whackadoodle coconut

my husband and I met up with some friends this weekend and they has asked about spinzilla and wanted to know how it all works.  I had briefly explained how it all works and figured that since I was likely to start from nothing on this journey it might be helpful to know how this all works. Step one: Sheep.  if you want to spin yarn, you will need to source some fiber.  but, where does it come from?  the easy answer is from sheep.  however, living in a non-spinning centered (or sheep herd centric) city, I choose to purchase prepared fiber.  I used to have a shop near by to purchase fiber from, now I order from an online vendor. the possibility also exists to find locks from sheep to prepare and then spin. like these. Step two: Prepare your fiber. I have several methods to choose from.  I own a pair of carders and a pair of combs.  I will either card or comb my fiber until it is the way I want to spin and then I'll spin.  I don...

I will be working up a series on my first experiment/learning curve/opportunity/skills testing experience working with wool.  I have worked with a variety of wool in the past from locks and prepped fiber, but this will be the first working with a fleece. The short version - a friend of mine, who I haven't really talked with in a long while met up at a Christmas party. She had mentioned that she had a fleece and wanted to know what I could do with it.  Well of course I could spin it in to yarn and then make something with it. After a bit more talking and she explained that it was a fair sheep and that she didn't know what condition of wool I needed to spin.  I told her I would take a look and let her know.  Fast forward to last night and she gives me a gallon bag of white fluffy stuff and said she had 4 more bags full. At a quick glance, I'm not too sure if this wool is anything like I have spun or prepped in the past.  But it is worth a try.  The bag sh...

This past weekend was my birthday.  And unlike many other people, I love having my birthday. It is always the best part of the year.  I don't mind getting older.  It's cool with me. This year, the hubby and I went to the Carrizo Plains and Bakersfield for lunch.  Let's take a look at the adventure. Our first two stops were Soda Lake and then Painted Rock.  Then we went to visit Wallace Creek at the San Andreas Fault. It was a really good adventure!  We had some rain while we were hiking and had to take cover under the rocks at Painted Cave and then we saw a bunny doing the same thing. Here are a few panoramics I stitched together in photo shop.      

hooray!  spinzilla has officially concluded and at midnight my time zone all the yardage should have been submitted and the finally team tallies will begin. I really pushed myself this year and placed my goal well outside of my reach.  at times I wasn't sure if I'd even make it.  even my hubby had to cheer me on and give a pep talk about keep working to meet my goal.  it was was close there for a few  hours (a day).  my goal this year to spin 5 km.  That is 5468 yards (5000 meters). at the end of it all, I did make my goal and passed it by just over 100 meters (technically 168 meters). here is my schedule for the week and what actually was  spun.  I was bummed I didn't get to the Sweet Georgia fiber I wanted to spin for this year, but I was unsure of with kind of prep that was needed, I decided to pass in order to make my mileage. of course I plied everything into a 2 ply yarn, so the mileage includes plying credit. three days I spun ...

didn't think there would be a part two.  however, receiving more wooly goodness tuesday and getting my spinning schedule worked up there is a need to update! I picked up one of these (actually two) of the Woolery's Spinzilla special Spinzilla 2017 Fiber packs. it is so soft and gorgeous i person.  this is the first time I have ordered fiber online and wasn't sure if I would like it. usually, I'd rather pick up fiber in person, so I can feel it and get an idea of what it looks like in person (colors, texture, depth, etc).  and the personal experience is better.  plus when my hubs goes along, he likes to help pick out colors and new fiber to challenge me with. I also purchased the Spinzilla 2017 Colorway from Sweet Georgia called fire starter. with eight fiber selections to work through this year, I'm really looking forward to the fun.  my goal is to reach 5456 yards (8047 meters) worth of spinning.  that's a 5k (3.1 miles)!  last year ...

it's that time of the year again ...Spinzilla!  Very excited about this year because I have a better plan for prepping my fiber and my goal is within reach of last year's final yardage. UPDATED: here are some pics of what I began (and finished) for the pre spin to ensure that my wheel is working properly and I remember how to spin.  I opted for finishing the fiber that I had already began to spin, but was trying my patience and needed more work. picked up a cat/dog brush to help work out the compaction in the fiber you can see the little dreds there. fluffy little clouds of fiber, after being worked through with the brush singles waiting to be plied finished plying and ready to be measured and wound I am starting this year with - some warm up spinning (see above), clearing my bobbins, attaching new leaders, and buying new fiber that will be a delight to spin. last year I fell short by a couple bobbins, so I immediately bought more afterwards...

just last week the hubbinator had to go to Brea, CA.  I like going along and seeing what's around and staying in a hotel, watching TV, swimming in a pool and working out in the gym (yuck!, but I do it anyway). this short trip we stayed at an embassy suites in Brea, adjacent to the Brea Mall.  we visited several comic book stores - yay for comic crawls! - made some time for the Richard M Nixon Presidential Library & Museum , stopped at the California Oil Museum in Santa Paula and at Kula Revolving Sushi Bar. I love museums. like, I really love museums.  have I told you about the time we went to the John Steinbeck wax museum in Monterey?  that's a story for another time.  the California Oil Museum is just that. a museum that talks about oil in CA.  I've been to the oil museum in Bakersfield and it's huge.  I mean 3 buildings at the fairgrounds and outdoor exhibits huge.  and it was interactive.  now this is Santa Paula we're talking ab...