WIP's...

Still here;-D
I've titled this post WIP's- work in progress- and believe me, I have both wip's and finished objects...after not blogging for so long, the pile is high! My regular computer is still acting weirdly, so I'm using DD2's laptop. She uploaded the pictures from my camera before she left to visit a friend, and I've been looking through them. Not ONE single photo of any knitted item!!! Not one!!! So I guess I'll have to post again tomorrow...

ButI have some other wip's- a few fourlegged ones. I've just been to Selja to check on the sheep, and finally found them. They were doing fine, they really seem to like it out there!

We have lost two of the ewes, reason uknown, but the rest have lambed, and there were 20 lambs. Most of them are really wild, but some come close. It all depends on the mother. If she comes, the lamb will follow.

The ram and one of the ewes have started to drop the wool. They look awful when they do this! Most of them will lose their wool between now and midsummer. Then we gather them, and shear the rest. I suppose I should be picking up the wool...

Curious little fellow!

DS2 and DD2 came with me two weeks ago, and they got to hold one of the lambs. Photo taken at 9:15 pm...now it's even lighter.

We've been away a few days too. My sister's daughter was confirmated last Sunday, and we went home for the festivities. It was really nice to be home again, but it's a long trip...900 kilometers each way, we drove for 13 hours south on Thursday, and another 13 hours (actually 14...)back on Monday. It was worth it though. The confirmation was held in "my" homechurch.

I did some knitting at home too, but it was mostly about eating cake...

When we came home again, I finally started something that I've wanted to try for ages...being inspired by
Sandie and Suzanne, amongst others, I wanted to learn spinning. And I wanted to do something with my own wool. So last Fall, when we had sheared spælsauen, I kept the coloured wool, and sent the white one to the manufacturer's ( Nortura...) I sent roughly 50 kilo, paid the shearer NOK 1200,-, and got paid nearly NOK 1000,- for the wool... Soooo, I filled the sink with hot water and some wooldetergent and soaked the fleece.

It was rather dirty, and I realized I had not skirted the fleece properly...oh, well, I know 'till next time!

Several hours later, several waters and rinses later, the water was clear, and the wool ready for drying. It took a couple of days to completely dry the fleece. Now it sits on the washroomfloor ready for some carding and spinning...and my DD2 wants to both card and spin with me! I don't have a wheel, but I hve a spindle. My sister's husband's uncle made a spindle for me, and also combs for the wool. I bought handcarders at a thriftmarket last summer.

The colour of this is pretty accurate. Blusihgrey with some black tips, and some of it lighter. The sheep is still alive, so if I ruin this fleece, I'll get another chance the next time I shear! At least it didn't felt in the wash!

This is before washing...it looks more steelgrey, I think, but there is quite a lot of black spots in it.

And- just to prove that I HAVE indeed something to show off: Ikke lappeteknikk, men lappverk;-) "not pathwork, but patches..." A cloth for the wintergardentable. The back is bright and yellow!

Sooo- let's see if I get back tomorrow with some actual knitting to show off!!!

Have a great day:-)

(oh, btw- I asked some time ago if anyone was interested in doing a Pay It Forward? HeidiBean signed up, does anyone else want to participate? I promise to make you something and send you within a year. There are still two spots free? tell me in the comments if you want to participate. And HeidiBean, please send me your adress: my mail is: maritkoATmsnDOTcom. )