Week 32 of 2025

This week I finished a weaving project -

These are ~10" squares to be used instead of paper towels. Made with leftover 2/8 cotton from other weaving projects (mentioned the project on an older post - link).

I serged/overlocked the edges.

Here is the fabric fresh off the loom - 21"x95".

It was fun to weave with the thrums - and to think I had been throwing out the loom waste before!

A tip I was given by a friend for an easy way to make curves on the serger/overlocker was to cut off the corners before sewing - works great.

More details can be found on my Ravelry project page.

Photos from Around - 

Evening walk.

Patiently waiting for supper.

The little chicks have been spending a bit of time free ranging with the big hens.

All the best!♥︎

Week 31 of 2025

Tour de Fleece ended today, and these are my results -

I wanted to spin 20-30 minutes everyday from July 5th to August 3rd (the dates of Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes), and I did that and more some days. This is my 11th TdF in 13 years.

I ended up spinning four different projects. From left to right - a skein of super fine merino, a skein of a merino/nylon sock blend, 4 skeins of BFL (for a sweater), and a local merino that I blended with Angora and a few other types of fibres. I dyed all the fibre.

The final results are 555g (19.6 ounces) of yarn, 1,707m (1,867yds) of yarn, and 3,754m (4,105yds) of singles spun.

Photos from Around -

Smokey sunrise over the veggie garden.

The chickens really enjoy garden veggies.

The little chicks are almost 2 months old and live outside now (in their own area next to the big hens).

All the best!♥︎

Week 30 of 2025

This week I finished up a set of tea towels - 

These went on the loom in April for a simple summer project to weave when I had a few minutes here and there (my loom is in the basement, and summer is for spending outdoors). We had some rainy days and these ended up getting finished earlier than I thought.

Another project for my year of experimenting with weaving - a simple turned twill that I tried different tie-ups, different colours and different treadling patterns. The warp is 2/8 unmercerized cotton, and most of the weft is the same, but one towel is cotton bouclé. More details on my Ravelry project page.

The project on the loom now is even simpler. All 2/8 unmercerized cotton, finishing off small bits on spools for the warp, and leftover loom/weaving waste for the weft - thrums.

There is quite a bit of leftovers when weaving, and I used to just throw them away. Then I read about weaving with thrums and thought I should give it a try. Thrum balls are made by knotting ~6"-8" lengths together (everyone in my family got involved in this fun project!). I am interested to see how the knots hold up with washing (the little tails that stick out are supposed to wear off).

These are going to be small towels to be used instead of paper towels.

Photos from Around - 

This year there is so much White Sweetclover around the yard. It is 4 to 5 feet tall, and lines the paths that we walk. It smells amazing, and is buzzing with bees.

The little chicks have been spending part of the day outside, near the hens. They are all interested in each other.

The cats got a companion this week.

Sunset today.

All the best!♥︎

Week 29 of 2025

This week I finished spinning a skein of yarn -

 It is a 3 ply, Merino/Nylon blend for socks. It is my second skein of yarn for Tour de Fleece.

Photos from Around -

We are eating quite a bit from the garden now.

Lovely Gazanias.

The cats sleeping in the best seats in the sunroom.

Molly prefers to sit in the little truck, hoping for a ride.

First honey of the year.

The little chicks went outside for the first time this week (5 weeks old).

Around nine every evening they get so loud - we don't know why. It is great watching them grow, each one looks different now and it is easy to tell them apart (Clover, Marigold and Daisy - flower names for these three).

 

All the best!♥︎

Week 28 of 2025

This week I finished a little scissor holder -

Made by covering an old wooden thread spool, perfect for a little pair of scissors.

The cross stitch design comes from this book. I stitched it on a scrap of 40 count linen, using one strand of  embroidery floss (I had dyed both the fabric and thread), stitched over two threads.

Photos from Around - 

The garden is growing so well. I covered all the beds with partially composted chicken coop straw to keep the moisture in, and it has really helped.

Another one of the flowers my son brought home. These Zinnias are such a great colour.

Molly asking GingerSnap! to play with her.

Miss Maggie was sitting, waiting for us to come back from a walk today. She is sitting by one of my son's metal sculptures - a spider made from an old propane tank, and other bits of metal.

The chicks are just over a month old now - fully feathered, and loud!

All the best!♥︎

Week 27 of 2025

This week I finished knitting a scarf -

Knit from some merino/tencel fibre that I dyed and spun. The pattern is Feldmark by Martina Behm.

The pattern from perfect for handspun, although I ran out of yarn and had to make a bit of adjustment for the bind off - I don't think anyone will notice when I am wearing it.

The chicks are over 3 weeks now, and have grown so much. They are starting to look different from one another now.

Beautiful Poppies and Bachelor Buttons in the garden.

All the best!♥︎

Week 26 of 2025

This week I dyed some fibre in preparation for Tour de Fleece (starts July 5th this year) -

The bottom two are BFL dyed in two different colour ways to be spun together, and the top fibre is some leftover Merino.

Photos from Around -

The vegetable garden.

My son brought home so many different annual flowers (I don't usually plant too many varieties), the yard is full of colour now. These are just some of the different petunias.

Beautiful metallic Dogbane beetles on some wildflowers.

Poor Molly had to suffer through some grooming - she is clean, with short nails now.

Happy hens!

The canola field surrounding our home is stunning.

32ºC yesterday and GingerSnap! was hot. He was inside most of the day, but loves it outside.

The chicks have really changed this week - they are two and half weeks old.

Miss Maggie is smart to stay inside when it is hot.

Spot those German Shepard ears! Molly lays down and waits for someone to throw her ball, but we have to find it first.

All the best!♥︎