Goats, Goats, books, Drop spindles, designs and patterns, motors and a foot pedal.

I have spent the last few nights knee deep in books, or can you be knee deep in a book, not sure, anyway.  I have read and reread my goat book, getting more info on what to feed, not to feed and how to creep baby goats.  I have read the ins, out and idiosyncrasies of line breeding and in breeding,  sometimes a good thing and other times not so much. I have read the energy derived from different grasses and grains and what makes a goat a better animal and what makes a chevon tasty.  I have also read up on my spinning.  I have read about the differences in spinning wheels, drum carders, pickers, lazy kates and about a niddy noddy.  I have explored the possibilities of Poppie making me several different ones of these apparatuses.  I think he is going to make me an electric spinning wheel to begin with, I got him a motor and foot pedal for a killer deal to make it.  I am hoping he will make me a drum carder as I know I don't have the money for a commercial one. He will probably make me a picker, a spinning wheel from and old treadle machine, one like the book charkha and eventually a nice traditional one on his lathe.  I love that Poppie is so clever and can make so many of these items for me.  I am also amazed that the price of most of these have shy rocketed in the last 30 years, so am more than blessed that he can make them. 

I have been practicing my spindling, not sure that is a word or what it is called but that is what I have been doing.  I have gotten a lot of slubs in my yarn, I am guessing a pretty common beginner problem but since as you get better it is something you do on purposes maybe I am just design orientated and a head of the curve, well maybe not.  I am trying not to be an inch worm and trying to remember that you have to always go clockwise, or I guess counter clockwise but not both.  I am getting some bits of yarn that is truly nice looking and others that are not so much.  Lady Knitter dropped by yesterday with the nicest chartreuse yarn she had died from tree moss.  It was truly gorgeous.  It was made with ammonia mordant a true success in her dying process.  I am hoping to try kool aide dying first then make up some of the mordants for later dying.  I am thinking I need to get a coping of her dying book mine has a little section but not nearly as nice as hers, so will need to get one.  I am finding that I will like the process of spinning, I suspected I would, I can listen to the girls read, maybe watch tv, kids and still have the peace of it at my finger tips, not always something I can do while, carving, sewing on a machine or drawing.  I am excited about the fibers I can acquire. goat, dog, rabbit, seen any buffaloes or llamas that will to part with some? 

I made some head way into getting things ready for laying flooring next week, but a long way to go before we are ready to start.  We are going to go out to Belle and Groom's to put in a dishwasher Saturday.  The Ladies have been invited to go have a special morning and early afternoon with Missy, their daughter.  The girls haven't been around each other for awhile so it will be a nice adventure for all three of them.  I have lots to get accomplished but knowing me, you know I probably won't stick to the plan but something will get done.  Coffee to start with and then the day.... tomorrow.