Penning the Flock

SEASON'S GREETINGS

2010-11-05T23:44:00.004-06:00

The year of 2010 is coming to a close. The harvest is done...Corn, Carrots, Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes, Peaches, Pears, and Apples have all gone into bottles, to be savored this winter. The squash is in the cold pantry waiting to be used, either in pies or just yummy baked goodness.

Thanksgiving holiday is over, the end of the year festivities are upon us.

May peace and contentment reign supreme. Happy Holidays!!!

We are in for some strange weather this season...there has been a lot of volcanoes, and earthquakes...all tossing debris into the air...ever so slightly, and sometimes drastically interfering with with sun's rays and the winds aloft.

Extreme weather seems to happens every time we have had a large amount of seismic activity, anywhere in the world. It just lets you know how really connected we are with the rest of the world.

Squirrel, Knitting, SAM, and It's about time

2009-07-09T10:50:00.011-06:00

Squirrel...we have a squirrel that visits our yard. Now if we were in the country, that would be expected, along with a multitude of other wild life. But this fellow or gal (I hope it isn't female) lives in the back yards of four properties. We live in a suburb, houses on every side, traffic everywhere.

Our neighbor has a Russian olive tree, the squirrel loves to eat the olives, we have a peach tree, and he loves the green peaches, we also feed the birds, so we offer a second helping of goodies. The other two yards provide habitat for this critter.

I hope he doesn't eat the peach pit...

On the Knitting front...I have again joined the SAM (sock A month group) this round is the 8th round. We have to complete a pair of socks each month for 6 months. Post it to the SAM website. We receive kudos and pride in accomplishment of a finished pair of socks. Six of us will get a gift from one of the sponsors. However, it isn't about the gifting...it is about the achieving our goals. We are received as sock knitters, and we love to see the socks that everyone is knitting. We love fiber. We offer love and encouragement to all.

My esty store is open, I have hand dyed roving, (for those that like to spin or felt,) stitch markers, and hand dyed sock yarn.
http://www.dandycreations.etsy.com

Other matters and concerns...do I still have freedom of speech?

I have been away from blogging for a very long time. It has been a year fraught with problems and concerns. It takes time to realize that Life is just Life and it is what we make of it that makes it's quality of "life". If we wait for someone to make us happy, or satisfy our needs, then shame on us...We are the masters of our own destiny. "Sort of"

The worries of all the government spending money that we (as a country) do not have and need to borrow from other countries is a problem. The money that has already been taken away from us (we live on a small pension and social security) We have lost $1500.00 a year so far from the government gifts that need to be repaid. It is all so confusing...so thanks for the extra debt. We paid into social security for over 50 years...and now at our age we expected to have that wonderful security. What a laugh...I feel that our new president, and congress, wants to rid the world of anyone over 60. What we do need is no more career politicians. Politics should be a service, and not a career. Attorneys should stay out of the white house. They should not be in the senate or congress. Their views on what is right or wrong has pushed this country into socialism. We have lost our democracy.

A stimulus package was delivered to big businesses...they have hoarded it, spending it on themselves...making promises that they never intended to keep. A better plan would have been to gift the stimulus package to every tax paying citizen. A gift of $25,000. That money then would have gone to pay off debts, freeing up the spending of the citizens, that money would have gone right back into the economy. The deluge of Jobs would not have been lost. We still would have had a heck of a loan to pay back to China or whatever country the USA had to borrow from...but our country would be in a state of recovery...and not still heading to the depths of hell. I have lost faith in our president, I think he is in over his head. He is making things worse and not better.

Still, Life is Life, and we need to make our own way through it.

Ok...that is all the complaining that I will do for now. Go forth and be happy...smile at the world around you and hope for better days.

Seasons Love and Best Wishes

2008-12-25T16:00:00.002-07:00

May you all find contentment throughout the coming year.

Mid May

2008-05-16T15:27:00.007-06:00

It sure has been a March month instead of a May month. We were greeted with snow on May day...and for the next 5 days after that...was not the best of weather. The very slow snail pace of home remodeling is creeping along. We bought paint. It's not on the walls, it's still in the can. Now that the weather is starting to warm, it probably won't see the walls until fall. The taller half of our duo is outside pulling weeds, planting garden...fussing with flowers, mowing lawns, anything but inside chores. It makes him happy, so if I have to wait until fall before we paint the inside of the house, then so be it. He does love his garden.

I finally made a pair of socks for me. This was a fun knit. It was April's "mystery sock" from Goddess Knits. The April pair was given as a gift to a friend. The pair above are mine. The name of the pattern is Danu. It is a very easy knit. One of those patterns that you can memorize and not have to keep checking the charts. Similar to the knitting ease of Cookie A's Monkey socks. The pattern sticks to you until you are done. I made them shorter and changed out the heel on my pair for a short row heel. I find that there isn't the firm tightness at the ankle with the short row heel that there is with a heel flap.

Blue mitts for a granddaughter. These were made in cascade fixation very elastic and work wonders for tired wrists.

Yummy dying...GREEN...BRIGHT...SHINEY...

This yarn to make a pair of socks from Yarnarian's leafy green socks pattern. The pattern can be found on Ravelry. There was still some dye left in the pot...so I exhausted it with 2 oz's of merino. Don't know what that will be used for...yet.

I have been dying with the flowers and plants from my back yard. It is interesting to watch what you think you are going to get change right before your eyes into something completely different, depending on the mordant used.

I have a beautiful shawl on the needles right now...need to spread it out and get a pic of it...it also is proving an easy knit. Some things just are designed with a rhythm that lets the fiber flow from your needles into beautiful fabric. This is also a mystery knit pattern from Goddess Knits http://www.bopeepswoolshop.com/zencart/

Happy fiberlicious times everyone.

A Clear and Beautiful Spring Day

2008-04-12T16:07:00.006-06:00

Fiber stuff at the bottom of post!

In Memorandum:

So far, this year has not been an easy one. It has been filled with struggles, and sadness. My Father-in-Law passed from this world on the last day of February.
He was 90 years old. He had a small stroke the last week of January, which took his strength and his will. The family all took turns caring for him. He didn’t want to go to a hospital, and he didn’t want any life support. He couldn’t be left alone. My Mother-in-Law was not able to care for him on her own.
As the month of February headed towards March, Dad got weaker. Still a stubborn man, he would use the aid of a walker to shuffle down the hall from his bedroom to his favorite chair, in the family room. As the days moved forward, his health moved backwards. It took longer and longer to get to his chair, eventually having to resort to a wheelchair, which he didn’t want to use. Did I mention he was a stubborn man?
On February 28th, he had another stroke, this one taking the mobility of his left leg. He was disorientated had a hard time speaking. The doctor was called as was the hospice nurse. We were told to make him comfortable and that death was eminent. The Doctor and Nurse were easing us into the actual acceptance of death that was to come, telling us we had possibly 24 to 48 hrs. Dad laid there struggling for breath, his eyes open, he looked through us not at us. He stayed with us until we all had time to say our goodbye’s, give him our love, and reassure him or ourselves that all would be fine. He left us at 2:30am on February 29th 2008. He had told me earlier in the week that this was all of this was part of life. I am grateful to have had this experience. I am happy to have been of service for his care. He will be missed.

Knitting has been going strong. I finished what felt like a multitude of socks. It was a way to distress…it was easier to get tangled in cables, and twisted into to lace, than to really think about was happening in our lives. 16 pair of socks finished and wrapped for next Christmas.

Gauntlets for one Granddaughter’s birthday, and socks for another. Birthday’s falling on the 5th and the 10th of this April showery/snowy month. .

Cascade Fixation, completed the gauntlets, my own pattern and design...and soft cashmere made the pink socks.

I hope spring is here! This is the first weekend in quite a while that has not had snow or rain.

Snowy Snowy day

2008-01-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

The snow has been falling since around 3am...it is over a 13 inches deep now. The snow plows just finished in front of our house, it is now 1:10pm. The snow has finally slowed its descent, allowing for a quick pathway cleaning, before it starts up again.

Yesterday was a grey day, brightened by the hand dying of some merino wool. I had cooked red beets for dinner the night before, and had second thoughts about tossing the cooking water out. The water had not been treated with salt, or butter. It was bright red. I poured a bit of vinegar in the red water, and dunked in some un-dyed dampened merino wool roving, and left it over night in the pot. The next day, I brought it up to a simmer, let it cook for 30 minutes. There was still red water in the pan, the wool was bright pink in spots and looked dark red in other places. I removed the wool and placed it in a sink of hot water. The color was washing out. I figured, "oh, well a good try"...but not all the color was washing out. I soaked and rinsed the wool, until the rinsing water was clear, and I was left with the most beautiful peachy salmon colored roving. It is mottled with lights and darks. I have only 3oz. But it is gorgeous. See!

I haven't got a clue how the color will age or wear...but it will be fun learning.

Stay warm!

Thanks to those that commented on my January Socks

2008-01-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you posted comments on my January socks for the SAM 5 KAL. I used Sublime in a Cashmere/silk/wool blend. It is a DK weight. It does halo a bit, but after washing and blocking, the socks looked wonderful, the halo was nearly gone, on the dark blue socks...I did another pair in the same yarn in pink, that did not fair so well. The halo effect stayed after washing. Still the socks were soft, warm and yummy.
The socks were loved by my Father-in-Law.
Thank you again for all the nice posts. Stay warm and keep your fingers nimble :)

Stash Enhancement: The Love of Fiber!

2008-01-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

My favorite yarn store (LYS) The Unraveled Sheep in Sandy, Utah is two years old. The proprietress is a sweet helpful woman named Verla. She is having a special sale, in celebration of her shops’ birthday. Of course I was there 10 minutes after the door was opened…I got off pretty easy I spent just over $100.00, and got enough yarn for 11 pairs of socks, two hats and a skinny scarf. Plus something that was just pretty to my eye, perhaps for mittens. All for next Christmas...and a birthday or two. Just some of the goodies are pictured above.

Happy and Fiber Prolific 2008!

2007-12-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

Take care of what you wish for-all wishes come true-but maybe not in the way you expect them to~

I got a tad bit of knitting done in December, a pair of slipper socks for the SAMKAL4, I made up the pattern up as I went along. These will be a birthday present for next year. They will be wrapped, carded, and kept safe. They are cashmere, wool and a bit of silk. The fiber seems to halo, I don't like that, however they are soft, yummy, and feel good on the feet.

The next two months is the time for deep winter, planning for the re-growth of life. My husband plans his garden and I play with fiber. I love to knit, and spin through this time. I plan our yearly gifts (birthday, holiday, and special occasion) with the hopes to have all the small handmade items finished by May. Most of the time I accomplish this, which leaves the last half of the year to fish, camp, and play. Now I will spread out the sock knitting over 12 months. I still want to get three sweaters, and two shawls done sometime this year. I have most of the yarn spun for my Central Park Hoodie. (Wow finally something for me!)

Back to the sock knitting...this year...I have planned 22 pairs. I have joined the SAM5,2008, and Red Bird Knits sock a month club, to help me keep on track. I even joined a mystery sock club at Goddess Knits...(I will see if this is something I can keep up with, as I don't know what to expect from it. )

I usually have all the socks, hats, bags, mittens, gloves, (small things) I am going to make for gifts, done by May. Then it is knit anything I want for the rest of the year. Last year was different. I joined the SAMKAL4. I knitted a pair of socks (or more) each month for the last half of the year. I enjoyed the pressure and the fun. It was wonderful to feel part of something, and to see all the beautiful hand work that these knitters were turning out. All the love that is being knitted, all over the world is a special feeling that only those that craft for the ones they love feel. They hope the recipients of the gifts feel the love and protection that they stitched into every knitted, woven, crocheted, tatted, felted, and sewn item that was made for them.

Make Wishes, not Resolutions!

Winter Magic

2007-12-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Look what's happening in Utah right now!

The snow is gently falling at the moment, it is hanging heavy in the tree branches. Out in the bird feeder there are Rosy Finches, Common House Sparrows, a Downy Woodpecker, and two pair of Gold Finches. There is a pair of Crown Sparrows, along with a dozen different Junco's and Chickadees. We have a flock of Mourning Doves, 18 at the last count foraging on the ground, taking their turn at a free lunch.
Nothing like a good Snow storm to put the spurs to finishing up Yule Tide goodies. That would be in the form of cookies, candy, knitted socks and a scarf.

Enjoy!

The Cotton Spinning Experience

2007-11-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have been playing around for some time with spinning cotton. I use a small wheeled spindle in a candle dish to do this.

I read in ( http://cottoncrop.blogspot.com/) that fibergal grew cotton and spun from the seed. I found a supply of cotton bolls on ebay from 1brentwood (69 ) I got good communication from the supplier and purchased a box of 25 bolls. She even included two pods that were not open, but did open before I got around to taking a picture. (my missed opportunity, but was wonderful for the grandkids to see.) I popped two of the cotton balls (if that is what they are called) filled with seeds off of the boll. One advantage that I found from spinning from the ball and not roving was that I didn’t have any noils, something that I have had a hard time keeping out of the prepared roving.
The fibers just pulled smoothly away from the seeds (there are many seeds inside each ball), and I was in control of how thick the fiber was fed into the spindle…I could make the fiber as thin as sewing thread, that was a bit too thin, but it was nice to know that it could be done.
I Andean plied the small amount of yarn that 1 ball produced, and was surprised to find that I had 3 yards of a two ply 22wpi’s just from one ball, and this particular boll had 5 balls. The next attempt will be to use a wheel, and see if I get the same results. Now it's back to the sock-a-month 4KAL http://samkal4.blogspot.com/ . I have these Gansey socks that I have been working on (they were planned for my November socks)…or un-knitting on, it seems for every row completed I seem to un-knit it. I am hoping it is because I have had a very cluttered mind for the past few weeks. I have done more intricate patterns in the past, with less frogging(if any). Oh well, that is how life goes sometimes…but the Gansey socks might have to spend a little while in a “time out”. Maybe I'll get them finished in January...maybe. :)

Serendipitous Discovery

2007-11-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

I was shopping at Wal-Mart the other day, and I always go through the craft department. Stuck in a bin was 7 balls of Aunt Lydia’s Shimmer Fashion Yarn 124 yards 64% Cotton, 36% Rayon. 6 balls of Lilac and one of cream, on clearance at $2.50 ea. The ball band stated a size US6 needle 4mm. It was shiny and I am drawn to shiny things so I bought all 7 with no clue as to what I would make with it.
I played around with the yarn, and worked up several swatches in knit. I kept working the swatches on smaller and smaller needles. Surprise…on size 2.75mm needles I got a fabric that I approved of…and thought why not slipper socks. You know, something to wear around the house.

Who knew!

I used 1 1/2 balls of yarn for this pair of socks, worked on 5 DPN’s.

Now what to do with the other 3 1/2 balls?

The yarn was a bit stiff when new and needed coaxing…but, once washed it softens to the most comfy supple fiber. I hand washed, although the ball band says that they can be washed in a machine, and towel blocked to dry. I don’t know how well they will wear in the long run. My cotton blend socks seem to get holes before the wool blends, but the wool blends get thin spots.

Sadly all socks wear out, whether store bought or handmade. For the short time they are in your life, they are pure love. You don't make socks for people you don't like...well I don't. :)

Happy Holidays!

October? when did that happen>

2007-11-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Warning: Heavy picture post

Knitting, spinning, cooking, sewing, traveling, camping, and holiday fun…wow where did the month of October go? Oooop’s no time to blog? My bad.
From the last week of September to the end of the first week of October was spent in the mountains of Utah. In the rain, snow, and of course MUD!

The clouds opened up and we received its bounty. This strange cloud had a hole in it, that seemed to be sucking the surrounding clouds up into it. Just weird.

The youngest one’s tried their hand at building a snowman…The oldest one shoveled…

I finished up my October Socks for the Sam4KAL…

My oldest granddaughter learned to knit, finishing a scarf with some hand-spun corriedale cross. Pretty girl!

Her fiancé caught his first fish. Hurrah!

next up: spinning cotton experiment...

STRESSING and UNSTRESSING

2007-09-19T15:44:00.000-06:00

STRESSING...

Caught between a rock and a hard place, can't win for losing, damned if you do and damned if you don't. I think it is called life, it is certainly called dealing with fighting children. You can't take sides. You only want them to stop. There are no winners, only losers. Sigh...

UNSTRESSING...

On the knitting front however, and the need to escape into a tangled web of fibery goodness I have started a pair of fingerless mitts. It is Silky Wool, on US size 3 needles.

STRESSING...

The next is an almost finished Baby Surprise Jacket. It is blocking and still needs the shoulders sewn up. I added some short rows to the back for diaper fullness, and so the jacket hangs straight. I am still toying with frogging the whole thing, I don't like this colorway for a baby. In fact, I'm wondering just what this colorway would be good for, and why did I buy it. I think I just made my decision, it is going to be frogged. Perhaps a vest?

UNSTRESSING...

1200 yards of fingerling to dk weight yarn hand dyed, haven't got a clue what it will become, but was a lot of fun dying matching skeins.
We are off for a two week camping and fishing holiday, it's supposed to snow, (gulp, winter already?)

Friday

2007-09-07T10:41:00.000-06:00

Socks. Another finished pair. The fiber is Art Yarn merino 4. Oh so soft.

Knitted on size 2 needles

Wet and Rainy Friday

2007-08-31T09:18:00.000-06:00

Rainy weather does one thing for me, gives me an excellent excuse to knit, spin, and play with fiber. I am a fire sign, and love warm bright days. Cold wet dark days are depressing to me. I brighten these times with the fire in my wheel.

The first wheel I ever bought was a Babe. From Carolina Homespun http://www.carolinahomespun.com/, made by "Babe's Fiber Garden". It is an inexpensive wheel, and works wonderfully. I still use it. I love it. It is my friend.

Today, I am spinning some very soft and static Alpaca. Being a wet and rainy day, it is helping with the static electricity. Having a full pound of this stuff, I will be happy when the Alpaca is all spun. I seem to be getting more on me than twisted on the bobbin, and having a hard time keeping it all the same wpi. It will need some creative plying to make a balanced yarn.

Life is filled with challenges this one is minor. Enjoy the long weekend!

Blessings

Firsts

2007-08-28T10:57:00.000-06:00

Another first in a life long list of firsts. My First Blog! It is something that, should be earth shattering, spectacular, and stupendous, but in reality, it is mundane, meager, and morose.

Words come to those that plan ahead. Today, I jumped headlong without a plan into the blogging world.

I have had very little sleep. I stayed up to watch the Blood Moon Eclipse, which was glorious. The moon was full and silvery white. The earth glided between the sun and the silvery orb, slowly stealing it's glow, until all that was left was a red, to orange orb hanging like a ripe peach ready for picking. Just Beautiful!

I need to dye some roving to match the colors that I witnessed last night. Deep Maroon, red, orange, light blue, and white.

Here is a picture of one of my firsts, not my first pair of socks as this is the 4th pair of Horcrux socks I made, I have several Granddaughters that came before my turn, but the first time I joined in with a group of knitters, the first time I posted to a group and the first time I uploaded a picture to the web. The fiber is Moda-Dea. I nearly got them to match, which was amazing since it was yarn leftover from another project. I do try to use up my scraps.

Blessings