Jobo Designs

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Surprisingly enough... when you mix camel fiber and silk you get an awesome, airy, light as a feather, soft, almost like gossamer hair Fiber!

When I asked my Dad what he thought it was... he wasn't so sure.  Didn't think it was wool... but it was so much like "hair" and was so smooth and soft.  Well I was surprised too at just how soft and airy it was.

I bought 4 ounces of this on my latest trip to London Wul - mostly because I liked the soft gold/beige colour, but also because I had been specifically looking for some sort of silk blend to make some true laceweight yarn.  I had never really even considered camel at this point.  About all I knew of camels is that they have 2 humps... and 2 coats - down and guard hairs that have to be removed.  Apparently down can be really fine and soft (bigtime apparently)

So I set out on the Spinning (glass of awesome Strawberry Wine in hand that was leftover from the other night's Beer Can Chicken Experiment - Yum!) and what a dream to work with!  This stuff wants to spin thin and strong, so I think it will be perfect for my purpose.  No Slubs or tangles.  Silky and smooth, but not too slippery or too grabby.  I could buy a bathtub full of this stuff and just roll around in it!  

I have one 2 oz bobbin finished now.  I wish the camera would catch all of the luster and shine of this fiber... and it is so light that in the breeze from, the window... one of the drafted pieces Sitting next to me was gently picked up and blew away across the room! Blew away!  in a draft from the window!

I am working on the second bobbin... and thought I should take some pics of the fiber before it is all wrapped up into yarn.  My singles are lustrous and strong.  This will make a beautiful yarn... with all the strength and shine of the silk, but the bounce and squish of wool.  Who knew I'd like this as much?  I think I've been smitten by the silk worm.  I might, erm, have gone out and ordered some more tussah too.  Sorry pocketbook.

Closeup of the fiber and bobbin - I think this shows some of the golden gossamer hair qualities of the fiber.  It's like spinning sunshine!

The Kermit socks are all ready to go!  I was surprised really at how fast these came along... I have only been working on them for a few days really (since June 22) so that makes them an 8 day pair of socks!  When it comes to plain vanilla no-pattern socks, I know I can polish those off at an alarming rate, even a sock in an evening depending on the size, but when it comes to following a pattern, and figuring things out I can be pretty slow - I guess my reading and interpreting skills must be improving!  yay me!

Here they are in the rain on the patio furniture.  It has been raining here for a week so there haven't been very many good sunlight days for photographing things.  Even still, through the cloudy skies... these socks are friggin GREEN.  They almost glow against the boring grey seat cushions!

And here they are toute fini laying side by side on the sock blockers.  I really had to push myself here - I finished and wove in the ends RIGHT AWAY.  yes I avoided procrastination, and did it right then.  It feels good to have these done, but at the same time they were so interesting and fun to work on, I'm kind of disappointed the love affair is over.  I might have to search for some more handpainted yarn and try another pair sometime.

I had planned on gifting these to my sister for Christmas, but her birthday is on the weekend.  Sigh.  I always make things for people thinking that I will give them the item for a major holiday months away... then I wuss out, get excited that the project is finished and turned out so well... and the recipient will really like it.... so I end up giving in early.  I'm not sure if that makes me a really crappy secret keeper (can't even keep my own!) or if it makes me an exhuberant gift giver.  I think it's ok to be excited that someone will like your gift so much that you have to (HAVE TO) gift it now... or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

So I leave you again knitters of cyberspace... happy knitting!  Kermit may think it's easy to be overlooked when you're green... but I doubt people will overlook these socks!

It's not that easy bein' green
Having to spend each day
The color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer
Bein' red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
It's not easy bein' green
It seems you blend in
With so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over
'Cause you're not standing out
Like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky
But green's the color of spring
And green can be cool and friendly like
And green can be big like an ocean
Or important like a mountain
Or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But why wonder, why wonder?
I am green and it'll do fine
It's beautiful and I think it's what I want to be

While we were on our honeymoon, we got the chance to tour a couple of New Brunswick Wineries - Wine made from Fruit not from Grapes!  Strawberries, Rhubarb, Raspberries, Blueberries! 

from the car.... love those big puffy clouds... and the enless forest

Just outside Moncton in Magnetic Hill we went to the Magnetic Hill Winery, housed in an awesome Mustard Colored period home that the owners are renovating.  The view from this hilltop house is really pretty!  The family who owns this winery have been fruit farmers for like 20 years, and recently began making fruit wines to help supplement their income and uses Raspberries, Rhubarb, Strawberries and Blueberries in their wines.  One of them "Illusions" is made from Rhubarb, but totally tastes like a dry white wine!  I guess that's why they call it Illusions?!

The tourguide, and owner's son, also explained that the rolling hills on the property overlooking Moncton were being prepared for planting the farm's first Grapevines!  Someday I hope to return and perhaps taste some of their grape wines?

Marky with his tasting glass - and the selection of wines in the cellar!

Our favorite (we had to bring home a couple bottles) was their Strawberry wine... which tasted like fresh summer strawberries.  It was just sweet enough, and can still be served with food. We also picked up some Chocolate River Raspberry - a desert wine that is named after New Brunswick's Muddy Chocolate colored rivers... and apparently also compliments Chocolate :) I don't argue with anything that goes with Chocolate.  (is there anything that doesn't go well with Chocolate?  seriously!)

Entrance to the Wine Cellar at Magnetic Hill Winery

We also had the chance to Stop at another Fruit Winery near where we were staying in Alma (near Fundy National Park) - Waterside Winery

This winery had similar flavours, but had a wine made from Rhubarb that really tasted like Rhubarb!  (this one was Marky's Favorite) and various blueberry wines ranging from Dry to Sweet to Dessert wines.  Our favorite of the blueberries was a semi-sweet which really had a nice not-too-tart not-too-sweet blueberry flavour.

All in all, nice to have the chance to try new things, taste some great local wines, and spend the day with my new Hubby :)

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Links:

Waterside Winery (I couldn't get this to work in Firefox, but works fine in Internet Explorer)

Magnetic Hill Winery  (doesn't have much on here, but has contact information)

I have Dad's Mittens mostly done, but haven't had a chance to photograph them on a model yet.  As a tease... I'll post what I have so far.  Overall I am very pleased with the end result on these... though they could probably use a good blocking just to smooth out any bumpy or wrinkly bits.

I'm not usually a "marker" girl either... but I found that working on the thumb gusset increases in this case because of the soft blended colour that I had a hard time seeing how many rows back since inc stitches.  I guess it's nice to have some in the house, but loops of another colour of yarn would suffice really.  I got a bunch of these beaded stitch markers in a grab bag - basically 25 of them in varied colours, none matching. 

My spinning seems pretty even overall, and I haven't been able to notice any thin or thicker bits in my finished knit fabric.  These will be nice and warm, and will get warmer with wear as the whole thing felts together

Now I just need to block... and find a mitten hand model... and take some more pics before I give these away.  I know I had said they would be for christmas... but I have a feeling I won't be able to keep a lid on it for that long.  (as per usual with me and homemade gifts)