Having Fun with Fiber!

I promised I would share some of my recent fiber exploits.  Somehow, in between cleaning up dog disasaters, training dogs, hauling dogs to the vet, giving medication, vacuuming up dog hair, letting dogs out, bringing dogs in and separating jealous canines when the tension gets a bit too high, I've found time to SPIN...

I'm currently working on some white Shetland/kid mohair roving from my Shetland sheep and Mc Steamy, the white Angora goat wether that I used to own.  It is heaven to spin!

I'm using my "Roberta" electronic spinner.  The truth is, I haven't used my treadle wheel since I bought the Roberta!

"Betty" just spins so much faster and effortlessly than a treadle wheel.  And I can sit back comfortably on the couch while I spin!

I'm in love with the soft, shimmery yarn this roving is making!

This is a damp skein, drying in the sunshine, on the back of one of my dining room chairs.

Heck, I think it even makes pretty pictures!

I've been pre-drafting roving in the morning, spinning in the afternoon (better light) and KNITTING in the evening...

This is a pair of socks that I'm making for my baby Sister, Penny.  It's a Thank You gift for all that she did for me (and my animals) when I was so sick last year.

I would have knit her anything but she wanted wool socks!

This is the first pair that I've made using double pointed needles.

Jill (who is feeling MUCH better!) supervises.

The socks are NOT knit from the yarn I'm currently spinning.  They're from a bulkier, musket yarn that I spun months ago.

I'm going to use the white yarn that I'm spinning as part of these:

And this:

They're the "Drifty" mittens and hat patterns by  Mandy Powers on Ravelry.  Click on either image to take you to the pattern!

What are YOU working on???



Buying Time...

This was a week from Hell.  I won't go into details as, in the end, I'm still standing.  I do want to give a huge Thank You to my Baby Sister who spent two days helping me crawl out of the quicksand.  Penny,  I know that you know what a huge difference you made in my life in just those two days.   Without going into detail, suffice it to say that I was pretty sure that my world had caved in last Tuesday.  No way to fix it this time.  Time to sell the place and cut my losses.  My dear sister, Penny, on the other hand, had other ideas.  My GOODNESS it is amazing what a well organized, focused woman can do when she sets her mind to it!  I have no idea how she did it, but Penny managed to get my life back on track and buy me some time to figure out what I want/need to do in the future.  I've got some options to look into and I've not given up yet.  I do know that something HAS to change.  I can't continue to live under this kind of stress.  Existing month to month, crisis to crisis ~ never knowing when "the other shoe" will drop, is no way to live.  Even if it does allow me to share my life with my beloved animals. 

Apparently, all the stress of the past week has taken a toll on me physically.  Yesterday, the dogs woke me up (needing to go outside) sometime before dawn.  I got up and put them out then went back to bed and slept until four fifteen in the afternoon!  The phone woke me up several times but I was so deeply asleep that I could barely pull myself to consciousness from the vivid dreams that I was having.  When I did briefly awaken, I was startled to find the room slowly spinning in circles!  The second I hung up the phone, I fell back asleep and returned to more strange, vivid dreams.  Hours later:  another phone call.  The room spinning.  Back to sleep.

When I finally awoke at four fifteen, I got out of bed.  None of my poor animals had been fed!  I ate a little yogurt, thinking perhaps the light-headedness that I was still feeling might be caused by low blood sugar, since I hadn't eaten anything all day.  I managed to get all of the animals fed and watered and only had to take one break.  Once back in the house, I had a bite to eat then spent the evening on the couch.  At some point during the evening, I had an allergy attack.  Out of the blue.  I have no idea what triggered it, but couldn't find my damn allergy medicine!  I could feel my throat swelling and was coughing so hard it felt like my throat was ripping.  I finally found an old bottle of OTC allergy liquid medicine.  Expired in 2009.  I took double the dose and sucked on a cough drop and fortunately, the attack subsided.   Not a particularly productive day ~ though I did get almost finished with the cuffs on my second pair of homespun, handknit socks!  Yes, I did complete my first pair and wore them for two days!  I'm very proud of them.

  Especially the toes.  I did the 'kitchner stitch'  close that the pattern called for and it is virtually invisible!   I made lots of mistakes knitting my first pair and ended up taking the two sets of circular needles apart and completing them separately.

So far, the second pair is going MUCH  better.   I've actually discovered a pattern to the pattern that makes it much easier to know where I am and what I'm supposed to be doing.  I hope it continues into the heel flap and turning the heel.   As I knit this second pair, I can see what I did wrong on the first pair.  I'm glad that I started the second pair as soon as I finished the first ~ while everything was still fresh in my mind.

Time to go feed the critters.  I'll try to get out with the camera today.  I'm still feeling a little bit 'off'.  My tummy's a little queasy and I feel a little light-headed.  At least the room's not spinning!

I hope you all have a nice weekend!

Fresh from the FROZEN TUNDRA that is the Bluff Country!

While the bitter, cold winds have been howling outside, blowing the snow into huge drifts, I've been nestled inside my cozy home....

(?)



...knitting socks!

You may remember, this is my first real attempt at knitting socks and I was using the two socks on two circular needles  method, guided by the book:  "Knitting  circles around Socks" by Antje Gillingham. 

*Before I tell you about my adventure with the book and my knitting, let me just say that as I was searching for a link for Antje's book, I found Cat Bordhi's video tutorials for knitting socks on two circs and it looks MUCH easier to understand!  I may try my next pair using Cat's method.*

Anyway, as I was saying, I was following the instructions in the book, until my yarn, socks and needles became so entangled that I couldn't tell which ball of yarn went with which needle went with which sock!  Now, I'm willing to concede that it is possible that I may have made an error or two, but I thought that I was following the instructions. 

That is, until I realized that not only did I have rows of purl stitches where there should NOT have been rows of purl stitches, but I actually had one sock facing one way (toward me) and one facing the other way (away from me).  Both socks are supposed to face the same direction!

It was at that point that I separated the two circulars (with the aid of a third circ) and began knitting the socks separately.  I found this to be much easier and I simply knit a few rows on one sock and then knit the same rows on the other.  I'll STILL have two socks but without the tangled up mess..

I've made a ton of mistakes, but decided to leave them and continue knitting.  These are, after all, my very first pair of socks and it is perfectly natural that they would have some errors.

I have no idea how I started out knitting and ended up purling ~

Actually, I'm NOT purling!  I'm still doing knit stitches, it's just that the way that I'm doing them makes purl stitches on the sock.  ????

(I don't know!  Don't ask me.  This is my first pair of socks!)

I am almost ready to begin the toe decreases.  Of course, I need to get the second sock to this point before I do that.  Just think, in no time at all, I'll be wearing my very first pair of home-spun, hand-knit socks,

 from ALICE! 

As you can see,

Sable can barely contain her excitement!

Actually, she's watching over the brooder with two, new, baby chicks in it!  Making sure the cats don't get overly enthusiastic as they sit and watch those chicks...  You can see a post about the new babies on my Chicken Blog

I'm sure that I'll start another pair of socks soon and see if Cat Bordhi's method works a little better for me.  If not ~ I may just stick to one sock at a time but have two of them going (separately) at the same time so that I don't fall victim to "Second Sock Syndrome"...

Is it just me or did none of that make any sense?

Guess what I'm making...

Sorry for not blogging earlier today.
I was busy...



You're Invited to...

Hug A Sheep!

The first, annual Hug A Sheep (HAS) Day will be on Saturday, October 30, 2010.  There will be an Open House and Fiber Festival (complete with vendors, demonstrations and a needle felting class!) at Bluff Country Shetlands in Houston, MN.  from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.   "The Crazy Sheep Lady" of Punkin's Patch will also be hosting a HAS Day Open House in Cynthiana, KY.  We hope that others will jump on the bandwagon and share the joys of sheep and shepherding with others by hosting Open Houses or other events to promote our wonderful, woolly friends!

Feel free to vote for the sheep that you'd most like to hug at the Open House in the Bluff Country  ~ see the poll added to the side bar on this blog.  I will be offering photos taken at the Open House and Fiber Festival for those who chose to Hug A Sheep.  I will also be teaching a beginning needle felting class, at two o'clock and will have needle felting kits available for those who want to take one home and make their own fluffy sheep or soap in a blanket.  There will also be wool carding, spinning, knitting, felting and weaving demonstrations as well as a variety of wool items to show some of the wonderful things that can be made with the fleece from a sheep. Learn about how a sheep is sheared (it's just like getting a haircut!) and how to process the wool into usable items of clothing or works of art.

There will also be vendors on site, offering wool related articles ~ from raw fleece to roving to homespun yarns or knitted or felted items.  Be the first to purchase my homemade,  goat milk soap or add a colorful lamb or even a beautiful chicken to your existing flock ~ or start your very own flock!

You'll have the opportunity to sign up for beginning spinning, knitting, felting or soap making classes.  Enjoy the process of turning wool into  family heirlooms  or treasured gifts.  Those in attendance at the Open House will also have the chance to win a sheep figurine by voting for or suggesting a name for the new, home-based Fiber and Goat Milk Soap business that the Shepherdess will be operating from Bluff Country Shetlands.

Meet the  dogs, cats, mille fleur bantam cochin chickens, blue laced red Wyandotte chickens, and of course the delightful Shetland Sheep that make Bluff Country Shetlands (and Backyard Chickens!) a wonderful place to live ~ to learn ~  and to visit. 

DREAM says...

"I sure hope you can make it to our HAS (Hug A Sheep) Open House and Fall Fiber Festival!  Just think...you might even get your picture taken with ME! 

Donations of (uncarved) pumpkins and animal crackers are welcome and appreciated"...

Dream!

Please forgive her. 

 She gets a bit carried away...

For more information on the Hug A Sheep Day Open House and Fall Fiber Festival  email me at nkmajik@acegroup.cc  or call me at:  (507) 896-2487

KNITTING Update...

My Beautiful Baby Girl sent me this photo that she took modeling the lace scarf/wrap that I knit for her.

I'm pretty proud of it!

(both the scarf AND my BBG!)

;-)

I like the pattern so much that now I want to make myself a shawl using the same pattern!

P.S.  My kiddo is so talented that she actually took these pictures, herself, using her phone and a mirror to photograph her reflection! 

Wonderful news:

Katie's coming home this weekend!!!

I haven't seen her in FOREVER and I can't wait.

She even promised that I can HUG her!

(you have to know my daughter to know what a big deal THAT is)

Life is Good in the Bluff Country

It Pays to Follow Up With Grandma...

Because I keep my house so cold, when my Grandsons visit I give each of them one of my shawls to wrap up in (usually in ADDITION to their coats!).  The last time the boys were here, Nick (the youngest) asked me if I would knit him his own wrap to keep.  Of course, I said yes.

Then, like I always do, I forgot all about it.

At least I forgot about it until two weeks ago.

That's when Nick called me to ask how his 'man shawl' was coming along.

So I got out my bulkiest home-spun yarn ~ a Shetland - Mohair blend 2 plied with fawn (taupe) and light musket (off white).  I used a size 11 needle and whipped up this puppy as quickly as I could!

It has a seed stitched border and stockinett stitch body.  Nick wanted it blue so I died it blue in my Turkey Roaster!  I think it turned out pretty nice.

I hope my little man likes it!

I'd Like to be the FIRST...

To wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Isn't she adorable?
I bought her at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. This is the first time that I went for 2 days ~ without any sheep. What a blast!

I actually took two classes (knitting short rows and knitting with thrums) and learned so much! I also visited the sheep breeds display. It was fascinating, seeing all the different types of sheep! Best of all, it was SO nice to see the familiar faces of friends that I've come to care deeply for ~ yet see so seldom.

And then there was the SHOPPING!
I got:

This beautiful wicker basket from "The Basket Lady". She makes the most beautiful baskets and prices them unbelievably reasonably. Of course (and this is not the 'good part')...once I had the basket, I felt compelled to FILL it!

I swore I was not going to buy any roving this year. I always get sucked in by the stunning colors of hand painted roving. But this year, I stuck to my guns! Of course, I did get two HUGE skeins of hand painted Alpaca YARN and a beautiful pattern to make myself a shawl. I do so love my shawls! It'll be my Christmas present to ME.

Speaking of gifts to me: While perusing the Vendor's barn for the 50th time to get out of the hot sun, I saw a lovely couple with a display of Books that I recognized and have wanted to buy for quite some time! It was Jack and Barbara Maloney and their TRUE tale of the adventures of a Mid-life couple when they chucked life as they knew it and headed for the Scottish Isles and a life of tending sheep! I think this has got to be a great book for anyone who loves sheep.

I can't wait to read it!! Jack & Barbara are the parents of Eileen at Knot All That and also have their own website called, you guessed it: "Life on the Wee Mad Road"

I also got extra bobbins for my Roberta spinner, three bars of exquisitly "spice" scented Goat Milk Soap, and LOTS more yarn but I'm not talking about that now... ;-)

I admit, I was anxious to get back home to my beautiful, new babies. I left all the animals under the excellent watch of my good friend, Virginia. The sheep were happy new move back over to the side pasture today and Splash and Java got to spend their first afternoon OUT SIDE in the Bluff Country.

Java was so excited that she did a little DANCE!
'You put your left foot in,
you put your left foot out,
you put your left foot in
and you shake it all about...'

Splash just ran around exploring his bright new world.

Oh yes, one other thing I wanted to share:

This is my latest KNITTING project! It's a "Mosaic" pattern and is really EASY! It's my first time doing any type of "colorwork" (I'm intimidated by anything new) and I absolutely love it. The yarn is light Musket (Alice) Shetland and Fawn Shetland, blended with a little mohair. I'll be doing much more of this in the future...

All-in-all, it was a wonderful weekend.
And I'm so glad to be back home!

DREAM says...

"Life is Good in the Bluff Country!"

I KNOW.....

I don't even know where to start so I'll just jump in...

I finished this funky scarf that I've been working on at work.

It's 100% wool from roving that I purchased. I had two small balls of yarn and decided that the colors and textures would make an interesting scarf so there ya go!

I'm in the process of putting together an "On-Line" shop. This scarf, along with roving, yarn and my knitted/felted bag, even my shawl will all be available on there. (SOMEDAY!)

Did you notice my beautiful, wicker TRUNK??? My friend, Virginia, took me on a tour of an Amish community and I just couldn't resist! Maybe now I can keep my cats out of the roving I am currently spinning...

Some, incredibly kind, thoughtful person sent me a Light Therapy Lamp! I have no idea who the person who sent it is but I am very grateful! I'm using it every day.

DREAM says...

"I hope it helps..."

GREY BLANKET.....

Typically, at this time of year, when one thinks of a Grey Blanket, one is likely to think about a dreary, dull, depressing day.

Not in the Bluff Country!

I've been spinning in every spare moment to make more yarn for my Queen sized, Shetland wool, Grey Blanket! I only work on it in the winter because it is WAY too hot to knit in the summer!

I LOVE my Grey Blanket! Even if it is only about 1/2 done.

I love the natural variations in the silver-grey fleece. And it's yummy soft and unbelievably warm!!

I love my Grey Blanket and was planning on keeping it for myself. But, lately, I've been thinking that I should offer it for sale (for a ridiculously high price!) because I really need to try to bring in more money to maintain my flock...

We'll see when it's done (which could be in another year or so!)

;-)

DREAM says...

"It takes me a whole year to grow a wool Blanket too!"