sock porn for knitting voyeurs.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

spinning at retzlaff winery 2008

...and a bit of a new obsession :)

Last weekend I went to Spinning at the Winery thanks to the mad driving skilz of Helen and her husbandwhoneedstolearntospin (hi!)-- I posted on Ravelry and Twitter about trying to find a ride and one found me :) I was a girl on a mission though, because it is already June and I was almost out of raw fleece to wash and play in! (Next shows for Bay Area that are under my skin? Lambtown in Dixon - July, California Wool Festival in Booneville - September... no more farm fresh local fleece after that til Spring!)

And Cormo Sheep and Wool Farm was going to be there...

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...and yes, she would bring her very last two colored Cormo fleeces and hold them for me til I got there. (Thank goodness, later I had a laugh with a woman who wanted them and was hoping I wouldn't show up ;)) They are spectacular though, and they were the last ones! Can't imagine the firsts.

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Hester, half fleece. 3.5#, 3.75" staple length. Variegated silver to taupe to steel grey

I have washed up a mesh bag of Hester and had to start carding right away... more on that later (you know me, so many pics so little space!)

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Carla, 4.5# and 2.75" staple length

The color on Carla is fantastic, but her staple length was a little short. (I have been toying with the idea of washing fleece and spinning it over the fold from locks, so that wouldn't work.) I had heard SO many good things about Morro Fleece Works and their pindrafted roving, and many of the vendors at the Retzlaff spin-in had some of their own Morro-processed fleeces for sale and were beautiful, so I walked Carla over to Morro across the way...

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...she'll come back to me as a sweater+ worth of pindrafted roving around July. (Morro's on colors now, if you were looking for a processor. I know Tikabelle sent some Lincoln-Corrie crosses out to Morro and I can't wait to compare.)

Sue from Cormo was really nice, even though I've bugged her no less than four times since Retzlaff asking for more colored Cormo knowing she has no more for 2008 :) (She does have whites though... one less cos SOME PEOPLE split the cottonballiest fleece I've ever touched!) Her 2008 white page is here, though she told me it wasn't up to the minute updated and to email/call about particular fleece availability. They really are fantastic, covered year round with no VM and wash up beautifully. (Word of caution-- felts easily!) She also does something new to me-- lays the cut side down on butcher paper when bagging. Makes finding where the fleece starts and ends SO much easier.

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Nebo Rock Textiles was there with some showstopping merino fleeces as well-- if I hadn't lightened my wallet at Cormo one of those "old ewe, no tag" charcoal fleeces would have been mine.

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RenCon Ranch had awesome shetland roving, and had spinning stories to tell that had Helen and me laughing for a good five minutes :)

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Oh and Carolina Homespun... lord. I visited this booth no less than four times (being good, buying only a strauch flicker) but save me. I fell HARD for a pair of beautiful combs they had tucked away-- I'm making myself wait til at least Lambtown though. Don't want my carder to get jealous :)

Even with all this, and the reason for me going to buy a fleece (or two)... the best part of the day? So.Many.Spinners.

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(kinneared!)

I remember telling Kristine* that (as much as I go onandonandon here on my blog about it) spinning for me is a thing done on my own-- I love it, don't get me wrong, but there is something just absolutely right about SO many spinners just sitting outside in the sun, spinning. Like nothing.

And not like evil chickens.

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(the one on the left growled at me. no joke.)


* Speaking of Kristine, she and her better half are hosting an open studio for A Verb for Keeping Warm this weekend! My kid and I will be making it down there; look for the little blur with a curly head-- I'll be the one chasing him :)

15 comments:

bockstark.knits said...

Wow, that's awesome! I wish they had stuff like that here in Germany. Looks like so much fun!

adrienne said...

Wow, that looks like such a fun day!

helenlam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
helenlam said...

Thanks again for the little gift you gave Stiev, aka chauffeur. I keep waving it in front of him to try and tempt him. The cormo fleeces sure were lovely...it was very hard not succumb to temptation! Nice pictures and it was a blast attending the event. I'll try to make it to the open house too!

yarnivorous said...

Looks like fun! Wish I'd been able to go but I have enough fleece (though Cormo? Would love some!). I bought a lovely grey merino fleece from Nebo at CNCH.

Anonymous said...

Hey, it's a picture of me! Yesssss! :D

I'm excited to compare fleeces too. I've never worked with cross-breed fleeces before, but they were just so beautiful! You're such a doll. :) See you in Monterey!! (RIGHT?!?)

Stacey said...

what an amazing setting!!!! all that fleece - that sliver one all spun up will be beautiful! any plans for them? you have plenty! ;)

cpurl17 said...

Wasn't it a lovely and relaxing day?

I think growly chicken stayed away from me. We got the scavenger for food scraps chicken.

Anonymous said...

Oh my! I can't wait until Rhinebeck. I'm extremely jealous of all the fiber fiends that have hit up festivals already!

Necia

kimchi said...

AHHHH OMG!!! SO MANY SPINNERS!!! and wheels too!!
that is just Too Cool for School!! :o)
Can't Wait for the AVFKW open house this weekend. I'm desperate to get a bit more roving to try out a wool/silk blend for the first time! :o)
see you there! ek.

lexa said...

Look at all those spinners!

WonderMike said...

Too much fun!!!! Love the recap and, scary about the growling chicken. Eeeek.

I've been trying to Twitter you for about an hour now. Arrrgh.

So, I'm thinking of going to the VFKW studio warming about 11am or noon. I'll probably have Ms. PunkRawkPurl in tow. Hopefully with her spindle. Bwooooo Haaa haaa.

Oh, and would you like me to bring your lovely Ashford Joy to the Yarntasting on Sunday?

Rhonda the Stitchingnut said...

Oh my sometimes I wish i could spin also ... and play with the wool.

Anonymous said...

A fleece from a sheep named HESTER. Had to happen. My name is HESTER and there aren't too many of us around. It looks like a lovely fleece. I lived in California for over 50 years. I now live in Atlanta, GA and it is 95 degrees outside. I miss the cooler weather in Calif where you can stay outside most of the year. Keep us posted on the progress of the HESTER fleece.

Meghann said...

seriously, your killing me! This new spinner wants to buy stuff!!!!

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