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For those who know me, you are likely wondering, what the heck is she talking about the sun for?  It’s January and if it’s not raining, then it’s snowing (or maybe even a tornado!).  Today as I did my laundry, I sat out in the sun, basking in all its glory while knitting on another Pygora handspun fingerless glove.

Where the heck is this sun?  It’s in Phoenix!!  And that’s where I’m currently at.  Here’s the view out my hotel window - -

And here’s a photo of said glove in the works

Why am I in Phoenix?  Well, it’s not to enjoy the sunshine (but that is a great perk!).  I’m down here for three weeks (yikes!) for a couple of work related classes.  Now while the sun is great (as are the area yarn shops….), the classes are hard.  Really hard.  Like I feel like my brains fell out each day.  Ugh.  And just about the time I feel like my head will explode, I think of what the weather is like back home…

That worked for the first week.  But I miss dh, the kitties, and my goaties.  I miss playing with fiber in my studio.  Whaaaa!  I am tired of restaraunt food (not too tired of the margaritas, tho!).  So I surround myself with my knitting and relax - and soak up the sunshine!!!  Ahhhh…..now if only that computer lab at Honeywell had windows where we could see out - that would be nice!!

Here’s a pic of some Pygora blend that I worked up and then spun two different ways - the chunkier one is apprx 125 yds of two ply weighing 2.2 oz.  The laceweight is also a two ply, but has 275 yds and also weighs 2.2 oz (both have enough yardage to make gloves - just will need different size needles!).  Those are next, so stay tuned!

Terry (who is getting to come home this Friday!  Yay!)

I’m headed out to the studio to pick/card some dyed wool fleece.  Hunter is going with me.  Sure wish somebody had shoveled the sidewalk…(priorities, here, ok?  I’ll just be careful and live with the snow). 

Here’s some dyed wool before picking or carding.  Unfortunately I’ve already finished with this batch, so the rest of the photos will be of the next batch - a wonderful brown….

Here the fleece is still quite compact and in lock form for the most part.  It’s far too compact to feed into the carder, it needs “fluffed out” or picked (picker photo in previous post!).  A picker is like a huge “hairbrush” that separates the locks into fluffy, air-filled wool…

Now the wool is all fluffed apart and ready for the carder.  We use a Pat Green Supercard to process our fiber blends.  It is the most wonderful piece of machinery! 

And here’s what our wool batts end up like - nicely soft, no neps and ready for blending with our Pygora fibers!

Yum!

On the home front we still have snow.  It just will NOT go away…here’s the obligatory goat photo of my herd of Pygora goats (who are almost ready to be sheared)

And lastly, a shot of our neighborhood herd - no, not more goatie pics, but the deer herd that “lives” down our back road.  Molly is the only one not in the photo….