Handworks Crochet and then Some!

Buying a whole fleece to process is huge! Even just an average 5 pounds of fleece can yield a lot of yarn! And because you hold the key to how and what it's processed into you can get many different yarns and projects from that one fleece. I would have never bought a whole fleece as a beginner. It's just to much!  But I bought sheep ... so there I was with a couple of whole fleeces!  My first fleece came from a dairy sheep I called Bo Peep. This was in 2013. She was a great milking sheep with an average mid grade type white fleece. And it, like my other dairy sheep fleece did not felt. Made it very unintimidating to wash as I had been told horror stories of washing wool wrong or to rough and ending up with a big felted ball of ruined wool! Low in lanolin and not being super fine it was an easy fleece to clean. Crimpy and strong , average length also made it a perfect for a beginner spinner like me!  It carded super easy too!  I hit the ground spinning with that fleec...

I am very much in to healthy whole food eating. But if I don't plan some meals.. Especially lunches I grab easy things like nuts or a green juice.. not enough to keep this body going! something I started a few weeks ago on Monday was what I call marathon cooking. I make up a couple of high protein desserts and snacks , a couple of easy things for a few lunches and dinner with enough leftovers for the next days dinner or more lunches. A couple hours in the kitchen and solid healthy food for days! While things are in baking/cooking mode I use that down time to organize patterns , work a simple project or promote/check social media. Don't let ok at it as, yuck 2 hours of cooking .. I look at it as 2 productive hours of multitasking.  Today's marathon cooking consisted of,, simple egg salad that we like put on a low carb wrap with spinach. Huge Baked sweet potatoes which I'll cut in half and eat for lunch or a snack with butter and goat cheese mashed up! Super yum!  A huge ...

Granny square project!! Who loves squares projects?? So easy so versatile for so many different items.  Recently in a Facebook group I saw they had started a square along project.. any kind of squares! Being primarily a crocheter I immediately think of the granny square but I don't feel like a granny square blanket...  so I disregard starting anything but then I see someone making granny squares for a tote!!! And well,, I always want  need  a new bag! Perfect! I remembered some cute bags in magazines I have ( I'm hopelessly addicted to magazines!) and here it is. From the magazine For the love of crochet , My squares project.. A hobo bag!! How stinking cute is this bag!? And so simple..Blue denim color yarn  with off white and brown tweed yarns! Perfect bag for fall or winter.. should it take me that long to get it done. The holidays tend to slow down 'all about me' projects!  I have 8 more white squares to make then I can start the flowers. Need to find th...

There are so so many WIP this week! And I've finished a lot too... but with Christmas right around the corner my WIP list lengthens greatly!  An ongoing WIP is my Etsy store. And dealing with over stock of fiber and fiber goods.  It's a lot to keep up with. Keeping a nice assortment of things I offer , filling orders quickly and organizing everything so it's easy to find. Also coupon codes, ads and updates need to be done regularly. With the vast amount of talented people on Etsy and the internet in general it's easy to get lost if you don't stay on top of it.  But fiber hoarding is the worst thing I face!! I absolutely love raw fleece and fluffy roving!  So I made a rule for myself.. for every item I sell I add two new items to help me keep stocked up and help keep me from hoarding. It's really helped keep my shop from getting to low on inventory. I hope to build up over 100 items by next year though. Slow and steady!!!  These two pics are from the fall shearin...