Fall Day

Happy Fall! Love, The Simplestead Family

It is better to have carded than to have never carded at all

A few weeks ago I purchased a lamb fleece. I wanted the experience of processing a raw fleece. Why? So that I could say I did it and so I can fully appreciate the amount of time and energy it takes to process a fleece "the old fashioned way". 

I washed the fleece in my bathtub using a large mesh bag and Dawn dish soap to remove the lanolin oils from the fiber. I had to wash and rinse several times before all the dirt and lanolin were removed.

I then spread the washed fleece out on an old towel and put a box fan on it to let it dry. This wool is so soft!

So now I am in the midst of the long and tedious process of carding and spinning.

Hand carding raw fleece sucks. This is when I need a drum carder or a fiber mill to speed up this part. I had to do some adjustments to my wheel to spin this fiber, mainly with tension to get the yarn to wind onto my bobbin. 

I honestly don't plan on ever processing another fleece by hand. If I ever own sheep, I will definately be sending the fleeces off to the fiber mill. The time and energy it takes to hand process fleece is just not practical. Angora is much easier to deal with because you barely have to do anything to it before you spin it.

I assure you, that this fleece is not going to waste. I'm sticking it out, I'm gonna card and spin this into yarn, damn it. Because I'm a fiber artist, and I need to say I've done this. 

Note: from now on I will be buying roving for spinning projects.

I just bought my first lamb fleece

Photos courtesy of a Five Green Acres

I just bought a raw Cormo/Rambouillet lamb fleece from Five Green Acres! I have big plans for this fiber - spinning, dyeing, knitting... I can't wait. 

Sheep & Wool Festival 2014

The Sheep and Wool Festival in Jefferson, Wisconsin always marks the beginning of the Fall season for me. The rows and rows of vendors get my creative juices flowing and all I want to do  for the next six months is knit. The Baby loved the sheep. She even got to see one hour old lambs.

Of course I came home with a few goodies.

I'm in love with Briar Rose Fibers! I also appreciate a large skein, over 500 yards of merino wool heaven, not to mention the beautiful hand painted color way (now I really sound like a knitting nerd). I also got to talk with Jenny The Potter who makes amazing ceramics. I wanted everything in her booth but I managed to have a little self-control and made the modest purchase of a set of buttons for my latest sweater.

I definately regret not entering any skeins of my angora yarn into this years competition. I just had too many commitments this weekend, but I will next year, I must!

snapshots of fall

Happy Fall!

Market Season

Farmer's Market season is here at last! We had great weather here in Waukesha this morning for the kickoff of the 2013 Waukesha Farmer's Market. With Simplestead Baby in tote, we met up with some close friends and cruised the stands for local goods. I love the sense of community the market brings. Where else can you go meet up with good company and purchase quality food from the people who actually produce it?

SUPPORT LOCAL. SHOP AT YOUR NEARBY FARMER'S MARKET.

First Family Nature Hike

After being cooped up all Winter, we finally got to enjoy some family time outside. We hit the nearest park with dog and baby in tow, Simplestead style.

From The Land Fesitval

On Sunday morning we headed up toward Green Lake, Wisconsin to check out the 10th Annual From The Land Festival. We loved the laid back feel and the small simple farm as the backdrop. We could smell the pasture of sheep as we browsed through the vendors. We managed to come home with some Wisconsin grown roving, new angora spinning knowledge, and a delicious grass-fed rump roast. We were definitely among friends - people who live or aspire to live as we want to, to embrace handmade, the hand crafted, the homegrown and the simple things. There is a complete satisfaction when buying something and you are actually meeting the maker or producer. You see the character and craftsmanship and we are always willing to pay more for something that is handmade or homegrown because you see the quality, you see the care and time that has gone into the item.

Think about this, especially with the holidays approaching. We will soon be swarmed by commercials and ads telling us what to buy (almost all of it is mass produced). Try buying locally from an art fair, on Etsy or even make some gifts yourself. We are making about 75% of our gifts this year and we are so looking forward to give the gift of handmade.

Have a great week everyone! Thanks again for taking time to read our blog. We appreciate our readership and support very much!

Can't Wait!

I would have never heard of this festival if I didn't stop in a little booth at the Art Farm last weekend. It's wonderful to talk with those who are into the same things you are and to learn there is a whole community celebrating these unique skills.

Fall Day

I Love Flea Markets

 I love flea markets, especially during Fall. There is nothing like waking up super early to feel the crisp Autumn air against your skin and taking a drive out to the country and looking for treasure. There is just something incredibly intoxicating about the smell of falling leaves and antiques that makes me swoon. I am also very lucky to have a family that also lives for flea markets. It's a great way to spend a Sunday together.

I was also particularly fond of this flea market because my in-laws bought me the spinning wheel of my dreams! It's a Norwegian castle style wheel and it works wonderful. The only thing I have to do is replace the drive band (easy fix). Otherwise it is smooth and sturdy. I prefer the castle style wheels because they are more compact and I can spin anywhere in my house. I also have a love of vintage linens and antique furniture. They just don't make things like they used to. We see all these items that have outlasted many of its owners. You can really see the craftsmanship and the reliability of things at a flea market.

Want to find a flea market near you? Browse your local newspaper or do an internet search. Also check out Find Flea Market for listings by state.

Hail

We had to do an emergency rescue on some of our container plants yesterday when a huge front came through that produced hail. Good thing we were home otherwise we may have lost our precious basil plant.

Day HIke - Tichigan

Nothing soothes the soul quite like a day hike. This one was only about a half hour from our place, yet when you are surrounded by nature, it feels like a mini vacation. It was cold, damp and windy. We are outfitted with the proper gear, so we were quite comfortable. Our doggie even came along for the trip. She literally carries some of the weight with her Mountainsmith dog pack. I say when traveling on foot, everyone needs to carry some of the load.

Adaptation

With the weather getting colder and the trees becoming naked, we are enjoying fall and welcoming winter with open arms. I guess I am a true Wisconsinite when I say I enjoy when the snow flies and it becomes cold enough to wear flannel and lots of layers.

Even though we welcome the new challenges of the winter season, we don't always welcome the challenges in life so easily. Lately we've been going through bit of a personal battle, trying to enjoy the present yet we desperately long to get out of our condo and own our own homestead. Especially with winter approaching, I wish I had a fireplace or a wood stove to sit by and feel toasty warm.

You can't install a fireplace in a condo, but you can buy a ceramic heater that looks like wood stove. The electric wood stove was something we wanted and not necessarily needed, but having it lets us enjoy the ambiance of a fire without having to approve chimney construction with the condo association. The model we purchased is also energy efficient and heats our living room quite well so we will not have to jack the heat up so much. We also have a simple box shaped ceramic heater in our bedroom which keeps us comfortable and also helps us save on heating bills.

We realize it is going to take us awhile until we reach or final destination, but everyday we continue in the right direction. We are still working on paying off our debt, which is going very well, and working on saving and not accumulating more debt by being creative and sometimes frugal. The holidays may be a challenge, but I have been busy knitting, sewing and canning gifts this year to help offset costs. Plus who doesn't love homemade gifts?

I'm sure most people who read this post or come visit us will get a kick out of this thing and maybe have a laugh or two about how we have a fake wood stove in our living room. But for us, it is a great compromise until we can have a real one.

As for me, I'll be laying in front of my wood stove on my deerskin rug, playing my ukulele.