It's Wine-Thirty!

Potential shopping trip in July?

Has anyone checked out the list of vendors who will be at the TKGA show in July?  There will be some fabulous vendors like Brooks Farm from TX (I *love* their yarns!), Oak Grove Yarns from Putney, VT., and Adirondack Yarns.

I think a road trip that weekend is in order.

More Fiber for Sale

I'm re-listing some of the fiber I had for sale several weeks ago.  One of the sales fell through, and their loss is your gain!

I will accept PAYPAL only; no checks or money orders.  I want to sell this fiber now and I do not want to wait several days for payment.  Paypal payments must be made the same day of confirmation of your order.

SOLD Superfine Merino top.  Was $3 per oz. now $2 per oz.     .93 pounds.

Baby Alpaca Top - creamy in color.  Was $3 per oz., now $2 per oz.  .78 pounds

Baby Suri Alpaca Top - creamy in color.  Was $3 per oz, now $2 per oz.   1.54 pounds

Mulberry Silk Sliver - was $5 per oz, now $3.50 per oz.    1.39 pounds

Sock Yarn! - SOLD One 3 lb. cone of superwash sock yarn (75% superwash wool/25% nylon).  Approx. 1984 yards per pound.  I will only sell the full cone; no wind offs.  This price is greatly reduced;  $20 per pound ($60 for the whole cone).

I also have 400 yard undyed skeins of sock yarn (same as listed above, but skeined); will sell for $9 per skein.  Great for dyeing your own custom sock yarn!  SOLD 2, several still left

SOLD 8 skeins of Border Leicester yarn, natural color.  Approximately 200 yards each.  $5 per skein.

I am also parting with this antique Great Wheel.  The only thing she needs done is to have a new corn husk put in on the minor's head to hold the spindle blade, but she will spin as is.   If anyone requests, I can give this to Dave from the Merlin Tree to have that repaired.

$275.00  - can deliver to CTS&W, NHS&W or MAS&W or arrange pick up from Western Massachusetts.  Will not ship.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL.   All of the fiber can be shipped via USPS Priority Mail; if you buy just one item, or several items which weigh less than 2 pounds, a flat rate shipping fee of $5 will be added.  If you buy the coned yarn (or all of your fiber weighs over 2 pounds), postage will have to be calculated using your zip code and mine.  Please include your address when ordering the fiber so that I can calculate the postage (especially if the item is over 2 pounds!).   My Paypal address is Baycolonyfarm@aol.com .

Fiber Sale still On! And Ribby Cardi progress

If you are looking to see what fiber is still left (and there is some beautiful fiber available), please scroll down to the next post.

Ribby Cardi front

Here is what I have done so far:

I'm actually very pleased with my progress for the past few days since I haven't had a lot of knitting time.  But I'm about 13 1/2 inches into the back and really loving it.  I am wishing I had picked another color besides black for the main body, but I know that I'll be pleased with it when I'm done.  It is just hard knitting with black yarn and seeing the stitches.

Fiber Sale! And Great Wheel for Sale

I'm starting to go through what is left over from my business, and it is time to sell it off.  I'm greatly reducing the prices on the fiber I'll be listing here, so if you see something you want, let me know.  I can take Paypal, or money orders.  All shipping via USPS, Priority Mail unless the package is over 2 pounds, then we can send it the cheapest way possible.

SOLD!   Dyed Angora and Natural black Icelandic.  Priced at $2 per ball.  I think these are 3 oz. per ball.  I have 9 left.

Hand dyed Border Leicester in a colorway called Teresa's Evening Sunset.  Was $12 per ball, now $6 per ball.  These are 3 oz. bumps.  I have 9 left.

SOLD Superfine Merino top.  Was $3 per oz. now $2 per oz.     .93 pounds.

Baby Alpaca Top - creamy in color.  Was $3 per oz., now $2 per oz.  .78 pounds

Baby Suri Alpaca Top - creamy in color.  Was $3 per oz, now $2 per oz.   1.54 pounds

Mulberry Silk Sliver - was $5 per oz, now $3.50 per oz.    1.39 pounds

Sock Yarn! - CONES SOLD OUT  3 lb. cone of superwash sock yarn (75% superwash wool/25% nylon).  Approx. 1984 yards per pound.  I will only sell the full cone; no wind offs.  This price is greatly reduced;  $20 per pound ($60 for the whole cone).

I also have 400 yard undyed skeins of sock yarn (same as listed above, but skeined); will sell for $9 per skein.

8 skeins of Border Leicester yarn, natural color.  Approximately 200 yards each.  $5 per skein.

I am also parting with this antique Great Wheel.  The only thing she needs done is to have a new corn husk put in on the minor's head to hold the spindle blade, but she will spin as is.   If anyone requests, I can give this to Dave from the Merlin Tree to have that repaired.

$275.00  - can deliver to CTS&W, NHS&W or MAS&W or arrange pick up from Western Massachusetts.  Will not ship.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

Bobbin Logs and Fiber Update

As promised, I'm putting up two of the Bobbin Logs that my husband and I designed and built.  Once these are gone, they are gone.  We don't plan on making any more of these for a while.

Bobbin Trees hang on the wall, and will hold a total of 4 bobbins each.  The hangers are located on the back of each Log, and are set 16" apart for ease of hanging.  All of the Bobbin Trees and Logs can hold Schacht, Ashford, Louet and Lendrum bobbins.  These Bobbin Trees were originally priced at $35.00 and are now on sale for $21.00.

Zebrawood Bobbin Log.  The grain on this wood is stunning!  Zebra wood is a mix of light colored wood with a dark grain running through it.  I have a 4' piece of this wood saved for my own use because it is so beautiful.

Jujube Bobbin Log.  If you haven't seen jujube wood before, you are in for a treat!  This wood is red/plum/orange colored with a fine grain to it.  It feels smooth as silk!

Pioneer Valley Autumn roving - 9 balls left.

Teresa's Evening Sunset - 9 balls left.

A New Direction

Life is complicated; some times more than other times.  With everything on my plate the past two years, I've left little time to devote to myself, but have divided my time up amongst lots of other things, which when I think about it, has left me little time to apply any serious time to any of those pursuits.  Instead, they have gotten little bits of my attention, rather than the full attention that they deserve.

So, after much soul searching and thinking, it is time to stop doing retail shows such as sheep and wool festivals.  I will still have my beautiful German Angora rabbits, and use their wool; I'll still be a member and secretary of IAGARB, but I won't be vending at fiber fairs after Rhinebeck.  I love doing retail, but with the changes taking place within our household, I'll have less help than ever to keep the fiber fair end going.  This is all o.k.  It will allow me time to go to the shows as a consumer rather than a vendor.  I've really missed having the chance to hang out with other fiber people, to just check out things and BUY, rather than running a booth, and all the time and energy that goes into having stock, and keeping things new and fresh.

I'm o.k. with all of this.  I'm actually excited over the time that this will now allow me to focus in on my regular job and my family.   Trying to be in too many places at once allows one to accomplish little of what really needs to be done. 

So, in order to clear up any stock that I have remaining, I'm going to be offering some items for sale.  First off, I want to sell my Duncan Drum Carder.  I purchased this less than 2 years ago, and have used it exclusively for carding angora and angora blends.  This was purchased a month before Dick Duncan went up on his price, so I saved quite a bit of money by buying it when I did.  I'm offering it for sale for $1350.00.  Because it weighs approximately 80 pounds, I can't ship it.  But I can meet someone within a 50 mile radius to deliver or go farther than that for a gas fee.  Here is a picture of the carder; you can still see some pink angora on it from my last carding session: 

I'm also offering some rovings at half price:

Teresa's Evening Sunset at $6 a ball.  This roving is hand dyed border leicester and there are 3 oz. per ball. 

Pioneer Valley Autumn at $6 a ball.  This roving is a hand dyed angora/corriedale blend and there are 2 oz. per ball.

I also have various Magical rovings available (picture shows the color ranges, NOT what is currently available).  These are a grab bag special.  They retail at $12.95 per twist, but I'll be selling them for $8 per twist.  There are mostly blues available, and if you give me a list of what colors you'd like to have, I'll do my best to pick out what I think you'd like.  The Magical rovings are a mostly corriedale blend.

This is what I'm posting for now.  I'll be posting Bobbin Trees and Logs sometime later today or tomorrow.  Those will be 40% off the retail price.

By changing directions, I'll have more time for spinning and knitting (therefore the blog will HAVE more spinning and knitting on it <g>).  I'll have more time for my family.  And I'll have more time for my regular business, which I really love.  I've always considered myself lucky to be doing something that I truly enjoy, rather than being stuck at a job that, well, has me thinking I'm stuck at a job.   ;-)

If any of these items interest you, please e-mail me at Baycolonyfarm@aol.com.  I can take Paypal, check or money orders (cash too if I meet you to pick up or deliver anything).  The carder will require a 50% non-refundable deposit to hold it for you (sorry, but people do back out on purchases, and I've lost buyers by holding things for people). 

And by the way, I have my test knitters, but I'll keep names on file, because I'll probably need more for the angora yarn that I'll have coming.   :)

Getting ready!

The undyed stage: 

This is all sock yarn.  Marcy has been skeining and will continue to do that today and I'll be dyeing.

This is the picker I'm going to put up for sale: 

It is in excellent shape.  I've never used it, and the fiber artist I bought it from only used it a few times.  It even has a cover.     The selling price is $400.  If you want to buy it before Cummington, I will take Paypal to hold it for anyone that wants to pick it up there.  You can Paypal me at my Baycolonyfarm@aol.com address.

I will also have this wonderful Kiwi wheel for sale for the low price of $230.00.  The picture doesn't show a bobbin, but I have some.  This is an excellent beginners wheel, and I've only used it once.  It is time to find it a new home, since I already have 7 wheels.   :)  Ashford now sells this wheel for $285, so this is a real bargain!

And the big surprise?  Candace Eisner Strick will be signing copies of her book Beyond Wool,  and I will be selling her kits and yarn, all weekend long.  Please stop by and say hi!

German Angora Rabbits for Sale!

I'm posting a few of my rabbits for sale on my blog.  I'm sorry if this seems overly crass, but I would love to find good homes for these three.  I have two more bucks than I want to sell, but don't have pictures of them yet.

Chunky Monkey:   You've seen a picture of him on my website (www.baycolonyfarm.com) from when he was just a few weeks old.  He is a good natured rabbit who doesn't mind being handled, always looking for food, and neck rubs.  Because he is pet quality (he is on the small side, and his wool growth is slower than I want), he comes without a pedigree.  He will be the perfect spinners rabbit!  Asking $50.

Unnamed Doe:  I can't seem to find the perfect name for this doe, so when she is sold, you get to name her!  This doe is of breeding quality and ready to have that first litter!  Her fur is soft and silky, but dense.  Her personality is warm, but she can be a little pushy at times when she wants to be fed (she'll nose her way into the feed dish while I'm pouring the pellets!).  Once she is fed, she is a charmer.  Her sister had a litter of 7 last summer when she was less than a year old, and all seven not only lived, but are wonderful animals.  If she is anything like her sister and mother, she'll be a wonderful mother to her own kits, and they do not display any aggression when you check on the babies in the nests.   $250 which includes pedigree.

This is Velvet.  I hate to sell her, but will do so to the right home.  She is almost 1 year old, and had lived with her mother until a month or so ago, when her mother became hormonal and started wanting to mate with her.  ;-)  They now live in side by side cages, and are content.  Velvet has beautiful fur (which will be shorn today or tomorrow, but I wanted to show you her in full coat).  Velvet is of breeding quality, but I will sell her to a pet home for less (and without a pedigree).  She is smaller than her mother Mia, but has beautiful wool, with a nice crimp to it.  $250 as a breeding doe or $100 pet quality.

If you are interested in any of these rabbits (or one of the other two bucks that I have, both pet quality), please let me know.  I am willing to deliver to NHS&W, or MAS&W, or will meet someone within a 30 mile radius, or go farther for a small gas fee.  I require a 50%  non-refundable down payment to hold the rabbit, and will hold the rabbit for 2 weeks while delivery arrangements are made. 

Back it goes!

I've made the decision that I'm going to send back the Highland Wool to Elann.  It isn't what I want to knit the Ribby Cardi with, and I already have some in two other colors (basically, enough for two RC's!).  And if I ship it back, I get store credit and there is some other yarns calling my name.    :)

I'm home today with my youngest.  He must have picked up a cold on Saturday (probably at the toy store) and yesterday he wasn't feeling so well, even though we did drag him to the craft fair.  He is still asleep right now, which is rare for him.  He's my little early bird. 

I have some work to do, and I have to cancel an appointment, but other than that, I can actually start working on the RC with the Cascade 220.  I can't wait!

Look at what showed up today!

Sixteen skeins of the Highland Wool and 2 skeins of the Sock It To Me Harlequin Sock Yarn in Polar Ice. 

I'm all set to cast on for this tonight, as I'll have lots of knitting time tomorrow since I have to take DH back to the doctor for another ultrasound on his leg (remember, the one with the blood clots?).  Apparently it is hurting again, and this isn't a good sign according to the doctor, so he wants to check it out.

I'm really looking forward to making the Ribby Cardi, since I think it is a really great pattern and would be a good Spring season sweater.  Do I dare dream that I'll have it done in time for MA Sheep and Wool?