Suri Alpaca - Natural Color

This is one ounce of suri alpaca fiber that I carded without washing, then I spun it, plied it, washed it, dried it on my Susan Magnolia (just about to bloom) and crocheted it!  Quick and Fun.  Beautiful fiber!

Dyeing Again

 I am getting the suri alpaca roving (from Nancy!!) ready for the microwave.  The roving was first soaked in vinegar water.

Then the roving is rolled up in Saran wrap and put on a plate and microwaved.

I was also dyeing some merino wool roving in jars.  Very easy!  It looks like a jar of yummy pickled peaches.  But, it isn't!

 After the alpaca cooled to room temp and sat all night to absorb any more dye, I rinsed it in cool water. 

I dried it over my flat leafed Italian parsley (doesn't everyone have one in their sunroom for Italian cooking?? And, roasted red and sweet potatoes??)  and palm tree.

Then I predrafted it a bit and rolled it into a ball.  Ready to spin!  This is a 2 oz. ball.  Each little microwave bun was 2 oz.  I sometimes put more in a wool bun.  But, I wanted to make sure this was cooked really good as sometimes alpaca is a bit stubborn to take the dye.

New Fancy Kitty Kitten

I just got my new drum carder!  Yeah!  I just carded a batt of silk and Merino wool.  Then, I tore it into roving and put it in the spinning wheel.

More Fiber Art

Here are photos from my projects/classes at the Jefferson City Fiber Retreat last weekend.  Wow!  I am exhausted.  I am still resting up from my purse class, hat class and spinning class.  I had great and patient instructors.  I really enjoyed meeting old (oops, I better say "previous" friends) and making new friends.

New Small Oil Paintings

With the glass and wool areas closed for a month in my basement, I've been creating little (6x8 and less) oil paintings.  Here are some (Ok, only 16 of them):

November Chill

Here are some glass pins for Christmas, still warm and in the kiln.

Here is some wool roving, freshly dyed and drying in the sun.  I am hoping to spin it and make warm scarves!

Here is some freshly spun and laundered wool yarn drying in the fresh air.

More Blue Faced Leicester

I am finding this wool pretty easy to spin.  So, I dyed some more!