We all like new stuff!

I have an old friend who I've been trying and trying to knit a winter beanie for...and for whatever reason each attempt has been..well...not what I'm looking for, or what I can imagine her being delighted with. She's after something really different and colourful, true...however Sue is often draped in lovely darker fabrics and creating alternative looks...mainly in dark colours and rich purples. She's a very mystical, warm person. On the third try I really want to get this one right. So I reached for the big guns. I'm talking 14 micron 100% Merinoo rovings (so fine it seems like spiderwebs), I'm talking my favourite Japanese gold metallic thread, my much loved metallic purple thread (I'm off to heaven for sharing that purple thread!!) my extremely funky commercial colourful yarnish stuff that Tye gave me..(She'll come too!), my "coal" wool dyes. Then I created this...it is Sheepychic "Gothic Take two". Half of the hank is the black/grey rovings spun then plied with the commercial highlight yarn, and the second half is the same rovings spun and plied back with the gold and purple threads. I love the idea of the "Take two" yarns...and I'm really trying hard to stock up on a few different ones. The beauty of it having a great 2 yarn base for a project...neat! Other projects on the boil include this gorgeous "Morning Muster". I've also spun this up in a tight slubby which come up beautifully as well. This yarn can be made in larger lots, so if anyone would like to order "Morning Muster"either spun or in dyed rovings please feel free to email me. (address is in my profile) The pinks here are also pretty. Pinks are amazing this year...Imagine this in a neat little beanie...especially teamed up with some hand spun white. wow! This hank is a very cool little one-off, too...so you know you won't run into another woman in the lift wearing your beanie!! Well..just a sneak peek! hehe. All the very best from Sheepychic..bye for now. Ruth xx

Lavender Hank Update...update...update...update....

As promised in the previous posting...some pictures of Lynne's Lavender Patch inspired Sheepychic handspun. I've called it Lavern. hehe (pictured: Lavern in the pot)

You can see my Lavender Patch intentions here in the dye pot...but as you can see with the rovings drying by the fire the lavender's base colours have gone walk abouts.

I looooooovvveee this accidental result. But please....hehe don't order this one..I can't remake this! It's an absolute ONE OFF...and even more the charming this way! (pictured: dyed rovings drying by the fire)

(pictured: Sheepychic Lavern spun in a slubby style)

Lynne's keen to knit up a winter beanie with this lot...so I spun 80gms of the rovings into a slubby style...leaving 100 gms. 80 gms went into a neat gold ply hank leaving 20 gms. over. hmmm...what to do?

I grabbed another 60gms of white Merino (my bobbins hold about 80 to 95 gms depending on the technique I use) and spun them off together throwing in a little gold fibre as I went.

(pictured: Lavern Snowy....very chunky)

By blending the same rovings through the 2nd. hank it's a guarantee the two hanks for this beanie will go together beautifully....

(pictured: Lavern with a neat gold metallic thread ply)

I'm just loving this extra little hank...imagine this hank knitted up in a shoulder scarf under a nice winter jacket.

Well...that's about it for Sheepychic bloggings for this posting. I'm looking forward to an upcoming Sheepychic spinning demo with Broughton Lea's knitting group...so a big hello to all at Broughton Lea...put the kettle on!

All the very, very best...and thanks so much for logging into Sheepychic. Feel free to add a little comment...they make my day!!

Ruth xxx

How Sheepychic is thaaaattt?!?!?!?

When you're at your spinning wheel late in the evening, oh-so-lovingly spinning some rovings that you have dyed off...you become really close to that yarn. (I know this sounds bizarre..!) You combine the shades, you feel the textures, you choose which embellishments (if any)...you know the perfect lengths and maybe some not-so perfect spots. I dedicate quite a bit of time to each hank, as you could imagine. This all combines to form the finger print of the yarn...and is also a reflection of the fibre-junkie spinning at that ungodly hour! So when you parcel up your handspun and send that ol' Sheepychic yarn on it's way to a shop..or on to a keen knitter I sometimes wonder where it will end up and what it looks like. It's for this reason I want to start a segment on this blog called.......big drum roll............"How Sheepychic is thaaaattt?!?" So please...blogsters....if you have something neat you'ld like to show 'n' tell that you've knitted from Sheepychic yarn, email me the picture and you may get a gurnsey on...."How Sheepychic is thaaaattt?!?!" Wow!! Ooh! Ooh!! Good Idea!! : Let's see if we can get some photos taken with a Sheepychic beanie or anything with Sheepychic yarn in really far out places. Anyone going overseas?? Photos in front of the Eiffel Tower or with a famous person...mega! Maybe we could get a photo from the top of a mountain!

If I get a few photos...who knows? I might have to put up a hank for a prize!

(pictured: Kathryn's Sheepychic Arvo by the fire scarf) This hank pictured up the top has been posted before...(check out the archives for more information.) It went off to Kathryn who knitted it up in a Sheepychic pattern "An arvo by the fire scarf". I easily remember spinning this hank up 'cos I went all out with the beading and sequins. It looks lovely, Kathryn. It was a real thrill to see how it came out! I love the way there is no front and back...the beading and sequins sparkle equally beautifully on both sides. I'm also pleased of the neat size...being a one hank project! Very nice! On to new things...I have dyed some rovings destined for my dear friend, Lynne. She was after something reminding her of a lavender patch...combining the light purples and greens. I dyed some Merino...only to see that some colours had leeched away from the purples. Dyes do have a mind of their own sometimes. I'm still happy with the result, though. Pictures and more information next posting. All the very, very best...and thanks for logging into Sheepychic. Feel free to leave a little comment. They make my day! Ruth xx

Shop meets Sheep

If you surveyed the general population I bet many, many people associate the words hand spun yarns with brown or cream wool (albeit beautiful) for country style knitwear.... however my spinning comrade Tye and I are always looking for ways to push the boundaries a little. (pictured...Sheepychic Falls. Care for a swim? hehe)

Take a look at the three hanks to the left of Sheepychic falls...we have 100% Merino handspun plied back with all sorts of goodies. (Tye's find...she has a wonderful knack of finding groovy stuff to incorporate with handspun - check out http://merrymunchkindesigns.blogspot.com/ )

(pictured: Sheepychic "Hearth-Side")

The neat fluffies are mohair bound in polyester and are commercially available. When running this back through with the Merino handspun I tossed in intervals of gold metallic fibres. Oh wow!...it actually looks warm! hehe

(pictured: Sheepychic "Glacier-side")

Same technique...different colours. Can you imagine working this yarn through a beanie with...say...some Sheepychic varied blue Slubby? Winter hat heaven!

Earthy colours work well, too..."Sheepychic Shaggy"

Everyone loves a funky novelty yarn at the moment but with these hanks you can have that wonderful hand spun Merino warmth...with a cool eye-catch. Neat!

Thanks for popping in to Sheepychic...and thanks soooo much for the great little comments. They make my day!

Ruth xx

Here she is...Sheepychic herself!! hehe

Having introduced the very cooooll mannnn Sheepychic 'Woolstock' range, I'm gonna spread a little more love 'round....with some yarn I made at Tyes place while she was socking it to some yarn. hehe Meet Fleeceia, my very special model. Warning....don't gaze for too long into her eyes....I promise...she'll hypnotise you and implant subliminal messages... (mass produced imported synthetic yarn is eeevvvillll... e v i llll.... evilllllllllllllll...... or ...You need a beanieeee... a beannnnieeeee...... a hand dyed, hand knit, one-off beanieeee.. and I know where you can get one!)

Fleeceia's left eye is my favourite...and made it to the ranks of Sheepychic Woolstock thanks to Tyes suggestion. It's called "Janets Jumper".

Right eye is a Rainbow dye pattern. Old, tried and true.

Fleeceia's lips are almost outrageous. The 'varied Musk Stick pink' rovings I used for this hank I prepared myself with my old carding machine. It's fun and rewarding...but phew!!! Big job!

This pink yarn would knit up beautifully, though, with heaps of daisies and white slubby. (Would have any little girl grin from 'ere to 'ere...) Come to think of it, I have a very special little neice in mind...and her birthday is coming up!

That's that for this posting...thanks so much for popping in. Feel free to leave a comment, 'cos it's fun and rewarding to see that people are logging in and catching up with a little Sheepychic. All the very best, Ruth xx