My apologies for being away so long. I started full time uni at UNE via distance and it has kept me very busy. I am loving every minute of it though! Right now we are on break, between first and semester break. So, I have been busy with our simple life. Doc (hubby) and I have been busy with all kinds of experiments. Here in Tasmania it is winter and Doc has made a little inside veggie and herb garden, in our enclosed front porch. It faces north, has plenty of windows, therefore, getting a lot of sunlight. So far, the potatoes are going strong! Everything else: tomatoes, lettuce, onions and various herbs are growing slowly. But, it's working!
I have finally got the nag of spinning using my spinning wheel. I did it by using a drop spindle first, which helped me to visualize the whole concept. Now, I can use the drop spindle when I am out and about as it very portable. At the moment, I am knitting up some pot holders from my first skeins of plied wool. They are very "rustic" looking. Drying on the rack, I have some beautiful Suri alpaca fibers. I can't wait to start spinning those fibers. I also ordered some silk hankies to spin. They are so soft!
Another experiment we have going is the orange peel cleaner. I got the idea from Just Like My Nan Made: Citrus Cleaner and I can't wait to try my new and nearly free cleaner.
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| Potatoes! |
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| Indoor Garden! |
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| My first spun & plied wool skeins. Hanging to dry. |
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| Unwashed Merino lamb fleece (300 grams). Top box the fibers are loosened up. Bottom box holds the rolags. Rolags are combed fibers using two of the big paddle combs you see in the picture. Once the fibers are combed straight they are then rolled into the rolags. I will then use the rolags to spin them into yarn. |
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| Washed Suri alpaca fleece (300 grams). It's drying and I'm picking out the vegetable matter, which is the pile of bendies at the top right hand corner. |
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| Citrus Cleaner: Fill any jar 3/4 full with white vinegar. Add citrus peels (you must use a veggie peeler as you do not want the white pith). Add as many peels as you want/can (the above picture has peels from one orange. I'll add a few more to it). Let sit for 2-3 weeks. When ready to use, add one part citrus cleaner to one part white vinegar into a spray bottle. (Example: To 1/2 cup of citrus cleaner add 1/2 cup of white vinegar). Use in kitchen, especially on the stove and in the oven, use in bathroom on soap scum and on floors through out the house. It's also a great deterrent for cats. |
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1 comments:
Hi there...always happy to see another soaking a few peels.....hope to see more blogging from you.
Thanks for the link to my blog.
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