Friday, October 26, 2012

We're not in Kansas anymore and other news...

Life sometimes throws us a curveball and some things just have to take a back seat to others. That said, I have not had the time or the mood to blog for a couple of weeks. But today I feel like I need to catch up here.

Today I posted the latest in the state flower series. The Kansas sunflower was one of the few that I have had to start over but I am pretty happy with what I came up with in the end. I've a few to show you that came before Kansas so I will go backwards from that.






And that pretty much brings it up to current. I am working on Kentucky at the moment. I have to admit that even thinking of Goldenrod makes my nose twitch and I don't even have allergies! 

In other news here at Olliff Studios I've been spinning nearly everyday and getting a bit better at it. It is extremely relaxing for me. I put the spa channel on Pandora and it is my form of meditation. So here are a few of the things I have spun lately...

Royal Baby Alpaca plied with Mulberry Silk...I kept picturing it in copper so...

I dyed it. The smaller skein has since been dyed black 

This is one of my first dye attempts on commercial merino and I quite like it.
Same skein but different sides. This was inspired be the sunset. 
 I have to say that this dyeing business is really fun and also a bit addictive. And in the knitting department of Olliff Studios, I finally finished the "Mama Bear" cardigan for our daughter Karin. She had a big grin on her face when it arrived so I think she loves it. The color looks great on her.  

No, I didn't spin this yarn. It is baby alpaca generously given to me by a dear friend who got it in Peru. (Thank you again Gail!) I was lucky to find a perfect button for it on Etsy:

There is a cute beret that goes with it but apparently our granddaughter Molly has commandeered it for her own personal hat collection...




And this is what is on Lola Jr. at the moment. I am still not sure I like the way it resembles camouflage fatigues though several have commented in my spinning group that it reminds them of a meadow or at least something of nature. We'll see how it plies and knits up. Either way the extra-fine merino is a dream to spin and extremely soft even if it does look like it is gearing up for combat.