Mandie's rovings...

I remember quotes. If they strike me, I remember 'em. I not talking about quotes of writers or this or that genius...I'm talking about small snatches of conversation with a person...be it friend, foe or other. One example of this is my Nanna once saying to my Mum, as she sipped a freshly made coffee..."Oh, A, the coffee tastes just so much nicer when made by someone else." Thinking about this, it must have been....oh, about 25 years ago that I heard her say that. Sadly, both women are no longer with us...in body, anyway.

I was thinking about this quote today, when I was happily spinning. My spinning has been a little quiet (and thus my blogging) lately with a few of life's up's and down's... This morning I stepped out the front and to my delight an unexpected parcel was at the door. On opening I realise (a smile spread totally across my face) that Mandie (aka Ewe-give-me-the-knits..see the link) had dropped me a surprise parcel containing two of her divine hand dyed rovings. Now I dunno what it is about Mandies rovings but I tend to wanna drop everything and spin them straight away....and I realised that it was really nice spinning someone else's hand dyed rovings. This is not something I've done much of...but it kinda seemed like a really nice connection. Click on the picture to enlarge it. Get a load of those colours!!!! I should've taken a picture of the rovings before I spun them...but I was in too much of a hurry! hehe...

Other works of Sheepychic...a cute little 2 ply I've made up for a younger girls beanie. I don't often do the 2 ply...but I'm happy with this. It's a hand dyed rainbow roving wrapped about a Rose dyed roving I purchased from the guild rooms in Carlton, Melbourne. I love it, but I'll calm it down with some white, and maybe I'll add some Daisies or such.

Also a Sheepychic hank "Pond-side Rye" I've hand dyed this, and spun it through with a twinkling silver metallic thread, and popped in a few silver beads as well. Talk about a wonderful hank for an amazing winter scarf. Fabulous contemporary colourway....imagine this nestled with a black jacket. (Very Melbourne!) Finally, on my quest to find yarn "that guys like" this is Sheepychic "The Dark"...according to DH he would wear it. Or like a stubbie holder in it. His 'girlie' receptors are very sensitive...so if he likes it you can be assured that any guy would like it.

Just a really quick note before I shoot off...I'd like to wish Tye and David all of the very, very best as their lives continue on as married folk. I was delighted to be along side with them and their families as they exchanged their vows...and I can honestly say that a more loving, genuine and heart-felt ceremony I've never seen. All my love to you both...Ruth..xoxoxox P.S. Aren't I good? No SMS's to David about maps of Tassie or anything! hehe Go and have a look at Tye at Merry Munchkin designs (see link) 'cos I'm hoping for a posting and a couple of photos.

Thanks for popping into Sheepychic bloggings. All the best, Ruth...xoxox

Batt making for Sheepychic witchie beanie season!

I just love knitting witchie beanies! I put a lot of effort into finding just the right mix of yarns. I usually like to go for a Gothic type feel so I use dark colours but I try to have a few little quirky twists of colour...then I just knit them up free style...no pattern. This is so fun and relaxing...and I reckon it's cool that no two are the same!!

I've been dabbling around with my old carder to make a totally witchie yarn. I've got here some black Alpaca, which I've cleaned and picked through from scratch...A couple of lengths of a rainbow hand dyed Merino rovings and a small amount of gold angelina fibres. I (or should I say M and I) ran the lot in varying quantities slowly through the carder (watch your fingers, M!!) and tossed in some sparkling fibres here and there....the results were so pleasing!! Check up the shimmer on the photo. The fibres really flare up! I finished up two batts, which I ran through the carder twice...anymore and I would have lost the definition between the black alpaca and the coloured Merino. I went on to spin them up straight away...then I plied it back over with some gold fibre. Hehe...this is going to be the grooviest Witchie beanie ever!! Stay tuned for some pictures over the next few days of the finished yarn...and hopefully the hat itself!

Here is a picture of the batt just as I've lifted it off the drum carder...I you are interested in buying some please email me....I will make some up to order. The price will have to vary according to the fleece I use.

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

Ruth xoxox

email: sheepychic@hotmail.com

Occasionally a hank comes along that you just don't wanna post....

Making hand made contemporary yarns can be a journey. From the dye pots, through to the spinning wheel and onto the needles...it can bring amazing highs...and then occasionally a sigh with your palm smooshed on your forehead. You can endure the dye stained hands,(which we all must avoid...very poisonous), the spotted kitchen benches, the wheel inexplicably losing it's mojo leaving you begging and cursing, and the well meaning octogenarian traditional spinner gently assuring you that one day you will be able to spin the perfectly uniformed and balanced 8 ply **;)**

(pictured: Sheepychic's Quality Assurance Manager giving Lillibet's rovings a going over....)

Yes you can endure that because the personal pay off is amazing...when your hands are cradling something like this gorgeous hank...It's Sheepychic "Lillibet the 2nd." spun to order for Melissa. It'll be hard to send this off, though Melissa...hehe...I can see myself running after the postie truck yelling "Nooooooooooooooooooooo ....Lillibeettttt...commmee baackkkkk" hehe!!!

Lillibet the 2nd. is a great example of the unique nature of each and every handmade yarn. I have followed the same dye methods and spinning techniques exactly...leaving a beautiful (yes) but slightly different yarn. (She was just so lovely to spin...the wheel even sounded nice!) I can make larger identical lots quite happily, but they all have to be dyed and spun at the one order....

Thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings...but just before I go..I want to take a minute to thank the Melissa's of this world who take the time to look up some small fibre art operators like Sheepychic and countless others when purchasing some yarn for your winter goodies...your support is so appreciated...

All the very best, Ruth...xoxoox

Any yarn or roving enquiries or just a g'day...email sheepychic@hotmail.com

Three years on...we made it!

3 years ago I was busy. I'm a little on the busy side now...but I guess I'm used to it. It's a fun kind of busy....that's what I keep telling myself, anyhow..hehe.. 3 years ago this week I bought home newborn P&D.... (who says GOD doesn't have a sense of humor) Tye was with S and I to help us bring them into the world...can you believe it was three years ago, Tye?... It was an amazing day...an amazing week. It is lovely to watch these guys playing and looking after each other. They really are close. I'm chuckling at that pic of P...she looks sooooo sweet. Boy-oh-boy....she keeps me on my toes, believe me! I'm told I was a bit naughty when I was a kid. I'm thinkin' it's hereditary!

Can you believe poor D was so out of sorts on the night of his birthday. He was happy go luck all day, went to bed happily, then an hour later he was awake crying. (Strange for him) I tried everything but he was so uncomfortable. He was covering his ear so I gave him some paracetamol but it didn't seem to work. By 3 am my instinct decided he'd put something in his ear..off to the hospital. When the doctor looked in his ear a heap of clear moisture leaked out. He quickly announced he had a perforated ear drum..(I'm thinking he'd have been sick...but he wasn't) They gave him some medicine and he was yelling "disgusting, disgusting! go away!" hehe... After that he was fit and happy again. I'm still sure he didn't have a perforated ear drum...My diagnosis?.. water-bottle-in the-ear-just-to-amuse-your-sister-itis. I was supposed to go and get him anti-biotics...but he is 100% well. I guess I'll give them a miss.

Before I log off...I might quickly mention some Sheepychic "Cuffies" I've been having some fun with. I made one up and had it sitting around without further thought then B spotted it and she absolutely loves it. It goes to school...everywhere. Her gal pals all want one...as does M who wants a 'blokey' one. I've made a few up...all with Sheepychic handspun. Have a look in Sheepychic shop to see some for sale. They're $7, postage free.

All the best, and thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings. For any yarn enquiries please email me at sheepychic@hotmail.com

bye for now, Ruth...xoxox

Little snake...big attitude.

I was a supermum today. When more often that not I'm juggling too many balls and dropping them occasionally...(gosh...did I just write that?!?!? ppppppffffftttt!!!) I am pleased to say ...not today. I hopped up singin' and got all 4 kids ready in a jiffy and realised we were ready so early we had time to cook pancakes for breaky.

After which the children filed in for teeth brushing..(I was stunned) then the girls had their hair done. (huh?? no whinging!!) We head out the front door to be confronted by a tiger snake on the door step. I flicked it up with a stick into our beach bucket ('cos I didn't wanna be late after all my effort!) hehe..Now I'm sounding like the amazing snake woman...but check out the size of it.

I phone the local snake wrangler who quickly came to relocate it (they're protected) and he pointed out that this little fella could still kill a child. Omg. Not so brave now. It was hissin' and rearing up and doing it's best impersonation of Oscar's pet worm on Sesame Street...having a biiiigg hissy fit. Thank god it's Mum and Dad seem nowhere to be found.

On the Sheepychic front I've been busy knitting up a few more head bands...I'll list a couple in Sheepychic shop. This one pictured is made from a cute Sheepychic "snowy varied green" hank that I've had for a while. It looks a little chunky but it's not really....little P is a pip-squeek! hehe..Just sitting here looking at that picture I reckon that yarn would look great knitting up into a surfie style beanie...it's cute! I ran two green dyes over Merino rovings in different strengths, popped it in a croc pot and didn't stir at all...then when I spun I drew from both white rovings and the dyed Merino. I found that if I varied the angle of my drafting hand the yarn would flow between whiter or greener. It was good fun....a while ago now, though. If you'd like to order some yarn in a similar style...be it varied green or any other colour (varied pinks look great, too) just leave me an email at sheepychic@hotmail.com and I can spin you a 100gm. hank for $22. (plus the postage cost)

Time now, though to put my feet up a little. All is quiet. Ahhhhhh...nice. A drop of Red, anyone? hehe All the best, and thanks for logging into Sheepychic Bloggings. Ruth...xoxox

My children are quite welcome to have a little "turn" of my wheel...even the little ones. I slip off any bobbins and bands and they can sit and treadle the wheel. I find by doing this they actually fiddle with it less than if I tell them not to! hehe...I guess it gets it out of their systems. Occasionally, B asks if she can re-organise my yarn stocks....and if the old yarn cabinet is a bit unorganised I let her....she's very careful. One hank of yarn, Sheepychic "Tropical" seems to be the girls favourite. I guess it is so summery. I had been keen to design a drink bottle sling for my sister who does lots of walking and gets sick of carrying her water bottle....so what better yarn to use! hehe...hand dyed summery colours, chunky 100% Merino. Wool is a natural insulator and water resistant so it is very practical. I've knitted it over smaller needles than I would normally use for chunky yarn and this has given me a very thick, sturdy product. Cool!!

I've called it the Sheepychic "beach walker bottle" and you can order them for $20. Just email....

Another yarn I've been busy with is Sheepychic "Mountain Ash" I've got to say I'm pretty delighted with this one. I've hand dyed %100 Merino with beautiful greens, lilacs, pale blues...you can see the pictures. The colours show here pretty accurately. I've spun it through with copious amounts of a glitz called "Moodey Dhoo" which I love as it is a lighter colour than the usual glitzes. It's available from http://ewegivemetheknits.blogspot.com/ It has given the whole yarn a curious yet subtle iridescent appearance...especially as I've plied the whole thing over with some Japanese gold metallic thread.

It's a really big hank...weighing somewhere around the 220gm mark. I will offer it for sale as a whole for a while in case someone is keen for a larger project. After a couple of weeks I may separate it into 2 hanks.

Thanks so much for popping into Sheepychic bloggings...and thanks so much for your emails and enquires. I'll get cracking on your orders so you can get a headstart for the Autumn weather! Bye for now, Ruth...xoxox