Gushing.....

Gushing....yes, I'm afraid this may be a "grandma gushes" post.  You see, yesterday was a big day for our family, with tomorrow being even bigger!  Someone is turning Two tomorrow!  He'll be opening presents here later today, and tomorrow we plan on making/decorating birthday cupcakes together, but...... 

his official party was yesterday.  It was a nice time for all, even though Mother Nature was not very cooperative.  We have had nothing but rain for the last several weeks, and DD got an early morning phone call with the news that the originally reserved park venue was flooded.  So, even a last minute scurry to notify all guests of a location change, blazing hot temperatures and strong wind gusts didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the celebration.

Good eats were had by everyone!

He soon remembered how to open gifts.

Some were to dream about,

And some were of sheer wonder (he loves anything with wheels....).

But when it was all said and done....he's just all ready to start a busy year as a two year old!

Hope this Grandma can keep up!!!   LOL!

And now the fibering gushing:

Is this not a hoot!  Through a friend (or two, actually) at TNKG, I came into contact with a lady who had been gifted a huge bag of processed wool.  Apparently her neighbor has sheep and presented her a bag full of fluffiness.  She had no idea what to do with it.....so she went in search of a spinner.

I can hardly call myself that, but I thought, sure, I'd give it a try.  She liked the sample skein I spun, and well....as they say, "the rest is history".  She wanted bulky weight, lumpy bumpy yarn.  I think she plans on dyeing it.  She is a very artsey gal, and I'm sure she will turn this plain natural yarn into a beautiful creation!  She is currently on vacation, so I am anxiously awaiting her return so I can get this first 450 yards to her.  (The remains enough unspun fiber for another 12 skeins....if she so desires).  I am hoping that she is happy with it.  I really do think she will love it!

I  totally enjoyed spinning it - with lumpy bumpy abandon!  It was my first project using my Woolee Winder.  Also the first time I spun from roving rather than combed top.  (For the non-spinners out there, roving is more jumbled fibers, where in top the fibers are all aligned with one another).  In the process of experimentation, I learned how to do a "long draw" which is great for this fiber - creating a softer, fluffier woolen spun yarn!  Doing long draw is just so much fun.......makes me dizzy just thinking about it!

I really can't gush enough about the Woolee Winder!  I just love it.  I started on a 3-ply SW Merino last night.  Just an experimentation with the WW - but I think it will be a very nice 3-ply fingering when I am done.  I am SOOOOOO happy that I took my husband's offer of a Woolee Winder gift!!!  Love it!

So, since this is a positive post, I won't mention that I knit an entire sock, totally finished, ends woven in and everything just to frog it all!  It was a Cookie A pattern knit out of my handspun sock yarn.  Just wasn't loving it!  The yarn deserved to be knit into a sock that I would love and wear.  That may be a plain vanilla, we'll see.

And, I am currently working on some little cotton washcloths.  I recently joined our local knitting guild.  They are supporting a fund raising project.  They are collecting washcloths to be sold with 100% of the proceeds going to the gulf oil cleanup effort.   I'm not enjoying knitting them in worsted weight, which is what they requested, so not sure how many I will manage to make, but I'll do my best.  It is nice to use some of the stashed ww cottons.

Happy knitting, spinning, or whatever makes you happy!  Take care....