic white slubby and a nice little bit of Merry Munchkin Designs "Faery Dawn" yarn which I had in my yarn stash at the very top.....which you can source at http://merrymunchkindesigns.blogspot.com/ If you do go to Merry munchkin designs have a look at some archives where you may find some of Tyes handknit Butterfly shawls. They are stunning...when gathered they appear like a scarf but take the top corners and you have a beautiful set of butterfly wings....which hang nicely over the shoulders and drape down. Anyway, I'm so pleased you have popped into Sheepychic bloggings....many thanks, Ruth xx

Sheepychic winter hats

This is the Pioneer hank...the first ever Slubby-style hank I successfully made and a wee update on how Sheepychic slubby knits up. It was just a teenie weenie hank so I only tackled a baby hat (a sheepychic pattern - 'Brimmed beanie') but I'm so pleased how this yarn knitted up. (oh..and it was soooo nice to knit with!!)

This fabulous little hood bonnet looks so warm and snuggly, doesn't it! I call this design the Sheepychic 'Briah' hat. This one here is hand painted, handspun 100% alpaca. I love the way it goes right down to the shoulder and ties up to protect the ears. (and bug babies who don't like hats!!)

The back is so cute! I can make it really jazzy or plain and simple. You can see from this photo how the alpaca dyes up into soft, muted colours....lovely for baby hats!

Having said that I have had two orders so far for the Briah hat in adult sizes...so if you ever see anyone walk past with one on be sure to give them a high 5...and say "Oi! neat hat!!" hehe

Anyway...thanks for having a look! Ruth xx