I was putting away the last two pieces of egg casserole and chose to share with you this blissful moment. A perfect fit. Opposite corners of the original pan, almost looks like it was baked in the storage container. Ah. #LittleThings
The recipe is here, if you need it. May your own cuts be blissful.
I think I mentioned that I purchased three different colors of alpaca wool? Now comes the fun part (who am I kidding it has all been fun): blending! I used my fine carders to blend portions of Sugar Plum’s (white) and Donabella’s (fawn) fleece to make intermediate colors. The idea is to get a gradual change from one color to the next.
The color change is subtle; Donnabella’s fleece is only slightly darker than Sugar Plum’s, but there is a difference. Next I’ll try blending Donnabella’s with Aimee’s (dark brown).
I have contemplated starting the outside garden, but apparently it started itself. I found this thriving pea plant merrily blooming on the side fence. Yes, I have planted peas, but not this season. We’ll see how it does! (I really should plant some of the other dozens of seeds I have stock piled, but it has been dreary and there are still frosts in the forecast.)
The alpaca fleece is dry and I am starting to card and spin it! My plan was to card it all, grade it by color, then spin, but my rolags (the rolls of carded fiber) are so fluffy that I don’t have room to store them like I did with the merino wool rolags. So I decided to spin as I go. If it were possible to spin clouds, I think this is how it would feel. The soft alpaca rolags are light and airy but are spinning up easily. I’m using my homemade top whorl spindle and planning for spinning everything as Z spun singles (as opposed to the opposite direction referred to as S). What am I planning for the finished yarn? A hat of course. I’ve read that alpaca doesn’t have the same elasticity as wool, so I think testing it on an item I am very comfortable making is a good start.
I planted some herb seeds in the tiny pots and they are sprouting! This isn’t usually the part I have issues with; I can usually get sprouts, but then getting the sprouts to harvestable plants has been problematic. I am hoping the grow light will help, and I steeled myself and thinned the seedlings (after this picture). I think that is usually my issue. It bothers me to pull out the cute little seedlings from their cozy bed next to their brothers and sisters. I had to think that none of them would grow well if there aren’t enough resources. The thinned sprouts went to the chickens, so no waste there.
Critters and Craft 