Bunny Crack…….July 8, 2005

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An aside from Today’s Title…….

Victory~

Can you be both martial and spiritual?
Can you overcome your ultimate opponent?

To be martial requires discipline, courage and perseverance.  It has nothing to do with killing.  A warrior is not a cruel murderer.  A warrior is a protector of ideals, principle and honor.  A warrior is noble and heroic.

Deng Ming~Dao

As I read my little daily meditation book, this was today’s message…..amazing how appropriate it was for today.  It is a sad and scary world we are living in.  My heart aches for my friends in the UK and for my friends in NY, reliving the nightmare again.  My heart and thoughts are with you all~

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Bunny Crack…

Lately the term "bunnycrack" has been bantered thru the blogging community.  Here, here, here and even here.  Can you believe, I have even been accused of being a "dealer"..aacckk!!  Ok, I admit it……but as I told a particular "buyer", "enabler" sounds so much kinder…….but I admit it……I deal bunnycrack…….hehe

As bunny seems to be the drug of choice lately, I thought that I would spend a little time, showing how I prepare bunny for spinning. 

I use most of my adult bunny fiber for blending with soft wools, and I save the baby fiber for spinning alone.  The first 2 clippings of a baby are so very soft that if it is carded with wool, it will nep, so I hold this back for my personal spinning.  You can not possibly believe how soft the first clipping of bunny is!

First I load a Louet mini Dutch comb with some fiber.  If you look closely, you will see the nice crimp that this baby (Sambuca) has.  Just as with alpaca, the more defined the crimp……the softer the fiber is going to be.  Sambuca is a black German Hybrid and gives me wonderfully soft and lustrous fiber!.

After 2 passes with the mini combs, I then pull off the fiber into one long strip of roving.  I comb the fibers, because my rabbits here are all clipped, and combing helps to break up that cut end.  If I plucked my rabbits (Germans can not be plucked), I wouldn’t have to do this step, but being the anal careful fiber preparer that I am, I like getting the fibers all aligned before spinning.  It really does make for a nicer spinning experience and more consistent yarn.  As you can see from the bobbin, it wants to spin relatively thin with a lot of twist.

Being that fall is just around the corner, I will start spending more and more time spinning angora and then knitting items for the fall fiber events as knitted goods are in high demand at that time of year.

Holy Rings of Smoke!

Finally a finished object!!  It has been a while.

Modeling the Flared Smoke Ring is my beautiful daughter, Ashley, home from college.

This is a fun pattern and easy to memorize. It will definitely be nice to have during those fall fairs.  Sometimes the mornings can be VERY cold!

Birching along….
I am so enjoying this shawl!!