Bendigo Exploits

I'm back, after a wonderful, if exhausting, weekend at The Australian Sheep & Wool Show, in Bendigo.

First, I need to say a HUGE thank you to my friend Mel, who was kind enough to spend the weekend helping me on my stand (payment in fluff) and who was responsible for all the beautiful colour that was splayed out on the Spun Out tables.  I couldn't have done it without you girl!

We were incredibly busy this year, so I am relieved that there were two of us on the stand.  So many spindles sold, which is great, and I was especially pleased to see newbies taking home their spindles, fluff and a look of excitement in their eyes.  We also had lots of children taking home beginner spindles, which is Fab, as it's great to catch them young.

I'm delighted to say our Malcolm Fielding Support Spindles were extremely well received and we sold out of our Russian Spindles on the first day, so I will be ordering more for the shop as soon as possible.

Eunice, our cardboard sheep, was much admired, and we stuffed her full of Crosspatch Creations textured fibre, so that the test drive wheels would have fluff on hand at all times.

Thank you to all of you who managed to make it to our stall, it's great to put faces to names!  I would also like to say 'welcome' to our new Spun Out Friends.

I'm already planning for next years Bendigo, and what goodies we can offer up for you, so see you there, same time next year.....

How Many Reasons to you NEED to go to Bendigo?

Needle Felted Sheep

I'm very new to needle felting, but I love it, and I need to practice more.  Today, whilst my kids reclined on the sofa, trying to kick their temperatures and coughs, I punched some super sharp needles into some washed raw fleece (gotta remember to watch those fingers!).  I used washed kid mohair curls for the sheep's 'fleece', which was tricky, as you had to punch them for some time to get them to stick, but the result is fab!

I'm hoping to take a bunch of these to Bendigo with me, to sell on the Spun Out Stall and I may even use some dyed kid mohair locks on the odd one or two!

Snowflakes in July

It's school holidays.  3 of my 4 children have chest infections (and it's looking like I'm heading that way too!) so we are house bound at the moment and I'm finding ways to entertain them.

I spotted a great little project on a website called Alphabet Glue which is an Ezine for families.  I was very taken with the Salt Crystal Snowflakes, so I purchased the mag (issue 4) which is packed with a host of fun things to do with the kids, and set about making these cute little creations with my two youngest.

This is what they 'should' look like after a few days submerged in salt water, so fingers crossed we will have success.

Pipecleaners (white and sparkly silver), hot water, string and salt!

A quick and fun activity, one that will keep them excited for a few days whilst they watch the salt crystals grow on the pipecleaner snowflakes.  I think Shrinky Dinkys could be next....

The Delights of a Turkish

I'm a spindler.  I'm an obsessed spindler.  I have a penchant for Turkish spindles, and this little beauty happens to be a Jenkins Lark, which is a finer version of the Jenkins Turkish Delights.  The fibre is my all time, desert island fibre, that I would literally like to roll around naked in (maybe one day).  It's Ixchel Camel Bunny Silk, and its perfect for spindling (strangely, I don't care for spinning this blend on a wheel, but a spindle....whoa!).

With these two delicious bits in tow, I have joined Team Ixchel and Team Jenkins in the Tour de Fleece as well.   Progress will be photographed along the way....

Skein #1

It's amazing how much you can spin when there's motivation.  Skein number 1 of 6 was rattled off on Monday, and I'm quite pleased with the result and can see the sweater I knit with this being very wearable.

Onwards and Upwards!