I apologize for being away so long. I've been on an unintended vacation. I've been having power and computer problems. I hope things will be resolved soon so I can get back to my weekly chats. But I'm still thinking about all of you and planning more stuff to tell you about. Like the pygora and mohair I just spun and the "leftover" jacket I plan to weave. But more later. I have to run. I'm on a borrowed  computer.
Soon...

I finished my first Rayon scarf. I always thought anything that ended in "on" was synthetic, but it turns out that rayon is wood fiber. I wanted to experiment with something silkier (and can't afford silk right now). I was easier than I anticipated.  I've worked with slippery stuff before and it was a pain. This wasn't too bad, but I used a lot of masking tape...lol. The only thing I won't do again, is use a really slubby yarn as a warp. But I think it came out ok.
It's listed on Etsy.
Now I'm working on cotton dish clothes, but all I had left was green and a little blue. And completely miscounted the warp. What's going on?

I've been trying to finish up some things for the Christmas Fair this Saturday in Danbury. I've had some major distractions though. First the Angora goat, Samantha died. She had been sick and getting weaker so it was rather a relief. But I went out a couple of mornings ago to let my two chickens out and found they had been killed. I've had weasel or fisher problems before. DANG. I thought the ducks were safe since their houses are tighter. The next morning, my Khaki ducks were dead! My overpriced egg-laying fools! DANG, DANG!!!! The only thing left are the Indian Runner Ducks. I tried to locate a trap, but no luck, so I dragged a large dog crate into the downstairs and brought them in last night. Of course every time they quacked I woke up.
This morning, I pulled up the electric net fencing and set it up around their house. I put them out (can't keep them in a crate forever...) I had some things to do and would be away for several hours. As it was, I got home after 4 and it was already twilight. I flew into the driveway and - no ducks in the duck yard! I ran to their house. All was quiet! But when I bumped the wall I hear some flapping and quacking. They had just gone to bed early. It took Doc and me almost half an hour to get them gathered up so I could bring them inside. Stupid ducks.

Now that it's getting dark earlier, I finally have more time to catch up on some of those projects that I just don't get to in the summer. The chores don't take that long now and no garden or pasture to tend to. So I'm washing and carding some of the bags of fleece I've accumulated. (I just sent off the clipper blades to be sharpened so I'll have more soon - real soon!) And I've been spinning the wool I had ready. I'm even getting around to spinning those bags of DOG hair. Some bags contained brushings from my Sheltie JoJo who has long since passed on. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it.
Projects still in the works: weaving scaves from rayon, weaving a jacket for ME,weaving dish towels, toothbrush rugs for the dogs with a giant needle, cleaning out ALL leftover wool, finishing the mug rugs on the rug loom so I can weave some RUGS...

I found a wonderful web site on shoe making. I'm right this minute wearing my very first pair of soled shoes made with hand made felt uppers and rubber mat soles! I have to admit, I learned a lot from all my mistakes, but I'm so excited to have shoes I can actually wear! My next project will be BOOTS!
Here's a picture of the first shoe - and I'm adding the web site to the link section.

I just put a new "How To" on my web site. For all you spindle spinners, or if you're just learning, this is a nifty drop spindle fashioned loosely after the Turkish Drop Spindle. You wind the spun yarn around the "X" part and when you've finished, you simply pull the shaft out, and then the X pieces, and you're left with a center pull ball. Not only that, it's the easiest homemade spindle I've ever tried to make. I won't repeat all the instructions here, but here's a picture and the link.

I'm doing a free shipping on selected items from my web site. If you're thinking about buying a handbag or roving, you might want to check it out. ragtimefarm.com

Dear Rueben
I was making a salve for Doc's skin and had simmered some comfrey in oil on the stove. I had used most of a bottle of oil because I wanted to make enough to last for a while. I set it on the counter to cool and went to run an errand. When I returned, dear Rueben had pulled the pan onto the floor, eaten the cooked comfrey and consumed ALL the oil.   I was expecting the worst! But nothing happened! At least that I saw. Whew!

After making a ton of handbags, I decided it's time for a change. HATS! I've wanted to do hats for a while anyway. Here's the one I wore today
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I've got two more on flickr.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31023237@N03/4020137297/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31023237@N03/4020921822/

The little store has been closed due to the unseasonable COLD. It's one thing to sit in the cold for a few hours at an outdoor market - quite another to sit in the cold all day. If anyone wanted something from there, just let me know. And I'll be at the Danbury winter markets.

The old blog was getting very unwieldy so I'm trying another form. Hope I can link them up. This one should be better.

The last Norwich Craft Fair is this coming Sunday (if anyone is around Vermont this weekend) and I decided to set a goal for 20 new handbags by then. Well, that sounds easy on paper. But I've been making myself crazy trying to meet my quota and dye enough roving to make the bags and sell online AND finish a special order of dyed yarn. It's great when I'm home all day. I put on my dye-stained apron, grab my kitchen timer and dye spoon and go to it. While wool is simmering, I'm pounding the felt. I have made some nice bags, (and some questionable ones) but I am cranking them out. I don't know if I'll really make this quota, and my house and dishes are definately neglected, but I'll be close. Now if I can sell them. I've listed some on the handbag section of the shop and some on Etsy. (ragtimefarm.Etsy.com)