10/1 Here is a lovely photo of Emily's knitting. Em has made the first of a set of pillows, ordering yarn and pattern from Alice Starmore's website. The palettes are divine, and the yarns blend and are heathery and gorgeous. Take a look.

I have been working on spinning heritage breed wools from the new book out on the subject, The FLeece and FIber Sourcebook. I have been buying some of the more rare fleeces, and washing and preparing them, which gives me a LOT of wool.

I wonder if anyone would be interested in some sample boxes with say, three or four good sized samples of heritage and the more rare breeds of fleece, all washed and ready to comb, card, or flick and spin? I might be putting some of these kits together.... email if interested. kbruce57@gmail.com. I have Cormo, Leicester Longwool, Gotland lamb, Romedale, Swedish Fine Wool, Bond, Shetland, Merino, and many others.

Here's Em's pillow

Emily's pillow

Emily is moving back to the US next year, with Dave, her wonderful partner, and she will be doing a Postdoc at Penn. Emily's knitting astounds me. She is amazing!

We will be so glad to have Em and Dave in the U.S., although the UK was wonderful, ...her PhD will be done within the year, on Flu Virus, from Cambridge University.

SOAR is this coming weekend in Manchester NH. I don't know how I missed it, but I sure did, and so I was too late to sign up for classes. Oh well. I may drive down for the day, but it's a long way. This weekend is the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival but it's pouring rain here, not a day one wants to be outside.

On the 14th or so, that next weekend, is Rhinebeck, and I am going to that, and visiting a friend in the meanwhile. We are really looking forward to that, as I have begun to spin in a huge way. I spin more than I knit now, but still do a lot of both. I will have to have carpal tunnel surgery sometime soon....but hopefully that won't sideline me for long.

I am preparing to Dye some lambwool locks this weekend. My first real try at dyeing. I have some old Aniline dyes, which I probably won't use, and some new Green dyes by a natural dye company, GreenerShades.com. The only dye they have with a metal in it is an aqua. Otherwise, there are no metals in these dyes. I have a great skein of lace weight Bond that I will be dyeing, and so wish me luck! If any of you will be at SOAR, or VT Sheep and Wool have fun. If you are going to Rhinebeck, have FUN and maybe I'll see you there!!!! Enjoy the fall!