Oh Me! Oh My! A Midwinter Fiber High!

I was so excited to get this package from International Fleeces (http://www.internationalfleeces.com/)!! The box was STUFFED with cool fiber for me to try out. Primarily I wanted the BFL fiber because I want to spin the yarn for a sweater I've had my eye on in A Fine Fleece and that's the yarn used in the picture of the sweater I covet - handspun BFL. Natural colored with some mohair. But this Humbug BFL , which is a mixture of natural colors, looks a lot like the color of the sweater in my book when it's spun and knit up.

Of course I couldn't stop there. I was placing an order, might as well make the most of it, so I also got a bunch of small amounts of fibers I've heard (or dreamt) about but never been able to find or try. I got Corriedale, Gotland, Falkland, Cheviot, and some kid mohair locks for this dreamy shawl I want to make. I got the BFL in a couple colors and some black Icelandic locks. And I got one bag of Rainbow Blend merino/silk top to make an art yarn for my chemo cap project. More about that later after I've talked to someone about finding a home for the hats once they're knitted. And Talia, wonderful soul that she is, surprised me with some samples!! She sent Portland (which I've also never tried), mohair top, and some raw Merino (I've never seen raw Merino. It washed up beatifully and I already have plans for it.) It was almost like Christmas!!

Deep satisfied sigh.

I've already spun up a test swatch with the Humbug BFL and knitted some swatches with it. That is actually the plan I have for the all of those samples. I want to see how they behave while being spun and knitted so I know for the future what types of qualities they have when I'm looking for something particular in a yarn I'm spinning or a project I'm working on.

Now if I could only carve out a little time to play with the rest!! So much fiber; so little time . . .