Labor Day carding projects

We spent the Labor Day weekend on regular weekend chores with a little 'special' in there once in awhile.  I did some carding while working with the laundry and Peggy went to work to get ready for a big event in her department.

The carding involved the second time through the carder with my pale gray shetland, Strudel, and the third time through on the Corriedale "Birch", which I bought at Whidbey Spin-in in 2011.  Both of them evened out, became consistent in coloration, especially the blue Corriedale.

 All of Strudel laid out.

 Once through the carder.

 Finished carding ~ all evened out, color-wise

Bag full of Corriedale named "Birch".

Dyeing the washed fleece with 3 different blues.

Three times through the carder.

Early Monday I went back to carding, working on a 50/50 blend of brown CVM named Humphrey and apricot Alpaca name Alessandro, hoping that the alpaca would brighten up the CVM.  Sadly, the opposite happened ~ the brown overwhelmed the apricot and, once spun and 2-plyed, gave me a drab, lifeless color that I do not want at all.  I also don't want to dye either one, so on to:

Plan B: card the CVM by itself; it's a nice color and there is enough for a sweater if I do it well.  Then find a nice white fleece and try the apricot alpaca with it, hoping for a glint of color from the alpaca.  I have less than 2 lbs of the alpaca so I can't afford to experiment very much.  I think I can get a hat out of the CVM/Alpaca blend I've already spun and plied.

We have plans for Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival later this month, so perhaps I'll find an appropriate fleece there. A few months ago Peggy and I put ourselves on "NO NEW FLEECES" status (the fiber room is full of plenty of fleeces ready to be spun), but there is no need to be unreasonable if the right fleece presents itself.  I'm pretty sure that's one of the "Spinners Rules of Acquisition".