Sunday, March 06, 2011

The M-Word

Twice in recent days, I have seen little fluttery creatures tooling around the house. Even after capturing, and yes, killing the little bugger, karma be damned, it was still hard to prove or disprove that this particular moth was the wool eating variety.

When your life is as fibre-filled as mine is, you err on the side of caution (sorry little moth, that is why I so mercilessly snuffed out your life). The only new wool that has come into the house recently was my raw icelandic. Could it be?


I am taking no chances, although I did not see any evidence of larvae or eggs in the quick check of the fleece. I put the two bags in a large bag, tied it to our front porch and let that sucker freeze for two days. Yesterday it came in to thaw but it will go back out to re-freeze tomorrow. I think that is the prescribed method for killing off any remnants of moths.

A later capture of another little winged creature seemed to indicate that it was not a wool eating one. So, I don't know for sure, but my anxiety dreams of moths eating my handspun were enough to take serious measures just in case.

On a happier note, my ugly socks have been completed.


Yup. Still ugly. I tried to embrace the whole Buddhist World Flag thing, but the truth could not be denied. Thus, taking advice from sage Helen, I decided to overdye them.


And the remaining horse they rode in on.


Ahhh, sweet success. Gentle on the eyes, warm on the feet.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

what a difference!

Newfoundland Fibre Artist said...

They are lovely!!

Jan Morrison said...

poifect! and don't you love to dye? I do.

Unknown said...

beautiful--in both color ways.

Isn't wonderful that we have the power to change things? and that small changes can be so wonderful?

when i am off to change (into street clothes!) been lazy and at the computer way to long.

Xxx. Xxxx said...

Do you have birdseed in the house? Or drying firewood? Sometimes my heart has stopped seeing moths in and around those two items before realizing they're not the wool sort.

Great improvement on the socks! :)

Rilla Marshall said...

fantastic natural moth repellent:
store your fibre with little mesh bags filled with whole cloves - keeps the moths away and makes your stash smell so good :)

Taos Sunflower said...

Someone taught me years ago to say the following when I kill something like the dreaded M:

"On to your next life!"

It somehow makes me feel I'm not so terrible for doing it. I guess I'll find out eventually! Hey, a girl's gotta do what she's gotta do...