Thursday, September 28, 2017

And the Winner's Are.......

For the yarn give-away:

Michelle Lot #1

Jennifer Lot #2

Susan Lot #3

Leigh Lot #4

Lots's 5 and 6 had no takers (I was surprised actually as these are beautiful yarns)

Toby Lot #7

Lot #8 had no takers either

Caroline Lot #9

Elaine Lot #10


For the Weaving book give-away:

Leslie - Collapse Weave

Skturg- Tapestry 101

Becky- Exploring Multishaft Design

Jolly- Shadow Weaves

Jennifer - Designing Woven Fabric

LA- Rag Rug Handbook



Congrats to all who participated. Thank you so much for all YOU do! Here is another link to a round up of ways and places to donate compiled by PBS
Regardless of who won what or anything at all, there is a terrible humanitarian crisis unfolding out in the Atlantic.

Winners, PLEASE send me your mailing addresses and what you won, be it a lot number or book title or both. It would be helpful if the subject line indicated the e-mail contained a give-away address! :-)

There is a link to my e-mail under the complete profile blurb to the right!

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Weaver's Edition Book Give-Away

This is the second part of the pay it forward give-away for hurricane and earthquake victims.
The yarn give-away is here and both will be open until Wednesday 9/27/17 and winners announced Thursday. You can enter both or just one. The rules are simple. Leave a comment with your book choice. Books with more than 1 entry will have their own hat drawing. Books that only have one taker, that person will get them. Books with no takers go back into my library. I pay for shipping. I only ask that what ever the book is worth to you, you pay it forward with a donation of time, money or goods to help those in need. Right now there is a lot of misery and devastation in Florida, Texas, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands. If you can donate to some cause working to help people or animals effected in these areas, please, please do. Here is a listing of agencies you can donate too. Of course any donation anywhere is better than none. In the end, please pay it forward as you can and think you for your generosity.

I try to get every item mailed out within two weeks, but I will also need your address. I simply cannot afford to ship out of the USA, so please US address only.

Without further ado, here are the books for give-away. All are in very good to excellent condition.







Good luck

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Heartbreakers Harvey, Irma and Maria Give-Away

If they named earthquakes, the one that hit Mexico City would be up there too.

I can't think of a better time to have a bountiful pay it forward give-away! There is so much devastation going on in the world right now that even the unimaginative can find a needy cause . Usually I ask you give local but this time the need is so great in Texas, Florida and especially the islands like Puerto Rico, I'm asking you look for charities that are targeting those places. Pick one, pick all, (there is enough misery to go around right now), but please lucky winners, pay it forward in some charitable way.

Here is a listing of agencies you can donate to for any and all of the multiple disasters. Please give as generously as you can. It'll make you feel good I promise! Lending a helping hand always does.


Now onto the yarns. There are 10 batches, leave a comment with first and second choice. I will draw 10 names from the hat, or maybe Mandy will. It might be a group effort involving treats, who knows, but there will be 10 winners. If your first choice is still available, you win that! If only your second choice is still available, you win that! And if none of your choices is available you win the next available yarn bundle number! Example, your picks of 1 and 6 are taken, and #'s 4 and 5 are taken but #2 is still available and that is now the bundle you have won. Clear as mud no doubt, but hey, it is free yarn and some very nice ones at that!

Drawing ends Wednesday morning. Winners will be announced Thursday. I pay for shipping (US shipping only), but please be prepared to send me your mailing address and lot number all in one e-mail. It makes it easier when I'm packing to NOT have to cross reference everything. I try to send all the lots out in a reasonable time frame, with in two weeks.  I'm usually successful too.

There is a second give-away here. Some coveted weaving books, so weaver's if you are looking for some OOP titles, I might have something you want. You can enter both give-aways or just one.I don't care if you have won a bundle in a previous give-away and if you don't want to enter but still feel moved to donate, bless you, bless you, bless you! Without further ado, here are the Yarn Lots!

Beautiful ombre wool yarn

Mostly Alpaca


Make it Green Please!

Soft and fuzzy mohair content

super soft singles

Super squishy

Mohair content

Bulky and soft.

Mixed bag, Rowan and Jamieson

Very soft 

Good Luck!

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Things to Do When You Have a Cold

Over the weekend Gene's cold turned into my cold. God I hate colds and this one has laid us both pretty low. I'm still stuffy and froggy sounding but am feeling a bit better day by day.

I have managed to get together a new warping reel.



This is a reel from Gilmore and yes, it has a brake. A very nice brake!



I like this set up better than a vertical reel. I can sit and wind without excessive reaching. I always had trouble getting a workable height with the Harrisville reel. Look for that to appear for sale at some point and if someone is interested in it contact me via e-mail.

That is a Christmas towel warp. Bet you couldn't tell huh?



Here is the pattern from WEBS. I have to be honest, I like ready made drafts.



 Maybe I'm lazy, but I never felt it as a burning desire to design my own drafts. That doesn't mean I follow the drafts 100% but I like that starting point as ignoble as it is.

Knitting has also been on the list of doable activities while sick.



As has football

I caught the Pats game earlier in the day....Go Pats!

and cuddling with my peeps so to speak. A grand little bunch of nursemaids and heated bricks.



The other thing I've done is get together bundles of yarn



and a few choice weaving books for a give-away. This will be a pay it forward deal like always. More next post likely over the weekend.

 I want to mention how utterly embarrassed I was by that asshat occupying the White House today at the U.N. Imagine what the world at large must think of a man who needs to hurl silly monikers at another countries leader like this is a junior high tiff? OMFG. Mr. Mueller, please hurry up.

Parting shot: Doe eyed Hazel Rose.


Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The Little Mighty Warriors

Having eight dogs offers up many challenges but none so fickle as the reshuffling of pack order. A dog passes on or a dog joins the pack, there is always a resettling. It can take up to a few months. So it was Sunday night when a simple discussion turned into an all out brawl between young (Robin), and old (Jack), guard. The danger of course is the rest of the pack joining in. It helps to have a very loud voice in that regard. The two combatants were left alone even though there was energy churning from multiple members. Within minutes, wounds were inspected and cleaned: warm water, betadine solution and finally packed with Neosporin ointment. Oh and lets chuck some Clavamox down too boys.

Don't panic, that's Neosporin packed into that puncture.



So far the wounds are looking clean and starting to heal. We have additional strips of Clavamox and the boys have each inspected the others puncture and walked away feeling they were the victor. Happy to be at peace with each other as if nothing happened.  Weaving friend Martha at Thistle Rose
tells me her husband says chicks dig guys with scars. I have passed that onto Robin who will likely wear the mark of Jack for the rest of his days. He's proud of it too!

Late last week and over the weekend the air cleared for bit. Of course the fronts that moved the smoke out also brought multiple thunder/lightening storms and THAT started multiple fires up here. They did come with rain and ODF and the GSFR where right on them once smokes were spotted. I got my old friend Cooper out for a ride around the clear cut devastation next to us. It was awful. Beautiful day and not a squirrel, deer or bird to be seen or heard in the non forest.



There are multiple slash piles like this and are two to three stories high. We are hoping the logger who bought this property and clear cut it will be back come wetter weather and take care of these. Talk about a fire hazard!

I need to mention that Coop, after being a pasture pet for something like 10.5 months was a saddle and go ride. No drama, no fuss, just the same sensible boy he's always been. Even with the altered landscape we walked along as if he had been out daily. One in a million. Thank you Bridget.

A little sewing has gone on, another tunic using the Mississippi Ave pattern with the added sleeves.





Two pairs of linen pants have made it into the closet also, no pics, just pants. I did cut out a fall jacket. The collar is a lovely piece of leather in a deep coral color, the linen a deep grey blue color and the lining is fun and bright.



I want to do a new winter wool coat this year too.

And I took advantage of Labour Day sales on Etsy and ordered these two fabrics.



 Obviously my love affair with grey continues.

Mandy was a bit overweight and certainly had no muscle tone when she arrived. One thing that can be done to guard against future injury for that long back is exercise to keep those muscles strong and supple. To that end we have been taking a walk daily. This was the latest group of road warriors.
It was chilly that morning and she loved having her little sweater to wear. I wanted to include a real link for Warm Weenies because I know there are a lot of sweater wearing weenies who would like one and Susan is a gem to work with



Last night I finished up plying my "Fairie Dust" fiber.



Look how close I came to spinning it cleanly half and half!



 I also finally finished winding the 800 end hemp bath towel warp. What was I thinking doing 10 yards on the warping board? Head slap.

I'm skipping the politics right now because really, there are so many folks in need right now.  While Florida is a mess there is also a crisis on the islands in the Caribbean. This article here has a couple of places that will get donations out there quickly.

Parting shot: Does this leash make my butt look big?

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

The Hazy,Hazy, HAZY Days of Summer

Like just about everyone else in Oregon and many other parts of the west in general, it has been a hot summer of some monumental wildfires and smoke. Our house looks like a scene from the movie Melancholia, where the light is filtered through a lens of far away smoke, waiting for the rogue planet to crash into Earth. A disturbing film I wish I had never seen if the truth be told.  In real life Mother Nature will exact her revenge for the carelessness we have shown in managing our planet and our resources and we are not undeserving. Pity we have to make every other innocent species suffer with and for us. So there are the dark thoughts for the week but fear not, there is PLENTY of light. In fact lets just do pics this go round since even through the smoke, there is laughter and love and

Itchy backs,





Peek-a-boo


This duster must die!


Spinning Fairy Dust


New sweater modeling


And handmade sweater patterns from Warm Weenies! OMG!!



Blueberry Maple Syrup


Baby Raccoons!


So cute!


Staking out coveted real estate

Making friends.






 And being watchful especially where Cheetos are concerned! ;-)