A wash a day keeps the fleeces in check..

Over the past two weeks I have tried to make sure that I wash two parcels of fleece every morning - and here are today's on the line drying in the sun. 

Today's fleece is part of the Border Leicester bought at the Masham Sheep Fair.  Yesterday's was some of the Cotswold and hopefully by Friday I shall have some Devon and Cornwall Longwool drying from this beauty.

This gorgeous sheep belongs to Lesley and Darren at  Brexworthy Farm and they have been kind enough to donate a sample for the SpinDyeWeavers display board.

Finally yesterday I finished combing the chocolate Bond, and as I haven't really enjoyed the combing of this one, and any excuse was enough to put it to one side.  The amount of waste from this has come out at a staggering 62% from my 550 grams share I have 207 grams of spinnable fibre!  But only 40 grams is the really fine..............

One excuse was some super black Corriedale given to me by littlemarchhare - it was described as having some hay!  Well perhaps a Corriedale X Hay would have been a closer description, as clearly the sheep had rolled in not only hay but brambles as well, but the fleece was well worth the effort.

I wasn't sure whether to separate the very soft lighter gray, but in the end I decided that it would look good spun as it is, and I am getting a lovely flecked yarn - singles here

and plying on Miss Bliss

Obviously all this washed fleece has to be combed or carded, and I try (very hard) to comb every afternoon, while watching Countdown.  Yes I know day time TV, but you do have to use your brain, plus at the end of the program I also have some spinning fibre - so good use of time I would suggest and a decreasing amount of fleece and a corresponding increasing store of fibre nests.............

I am hoping that having this sort of structure to my life will help during the dark winter months - for as Mr S so kindly pointed out the clocks go back this Sunday!  Which means dark days ahead.....

One too many.........projects on the go perhaps?

I have far too many projects on the go and/or planned!   An attempt at a spot of tidying up has revealed this fact to the world at large.  The tidying up was spurred by some February sun on the dust and a seriously cluttered work space.....

February is nearly as bad as December as far as my winter blues go.  February is not winter, but it isn't spring either, it might be the shortest month, but it seems to form the barrier between winter proper and the hope of spring!  Perhaps if the clocks went forward in February rather than March, the days would be brighter and appear longer.  Another reason that I don't like February is that at the end of the month I will be another year older and again I wonder where on earth the last year went.  Agreed, 2012 was a busy year - the Paralympics took up quite a lot of time, so Mr S and I spent quite a few weeks in London which was fun, even if the Underground isn't that wheelchair friendly!  Then there were the Fibre Festivals - beginning with Unravel (which is next weekend - so considered to be a birthday treat), I missed Wonderwool, but it was cold, and Woolfest (that was wet and cold), I got to Fibre East, which was the wettest weekend ever, even the worms gave up and drowned.  The North Somerset Fleece Fair was cold but dry, and the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show was again rained out!  There was a three hour monsoon which left me sitting on a little island of green amid a sea of muddy brown slush - but all good fun! Hopefully this year all the festivals will be sunny and warm - but all this is procrastination - works in progress.............

1. Started July 2009 - a sock blanket, started with the aim of using up all those odd balls left over    from, strangely enough, socks...
2. A, to be felted bag, started in March 2010, still on the needles, although I have used most of the yarn spun for it on other projects - perhaps I should just frog this one?
3. Started in March 2010 and still on the needles and in its own specially felted work bag, a Shawl  using some of my first lace spinning!
4. Started in September 2011 and still on the needles is my Woodland Shawl - a knitalong, long over!
5. Started January 2012 and still on the needles is my Star of Atlantis Shawl - a design project!m

so those are the long time projects still to be finished, but currently I have

A weaving project, a scarf with some sale yarns in my colours........... loom warped....
A colourwork project, which started out as a scarf, but had to be frogged, so now destined to be a carpet bag.
A quilt, for my second Lloyd Loom chair, the material is currently being stored in the chair...........
A test knit for my Strawberry Thief Shawl.............. now at the last chart stage so nearly there!
My Winter Green Shawl - another knitalong, waiting for the next clue..
Another Shawl, this time by Lilygo, the Princess and the Pea, using some of my gradient dyed yarn, just finishing the second clue....
A Tapestry weaving project - bought last September at the Threshing Barn, 5% done....
Crochet Baskets, two done and two to go - one is probably destined for the raffle!
Samples for the SpinDyeWeaver's display board - three down five or six to go..........
Sheep Key Rings - Mr S made me a beautiful wooden sheep (the one on the left) inspired by a child's toy - but ideal for key rings, don't you think?

A sheep wreath - this is a real work in progress, so no spoilers for now............... but I have the willow soaking..............!

Also there are three fleeces currently in the washing and combing stages, one Bowmont, one Polwarth and one a merino cross - notice that I am not mentioning the 11, yes 11 fleeces stored in pillow cases in the loft!

Spinning Fibre - well there is more than I care to list, but it definitely comes in the SABLE category, and growing!  Well a girl has to treat herself now and again, doesn't she?

Forgot to mention the three bags that are cut out just waiting to be sewn up and the handles attached!

Last week I acquired this beauty from Southern Cross Fibres (BFL and Silk) nice or what?  Could you have resisted temptation?

Next weekend is, as already mentioned, Unravel at the Farnham Maltings, who knows what I will come home with?  But I must remember my resolve not to buy dyed top or yarn that I can replicate myself - well unless it is really special.........................................