Australian Sheep and Wool show at Bendigo...

Boy oh boy...did we EVER have a great day out at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo this Friday... B and I had a special gals day out (great to spend the day together...so rare in our oh-so-busy-and-loud family!!) and we met up with Mandie (see the EGMTK's link) and G, and Jo and L. We really did need another day. It was wonderful! Check out these photos! The stock exhibitors where so friendly and approachable. They clearly love their animals... here B is falling in love with a two day old Romney lamb. Still unnamed the generous farmer invited B to name her... Meet "Nikky". Future champion, I'm sure! hehe.

All too often as spinners and knitters a few of us fibre lovers (me included) can forget a little about the "business end" of fleece and wool. I usually receive my fibres in carded or roving form... only occasionally will I get out the scouring agents and buckets and dabble about with raw fleeces.

I had a little trouble at first... Alpaca seems pretty easy to prepare...but with my sheep fleeces I was either left with greasy feeling yarn or yarn dry feeling because I had overdone it with the scouring agents. mmmm. I was also concerned with the amount of water I had to use, with the restrictions and all. After doing a little research, though.. and a few great tips via email from Hollyeqq from Oceans of fibre I have had some success and I'm really keen to explore the different breeds of sheep and goats and see what each one has to offer. (see my blog links... Holly does ammmazing stuff with from scratch with raw fibres ...buy some! )

The show also featured so many amazing stalls with garments, yarns, dyes, rovings.... the list could go on for ever. (and the prices...omg!! So affordable!!) I managed to pick up some cute sock yarn, a first for me. I've always just used my own yarns... Opal sock yarn is a real treat!

I can't wait 'til next year! I missed so much... I want to take two days next year for sure!

Thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings! Yarn or any other enquiries can come on down to sheepychic AT hotmail DOT com. All the very best, Ruth xx

Come in Spinner........

Our poor postie came to the door... "There's a huuuugggee parcel here for you" (we both carried it from her car!) Yooo hhhoooo!! I knew it could only be one thing!! The Country Spinner has arrived! The Country Spinner has arrived!! I was expecting to have to assemble it, but no! It was boxed up, wrapped up protected in Kiwi newspapers ready to roll!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...thanks, Mandie for helping me finally get my hands on one!!

It's gonna take some practise, though... I'm having a little trouble not over twisting the yarn. If anyone reading has some tips... pllleeaasee comment or email me!!

Here in Victoria, Australia the school holidays have just ended and the children are back in school. ( All together...awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.....)

No... seriously! This holiday was really relaxing and thoroughly enjoyed by all. One of our favourite things this holidays is that we had our little mice home for a visit. (The mice stay in the class room at school now, and the children take turns at taking them home for the weekend.) I am delighted that B's super-duper class (and teachers) enjoy having the mice in school... they're such clever, friendly kids. The mice are very comfortable and happy with the children and often get time out of their house. Way to go class!!!! (And hello, if you're popping into Sheepychic during computers.... you guys rock!!)

By the way... check out Rosie mouse posing with her hand dyed Merino bed. This is a fibre art blog, after all.... hehe!

Check out D.H. 's car. It has been rainin' and rain'in and rain'in here in Melbourne lately. You can tell by the car. Are we allowed to say the drought is over yet???

Here is another little pic of some very well played with toys made years ago by our own Merry munchkin designs' Tye. hehe...those toys are still at the top of the toybox... not bad goin'.

Anyway...better wind up this posting. It's going on and on and on.... Thanks for logging into Sheepychic bloggings. Any yarn orders or enquiries can come on through at Sheepychic(AT)hotmail(DOT)com.

All the very best, Ruth...xxx

Sheepychic sock yarn... a work in progress.

Great day! Sheepychic and the EGMTK's guru, Mandie (both of us with kids in tow) met today for a real live coffee... and a wander through Bendigo Mills Sales. hehe... picked up some bargains from Sales but more importantly I took delivery of some goodies from Ewe give me the knits such as some new dyes, cool fibres and some gorgeous soaps. The girls became friends and the boys were great. I couldn't believe how busy Bendigo was, though!! Busy, busy, busy!

(lemme give you the news, though... it takes longer than an hour and a half to get to Bendigo from Melbourne. Why does everyone say that?!?!? heeeellloooooo...) I'm sitting in the car (saying) to B... you can keep your husband waiting, you can even keep the Prime Minister waiting...but you should never NEVER keep a Mum with young kids waiting. Thank goodness there was run about space... Sorry, Mandie!!!!

On the Sheepychic front...I spun a hank of sock yarn. It is a little heavy, I guess... but it made

into a pretty, sparklie Sized 2 ankle sock! When I finished knitting it I raced straight to the scales, weighed the sock, weighed the remaining yarn and HOORAY!!! There's plenty for the next sock!!!

Did you know if you go to EWE GIVE ME THE KNITS site (see the link on the blog) not only can you pick up fibres, mags, dyes etc...but Mandie also stocks SHEEPYCHIC HANDSPUN!! yeah, yeah! Her website is so well organised with carts, paypal...all that stuff...it's just easy peesey!!. Go have a look!

Any way... thanks for logging into Sheepychic Bloggings. No sign of the Country spinner in the post. (But I think the postie thinks I have the hots for him... the way I'm loitering about to see what they've got for me) hehe

All the best, Ruth...xxxxx

Hat's off!

Hooray! I'm back.... what a relief. One good thing about having the computer down is having the spare late evening. I've been knitting some winter hats. Would you like to see some?...hehe...okay then.

This hat is so cute! It will fit a kinda aged little girl and is currently for sale down at the homestead for $35 Aus. Remembering that this beanie is made from hand dyed, handspun Sheepychic yarn, 100% Merino, ...it is an absolute bargain. Check out Robyn's embroidered daisies. (If you would like to order some, email me for Robyn's details.)

Do you recall "Sheepychic - Terra aquarius" yarn? Maybe you do... I had the joy of knitting it into a beaut little boys beanie, for my little mate, Mandie's boy T... Boys yarns can be a little trickie. They seem to like the sparkle just as the girls do, but sparkle and masculine are hard to juggle. T's hat just has a hint of sparkle... the blue shown is a EGMTK's merino / silk blends...then I've plied it over with some sparkly blue metallic thread. (Go and check out Mandie's fibre shop via my blog link! )

I love the bell shape of this ladies hat... it's so gorgeous and comfortable. And warm!!! I still can't decide whether to run a piece of antique lace around it.

**THIS HAT IS STILL AVAILABLE**

Click on it for a close up...

My adult hats pictured here are for sale for $50 AUS...postage in Australia is free. I will post overseas happily, although the purchaser will have to cover costs. Postage to America will cost

about $12 Australian. (P.S...Sheepychic Witchie beanies are a little dearer at $65...)

Another ladies sized hat in a bell shape. 100% Merino, hand dyed, hand spun, and hand knit. If you look closely this yarn is embellished with green angelina fibre. A gorgeous one-off garment. This hat is still available, also....

Also...huge news!! Sheepychic is soon to be the extremely happy owner of a Country Spinner Wheel... Hoooorrrayyyyyy!! Thanks sooo much to Mandie who tracked one down for me. You're a winner, Mandie and your heart is huuuggee... *hugs* Also on the big news front... Builder has given us a start date for our reno's yay!... including Sheepychic's new studio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yaya!!

Anyway...thanks for logging in. Please pass the word that Sheepychic bloggings is up and active again... I know it can get a bit tiresome logging in when there's no new news.

All the very best, Ruth xoxoxox