I Need A Bigger Plate

Because I certainly seem to be piling more stuff onto the one I got! Last week before the neck went south, I managed a quick drive by in town. I have been awfully inspired by Annie over at ASpinner Weaver and her inkle woven belts and sashes. In fact I was thinking how nifty it would be to make fancy bindings for my handwoven blankets and of course that lead to other ideas and uses for narrow bands. You all know how it goes down the slippery slope of fiber pursuits.

Needless to say, I was primed to just take a peek at Schachts Inkle loom when I stopped in the Web-sters. As DH would say, "Peek my a**!" It's like going to a shelter and leaving without a dog. It's just not happening. A few library additions were also made although not all on this particular trip.

Our time together was rudely interrupted, but I'm optimistic that I can manage some monkeying around on him before I go. And then there is the tapestry loom sitting up in the bedroom with a warp on just waiting for me to experiment.....

The neck and shoulder is feeling better. I'm being careful because it's at that stage when you know it's calming down but could easily be woken up again and it's best to let sleeping injuries lie! :-) It hasn't stopped me from gathering the stuff I need to make a raddle for Julia. I like to leave it as an insistent reminder in an obvious place to someone (who won't be named), that I need a couple of cuts done and some holes pre-drilled. Please! ;-)

I'm also going to mention that a cause VERY near and dear to my heart, Col. Potter Cairn Terrier Rescue, has been trying to win at least fourth place at the Animal Rescue

Site. It means $3000.00 for rescue and I know they could use it and they could also use a vote or two to get there. If you have a moment, click on this link and vote for them. You don't have to join or anything, just click and do their security thing and you're done. The contest ends tomorrow at midnight.

Along with the inkle loom, I'm itching to start Gene's sweater. This is the project I'll take on my trip and to that end I bought some of the newer Addi Lace needles.

I like these much better than the Knit Picks interchangeable ones. They are pointy without being too sharp. With luck I'll have the sweater done by the time the snow flies next November or so. And let me tell you, the snow better fly next year because this years meager offering was a bust as far as I'm concerned, even if I did run out of hay before May!

Leigh had questions about the art of hay buying. Obviously I'm not the one to answer them. Some years, I have left over, some I don't. A lot depends on weather, and of course, numbers. I've added horses after the yearly hay purchase has been made. That always makes for a fun spring hay search. If I was to run out any year, this was a good one in which to do it. There was lots of tonnage stored since so many people dumped horses with the bad economy and outrageously high hay prices the year before. I had options this year. My shortage is due in part to the really wet winter. A wet horse is not a happy horse and a horse that is wet on and off for the better part of three months really needs a lot of hay to generate heat. I fed generously even though the temps weren't terribly cold. That went for the goats too. Dry cold sunny weather is easier on everyone. They only have to stay warm, wet weather means they have to stay warm while being soaked. I am happy to report we had no rain rot or grease heel or any other malady that comes from being too wet for too long and for that I am grateful to the farm gods and all of my farm animals for being such a hardy bunch. So Leigh, in closing, just buy at least a third more than you think you'll need. ;-)

Lastly (but certainly not least), my heartfelt sympathies go out to Jill and her family both at Yarns in the Farms and home on the passing of Chaco on April 9th. You would have had to go really far and wide to find a sweeter shop dog. He always made my annual treks to the store especially delightful.

So, Has There Been Progress?

Well, the sweater cables on. By now I can do this pattern in my sleep. Good thing too since I have two more of the same pattern requested. This is all that stands between me and getting it together for finishing the neck band.

Then washing, blocking and off into the mail. I will be taking a break to knit a few little fun things for me. I have wanted to do a couple of toy patterns and by gum, I'm going to do it.

The blanket warp is threaded and sleyed. I am getting the 12 ends (6 per side) of fishing line in for folds and selvages. The weekend should see the start of some actual weaving. Triple width=magic. Woohoo!

Some math and putting planning to paper has happened on the pillowcase warp for Hannah Hollandia. While the original uses a 10/2 natural cotton at 20 epi, I will be using a 20/2 sett at 30 epi for a total of 736 ends over 24 inches. Four selvage ends are doubled, hence some additional ends.

I just started spinning some bright colored merino top. Surf & Seaweed by Frabjous Fibers.

I love the colors, cobalt blue and acid greens, but honestly, I don't enjoy spinning merino. It's just too soft. I like wool with some body, some texture, some...umami.

On the equipment front I have made some decisions and as always, your suggestions helped me to clarify my goals. I have listed and sold the Carolyn loom already, the Murphy loom is also listed and going with a lot of goodies as a beginners package. I don't think he'll move quickly because a lot of people are afraid of both an older loom and unfamiliar with the charms of a counterbalance loom, but hopefully some enthusiastic new weaver will come along and make a nice home for Murph sooner or later.

So, the age old question you probably want to know is, what am I going to get to replace those two wonderful looms? The short answer is a Glimakra Julia.

They now have a number of different configurations, either CB or CM, but I'm looking at a straightforward 4s/6t, in bright red...of course!

Now that could change, I am fickle gal but for right now, that's what's under investigation. In the meantime, I need to break down and pack up Carolyn, give her a good polish and pep talk to ready her for her new home and say my good byes to a lovely loom that I never really utilized as I should have. Through no fault of her own I might add!

On farm news, really it's all about the weather. We've had the norm for this winter, some snow and then within 24 hours, melting. This winter of mud has made me pretty grumpy. I feel cheated out of a whole glorious season, my favorite I might add. Not much can be done about it. Shaking my fist at the sky and stomping my feet has had little effect. It did make all the outside critters give pause, wondering if I had finally gone round the bend. You could almost see a train of thought as they looked at each other and back at me. "Did you do something?" "No, not me, I was thinking maybe your daily roll in the mud right as she's bringing up the hay could be the cause..."

Frustrating Diversions for the Clumsy and Uncoordinated

Or maybe how I was lured in.....

I decided to send a good friend who is learning to spin on a spindle a special one to make her efforts if not easier, at least a little prettier to work with. While I was on my Internet jaunt looking for the perfect one to have shipped, I found myself taken with the beauty of these little works of art. I just had to have one myself. After much consultation with Cindie, the oracle on fiber, weaving and now spindles, I was steered to a couple of good makers. This one happens to be a Jenkins Turkish spindle in Beeswing Nara ( or Narra).

It fit the bill in a number of ways. Locally made in Oregon, the Jenkins use only wood from sustainable harvests (and go out of their way to make sure of that) and it was appropriate for a beginner. SCORE! It arrived Thursday and other than take it out of the box and put it together, I have done nothing but fondle it. I know that once I try to actually use it for its intended purpose, it will become an evil little piece of the devils own making. Stay tuned for updates on the coming saga.

Friday, as always was shopping day. Lots of things to do, the one more gift for Gene to get after finally having a eureka moment for something both practical and fun for him.

He is very tough to shop for.

Of course there was the stop at my favorite store for a book I had ordered long time ago, before it had even been released.

This is actually a re- release and I have drooled over the designs for a long time but could never afford the $300.00 plus price tag when I stumbled on it in the used book market. $24.95 I can do. And these mittens, they truly ARE magnificent. I also found I could do a little sock yarn. Something special with Cashmere maybe? Once I saw this color and felt it, I knew it was coming home with me. In fact like a cat who sees a bird and imagines the thing all in roasted form, I saw this yarn and knew just the sock pattern I wanted to do for it. The yarn is a hand dyed sock yarn from Pagewood Farm named Alyeska. It is merino, cashmere and nylon in color way Bird of Paradise.

The sock pattern is out of the same book by Cookie A ( Sock Innovations) that my Dad's socks came from.

I have been diligently working on the sweater with a goal of finishing in by the end of January. Might actually do it too. Size 10 needles sure go faster than size 6! The Louet

is constantly taunting me with her nakedness.

On farm news, dare I write it? I may have had a Bond visit. There were some dug out places around the tack room. No breach, but maybe my little smelly friend has decided to put Runamuck back on his excursion list.

The package for my folks finally left yesterday morning. Gene REALLY procrastinated on this one and I am sure it was sent in the nick of time. We bumped it up from Priority to Express mail, so hopefully it will all get there round about Tuesday.

Weather wise we've had nothing but the promise of snow, only to have it rain. I am so bummed. I really want a white Christmas, heck, I'd be happy with it white from the end of November to mid-March. Maybe the first of the year will bring a true winter rally.

I can always hope!