I've been neglecting this blog, but what is new- I get busy and forget. I do update my bento blog much more often at least!

I've been up to a lot. I just did an art show this weekend and sold a little yarn. I've been spinning, weaving, dyeing, sewing and working with the critters. Here are some shots of yarn.


These yarns are all naturally dyed during a dye workshop I took a couple weeks ago. The first two on the left are cochineal, one was dipped in ammonia, and there is a slight difference, but not enough to show in the photo. (not to mention that the picture is taken with artificial light at night!) The third skein is cochineal overdyed with one dip of indigo. I hope that the indigo holds up. The next skein is just indigo, several dips to get it reasonably dark. Then there is a walnut overdyed with indigo, a dill overdyed with indigo, a walnut and a dill. The dill and walnut are lighter than expected, which is probably due to a high mineral content in the water in Grass Valley. It was fun and hopefully will help get me to try more natural dyeing.


This second picture is some handspun cormo I've been working on. Over the summer I was on a lime and orange kick. I mentioned it to a friend at Lambtown and talked her into watching my booth when she mentioned that one of my favorite wool vendors had some lime green and orange roving for sale. I ran and grabbed it. I've spun a few bobbins, but still have a reasonable amount to go. I have an idea for this yarn, but I need to see just how much I have when I'm done to make sure it will work.

What I did last Saturday......

I sold yarn and fiber at Lambtown. I didn't have time to take any pictures, but there is one here.

A new dress-

It's not the best picture, as I'd just had a tooth filled, but I do like the dress. I didn't think that the skirt was full enough, so I made a corded petticoat to wear under it. I do like how the skirt fits with the corded petticoat, a tucked petticoat and my full plain petticoat layered under it. I wore it with my new robert land boots to a Civil War period dance on Saturday. (yes, I know it's about 15 years too early.... It's what I had!)

I have been knitting a little bit, I've got several socks going, and a pair of mittens almost finished. I also finally decided to just serge the raw edges of the towels I took off of my loom months ago. I hope that they hold up, but they've already been gifted, so I don't have any pictures of them. I also made a dress for Gianna, but it's still a little big for her.

New words

I babysat my 15 1/2 month old niece tonight- she's definately a busy girl. She's picked up a TON of new words this month. Tonight I heard the most of "hi," "no," "mine," and "meow." I think she also told me "nothing" at one point when I asked what she was doing.

The picture above was taken in February- she is hiding under the apron of my 1840's dress.

random stuff

Babies! two new texel litters born this week.

And some weaving

It's only about 3" wide, threaded as an 8 harness rosepath, the treadles are tied like a twill, but it's woven as an overshot....

Thumbelina

I have a two day old pup who is just the tiniest thing. I keep thinking that she's not going to make it, but she's acting just like a normal pup other than her size and seems to be eating just fine. Yesterday I took some pictures of her with a half sibling who is about a week old.

And here she is next to a pair of normal sized fiskars for a size comparison.

http://www.savestateparks.org/

Cat fluff everywhere.....

I guess it's spring! Happy spring!



Wolfie can come by and add some of the fluff to your floor too! Can't you see how happy he is to roll it all off?

Why was I complaining about navy blue fabric and navy blue thread in my last post? Well it had to do with something I've been working on for Sutter's Fort. I recently finished docent training there, and now I'm getting a period costume together.

These pictures were taken in my parent's living room- with a small house and two cats, there is no way my place is that neat.

The dress is made from a blue and tan plaid "homespun" cotton fabric. I used a pattern from Sutter's Fort called the "1840's Wrapper Dress." I did alter the pattern a little bit to cartridge pleat the skirt. (I had to add a strip of fabric to the pleated part of the skirt and put a binding on the bodice where the skirt was sewn.) I also lengthened it a little bit. In the pictures I'm wearing period undergarments- three petticoats, a chemise, a corset and a pair of drawers. I also need to work on an apron, and I have a straw bonnet that I need to modify a little bit. I'm also trying to figure out how to put my hair up- it's so thick, that while I can braid it, one braid won't stay up on my head. I think I might be able to do some sort of figure 8 bun if I do two braids.

Now I'm very tempted to start on another dress from the Laughing Moon Ladies' Round Dress pattern. I'm leaning toward view B, or maybe view C with the sleeves of view B.

When hand sewing with navy blue thread on navy blue fabric, an Ott light is an invaluable tool.

What I'm doing this year....

I have many projects going on in the fibery world. I've been working on an 1847 costume on the sewing front. It's coming along, but I'm getting distracted by other things too.

I've finished several pairs of socks this year, you can see them all right here.
This pair is made from handspun BFL

I've started a few new pairs of socks, one is a pair of cabled socks with trekking.

it's farther along than the picture now, but this one shows the cables better. I've also got a regia cotton surf sock started, as well as a pair of mittens from Folk Mittens.