a simple yarn

School has officially been closed for 12 days. In reality, my kids have been ’school-less’ for 14 days…7 of which we were on holiday. Also took them to cinema for latest kiddie film. They have had extended time to play with Bunny-Fern and neighbourhood children. And yet, my kids are BORED! So, it was with a great sigh of relief when Fibre-Friend-And-Recent-Blog-Owner-Holly rang up and suggested a play date. Little did I know she meant us!

Warning:  the following is a photo-intensive post cuz it was a busy, busy, busy day!

Once again, the Kiddies-Four had the run of the house while Holly and I played. In exchange for a small dose of blog help, I received my first spinning lesson. Not as easy as it looks when Ma Ingalls does it. What’s the pattern? Ease the wool, slide the fingers, feed it in, pedal slowly, add some more. To me it was more like walk, chew gum, pat stomach, balance revolving plates….you get my drift…

Look, me spinning…me….my hands…me doing it!

I made this!This little bit of yarn is the product of a morning of intense concentration and you know, I have just remembered that I have a huge amount of fleece in the garage to be carded and spun. Hmmm….I wonder how many blog-help lessons I could barter to source a little spinning assistance!

And as if this wasn’t enough, after lunch became Fibre-Reactive-Highly-Acidic-With-Not-A-Natural-Plant-In-Sight dyeing time! Had the recently-purchased-at-Woolfest Procion dyes on hand. Also had some recently carded batts in house. Had a DVD to entertain the Kiddies. Ready, steady, go…

This will become beautiful yarn Holly assures me. I’m thinking green goo.

Tense moment in rinse…lotsa lanolin left in batts. Will the dye adhere?

A lot of bleeding…and onto Holly’s hands as it turned out.

All is well with the colours…but the smell of cooked wool…

Had some undyed yarn on hand. Trying the tie-dye dip method.

Action closeup is all about orange, my new favorite colour.

After the tie-dye dip, cling film wrapped blue sausage.

One skein…

Two skein…(feel like I ought to complete kiddie rhyme…orange skein, blue skein…)All in all, a rather successful playtime I think. But it comes with a slight drawback. When you have a hammer, everything is a nail. In my case, when you have dyes, everything needs colour…