Not moaning about the spin drier & Red Poll's

I am not going to whinge about it again........
But "it" and the lack of windows at the farm are beginning to become an obsession.

The white wool should be hanging in the studio, waiting to be dyed, but as it needs to dry as it can't be spun, its taking up all the washing lines.

Have been taking wool photos, as I eventually I found my camera on Fred's floor under his desk, but he wasn't the thief as when I plugged it into the computer there we about 90 photos of Feppy which she was putting on "My space" - she is beginning to go mad and behaving like a 4 year old, in fact when she was 4 she was a lot more sensible. She needs a job!!!

And one of the Red Polls in the field has a calf, I missed the birth, but the baby could only have been a few hours old when I saw him, he was still tottering on his legs. Its a bit difficult to tell whether the other cows are pregnant, as they are big girls to start off with. I mean big waistlines, I think Red Poll's are quite small in the cow world, but very pretty.

Cochineal today, its in one of the new dye vats so I have had to use lots more dye. Yesterday for some reason the weld produced a lot better range of colours, I wonder if its the width of the vat???

New spin drier & shop

I finally got the new spin drier on friday and blew it up yesterday, so I am back to dripping wool all over the garden. Its a creda and very old fashioned no where near as useful as the old one I blew up, but a lot better made.
I guess it didn't like a kilo of wet wool, but at least the flood on the kitchen floor gave it a much needed wash.
We still have no windows at the farm, but we do have flowers. Fred and I did lots of planting on saturday, or rather I planted and he stood with a watering can waiting to be told where to pour and then cleverly broke the watering can.
I am fed up of june, has been a bad breakage month.
But I did start a new website shop yesterday, its only got about 2 things in it, I should be working on it now, but need my lunch.

Weld

Weld today, I managed to soak and boil it to perfection, when the weld came out of the dye bath it was a sludgy yukky pulp, even Fred who had just got out of bed was impressed or should I say unimpressed - lol
Still no sign of my spin drier, Homer promised to collect it today, but phoned me up at lunch time to moan about how busy he was, so I guess it won't be today.
Got my second new dye vat, its even bigger than the first, I will use it for mordanting - can't wait, think it will probably hold 3 - 4 kilos, which is certainly better than the 1 kilo I have been used to.
Have been watching football, because I am forced to and crocheting bucket bags, I have been using merino loop (must give it a better name) and plain wool, they have come out a bit odd, but look great together, will post the photo tomorrow when they are dry.

Madder

Madder today - I do love madder, it has such an earthy smell and a huge history.
Managed to dye a set of colours I don't normally do, as orange isn't a popular colour, but I like them so I am sure there is some one out there who will like them too.
I had forgotton how hard it was to wash and rinse without a spin drier, the kitchen is wet, I'm wet, the patio is wet and the yarn is soaking! Its very windy today - its always windy here living so close to the sea, but I don't think the wind is having much affect. I imagine the skeins will still be wet at the end of the week.

Spin Dryer

Homer mended the spin dryer which was giving me shocks every time I used it, now it doesn't work at all!!!!!!
So I am back to drip drying all the yarn on the garden table.
I did manage to order a new one from a very old fashioned electrical shop, but who knows when I will get it.
Why is it all the electrical equipment breaks down at the same time?

Am dyeing annatto today and have orange hands.

Silk Top

I gave up trying to get Dais to model and managed to persuade Feppy, who is much happier in front of the camera.

The pattern still needs adjustment, but I am quite pleased with the way the silk knits and the colours.

Windows

As you can see from the photo the builders didn't fit the windows in the dye room yesterday.
But watch this spot as this is where they will be hopefully very soon. The brick dust that Ted has his nose in is from the office door frame that the builders did fit yesterday.

Dais didn't do modeling, drove off to Woodbridge for a night with her mates instead.

The Indigo was a bit odd yesterday, but then it is a very odd dye, just when I think I know what its doing it changes and does something different. Wish I had more of a scientific mind and I could understand plant and dye molecules and stuff, but to me its just all magic.

Dye Vat

Got my new dye vat yesterday and am very excited, so excited I have just bought a second one which is even bigger. It makes my old vats look like egg cups. i want to buy more, but homer says there is no where to put it and wait till we move down to the farm. Think I might ignore him, after all its not like I don't need them!

Sounds like there's lots of activity going on at the farm today, seems like the builders have arrived at last Thank God!! I was beginning to think we would be moving into a black hole, the office and reception room aren't too bad, but the dye room is horrible to be in and as thats where i will spend most of my time....
I am really hopeing the builders are putting in the windows, will go down later when all the noise has stopped and try to imagine what it will be like when we finally move in.
I guess the new dye vats I haven't bought yet could be stored at the farm, its where they will be living, at least they won't be taking up valuable garage space.

Have finished the silk vest top and will photograph it later if I can persuade Dais to model it for me, the cotton one is now about 8 inches long and the colour seems to have sorted its self out.

Indigo today, better go and get it started, i always manage to do it when Homers home and all he does is moan about the smell, just think how bad its going to be when its in a 35 litre vat

Weld

Have just opened up the weld bucket, its been stewing for a week and in the hot weather has really decomposed it smells so badly I am suprised it hasn't got flies on it, good job I opened it outside! Still its going to dye an amazing colour - thank goodness the smell doesn't attach itself to the yarn.

Negative comments moan

Came across a forum the other day, that bad mouthed the site because of its apostrophe abuse. I admit to being the one who does all the writing and admit to be the one whose spelling and use of grammar is appalling, however I am always open constructive criticism. I just hate it when people don't have the decency to talk to you first, but I guess this is the internet..
If any of the forum ladies manage to make it here I just want to say I don't have any sheep - wish I did, and you can be sure if and when I do get some I will be handing over the website editing to them!!!

Colour??

Am trying to design a vest top using our cotton ribbon,

Have already made one in the silk, need one of the girls to model it as the sleeves/straps are too long and it is very deep plunge, but they are drinking tea on the patio being useless as only elderly teenagers can be. I keep knitting the cotton one (should be dyeing, but stuck on the computer) I was making it for me, but I'm really not sure about the colours.

Guess if I don't like it I can knit another, trouble is I only have pale blue/green left which are not good colours for me to wear, I suppose I could break into the stock........