Well, I had another attack of the spinning bug the last couple of days. The last time I dyed, I used up all the leftover dye to dye dribs and drabs of fiber. I just popped the pre-wetted fiber into the dye jars, to which I had added some vinegar, like you do with easter eggs. The dyes struck in various ways, creating some interesting color combinations on the fiber. I think I have decided to do this everytime I dye, spin the fiber up fine, and use all those fiber as my Fair Isle palette. I have really had a yearning to do some Fair Isle, but it will have to wait until after Christmas. I spin until I have filled the bobbin to a certain point. That gives me about 240 yards of each color. Any fiber that is left over I am saving to blend on the drum carder that I will hopefully get for Christmas or my birthday/anniversary. If not, I can blend it on the handcards. I hope if I continue this way, I will have quite a bit of yarn to experiment with because I would like to submit a pair of hand dyed, hand spun, hand knit Fair Isle socks or mittens to the State Fair next fall. It's a goal I haven't met for the last two years, so hopefully I will be able to meet it this year.

On the knitting front, I am working on a pair of mittens for Chad, that I started at Sean's work Christmas party. I am not going to have enough yarn to finish, so they may end up looking a little weird. I was sure I had enough for both mittens, but I don't. I will probably just dig into the stash and try to find something that matches a little. I also continue to plod away on the cabled sweater. The back is taking a long time, even if I knit all evening straight on it, it just doesn't seem to progress very far. Maybe once I get the back done and move on to the fronts and the sleeves it will go quicker. Despite the slow pace, I am enjoying knitting it, I just didn't expect it to take this long. I have already informed the recipient not to expect it before February. I also have added several more projects in my head, a pair of slippers for my twin for her birthday, hats for the boys, a vest for my mom, (she loves vests) and that project for my sister in law. She's gonna love that one, but I can't tell you what it is, cause she definitely reads the blog.

A week or two ago, I told you that the woman from whom I got that wonderful alpaca fiber was going to be putting yarn from the same animals up for sale on ebay. She doesn't spin or knit, (yet) she bought the animals as pets. However, it is beautiful fiber, and I wanted to put a link to it up here so you could take a look if you are interested. I don't get a cut or anything, I just wanted you to know that it was out there. These two auctions are from Beni and Storm, in case you want to take a peek.  

Just a randome spinning picture. This is of the yellow fiber I am currently spinning.