Let Me Spin You a Yarn

I realized I have not shown my readers my latest yarn that I've spun.  I think I have the hang of it, now especially since I'm not looking at it as I spin, rather going by feel (for my neck's sake).

I got a pack of 8oz of plain old, non-dyed, cheap ($9.50/8oz) wool roving from Pacific Wool and Fiber.  The wool is great.  I really like the earthy feel to it, and it spins better than the fancy wool.  This wool really grasps, rather than being shiny and slipping.  I did find a place in TX, Mohair and More, with the same Corriedale Cross wool roving that has a better shipping price ($5), though.  Gotta support the locals.  I'm ordering my next batch from them of the same wool.  I'll let you know if it's not the same quality.

I think my yarn turned out great!  Here's the first wool I spun ever vs. the first of the above wool I spun:

Review of Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips for Dogs

When I heard about Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips, which just debuted a couple of months ago, I was so excited to see if they'd work for my German Shorthaired Pointer, Fuji.  He had knee surgery last year, lost a lot of muscle, and never really returned to the way he was.  He also has very bad arthritis in that knee and in his opposite hip.

Fuji

How to Make a Cheap Arrow Quiver, Finger Tab, and Arm Guard for Archery

I wanted to make my own quiver for my new hobby, archery.  I know what you're thinking.  You don't need another hobby.  But of course I do.  My husband had gotten a couple of recurve bows way back when, and they were just sitting in his closet until last weekend.  We went to an archery store and got strings for them.  And voila, new hobby!

Cheap, DIY Archery Quiver

Cheesemaking frustrations

I want to do a quality job at making my own cheese.  I am a well organized person.  Apparently, cheesemaking involves both perfection and chaos.  Everyone makes the same cheese a different way, different recipes, different amounts, etc.  I'm pretty sure my moon has to be in its 7th house and Jupiter aligned with Mars to get a cheese to taste like it's supposed to.

There's no clear instructions.  There's a big ol' list of posts from cheesemakers at cheeseforum.org, but nothing is well organized.  You really have to dig to find things.  Then when you find it, it's all different!  AAAGGG!

I am currently compiling a list of resources for someone in my shoes to use.  If you didn't have as much time and patience as me, you'd just give up.  You're introduced to cheesemaking using one set of rules, then if you want to do it right, there's another set, and you could keep getting more and more complicated.  I want to know the right way to do it, whether that involves expensive equipment or not.

Please won't someone show me the way?!

Clearly, I'm frustrated.  I am currently attempting to make a Jarlsberg.  My first cheese with eyes.  Lots of different methods out there.  I've been finding 3 recipes, comparing them, and doing a happy medium of them.  Who knows if it will turn out right.

I'd like a book or resource that will tell me, if you do this, that happens, if you do that, this happens, etc.  Then I could devise my own cheese and understand the recipes out there.   Maybe one of these days I will find my answer.  Until then, I'll stumble along.

Maybe I'll just make the same cheese over and over.  But if I'm doing the wrong thing, I won't find out for at least 2 months because the first one I screw up won't be ready until then.

I think I'm just going to chill out and experiment.  Yeah, I think that will make me the least crazy.

My First Yarn

With a lot of practice and errors, I have finally spun wool into yarn.  Yay me!!

How to Knit a Hairnet / Snood

In addition to my neck woes, I found out recently I have hypothyroidism.  One of the symptoms is hair loss.  While we're still getting the right dosage of meds for me, I am losing hair.  Not in clumps but I see my hair all over the place, especially when I comb/brush it.  Gross!

In order not to have hair in my food, I decided to knit a hairnet.  I found a hairnet knitting pattern online.  And I made some adjustments to make it easier to wear.  Fancy hairnets that ballet dancers wear are called "snoods."