tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62552731669007286222024-02-06T21:09:12.377-05:00Knit Frocks and Wool Socks: A Season with FiberSchirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-43685927337228470732011-05-01T13:39:00.002-04:002011-05-01T16:20:54.392-04:00Cities with FiberCities with fiber... I don't claim that this list is in any way comprehensive or anything even close. Not at all! It's totally based on only the fact that these are cities that have been popping up continuously. There are only two here, for starters, because they offer a nice parallel, and happen to have the same name.<br />
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The first one is Portland, ME. I've never even been there! So this is completely presumptuous of me ––though I have been to Maine a bunch of time. BUT! Portland seems to be a hidden gem. Maine is full of small-scale sheep breeders and fiber farmers, including of course the wonderful people I bought my fleece from, <a href="http://www.starcroftfiber.com/nash_island">Nash Island Wool</a> and the Starcroft Fiber Mill. The Common Ground Fair does a wonderful job of supporting not only farmers in general, but fiber producers specifically (check out the amazing, HUGE fiber tent if you're ever in Unity, ME for the fair). It seems that Portland is a center of crafty people making things by hand, like the folks at Quince & Co., who make beautiful yarn and design awesome patterns. Check out their blog <a href="http://quinceandco.com/blog/">here</a>. <a href="http://www.eli-phant.com/">Eli Phant</a> is kinda neat, too. And <a href="http://www.portlandfibergallery.com/">here</a>, oh cool, is the Portland Fiber Gallery and Weaving Studio! Then there are the people who have the best of both worlds, Stephanie and May, who write on real paper and online from both Portland, ME and Portland, OR (crafty center of the left coast). Look at their offerings (feast you eyes) <a href="http://3191.visualblogging.com/">here</a>.<br />
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When I was in Portland, OR this winter I didn't have much of a chance to explore the crafty side of the city. We were, honestly, to busy eating and book ogling at Powell's Books (which is definitely not to be discounted as a virtuous activity, especially when it drizzles, rains, and drizzles again, followed by fog, and more drizzle, as it does in PDX). I did have the chance to visit two neat stores, Bolt (fabric) and the knitting store next door to it (sorry, the name escapes me), both on Alberta Street, which is anyway already über-hip and trendy. That just goes to show: craftiness is so in, it almost hurts. Coming from here, I still often feel like we're still on the less trendy and more utilitarian side of the crafty spectrum. Both sides are good places to be, though honestly, I prefer to make things that work, can get dirty, left out on a fencepost (though this is extreme for a handmade thing, even by my farm-type standards), patched up, embellished, forgotten, and re-loved again in a whole new decade (Timeless, perhaps?).<br />
What I love about Portland, OR is the colourful, vibrant, almost explosive love for all things crafty. Like the <a href="http://landpdx.com/">Land Gallery</a>, which isn't strictly craft focused, but is stocked with neat t-shirts printed with West Coat witticisms, indie letterpress cards, chapbooks, zines, and other treasures and trinkets. They support indie artists and crafters, which isn't only über-hip, but is also über-cool and über-essential if small-scale, kitchen-table type artists and artisans are meant to survive and thrive (and we mean for them to do both).<br />
Another thing that seems to have turned into an institutions is<a href="http://craftywonderland.com/"> Craftywonderland</a>. I've never been, and I only barely spotted the pop-up store through a rainy window on the Portland MAX this winter ––my Portlander friend<a href="http://www.hewandsew.com/"> Hannah </a>would be more of an authority.<br />
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Portland and Portland are two of the obvious cities, I suppose. I want to give a nod to everyone and everything in between, too. <a href="http://indiecraftdocumentary.blogspot.com/">Handmade Nation</a> does a better job of this than I do, most definitely.<br />
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</div>I also love people who live on islands and raise small flocks of excellent heritage sheep breeds. Maybe I love them because I wouldn't mind being one of them myself.<br />
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In the meanwhile, I'm just about to assemble another sweater! Here's a sneak peek at the pieces. It does look odd this way, doesn't it? Soon to be worn, in the last few days of cool spring...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">A sea of daffodils for you! </span></span></div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-44931965292499447062011-04-21T07:01:00.000-04:002011-04-21T07:01:24.596-04:00It's been a while!<div style="text-align: justify;">Yes, it has been a while. With spring, which does seem to be here ––judging by the almost flowering daffodils outside the house, and the almost bursting buds on the maples–– I've gotten more and more busy. This season also means, of course, the end of a semester (Did you think I was going to say the end of an era? Not quite!) and a scramble to get things done before the summer sets in. As I write this, Mother Nature is gently mocking me. Spring? Ah well, a few snowflakes won't make too much of a difference. It's been incredibly windy and rainy and cold here the last two days or so, nevertheless, we've definitely crossed the hump into another season. The lambs are all there now, so many, black ones, brown ones, white ones. Our sows are ready to burst ––we're waiting for piglets at any moment. And the chicks, just in time for Easter, are enjoying the heat of a heatlamp, and an occasional sunny day. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I finished the vest! I must admit it was a little while ago ––so I've gotten many good wearing out of it already! I have a bunch of yarn left, and honestly didn't spend an exorbitant amount of time spinning. That is to say, making your own woolens isn't really as time consuming as you might think. Yes, it is definitely faster to buy a sweater, and I won't try to argue with that, but if you have somewhere to raise a few sheep, consider the benefits of doing so. Sheep manure for the garden, possibly meat from lambs, fiber (especially low-cost if you learn to shear by yourself), a fossil-fuel free lawnmower. And with the cost of wool on the <a href="http://quinceandco.com/blog/">rise</a>... maybe it IS time to buy some sheep? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm still figuring out buttons. I'd like to put maybe one or two, not a whole row's worth, and I'd like to make them myself. My clay buttons turned out to be a bit too heavy for the weight of wool I spun, so Plan B is to find some nice dry apple wood, and cut some thin "cookies" from it, drill two holes, sand then shiny, and ta dah! Buttons! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/70074529/15-handmade-apple-wood-buttons?ref=v1_other_2">Here</a>'s an idea of what I'd like to make (as usual, Etsy provides). And here's the vest in action. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The second I finished the vest I started on my next project. Did I tell you that we go two wonderful Rowan pattern books in our library? Well, we did! So I started knitting a loose v-neck sweater from the British Sheep Breeds book with some heathered green yarn I had left over from another project. I'm almost done, just one more sleeve to go. I can't wait to wear it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">With that hot on the needles, I also started an embroidery. My first since the 1st grade, it I remember correctly. I'm embroidering flowers and birds: a chipping sparrow, a robbin, and a black-capped chickadee. It's a lot more work that I thought it was ––but fun, too! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marsh marigolds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WeIsmV7jD8CiAq7UaZ2lrQp-vrSxLRTtEqK0CzaZ7lQfLrDyv_qlh23ud34JKO_ZTlHnuIR2L6Cmzpr6xOq6xLf1Pg1uRH8O0QGhJxD3BvEm03LWKyi_O5-Q2ntCke-3aqTTZq5YWtLV/s1600/IMG_6632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WeIsmV7jD8CiAq7UaZ2lrQp-vrSxLRTtEqK0CzaZ7lQfLrDyv_qlh23ud34JKO_ZTlHnuIR2L6Cmzpr6xOq6xLf1Pg1uRH8O0QGhJxD3BvEm03LWKyi_O5-Q2ntCke-3aqTTZq5YWtLV/s320/IMG_6632.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will be a bunchberry ––red berried still to come.<br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I'll leave you with just a few more pictures of our beautiful honey bees making full use of the first "crop" of flowers. They've received so much admiration of the past two weeks or so ––it's wonderful to see people clustered around the flowers, watching the honeybees do their thing. They've still got to make to through some mean weather, but at this rate, they should be tough enough. Fingers crossed!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Have a great end of the week! </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-57118870234199454262011-04-07T15:18:00.000-04:002011-04-07T15:18:05.342-04:00Flowers for you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi6Bf7Chh1s8cTDqFJBVwByQOdeEIO7hj-0H2ga4wwi94LjAnQ-KxE-yKcSh80ki-LxEMqwgRcKS5wzXeWAFXR6hDWOb5lQ3AAWrjcbS2U_Ots0YL2LxzqgmDWBuqmPKcNYkZa6Vf4iQi/s1600/IMG_6481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi6Bf7Chh1s8cTDqFJBVwByQOdeEIO7hj-0H2ga4wwi94LjAnQ-KxE-yKcSh80ki-LxEMqwgRcKS5wzXeWAFXR6hDWOb5lQ3AAWrjcbS2U_Ots0YL2LxzqgmDWBuqmPKcNYkZa6Vf4iQi/s400/IMG_6481.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Smile. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRV6IY1oVv90FLvb4Ikpt18O-jeW19lWF__4lMOlxQaktBfWqOkLmQneUT7gkDIbvHq1bzOW5ISw6VPftqxsJhS65935SJuilfatKL-WcKKM999ZAqgdTQJOJz1v3tl_70rTjT_Km8U4GF/s1600/IMG_6483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-79728407754649389982011-04-03T17:01:00.000-04:002011-04-03T17:01:42.135-04:00Distractions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81NOwfMvPb9r_L0bmYJxz0vbwOTJt8pypzJHiTASOLMXr_1zH36zb9kOW0rbXu_mrSIxDZKNfPziPzxe3W4v0Coo7OUuUtPqYJUD85kOJrflkI9o6I-Pgl-ci5Xj0A4EVLTX4dU6CeuQh/s1600/IMG_6443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81NOwfMvPb9r_L0bmYJxz0vbwOTJt8pypzJHiTASOLMXr_1zH36zb9kOW0rbXu_mrSIxDZKNfPziPzxe3W4v0Coo7OUuUtPqYJUD85kOJrflkI9o6I-Pgl-ci5Xj0A4EVLTX4dU6CeuQh/s320/IMG_6443.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had another spring snowfall. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_8txXfvJAPjTCSvkQZxkMlU0tzwqgOCaBvy4EiVfUIo11D_VEU1Rxh3ttVY8oBgTC1aZSpF_MfbM3XmFL7C-ND9yRd69hbARWXEae_GzAYMBNsg7CMT4ihW172uyDqaLOi9r_ZMBksnL/s1600/IMG_6449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_8txXfvJAPjTCSvkQZxkMlU0tzwqgOCaBvy4EiVfUIo11D_VEU1Rxh3ttVY8oBgTC1aZSpF_MfbM3XmFL7C-ND9yRd69hbARWXEae_GzAYMBNsg7CMT4ihW172uyDqaLOi9r_ZMBksnL/s320/IMG_6449.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So I stayed indoors and started sewing. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDj1WOdIr-rk0ZKFxQlyAv2sXime5qhtfFstVtE8sZ_ZgjuLZO3n89e9_ogktuht_iZrsDnSoyPKW90tdRhxXcTxS8U1-SSGI7lfRNaMCYaM_yjuhlxMl5q8nu57x6YFZSmnTck254PmO/s1600/IMG_6450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDj1WOdIr-rk0ZKFxQlyAv2sXime5qhtfFstVtE8sZ_ZgjuLZO3n89e9_ogktuht_iZrsDnSoyPKW90tdRhxXcTxS8U1-SSGI7lfRNaMCYaM_yjuhlxMl5q8nu57x6YFZSmnTck254PmO/s320/IMG_6450.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denim and snowberries became...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rKf3-kb-0R9xxLY0bzrLJNIPm-7aI0YMlKMV0mJO4pyIW8j1fdgPprmZWhAeOcVV3q_OxVP91tF8GZL_Tx0NC-WPQOBEgoHIowNmqx3ilmJ0U3w2odU5JqSGZ7YOp4EfIUl-VDS8-kJq/s1600/IMG_6455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rKf3-kb-0R9xxLY0bzrLJNIPm-7aI0YMlKMV0mJO4pyIW8j1fdgPprmZWhAeOcVV3q_OxVP91tF8GZL_Tx0NC-WPQOBEgoHIowNmqx3ilmJ0U3w2odU5JqSGZ7YOp4EfIUl-VDS8-kJq/s320/IMG_6455.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...a tote bag with pockets...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hK0o0Nuv8gMGf9IkVdpV01biGK2R3cgsv2lIVZwOfKn9n2Ypsg-K5NPj0fT-Nn-mGTov0Q0areg5csc5INwgqhEJK0opQz6MwuHMvF-S-P1m6Q62RGfl3FGxPTL82jZjrFQLEyrciwxl/s1600/IMG_6459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hK0o0Nuv8gMGf9IkVdpV01biGK2R3cgsv2lIVZwOfKn9n2Ypsg-K5NPj0fT-Nn-mGTov0Q0areg5csc5INwgqhEJK0opQz6MwuHMvF-S-P1m6Q62RGfl3FGxPTL82jZjrFQLEyrciwxl/s320/IMG_6459.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and another bag with long straps. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvJlyJ71EtNiE2oUoHzjFVxeW72l_bXvDiNIwBLkE7UFVfz0ljswFV5Kn-_GJ_ecJMzkfJyT3qzmC5PRz9Sc_PJNbK891OdEZPYzlCkNrGAtgcxwQJWPvRrcwc-xN8kjC1t6g-gvmk1oj/s1600/IMG_6461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvJlyJ71EtNiE2oUoHzjFVxeW72l_bXvDiNIwBLkE7UFVfz0ljswFV5Kn-_GJ_ecJMzkfJyT3qzmC5PRz9Sc_PJNbK891OdEZPYzlCkNrGAtgcxwQJWPvRrcwc-xN8kjC1t6g-gvmk1oj/s320/IMG_6461.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also a slightly off-kilter fairy princess embracing the world. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhNERxthkBKRrOHduAMkeISoKUyKHq-1MVDXGUG_PIvcyPCLHI3Yu6X0pvEJbQRpZvGJmbGFeGfdMiCT1fFDFi84UyVUINwmvYYwSL-EIbUp6e_e52mtar7KvsWVZXfMU6dlu10Mp518k/s1600/IMG_6464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhNERxthkBKRrOHduAMkeISoKUyKHq-1MVDXGUG_PIvcyPCLHI3Yu6X0pvEJbQRpZvGJmbGFeGfdMiCT1fFDFi84UyVUINwmvYYwSL-EIbUp6e_e52mtar7KvsWVZXfMU6dlu10Mp518k/s320/IMG_6464.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then the weather turned. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5-AizNSg88VynGIGFAekUfhAcGmGa6Fjn10anJTlzfbsWwKL9WbxFgCYXCCqh5ZTfp2lAytLlNTpdlj3WQeRlAyo0uOlFsaxJyQBLDHCH4pyg87stlLAQfQM8Muqjqk64Ipede_ai_ll/s1600/IMG_6465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5-AizNSg88VynGIGFAekUfhAcGmGa6Fjn10anJTlzfbsWwKL9WbxFgCYXCCqh5ZTfp2lAytLlNTpdlj3WQeRlAyo0uOlFsaxJyQBLDHCH4pyg87stlLAQfQM8Muqjqk64Ipede_ai_ll/s320/IMG_6465.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So I went for a walk.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Have a laughter-filled week! </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-76854954488120598792011-03-29T14:12:00.000-04:002011-03-29T14:12:33.710-04:00Under the Fence, catch the sheep, back you go and off you leap!Can you figure out what all that means?<br />
<br />
Here is, finally, the promised update on the vest-project. The back is done! One of the front panels is done! And the second front panel, the one with the button-holes, is underway. Unfortunately, being more of a piecemeal kind of knitter, I'm just about out of yarn. A few more rows on this last panel and then ––zip! There's a bobbin full of singles waiting for a mate, so I'll start spinning it up today, hopefully ply, block, ready to knit by the weekend. I know that, generally, the more virtuous aim is to gather all the necessary materials for a project beforehand, but I have to say that this way, spinning a bit here, dyeing there, making buttons, and so on, offers a pleasant diversity of tasks. I tend to get distracted by new ideas easily, so this bit-by-bit building of something has been working well for me. Luckily, I also have a huge fleece. If I were doing a project like this one with a more limited supply of wool, it may serve me to be slightly more fastidious in my planning.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5TGvjuxVEvtbOhKoct_idh9B9Ptt9hSo8sUUYdpi7pjYyU4lB-jFShjZiMaejfsC-zufCD-Sdro9MXvloPcdUHaBICN4jjXqdF-dnXutXeD0esywZV5fiE8qdu5JAsskc0j-7WJQzIi4/s1600/IMG_6290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5TGvjuxVEvtbOhKoct_idh9B9Ptt9hSo8sUUYdpi7pjYyU4lB-jFShjZiMaejfsC-zufCD-Sdro9MXvloPcdUHaBICN4jjXqdF-dnXutXeD0esywZV5fiE8qdu5JAsskc0j-7WJQzIi4/s320/IMG_6290.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This back panel isn't blocked, so think away the rumples and unevenness!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zIdL0HXZeNINrOXnneMu6Ad-8AcLhyphenhyphenDrcFs7CtMNR9sKzoNVaSGqppu5LoEnyBxG0MKnilDOdu7zK3x8zHTkgKEDj1QO6io1PnZunHLOk0tPb5_zJQ4VQLDErz13UGbPcWHlCIILRgGu/s1600/IMG_6291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zIdL0HXZeNINrOXnneMu6Ad-8AcLhyphenhyphenDrcFs7CtMNR9sKzoNVaSGqppu5LoEnyBxG0MKnilDOdu7zK3x8zHTkgKEDj1QO6io1PnZunHLOk0tPb5_zJQ4VQLDErz13UGbPcWHlCIILRgGu/s320/IMG_6291.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green = onion skins, blue = indigo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRetPVh994LYFAPU5Qz3E3QzkrP6sMuMxrG8oOIgvX_XjNEiXNcU_cRh4XD7fZzM50pedmioiszLIJJcUghsnNSb5O0NUaZADPYaa_LP1_EK9oUitdqxrPw0GofGVZ66bnuQbxYKPvmUlm/s1600/IMG_6336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRetPVh994LYFAPU5Qz3E3QzkrP6sMuMxrG8oOIgvX_XjNEiXNcU_cRh4XD7fZzM50pedmioiszLIJJcUghsnNSb5O0NUaZADPYaa_LP1_EK9oUitdqxrPw0GofGVZ66bnuQbxYKPvmUlm/s320/IMG_6336.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front panel No. 1! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I've been harping on about spring in, oh, the last two or three posts, I think, so I'll spare you for now. I'll just say that, no, spring has not sprung yet, but we are expecting the temperatures to climb at least a little bit this week. Fingers crossed.<br />
<br />
I have a plastic bag of scraps sitting on top of my closet, waiting to be put to use. All of these have been dyed with plants ––even the pink, that's lichen dye! The brown is black walnut, the blue is indigo, yellows are goldenrod or onion skin, and purple is alkanet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMS3MQziF-jQR4sjlE4ReVkEH2HcSENfPurePlGRqe2IW6thH-IMjmCt7JKQ9oWWgqhRuxUESogLzV7G89yq_XfNAQr3ZMj2PrShmKVA0vpoQ2vgqdrve2Xw6o62_cWbtEzUmnYGFtDlR/s1600/IMG_6286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMS3MQziF-jQR4sjlE4ReVkEH2HcSENfPurePlGRqe2IW6thH-IMjmCt7JKQ9oWWgqhRuxUESogLzV7G89yq_XfNAQr3ZMj2PrShmKVA0vpoQ2vgqdrve2Xw6o62_cWbtEzUmnYGFtDlR/s320/IMG_6286.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNv2YVRW4_V1WJMEntDNG4ftPYjAEM8vDh8RWhYMCaY6EGrkt8yq0g5G8N1vLLz5QsChtwtDTOBTnGNEkXLRK0K4GSE17dqhRnNKMI2bQOz0Wh-9YO7CGF-xTFrAQ5GD_x5G2Lc-UXWDGJ/s1600/IMG_6287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNv2YVRW4_V1WJMEntDNG4ftPYjAEM8vDh8RWhYMCaY6EGrkt8yq0g5G8N1vLLz5QsChtwtDTOBTnGNEkXLRK0K4GSE17dqhRnNKMI2bQOz0Wh-9YO7CGF-xTFrAQ5GD_x5G2Lc-UXWDGJ/s320/IMG_6287.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIR7Kus3hdHHkftkifhFRGIgSd30TaLDbGXpgUKudXwAzTHYyDSVdTxsEhGjDghxAPFmPtNdpOwiIgtbUtdKDSsPJLT5yDfp5GI4N1jRU18PZKYu4DS_eeK6IRe2IRuCo-ccTQEJOADnI/s1600/IMG_6288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIR7Kus3hdHHkftkifhFRGIgSd30TaLDbGXpgUKudXwAzTHYyDSVdTxsEhGjDghxAPFmPtNdpOwiIgtbUtdKDSsPJLT5yDfp5GI4N1jRU18PZKYu4DS_eeK6IRe2IRuCo-ccTQEJOADnI/s320/IMG_6288.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87Il7ijczHBNZL6KX252Y9jFYcRNP-4PkePzdxPvp-9iUOsj_nPx3LWU7HfTMuguvQvVcXXDhk4d7PlpyDvMguodMhQXxZcL-hMiGa_dm0wpBquEPIjm59Y4Ayrf0gRY-UcdzgYdyVfU8/s1600/IMG_6335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87Il7ijczHBNZL6KX252Y9jFYcRNP-4PkePzdxPvp-9iUOsj_nPx3LWU7HfTMuguvQvVcXXDhk4d7PlpyDvMguodMhQXxZcL-hMiGa_dm0wpBquEPIjm59Y4Ayrf0gRY-UcdzgYdyVfU8/s320/IMG_6335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are some little treats hanging about on my desk.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Most of these balls of yarn were wound on a handy thing called a nøstepinne. A nøstepinne is nifty little Norwegian knitting tool that you can use to wind a ball of yarn with a centre-pull. It's basically a stick (the "pinne" part) that winds a nest, or a ball, (the "nøst" part). It takes longer than a ball-winder, but it's fun to use, and you can take it anywhere because it's so small. I'd like to carve one, someday. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2591889475_e5de7b1edf_z.jpg" height="239" src="webkit-fake-url://B1973210-07CD-488B-981E-C76EA0D0A694/2591889475_e5de7b1edf_z.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And, for a last hurrah, check <a href="http://wn.com/Twined_Knitting">this </a>out (click in the video labeled "Alison Friday knitting on Swedish TV"). It's a Swedish talk show with LIVE KNITTING! What could be better. All right ––don't watch the whole thing, it'll bore you half to death, but do note the candles burning off on one side, and the general awesomeness of this. (My secret motive: I am trying to learn Swedish, since I'll be in Sweden this summer, so what could be better than learning endless Swedish knitting terminology, right?)</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">Have a fantastic week! </span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-50354036236827019862011-03-24T11:38:00.000-04:002011-03-24T11:38:11.891-04:00I've spied some snowdrops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I had to change the header picture of the blog. Yesterday I went out into the brilliant late winter (dare I say early spring?) sunshine and it felt so much more like summer was coming fast. The sky, as you can see, was brilliant. Our new solar panels were cranking! Take a look at this one, it's huge: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4lPKNhz58h1SDlq4FBwbxVAbH1IcZviAptqOGIdZo0aUQOSlPR-TAkembSCON4vPU3M6HVd95Ms2Nys8uCm8pgUYpBEuIBaZMU4JP6sOhKyfLReFF9ICfv-ZQXBcmhl450RMmJ-Tx6y1/s1600/IMG_6284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4lPKNhz58h1SDlq4FBwbxVAbH1IcZviAptqOGIdZo0aUQOSlPR-TAkembSCON4vPU3M6HVd95Ms2Nys8uCm8pgUYpBEuIBaZMU4JP6sOhKyfLReFF9ICfv-ZQXBcmhl450RMmJ-Tx6y1/s320/IMG_6284.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I did knit busily over the break last week, but only finished the back of the vest. So it's on to parts 2 and 3 shortly, and I'm spinning up some more yarn for them practically as we speak. Pictures coming soon! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In my blog browsing, I came across a real gem yesterday. If you love dyeing with plants, you've probably heard of Jenny Dean, or read her book, <i>Wild Colour</i>, or read something that was inspired by her excellent work. Im any case, apparently she's very up to the times and even has a <a href="http://www.jennydean.co.uk/wordpress/">blog</a> with lots of good advice and stories about dyeing and collecting dye plants around her home in Sussex. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Here are a few more pictures for you. More on the knitty-gritty coming shortly! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmk_zlywkUFTWPwnuJMWJTFWG4ExeqASDctrGKOsswFeioOWcc9foEWCpdBLcbkgm_qBgZNBVVqZT2oW_jU5nOgFRIFvReIADJlLBI3Y3JADNwC3hYR_t0j0yvK1sl60HHeRN4z8D8HDw6/s1600/IMG_6198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmk_zlywkUFTWPwnuJMWJTFWG4ExeqASDctrGKOsswFeioOWcc9foEWCpdBLcbkgm_qBgZNBVVqZT2oW_jU5nOgFRIFvReIADJlLBI3Y3JADNwC3hYR_t0j0yvK1sl60HHeRN4z8D8HDw6/s320/IMG_6198.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow drops... at mum's. Alas, not here ––though there are a few<br />
poking their little heads out along the wall of the house, <br />
where it's nice and warm. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTSIhJiwLfiWn_IrK22wQNY2eD3qZt143ILhYycBxUFpM3crwTnMvZCSE3XFPcktrSd7_VHlCFPqwdYunDbSdvmWkhv6ABuDI0A4VvJXdyXf5DVD7mwe1x7y6AJNBE4GhGzD5IQJJze3s/s1600/IMG_6260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTSIhJiwLfiWn_IrK22wQNY2eD3qZt143ILhYycBxUFpM3crwTnMvZCSE3XFPcktrSd7_VHlCFPqwdYunDbSdvmWkhv6ABuDI0A4VvJXdyXf5DVD7mwe1x7y6AJNBE4GhGzD5IQJJze3s/s320/IMG_6260.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brilliant sunshine and snow on evergreens. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAxpapSAHJDgW-xp5lJWNxaqwXiW6yvjC2QCoOVVklqyWSM3D8VkyWjEMOGBk5dM4A9dwas-8RRQloB2yFGlpTi-ciqhUq-VFEFNh3ZqIykHSmEIZnWh3lwCrPRRP8S6PyXF50W5NSRXh/s1600/IMG_6266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAxpapSAHJDgW-xp5lJWNxaqwXiW6yvjC2QCoOVVklqyWSM3D8VkyWjEMOGBk5dM4A9dwas-8RRQloB2yFGlpTi-ciqhUq-VFEFNh3ZqIykHSmEIZnWh3lwCrPRRP8S6PyXF50W5NSRXh/s320/IMG_6266.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The field in the sun. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN0TP0YoyP2pSvTgaTqiY7P5M-3ho1zY-WhO5SrFDM5T-qzi9_VQBW9O0ClRClXp5042heKBI5GEkt_0e9KkRICH73HrMkuj2oMsr5aef48zpJ_K4uiAP3Zu_XbfNBlgD6vhRNyJBQODV/s1600/IMG_6270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN0TP0YoyP2pSvTgaTqiY7P5M-3ho1zY-WhO5SrFDM5T-qzi9_VQBW9O0ClRClXp5042heKBI5GEkt_0e9KkRICH73HrMkuj2oMsr5aef48zpJ_K4uiAP3Zu_XbfNBlgD6vhRNyJBQODV/s320/IMG_6270.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedars.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Have a sunny weekend!</span></span></td></tr>
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</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-11926236218983377422011-03-12T07:46:00.002-05:002011-03-24T11:38:39.989-04:00Needles and how it's knitting.<div style="text-align: justify;">We've still got plenty of snow here, and even after a night of rain, the snow started up again, going strong. We all thought we smelled spring last night, but this morning presented us, yet again, with mountains, trees, and fields blanketed in white. It's almost mid-March now, it ought to be spring, oughtn't it? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPStIQ6cNx8zI3GiRS8ah-T0WQ7yOKuNJEpp-ql23xrs9WYrBULlGjQeNW3zUjOiawociAufPTbA2gflg_36XhWcQQ5Rg1AGHW4iXAEJR1dcAP219hCJXpEW-AYnHn1Vg9xpAVLkDTjfc/s1600/IMG_6075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPStIQ6cNx8zI3GiRS8ah-T0WQ7yOKuNJEpp-ql23xrs9WYrBULlGjQeNW3zUjOiawociAufPTbA2gflg_36XhWcQQ5Rg1AGHW4iXAEJR1dcAP219hCJXpEW-AYnHn1Vg9xpAVLkDTjfc/s320/IMG_6075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow drifts prevail. </td></tr>
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<div>Well, before cabin fever really sinks its teeth into me, I'm off to visit my mother for a week. And hoping to come back to signs of spring. Do you hear that, weather gods? </div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyvuoai31YAmcVA_zWBWiN_VBs-3bfXRQvzBqDcr_37QsRJVr4yfd2vIEeaoSkBq1ndlTfxHLJ4eeZkRxsE9MnZ4rtD1ODjjHW_LhZvaDoLH6iUWX051b2DL4nWqwqwXppWqWEAW5lFHM/s1600/IMG_5898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyvuoai31YAmcVA_zWBWiN_VBs-3bfXRQvzBqDcr_37QsRJVr4yfd2vIEeaoSkBq1ndlTfxHLJ4eeZkRxsE9MnZ4rtD1ODjjHW_LhZvaDoLH6iUWX051b2DL4nWqwqwXppWqWEAW5lFHM/s320/IMG_5898.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She'd like spring, too. Fresh grass, anyone? </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I recently read about needle sizes somewhere. I've always wondered why, say, a size 8 needle is a size 8 needle. Is it totally arbitrary? Or did it make sense to someone at some point? </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Turns out, it actually makes perfect sense. At least, it used to before we got so fancy with our yarns sizes. Here's the deal: until about fifty years ago, there were standards weights for yarn. This meant that any 4-ply yarn was the exact same weight as any other 4-ply, and any 8-ply was the same weight as any other 8-ply, and so on and so forth. Needle sizes were simply gauged to knit up the ply number they corresponded to. So a number 8 needle was for knitting 8-ply yarn. Smart, huh? What's more, 1 skein of yarn used to measure exactly 109 meters. Not so anymore. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ahh, simpler times, right? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking of knitting (haha!), I started to knit the Hiker's Waistcoat, and knit myself into such a frenzy that I almost finished the entire back panel in one day. Here are some glamour shots!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKS1Yn0J2FPsB_fSaH-TZZt68ptZetH3EIqEEyaX3GhNy9yt_JDFGxo2PO8w_3I6kkmOSSiFGRB1wTtREaiX8WWDX4KWjgLHEEe07Ri0s0nGM_8EJMltPMTPizlRE-uyxO6UcyDxkFJfc/s1600/IMG_6110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKS1Yn0J2FPsB_fSaH-TZZt68ptZetH3EIqEEyaX3GhNy9yt_JDFGxo2PO8w_3I6kkmOSSiFGRB1wTtREaiX8WWDX4KWjgLHEEe07Ri0s0nGM_8EJMltPMTPizlRE-uyxO6UcyDxkFJfc/s320/IMG_6110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stripes are onion skin (green/yellow) and indigo (blue) dye. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1zcDXmnkDO2CHjpbAPX8T8mJ8ZkQezG2Pt-aHjsej7Wde98aZG6xCJ4ZxuuYkJDt36Yzzxoz2G87K1V8X0OTaRly791c-p6oRGvhziLecKkLb_ESmVoEjRWp5WElrKxwt1lbngOnNWRz/s1600/IMG_6113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1zcDXmnkDO2CHjpbAPX8T8mJ8ZkQezG2Pt-aHjsej7Wde98aZG6xCJ4ZxuuYkJDt36Yzzxoz2G87K1V8X0OTaRly791c-p6oRGvhziLecKkLb_ESmVoEjRWp5WElrKxwt1lbngOnNWRz/s320/IMG_6113.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset knitting. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7MH4wzvjwDaWl9R2Ob4FdhyphenhyphenlKCGmpTGrWhtwua00bAGsuNU2BwFX2v6qO08Ie4TRl-pPge6T10GwHpM55GFz0GqTqR-u_vRJ2ycYZ7WDSImZGgUE-JOfubEdVqmUmyavOOl24KvuQtyS/s1600/IMG_6107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7MH4wzvjwDaWl9R2Ob4FdhyphenhyphenlKCGmpTGrWhtwua00bAGsuNU2BwFX2v6qO08Ie4TRl-pPge6T10GwHpM55GFz0GqTqR-u_vRJ2ycYZ7WDSImZGgUE-JOfubEdVqmUmyavOOl24KvuQtyS/s320/IMG_6107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get all your bobbins in a row. </td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Have a beautiful weekend! </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-21667095587587061042011-03-07T14:43:00.000-05:002011-03-07T14:43:43.884-05:00If we didn't live here, we'd have a snow day.But we do live here, so we don't have a snow day. Instead, we make our way through drifts of snow 5 feet tall, punching through left and right, the path through the woods that we normally walk in less than ten minutes taking 30 now, and leaving us breathless and red-cheeked. We arrive wherever we are going with a sense of accomplishment rare for an ordinary day. Usually we go somewhere to get there. Today, the journey really is the thing.<br />
Like anything we do, or try to do, shouldn't the struggle to do it be worth something? I'd almost decided to dislike this day, with the heavens dumping on us like they'd figured to give us winter's last hurrah in just 24 hours. But I changed my mind ––knee-deep in a drift, I had to laugh. Always trying to get somewhere. Why not pause for a moment and look around, upward, downward, side to side? I might see something I'd otherwise have missed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3M0-KDXvf7TSry3K6grbBxnvpa8oYCfuU2c7HzfTdTLwK4mCp-n-XtI8g9AC9twpDNSNFyWOVGTIJ7oVF6HEZof_UyLMtgjG7XxEWS-ngjTXVxxb5ve4ILgjttvB2zzEuNoWZvN48Uyzs/s1600/IMG_6044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3M0-KDXvf7TSry3K6grbBxnvpa8oYCfuU2c7HzfTdTLwK4mCp-n-XtI8g9AC9twpDNSNFyWOVGTIJ7oVF6HEZof_UyLMtgjG7XxEWS-ngjTXVxxb5ve4ILgjttvB2zzEuNoWZvN48Uyzs/s320/IMG_6044.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiaJbprHIUpZuC-NTE-D63y29QjrWrL2q23LJjJFkNI1pl2N0PvDOEcMeR0zDcgCdoLRxcQp1RNaELiDbr103WDklAeefiHHsmmshXU83xUO7uxJVhGc3EoQCbc4Z3TcQGaO2AlKcUzGy/s1600/IMG_6047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiaJbprHIUpZuC-NTE-D63y29QjrWrL2q23LJjJFkNI1pl2N0PvDOEcMeR0zDcgCdoLRxcQp1RNaELiDbr103WDklAeefiHHsmmshXU83xUO7uxJVhGc3EoQCbc4Z3TcQGaO2AlKcUzGy/s320/IMG_6047.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pugnacious post office pug. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGJnAQZ-kQPhTmlFi-h2G_MVTnFc5OnpoJwZzJR04ltrZ_txVkW6makYzJtGTPQ3RRx_bQhDcz6zR5bt1eiwYO6K_MnlGAeFiCj9NQyAdmT_-or71wMztgigjSrdkVxPdGON_bn-ln_Ce/s1600/IMG_6054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGJnAQZ-kQPhTmlFi-h2G_MVTnFc5OnpoJwZzJR04ltrZ_txVkW6makYzJtGTPQ3RRx_bQhDcz6zR5bt1eiwYO6K_MnlGAeFiCj9NQyAdmT_-or71wMztgigjSrdkVxPdGON_bn-ln_Ce/s320/IMG_6054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No car, no mail. Hot chocolate, anyone? </td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5CuKVLnR9ZHe2WvYhJ-1uI73O_1XNS4UttftXrHqIZdbV8k2W4-okiGONvIq2TmMOkv8UZNmyv1fCDwOWhPA7gS_VKtqmTJ0J9K2wnK3lyN8y-cenw2Rt-CTYUkcnODUU05XZNSNilfe/s1600/IMG_6055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5CuKVLnR9ZHe2WvYhJ-1uI73O_1XNS4UttftXrHqIZdbV8k2W4-okiGONvIq2TmMOkv8UZNmyv1fCDwOWhPA7gS_VKtqmTJ0J9K2wnK3lyN8y-cenw2Rt-CTYUkcnODUU05XZNSNilfe/s320/IMG_6055.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMywT8ZIhj_trUS6NjdgNR4bEw4HkSjxtBEwRY7YmNBBfOZdA3EfGJR3FsrqQl1x3vCYdzbVAix07mZCZ-U-KYYJiX6vmTKcAMFtTPu42tSQaFg7DGFQC1mwxejfnXssPISDvA2WkwnlE/s1600/IMG_6056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMywT8ZIhj_trUS6NjdgNR4bEw4HkSjxtBEwRY7YmNBBfOZdA3EfGJR3FsrqQl1x3vCYdzbVAix07mZCZ-U-KYYJiX6vmTKcAMFtTPu42tSQaFg7DGFQC1mwxejfnXssPISDvA2WkwnlE/s320/IMG_6056.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple tree. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8Ahd8WctFY7003-Ac3nLZ8v59-2tmn-raAlHoJ9eb3_RasEHkpCqSuKIP4sryFsj8T9MofPde-ELranlWt0ATWnkDPObzqL1u5D00nwJX1HvhJmytUCRBS2BA_bLSKRnrR7Gi1hlGcTp/s1600/IMG_6059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8Ahd8WctFY7003-Ac3nLZ8v59-2tmn-raAlHoJ9eb3_RasEHkpCqSuKIP4sryFsj8T9MofPde-ELranlWt0ATWnkDPObzqL1u5D00nwJX1HvhJmytUCRBS2BA_bLSKRnrR7Gi1hlGcTp/s320/IMG_6059.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little dirt road. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCWVNLYuGpfw4SW6YWLqF9EXuKD5ApWQuSoLGkhcyvw2Yx-tSLywrbNK-y7YgNb074RKJL_SGY19Nk5NC9V28fU6eCCdauXWata_s34lKiuN8DJP43IOQngyq0WShr7bART7fS-de4zel/s1600/IMG_6061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCWVNLYuGpfw4SW6YWLqF9EXuKD5ApWQuSoLGkhcyvw2Yx-tSLywrbNK-y7YgNb074RKJL_SGY19Nk5NC9V28fU6eCCdauXWata_s34lKiuN8DJP43IOQngyq0WShr7bART7fS-de4zel/s320/IMG_6061.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knee-deep in it and loving it. </td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just as your were getting tired of looking at the white stuff...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Y9Rp3TgdHZ3UHkj6n4-wsn7AeJW__2vNk2GD0vfjXZ1zgmCLqZu0a3T27WfY28hWiOqYdItar-9nCMZ3Bnx9HnNyi6PHvD9t47hqpDX7C0CmfXBS3ZNBVZeS2OWPPTrdWWtxygJ4mBQQ/s1600/IMG_6070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Y9Rp3TgdHZ3UHkj6n4-wsn7AeJW__2vNk2GD0vfjXZ1zgmCLqZu0a3T27WfY28hWiOqYdItar-9nCMZ3Bnx9HnNyi6PHvD9t47hqpDX7C0CmfXBS3ZNBVZeS2OWPPTrdWWtxygJ4mBQQ/s320/IMG_6070.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yarn! Icelandic top left, then two yellow-green balls of onion-skin dyed,<br />
and some natural fleece snow-white.<br />
(Can you tell? I've got snow on my mind.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Have a beautiful Monday!</span> </span></td></tr>
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</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-24908558349413643952011-03-05T15:15:00.001-05:002011-03-05T17:09:20.021-05:00A Saturday with Fiber (and dye)This morning, in spite of still being sort of sick and grouchy because of it, I had Hannah, Joe, and Stui over for sourdough pancakes and a wee fiber fest. I've been feeding my sourdough ever other day for weeks and weeks, and haven't baked a thing. It was beginning to be slightly wasteful. So last night I started a batch of pancake batter with the starter, and we fried them up this morning with some maple syrup from last spring (none of the new stuff has made it to our table YET!), blueberries and crabapple jam from the summer, and some other delicious tidbits. Here's the pancake recipe I used (from <a href="http://www.sourdoughbreads.com/SourdoughPancakes.htm">sourdoughbreads.com</a>):<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The night before, mix well (to incorporate some air) 1 cup of your sourdough starter with 1½ cups of all purpose flour and 1 cup of warm water (85°-90°). Leave at warm room temperature (70°-85°) overnight, covered well with plastic wrap.<br />
<br />
The next morning, return 1 cup of the starter mixture to the fridge.<br />
<br />
Then mix the remaining 1½ cups of starter with<br />
<br />
1 egg, slightly beaten<br />
1 Tablespoon of sugar (or more if you like)<br />
1 Tablespoon of melted butter<br />
¾ Teaspoon of salt<br />
½ teaspoon (generous) of baking soda </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
2 Tablespoons of milk</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
Try to have your ingredients at room temperature. This will help to make more tender pancakes.<br />
<br />
Bake on a 400° griddle. Enjoy!</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JXJ98d_7blTNwREmB4e_-O-NWoacfgHhSFH9ET8JR3bHgLmYsg_Yo7zRVt-PETywObA-CSWJAkYa1pfgYmVnPHaK3IT0P2UpcDtIovQjMq3Iuujqlep6LDKIja4yfKqKlqwl50PSSI7K/s1600/IMG_5980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JXJ98d_7blTNwREmB4e_-O-NWoacfgHhSFH9ET8JR3bHgLmYsg_Yo7zRVt-PETywObA-CSWJAkYa1pfgYmVnPHaK3IT0P2UpcDtIovQjMq3Iuujqlep6LDKIja4yfKqKlqwl50PSSI7K/s320/IMG_5980.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You really shouldn't pour copper sulfate mordant <br />
right next to your banana pancakes.<br />
And you probably should wear more than one glove. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #003399; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">Meanwhile, we heated up to very big pots of water on the stove, one with onion skins in it, and the other with some copper sulfate mordant, as outlined in Jenny Dean's super cool book <i>Wild Color</i>. Here are the results of our dyeing day, and just a few more pictures for your entertainment. I also spun up a bobbin's worth of some soft unevenly grey roving that I had left from a few years ago (not sure where it came from), and it turned out very nicely. So nicely, in fact, that I am plotting a way to incorporate it into the vest. Unfortunately, it may steal the limelight from my lovely white yarn, which, lovely as it is, does have some bumps (or "noils") here and there. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApJrJ-uR1DRX97KIBD0ZoW4I7t0cOTchF0W_sbNuBvPczfymXh0dWWcFHvUSAvfGYZ97MSbUT2O6C7iv-UXL1n63ZWmFtBrBPyDdnLRXqRTKzwHBiMwWyIdcElVaJLxv3G8YOJwkJIXIW/s1600/IMG_6008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApJrJ-uR1DRX97KIBD0ZoW4I7t0cOTchF0W_sbNuBvPczfymXh0dWWcFHvUSAvfGYZ97MSbUT2O6C7iv-UXL1n63ZWmFtBrBPyDdnLRXqRTKzwHBiMwWyIdcElVaJLxv3G8YOJwkJIXIW/s320/IMG_6008.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times;"></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2P4xH41xD0sDYCV6-Jii2Rx00i1IukRuPCuH_VETqiBPpKNUpQ3tlLee8n2Q4ncEWDtVxpLDOL_eapsFXUYXt2U1-PZ9zN9_8GyRd1UF8xmdniVh7eYQFfVpKBym7mwUe6E1hN-1gIPy/s1600/IMG_5984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2P4xH41xD0sDYCV6-Jii2Rx00i1IukRuPCuH_VETqiBPpKNUpQ3tlLee8n2Q4ncEWDtVxpLDOL_eapsFXUYXt2U1-PZ9zN9_8GyRd1UF8xmdniVh7eYQFfVpKBym7mwUe6E1hN-1gIPy/s320/IMG_5984.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pot of copper sulfate mordant with some of Hannah's yarn and some of mine,<br />
as well as some roving thrown in for good measure. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfmeW_-pJ45JDzg_gioYqxAXTfHjQE0o73eQ9OrvC1ZqZZY6iLV9X-oM07ew3ANpG87EFX8YEdvdAvuuQAWL4m6kE-hZNx3nkThuNgMKSZpR_iB0pt0I24VIOejdBo88BaY7nYP5R_rJw/s1600/IMG_5986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfmeW_-pJ45JDzg_gioYqxAXTfHjQE0o73eQ9OrvC1ZqZZY6iLV9X-oM07ew3ANpG87EFX8YEdvdAvuuQAWL4m6kE-hZNx3nkThuNgMKSZpR_iB0pt0I24VIOejdBo88BaY7nYP5R_rJw/s320/IMG_5986.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onions skins simmering away. The whole house smelled like French onion soup.<br />
Yum! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0x3X4UnuoLBlpSDoA6Y0wbInaIcnW7eeocR7xslcrP2iYBqwv6Hxx2oTqXa5rGzlXNp38rEBe75I_6ciNwFAvZaLAIR56H1ygwgWPlyc8NMU95StEX_zgd-7snFZHIoPJt7Ton1mw_lG/s1600/IMG_5988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0x3X4UnuoLBlpSDoA6Y0wbInaIcnW7eeocR7xslcrP2iYBqwv6Hxx2oTqXa5rGzlXNp38rEBe75I_6ciNwFAvZaLAIR56H1ygwgWPlyc8NMU95StEX_zgd-7snFZHIoPJt7Ton1mw_lG/s320/IMG_5988.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayla salvaged some fleece ends and edges from shearing on Friday.<br />
She picked and cleaned them diligently, and then dyed them in our onion dye pot. <br />
Beautiful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurTj30oJgF_at5IHr3xQEqjXhyphenhyphen9_0MXB0mFakFW-mSYF_1qfQsoM8qoaYsOHDdgnOCLeELpGO5Z2ITcWHlgzhkVfFePkYcnV7w8aN3J7iPFifxWFfnEzw7Pgm7aKAspqzjeTScqJtYJIb/s1600/IMG_5991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurTj30oJgF_at5IHr3xQEqjXhyphenhyphen9_0MXB0mFakFW-mSYF_1qfQsoM8qoaYsOHDdgnOCLeELpGO5Z2ITcWHlgzhkVfFePkYcnV7w8aN3J7iPFifxWFfnEzw7Pgm7aKAspqzjeTScqJtYJIb/s320/IMG_5991.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onion dye liqueur! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8MJnzeNA4XmuJDiTSl_VEX8dTo8D9TwE2btx39iKT_xdTXQg6Bgrv-SrUfehL_eGsRtQ_DnVTuY_ohMeUYThPevlWp98HeOWt-br6_zyeVrvCMoPQnb7RD1PtzxdkXzO8kLKaU5Exs-O/s1600/IMG_5996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8MJnzeNA4XmuJDiTSl_VEX8dTo8D9TwE2btx39iKT_xdTXQg6Bgrv-SrUfehL_eGsRtQ_DnVTuY_ohMeUYThPevlWp98HeOWt-br6_zyeVrvCMoPQnb7RD1PtzxdkXzO8kLKaU5Exs-O/s320/IMG_5996.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam, steam. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qGdJK1McTTd3ACyrUmodPUCL-tpr1gzmSrWobVU_MGJP5ROHXUffwT0Nzlmw9DeTwFbFAk4DTmqbMM5fNh2WXScqUlQ_r9vIr1o_pvCGPmQpvT9mjAgtk6jYcQ0cbtvDatVLxx5n42N_/s1600/IMG_6000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qGdJK1McTTd3ACyrUmodPUCL-tpr1gzmSrWobVU_MGJP5ROHXUffwT0Nzlmw9DeTwFbFAk4DTmqbMM5fNh2WXScqUlQ_r9vIr1o_pvCGPmQpvT9mjAgtk6jYcQ0cbtvDatVLxx5n42N_/s320/IMG_6000.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A skein of slightly twisty yarn looking gorgeous in its new golden coat. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhip9KIqyAjSsVKC8zUZ933Pdy_SlA6h_erXCcg1IFWjNGZ5CYUx98o-m2Kj5xJbCKdO34Bj1XKH_VKTKR4LaOEDU4uCFu1ZFFQb632Tg8d9geGWNBUpF3vBgh-MEYtu1vMl2VHAnWGtWkh/s1600/IMG_6010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhip9KIqyAjSsVKC8zUZ933Pdy_SlA6h_erXCcg1IFWjNGZ5CYUx98o-m2Kj5xJbCKdO34Bj1XKH_VKTKR4LaOEDU4uCFu1ZFFQb632Tg8d9geGWNBUpF3vBgh-MEYtu1vMl2VHAnWGtWkh/s320/IMG_6010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An ASL lesson happening side by side with some yarn winding and mini-sheep felting<br />
(not in the picture, but you'll see them<a href="http://www.hewandsew.com/"> here</a>, soon). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLOnW9tXFLG2GdBbTBGon3M83Tjh37XvREpkwxsofcf4jFuao0fpdpzdHITQ8uc7sohLmfPkazXdr92oH2PpgQEm3fuyft86P5CUNavVJeqHoelfY08McWio5SxHqyyaOe6hFdDXDWI9Y/s1600/IMG_6016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLOnW9tXFLG2GdBbTBGon3M83Tjh37XvREpkwxsofcf4jFuao0fpdpzdHITQ8uc7sohLmfPkazXdr92oH2PpgQEm3fuyft86P5CUNavVJeqHoelfY08McWio5SxHqyyaOe6hFdDXDWI9Y/s320/IMG_6016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stui brought me flowers 'cause its grey and yucky out and we're missing spring quite badly. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOPqpWHq53FJieZNN6-cB6_2aAFrvmHKQ8rREWRpnFxOlKWpZLLT2-Mr5_z5TkFWIM_WZapnJNo1X-m8fYjmZL70QKT0kURzeIvfzTL4vZcQX63ZgP4kc4ShLweYqLh4EkTykcMDsNTbJ/s1600/IMG_6021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOPqpWHq53FJieZNN6-cB6_2aAFrvmHKQ8rREWRpnFxOlKWpZLLT2-Mr5_z5TkFWIM_WZapnJNo1X-m8fYjmZL70QKT0kURzeIvfzTL4vZcQX63ZgP4kc4ShLweYqLh4EkTykcMDsNTbJ/s320/IMG_6021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let me say: this picture does the colour no credit. None whatsoever!<br />
Imagine glimmering sun-gold! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHNp4Q2SmbClGelfw4lDXoFRv62mrIFEDqFN7VRPMvxk3h9OT-1aNqB37DiNpK9FhMoKP1Sd1aoA6SivHH81jJGJJaexqZr2hIUiGu7Om3CKfH9G7lNM5L1ed9fzhf9fsg1qGnayVkfqq/s1600/IMG_6024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHNp4Q2SmbClGelfw4lDXoFRv62mrIFEDqFN7VRPMvxk3h9OT-1aNqB37DiNpK9FhMoKP1Sd1aoA6SivHH81jJGJJaexqZr2hIUiGu7Om3CKfH9G7lNM5L1ed9fzhf9fsg1qGnayVkfqq/s320/IMG_6024.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe's hat knitting station...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QS3OlT1vxnfp3UkZeaQKgfW_b7IO7o-nkcJ7AB_YRr5MZQs_rAhgtWoD7_MgovCpcwiZvpH3huGj1hU6pe80qtha5jo9r_Ay2AUmt_MlvvNbsKwxD2BCRw3Zg-DRs_FDz17eOepGSotQ/s1600/IMG_6025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QS3OlT1vxnfp3UkZeaQKgfW_b7IO7o-nkcJ7AB_YRr5MZQs_rAhgtWoD7_MgovCpcwiZvpH3huGj1hU6pe80qtha5jo9r_Ay2AUmt_MlvvNbsKwxD2BCRw3Zg-DRs_FDz17eOepGSotQ/s320/IMG_6025.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...presided over by the irreplaceable Elizabeth Zimmerman. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilulK7XDsMQ0GOhk4w3dev70_0c2hF7r0D1NE56sKjAiEQ1aEo6KgmH98ee3kCvmQ7z-j41CaU1OOQRTDyXPckuYxzg2SgVrZx8qN6suezHO-NDWtJWP8oTCUDgeT8Q6JeqJA78EPtYjSK/s1600/IMG_6027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilulK7XDsMQ0GOhk4w3dev70_0c2hF7r0D1NE56sKjAiEQ1aEo6KgmH98ee3kCvmQ7z-j41CaU1OOQRTDyXPckuYxzg2SgVrZx8qN6suezHO-NDWtJWP8oTCUDgeT8Q6JeqJA78EPtYjSK/s320/IMG_6027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe and Hannah, happily a-knitting.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hope your weekend's filled with sunshine, even when the sun outside is hiding behind a cloud.<br />
Enjoy! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYK1LNWV1oS5oGg33DwBdMSn_i_AHeAkZtbriNlmVnttrkePXch_9ROZlffP6Oioaz35wpgEBwZ0JTSYPfkeY9pAvJul7waG6yMTKnEo9P5VySchTGVpByYNWpcVqCFVlT9BFw8IvrNJb/s1600/IMG_5977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYK1LNWV1oS5oGg33DwBdMSn_i_AHeAkZtbriNlmVnttrkePXch_9ROZlffP6Oioaz35wpgEBwZ0JTSYPfkeY9pAvJul7waG6yMTKnEo9P5VySchTGVpByYNWpcVqCFVlT9BFw8IvrNJb/s320/IMG_5977.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Oh and by the way, here's what was left of the fleece after my last bout of scouring.<br />
That skein is in there for size. Just sayin'<br />
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</span></span>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-24365304604977747352011-03-02T08:40:00.004-05:002011-03-05T17:05:52.056-05:00I think I've found it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">My friend <a href="http://www.hewandsew.com/">Hannah</a> has been knitting this pattern, the "Hiker's Waistcoat", and I think it's wonderful! I think I might knit this with my handspun yarn. It's a clean slate for working in stripes, possible intarsia or colourwork, as well as embellishing with fancy buttons. The pattern is a free one from Ravelry. You can find it<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hikers-waistcoat"> here</a>. (You'll probably need to sign in to Ravely first, though.) </div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://9C764A4C-3117-4276-9442-7AA8098FAD7D/image.tiff" style="cursor: move;" /></div><br />
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">I read a piece by Kate Davies about a booming knit-business in 19th century Edinburgh. Read it all <a href="http://twistcollective.com/collection/index.php/component/content/article/35-features/205-in-the-steps-of-jane-gaugain">here</a>. Here's what Edinburgh Magazine had to say about knitting:</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">We deny any woman engaged in these knitting processes which must require constant counting of stitches and un-distracted attention, to enjoy her own quiet thoughts. The honeycomb stitch, the ladder stitch, the diamond knitting, the porcupine boa, and the double eyelet knitting are surely enough to drive any woman mad. </span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal;"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">I'd say that I can think quite well while stitching along, and what's more sometimes it's nice to just tune out. Today we'd call that meditation. As for madness, well, I don't mind a bit of that here and there either! I'd really like to know what a porcupine boa is...<br />
Have a happy Wednesday! Weekend is almost here! </div><div><br />
</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-44220303535897435052011-03-01T14:52:00.002-05:002011-03-03T11:01:26.628-05:00March 1st. Has spring sprung?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, saying that spring has sprung might be a bit of a jump (um, spring?). I'd like it to happen sooner rather than later, though. The bees are itching to venture out of the hive (and doing so even before they should, leaving the snow speckled with those unfortunate bees that don't make it back to the hive), the ewes are ready to lamb, and I'm ready to shed mittens and scarves and exchange winter boots for mud season boots. Well alright, we're still under a few feet of snow, and though the sun is shining brilliantly today, it's supposed to snow again tomorrow and then AGAIN this weekend. Weather gods: I'm ready for mud season! I'd like some squishy mud between my toes. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJWlg9CFvNA0vnBRhEdLm1XAGfUyWC9J_FxKGq1DCCNN8HEPz5Hv1CjWgvIfwrXRxDmzbg9Ze_K_Ovid5RT-nESbENm4iHPn5RQUh4OyLpKXSfijzMnBSIT7IZEFZ4LCK4ZXEWKeacGvV/s1600/IMG_5915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJWlg9CFvNA0vnBRhEdLm1XAGfUyWC9J_FxKGq1DCCNN8HEPz5Hv1CjWgvIfwrXRxDmzbg9Ze_K_Ovid5RT-nESbENm4iHPn5RQUh4OyLpKXSfijzMnBSIT7IZEFZ4LCK4ZXEWKeacGvV/s320/IMG_5915.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, there's no denying it: we still have snow. </td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">I've been spinning away semi-industriously (that is, whenever I have a moment), and am up to five skeins now, so just about a pound, I hope. My intention is to spin two skeins a week, but my schedule seems to vary madly and uncontrollably. Today, for example, I've got some pork liver and shoulder thawing out from our butchering last week for a little paté-making operation. When will I make the paté? Time flies... Perhaps I'll catch a moment between 11 pm and midnight? I've already diced it and stirred it all up with bay leaves, dry thyme from the garden, and some salt and black pepper. The next step is grinding the meat and cooking up some scallions to go in the paté, making a panada, and simmering the paté dish in a waterbath till it's done. And then of course ––eating. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I went for a walk down to the farm today, trying to catch some vitamin D, and took some pictures of our fiber-y friends who reside down there. The sheep are new arrivals from <a href="http://www.bonnieview.org/">Bonnieview Farm</a>, and they are much more curious and personable than our last flock. These came right up to me when I was photographing them, sniffing my hands and the camera, and peering at me with those wise old sheep eyes. They are bred to be dairy sheep, but someone always saves a few fleeces, and with a bit of elbow grease, those grease-fleeces clean up well. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY4sis3fj9_Ub5QBgbO7xEMds8L3Sy1QTn3xHVci3orbRf3YybJE2KGQYh9kEdT5yD8JFlTgJxtfC9oBLqR74QJbOb7OVPbeKyJTnNZQEkVI0Y-jrcowbaq11vtT2yxhHohSx05HmyAJi/s1600/IMG_5943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY4sis3fj9_Ub5QBgbO7xEMds8L3Sy1QTn3xHVci3orbRf3YybJE2KGQYh9kEdT5yD8JFlTgJxtfC9oBLqR74QJbOb7OVPbeKyJTnNZQEkVI0Y-jrcowbaq11vtT2yxhHohSx05HmyAJi/s320/IMG_5943.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Here are some other lovely new arrivals. 25 baby goats now call our farm home. Aren't they beautiful? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6Em-tVkAxfWMQjBdqCivqIJyFBJ3rvXfVT-pTaLcg4ifDKgXsLozmOzifwCw7AJ6IYHZBpXSF8UVaVXkr3vf1Zy07Z89ul2ob1Yj-FQqDZp7qYPo1_7SpEQ_DKtcORzipI2sv7GSAcAQ/s1600/IMG_5886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6Em-tVkAxfWMQjBdqCivqIJyFBJ3rvXfVT-pTaLcg4ifDKgXsLozmOzifwCw7AJ6IYHZBpXSF8UVaVXkr3vf1Zy07Z89ul2ob1Yj-FQqDZp7qYPo1_7SpEQ_DKtcORzipI2sv7GSAcAQ/s320/IMG_5886.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAojPn4lPik3uyLG6-18pH5iOgxFQInmbRIlKZry3SvrCQ3d0a7ljAGb8QNLBcyl5jRbJ3laA-TzdS3d6GvHNOqqObFFQWNnPSnxOu0IDZ2XlzokAp8Fum70KlQbWXr0EdAQAVc6029TIr/s1600/IMG_5889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAojPn4lPik3uyLG6-18pH5iOgxFQInmbRIlKZry3SvrCQ3d0a7ljAGb8QNLBcyl5jRbJ3laA-TzdS3d6GvHNOqqObFFQWNnPSnxOu0IDZ2XlzokAp8Fum70KlQbWXr0EdAQAVc6029TIr/s320/IMG_5889.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And three older goats... one of the is a cashmere goat (the grey one), the other an angora (curly hair). Kidding time is coming up soon! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXUutxRkFFRgfkUsNwCjcO0vlR07ueLyhNzj_Mwtr6oWWDCi7bm3Sd0DvQ8hylIJ6y04rnNxB2yWpDkjwRtI3Y9CEqCnpiOLUou_iBDUMN4dlZ-D8wKLvSIiF91qtKdLTwfx9I9E5wGYb/s1600/IMG_5908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXUutxRkFFRgfkUsNwCjcO0vlR07ueLyhNzj_Mwtr6oWWDCi7bm3Sd0DvQ8hylIJ6y04rnNxB2yWpDkjwRtI3Y9CEqCnpiOLUou_iBDUMN4dlZ-D8wKLvSIiF91qtKdLTwfx9I9E5wGYb/s320/IMG_5908.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0vOUEtQniQrsH9EeLzANx4lRE5ZTliLPKAk7C55xXaJzbaX-nr5OVdj-1Ql_kf_6NbLXjAHD84lE-Q-VfZZySL6mNKzuFLt8w9t7PqY8Zz2sYMzDq5CXpwp9J82WclAgjh80cL-x5RDi/s1600/IMG_5909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0vOUEtQniQrsH9EeLzANx4lRE5ZTliLPKAk7C55xXaJzbaX-nr5OVdj-1Ql_kf_6NbLXjAHD84lE-Q-VfZZySL6mNKzuFLt8w9t7PqY8Zz2sYMzDq5CXpwp9J82WclAgjh80cL-x5RDi/s320/IMG_5909.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An angora fleece. </td></tr>
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<div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, I continue to drool over Rowan patterns. So I'll leave you with a few pictures from some of their past collections.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book-Dunvegan and Cambell Scarf.jpg" height="310px" src="http://www.knitrowan.com/book-image/big/book-Dunvegan%20and%20Cambell%20Scarf.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="260px" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book-Marple_a.jpg.jpg" height="310px" src="http://www.knitrowan.com/book-image/big/book-Marple_a.jpg.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="260px" /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book-Wholesome.jpg" height="310px" src="http://www.knitrowan.com/book-image/big/book-Wholesome.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="260px" /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Hope you'r enjoying the sunshine! Happy Town Meeting day!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-60906223938458360272011-02-24T13:28:00.001-05:002011-02-24T15:13:18.417-05:00Just a few photos for today<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Picking and carding another batch of wool: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvTIIB8LgDgjB9J8OqzLpYKOERn3-1m6wN41ZsTm4xOMDLzxA4e1VzqvXu9HJSgXOhWRGdAsFtBxMm5owohuNOn42f9fwCNsk4RrBzFMaUHKDwGscGREGHfthudDLIz5s4vIDdCZJ_Pzi/s1600/IMG_5694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvTIIB8LgDgjB9J8OqzLpYKOERn3-1m6wN41ZsTm4xOMDLzxA4e1VzqvXu9HJSgXOhWRGdAsFtBxMm5owohuNOn42f9fwCNsk4RrBzFMaUHKDwGscGREGHfthudDLIz5s4vIDdCZJ_Pzi/s320/IMG_5694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A basket full of fiber and the terrifying wool picker.<br />
Why terrifying? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdyWZCEFmo_WK-atC9ev2xZLWkpFeHh25h4rtiIHVCQfe_0oLsNr-niftXnC66ap7yCpAT2k8OQsnw0BCUk8MuIBdrdZH-LnmGOzIJDS-DFvq0Vf3LK5QTOw7Pciv50oICdovRVBCKg2E/s1600/IMG_5696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdyWZCEFmo_WK-atC9ev2xZLWkpFeHh25h4rtiIHVCQfe_0oLsNr-niftXnC66ap7yCpAT2k8OQsnw0BCUk8MuIBdrdZH-LnmGOzIJDS-DFvq0Vf3LK5QTOw7Pciv50oICdovRVBCKg2E/s320/IMG_5696.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's why. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdSpp6OyYee7SyY3h3K4qkD8PsZJQWvJ-Jm_t4m4sb8WEyAoz7Sw-gA_buKbzyzTH_SqyJgK-tFJ_d7mQTrffqcu9OHFYtdDjnDoNPUl7xKv7E7cJNpTdSEsGItkgINpRMgzaMf4hem7k/s1600/IMG_5701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdSpp6OyYee7SyY3h3K4qkD8PsZJQWvJ-Jm_t4m4sb8WEyAoz7Sw-gA_buKbzyzTH_SqyJgK-tFJ_d7mQTrffqcu9OHFYtdDjnDoNPUl7xKv7E7cJNpTdSEsGItkgINpRMgzaMf4hem7k/s320/IMG_5701.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Here's how it works: you feed the fiber in one side (the left in this case) and,</div><div style="text-align: center;">wearing thick leather gloves of course, swing the moveable cradle back and forth. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The movement combs the fiber and eventually send it flying out the right side of the picker. </div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIHx7coSiLKKXu7HCsvVsI9B5igCJ8Q_UZTCaXbzFWAFf8WolOAJ8A98WtcqE3zolJQ2k_rJY6lVcXaZp5Q_jW7a7xb_7ACcgN4qzN6PL42zcB0cPky6vyT4C5u0XY8bIY0y3bcuB4mYJ/s1600/IMG_5707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIHx7coSiLKKXu7HCsvVsI9B5igCJ8Q_UZTCaXbzFWAFf8WolOAJ8A98WtcqE3zolJQ2k_rJY6lVcXaZp5Q_jW7a7xb_7ACcgN4qzN6PL42zcB0cPky6vyT4C5u0XY8bIY0y3bcuB4mYJ/s320/IMG_5707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The drum carder in action. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1Rmm8wg9Sa0vBA_PGmKD_Zha3ZlhhcJks41nJAiFTnunHIagzTmG4gQojIoWcmp1JCvzFMgux1Poqs1iCWbHGcG-S3lXAHAua-H6whnDfK7L3mYoSSjm-8oZQMziiYQ2fA-dKkSDipZ-/s1600/IMG_5712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1Rmm8wg9Sa0vBA_PGmKD_Zha3ZlhhcJks41nJAiFTnunHIagzTmG4gQojIoWcmp1JCvzFMgux1Poqs1iCWbHGcG-S3lXAHAua-H6whnDfK7L3mYoSSjm-8oZQMziiYQ2fA-dKkSDipZ-/s320/IMG_5712.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolled up fiber ready to spin. These jelly rolls are also known as rolags.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Sewing up a skirt: </span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t1j7k5VggFjOaxs_6GuEzeTNBOU754_7BP5QSDmQ5ccZ3HQh9VBkSiKaMTWNkt-_vQfA3l5_EVFfCdDB8Mc32vaQRTAmli2OGdZV-shejR_QgkbfykFsxOMHeT0BVx1sgxMwnSM6KDi3/s1600/IMG_5685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t1j7k5VggFjOaxs_6GuEzeTNBOU754_7BP5QSDmQ5ccZ3HQh9VBkSiKaMTWNkt-_vQfA3l5_EVFfCdDB8Mc32vaQRTAmli2OGdZV-shejR_QgkbfykFsxOMHeT0BVx1sgxMwnSM6KDi3/s320/IMG_5685.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wrap-skirt made with fabric from a little shop in Portland, OR. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVCQtMgdiWMddZzsyDvGxg8ECFiJ5YJ6ADZ9TGu9YcsH4ILTRoLl6UtKoic08YIIj6BvxMRauF9IAQIYYTVBhqXQ3XLH1j_Btm1S4xoUVINF6So6poBq0-cCU7QBFUQo3-mpzhxePg9cJ/s1600/IMG_5686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVCQtMgdiWMddZzsyDvGxg8ECFiJ5YJ6ADZ9TGu9YcsH4ILTRoLl6UtKoic08YIIj6BvxMRauF9IAQIYYTVBhqXQ3XLH1j_Btm1S4xoUVINF6So6poBq0-cCU7QBFUQo3-mpzhxePg9cJ/s320/IMG_5686.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunny trim on the pocket. Couldn't resist. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqYkaq3DuKRoth__D-voIsrzke8xkVgleXkCi4oIbTJZ0T20YGvaeHx9ajY-k7LzclZg0Qr_HBaJM4lz0c2hQ8oBL3xGzvwlDFHa1U6T6fAjjLDIGdANqdCs4myKK2dK2HJQxwEvJFIE8/s1600/IMG_5687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqYkaq3DuKRoth__D-voIsrzke8xkVgleXkCi4oIbTJZ0T20YGvaeHx9ajY-k7LzclZg0Qr_HBaJM4lz0c2hQ8oBL3xGzvwlDFHa1U6T6fAjjLDIGdANqdCs4myKK2dK2HJQxwEvJFIE8/s320/IMG_5687.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buttons!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">A reverse-Swedish wallet made with bits of felt and two handmade bowls: </span></div></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBnQpGzIjBou4_7MjGkGEGknmW4rDCCSvo0p-Gv4keuFo2y5dHNe0TCluKFVimWKj2qwdK3Vj7aEYt2nTxtNwZHRNN9rGxfAyZPjxHjm927o9Z3ejrupbl25iRauLCfRGmhY9MKgfbRGU/s1600/IMG_5785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBnQpGzIjBou4_7MjGkGEGknmW4rDCCSvo0p-Gv4keuFo2y5dHNe0TCluKFVimWKj2qwdK3Vj7aEYt2nTxtNwZHRNN9rGxfAyZPjxHjm927o9Z3ejrupbl25iRauLCfRGmhY9MKgfbRGU/s320/IMG_5785.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OfiGJNwCFmh9QfdUtk8j4NOrxNxjVq2Y3aPx014zEWycAnn14Xqbhqxpqc_UdU3Ua9WXI_hsdbEttahbIdzvJHHmra-WUbCcznYnfPczMdboTu77aSOhs7Vka5j9c9POPtHmO0JC482S/s1600/IMG_5786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OfiGJNwCFmh9QfdUtk8j4NOrxNxjVq2Y3aPx014zEWycAnn14Xqbhqxpqc_UdU3Ua9WXI_hsdbEttahbIdzvJHHmra-WUbCcznYnfPczMdboTu77aSOhs7Vka5j9c9POPtHmO0JC482S/s320/IMG_5786.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97TjOmnYmYgncsS_sYNtipbeOMVVAf1T7ut9lo0RH67esksLqGjjt4uycd4T1uvXzqPpLVnMEbwY7pJh1V7W6E3AbrSAovj-cyZO0siC7U_nwjhYxsoCPPCT7jlgbidcGLd2NAPEYgEjv/s1600/IMG_5784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97TjOmnYmYgncsS_sYNtipbeOMVVAf1T7ut9lo0RH67esksLqGjjt4uycd4T1uvXzqPpLVnMEbwY7pJh1V7W6E3AbrSAovj-cyZO0siC7U_nwjhYxsoCPPCT7jlgbidcGLd2NAPEYgEjv/s320/IMG_5784.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Have a wonderful weekend!</span></span></div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-89500772622195334342011-02-22T14:03:00.001-05:002011-02-22T15:59:24.241-05:00Two more skeins and the loveliest knit-frock yet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I finished spinning two more skeins of yarn! I haven't weighed them yet, but they seem to be about as skinny as my first skein was. So probably another 3-3.5 ounces per skein. Wow! It's adding up. Sort of. I spun these two skeins on the two different wheels ––the one spun on the big production wheel is definitely a bit over-spun. I'm still getting the hang of drafting the wool out fast enough to keep up with the speed of the wheel pulling it in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I was looking through back issues of Interweave Knits' magazine, and found this ad for the English yarn company <a href="http://www.knitrowan.com/">Rowan</a>. I've always loved Rowan, it's the most beautiful (and most expensive) stuff, and their patterns are so dreamy and idiosyncratic. And a bit odd at times (and yes, therefore ever so British). But this sweater dress trumps all. It's gorgeous. I wish I could just conjure it up right now. It's knit in Kidsilk Haze, which, even for Rowan yarn, is a little on the steep side, at about £9/teensy-tiny skein. You'd need dozens of balls of yarn to make this. Maybe Rowan will hire me to become a test knitter for them. In exchange for free yarn! I've also looked all over for the pattern. Alas, Rowan Knit magazine #42 is nowhere to be found. Sigh. Well, for now, I'll just keep it posted on my bulletin board. Maybe I can manifest this somehow!? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crafty things and notes and skeins and my perfect sweater <br />
and a big old candy-coloured angora hat. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMtHSwfjgvL3La39kwSIPVo8WEtavlE86tUeiumQjZdGQmqyIj59ASkaYckBLj1LxzXkFa2Owd_3KW67_0AKvtk5JG4bSPJjXh_hC0xEjCecT3u_6AsdSaftdntOTWmoC4_lN2Rxk0tws/s1600/IMG_5679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMtHSwfjgvL3La39kwSIPVo8WEtavlE86tUeiumQjZdGQmqyIj59ASkaYckBLj1LxzXkFa2Owd_3KW67_0AKvtk5JG4bSPJjXh_hC0xEjCecT3u_6AsdSaftdntOTWmoC4_lN2Rxk0tws/s320/IMG_5679.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There it is. Ahhhhh... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3s_hF_-97t7VOZbmB97FPEtIUaapGwDBB8p0M8uaTw6wlEPPQQ8RWDfb0WHKQuYVyAFHh9h7tlueXvPOjMJ_QCqGvZpSW3mhNOFiAtzkT4Ei6iqzj_pvOXD0pcT-ivlXr1lfDi1pZ0bB/s1600/IMG_5680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3s_hF_-97t7VOZbmB97FPEtIUaapGwDBB8p0M8uaTw6wlEPPQQ8RWDfb0WHKQuYVyAFHh9h7tlueXvPOjMJ_QCqGvZpSW3mhNOFiAtzkT4Ei6iqzj_pvOXD0pcT-ivlXr1lfDi1pZ0bB/s320/IMG_5680.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more! Two more!!</td></tr>
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<div>PS- Another kind of crafty: <a href="http://www.youngfarmers.org/practical/farm-hack/">http://www.youngfarmers.org/practical/farm-hack/</a></div><div>The National Young Farmers Coalition's answer to farming on a shoestring. Check out the chicken waterer that only opens when a chicken stands on it. </div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-56325744139310039312011-02-20T10:28:00.001-05:002011-02-20T10:34:17.618-05:00More scouring and some of my favourite books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A sunny Sunday morning ––perfect wool-washing weather. I cleaned a few more ounces of wool in the sink this morning. The last batch turned out well, but it wasn't quite as clean as I'd hoped for. So this time, I let the wool soak longer and with a bit more soap and Borax. Quantities? Um. Approximately two-three squirts of ordinary dish-soap and a dash of Borax for a sink full of hot-to-the-touch water. Let the wool soak, swishing it gently to and fro, for as long as you can stand it. You should be patient for at least 10-15 minutes. I use two rinses for my wool, but if you fiber is super dirty, you might need longer soaks and more rinses. The rinses are just clear hot water in a little tub (see photos) and a little bit of gentle swishing. Right now, the wool is drying on a sheet on the floor. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TRTB1OHzrpkzqTqR66o2AL4NlBQ8BrzRHCZ_UQaYmmWAOuxAhoWVzOCLmWy3fRJ1RnVh2sZ1X5X15MDIAqQFi3L_iW2ItGh2izMlUUL-Tw0b2984_pPqJIzsoDoSX7jlaDyBYU7FdQZa/s1600/IMG_5598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TRTB1OHzrpkzqTqR66o2AL4NlBQ8BrzRHCZ_UQaYmmWAOuxAhoWVzOCLmWy3fRJ1RnVh2sZ1X5X15MDIAqQFi3L_iW2ItGh2izMlUUL-Tw0b2984_pPqJIzsoDoSX7jlaDyBYU7FdQZa/s320/IMG_5598.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small scouring set-up in the kitchen. <br />
A few tubs and a sink will do.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixHW2E5kzMDioFhGhocUs0qy9qr3uhq2BNnw9mMcqMA_jyQoHe7lXAITZQQWkKYvR8bekZ1qJh_2CQkiDxxXW9be6LKcpDBNdgY9pABDhQTpIepVaIgV-DfeZZkYtSxpVviUIUQ1dbgtw/s1600/IMG_5600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixHW2E5kzMDioFhGhocUs0qy9qr3uhq2BNnw9mMcqMA_jyQoHe7lXAITZQQWkKYvR8bekZ1qJh_2CQkiDxxXW9be6LKcpDBNdgY9pABDhQTpIepVaIgV-DfeZZkYtSxpVviUIUQ1dbgtw/s320/IMG_5600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first soak ––now you see the dirt...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LfZ4jrLgezLUjqt9BadUANrhqb0FvUnqDsyK2L26fhgPE1dcPJsqfD-0Q6geIP2pR5w7MEyy0BiOolVFBvuAubTJdRsAuyUQLLlB3qXdHy2cs-yyvH-cY69j9JsI1x9-IrR5sLZGbWka/s1600/IMG_5599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LfZ4jrLgezLUjqt9BadUANrhqb0FvUnqDsyK2L26fhgPE1dcPJsqfD-0Q6geIP2pR5w7MEyy0BiOolVFBvuAubTJdRsAuyUQLLlB3qXdHy2cs-yyvH-cY69j9JsI1x9-IrR5sLZGbWka/s320/IMG_5599.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and now you don't! The second soak (rinse). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQQ5CQtID8x8QMZQccQeHEIvwfIxaigaRWjfPgD-Y1VqttvfpiCu36s4-KahAkqkxiop93Dpx-p_sEhrFQKwQ9EV3edn3s54mv37-7hzJRWFpFOJ1mCiiqd414NSvUcaBubRMGI4x-_wO/s1600/IMG_5602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQQ5CQtID8x8QMZQccQeHEIvwfIxaigaRWjfPgD-Y1VqttvfpiCu36s4-KahAkqkxiop93Dpx-p_sEhrFQKwQ9EV3edn3s54mv37-7hzJRWFpFOJ1mCiiqd414NSvUcaBubRMGI4x-_wO/s320/IMG_5602.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clean wool drying on a sheet. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'd totally forgotten about "willowing wool" until I picked up Alden Amos' <i>Big Book of Handspinning</i> again this morning. Basically, you spread the wool out on a screen on the floor (or better yet, outside), and flogging away at it with a couple of flexible twigs (hence the willow). This way, you can beat out a lot of the little bits of dirt and junk that won't wash out of the fleece. As Alden points out, you can also use it as a way to vent pent-up frustrations. I found this very bizarre parliamentary report from England, published in 1918, when I was looking for information about willowing wool. Not very helpful, but interesting nonetheless. Odd stuff, this.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">F</span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">ROM COMMISSIONERS INSPECTORS AND OTHERS, </span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">1918 </span></span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">G. Ackroyd (E): Witness willows some of the materials sent to him for combing. A dusty atmosphere is generally an indication that the material has not been properly cleansed. Willowing may be necessary for cleansing certain materials but it is not wise to willow alt materials and witness would prefer a steeping process to willowing. Wool can be cleansed of much dust by steeping and efficient washing and if so cleansed willowing is a disadvantage because it tends to damage all materials. Willowed wool can be washed more cheaply than unwillowed. In some cases the advantages may outweigh the disadvantages but witness considers willowing a mistake from the manufacturing point of view and also to be a dangerous process from the health point of view. </span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><br />
</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I might willow this batch of wool today when it dries, just to see what it does for it. It reminds me of threshing grain, which we had great fun with this summer.... </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are some of my favourite wooly-crafty books. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlXz5yvHb_CuiKiwyQTqr_YWGalZtKML0PO_6xbdgHVnNqnsgov625dRtx4BVTU_-tS4nyDqwI4BF2_8ceut_XCRExq0H6Q-5FxDuEbwGa3TvhMtRHtuMjdsYxXJwom-YnTfWK7l8G55t/s1600/IMG_5606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlXz5yvHb_CuiKiwyQTqr_YWGalZtKML0PO_6xbdgHVnNqnsgov625dRtx4BVTU_-tS4nyDqwI4BF2_8ceut_XCRExq0H6Q-5FxDuEbwGa3TvhMtRHtuMjdsYxXJwom-YnTfWK7l8G55t/s320/IMG_5606.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Oh, and one more thing. If you like Moleskin notebooks (I do),<a href="http://www.moleskine.com/msk.php?display=wizard"> check this out</a>: you can make pages to print and paste specifically into your notebooks. Kinda neat. Or else, you can do it the old fashioned way, with a piece of paper, some scissors, pens or paints, glue, bits of collage material...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsCyo2OlzuZwNzrbhJ2xkEkrS_DiPiJJtNlvfklCf5IjFZht-zbhpkCjJITg3Igwzw32KTmTRZ0AusCwz-6DjdVjxebs0AoQE1LJ0oUx68ECJLbtrmkW3m2wJgOxF9ulIBfMhkcgaL1lt/s1600/IMG_5596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsCyo2OlzuZwNzrbhJ2xkEkrS_DiPiJJtNlvfklCf5IjFZht-zbhpkCjJITg3Igwzw32KTmTRZ0AusCwz-6DjdVjxebs0AoQE1LJ0oUx68ECJLbtrmkW3m2wJgOxF9ulIBfMhkcgaL1lt/s400/IMG_5596.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gone skiing. </td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Happy Sunday! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-23447026131494375832011-02-17T16:52:00.002-05:002011-02-17T21:33:08.405-05:00A knitted bit and some mid-winter beekeeping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I worried that our honeybees were getting hungry, so I cooked them up a batch of fondant (basically bee candy), with some chamomile tea in it, and waited for a warm day to pop open the hives and give them their snack. Today was such a day, and the bees were out full-force for the first time this winter. They were happily pooping all over the white snow!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifx3vXg2yPLigLzus4T5HdtNbjCGGdoM_g3tG_YS_5NGPPWE-Aw-ffAxdfxCG5LcFlGpLGo_v3DPpkTIgdwvNk9LHTDKtFt6ehMpwRqlYACviAYlO-eR7_ZXjQdGooiZ621AgCRfgT9vDZ/s1600/IMG_5568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifx3vXg2yPLigLzus4T5HdtNbjCGGdoM_g3tG_YS_5NGPPWE-Aw-ffAxdfxCG5LcFlGpLGo_v3DPpkTIgdwvNk9LHTDKtFt6ehMpwRqlYACviAYlO-eR7_ZXjQdGooiZ621AgCRfgT9vDZ/s400/IMG_5568.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely, you might be able to see all the little yellow <br />
specks of bee poop on the snow in the foreground.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAX3O-5c0gVcWAX9P5Q0Jn7hdItuVXf31lxu0vN8II4aQc2TbaW0_OW-FXVe1UmWODu-VrriZiqNugkQQv2gybPuX1b5DSoqz3OJAVmRmSYSb3vKxYIob9Dr1vqtMhTrKyCo6cLfstCls/s1600/IMG_5580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAX3O-5c0gVcWAX9P5Q0Jn7hdItuVXf31lxu0vN8II4aQc2TbaW0_OW-FXVe1UmWODu-VrriZiqNugkQQv2gybPuX1b5DSoqz3OJAVmRmSYSb3vKxYIob9Dr1vqtMhTrKyCo6cLfstCls/s320/IMG_5580.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">And that's me in my bee suit and pink boots!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I also finished the first of my Kiel socks, with a pattern from Stephanie van der Linde's beautiful book, <i>Around the World in Knitted Socks. </i>The heel flap was a bit of a headache, but in the end it turned out nicely, with no need to pick up stitches along the sides of the heel, the way most socks are knitted. Speaking of all things German, here's a curiosity for you, a painting by Master Bertram of München, painted around 1390. It's the Madonna, knitting a sweater. </div><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0B9wX7pwZCTzbLCgKyEHPSxqRUsmmjjYNH0Xo5HR_08YwPGgBTNLyR0njyHBTyGkFVMQp3xndjXlEDG9OgcTQoypiPYBatlbYkOWXUk-uaT_IsssLh3W55oS1e3jCKf5QeFMmgDBLbpY/s1600/390px-KnittingMadonna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0B9wX7pwZCTzbLCgKyEHPSxqRUsmmjjYNH0Xo5HR_08YwPGgBTNLyR0njyHBTyGkFVMQp3xndjXlEDG9OgcTQoypiPYBatlbYkOWXUk-uaT_IsssLh3W55oS1e3jCKf5QeFMmgDBLbpY/s320/390px-KnittingMadonna.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, I also knitted up a 2-minute swatch of my first batch of handspun. It's more spun that I'd like it, not as soft as I was hoping, but it does knit up well after all. I also started spinning on a bigger "production" wheel. I don't know how many RPMs that bobbin spins at, but let me tell you, it's a tad bit frightening. I might just sacrifice speed for comfort and familiarity, and stick with my own little Ashford. Take a look at the two wheels below. </span></span></div></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeDahfpjTN4vIaoX_Bsv5YO6nR2mZEim4crkRuv8fn0vtaLLWFfzQzyjzvwczVbcZuwBl8DaeunONljEtARTeTltZhrI-EfF6x6ioEYgD-Fx8Hf0JQQzrHB1iorgS7rGKsw_uw6uBbUAK/s1600/IMG_5564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeDahfpjTN4vIaoX_Bsv5YO6nR2mZEim4crkRuv8fn0vtaLLWFfzQzyjzvwczVbcZuwBl8DaeunONljEtARTeTltZhrI-EfF6x6ioEYgD-Fx8Hf0JQQzrHB1iorgS7rGKsw_uw6uBbUAK/s320/IMG_5564.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Two spinning wheels...<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9WEIV1iJdXEq0aoNebtWQD6PvojtItiI5VPWcD-3GNsSjrXvz5mFg_BWjx7eVxf4hRM31yNi3NcOucna3Oyhowjl4tPlyHhyphenhyphenQmHgUhsgBczdSlS-CbhWc7VWZ2wUHP3kxgC98f_LBToJ/s1600/IMG_5566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9WEIV1iJdXEq0aoNebtWQD6PvojtItiI5VPWcD-3GNsSjrXvz5mFg_BWjx7eVxf4hRM31yNi3NcOucna3Oyhowjl4tPlyHhyphenhyphenQmHgUhsgBczdSlS-CbhWc7VWZ2wUHP3kxgC98f_LBToJ/s320/IMG_5566.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfsy1Uu6uQMaKgdQ1nXbPFicGO3EO5T6cH8sFMfyNzyVbNrgzUD7QdwGHnmhnmdqTEvdM-bOh0VfG2gPlaCDP0hEFWuoI9o5TY4-AqxnkLcWZJxH37NK1Q2tisUoUHf-4ENJUjcb_7U5s/s1600/IMG_5567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfsy1Uu6uQMaKgdQ1nXbPFicGO3EO5T6cH8sFMfyNzyVbNrgzUD7QdwGHnmhnmdqTEvdM-bOh0VfG2gPlaCDP0hEFWuoI9o5TY4-AqxnkLcWZJxH37NK1Q2tisUoUHf-4ENJUjcb_7U5s/s320/IMG_5567.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-46275905204938963642011-02-16T16:07:00.004-05:002011-02-17T21:30:13.483-05:00Do feminists knit?I'm starting to ponder my senior research project. So far, I'm planning to interview women. Women at home. Women who choose not to work in offices or for other people. Women who are self-employed, women who are full-time mothers, homemakers, farmers, artists, writers, hermits, homeschool teachers, scholars, crafters. The more I try to create an outline of who these women are, a framework to work within (because the big picture is, well, big), the more people throw the word "feminist" at me. "Oh, you mean feminists!"<br />
What do I mean exactly? What is a feminist exactly? Does a feminist knit?<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">The Oxford American Dictionary, in short, says it like this: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">F</span><span class="hw" d:dhw="1" d:priority="2" style="-webkit-dashboard-region: dashboard-region(control rectangle); -webkit-user-select: text; cursor: text; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">em<span class="hsb" style="font-size: small;"></span>i<span class="hsb" style="font-size: small;"></span>nism</span></span><span class="pronGrp" style="font-size: small;"><span class="pr" d:pr="US" style="-webkit-dashboard-region: dashboard-region(control rectangle); -webkit-user-select: text; cursor: text; font-family: HiraMinPro-W3; font-size: small;" type="US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"> |ˈfeməˌnizəm|</span></span></span><br />
<span class="SB" style="display: block; font-size: small; margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"><span class="prelim" style="font-size: small;"><span class="ps" d:ps="1" style="-webkit-dashboard-region: dashboard-region(control rectangle); -webkit-user-select: text; cursor: text; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Noun</span></span></span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"><span class="def" style="-webkit-dashboard-region: dashboard-region(control rectangle); -webkit-user-select: text; cursor: text; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">The advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.</span></span></span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br />
</span></span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;">My feminist knits. That is to say, my feminist chooses to knit. That's the crux, I'm sure. </span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQv5_yV3sQx7TN3vEDvixcJw0dLkMtnpRsa6Oure7RCGF5Y1zefU34kWIgFxyNUbbjkmDniDtcsWG_xfCqzI-mTfxqy73OKBx9jPXK9T1EefhuOet5AkoTROjEK6y6745sAJryxL2MWQo/s1600/IMG_5550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQv5_yV3sQx7TN3vEDvixcJw0dLkMtnpRsa6Oure7RCGF5Y1zefU34kWIgFxyNUbbjkmDniDtcsWG_xfCqzI-mTfxqy73OKBx9jPXK9T1EefhuOet5AkoTROjEK6y6745sAJryxL2MWQo/s320/IMG_5550.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> A few potted things for you. The little grey things are mice<br />
scampering in between the pots. Clay mice! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzHubwTjgaQhFhNyxLZzOUCM2hKYv3ifaIiPPXrRR9Rc5S-g4pT7IGPDKRzXPt-d23_b1pMpxm2MNsRTVWHtOJNs8yFik3COKhKSAwLNhkuc8kHYVUKxNtYJzCPwC2EKRaB9IeZnSSI2X/s1600/IMG_5555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzHubwTjgaQhFhNyxLZzOUCM2hKYv3ifaIiPPXrRR9Rc5S-g4pT7IGPDKRzXPt-d23_b1pMpxm2MNsRTVWHtOJNs8yFik3COKhKSAwLNhkuc8kHYVUKxNtYJzCPwC2EKRaB9IeZnSSI2X/s320/IMG_5555.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ball o' yarn. First one yet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_ag0uU1KxG8nkkIKbOFl2FN2Mmt_H_YuD2O6Fi5YyEPEvGiDzbfc7xESAV6A_fHdkgvbtHQzQpKiXXJkpE_tqmZpDS2wKA0hrpnm9gbOaIjqnd38R5C1MO4sk_QbkXppbZ2VZ0Q3H6UD/s1600/IMG_5557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_ag0uU1KxG8nkkIKbOFl2FN2Mmt_H_YuD2O6Fi5YyEPEvGiDzbfc7xESAV6A_fHdkgvbtHQzQpKiXXJkpE_tqmZpDS2wKA0hrpnm9gbOaIjqnd38R5C1MO4sk_QbkXppbZ2VZ0Q3H6UD/s320/IMG_5557.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our mountains through a very frosty window. </td></tr>
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<span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;">I can't define the word myself, and perhaps I'd better stay away from it ––it has such a long and deep</span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;">history. And yet, perhaps it would be a thrill to throw it out into the breeze and see where it lands.</span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6sn1STJ6lsrcPZWEmwKpkT6bcXF9zCNM58HCtUFH2s3Jd2jdREMI8MZJ4enW0dxKp8hAScQCe5noHpKxD2WfxsEcs-ENdtFhQy0qDgANacM34Y5y9adefqxt1vfKtzszPNFS41p7i3ZV/s1600/130902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6sn1STJ6lsrcPZWEmwKpkT6bcXF9zCNM58HCtUFH2s3Jd2jdREMI8MZJ4enW0dxKp8hAScQCe5noHpKxD2WfxsEcs-ENdtFhQy0qDgANacM34Y5y9adefqxt1vfKtzszPNFS41p7i3ZV/s320/130902.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Sock Knitter, </i>Grace Cossington Smith, 1915</td></tr>
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<span class="SB" style="display: block; font-size: small; margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"></span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span class="sense" d:abs="1" style="display: block; font-size: small;"><b>Have a happy Wednesday! </b></span></span>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-75141980499618609602011-02-14T16:51:00.000-05:002011-02-14T16:51:38.373-05:00Mad as a hatter and spinning awayThis weekend was the annual NOFA Winter Conference weekend. What fun! Hordes of farmers, gardeners, teachers, homesteaders, and everyone in between, convening to talk about farming and food. I got to meet my beekeeping hero, Ross Conrad, who gave me some sound beekeeping advice, as well as take a sausage-making class with three chefs, talk to spinners, dyers, and knitters, and catch up with friends and acquaintances. <a href="http://www.nofa.org/index.php">NOFA</a> is such a wonderful, hard-working organisation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmf-4Gl_avEfYh9zp41pWEA_fO5XfC6EOcAdHJIVI2kxaoRdT2iJ9UmpW_BsYPm3Ew0vA5dPSDZ_tRQJW6DyYbS7egCcOU-8vStLhW9JRkSw1Q4Z6HSDvh5vgyZtvUm8y6dcBUKVsQbMF/s1600/IMG_5547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmf-4Gl_avEfYh9zp41pWEA_fO5XfC6EOcAdHJIVI2kxaoRdT2iJ9UmpW_BsYPm3Ew0vA5dPSDZ_tRQJW6DyYbS7egCcOU-8vStLhW9JRkSw1Q4Z6HSDvh5vgyZtvUm8y6dcBUKVsQbMF/s320/IMG_5547.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3.5 ounces of yarn (!) on a handwoven rainbow plaid of my own design. </td></tr>
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Here are a few pictures of what I've been up to. The skein of yarn is the first one, hot off the spinning wheel, weighing in at all of 3.5 ounces! That means I'll need at least 5-6 more skeins that size, if not more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_8A3yBAOVnJNahPaaIjiQWLn3Q_SFDuvXumsRXKj3Bv1xKdDxAX2R5f7Dct7gBN7wgVfxlb8ibZqS-l-VrsFE5TLwFT9pXUXlSjLn8Od-Tf5awCDNxpwSY4ODhmMMEmy_4mqBbEye-wP/s1600/IMG_5543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_8A3yBAOVnJNahPaaIjiQWLn3Q_SFDuvXumsRXKj3Bv1xKdDxAX2R5f7Dct7gBN7wgVfxlb8ibZqS-l-VrsFE5TLwFT9pXUXlSjLn8Od-Tf5awCDNxpwSY4ODhmMMEmy_4mqBbEye-wP/s320/IMG_5543.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what I did in my spare time: a knitted mouse.<br />
What do you do when you're bored? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJt6XtDYmJMurce6fAqyuX-UizpxLILHirdowndXv_TL_sd7VdvqmOjLOlbhYZD7hclspPFLyvKwsVorXNNKlr3BYoQ1Oy7xyYZqml2Rri0lZpnRYbw2YaDNH2rIyU-fM892CnLBIwO6v/s1600/IMG_5549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJt6XtDYmJMurce6fAqyuX-UizpxLILHirdowndXv_TL_sd7VdvqmOjLOlbhYZD7hclspPFLyvKwsVorXNNKlr3BYoQ1Oy7xyYZqml2Rri0lZpnRYbw2YaDNH2rIyU-fM892CnLBIwO6v/s320/IMG_5549.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heel turned. </td></tr>
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This little fact popped up in conversation today: do you know why the mad hatter was mad? Hatters used to use mercury to process their furs, exposure to which can damaged the nervous system, causing tremors, as well as apparently triggering strange anti-social behaviour, unexplainable outbursts, and the like. Here's an early reference to the madness of hatters via a fictional conversation from a British journal:<br />
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<blockquote style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="meanings-body" style="clip: rect(auto auto auto auto); font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px; margin-left: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NORTH: Many years - I was Sultan of Bello for a long period, until dethroned by an act of the grossest injustice ; but I intend to expose the traitorous conspirators to the indignation of an outraged world.<br />
TICKLER (aside to SHEPHERD.): He's raving.<br />
SHEPHERD (to TICKLER.): Dementit.<br />
ODOHERTY (to both.): Mad as a hatter. Hand me a sega.</span></div></blockquote>(from <i>Blackwood's Edinburgh Ambrocia<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">n</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">æ, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">1829) </span></span></span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Keep on crafting! Just stay away from the mercury... </span></span></span></em></span><br />
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Happy <a href="http://www.vday.org/cojopening2.html">VDay</a>!Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-87239471986130863862011-02-11T14:30:00.002-05:002011-02-11T14:39:47.036-05:00Hats and more...My friend Erin and I decided to go crazy and model some of the handmade hats I have stashed in my dresser. The point is that I love all of them, but don't get to wear them all on a regular basis. So now they get to have their own 5 minutes of fame!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXJUZoXFboXeE0z9eI5hN8wAr-lP8NOophFU5ZLOttREEGu3I9FkU5zH9oRhCFDAYDTlPT2-9Ywb7DjtVqfvZlb5Rb3o4pJ9XRM_hBlqEFhAfQm2YDojGC9XJtaS9HE-Rs5kTf2JJ_Ief/s1600/IMG_5514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXJUZoXFboXeE0z9eI5hN8wAr-lP8NOophFU5ZLOttREEGu3I9FkU5zH9oRhCFDAYDTlPT2-9Ywb7DjtVqfvZlb5Rb3o4pJ9XRM_hBlqEFhAfQm2YDojGC9XJtaS9HE-Rs5kTf2JJ_Ief/s320/IMG_5514.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My take on a Russian hat ––this one is knitted with Icelandic wool, <br />
fittingly for Erin, and lined with purple silk. Yum! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qhYkR-XsW_EZqFt9xsbbzwYT1U3Sm0bxZ1kOL1p62viL-lotaDH5zZxoa7YC3au5wHmAT-maihf0cjjqRqpL6fZKFhahnXbnXhyphenhyphenNWDMswEH6yaGB_R1ZirLI5Ht-y2AGqvHDEZW-X_xW/s1600/IMG_5515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qhYkR-XsW_EZqFt9xsbbzwYT1U3Sm0bxZ1kOL1p62viL-lotaDH5zZxoa7YC3au5wHmAT-maihf0cjjqRqpL6fZKFhahnXbnXhyphenhyphenNWDMswEH6yaGB_R1ZirLI5Ht-y2AGqvHDEZW-X_xW/s320/IMG_5515.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slouchy little Scandinavian thing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9wQq795wEZRWYlkjoSRQNldGIYkz1ovJB9pqtT7yW0V0OgInWoC62b5sksG1KGrdLFdFXCxW7WsJizyFmT1d1n4XDc-Weet6LtWzqBeAvXAP2ROVfvugtzZMPUXqihffnkACnYJmOGlS/s1600/IMG_5521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9wQq795wEZRWYlkjoSRQNldGIYkz1ovJB9pqtT7yW0V0OgInWoC62b5sksG1KGrdLFdFXCxW7WsJizyFmT1d1n4XDc-Weet6LtWzqBeAvXAP2ROVfvugtzZMPUXqihffnkACnYJmOGlS/s320/IMG_5521.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mum knitted this one up in about half a day flat at Christmas.<br />
It's one of the warmest hats in my collection, and <br />
I love the swirls she invented along the sides. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiVCoFzgS8Mg4YsPJsA0KTyCk6BuQcWE1_5Fx3rzsLaeAwVDRA-46clzS_9b5Ep5E__lARHF29pMyD08ac9wkMBlzsiYk_6Eb5Gh3N5C8D6NP5VVQ6TYhOkbMiuCvgFx0SgWMKGtUP8xE/s1600/IMG_5535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiVCoFzgS8Mg4YsPJsA0KTyCk6BuQcWE1_5Fx3rzsLaeAwVDRA-46clzS_9b5Ep5E__lARHF29pMyD08ac9wkMBlzsiYk_6Eb5Gh3N5C8D6NP5VVQ6TYhOkbMiuCvgFx0SgWMKGtUP8xE/s320/IMG_5535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, this one isn't handmade. It's my pink (um, raspberry?) beret from Paris.<br />
One of my favourite hats, hands down. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE504rvv3R7JZf7-aMkAOpU2iCuZVCtGO4Sg1K0bj1OpADMr4CDwJ9mFijUBLav1aNma8WCGLxVgQweNiapqz7vRzvqDgJ-5LAWjqbcHg0m1MMcL-MtvG9M64K0uyst7C86jCOM-Nx_oy/s1600/IMG_5532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE504rvv3R7JZf7-aMkAOpU2iCuZVCtGO4Sg1K0bj1OpADMr4CDwJ9mFijUBLav1aNma8WCGLxVgQweNiapqz7vRzvqDgJ-5LAWjqbcHg0m1MMcL-MtvG9M64K0uyst7C86jCOM-Nx_oy/s320/IMG_5532.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First hand-spun yarns from two years ago, all dyed with plants, too! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1kRUouXHdhTPnPLZ5hbkgzW_fLfowlOWO1_eXnH0FmQMTAOd1fliDqMTM4kB330r4CjDgz_rzvRdC0gtCELFjXPw2BD3F6dqds4k1_eApPneCPUdPLBFAZJIj3b7xnFfibP4RABggz8n/s1600/IMG_5518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1kRUouXHdhTPnPLZ5hbkgzW_fLfowlOWO1_eXnH0FmQMTAOd1fliDqMTM4kB330r4CjDgz_rzvRdC0gtCELFjXPw2BD3F6dqds4k1_eApPneCPUdPLBFAZJIj3b7xnFfibP4RABggz8n/s320/IMG_5518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beret-like cabled thing knitted with Malabrigo yarn from Uruguay. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I've been busy making pots for the last two weeks, throwing things on the wheel mostly, but also hand-building some. The first glaze firing came out of the kiln today, and there are some lovely little bowls and cups and BUTTONS! I handmade some buttons to go on my sweater, and was thrilled with the result ––should have made more while I was at it. </div><div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnL6ZJaR1hFlln2z4lZbS34Szo2oRQikhRF7JiDkbcO6P3gPWIM3FfV_yQwuTEkPO89Sj-YbYREOF35oZJbwM4mtsUHepbUMXTG0j1VqT4FV_V59CGVydGprDqFIJR8fYT_0peXCcWa7L/s1600/IMG_5509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnL6ZJaR1hFlln2z4lZbS34Szo2oRQikhRF7JiDkbcO6P3gPWIM3FfV_yQwuTEkPO89Sj-YbYREOF35oZJbwM4mtsUHepbUMXTG0j1VqT4FV_V59CGVydGprDqFIJR8fYT_0peXCcWa7L/s320/IMG_5509.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handmade clay buttons with a dab of blue or green glaze <br />
in a hand-thrown nutmeg-coloured bowl. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUR6UWxzRIS-V_gkSrExRmUvIT-dWRMqUeR9Ol1CE6yCa8uDAiborTwqpG4dlXdh0YjWcACGA5Vg1Q0tCaDd649PdhFjS_2br08Ml2B4X-iLYxFrlloXkpRBEXrvkHdUylcdkYTE2COhK/s1600/IMG_5510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUR6UWxzRIS-V_gkSrExRmUvIT-dWRMqUeR9Ol1CE6yCa8uDAiborTwqpG4dlXdh0YjWcACGA5Vg1Q0tCaDd649PdhFjS_2br08Ml2B4X-iLYxFrlloXkpRBEXrvkHdUylcdkYTE2COhK/s320/IMG_5510.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An experimental yarn bowl. Pop in the yarn while you're plying or knitting<br />
(with lace-weight for example)and keep it from dancing all over the floor. <br />
This one is glazed in rutile (titanium dioxide) glaze with a touch of green.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now that I'm officially a blogger, friends keep telling me about other neat blogs to check out. Wow. The blogosphere is huge, and seems to cover just about every topic you could imagine. A few highlights for you here, to explore between times. Of course, for starters, by dear friend Sarah, whose talent is out of this world. Check out her art and thoughts on "nature, culture, and the places where they run into each other" <a href="http://davidsonsar.wordpress.com/">here</a>. Then there's this nutty man named Gary, who I've never met, who's a potter in New York. My pottery teacher told me about him and his blogging adventures. Read the stories about couples, they're sweet, and check out his bowls and teapots while you're <a href="http://garysthirdpotteryblog.blogspot.com/">there</a>. My friend Erin, who is a secret Icelander transplanted to Georgia (though she's heading back to Iceland soon), writes and photographs<a href="http://reyfriends.net/muledog/"> here</a>.<br />
<br />
As for the sweater update, I spun almost a whole bobbin of yarn yesterday afternoon. It's such a satisfying feeling to watch the bobbin fill up with ridges of white yarn. Spinnerooooo!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzMPeJCb3ImYzaTGQEU8RSsPaZzDsAxjyWlPWQTfqaagV_tTBJKIMXXZ_dCYjh-bTYUk_9o7XFLACkPjn63L0TJpu7JHmngAgL0ML-_DLRlhP5rRpXgykEn-zuA3va0JIuiZNfHamcDnL/s1600/IMG_5494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzMPeJCb3ImYzaTGQEU8RSsPaZzDsAxjyWlPWQTfqaagV_tTBJKIMXXZ_dCYjh-bTYUk_9o7XFLACkPjn63L0TJpu7JHmngAgL0ML-_DLRlhP5rRpXgykEn-zuA3va0JIuiZNfHamcDnL/s320/IMG_5494.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the first bobbin of yarn! Almost full... </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gfyBHBSphvsw1ADQdpoemU4vNfqlh0Tg2438-enM0ik0rKZjTwdVjp1NIQHQbzamhjw1A1Ap7FUyfXrYeVOwIMS0R54Wez2LUAwYpDMQEWVlnedM66reAiZlFfumtkL4pzdZsA7ICy4h/s1600/IMG_5497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gfyBHBSphvsw1ADQdpoemU4vNfqlh0Tg2438-enM0ik0rKZjTwdVjp1NIQHQbzamhjw1A1Ap7FUyfXrYeVOwIMS0R54Wez2LUAwYpDMQEWVlnedM66reAiZlFfumtkL4pzdZsA7ICy4h/s320/IMG_5497.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's what's left to wash, pick, card, potentially dye, spin, and knit up.<br />
It's really not SUCH a big bag, is it? </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading! I hope the sun is shining where you are, too!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-69605531870602677892011-02-10T16:35:00.001-05:002011-02-11T13:52:54.758-05:00More on knitting sticks...<div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>I must not forget to mention that tied around her waist was a wooden fish, in the open mouth of which the end of one of her busy knitting needles rested. </i>––Paynter, <b><i>A History of St. Ives </i></b></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Over the centuries people have come up with all kinds of strange knitting aids, knitting sticks being one of them. Some of these things have lasted, others, for one reason or another, have not. Knitting sticks were for the most industrious knitters, who'd slip their tool into a belt and roam the moors, needles always busy. The stick, which was sometimes shaped like a fish, and thus referred to as a knitting fish in St. Ives, held the working double pointed needle, freeing one hand and so making it easier to loop yarn across it. Most of the sticks were made of hardwood, though a sock tightly stuffed with straw could also do the trick. The sticks were mostly used in Britain, since they were most helpful for "English style" knitting. I knit "German," hooking the yarn with the needle, rather than looping the yarn across it with the fingers. In any case, according to Mary Wright, in <i>Cornish Guernseys & Knit-frocks</i>, a skilled stick user could knit up 200 stitches a minute. Maybe I ought to get me one of those just in case? </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBb1uscC6efl5U_h6-6O_EZ6ZNH9BLeNCqT11NRHL2bxt29G0E5kbimJkwfd8BxbDmX61g5EML6K82sGeBtuKqn2UslLZRt3F3HB5eHMU-14aX1u2pB69g-DwXO3aOlAjAGHwS4FUkrtL/s1600/IMG_5486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBb1uscC6efl5U_h6-6O_EZ6ZNH9BLeNCqT11NRHL2bxt29G0E5kbimJkwfd8BxbDmX61g5EML6K82sGeBtuKqn2UslLZRt3F3HB5eHMU-14aX1u2pB69g-DwXO3aOlAjAGHwS4FUkrtL/s320/IMG_5486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one isn't going anywhere soon. Maybe you should try...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfSmEj-UPqUepWUVr_ClaKySr6TUSlt_6e4Nv2dhKJVykQ2Eld2wAOwmsd7pQL81sNFy425nyOr44dmOAoFxJ-PojuPicMTvWCEsF1xWttVI2mLrZlOF075rMU4v23XeljRy7PbmPGfMA/s1600/IMG_5479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfSmEj-UPqUepWUVr_ClaKySr6TUSlt_6e4Nv2dhKJVykQ2Eld2wAOwmsd7pQL81sNFy425nyOr44dmOAoFxJ-PojuPicMTvWCEsF1xWttVI2mLrZlOF075rMU4v23XeljRy7PbmPGfMA/s320/IMG_5479.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...skiing instead? </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrwk52kZhy5bVmOqFXl3lcQnK15NgwC7mJ-_ZpVD9Uvj68B6yPA2IGBjMaHkeZDZPHr41yv-w3O2RONKDKH7RS0seBdlh2nqOkOm2MWxZgub-NEfKn4V0bHbcgoRetFHj_VJ-r6JCrMeG/s320/IMG_5489.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or put on some boots and go by foot? </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ6vZyGTIf3iHZrMgW_7Rsf3tQp1dwzTBLREzb8QbAG0rQIS1WgrPTYLEyni3huJMPGrJFlAThqLOodNXmxgRQsG06xB8AuFo53rG6U7mJIFcl2JTMmemH-JTdBreil84S_fHBDLuE3-k/s1600/IMG_5467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ6vZyGTIf3iHZrMgW_7Rsf3tQp1dwzTBLREzb8QbAG0rQIS1WgrPTYLEyni3huJMPGrJFlAThqLOodNXmxgRQsG06xB8AuFo53rG6U7mJIFcl2JTMmemH-JTdBreil84S_fHBDLuE3-k/s320/IMG_5467.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or maybe you should just stay home and knit something warm?<br />
(Like this pair of woollen herringbone socks.) </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6255273166900728622.post-36064522082669006302011-02-10T09:20:00.006-05:002011-02-10T09:45:56.858-05:00Spinning tales...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Like so many others before me, I've finally given in to that very modern urge: to blog. Bear with me, I'm still learning the ropes! I've decided to embark on a semester-long voyage through the annals of fiber, starting with a raw fleece and ending with a knitted sweater. My fleece is a gorgeous, snowy white Coopworth-Romney-Corridale</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, from a flock of sheep that live and breathe ocean air on<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1467891661"> </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.starcroftfiber.com/nash_island">Nash Island</a></u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, off the coast of Maine. I bought the fleece this summer at the </span><a href="http://www.mofga.org/TheFair/tabid/135/Default.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Common Ground Fair</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, in Unity, Maine, with some money hard-earned working as a garden intern for my college. It was a great way to spend it ––this fleece is going places. My spinning wheel, for those who want the details, is an Ashford Traditional, bought second-hand two years ago from an inn-keeper near school, who sold it to me for some cash and a few hours of mucking out her sheep barn. It's a lovely little wheel, but I may succumb to using a friend's bigger and badder production wheel, just to keep this project rolling ––errr, spinning. I'll keep you posted. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDGJnNWnUKNCCMPovTYpMPSrgpSbZsbHa9Jx4M4sUTJqLMq7Go2qlnoocujxy_MYOYj08nEdaa6CeqSH43VKYzMoogbsfdBqlfzMU6fGrczxWnlFcgnZBvnG6qahifAxSLeGmXv_lFjkv/s1600/IMG_5442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDGJnNWnUKNCCMPovTYpMPSrgpSbZsbHa9Jx4M4sUTJqLMq7Go2qlnoocujxy_MYOYj08nEdaa6CeqSH43VKYzMoogbsfdBqlfzMU6fGrczxWnlFcgnZBvnG6qahifAxSLeGmXv_lFjkv/s320/IMG_5442.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So far, I've washed a few ounces of the fleece. A test run to see what our very hard well water does to the fiber (a teaspoon of Borax seems to soften the water just enough), and to check for spinnability. So far so good. There's still quite a bit of lanolin left in the fiber, so a longer soak might be better for next time. Other than that, it spins up beautifully. I'm aiming to spin several pounds of yarn (2-3 lbs. probably) into singles (meaning only one strand, not plied like most yarns that you can buy), and dye some of it with dye plants saved from my college's dye garden. My friend crafty friend </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.hitherehammy.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hannah</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is bugging me to get dyeing soon, so you might see the results of a dye-day in an upcoming post. In the meantime, I'm working on a pair of German herringbone socks (from Kiel!). </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There's something about winter that makes me want to hunker down and knit. Maybe it's the natural rhythm of agriculture taking hold. I've got crafters of bygone days on my mind, too. Of course winter is a busy time, especially if you're milking cows, but there's also an opportunity to eek out moments to knit and spin and dye for the coming year (moments that are hard to come by once the sap starts flowing and the cows start calving and the hay starts calling out to be hayed and the carrots need weeding and, and, and). The fire is going anyway, so why not boil up a pot of water and scour some fleeces? And you can toast your toes while you're at it... </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy crafting! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PS- I just discovered the Victoria and Albert Museum's excellent collection of all things knitted: museum collections, patterns, stories, links.</span><a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion/features/knitting/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Check it out here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PPS- Since we're talking about the Brits already, there's such a rich tradition of knitting to be explored in those parts. Here's just a little example: a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/masmMLnRSFuqCZC_JRJ8wQ">knitting stick</a>, made to hold double-point needles, carved for a woman as a token of affection. One of my favourite bloggers, Kate Davies, writes about these <a href="http://needled.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/sticks/">here</a>. </span></span>Schirinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01175967651241508040noreply@blogger.com0