Fiber Monday - More than I thought

I didn't think I had much to share today as I didn't think I had done much fiber-wise this week. Then I started looking at photos upload and realized I had more than I thought. 

The biggest item is that I finished warping my loom and have started weaving the dishtowels I'm making. As it is difficult to see how they are progressing because it all gets wound on the cloth beam, I have three photos showing my progress. I'm very happy with how they are turning out. 

The sheet is to protect the weaving from the cats. All those threads seem as though they would be a wee bit too enticing. 

You can see how effective this is. This is one of Apollo's favorite places to take a nap.

Next, I played around with the Coopworth and Wenseleydale locks that I dyed in my class last week. Remember? 

First I combed the Coopworth (the darker ones).

You can still see traces of the purple and the turquoise dye. Then from this, I made this yarn.

This was chain-plied and when I did the plying I added in the Wensleydale locks. It is about 37 yards long and a sport weight yarn. A couple of things happened. First, the yarn is pretty much dark blue with a few lighter highlights. I guess there was not enough purple in it to hold its own. Second, the dye was so light on the Wensleydale just gets washed out next to the dark blue. I kind of like how it looks and it's the first time I've tried to make an art yarn. What will I do with it? I have no idea. It will probably just sit in my stash. 

I also spun a second skein of the Jacob wool. I still have enough that I will probably get a third skein out of it.

A few other little things. I finished combing the light CVM wool that I plan to make socks out of. Now all I need to do is spin it and I'll be ready to cast on the socks.

I also wound off the first ball of alpaca that I spun on my suspended spindle. 

The lighter yarn is because I had forgotten I had tried out the spindle with some random wool I had sitting around and didn't feel like taking it off when I started with the alpaca. My plan is to make two more balls like this and then ply them together. 

Finally, I have been spending the week haunting thrift stores looking for dye pots and supplies and I think I now have everything I need to start dyeing here. 

I plan on starting with one of the fleeces I recently washed that I am least excited about processing. (There is a lot of vegetable matter in it to pick out.) I figure if I ruin it, it won't be the end of the world, and if it works, having some color will make the process of carding it more interesting.

I guess all the little bits and pieces I flit here and there with during the week really do add up.