So! Friday I dyed a whole bunch, and Saturday I got to play with spinning friends.

Today, I will update the fiber part. Tomorrow I’ll update the spinning part. And I’m currently dyeing more fiber as we speak… type… read… you know what I mean.

First a bit of housekeeping. I updated the home page a little, cleaned up formatting, made it more clear what I carry. Did the same for the shop. Nothing big.

The largest of the batch was more Wensleydale, so we’ll start with that. Most of these are on the shop. Some, however, are getting mailed off to a real brick and mortar store.

Friday was… a bad day. So I was exceptionally cranky, and barely let Self have any time at the dye pot (don’t worry he’ll get some today). Apparently when cranky, not only do I go for warm, I apparently go for BRIGHT.

I was on an orange kick. Because the Daylillies colorway wasn’t bright enough, I made it brighter. Pretty, if intense.

Bright Daylillies: 4oz Combed Wensleydale Top

Then, I decided, that was nice, but not bright ENOUGH (I swear that wasn’t what I was thinking, but sometimes my dye hands do what they want). And out came the summer flower Trumpet Vine.

Trumpet Vine: 4oz Combed Wensleydale Top
This one will likely get mailed

Finally I got myself to switch out of intense orange phase, and try some browns. Mmm brown!

One thing that always comes with summer, for my family, is rhubarb. And with rhubarb comes… strawberry rhubarb cobbler. Mmmmm… shiny like the steamy fruit…

Rhubarb Cobbler – 4oz Combed Wensleydale Top

And another spring/summer visitor, the purple finch! Softly colored, but with a bright warble. They make me smile. A good thought for a bad day. I love the subtle gloss of this one.

Purple Finch – 4oz Combed Wensleydale Top
This one will also likely be mailed

Then I figured, why just do inland birds? Another summer bird (ok, any time, but I don’t end up at the beach much in the winter), the sandpiper!

Sandpiper – 4oz Combed Wensleydale Top

Now on a real brown kick, I went back to an old method I haven’t used since another fiber an age ago…

Brass Dreams – 4oz Combed Wensleydale Top

And finally a repeat of a colorway that never got to the shop, but was mailed to another event.

Summer Calls – 6oz Combed Wensleydale Top

Now we get into the non-Wensleydale fibers.

My last bit of the Alpaca/Merino/Silk, a small bit for a bit of lace perhaps? Back to those oranges again!

Daylillies – 2oz Combed 50% Alpaca / 30% Merino / 20% Silk Top

An ever popular colorway, a little different each time, and always different on different fibers, War for the Oaks. This fiber ate the brown and was not playing with the green.

War for the Oaks – 4oz Combed Merino Top

And a softer version of another colorway I’ve done before, one I like personally because of the images it evokes.

Forest Shadows – 8oz Combed BFL Top
This one’s probably getting mailed

Aaaand, finally, the first part of the next Spin-A-Sweater.

Moss – 1lb Carded Romney Roving
The next piece(s) will be in Earth and Stone

And that’s all for now. Off to update the shop!

Oh right, and this creepy little guy crawled out of the pages of my sketchbook! Watch out, he’s got long fingers for fiber!

Crummy ass day. Feel like garbage and cranky as hell.

Anyway. Good news, because posting things here makes me less cranky.

First, I’m dying a ton of Wensleydale tonight. If there’s time, I’ll hit the Merino (sw and non) as well. If not, it’ll get dyed Sunday along with some BFL and maybe some Romney.

Also, I’m getting carded Polwarth roving. Aww yeah. If it looks good, I’ll make this a regular supplier and get more. Also found a possible line on several other hard to get hold of fibers. Sweet!

I’m one bobbin from finishing my current yarn commission.

At work at lunch (and at knitting on Wednesday) I’ve been spinning as well. Since I can’t cart the wheel to work, I bring my trusty little Bossy.

I’ve been spinning some gorgeous carded alpaca from a lovely little guy named Devante who lives down in CT. The fiber was a gift from a friend at Rhinebeck. I’m pretty proud of it. It’s pretty even, the cop is smooth, and I can now spin on the spindle while walking or working the elevator.

I also finished the first of three sets of stitch markers for another commission. I think they’re coming out very pretty. A little heftier than my usual bent, but worth it, I think.

Copper – Malachite – Sodalite
Master Marker: Copper – Tree Agate – Sodalite

That’s it for now. Soon as these fibers are dry I’ll photograph them and get them up. Sunday is my guess.

Several new fae have shown up, some more friendly than others. Will get them up here soon as well.

Back to the dyepot

~The Gnome

To those who’ve wandered over from Ravelry and are new, welcome.

The shop has been remarkably successful the last few days, so is a little depleted. I’m going to be doing a small update most days for the next few days, then I hope to do a large spinning fiber update on Sunday (Wensleydale, BFL, maybe some Romney, more stitch markers). After that, I’m hoping to do another larger update mid to late in the week, but it will depend on the speed of shipping. So keep watching.

I’m sourcing a few new suppliers as well, so look for new things there in the coming weeks.

I really do hope to get more spinning up soon. I’ve got a commission on the wheel that I hope to finish by this weekend, then things should pick up again.

I have finally gotten up the “Wild Gnomespun” gallery, so feel free to check that out!

For now, small update.

Lichen Yarn – 105yds, 2-ply – 80/20 Merino/Alpaca. I love this fiber. Love it. It’s what I made the hat out of. Warm and green. Soft heathering.

Stitch markers…

First, a gift set sent with the last large order:

Tiger’s eye – Rose Quartz

Then two sets you’ve seen the tests of before.

Pewter Celtic Knot – Serpentine

Sodalite – Pewter Spiral – Sodalite x2

And then a totally new (but small) set.

Turqoise – Sodalite

And that’s all for today!

~The Gnome