Spring Fever

Aren't these just the most beautiful little eggs ?  I couldn't resist them when I saw them at a local market.  Quail's eggs about one quarter the size of a chicken's egg.  And the colors!  They simply charmed my socks off.  Obviously I have spring fever.

                              

With so many warm days the hints of spring are everywhere in the studio garden.  Not that I've been gardening as yet, just a bit of tidying up after the snowy winter.  The robins are arriving in the garden to investigate some errant tufts of wool from my latest fleece washing project, six pounds of English  Leicester.  I think some scrap wool would make lovely lining in a nest.

 

Another beautifully colored fleece, as you can see.  I have a weakness for the colored fleeces.

 

This is fleece number four of the five I bought in January.  My goal by the start of spring is that they'll all be washed, safely tucked with atemesia and lavender into their pillowcases and ready to card (my current preparation of choice).  I'm testing out different carders before making the plunge into ownership.  I used a Louet  Classic Carder for my Gotland fleece and it came out beautifully. 

 

Next up to wash is four pounds of creamy Polworth ,  a different breed from the long wools indeed.  I'll be doing that in smaller, more careful, batches.  Been saving it till last just to hone my fleece washing skills.  I'm more confident now so I think I can avoid felting this fine wool.

For now though, while the English Leicester dries, there's lots of knitting to fill my time, more lace, more shawls, more classes.  But  I'll save that for another day.....