Rolags, Blending Boards and Textured Yarn Spinning

Rolags, Blending Boards and Textured Yarn Spinning

I frequently use a blending board to create my rolag hybrids in the evening while relaxing. A blending board is more portable than a drum carder but allows more layering and blending than a pair of hand carders. Read more….

Ponchos, Shawls, and Mobius Oh My……

Ponchos, Shawls, and Mobius OH my….they have been multiplying as I have been crocheting so very much recently.  Crochet is easy to do, easy to transport and relaxing.  Free form Crochet is even more of my favorite as I form and shape the garment as it emerges.  Size Changes can be made as I go along to get very interesting shapes and designs.

Fall Circle Poncho.  This is free form crochet at its best with a 17 mm size R. I used a lovely Boucle Yarn that is 35% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino, 30% Bamboo, and 5% Nylon Binder….Baby WooBoo Boucle Yarn.

Close up
Fall Circle Poncho

 

 

I hand painted the 2 skeins with Greener Shades Acid Dyes for Color to get this wonderful array of Fall Colors.  I also crocheted a lovely small cowl neck line for extra warmth and snuggle as this is such a super soft yarn.  Every person that has tried this Fall Circle Poncho on has twirled in a circle smiling and giggling or they have wrapped up with it and burrowed deep like a turtle.  It is a springy, soft, bouncy yarn with lots of character.

 

Close up

 

Chartreuse Green Boucle Poncho is another free form crochet poncho that I did with the same size hook and  the same Boucle yarn hand dyed into this eye popping Chartreuse Green.

 

Chartreuse Green Boucle Poncho

This is more of a ballet sort of poncho, closer to the body, more open lace and much lighter than the circle poncho.  It is such a fun color!!

Spring Fling Shawl is done with the same large size R bamboo crochet hook and the Boucle Baby WooBoo Yarn.  I hand painted this in these lovely spring bright colors.

Spring Fling Shawl with both ends wrapped over a shoulder
Spring Fling Mobius

 

 

 

 

 

The Spring Fling Mobius can be worn in so many ways such as low on the shoulder like a small snug or wrap.

 

Spring Fling Mobius double on neck

 

Or it can be worn double looped around your neck for a very warm neck indeed  on those cold nights.

All of these can be found in my shop online for Alba Ranch except the Fall Circle Poncho.  That I am going to put in a Fashion Show in Salida, CO in October.

 

 

The Day After….

Today is the Day After my Birthday.  We are recovering from eating and cooking all sorts of things yesterday.  The Llama ladies seem to be settling in nicely and mostly getting along with the Live Stock Guardian dogs. Glenda has been particularly pissy this last week or so with the LGD as her due date for her cria is May 15 so her hormones are showing.

Hand Painted Cheviot Roving

I was ran over by an alpaca about 5 weeks ago which sprained a wrist, broke a bone in my hand, knocked ribs out, shoulders out and other damage.  I have not been on the computer much with my hand injuries or doing a ton of spinning.  The alpaca is no longer on the ranch, nor will it be ever!

I have been dyeing Cheviot rovings, Merino Rovings, Various yarns in fun boucles to keep myself busy.  The Cheviot roving will be used to create more art batts like I did several months ago as I need at least 600 more yds to go with the yarn I have now to weave my sweater coat.  I have the warp all dyed and ready, half the weft dyed and spun, and all the Teeswater Long Locks dyed and ready for the cuff and trim bits.

I think that the Cheviot roving will make some interesting art batts and the rest I am thinking of weaving into a rug on my peg loom.

I did just get an 8 ft Triangle loom, easel and other bits so I can make numerous sizes of triangles as well as rectangles.  We have not set it up yet as I am in the middle of crocheting

Mystery Yarn

a poncho and then a shawl and then the loom will go together.  It isn’t something I want sitting around not being used.  I can’t really put it together in our little cabin until I am ready to use it.  The cabin is only 12×18 so which corner would I put an 8 ft Tri Loom in out of the way? haha

I did make other art batts, hand dyed and hand spun them into yarn to go with the sweater coat.  But the art batts did not turn out the correct color for the sweater coat.  Right now I have about 750 yds all spun up and the twist set with enough art batts to maybe spin up more for a total of 2000 yds.  Not sure what to do with this yarn as this was unexpected.  I haven’t even been able to come up with a name for it.  It is Merino, Silk, Milk, Angelina, Bamboo and a touch of Cheviot.  what do you think I should call this yarn?