# FAC - June 2012



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchie!! Where are you? I have pics to post so I'll start the June FAC



> This is the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). -This is a thread that begins a new every month. -We keep up with each other's doings and life happenings here. -We talk about everything including non-fiber related things. -If you are new to the Fiber Forum or as we like to call it, The Fold, please take a moment to introduce yourself to us. -We love our new members. -Please don't feel intimidated by us. -If you have a question or want to learn something new just ask us. If we don't have the answer you are looking for maybe we can help you find it. -Please don't ever feel like your question is silly or dumb. -There is no such thing as a dumb question. -We all started at the beginning and we can all stand to learn something new so ask away.
> 
> Keep in touch too! -We live photos so be ready to post pictures of your work, or baby animals, human babies, or ideas. -No fair talking about stuff if you can't show us


Marchwind sent me some beautiful yarn a couple of months back ... Here is the result of the orange yarn:




























It is being given to a wonderful lady in my fiber group who had surgery last week.


----------



## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Beautiful shawl! I love the colors.

Today I traveled a little over an hour to meet a lady who was selling her llama blankets (and stuffing fiber) all of it very cheap! I couldn't pass up such an awesome deal. So I now have 4 full blankets and 2 bags of leg/neck fiber in light tan, black, and a beautiful roan color with which to play. One of the blankets is super soft. I can't wait to get into these. I'll probably try some minor blending on the coarser fibers. The lady told me she would contact me for next year's fiber as well, plus she mentioned an Alpaca farm down the road from her. That means that I have a source now for inexpensive llama and down sheep wool, and I found a guy that has 1 Jacob sheep who has promised me all the wool from it next year as well (he just throws it on his compost pile... I was not happy when I learned that.)


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Thats absolutely gorgeous Cyndi!! I love the colors and the pattern.

Congrats, Falls-Acre, that sounds like quite the score :thumb:


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Thank you for starting this. I haven't been able to get on here for the last two days.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi your shawl is beautiful. You sure do know how to make a yarn look good. I don't remember, was that a single?

So did anyone else have any problem accessing HT the last two days? I tried several times with no luck. I didn't see anything on FB about HT being down.

Still procrastinating on fixing my Mom's shrug. Working on bibs, easy no brainier stuff.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Score, Falls-Acre!!

Thanks ladies for the compliments on the shawl. Yes, Marchie, it it a single. There was *just* enough for the main part of the shawl. I had some orange/yellow/peach already spun up in the same weight that I hoped would look good with it. Had to spin another bobbin of that to finish it up. I am pleased with how the colors came together but I seriously need to pay attention to my yarn overs and tighten up the stitches on either side of them!

Yes, WIHH, it is the Holden, but it definitely did not turn out to be a shawlette!! When I read that you did not have a shawl of your own, I knew I had to send you one. I do a lot of praying and thinking when I knit shawls hoping that some hugs & love are 'transferred' into them for the wearer. I am so blessed that the shawl got there in time to comfort you.


----------



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Very beautiful shawl Cyndi, I love the colors. 

I finally got my daughter's socks finished. I have been working on them forever it seems...one row here and there is my very sparse free time. She made me feel guilty though, because she would run around with one sock on while I was working on the other.  This is Paton's Kroy sock yarn that I got for the crochet socks that I gave up on. 



So now I am back to work on my Barn Raising Quilt, and just got the last colors that I was planning on using for it this week. :dance:


----------



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

She is four. She picked out the colors while we were in the store. She is already into knitting and spinning etc. She can knit while I pull the yarn over for her. We are working on her first project, a knitted washcloth. And she helped me card wool. She has no chance....she will be assimilated. :thumb:


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

> So did anyone else have any problem accessing HT the last two days?


No, sorry.

I love those socks Lythrum, Im getting some of that yarn!!

Cyndi, do you have a link to the pattern for the shawl? I want to make it!!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Holden Shawlette


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Thank you Cyndi!! I just love that pattern. Thats going to be my 1st shawl.


Ive got 3 skiens of Noro Im thinking of using. Ive also got 2 rovings I bought with my drop spindle kit, I might use. Im getting back into drop spindling again.


----------



## Happyhomemama (Jul 13, 2005)

I've been getting the hang of my wheel and collecting fiber animals.:teehee:








Pippy 2 year old Shetland








Morton 1 year old Satin Angora buck








Brownie 1 year old Satin Angora Doe








Miss Bunny 6 month old Satin Angora Doe

Sadly they were badly matted except Brownie, so now they are freshly sheared and ready for a fresh start.

Yes dear, I do think I have acquired enough new animals...



for now.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

You all have me searching for shawl (crochet) patterns on Ravelry. I have a mother of the bride dress purchased for this summer's wedding, but part of me wants to express my individuality by wearing something I've made...


----------



## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Beautiful shawl Cyndi - love those colors!

Great socks Lythrum - so happy to hear that the young 'un will become a fiberholic 

Thanks for the pictures of those critters Happyhomemama - love to see them!

I did a natural dyeing activity for school last week - we did tie-dyeing on cotton t-shirts with madder, logwood, osage orange, and cochineal. What fun! The prep for the cotton was sooooo time-consuming, but now I've got some dye solutions ready. 

I also made mordant solutions of alum, chrome, copper, iron, and tin, and have my little dye sample cards ready. I've been spinning skeins to mordant, so hopefully this week I'll have some pictures to share.


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

PKBoo, be careful with your tin and chrome mordants, they are super toxic. When you are done, dump the stuff out on the ground a long way from any water source or sensitive area. Be sure to wear rubber gloves when using it.

Just a friendly reminder, we don't want you glowing in the dark from toxic stuff!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Yikes, PK ... very toxic mordants! I have some in my fiber room that I'm actually too afraid to use! Besides the warnings that Lez gave you, make sure you are wearing a respirator when working with the mordants in their dry form ... not just a dusk mask, but a respirator. 

You don't want any of that getting into your lungs!!

Gorgeous animals, HHM! I so wish I wasn't allergic to Angoras!! Yours are young enough you should be able to teach them to sit still in your lap as you spin from them.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Is this the place where I get completely freaked out that my mordants are stored under my bed in little plastic baggies? 

(Never fear, I only have copper, iron, and alum, lol!)


----------



## NW Rancher (Mar 8, 2008)

Okay gang, I'm getting there thanks to you all.

I went to my first fiber festival on Memorial Day. I've got some pics to share, but haven't uploaded 'em yet.

And....

Last night I cast on for my first time! Did a row of knit stitch as well! I was interrupted, so only got a little ways, but I loved it. Thanks everybody!


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

NW Rancher said:


> Okay gang, I'm getting there thanks to you all.
> 
> I went to my first fiber festival on Memorial Day. I've got some pics to share, but haven't uploaded 'em yet.
> 
> ...


:thumb: 

Im doing my 1st shawl and it is so easy...........

It is the one Cyndi posted a link too. I wish I would have tried one sooner.


----------



## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> y'all are scaring me!!!!
> Dyeing cotton requires this???


Don't be scared - it's all very safe as long as you follow directions and weigh everything. (And the mordant solutions are for wool, not cotton  Cotton just takes aluminum acetate... )

I've talked with Carol from Hillcreek Fiber studio - she was a wonderful source of information for the cotton tie-dyeing project. I've also been in correspondence with the other Carol from Sheep Shed studio about mordants. They've both done tons of natural dyeing with 'dangerous' mordants, and have consulted many sources about this process and the disposal. There are quite a few lively chats on Ravelry about it :runforhills:

Yes, they can be dangerous and you have to treat them with respect. It's important to measure the mordants with a scale when making the solution (and wear a dust mask). I did everything outside so it was well-ventilated. 

It's also important to weigh your fiber - a solution will mordant a certain amount of fiber before being 'exhausted' (running out). What has been explained to me, and from what I've read (and I've read a LOT before plunging into this), is that the mordant bonds to the fiber, rendering it basically harmless. The natural dye then bonds to the mordant, and the mordant is in a harmless form once it combines with dye and fiber. 

The danger comes from disposing the solutions. But I plan on keeping the same solutions, and just adding to it once I exhaust the mordant. So disposal will be well into the future, and will only happen once all the mordant has been exhausted on the wool. 

I got the book 'The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing' my Jim Liles, and it's awesome! Great book on the history of natural dyeing, and many great recipes that he's updated and tested himself. Great great resource! Last summer hooked me on natural dyeing, and I'm excited to try this new venture (along with all the other ones haha!)

Sorry if I went off the deep end with this - the two Carol's have been battling the fears that people have of mordants. Some of the discussions on Ravelry border on hysterical. It's like a chemistry lab, and you do have to understand what you're working with. And take precautions. And have fun! Ok - off my :soap: now :teehee:


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

OK, this thread is in danger of dropping off the first page. What are you all up to? 

We've been planting and haying, cultivating and planting, and haying and cultivating. We sleep like the dead.


----------



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

I am still here. 
Getting ready to carry the youngest DS off to Fine Arts camp this morning.
Then I can put the finishing touches on my sweater I have been working on. 

I came up with a name for my little wether.
He is called Reggie.


----------



## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Guess what finally happened here?? My spouse FINALLY finished my craft shed!!!! it only took 6 years from the time I was given it as a holiday gift. The foundation took 3 week-ends to build, that was our 15-year anniversary gift, then another 2 week-ends to finish the building. He already put up a cabinet in there for me, the shelves will go out in bits and I'll move the table in there today. It's not the greatest building, but it will do just fine for storage and help to de-clutter our house a bit.


----------



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

Guess what finally happened HERE?
My oldest son is all married, the 2nd one just graduated and moved out, and the 'littlest' one is off to camp for 3 WEEKS!!! :dance:

Empty nesting, the first small sample. 

I am thinking icecream for supper. :icecream: :gaptooth:


----------



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Hmph.

My nest has been almost empty for the last three days...... just me and Matthew.

So...... the bull knocks down half his pen, then a third of the pasture fence. 
Then we water, and water, and water......cuz of the drought.
I have to milk, morning and night......
***** carried off a chicken couple nights ago......but the dummy came back to check up on his work the next night, :grin: and he and I had a talk.
Weeds, weeds, weeds.......good thing ALL of the animals like weeds for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

With my three eldest gone for almost a week, I have barely had time to work for a living, trying to keep up with chores and minor catastrophes!! 

No empty nests for me, thanks....... :grit:


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Weever, Im glad you got the thread going again. I figured it was the season too.

Gam, I ike the name Reggie, Reggie the Regal! He's gonna make some awesome fleeces!

WIHH, sorry to hear about the hip. I will be praying you dont have to have surgery on it either. Have you tried putting a pillow under your hip at night? I cant sleep without a pillow or something under my hip. When I do it doesnt hurt nearly as much. Good luck! I hope you get to your MD soon.

Congrats on the craft-shed, Falls-Acre. Now you have to get it filled up!

Sounds like the farm and critters are keeping you busy Forerunner!

I bought a raglan shirt pattern online. The author calls it a T-shirt, depending on the thickness of the yarn used, it can easily be a sweater as well.
Its going pretty good. Ive been working on it for about a week. Intensively for the last 3 days. My arms and fingers actually ache. Im hoping to get the body done today. Then next the sleeves.

Im using a light, heavyish fingering weight yarn. Its a bulk acrylic, 1000 yards I got at walmart awhile back. I thought it was a kind of ugly pink. Im surprised how many complimentary pinks I have that go with it. Its turning out pretty enough I might make another one.

I like the pattern. My hope is to use fingering weight yarns, and make a light summer shirt out of it. After I finish this one, Im going to try to make one out of some chroma yarn I have.


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Here in NE Iowa we are hoping for a thunderstorm later tonite. We need rain really badly. I have been irrigating my garden. It is so dry and dusty!

Been doing some spinning and some carding of wool. For a boucle yarn. I began knitting a square poncho like one I made 20 years ago from my handspun Corrie wool yarn. Had trouble getting it the right width.

Everything here is fireworks, and the party plans for the July 7th show here at our farm. The show keeps getting bigger as more product gets added or built. We are almost as big as the show in the city of Dubuque. If a town wanted a show like ours, they would have to pay a good $30,000 to get it.

I have been helping to paper the salutes, which is similar to doing papier mache. Basically I'm putting moistened sticky tape on the cannisters in layers, to seal the shell from fire intrusion. I am also going to build some smaller shells for the show, when I get time alone with Honey to do it. I need supervision at first.

The show finale is huge, and will be something special to watch. Dragon's Breath's, and gas mines, and lampares, to name a few things. And a wall of Clark's Giant Fountains that go 50 feet in the air.

If any of you want to attend, you are welcome, just let me know so I can send you a formal invite. It is private show, by invitation only. There is reasonable lodging very close by, or you can camp in our yard for the weekend. It is a diverse group of people from both MN and Iowa.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

It is a busy time of year! Forerunner, I agree. The empty-ing nest is getting to me too. I need to rebuild the chicken coop and with DS#3 gone so much I don't have a lot of help. DD is pretty...um....useless outside and DS#4 is still a tad short/young to help a lot. I miss having a set of muscles around. :sob:

Ah well...guess I need to start working out again, huh? lol! (yeah, right)

So, anyway, I found something on Ravelry that just tickled me pink. 
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/starfleet-fiber-arts-corps
I have been a trekky since the Original came out. So, this is just way too much fun for me! hehe! Star Trek is one of the things I watch and knit to. 

Talked with DH the other night about getting some angora goats (It's all GAM'S fault!) and he suggested bunnies would be cheaper to keep.....really????
I will give it a few days and see if he was serious. 

ok, I need to pick a pattern for the Star Trek KAL and then get my mission notes together for the Starfleet FAC over on Ravelry. 

So much knitting and spinning....so little time! haha!

Oh, yeah! I got to work at the ranch last weekend (whew! I was broke) and have one more week to work, next week. Then I am officially unemployed.
I hope to log lots of knits and purls and spins after that..................


----------



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I have a new spindle! I fell in love with Golding spindles when I saw one on Ravelry. 



I love dragonflies so I couldn't resist. I gave hubby a not-so-subtle hint on what to get me for Mother's Day. I have been working on my barn-raising quilt and have two whole blocks knit. I'll be glad when I have some more time freed up. :hair

And Mama J, that Star Trek group looks fun.  Did you pick your project yet?


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Congrats!! Golding does make some beautiful spindles.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Lythrum, I think I am starting with a shawl, and then doing a KAL and making some Star Trek potholders.  I like to knit and watch Star Trek, so this is awesome! :happy2:


ok, ya'll remember my son that got bit by the water moccasin last September?
Well, he got up close and personal with a copperhead today. :nono:
It seems those snakes are less deadly, but he is in a ton of pain. He has been working so hard to raise the money he needs to go to Switzerland, is about $400 away from the goal. He was working at a friends house clearing and burning brush when that snake crawled out and got him.
If you can keep him in your prayers and thoughts I would appreciate it. I know lots of you have already seen/posted on facebook. He is a good boy, just really has issues with snakes! lol!
He catches, kills, plays with snakes (and has for years) and never gets hurt. But then when he isn't watching close enough *bam* he gets bit.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Ouch, mamajohnson. I'll take snowstorms any day over up close and personal encounters with snakes. 

Our nest has been emptying out fast here, too. We've got two as-good-as-adult kids working on the farm this summer, and we just came out of one of the busiest weeks we can remember in our years of farming. The Farmer and I look at each other with that deer in the headlights look when we think about what it's gonna be like when they are gone and have their own lives. It is NOT going to be pretty. 

No spinning or crocheting here lately. But my Father in law just built a new sliding tension box for my looms. It is the bees knees! So amazing. I had none of the frustrations when warping my loom this past week--just pure joy. When I think about how many years I struggled with that blasted clamped on tension box...

Marchwind, NOW I feel okay about inviting you up to help sometime.


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi Gang!

Preparations continue for the pyro show on the 7th. It seems to be live, breathe, sleep pyro at this point, but I am getting ready for Tour de Fleece during all this.

I just learned today that on the evening of Tuesday the 19th, a new docu-reality show is premiering on the Weather Channel, here in the US, called

"Pyros"!

:nanner::happy2::teehee:

It follows a team a pyro-technicians as they do shoots around the world. The premiere shows them in Montreal, in the cold and snow. You get to see behind the scenes, the guns, and racks, and loading and wiring the shells, how they choreograph things, plus see the final show they are setting up for. 

It's a lot of hard work, to put on a show, and you get to see it all, now.

Warning: Brimstone is addicting. It could turn you into a "Thump Junkie".


----------



## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

This week I worked a little bit on a simple sprang bag. I read a couple of books about fiber arts. Last Saturday I went to the warehouse sale of used books sponsored by Friends of the Sacramento Library. I found a couple of treasures. "The Comfortable Arts, Traditional Spinning and Weaving in Canada" by Dorothy K Burnham (1981, 238 pages, $2), is a historical perspective on fiber arts in Canada. With lots of black and white pictures carefully notated and diagrammed, it's a real adventure as we follow the exhibits from various sources and styles.

The other book "A Millennium of Weaving in Chiapas" by Walter F. Morris Jr., (1984, 56 pages, $1) is a short book that focuses on a small region in Mexico. The book discusses weaving in ancient times, colonial times, and into modern times.

This is just two books of the books I bought. I bought 9 books for $13. I checked Amazon and it would have cost me over $80 plus shipping to buy these books in used condition. Most of the books at the warehouse sale are library books taken out of circulation plus a few that are donated by book lovers hoping that others will enjoy. All the proceeds help to support the public library.

You can see some pictures at my blog:
Franco's Fiber Adventure: Treasures at the Book Sale


Have a good day!


----------



## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Had surgery to reattach a torn ligament on my thumb (tractor accident years ago---had to wait for medicare to get the surgery). So I've had a cast on my left arm for three weeks with three weeks to go. Summer was not a good time to do the surgery!! But I've managed to spin with just fingers on that hand and thank-goodness my right hand is good. This week I knitted a "cozy" to cover the plastic cast so I can do the 1860 demonstration (No plastic, you know). It sure wasn't easy knitting that way---my knitting group tried to talk me out of doing it, but I DID get it done, just took a long time. So everything I've had to do has been hard (ever try to put on a bra with one hand?) But hopefully I'll have good grip in that hand again----in three weeks!!!!


----------



## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

OOBER busy ! Tying too keep up with the weeds , ugh ! My garden is going ...this year I am trying to grow cabbage, kale and swiss chard , all a sucess so far !! Put new perinnials in my flower garden ....

Been playing music 3 nights /week , and on Saturdays at the Farmers markets..... 

TRYING to learn this spinning ... bought a new drive band , spring and brake band for my wheel ..... 

slowly knitting on a pair of knee socks with intarsia .... 

...almost time to start canning preserves !!! 

WHEW ! I LOVE SUMMER !!!!


----------



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

My daughter and I made some strawberry peach preserves last weekend and they were awesome (we ate the leftovers on pancakes the next morning). Kind of like syrup with peach and strawberry chunks in it. I am lucky to live close to a peach orchard, and I'm planning on making some jam next weekend.

Franco, I'm glad that you found some good books, I love library sales.  

Ana, I hope you heal up quick, don't push it and hurt yourself again though.:nono:

Mama J, I am in a couple of geeky groups on Ravelry too..World of Warcrafters and the Black Shalk Cornerclub for Elder Scrolls games fan. I love playing Skyrim and I'm going to have to make one of these for while I am playing.  It just goes to show the diversity of people who enjoy fiber arts.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Lythrum said:


> Mama J, I am in a couple of geeky groups on Ravelry too..World of Warcrafters and the Black Shalk Cornerclub for Elder Scrolls games fan. I love playing Skyrim and I'm going to have to make one of these for while I am playing.  It just goes to show the diversity of people who enjoy fiber arts.


oh, that is awesome! You have to post pics when you make it!


----------



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

I am adjusting to the empty nest just fine over here.
Of course it has only been a week. 

One thing I have noticed though: my DH is actually quite a slob.
W/o the kids to blame all those messes on? The truth comes out. ig:

I am so spoiled when it comes to chores. 
The garden is at the farm. All I have to do over there is weed between the plants in the rows.
Big tractor comes and cultivates between rows like magic. 
It has been so dry that even the weeds are growing slower than usual.
I am not going to can a million green beans this year either.

I think I have the niftiest set up going for dairy. I can take home all I want from my job. :dance:
Then I just drive away and let someone else worry about the torn up fences and paying the mill truck. :teehee:
During hay season it can get a little hectic, but yet again it is profitable.

DH is having his first garden project here. He has about 40 tomato plants.
It is his turn to do all the salsa canning. 
I did vast market gardens and vending for years and all that time he called it my "little project." 
Funny how his opinion has changed. LOL

I suppose I could whine about having just bottled another 22 gallons of beer yesterday? 
Oh, the hardship. I know it! Poor me. :sob: 

The firewood is in the yard, split and stacked. All of it. Already! So yay on not having to do it in the heat.
And it isnt *that* hot yet either.

My goats are causing me to have to walk out in the trees and brush. 
Then I get bug bites. That is my biggest grump. If you dont have chiggers where you live then be grateful!

Now that I am going to post this and it sounds like bragging, surely I will get slapped down by karma. 
Just wait for it.


----------



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

We just got 2 inches of rain!!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

We got about 45 minutes of slow, steady rain this morning and another hour this evening ... I just got the gardens weeded (except the garlic & strawberries) yesterday.

Granddaughter, "Punky" was here for the last 2 weeks ... explains my absence in the forum. She learned how to 'sew' on sewing cards, helped me out in the gardens and learned to identify (and pronounce) echinacea, gallardia & alchelia (although my spelling may be off!). Not bad for a 28 month old gal!!

*"I helped plant these onions!"*











My Garden Angel pictured in between the onions and potatoes she helped plant in March.










Homesteading Weekend is next weekend. Before now and then I have 5 days of VBS (Vacation Bible School). I'm hosting the preschool Bible story room. We have a very large farm tour on Friday (couple hundred inner-city Chicago kids) about 11:00, and then completing set up for the weekend. Between all that, I need to make a few spindles, make sure I have plates, flatware, et al and have the garden & apiary cleaned up ... besides regular house chores. I'll be glad when the morning of the 26th is here!!! 

I'm going to enjoy the heck out of the week and weekend, but know I'll be exhausted until the end of it .... heck, I may just stay down at FR's place a few days and get some rest 


Rest .... yeah, right!


----------



## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Thoes DVD's are a Godsend !! I am RE watching the one with Eunie (?) ...learning SO much !!!!


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Gam, your post inspires me to garden, so its not bragging completely if its inspiring. 
There, that should get rid of any karma worries!

Cyndi, you have an absolutely adorable Garden Angel!! No wonder your garden is doing so well :thumb:

WIHH, best wishes when you see the orthopoedist.

Im working on my 2nd sweater. Its going pretty good. Its a top down raglan. I put it on 60" cable, after I finished the neck, and the arm increases. Im knitting it the way I would a sock on a 32" cable. This way I have enough cable I can try it on as I go.
The pattern I used for the 1st one didnt have a v-neck and I wanted one, so I read another pattern and gave it a try, and its working out!!


----------



## lsarah (Jun 4, 2011)

Hello! The first post said to introduce yourself, so here goes! My name is Lori. I live in Arkansas on a small farm. I am a Christian wife and mother of three teenagers. We raise fiber sheep, along with other critters. Hubby has always had black beef cattle, but I have slowly, over 18 years, helped him see the beauty of red cows, especially Jerseys. I now have my own milk cow, Daisy, and I am learning all the fun stuff you can do with an over-abundance of fresh milk! We have Boer goats, 4 Alpine goat babies I hope to milk next year, lots of different breeds of chickens and three sweet donkeys. 

I love to play with fiber! In fact, I love it so much that I was blessed to be able to quit my full time job two years ago to stay home to stay ahead of the cooking, take care of the farm, and play with fiber! (If you are curious - I just started a new blog  and the first entry tells all about it.)

I hope to contribute here often! Where I live, there just aren't many fiber artists. I get a lot of questions when I demonstrate at different events. We do have one huge fiber show in Arkansas every year in December. It's like an early Christmas present!


----------



## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Welcome Lori !! These people are the BEST !! I'm new to spinning and they are SO helpful !!


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

GAM - I think I am slightly jealous. :sob:

Cyndi - that is the most adorable baby!!! Just makes me wanna squeeze her!

Welcome Lori!
Loved your blog. Sounds like an excellent journey your on. Where abouts in Arkansas are you? I am in Northeast Texas about an hour out of Texarkana.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lori Welcome to the Fold! I hope you will feel at home here. As WIHH said we are an eclectic group but we have lots of fun. I look forward to looking at your blog and to your being a part of this group.

Cyndi your GD is adorable. Love garden fairies!!

I have been BUSY! last weekend was the big UKC Primere dog show, their equivilent to the AKC Westminster show. A good friend from Bemidji MN was there showing her dogs so I got to hang out with her. I also volunteered as an assistant ring steward, I learned so much. WIHH I thought of you the whole weekend 

Not much in the fiber end of things. I have some singles I want to ply, they are spindle spun and I want to practice plying them on the spindle also. I'm trying to save it for the TdF. I spun up a really nice batt at out spinning meeting last Friday. I got the batt from one of our guild members. Lovely stuff, silk, merino, alpaca, angora, I think. Every inch was a surprise. I'm going to ply that also but I'm not sure if I will ply it back onto itself or with a dark brown something. I have my newest Shetland fleece to wash for the TdF. I'm thinking I may spin that for my DIL's sweater. I can't remember if she said she wanted a natural color or something dyed.


----------



## lsarah (Jun 4, 2011)

Hi Ladies! I live just south of Fort Smith, outside of a little town called Greenwood. Magnolia is on my daughter's short list of college choices - such a beautiful school. 

The fiber show in December is at the Hot Springs convention center. It used to be at Mount Magazine in the new lodge, but the organizers felt they were outgrowing the space available up there, so they moved it. Look up Arkansas Fiber Arts Extravaganza, they have their own website. I will be a vendor again this year. We also go to another fiber show, my favorite, Fiber Christmas In July in Kelleyville, Oklahoma. It is just west of Tulsa (I think! Hubby does the driving, I just look out the window!) Fiber related fun stuff seems few and far between in my part of the world.

We have several breeds of sheep, mostly Border Leicester, Shetland, and crosses of the two. BL is my favorite fleece to spin. My BL ram, Smokey, is one of my favorite animals on the place, such a laid back sweetie, and I have his soft silver fleece to spin and knit into a sweater or two for myself, someday. We also have a few Wensleydale, Cotswold, Gotland, and several crossbred sheep, and one Oxford ewe. My living room is piled full of spring fleeces that still need to be skirted, photographed, and put up for sale. I wish I could keep them all! 

Hubby got me a circular sock machine from ebay, so I have been distracted lately, cleaning it up and getting it running again. I attempted to knit my first sock on it yesterday - it was all fun and games until the heel. Turns out you really do need special weights to put on the heel when you make it - not just something you rig up yourself! I made a lovely snarled mess of it and had to quit. So, I have one nice leg warmer done!


By the way - To post pictures, do you upload them to Flickr or Photobucket then grab the ULR from there (like on Ravelry)? I tried the link on the picture tutorial, and it didn't work. 

Thanks for all the welcomes! 

~Lori


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Hello and Welcome Lori!

The way i post photos, is copy the one you want from flickr or photo bucket, then click the pic icon.








A box will come up with http:// already in there.

I click backspace and get rid of that, and then click paste. If you just click paste, you will wind up with 2 htp://'s and it wont post.

Hope that helps


----------



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Welcome Lori!  I'm from Arkansas too (from up around Batesville, so it's always nice to meet a fellow Razorback. Though I don't live there anymore.

I made up a quick tutorial for posting from Flickr, it is in a self-titled thread. I haven't ever used Photobucket, so I couldn't tell you about that.

I love the garden angel too Cyndi.  Mine likes to pull up all of the plants, thinking they are weeds.


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Lythrum, I saw your thread/tutorial about how to post pics after my post #58 :hysterical:

Im going to give your tutorial a try. The way I posted how to, the pics come out with white border edges I would like to get rid of.


----------



## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I'm in a bit of a conundrum. I have a brand-new niece and an on-the-way nephew. I was going to make them both baby blankets and actually have one about 2/3 completed. Then I started thinking about the recipients. The one, my brother, probably could care less about anything I give to him for his kids. If they outgrow it, he tosses it. I honestly don't even know if he would even use it, or just toss it straight off. The other: spouse's brother's wife and I clash severely. There's just something about her attitude towards me that really sets poorly, we have totally and completely opposite views when it comes to children, families, and life in general! I have no idea if she would even care whether a blanket was hand-made and she'd probably prefer something from the store, commercially created. 

Now I know they are just little babies, and they deserve nice things. I just am not sure that the time and expense and time (and more time!) I would put into making blankets for them would be the best option. Of course, I'd still make them something, maybe a little hat to wear as newborns. It wouldn't take as much time to make and would bother me less if they disappear forever.

Am I over-thinking this? Over-reacting?


----------



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I would just stick with the hats, or something simple like that.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Falls Acres I think it is commendable that you would put so much effort and thought into these gifts. You have lucky nieces and nephews, you obviously care a lot for them, maybe not so much for their parents..... But they will have you in their lives anyway.

I think you have your answer in those last few lines of your post. Make the hats. Babies seem to always have too many blankets anyway and it is summertime. A nice cotton hat would be great or something bigger for when the winter comes.


----------



## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I'm back woohoo! School's done; colonoscopy will be done today ugh (will be glad to be done with THIS!); family reunion this weekend, but most of all, school's done!

I am soooo not ready for the TdeF! I did get a new phone, and there's a new app that lets you take pictures, apply filters, then upload directly to Ravelry or Flickr. Haven't tried it yet, but hope to do so today.

DD's wedding shower is next weekend, so I'll be busy getting ready for that, but I'm hoping to get some fiber prep done to be ready for the start of the Tour de Fleece! 

Falls Acre - I agree with everyone else.... a hat or small hand-knitted gift is probably the way to go. Once the babies get bigger, then you can make things for THEM, and not have to go through the SIls.

WIHH - hoping you had good news at the orthopedist! Healing prayers sent your way 

Welcome Lori - this is an awesome place!

Cyndi - those 'garden angel' pictures need to be in a calendar! They (and SHE) is precious!!!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Wow WIHH! That sucks, but I'm glad you are going to try everything before surgery. You know this means when you fly you will most likely have to have a pat down everything  I will say that the newer titanium doesn't seem to alarm the walk-throughs like the steel does. When and if that time comes have a chat with me or your brother before you fly. Stupendous news that treadling is good for your hip joint, woohoo!

PKBoo congratulations on making it through another school year to come out the other end intact. Hope your next several weeks go smoothly.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Good luck on the colonoscopy, PKBoo. We have a wedding shower here tomorrow, and I'm just catching a break here with a cuppa coffee.

WIHH, I'm sorry to hear your bad news (and thankful for the good). At least you have a plan, and marathons are not part of the plan.  Gentle hugs and lots of PT (treadling)...


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Have any of you been following the stink on Ravelry about the USOC going after us fiber people for using the suffix -ympics for Ravelrympics 2012? How do you feel about the situation?

They said we were demeaning our team of athletes, and their letter to Ravelry contained many, many insulting things about/to us fiber artists. Then so many thousands of knitters got really angry and began blogging and emailing and Facebooking and Twittering, and the international press got hold of the story, publishing it in USA Today and many other media outlets. 

So the USOC has apologized twice, but hasn't backed down, AND then they had the nerve/gall to say if we Ravelers want to donate handmade items to the athletes they would accept them; Hmph! I'm not donating to something that has insulted me and then wants stuff for free! 

I have decided, that if Ravelry has to rename their competition, I will be boycotting the Olympics entirely, and I will no longer patronize ANY sponsor, no matter who it is, AND they will NEVER ever get a monetary or other donation, EVER again, from me or my family.

Let's just hope this doesn't happen to Le Tour de Fleece.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

All I can say, regarding the Ravelrympics hullabaloo: 

Good Grief. :smack:

WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE THESE DAYS?!?


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lezlie I posted a link to the article on the Ravelympics. One of my friends on FB posted it so I went over to Ravelry to see if anyone had posted. I didn't see any other posts about that article. It really is very silly.


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I've been reading, since yesterday, all the Ravelry threads and posts about the controversy and found two posts with about 10 links to various articles in various outlets, even at a dressage blog site. 

Some of the written articles make you really chuckle and laugh at how stupid the USOC has been about this. Ridicules them. Most of the bloggers and writers are on our side. 

USOC could be nicer, and could license the suffix use by Ravelry for $1, or something token like that, since none of us are making any money off this. Then we would be legal and part of the Olympic team effort and they would look better. 

If they cared, they could do this for us, before they ask for free stuff from us. I think they need to be publicly humiliated some more, those lawyers, writing those things about us, they deserve a huge personal, karmic dose.

They have it coming.


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Do you have companies doing aerial farm photos in your area? Never had it in CA. Here in NE Iowa, there are several companies that do them. One is Scenic Concepts, out of La Cross, WI

2 yrs ago they came to our door with a Winter pic, taken just a couple of days after my 50th Bday, and my son was in the shot. I had to get it. That was our first farm photo. Our neighbors all have walls covered with aerial pics of their places.

Day before yesterday the salesman came, and I had just been wondering when we would get a Summer shot from them. It's a gorgeous 16 x 20 color photo in an oak frame, taken on June 4th, and it looks so green. Thankfully we had things neat and tidy on that day, we can be messy.

It cost almost $250. Of course I bought it (they let you postdate the check up to 3 months). We needed a Summer pic on the wall.


----------



## lsarah (Jun 4, 2011)

That is really cool! I would be afraid for someone to take an aerial shot of our place. I am the type of person that finds out someone is coming to the farm and I rush around like a mad woman trying to clean up the chaos we live in. 

~Lori


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I know in Minnesotathere are several people who do that. You can hire them to do it I know. I never had a sales man come to my door with them though. Seems to be very popular with farmers.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

I blogged about a special gift that makes my weaving easier: Farming in the shade: The Tension is Gone!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You have to love the people that give you gifts that actually have a purpose rather than something else to collect dust. Glad to hear warping will be more enjoyable for you Weever. Yay for FIL's


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

My in-laws have been such a blessing to us. They come here each summer and set up camp and help us do all the things we can't find time to do ourselves. Their only payment is a lovely campsite, access to a wood workshop (which makes my FIL happy), and lots of family time. Oh! And the gift of work, of course. =)


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I am clueless about weaving, but that sounds like an awesome tool he made for you! Your very lucky to have him around. Sounds like a great set of in laws you have.


----------

