# FAC - March '09



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yep, it's March!

This is the FAC (Fiber Arts Chat) We come here to chat about things in our life that may or may not have to do with fibers. This is the perfect place for the newbies and any lurkers to jump in and introduce yourselves to us. If you have any questions, or issues or just need a place to unload stuff from your shoulders here is the place to do it.

We have had the most glorious weather the last 2 days. Today it was about 45 above zero :hobbyhors Lots of meltage going on but there is still a ton of snow out there. We are hoping to tap my Maple trees in a week or so. If this weather keeps up it will be perfect.

Not much fiber stuff going on. I'm trying to get my house in some sort of order before I have my surgery. I had a thought. I don't know how to knit on one of those looms. But do you think I could do that one handed? I have an idea of soem things to make for gifts, it it works I'll share it with you all. So if someone who is a loom knitter can answer my quesion I would appreciate it. I'll have full use of one hand and the fingers on the other. Thanks in advance!

Spring is in the air, woohoo!!!!


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Hey, March--month and person! 

Please don't ask for warm weather before it's due. It was SEVENTY-SEVEN degrees here today, way too warm and way too early. This is what happened in '07--warm weather came in too early, then in April we had 3 nights in the upper teens. No tree fruit at all around here and well to the south. 

Nothing much fiber related around here except that I did find a group that meets every Monday evening from 5-6:30 p.m. at the library. Of course, since I start back to work next Monday, I won't really have time to participate until the end of the project some time in late June or early July. I've exchanged emails with the contact lady for it so at least my foot is in the door.

Took our 7 y/o German shepherd to the vet for her rabies shot this morning. I knew she was overweight and have been cutting back on her on feed as well as trying to exercise her more. This dog weighs 117#. My vet said that if the weight loss regimen didn't help her, we'd test her for thyroid irregularities. This dog is my baby, seldom lets me out of her sight and sleeps either at the foot of the bed or in the hall just outside the bedroom door. Definitely a keeper and I'll like to keep 'er a lot longer. 

Take care, all.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

But it's your dominant hand that you're having fixed, right? If so, I'm not sure. I'm trying to imagine myself doing peg knitting with my left hand...I don't think I'd do so well.

If you're ambidextrous or if you still have the use of your good hand, I'd say go for it. You could have the peg loom on your lap, anchoring it with your surgified forearm, and doing the work with the other hand.


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

Happy March! Son's surgery went perfectly and he is recovering well..nice way to start the month! Still haven't ripped out the back of the sweater I was working on in the hospital..have to give myself time to regroup on that one. I'm halfway throught a quilt top that I started when he came home..just a scrap quilt..my faves! Crazy warm weather here in western NY, too. Really wish it would just go back to cold so I could hunker down and get my inside stuff taken care of. Hard to ignore the hankering to start my warm weather projects!! I'm reading the Friday Night Knitting Group books right now, and I'm intrigued with the felted purses discussed in them. Something else to look into and try to avoid getting addicted to!!


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

WIHH..whatever you do...do NOT look up patterns for felted purses!! haha...I SOOOOOOO need to make one now!!!


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Hi all! Happy March! Temps were in the 60's here in central Indiana this morning and my bush apricot has started budding. I'm going to work in the garden today, cleaning up, harvesting the last of the parsnips & sunchokes, and getting ready for potato planting in another week or two. 

If I have time and the weather holds, I may try to get in a little shearing. I hand shear my Shetlands and I am NOT fast, so I need to block at least 2 hours to get anything done. I try to pick out the VM right then and there, so that slows me down. It probably would be more sensible do it all later, but I'll see a little bit of twig or hay and just have to pick or shake it out.

When I feel like I've done enough work to earn some knitting time, I'm going to work on my husband's sweater. It is the first big thing I've made out of handspun wool from our own sheep. So far, I've only cast on the back and started the 3" ribbing. It's a pattern that should knit up pretty quickly, which is good because last night after I started, hubby was already wandering back to see how far I'd gotten.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Found out my new-to-me old loom is made from a pattern from Edward Worst fashioned after a Danish Lervad loom. There is a link in the thread about it that shows the exact specs of the loom.

I am so pumped about this loom. I swear it is 'singing' to me to get it up and going. There are missing parts, but with the specs from Worst's book, Paul will able to remanufacture what is missing.

Anyone want to see pics (Marchie??)

Ajax, I have a couple pounds of shetland roving that I have earmarked for a sweater (for ME)

WIHH, if knitting is seductive, I don't know what you would call spinning .... it is the same but on a deeper level. Even if you buy prepared rovings, it's getting just the twist you want with the color you want, and THEN you get into figuring out what it wants to be in a knitted/crocheted/woven item!!!

Fiber rules!!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Goodness, you southerners do startle me in the spring ... budding trees?? in March?? We had a snowstorm the night before last so bad that we all stayed home on Thursday, and have drifts that are easily 3 feet deep. It's all very pretty though, there was a lot of wind so it's made beautiful sculptured drifts. 

In fibre news, I'm weaving with some lopi yarn from Custom Woolen Mills - it's a shawl that I'm doing as a 'test weave' of this yarn, as I want to make some saddleblankets and I think this particular arrangement of cotton warp and lopi weft might be the right weight. I'll finish the shawl and take it to my 'product testers' (friends of mine with horses) and see if they think it's the right weight and so on, and then if so, I'll get some more yarn and do a full sized blanket for them to try out. If *that* works, then I will take this big sack of wool down to the mill and have it done up as lopi - it'll be less expensive than buying the wool straight, and I have lots of fleeces to work with for spinning and entertainment. 

Knitting, I have a set of fingerless gloves going (one done, just about to start the other) out of some lovely BFL that my son got me for my birthday as painted rovings. It's a colour mix called "pool party" and it's just so bright and cheerful! They'll be nice spring mitts when you can stand to have your fingers uncovered but still need a bit of warmth on the hands.

Have a bunch o' seedlings started, in my little paper pots (I love my potmaker widget!) and am anxiously waiting for something to pop it's little green head out of the dirt. I do love spring, even when it's still at least two months away on the outside, it's coming right up on the inside!

My little boy is turning THIRTEEN in a couple of weeks ... I need to do something special for him but I have no idea what.  I can't believe I'm about to have a teenager in the house - and worse, that he can DRIVE in a year! OI!

Maybe I better go hug some wool.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Hello all. It's really warm here too--70s today, but thankfully it won't last. I just got back from 3+ weeks at my parents'. The destruction from the ice storm looks worse than I'd remembered--the forest is just littered with limbs, to say nothing of our yard. There are piles of branches everywhere. Today I got out and pruned the grapes and got my cold frames ready to plant. We lost much of what was in our greenhouse, but I was surprised to see a few things still alive despite the cold temperatures during the power outage. 

I did a lot of fiber stuff at my parents'--finished a sweater, a lace shawl, and some mittens all from handspun. My dad was back in the hospital (he's out now) so I did a lot of spindling--a good mindless activity. Now I'm working on a Jacob fleece I have; haven't decided what I'll do with the yarn. Tomorrow my spinning group meets, but I think I need to stay home and do some outside work while it's nice outside.

Cyndi, I love your loom with its curved side pieces. I'll be curious to see it when you get it up and running. Mogal, hope your GSD is okay. Sorry you have to go back to work so soon.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Hey ya'll! 
I have finally, finally, had time to sit down and start some socks! It took me a couple of hours, and a few youtube videos to get all those needles going right, and that joining stuff! Sure was hard to find a video with that one on it! (there is ONE!) 
Anyway, I have taken it out and started over about 5 times, and think I am ready to take it out again and start for real. I am going to try and do both socks at once. So they at least look similar. (and I won't put off doing that second sock forever!)

A couple of days ago a spindle and 2 oz of alpaca arrived here, and has been calling me ever since. Wish I could knit up a few more hours in the day! 
ALSO a stuffed full box of knitting needles arrived, courtesy of Steff B and her mom. That has been a blast sorting through, and now I have every knitting needle I could ever need (pretty sure at least!) and I will need to sew up a bag or two to put them in!!

I have been canning turnip greens and have several bushels of turnips and apples to deal with now. The turnips were all free for the picking, and I filled the back of my pickup before I realized it! 
So, I have accidently kept myself all sorts of busy. Oh and looks like a couple of my dairy goats are getting ready to kid soon, getting that full look but not quiet bagged up yet.

I hope hope hope that tomorrow I can spend time on those socks. I need to work on not knitting quiet so tight, except that first stitch that seems to be as loose as the others are tight! ugh!

The weather here has been awesome, I have potatoes in the ground, lots of greens planted, and need to get out and finish up getting some garden beds ready. Today it was 80 degrees! Still 66 and a pretty stiff breeze. In fact, my front door that doesn't like to close keeps blowing open! That's gonna keep me awake all night!

I love coming here and reading, ya'll post some good stuff!
Especially the pictures!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

frazzle, I'd like to hear more about a paper pot widget. I'm going to try starting seedlings in empty washed-out eggshells this year. They're cheap, and a renewable resource. 

My ds is turning 14 in a couple of weeks. Has your son hit the growth spurt yet? I can almost watch my son grow taller. The food intake is increased, too--he's often hungry before bed again...


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Hi everyone. I have tried to post in this thread a few times (3!) and it has happened that the site went down each time. What are the odds of that?

I love to post pics and I have one here of 'what I did yesterday'. This little guy is a gift for my mom's boyfriend. He's a Silky terrier, 3 mo old. I went w/ my mom to collect him from the dairy farm where I work. They raise Silkies and Pekinese there (as well as cows).












Isn't he something? I can hardly wait to find out what they name him.
I told my mom that she could blame it on me if this gift wasnt well recieved. She called me later to say "Ear to ear grins!"

I also notice that it is Marchwind's birthday tomorrow...Do you have some special plans?


~Wendy


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

Spring has sprung in TN! Of course, this came up in the snow last week but it didn't seem to bother it.


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Oh, CC, spring is in the air! MacReenie--I love to make felted purses, and I will tell you that you can sell them as fast as you make them. Gone-a-Millin'--what a cute dog--makes me miss the one I had 10 years ago and still think of---she really loved me. Missouri has had several goregous days in a row, now thunderstorms are coming, so "they" say, but I'm loving it. I was wondering do most of you still have time to spin, knit or crochet in spring and summer. I try to keep at it but get slowed down a lot--- I have a whole lot of projects I'd like to get done. Thanks so much for the pictures, gals.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

I'm not getting the pictures~!!!!

Happy birthday, March.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Working on that 2nd Bobbin, so I can make that two ply yarn.
I love Majacrafts giant bobbins, takes awhile but I get big skeins of yarn!

That is one adorable puppy Wendy.

And those Daf's are very pretty CC. We are about a month away from having ours show themselves but I can't wait!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Weever - here's the blurb about my potmaker thingie from the blog posting:

I have a little wooden gadget that makes pots from newspaper: it is a wonderful device, you buy it once and thereafter you have pots for your seedlings from waste paper! The seedlings grow well in the newspaper and can be planted without having to dump them out of a plastic container, so the roots are not disturbed. And, unlike peat pots with their thick side walls, the roots can very easily break through the disintegrating paper once transplanted.

Gone-a-milkin, love the puppy ... sooo cute! And cc, thank you for sharing your flowers! It'll be awhile before any of those show up here, I think!

Weever, nope The Boy hasn't started growing much yet - we keep waiting, but he's still on the small side. I have clothes stockpiled though for when the inevitable occurs (a wonderful - and skinny - 20-something guy that I work with sends us his hand-me-downs for when the time comes).


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

*Happy Birthday, Susan! Enjoy the day and many more to come *


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

*Happy Birthday, Marchie!!!! 

Hope your day is a blessed one!*


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Wow thanks guys :bouncy: I don't have any plans for today. I'm about to drive 2 hrs north to get my son who is on spring break for a week. I'm also lusting after that thing Frazzle posted about in the knitting outdoors thread. I may go and check one out on my way home :happy: Usually there is a snowstorm on my birthday but today looks like it is just going to be overcast.

Today is also International Women's day do everyone of you ladies go out and celebrate your womanliness :clap: :goodjob:


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

I have to many projects going on right now. I am still working on a sock although it is for my son so can only work on it in the late evening so he doesn't see it. Have 4 dishclothes made, started and scrapped a clapotis--really messed it up, started the clapotis again, have to make towel toppers but don't want to... I made 3 hats for charity this last week and wrist warmers for a elderly woman with arthritis--no charge for those. Hubby saw the mits and wanted a pair so I guess I have to make another pair of those too. Weather is improving so it will be hard to get so many things done when the garden needs tending to.


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

I get to go on vacation! Really just a few days visit to my friends in Kansas City, MO. Please no snow or ice or bad weather next week! I'll be doing spinning demonstrations, and maybe peg loom? at a little gift type shop on the square in Independence on Friday, the 20th. Anybody in the area? We also have a day trip planned for Laurence, KS, which will include a stop at the Yarn Barn. How could I go to that area and not see the Yarn Barn?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well deserved vacation Annie! The weather sounds like it will be in your favor. Have fun!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Hi all! Can't believe it's the middle of March already. 

I mentioned earlier I was doing some weaving and hoping to get some opinions on the finished fabric. My friends with horses came and approved of the fabric I want to make horse blankets from (although the lady said "seems a shame to put that on a horse!"), so that's really exciting. The daughter has a lovely horse who loves to pose for pictures, so he'll model the finished blanket once I make a full size one.

The sample I wove was purposely done 6 feet long and about 1.5' wide, so it would be a shawl if it turned out well ... and it did! The lopi yarn is loosely spun and with one quick wash/rinse it bloomed into a gorgeous fabric. My friend wanted a shawl for his wife, and his face just lit up when I brought it in this morning. I can't wait to hear what she thinks of it!

I'm off to order more wool ... I do so love weaving!

Oh, and I actually managed to cast on and get most of the cuff done on the second of my fingerless gloves - with the weather turning warm this week, maybe it'll be nice enough outside to even wear them, and that'd be incentive to finish up!

Last but not least, I noticed one of the ewes is bagging up so maybe we'll have another new lamb soon.  Soon we'll be out watching the Lambpede (that's what we call it when the little ones go tearing around the pasture, it's so much fun to watch!)


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Saw my first robin

Heard my first red-wing black bird

and




the hydrant in the barn is unfrozen!!


Spring MUST be here!!

(even though it has been in the teens the past two nights!)


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh the Lambpede! that is what is called! They can defy gravity those little buggers. My neighbors have 3 lambs so far and I am having a hard time getting anything done for all their cavorting and general too-cute-for-wordsness. 

Happy day when there is water to the barn again. Springtime is always such a long-awaited miracle. 

I am having the inlaws visit. They should be here by 9pm tonight. DMIL is a crocheter and we shall hopefully have some good yarning if it is not too windy out on the porch. 

I am glad the weather is warming up because my firewood pile is getting lean. All those pieces that I cast off as to hard to split....now I am picking through them. Knots and weirdly cut limbs that are just a *little* too long for the stove, grrr.

I am still working on the same pair of socks. They are taking forever on size 1 needles.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

We got hit hard, really hard by a snow storm on Mon. and Tues. of this week. At least a foot of snow and then drifting on top of that. Then we had bitter cold on top of that. Yesterday morning it was -23 today we had a high of 40 above. Tons of meltage happening. This is getting to be Maple syrup weather. Time to tap the trees soon.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

I went to the Naturopath today, got my test results back. I have severe adrenal exhaustion. He said if it were any worse, it would be adrenal failure, and I would be in the hospital. I showed a slight amount of adrenalin in the morning, and none for the rest of the day. This is causing blood sugar and hormone imbalances, and thyroid dysfunction, leaky gut syndrome, allergies and candida.

He gave me adrenal glandulars and DHEA and progesterone cream.

In two weeks I go back for allergy tests. Pray I'm not allergic to dairy!! I have cut out SO much already. I'm not allowed to drink even decaf coffee, either. He said to avoid stress, too.....

I am hoping all this bad health will start turning around.... It was one thing to suspect most of these things, but quite another to hear that it's for sure. :Bawling:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Nellie big hugs sweetie! Suspecting and getting the truth can be two very different thing and a rude awakening. Good luck with the treatment. I'm sure it took years for you to get your body to this point so don't expect things to turn around right away. Patients and perseverance are what are needed.

As for the stress, knit, spin or just fondle fibers it works wonders. You'll pull through just fine.


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

I can't believe that March is almost over!!!Spring is almost here I saw a Killdeer today! (that is what I make spring by, not robins) Last week we lost 2 of our bottle lambs but at least the other 3 seem to be doing fine. Our one Hen started laying eggs again:bouncy: On the knitting side....I finished my first T-Sweater(Short sleeved sweater)!!!! I am so happy!! Now I just need to make the Hat and arm warmers that I promised two different people....:bash:


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

ny cowgirl..you think you can say something like you finished your first t-sweater and NOT post a pic?? lol


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yep, any time you talk about your knitting you have to post pictures, especially if you finished something. It's an unwritten rule here. Otherwise we will hound you until you do post pictures :sing:


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

Ok here are the pictures!!


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## kandmcockrell (Oct 10, 2008)

Wow! That is really cute!! Good job!:goodjob:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Beautiful work!


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

Thanks! my little brother has already told me that he wants me to make him a sweater....


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

Really, really cute! Hmm..add it to my list...


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

It was really, really easy to make and didn't take very long. Here is the link with the pattern...the only thing I would change on the pattern in when you are doing the side increases KF&B instead of M1 because M1 left holes...

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=152316.0


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

NYCowgirl, that is a beautiful sweater.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Lovely knitting! I like the blue. 

I just wound off three skeins of plyed Icelandic wool - I think I'm going to try and spin enough to make felted clogs, since this stuff felts so easily.

However, right this minute I'm gonna go back to my wheel and try something weird: I have read about sprinkling your rovings with bits of other 'stuff', and in this case I'm going to try spinning a nice wool roving with bits of cotton warp thread, just to see what it looks like. I always have little bitty bits of warp leftover from trimming and loom waste, so if this looks neat, well, then I'll have a use for it.

Off I go...


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

Finally I got on and got to read some posts! It seems that I've been attempting to visit when all was in battle mode. 

You all seem to have lots of projects going on. I'm finally spinning up some of the odds and ends of stuff I had carded already and am working on carding a fawn shetland fleece as well. I think it's time to make myself a sweater to match the ones I made for my daughters. I sent those off into the world with requests for pictures of them on their intended wearers...but adult daughters make their own decisions (sigh).

I'm knitting up a pair of socks on circular needles. It took a bit to get used to having all those points not going in the same general direction, and to figure out how to not make a tangle of two balls of sock yarn at the same time. Once I figured out that you need to readjust your needles NOT just keep going like you would usually with circulars it got much easier. I think that I like using the DP method method better though. Even though you end up with both socks the same, it seems to go faster when I just go around and around.

I'm getting closer to calling the shearer to get on his schedule. What little new snow we got the past two weeks was quickly followed by warmer melting, so I think the worst is over. I just hate the thought of naked sheep in the snow-even though I've been assured that my barn is warm and tight enough that it won't bother them a bit. I KNOW that-it bothers ME.

The first week of this month was difficult for me. On the 1st my elderly dog had a seizure-something not seen in over 10 years for her. She just couldn't quite fully recover, so on the 4th I left work early and the vet, his tech and I held her and loved her to her rest. I buried her in a snow shower under the elderberry trees in back of the house. She was 16 in early December-a long, full life for a german shepherd mix. I got her before she could walk and she was a bottle baby who was orphaned at birth. The other dogs and I are still adjusting to her absence. She was the puppy my now adult children remembered most, and they all had tears for her as well.


Spring is nearly here-I saw daffodils down in town. I'm usually about three weeks behind them because of the altitude difference, so I'm hoping we'll get all the needed winter rain and snow out of the way before the month is over so we can get on to spring with enough snowpack to last the dry season. I saw flocks of robins in the school yard, and have been watching the geese fly north for two weeks. Yesterday the whole herd of elk were in the hay meadows just down the road-when the whole herd starts moving back up the mountain, it means spring is on its way for sure.

may spring find you with seasonable weather, leading to abundant crops-that you may live in peace and contentment. betty


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

So sorry for your loss, Betty. Not looking forward to that day...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Betty hugs to you and all your dogs for the loss. You know your dog (what was her name?) had a good life. But it is still sad to lose a loved one. I have an elderly dog who is on his last years too. I would like for him to die in his sleep but, that would be ideal.

What pattern are you using for the sweaters? Can you share?

We have signs of spring here too, Eagles are back and getting the nest ready. I think I saw a robin last week but I'm not sure. The chickens are laying a ton of eggs :clap: And, my basement is flooded :Bawling: It hasn't flooded in almost 10years. They are expecting the red river to crest at record highs again. Last time they had floods over there (it's 2 hrs west of me) my basement flooded. I need to get down there and see if I can pump some of the water out.

I need to get preparing for my surgery. I have two inkle looms to warp.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I received an impressive (to me) box of goodies from ebay a couple of days ago. Unfortunately I have not been able to enjoy it.  
Had a young man that was close to my son die Sunday, we bury him today, and I just feel sad. Monday found one of my dairy does down with 2 kids half out (stuck in the birth canal, both trying to be born at the same time) naturally the two doelings were lost, and my doe is not pulling through as well as I would like... may loose her too.

Anyway, I did pull out my box yesterday and fondled the fleece a bit. I have a gallon size bag of mixed fleece, about 8 skiens of assorted homespun. It was good therapy. After the funeral today I will be driving my two youngest, DD10 and DS#4 8yr to visit my mom and sister for the rest of spring break. That is about 300 miles round trip.
My two teens and dad a relegated to goat sitting, I have 2 bagging up, one bleeding and not bagging (so what's up with that?) and one down, so it is going to have to be a fast trip for me. (maybe DH will go, I dunno...)

Need to finish getting the garden in and it is all in a holding pattern.

Anyway, just came by to voice my woes, wish I had knitting time, I was getting the hang of the sock thing and it was going well.... Hope to get back to that tomorrow. That's about all that is happening here for now.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Oh, MamaJohnson, ((((((hugs))))))


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Mamajohnson, been there, done that and didn't like any of the T-shirts.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MamaJ hugs to you. You have a plate full. It sounds to me like you may just need to take your knitting and that box of stuff to the barn and sit quietly with your goats. That should give you a double dose of stress relief. I never met a goatie who couldn't make me laugh. And they give such nice kisses.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh, my. What a heartache (both the young man and the doelings). I'm so sorry!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Life is better today. Isn't it great how the sun coming up brings hope?

We have two baby girls on the ground, and they and mom are doing great! I got home from Dallas about 1:30 this morning and my son had my Alpine in a stall, having contractions. I sent him to bed, stayed with the girls (gave the one that is down her shot) and then about 3:30 I went and took a nap for an hour, went back out for another shot and check on the laboring doe, did this again at 5:30, 7:30. No signs of birth from my laboring doe any time. Went out at 9:30 and two kids were on the ground, one dry, one wet, but both up and walking!!! woohoo!!!
Got them dried up and nursing and mom passed the placenta, she cleaned that and some grain up, and all is well in that stall. 
All this seemed to perk up my girl that is down, she got her morning round of shots without a complaint, and so now I can try and tempt her to eat and drink.
The funeral yesterday was standing room only, and we were standing for almost 2 hours in there! It was a long day, but with a good ending this morning.
I almost took my knitting to the barn this morning, but I was soooo sleepy, I just napped in between.
I will knit at some point soon, I NEED it!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Congratulations on the new little ones MamaJ! I'm happy to hear you have some sunshine in your life, you dissever it. Take the time to knit.


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## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

I am new in this forum too, but have been lurking for some time. that is how I caught the knitting addiction! So far I only know the basics, but in time should be able to understand some of the more complicated stiches with any luck. My difficulty is in not having anyone around me who knits aside from a craft store that sometimes holds knitting workshops. But they should be able to help me progress if I find myself getting stuck.

Confession time for me...I bought a book about knitting with dog hair after seeing some pics of things people knit from the shed fur from their dogs and cats. So I have to learn to spin some day too, once I have enough fur saved from brushing my doggies. My hubby thinks that is totally wierd too but he hasn't thrown out any of the bags of shed I have saved in the closet. What amazes me is how light the stuff is, even though it takes up a lot of room. Fluffy stuff, you know? Does anyone spin their pet's sheddings?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Welcome to The Fold Ode! It sounds like you are well on your way to being a knitter. We are here to help you if we can. Where in SE Mich are you? My mom lives in Ann Arbor and could help you if you are close by. Or we may be able to find a guild or something close to you.

I spin my animal's hair/fur. I have collies and cats and have spun both.


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## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

I shop in Ann Arbor all the time!!! It's the closest Sam's Club and Whole Foods locations to us, and we used to live there about 10 years ago. Currently we live in Monroe. I am so glad to know I am not the only one who will be doing this, lol. Thanks Marchwind. *hugs* My dogs have a really pretty golden/amber colored undercoat, being red australian cattle dogs. I do have a black dog too, but he has very short coarse wired hair coat and no fluff underneath. The fur is from about 1 1/2 inches to 2 1/2 inches long and soooo soft. I hope it is long enough to spin. If it isn't, then I wasted an awful lot of hours picking out all the guard hairs. That has been a horrid task. Then I hand-washed the shed fur in the bathroom sink with baby shampoo to get it clean before letting it dry on microfiber towels. I didn't want to store dirty fur.

A guild is sort of like a knitting club, right? Or spinning, quilting, etc? A group of folks who meet and work on their stuff?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Down and out with pnuemonia....

on the mend though and got a couple hundred yards of 2-ply worsted weight spun and 2 more bobbins to be plyed up and 3 preemmie caps


If it wasn't for the feeling carpy and sleeping all the time, being sick wouldn't be too bad.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi, sorry to hear you caught the crud. Like WIHH said it is bad and stays around for a long time. Watch it because it can be tough to get rid of too. I have co-workers who have been on 2-3 bouts of antibiotics and even Prednisone (sp).

While all of my co-workers have had this stuff I have remained well. But earlier this week I had a suspicious tingle in the sinuses and the back of my throat. I now have a wee cough.Please send healing thoughts my way. I don't want to get sick before I have my surgery.


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## kitaye (Sep 19, 2005)

I'm new to Fiber Arts forum. Been searching it for a month or so while I was trying to learn knitting. Finally bought a beginner's kit and still having trouble with tension but at least it looks like knitting now. Far better than my previous attempts at crochet.

Fortunately, while searching the web for some information I was introduced to tablet weaving, which I am now firmly hooked on, and naalbinding which looks interesting. I've done some tablet weaving but haven't tried the naalbinding yet.


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

Alrighty....dumb question, but here goes anywho. Don't the articles made from dog hair STINK when wet? I know my dog does! lol. He's a black chow/lab mix and my floors always look like they are covered in black shag carpeting lol. Anywho..just wondering!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Kitaye welcome to The Fold! Congrats on the learning to knit. Your tension will get better as you practice. 

Can you share the tablet weaving site you found. I'm thinking I want to get a warp ready with my tablets to use as therapy after my hand surgery. I may be asking you for some help :happy:

MacaReenie, yep it smells like a wet dog when it gets wet. Some breeds of dog smell less than others just normally. My collies don't have much of a smell to them. The oily breeds, labs and any of the water dogs tend to be stinkier.


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## kitaye (Sep 19, 2005)

Marchwind said:


> Kitaye welcome to The Fold!
> 
> Can you share the tablet weaving site you found. I'm thinking I want to get a warp ready with my tablets to use as therapy after my hand surgery. I may be asking you for some help :happy:


I'll share all I've found useful, a lot aren't really useful except to see the possibilities. The last two have software you can download for designing your own patterns. So far, I haven't found them very intuitive to use but I'm also still using other people's patterns.

http://www.theloomybin.com/cw/index.html
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/textileres.html
http://www.stringpage.com/tw/basictw.html
http://www.malarkycrafts.com/
http://www.guntram.co.za/tabletweaving/index.htm


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Check WIHH, I have all those in place and am using them to excess. I do NOT want to get sick :Bawling: One more day of work and then I have 3 days off, I plan to sleep a lot.

Kitaye thank you for those links, I will check them out. I have a few good books too.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Here is a site I can share with you Kitaye http://www.weavershand.com/


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

Just found out a yarn shop that is close by has spinning classes and you can take a wheel home to try for a week--they have 4 or 5 different models so may join in that when it starts again. :happy:

Made a couple of baby sweaters one was for ds teacher who is due next month and then one to donate in the new baby's honor to a local charity. I was touched when we had parent/teacher conferences she said this is our fourth child and no one has ever given me a hand crocheted item as a gift--not one. She then went on to say when she opened the gift bag and pulled it out she wanted to have that baby so she could put it on. I thought it was so sweet. It was a simple basic sweater. Plain white with a yellow button since they don't know if it's a boy or girl. It was fun to make her day. 

Had a strange request to knit a breast for a child birth class. If the nurse teaching the class can't find a model she wants me to make one. That is a great thing to be known for. What to you knit?


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

I'm going to have to get vicarious pleasure from the projects you all are doing: I seem to have torn a tendon in my right arm (like "tennis elbow") and have to wear a splint and can't lift anything heavy or eat with chopsticks or finish shearing my sheep or ride my bike or KNIT!!! I'm told that if I'm very obedient, it might heal without surgery in 4 MONTHS or so!! Good grief! I plan on being almost completely good, of course, but the potatoes need to be planted, and I've got the front and back and one sleeve of a sweater all finished, and some beautiful camel down yarn a friend gave me, and someone else is giving away all her knitting stash (lots of lovely merino), and.... and....

sigh

Knitter's elbow?! No knitting? Good grief! 
Well, everyone post lots of pictures, okay?


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

oh, ajaxlucy..that's awful!! So sorry to hear this. I can't imagine not using my arm like this! I'll pray for a speedy recovery!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lucy you and I can commiserate together. I won't be able to knit either after April 2 for some time. Feel free to cry on my shoulder, or rant and rave if you need to.

Sorry you hurt yourself. Please listen to the docs. If you don't it may be a lot longer before you will be able to knit or do any of those other things.


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## kitaye (Sep 19, 2005)

Thanks for the link Marchwind. I have that one bookmarked but I haven't found it as useful as the ones I posted. I haven't found any books on tablet weaving yet but I did just order a book on Andean Weaving which might be interesting.

Considering the number of injuries maybe I should give up knitting? I can't afford to lose the use of a hand or arm for several months...ugh!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Kitaye, my injuries have nothing to do with knitting. I have old fashion arthritis. Don't give up on the knitting. I'm having surgery to correct the problem, then I will be pain free :bouncy:

I'm at work right now, but when I get home I'll try to remember to get the titles of the books I have and post them for you. One is an all around weaving, spinning, and dying book by Rachel Brown. It is an excellent book to have.

Have you given Inkle weaving a try yet? If you like card weaving and are considering a backstrap loom, you would probably like Inkle weaving.

Are you on Ravelry? They have a card/tablet weaving group there and a few other weaving groups.


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## kitaye (Sep 19, 2005)

Marchwind said:


> Have you given Inkle weaving a try yet? If you like card weaving and are considering a backstrap loom, you would probably like Inkle weaving.
> 
> Are you on Ravelry? They have a card/tablet weaving group there and a few other weaving groups.


Sorry about the arthitis. I know it can be painful.

I've seen pictures of Inkle weaving and they had a short demo at the Historical Village last summer. When I saw the demo I didn't find myself interested at all. For some reason the websites on tablet weaving, maybe the historical aspect, really drew me in.

I made my own warp weighted tablet loom from scrap wood and dowels. It works pretty good for the smaller straps and I am currently working on a scarf that seems to be going ok. I recently saw a folding table loom on another website and I may give a try at making one for wider straps and scarves, but for right now I'm doing pretty good with what I have.

Never even thought to look for weaving forums. I did see the SCA Historical Tablet Weaving yahoo group but I haven't signed up for it yet.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Kitaye, the card weaving book I have is titled, Card Weaving by Candace Crocket. I found it on eBay. I was able to read it and really understand how it worked.Now I need to put it in practice. She goes into the history too and it is really interesting. There are sections on pattern design, double weave, finishing touches and templates for making your own cards.

I thought I had another book but I wasn't able to find it. If I do I will be sure to pass the info on.

Can you post some pictures of your work?


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## kitaye (Sep 19, 2005)

Marchwind said:


> Can you post some pictures of your work?


Sure, when it returns from a business trip, lol. I wove a hat band for hubby's winter hat. The scarf pattern I'm working on isn't working out like expected so I have to undo about 8 inches worth of weaving today. Oh well, the joys of trying to learn alone.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Snow! We got snow - again! It was warm and melty the last bit, although of course where we live, it has to be warm and melty for about three months before you get down to grass. 

Anyway, they put out a weather watch for lots of snow - and here it comes! It's very pretty ... from inside. Actually it isn't cold, but the roads will be yukky so it's a good day to stay home and play with fibre. 

We had a new lamb born yesterday, it wasn't nursing well so we brought it in for a day but he's back with his mama and seems to be doing better - will have to check lots and this time we'll not be shy about intervening, we aren't gonna lose another one!

I think I'm going to work on spinning some yarn from the fleeces I was given - I want to make something for the man who gave it to me out of wool from his own sheep. Off I go!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Okay, I have a puppy update. It has been 2 weeks and his name is Fred.











He is not as cute as a newborn lamb, but I think I have a good deal. My mom brought him over yesterday so I could get a puppy-fix. She played her accordion while I knitted with this creature sitting on my shoulder (to look out the window behind my chair).

The wind is blowing like crazy today. I have been watching the shingles blow off the neighbors roof while they are at work. They are NOT going to be happy to see that. It makes me glad we finally got metal on ours last summer.

I am almost done with these socks, just need to do the toe decreases. Pics of them eventually.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

What a cutie! Yorkie and what else?

Wind is the same up here. I just got home from work in Columbia and going west to east with that strong south wind across I-70 was no fun at all. When I got home, I saw that the wind had damaged a storm door on the east side of the house. The hydraulic dealies that keep the door from slamming were bent, obviously when the wind pushed the door too far open. Oh, joy. I thought I had secured it when I left. Oh, well.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Hi MOgal, I am glad you are getting the pics today! He is a purebred registered Silky terrier, a lot like a Yorkie.

The wind is really Something Else today. Sorry about your storm door, hopefully you can just replace the hydraulic dealie and be as good as new.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Gone-a-milkin he is so quite and judging by those paws he may be a good sized dog.

Wind here has be horrible. All night I thought I would get blown out of bed. My basement is fully flooded, higher than it was 10 years ago. I got the sump pump running again right now.

The Red River valley is due to crest on Friday, a foot higher than it crested in '97,so that would make it 40-41 feet above flood stage. It all depends on how much rain falls. They are calling for volunteers to help sandbag, they are building the levies to 42 feet. If anyone is availible to help they sure could use it.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in the area.

I am officially sick. I spent most of the day yesterday doing nothing and napping. Today I woke fro a good night sleep feeling pretty good. Iwent to town to have blood drawn, in prepfor my surgery. I got progressively worse as the day went on. I went right to bed when I got home at noon and stayed there until about 7pm and I just feel like crap :Bawling: and I can't do anything.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

I'm sorry you feel so crummy, Marchwind. Take it easy. I hope you get some good rest and feel better tomorrow.

Gone-a-milkin, Fred is a cutie!!!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh March! How awful to have to deal with a flooded basement and imminent doom (sandbagging? yikes!) while feeling like sheep pellets. Does this mean your surgery is postponed, or will you recover in time?

Hugs to you...


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## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

What a cute puppy.  Our weather is changing one day to the next that we are all getting the sniffles too....Summer finished now into Autumn and a cold one at that I reckon. After all the years of spinning I have always wanted a Drum carder preferably an electric one but I could never afford one...well a friend of mine came across a hand wound (sp?) one so I snapped it up for $300...I am so excited and cant wait to go check my PO box to see if it has arrived....if it hasnt, I know my ingredients would have arrived to make my moisteriser (GM). 
And I am on the second sock of the "Waffle socks" much easier doing them after having done the silver sock pattern. Will post a pic when done.


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## kandmcockrell (Oct 10, 2008)

Shazza, what is the silver sock pattern? I am looking for an easy sock to begin with.

Thanks!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I dragged, and I mean dragged, myself to the clinic this morning. I really wasn't sure if I could make the 20mile drive but I managed. I am so punked out. I haven't felt this awful in ages. They took blood, I had just had blood taken the day before :shrug:, they did a chest x-ray and a nasal swab all came back negative which is good. We figure I have a sinus infection,which is causing the cough and the nausea. I got a shot in the butt for the nausea and antibiotics. I have another day off from work too. I need to call my surgeon to make sure I don't have to postpone surgery.

I really hope I don't have to. Thanks for all the good wishes I feel the need for them right now. I'm off to take a nap and I hope to wake refreshed.


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## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

kandmcockrell said:


> Shazza, what is the silver sock pattern? I am looking for an easy sock to begin with.
> 
> Thanks!!



Michee has it in her/his post in this thread... http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=295870 
I printed the whole thing..made following the instructions easier. Good luck.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Shazza did you ever post a picture? Hint,hint :nono:


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## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

Ok....heres pics
First one is first "Silver socks"









2nd pair "Silver socks" 









3rd pair "Waffle sock"..still knitting its pair.









What I love about knitting socks with the dpns is there is no sewing up to do when finished...sew in the toe and start thread and done...


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Shazza, those are beautiful socks! Great work.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Beautiful Socks Shazza!

Adorable puppy Goneamilkin!! 

Hope everyone that is not feeling good,, gets better soon!! No fun being sick or hurt. <hugs>

Here is the first finished two ply skein from that British top with Tussah silk I was working on.










And a closeup


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

*Drool*


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Wow! great socks, pup and yarn!
I am still working on my waffle socks... but I am getting close! I am pretty sure I have all the stuff worked out right... we will see!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Great socks Shazza! I love the color variation, this is my favorite thing about the natural wools. What size needle did you use on those socks?

Bergere that is some beautiful yarn!

Well yesterday I seriously wanted to be put out of my misery, seriously I didn't care how it was done. Today I feel like living again :clap: This is my day of recouping so I'm trying to take it easy but there is so much to be done.

I got my warp measured out for my card weaving project. This is in preparation for after surgery therapy, so I don't go crazy not knitting or spinning. I still have to thread my cards and warp my two inkle looms.

I called my surgeon's office this morning to ask about me being on antibiotics prior to surgery.I wanted to know if I should postpone surgery. Thankfully they said no.

Then I asked about the flooding. My surgery is in Fargo  My nurse told me that all surgeries for this week were canceled and it was just a wait and see type of thing. They will let me know asap if it is canceled. My nurse also told me she lives a block from the river. They have been sandbagging for days. She said her shoulders were so sore she couldn't even lift a sheet of paper without a lot of pain  She also said that they don't know if they will be putting the levy by her house.If they don't then her place, whole neighborhood will be a total loss. They are desperate for help with the sand bagging. They have some new equipment to help but not enough people. They are using the same equipment the guys are using in Iraq to build barriers, these need to be 42 feet tall.

Closer to home my son's college is on a river that feeds into the RR. There are ice dames building on that river causing flooding. They are using dynamite to try to blow up the ice dames. 

For those of you who don't know the Red River is one of the few rivers that flows north, has to do with being on the other side of the divide. So all the towns and villages to the north will be getting this as the water travels north into Canada. To make things worse that area is in a blizzard right now and they can't get any more sand because the travel is so dangerous. Thoughts and prayers for all those in the way and helping out, PLEASE!!!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Prayers being said, marchie...

Glad you are back amoung the living too. I missed a whole week with pnuemonia. Started feeling human again today. Finished my antibiotics but still sleeping a lot (in bed by 8, up at 5).


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Prayers for you and yours Marchwind.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi I'm glad you are beginning to feel better. Sleep all that you need to. I'm about to go up for a nap here soon. Back to work tomorrow, uggg! But then I'm off for a little over a month. I'm really hoping that this doesn't turn into pneumonia.


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

Congrats WIHH! When I tought myself how to knit, I learned diferent stiches by looking at a picture of them... more so then reading the pattern.  I am trying to finsh up a pair of baby socks and will post a picture as soon as I am done.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have my pair of sock I've been slowly working on and won't get close to finishing before my surgery. I should post a picture of where I am on them. I see some of the patterning but not the whole effect yet. It is the undulating rib pattern and comes from the Favorite Socks book put out by Interweave Press. It's an Ann Budd pattern.


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## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

Marchwind I used size 4mm (8's ) as most of my homespun is between an 8 and 10 ply...apart from that they were the only dpns I had, and I have lost one somewhere and had to replace it with a lonely 3.75mm 
Hope everyone who is sick feels better today...we are having a lovely Autumn day here...must go and finish my Waffle sock. If I dont finish a project before I start another I tend to have unfinished stuff everywhere.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Marchwind, that looks beautiful so far. What kind of yarn and what size of needles are YOU using...

Are these the 'Boyfriend socks'?

Dang, I hope everyone gets through being sick pretty soon! I have been dealing with some dental issues myself, blech and $$$!

Almost done with my latest socks. Pics to come soon.

Shazza, Autumn is my favorite season.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi Everybody!

I've been away from here for a bit, got busy and have been to Mayo a few times. Marchie, my thoughts are with you to get better and that surgery goes okay. Cyndi, glad you are getting better. I missed everybody while I was away from the forum.

On the way to Mayo one time I was able to stop by Austin's Mohair in Harmony, MN. Ada sells white yearling mohair for $14 a pound. I got 6 pounds of it. If anybody wants some, I'd be happy to pick it up next time I go by their place and ship it to you. She also has dyed and carded rovings, the dyed fiber with angelina is $20 for 4 oz. I forget how much her plain white roving is, maybe $29 a pound. 

I am doing okay, considering what I've been through. But out of the blue has crept a nasty pain at the site of my second surgery and they have no explanation for it, so I have to go to the pain clinic now. Any time I try to do things, I hurt bad. A CT scan showed nothing wrong, so they may do an ultrasound. I even hurt laying in bed.

Glad to see some of you have been busy with fibery things... We have been busy getting our 1/3 acre+ market garden ready to go. It's HUGE, and I've got so many seeds for it, it's insane. With sweet corn fetching $6 a dozen our farmer neighbor told us to plant every spare inch in corn. He manured the ground for us, and it's wonderful, even if it does stink now. The locals seem to have accepted us now that we survived our first Winter.


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## kandmcockrell (Oct 10, 2008)

Hope everyone that is feeling bad gets better soon!

As far as me, i have not done any spinning, shame on me!! I have most of a lb of roving left to spin and then ply. 

I have started knitting with needles, have also been continuing with the loom knitting.

I have a question, i have been knitting a hat with the needles and realized my ribbing at the bottom is off and i have a hole. Guess i dropped a stitch. I should rip it out shouldn't i?


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

I've been down and out, too.  I'm still having a time but am hoping my 8 year nightmare will be over soon with these muscle battles. Best I can explain it my battle is with neuromuscular retrining muscles that locked themselves up from the traumas. (car and surgery)

Leslie, maybe adhesions or tissue trauma memory may be the cause of your pain.
Wishing all safety and good health. Can't crochet until my muscle battles ease up some more.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Leslie,
Wanted to explain further, but I was losing control of my pelvis. :/

With the surgery you have had muscles have weakened there is probably an imbalance going on.
You will use your upper back, shoulder(s) and arm muscles more as the abs weaken. Iliopsoas the pelvic, hip, spine muscle gets weaker too,
Then the pain can trigger more muscle reaction. Like what happens with me. My muscles ball up and lose tone.

It may benefit you to wear abdominal/back support and do some isometric ab exercises if your doc oks that.

My re-training might not be soon but this is the most progress I have made since this nightmare began. 

Pain meds may mask the underlying problem but won't help it to get better. I do have to take pain med so the angry muscle activity will ease up and then regain control. My best standing and walking is roughly an hour. Sitting 10-15 minutes or less.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Wow...everyone's got a struggle, don't they? Hugs to all of you who are hurting.

I just finished ripping out a sweater for the wool/angora yarn. I have acres of yarn here on the farm--what possesses me to frog a sweater from the thrift store? Sheesh. 

I have declared Thursdays to be "Lona Day". I am feeling rather ragged around the edges, and realize that for 20 or so years I have given and given and given to everyone and everything around. I am going to spend the time doing what I want to do (at least the afternoon!). Sounds selfish, but I think it's more like self-preservation. 

Someone hold me accountable, please?


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Marchwind that is a lovely yarn. I hope everyone who is sick is on the mend soon!


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

WIHH, I just got an e-mail from Knitpicks.com. All of their sock books are 40% off until Thursday, April 2. You might want to check them out!

I hope all of you are on the mend soon! Lona, you better be doing something fun!

I'm going to share my secret with you all. I've been wanting to tell you about this, but I couldn't until now. Most of you know that my Mom has advanced Alzheimer's, and lives with me. I've been her sole caregiver for over three years now. She will be profiled in a documentary on HBO, airing on Mother's Day. It is part of a series of documentaries they are doing on the disease. They found us through my blog, where I feature Mom's art. They came out to the farm last July and filmed for 4 days. They filmed us doing everything, from hanging laundry, to picking peas, to watering the llamas, and gathering the eggs from the chickens. I don't know how much of it will end up on the cutting room floor, because I think our part of the documentary is only 10-15 minutes long or so. They also filmed me carding fiber and spinning. I don't even get that channel, guess I'll have to sign up sometime before then!

I've been doing some peg loom weaving. I discovered I really like the way it looks using yarn, not roving. I also did some dyeing today.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

How wonderful, Annie! I wonder if those of us w/out HBO can see it somehow online?

My fun thing was to get out in the spring sunshine and take photos for my etsy shop and cut up old blue jeans for weaving. Sunshine (especially for those of us in grey west Michigan) is so refreshing.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Annie I hope most of you didn't end up on the cutting room floor  I don't have TV but I will see if one of my co-workers can tape it for me. It is still very exciting.

WIHH anything by Nancy Bush is good. Be warned though that she is very much into the history of things (not the warning point) but she also is a pretty technical knitter. This isn't a bad thing she just really likes precision and exactness. If I had to choose, I think I would pick the knitting on the road book but that is because I don't think it is all socks but just small portable projects. But I would say anything Nancy writes is a very safe bet to own.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks for the tip on the sock books AnnieinMN. I have HBO so I will make sure I see it.


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

Hope everyone who is feeling blue, ill, or sore is feeling better. Everyone sounds busy with socks! The ones I have seen done or in progress are great! Mine are sitting...
I didn't get a lot done this week. Mom went missing from the nursing home for 5 hours--went for a car ride and didn't tell anyone and ds had a seizure at school yesterday and no one told that sub teacher that was there he has epilepsy so she sent him to the office. I decided to work on a purse for myself so I hope to have it done then off to finish all of the projects I have waiting. Ok I have it done and the lining sewn in.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

NEfarmgirl, what a pretty bag! I love the flower embellishment.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Oh that's just adorable!!!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

March, what's the news from the Fargo area?


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh, man. I just can't imagine...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The new FAC for April is up. Please post there, here is the link http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=300807

Thanks!


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