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Uh, no, my husband, I’m not doing any swaps…………

Hush Hush Handspun Hootenanny Questionaire

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself?
I have been spinning since I was twelve, which is almost twenty years. I guess I would consider myself intermediate. I don’t know a lot of the ‘science’ of things- I just like to do it.
2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?
My bread and butter is two ply. I can do singles or three ply. And I’ve recently been doing a lot of art yarn.
3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?
I can do both but I wheel spin right now to save time. And keep the kids out of my yarn. Though, really, they try to play with the spinning wheel a lot too…..

4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don’t like?

I must admit I do like wool a lot. I’ve been on a silk fling lately. I don’t think I’ve ever met a fiber I didn’t like.

5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)?
I’ve been doing a lot of crack creation myself lately. Buy bits and peices where ever I can get my hands on them and make crack. I also get my crack from crackster itself. (craftster.org)

6. What kind of fiber do you want to try?
Want to try in general? *blinks* I’ve tried most of it…

7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn?
pondering this one.

8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn?
Oh I love to dye.

9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber?
I has a drum carder(which I LOVE and use a TON) and combs (though they don’t get much use with the tiny people) and hand cards. Though prepared is fine too. I just like fiber.

10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed?
For a while most of my handspun was going to my mom who knit. I’ve done some weaving and would LOVE to do more (But I need a smaller loom….). I’ve recently done some mobius scarves which were great fun. I’m doing a scarf for the husband. I just found a knit corset and dragon pattern I want to try with handspun.

11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)?
If there is a child proof threading hook out there I’d love to get my hands on it. ha ha ha.

12. What colors “fall into your shopping basket”? Any colors you just can’t stand?
A silk brick fell into my hands recently. It was blue and purple and, hey, look below and you can see it. I don’t like red or orange. I love purple and black. Blues and greens (and browns) make me happy.

13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now?

I am working on the other half of a 2 ply for said dragon pattern on one wheel and some twilight inspired yarn on the other wheel.
14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?
Mostly fibery things. I sew. And knit. I would like to weave more.

15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about?
Natural child raising- everything from home birth to breastfeeding to cloth diapers to gentle disipline to home schooling.

16. Do you have an online wishlist?
hmm, not any more….

17. Is there anything that you collect?
Oh no. I mean books maybe. Kitchen appliances. I don’t like to collect things that collect dust. I like useful things.

18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have?
I would love to get some nice circs in 4 and below. I’m slowly working on that. I know there was a book I had an eye on… come back and check, I may update this…

19. When is your birthday?
Feb 25

20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?
I asked my husband about this and he said ‘we need to research this.’

21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)?
It’s summer. It gets hot. Don’t let that stop you from sending me chocolate. I am at home so I usually catch packages.

22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!
I have some purple hair.
Favorites
favorite painting/picture(link):
The one my husband did that’s hanging in the living room.

Candy:
chocolate. with stuff in it. Though I haven’t found any organic fair trade chocolate with a lot of stuff in it.

Food:
I’m a big fan of Indian/middle eastern/ nepalese food. My husband will tell me the differences with all of those but I just think it’s all good.

Drink:
Root beer.

Movie(s):
The princess Bride for ever and always.

TV Show(s):

The new Doctor Who. Though the new American Gladiator has been my guilty pleasure.

Book(s):
I’ve been enjoying the Twilight series lately. I’ve been trying to find a good fantasy series for a while but can’t find anything….

Guilty Pleasure(s):

Ahem. From above. American Gladiator. Twilight.  Josh Groban.

I’m sure I will add more as I think of it…..

So much for project monogamy with Dave’s gloves. I took them to church and worked on them while The Dave drove (rare occurrence) and got one done. Tweaked the pattern a bit, and started on the other.

Then got distracted. I was trying to clean up my crafting studio some and decided to make some ‘kitchen sink’ batts. And then with the resulting yarn I made Tiny a hat. It’s been cold and we are trying to walk more. And since her hands got cold and I still had more yarn I might as well make her some mittens. They are almost done. And I need some sort of head cover too. So I started spinning up a batt I had purchased.

And then I finally started decorating my belly casts.

I think this is the biggest reason I don’t like and probably won’t use Ravelry. Aside from the fact that I do more (oh way much more) than just knit, I’m way to free spirited to have things ‘in cue’. I work on what I want, I change my mind when I want, and sometimes I go some complete other direction.
Now Craftster.org. That’s where I hang out. It’s all there. ALL of it. I love it.

It’s only taken me a week to get around to writin this, and then it takes me two days to put it all together…………..

I’ve heard about the Estes Park Wool Market back when I first learned how to spin. And that was a long time a go, my friends. It took me a really long time to get out there. Last year was my first year!! I had sooo much fun, though, we went again this year. Regardless of the fact that I am 7 months pregnant and had to tote around an 18 month old toddler because dad was up to his eyes in stuff. Thanks a bunch to the Krises who took turns amusing kids- both theirs and mine. Lady Kris also took photos. Which I will now dump on you.

I didn’t buy anything, but that didn’t stop me from looking and wanting and making a list of things to get when I have a little more $$.

For instance: these dragon patterns. Holy cow, that dragon in front is the BEST knit dragon pattern I have ever ever seen. I kept petting and playing with him.

Patterns can be purchased at Ellens Wooly Wonders and she has TONS of really cute patterns! Buffalo hobby horse anyone?

I totally oogled at these felt dolls:

(and it seems I wasn’t the only one.) It was great for me to see how someone else does their felt dolls. I get in a rut of my own creativity sometimes. Lovely beautiful things. No website but she does have an email address. An it’s on the photo. 8-P
And I didn’t take a picture but I need to order the “Glitten Move” kit from Handspun by Stefania because they were just beautiful. Though I don’t see the pattern on the site…..
Any one want to buy some handspun yarn, pretty spinning batts, or drop spindles?

Tiny spend most of the morning in the stroller because she was happy and contained in the crowd of people. By afternoon whe wanted out for a walk so we went through the animal tents. About 10 feet into the tent she discovered the ground was all made of DIRT. Oh and does she love dirt. We had to side track her with and animal or two to keep her from plopping her butt down in the middle of the isle and digging.

“Oo,” she says. She looks up at me as if to ask “Mommy, can I PET it?” “Of course you can,” I reply, thinking  ‘YES!! Touch the alpaca and come to the darkside my young one!!!’

She is a fit of happy giggles petting the alpaca. And it all went down hill from here. Anything fuzzy was pet.

A fuzzy goat.

A bag of alpaca.

A bag of Suri. That’s my girl. Feel. Smell. Touch. LOVE IT!!!

(and yes, she is wearing a POTC shirt.  For one, it’s just an awfully cute shirt. For two, I will not loose her in that shirt!)

The Wool market left me with a great desire to spin up something pretty. I promptly dug into my stash and pulled out some roving I got about this time last year and spun it up. It needs to be plied, and you know, USED, but that was enough for now.