New chooks

Well my original chickens are now in their 8th year and we have lost 2 over the last hot summer and another just popped off the perch about 6 weeks ago while walking around having a peck in the back garden.  So we have now managed to settle in 3 new girls which we bought about 4 weeks ago to keep us going with eggs and they are certainly doing that! 

Two originals with a 2 year old sussex at the back.

Two of the three new ones. They have a bit of growing to do.

Spinning!

Had a lovely day spinning with my Mum yesterday.  I thought I would like to try some grey unwashed alpaca that mainly has just a little dust in it rather than horrid prickles etc.  So I have started to flick the ends and it is spinning up nice and fine.

Here is some pics of the fleeces Mum was given last weekend.  I only asked for one white merino but there are about 2 white fleeces unskirted to deal with and 3 beautiful coloured fleeces which incorporate shades of white through to dark grey.  Mum has the same amount at her house too.  All free which is nice but where will I store mine for the next 6 years!  Less time for crafting now than I used to have too but if I can keep the moths out I will be right lol.

Well off now to do some more deadheading in the garden and pack some of those bags of fleece away in tubs!

I had to pull out the lace rows on my shawl last weekend and start again because silly me had more stitches than needed after one 8 row block!  I have fixed that as in the middle there is a knit 2 stitches before and after doing knit ones and yarn overs lol.  I really shouldn't start things like that when I am tired.  Might work on it this afternoon while watching a car race with Lance.

Gardening

Not sure where the last month has gone but I can see the results of many weekends worth of gardening I have been doing instead of crafting and blogging lol.  Here's some shots of my front garden and there have been a few subtle changes like shifting some edging and changing the shape of a few beds etc.  I have also planted some new roses namely David Austin Othello, Charles Austin and a lovely pink one which the name escapes me just at the moment.  Looking forward to seeing these bloom but here is Othello....

A shot from the front gate with Oklahoma and Princess Grace in the foreground.

My lovely viburnum

Radox Bouquet which is mass planted in the center bed

A gorgeous red striped hippy

Lovely lilac

Kings ransom which I have had for about 25 years!

Those gorgeous Radox Bouquets again!

Iceberg

Love my spring garden.  Forgot to take pics of the magnolia and stunning may bush before they finished flowering.  Next year lol.

Crafting catchup

Well that pesky ankle is finally on the mend fingers crossed.  I have over the last month or so I have spun and plied a 3rd of the white jumper lot and some lovely pink merino, bamboo, English Leicester and mohair that I had blended and dyed over 18 months ago.  Still need to get it off the bobbin and washed but thats ok.  No rush really lol. 

I have also been given some stunning grey alpaca and there is lots of it along with a brown, black and lighter grey.  I have it skirted and packed away in tubs in the shed.  Will be able to just comb this lot out and spin it without washing first.  But can't touch it yet as I have some merino and fawn alpaca to blend and spin which is starting to go on the bobbin now (below).  This is a thank you to the lady who generously gave me half a bale of very light fawn/cream alpaca and a merino fleece.  Will be a long process but will end up dyeing it in the skein and knitting her girls some gorgeous hats and one for her and hubby too.

 

 

Lastly is some mohair locks that I dyed up ready for blending with some matching baby merino.  Definitely not enough hours in the day even with stupid day lights savings lol.   

FNSI and the old blog......

I joined in with FNSI last night and cast on a new project to give me a break from BLACK!!!!!!!  Its called WesterWaldWaves by Kaeidschie which was available for free on the internet.  Can't remember if it was through Raverly or not.  So many stitch markers and 294 sts later I just managed the first 8-10 rows  I changed the band on it because I didn't want too much garter stitch on the edge.  It is from some of the mohair that I overdyed in the last post. 

Sarah's Chunky cardigan is progressing well.  BWM 12ply charcoal is what I am using so it is knitting up fast.

This is a scarf that I crocheted over a couple of nights to give me a break from Sarah's cardigan.  It is from some mohair and alpaca that I spun then dyed.  Came together lovely but will need blocking.

The old blog has been merged with this one and it is now shut down.  I hope my lovely followers have seen and reconnected with me.

Now to head over and visit some other blogs as I have a lot of catching up to do (as usual).