Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Wool for socks!



OK.................forget the background clutter.  The house is a mess, it's been several weeks in a row of festivals to attends, 'work' to go to and sheep records to look over (in my red notebook).
I am finally  getting wool sent out to the processors to have socks made.  This project has taken much longer than I anticipated.  I have eight Shetland crossbred ewes' fleeces that I've had to tip to meet the requirements for the yarn to be spun for these socks.
I have 16 pounds of washed white wool mashed into the plastic vacuum bag shown above.  This was quite the feat.  Getting that bag of wool into the box shown below it. 
We did manage to get it in, by vacuuming the air out of the bag and pushing it down into the box.  The minor problem was that I could hear the bag taking in air...a leak!  I only had one bag and this had to do!
As I prepared my letter and payment to go into the box, we watched the  bag grow out of the box.......so, again we went through the process of sucking the air out with the vacuum and quickly attaching the letter and payment inside.  Then, while my husband wrestled the box closed, I grabbed the packaging tape.  Ripping large strips of tape and pressing across the top of the box and down the sides.  As we turned the box onto it's side to encase it in another layer of tape, the first couple of tape strips began to pop off.  I knew this was not going to work.......the packaging tape was just not strong enough!
....and that darn bag was taking on air! as the box was beginning to bulge across the top and sides.
HOLD IT! I told my husband, let me find the duct tape......off to the garage I go. 
Back for a third try, with the red duck tape.  Again, we vacuum out the air, push the bag back into the box....quickly close the bag....quickly grab the tape and start wrapping the box with tape.  Three strips across the top and all the way around, then three strips from the side and and all the way around.
....the box still bulging, we decide to have breakfast and wait a while to make sure that the box is not going to explode. 
Several hours later, the package is still holding together.  Delivered to the post office and en route to Conneticut. 
    

Monday, October 14, 2013

2013 Algonquin Mill Festival

Another Great year for the ALGONQUIN MILL FESTIVAL!!
This is the third year in a row that we have had fantastic weather for our festival and the attendance was great too.
Got to meet some really nice folks again this year, which is always a pleasure to visit and talk knitting or sheep.....or just time when you remember your 'Grandma used to do that'.
......
...those that I spoke with about shetland sheep and are interested in some ewes that I have available, please contact me soon as we will be putting the breeding groups together real soon and if you didn't want them bred I will need to know soon.
.....
also.....DISCOUNTS FOR SMALL FLOCK PURCHASES!!

Now some pictures with my new camera....as I am still figuring it out.  Tried out the 'sepia' setting too, pretty cool.....


Above two pics. are of some shetland ram lambs that participated in the festival.

Scott and Kathy making a delicous meal for all the spinners and weavers demonstrating.

Beautiful Fall day at the Festival.


Our spinners cabin, with dye pots in the front.


Bob working on a needle felting project.

Emma tending to the dye pots.


Lynn working on some quilting.

Brenda working the great wheel, Julie and Kathy running sock machines.


Jo and Kate spinning in the spinners cabin.

Ann taking care of sales.

Many more guild members participated to make this a successfull event, but I was not able to get out and get everyone's picture.
...as we close festival year 2013 we can call it a SUCCESS and can only hope for next year to be as good.