Ripples Across the Pond

It's Easter weekend, or a late Ostara celebration, Passover or just another weekend if you are so inclined. Whatever you are doing, I hope its going well!

I recently had another one of those annual nuisances called a birthday. I won't say which grand number it is now but needless to say they are starting to pile up larger than I can hide under a rug. I was born right on the cusp of winter evolving into spring. Four hours more would have put me into spring!  I think everyone is so ready for all the spring flowers and trees with buds by this time.... winters can be long and you start to get cabin fever!

Dorothy sent me a lovely gift which I would like to share with you. (well not really... it's mine so you'll have to get your own!  :)

The colour is somewhere between these two pictures! One is too dark and the other too light...

Two lovely skeins of a fine lace weight  silk /merino wool blend called "Heather, Peat and Rock" from Ripple Craft Yarns  I would encourage you to visit Helen's website and cruise her lovely variegated and solid custom dyed yarns. If something you like is sold out, she'll do special orders.  Dorothy drove north to visit Helen and see her little yarn business recently. Helen is out in the middle on no where and has no regular electricity, yet she has a business that sends custom dyed yarns out to the world!  Recently she was written up in a German magazine and her business had a nice "European" boost!  I like to think this is one of the benefits of the Internet* and how it makes every one so much more visible and closer. (*which is also one of the problems with the Internet!)
Thank you Dorothy for the skeins!  I have to work out how to use this lovely colourway and maintain the integrity of the colours. Suggestions are welcome! (No, I don't knit... I'm saving that for my old age :)

I was also gifted with a Bonnie Tarses Horoscope colourway.  I can't show you as Bonnie asks that the paperwork not be reproduced and I happily oblige. A visit there to her page will explain how she reproduces a colour draft based on your astrological horoscope.  Its woven up in plain weave but contains *many, many* colours and even with a stash like mine, I need to get some more colours before I can attempt it.  (Yarn company Lunatic Fringe has a great rainbow selection.) Thank you Bonnie!

While away recently at the Retreat, I did purchase some spinning fibre in a lovely shade of green called "lichen" by Louet. It's 20% silk and 80% merino. I'm looking forward to spinning this up on the wheel while sitting outside in the spring air real soon!

I've been waiting for a brighter sunny day to photograph  it and even still the colour is actually a slightly stronger green than my screen shows. I'll spin it lace weight and see what it tells me to do with it later!

Lastly, not many can say they have a limerick written up about them!

" There was a fine weaver out west,

snowflake twill is what she loved best,

Susan watched the shapes grow,

with each shuttle throw,

weaving beauty with nary a rest!"

This was inside my birthday card from dear friend Lynnette. Pretty darn clever huh?

Well, the next birthday coming up should be our new grandchild due on the 15th! Better get back to the loom and get busy...