art yarn

A few weeks ago I bought Lexi Boeger's book, Intertwined , about spinning unique yarns using a variety of new techniques. So I am Completely Inspired!!!! Although maybe I will continue to increase my more traditional spinning skills, I am also keen to play around with fibre too. So I attempted my first art yarn, using some ratty old roving that I dyed last week, some bits of sari fibre left over from my Blendy box sampler , I cut up a sari skirt that never fit me and weren't really my colours and spun a thick and thin single using a thread for stability through the whole skein. Here is the result:

And last night we had this sunset:

I can see that sunset inspiring some fibre adventure too sometime.

fibre and fun filled days

hand painted merino from a giveaway by  spinning a yarn  last year, finally spun and plied this morning. 

Natty and gnarly, thick and thin yarn, from that in raw fleece from the other day. Anyone teach me about handcarding?

A birthday party for a toy dog named Sally, last year we celebrated her fourth birthday, this year shes 16!

We all love reading!

 As well: dyed some tick and thin spun white yarn, pink, blue and green, and some plain white fleece bright pink and red with a bit of purple, but they are still drying.

Have a nice day.

a catch up

Finished: Some mitts for me! Pattern is Reading Mitts on Ravelry.

Maaike's fourth birthday started bright and early.

results of a painting morning from us four that are home during daylight hours.

They really enjoyed the painting, though at times the process overwhelmed me!  Note to self:Next time have it all set up before toddler starts washing hands in water jar and 4 year old paints the table! Also art smocks would be good!

 I am tired but inspired this week after hooking up with some other home schoolers and talking about what they do. Actually just knowing there are others like us, even if we all do things our own way is good. There are even other homeschoolers down the street! ( Believe me our road is so rural, its surprises me sometimes there is anyone down the street, especially on foggy mornings!)

So inspired I am and have to knuckle down and provide more for the children, and do it alongside I think. Not lessons as such but definately experiences with variety as the spice of life?

My W.I.P s are some homespun socks for Anoushka ( two at a a time on circs, how hard can it be?), spinning some raw fleece in the grease and trying to learn to handcard from  googled sites; videos aren't any good for slow dial up like this!

The blanket for girls is taking some time out and I am trying to find time for sewing overpants , new cushion covers for  lounge, an obi belt for me and more pants for the young lad. 

what inspires you and what are you making?

Birthday preparations

 Seeing as I hadn't realised just how fast a fourth birthday has crept up I have been rather stressed and busy!
Last weekend we were lucky enough to have my father visiting too so lovely busy times.  Have more cooking and baking to do for tomorrow....

so far

So far...  we have got a cat and 5 chooks! Dug over some vege garden, planted broad beans and transplanted strawberry plants and a rosemary bush from poole st house. We have unpacked everything except all the books and the adults clothes. today we read a story about the letter P ( in a very roundabout, Oak meadow curriculum way), and did pictures of P in our workbooks,  divided and planted a  clump of daffodils, baked bread from scratch ( though not sourdough so none for me).

                                

The cat called mittens or slofjes came from the spca and  is very tolerant! She came from a family with children and is about 12 months, they moved I think? She is very loved! ( all sorts of lessons happening here... how when animal s hide under the bed they might need some space....), the chooks are brown shavers from the BUy, sell,swap, a local  mag, very interesting to read, actually!
There is lots more to do!

A place of our own ( well kind of)

We are here!!!! Finally! Well we've been  here a week but they only connected our phone line today, so I couldn't communicate till now! And it snowed on the mountains close by us last night! Our move into our home ( a converted woolshed) seems to have coincided with the arrival of winter, which is great as I have been looking forward to a Dovedale winter for a while. We feel like we've come home. ( we lived in the house next door when I had Maaike, she tells everyone she was born there, in the kitchen. it snowed in our valley that night too). The kind of? Well we don't own it. But we can stay as long as we like and we can use the land ( about an acre?) as we like.

I have forgotten how slow dial up can be, and how many photos our digital camera can store.Expect some retrospective shots over coming weeks, he he. And now some pictures.

The children spread out and  play with new-old toys, outside the house, and the snowy mountains.

more yarn

 Maaike started trying to knit earlier in the year, but needed a bit of help, but yesterday, while I was untangling bits of wool she found her knitting and polished off four whole rows with only a quick reminder of the rhyme we use. the shot is a bit grainy though, woops!I had a play on my spinning wheel ( a new to me one, donated by a colleague of my husband, rescued from her garage), playing with how skinny I could make the singles, using scrap bits of fibre that a few months ago I couldn't spin, plying them together etc. Fun!

 The two fibres used here are in natural colours but I have no idea what sheep they came  from. Finally confirmation of moving day! This friday we finally move our stuff into our rural rental and start to make it our home!