More Merino/silk blends...

Another blend from Ashford Merino/silk

This one gave me this result Navajo ply

Then this nice one

gave me this result 2 ply

314 yards of nice yarn.

Then I did try this one

very nice as sliver but didn't turned as pretty yarn.

a little fade...

This one was more a nice surprise

I like this one very much, 222 yards.

Now I got few skeins to play around...

The fiber was very nice to draft and spin this is very good quality but getting quite expensive lately as most dealers raised up their prices dramatically for the new year.

Softies...

Merino and silk are such a pleasure to spin. This is the result from the fiber I posted last time.

This is only 34 yards... but soooo soft.

Navajo ply.

I didn't have much time to post as my brother was sick again... 

Next fiber...

more left over merino/silk 

turned into this...

238 yards of beautiful tweedy soft yarn.

I have some stitch markers too

large ones and regular ones too

Now back to some Pickwick locks to be washed...

More Corriedale...

I have been spinning... and spinning and spinning.

I made a second skein 2ply  and this skein is 16wpi (fingering weight).Over 500 yards total for this colorway

Then I went silly Navajo plying making about  44 yards.

How about some more fun... 82 yards Navajo plying.

I like Navajo plying making a 3ply  from one single, no worries to weight the fiber and splitting.... freedom

I really like how this one turned out.

The weather wasn't really nice so I was enjoying spinning this joyous yarn. I'm calling this skein Carnaval de Rio... Dreaming of some south warm sandy beach...

Next I will be playing with a little bit of this,

I wonder what it will look like Navajo plying, this should be softer on the skin too.

Corriedale

A friend brought me some Ashford Corriedale to spin, 

very nice but I feel it a little hard on my fingers skin to spin this fiber,

still I like it.

It's making a nice 2 ply.

Washed and fulled

2 ply of nice and squishy yarn is the result, the colour is deeper more like red wine.  I wouldn't grade this next to skin but more outwear wool grade.

Milkweed

Milkweed or Asclépiade

This is a toxic plant, to be exact the sap/latex is, so waiting to collect until the plant is drying out is a must.  Once dry it is safe to touch it.  It's good to keep few plants around to help the monarch butterflies as it is their primary feeding, they do lay their eggs on it and the caterpillars will munch on the leaves.

I had few pods left on the dried plants and I wanted to experiment with some of it.

This is how it looks like when you open a pod.

This is what I get once I pulled off the seeds.

The fibers are softer than silk and very light, it's good to work in an area without any drafts or it will fly all over the place.  The thermal properties of this fiver are higher than wool and even duvet, so this could be used as filling/insulation.

I have mixed some with some wasted wool and spun a little for a test run.

This could make a wonderful yarn to work as weft weaving, it's lustrous and so soft.

I will have to experiment more but I really like the way it feels.

Comfortable socks

I finally washed and been taking few pictures of my winter socks, they are simple no lace, no cables but the most comfortable socks.

I used the over spun yarn and the same template as usual except I made them longer so for the last part of the ribs I used two sizes larger needles, that way I can turn it into a cuff or not.

I'm very happy with the result and the yarn is feeling like silk shiny and soft and they will last longer than regular yarn even without nylon, it's really the pleasure of pure wool, warm and dry.

It worths the effort to have cozy feet next winter :)

Apple picking...

Last weekend it was time to go pick some fresh cortland apples.

It was a gorgeous sunny day.

I like this place, beautiful orchard (Joe Giguère) Ile d'Orléans 

great people.

They do sell some delicious ice cider and of course vinegar the real thing unpasteurized, I take 1 tsp a day ...