Christmas cookies

Cookies anyone? Not much to blog about lately, hope that changes soon. Am working on a gift, will post that photo after Christmas.

Fiber blending and color choices

If it wasn't for the spinning meetings, nothing much would be getting accomplished around here lately. Except maybe some snowshoeing. There isn't enough snow for cross country skiing, but we are supposed to get a lake effect storm starting today. Time to wax the skiis!

In the works are some machine-knit kids hats for a Christmas fund raiser, and maybe a basket or two ( also bakery by Dec. 13) Yesterday we blended fibers on hand cards, and my choices were a commercially combed brown corriedale and a coppery bamboo top, then spun on a drop spindle. Am glad to see the copper shows up in the photo. Taken under a daylight 40 watt CFS bulb, instead of the indoor bulbs, which give a yellow cast to the photos. The amount blended was around 60 wool/40 bamboo.
When I got home, realized what caused me to pick those colors. This is Pepper.

Knitted hats

These are machine knitted skull caps that will probably fit a newborn. Made from Red Heart acrylic, and had fun picking the stripe colors.
This rolled brim one was a basic recipe from a member of Ravelry.

Dyed Silk hanky

This is a silk hanky, ( which is made up of several silk cocoons processed into a flat, layered mat about 6" x 8") dyed with Country classic dye at Joyce's on Nov. 5th. The colors I used were fluorescent pink, pumpkin and daisy. We put plastic wrap down, laid out the silk hankies ( I layered mine, 4 altogether) and then dabbed on the color with a disposable paint brush. Rolled the whole thing up in the plastic and put in the pot to steam for 30 minutes. Next week we will be spinning the silk, so will post a picture of it finished up.

Too cute

Introducing Lars McSnuffles

Painting

This was posted to the spin list yesterday. It was painted in 1853, and here's a link to the site where you can purchase prints, or browse through other artwork.

http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/full.php?ID=7214

What a surprise

When we went to the pet store to buy a bigger cage for our daughter's pet rat, they offered a free rat with any cage purchase. Well, Lucy wanted a friend, so another female came home with us. Two weeks later, this is what we found...a dozen babies. They are cute, and mom is taking good care of them, so far. They were born Monday, October 27.

* update Nov 7- the pet store took them all back, with the cage and suggested a trade ; a dwarf hamster and cage...we are going today to pick them up.