a new DO

I'm caught up in the annual makeover occurring in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet.

 I have a fever

to 

DO SOMETHING

Some years the DO SOMETHING I do is buying a bunch of fabric for clothes I won't get around to making; or buying plants I'll plant, but not water regularly; or drawing plans for raised garden beds I won't ever build (and wouldn't water the plants I'd plant anyway); . . . or . . . . or . . . . or. . . 

But, this year just maybe the DO would be DONE ! ( or ?)

What should it be?  

There, in the middle of the family room I found this year's Spring DO.  My spinning wheel is my go-to gal when I need (need?) something to do.  I recently acquired some new parts whose wood needed to be stained. (A sliding hook flyer & 3 bobbins if you must know).  And, she has some disturbing rain spots on her that need to be treated.  

So, last Sunday night I took the old gal apart and fine-sanded her multiple curvy surfaces, wiped off the dust, and massaged in some stain.  Monday before work she got more stain ,and Tuesday after work (and after beer-knitting) she got a healthy dose of polyurethane coating, then a good sand before a second dose on Wednesday before work.

By Wednesday night . . . 

THE DO WAS DONE

That is, my friends, some kind of personal record from conception to execution and completion.  I can now rest on my laurels.  Or . . . maybe something else needs to be stained . . .  Or, maybe I could find some plans and build a really cool little stool to use whilst spinning . . . or . . . or . . . or.  

I'm a Little Sheepish

And, of course that means I've acquired some raw fleece and have been up to my elbows in wet wool.  

The raw fleece is not just any ol' wool.  It is corriedale from the friendly frisky fence-climbing yearling ram--Bruiser from Ewephoria Farm in Lawrence, Kansas.  I didn't get a photo of Bruiser, so you don't get that treat here.  But ohhhhhh, I did get a little over 2 pounds of his gorgeous wool.  

 Here's a closer shot of the fiber--see how crimpy and fine it is?  He was coated most of the year, so there is very little nasty in it, but corriedales have LOTS of grease (lanolin) in their wool, so it has to be washed in very hot water with lots of soap.  The advantage is that by the time I'm done working with the wool, my hands will be baby-butt soft. 

It's great to buy fleece from a spinner's flock because in addition to getting wool from clean well-cared for and loved  sheep.  You get advice about how to clean the fleece to the best advantage.  Tina, the artistic shepherdess of the flock explained her method, which is basically what I found here and what I am doing in the kitchen sink.  

For those so inclined to wash fleece in the kitchen sink, I've found the way clear after fixing the man of the house a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, and 5-grain pancakes.  There's almost nothing  considered unacceptable after that.