happy new year, ummm, over a month late...

OK, so I just realized it has been 8 months since my last post.  Aye!  I am inept with technological connectivity.  Bloody hell.  It's now my February resolution--to become technologically ept.  Anyway, much has changed since last posting.  New abode.  New state.  New kitty.  And my human baby is now a toddler.  It's craziness.

Anyway, I just found a video I had to share.  I've always been a fan of Make, but I just found Sylvia's Mini Maker Show for the first time.  What's wrong with me?  Why haven't I seen this sooner.  She's so freaking talented and cute and knowledgeable, I can't take it.  Enjoy!

Have an extra hour and a half?  Then you should watch the season 2 finale of the Masterpiece Sherlock series.

Watch Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

Yeah, just found out that you can watch all the full episodes of Sherlock online.  Guess who's not sleeping tonight . . .

there's more than one way to spin a yak

Last night it took me a while to fall asleep, so I flipped through the channels and landed on an interesting documentary on PBS called Summer Pasture.



It's about a nomadic family in Tibet who has to reconcile their lifestyle with the rapid modernization of the world.  It's great; you should watch it.  Anyway, there was a small part of the film that showed Yama, the matriarch, and Locho, the patriarch, spinning yak fiber into rope.  And holy guacamole, it was fascinating!  I'm not even sure how it worked, but it seemed like a two-person, sideways drop spindle.  The spindle was situated on top of a tall pole and a strap was attached to the spindle.  Locho would intermittently pull up and down on the strap to rotate the spindle, then Yama would draft and spin the fiber.  She pulled that stuff for what seemed to be yards and yards long.  And after all the fiber was spun they used their whole bodies to keep the tension as they wound up the rope.  It was really cool.  There's a pic of part of the process on the Summer Pasture photo page.

Of course, I think this is what was going on.  I'm not totally sure.  Tried to google the process and apparently you can't find the schematics to a nomadic-Tibetan, yak rope maker.  Damn it!!  Regardless, I was mesmerized.  Made me want to spin outside.  With a yak.

Until that moment comes, I've been enjoying spinning on my Ashford.  Just finished some alpaca and merino blend yarn made from North Star Alpacas fiber which my loving husband so wonderfully bought for me.  Oh softness, how I love thee!