# I may be getting.......



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

...... the hang of this. 


I've knit several in the last 10 days, but these two rather stand out.

Here we have a rich blend of merino, kid mohair silk and wool.
I hope ya'll can forgive the giddy model......



















This one is every bit as bright orange as it looks, and, when we get it in the daylight, I advise using sunglasses to view it. For now, I am quite pleased with the cabling and over all chunkiness of this particular creation. 


















I'm beginning to think that it may be time to take a peek at some more intricate patterns and cabling/texturing techniques..... :huh:


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## TNnative (May 23, 2004)

Wow, speechless!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

.......and to think.....GAM used to make fun of me.:bored:


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

Jill? Jill?! Are you okay? 
Now I am a bit worried that we may have lost her to sweater-smother. 

Wow! That orange one is just ...so... holy smokes is that something.
Words defy me too, yep.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

> Words defy me too, yep.


 Me too. Thats a sweater.
The color is absolutely gorgeous. That's part of what attracts me to home spinning. I want to be able to dye my own colors.

Im going to get some large needles and learn to knit.

Excellent Forerunner


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

Forerunner said:


> .......and to think.....GAM used to make fun of me.:bored:


Used to?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well, you used to do it with _confidence_ and _gusto_. :gaptooth:


I'm a little intimidated about coloring my own yarns, Pearl.
Thankfully my sheep are some awesome shades, already....cuz Cyndi tells me that most natural dyes end up kind of unattractively dull over a short period of time.

I don't know what I'll do for orange and fuchsia when Ebay goes down. :sob:


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

You better stock up on acid dyes now, before the SHTF.
They will keep for a long time in dry powder form.

I have been knitting some eye-scorching Noro socks, myself.
Wintertime calls for yarn colors containing vitamin C. :grin:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

GAM, GAM............I think Iâm going to need you to come to Illinois and SAVE me!!!!!!!! :help:
Then we could knit, spin, and dye wool the rest of the day! :nanner:
We even serve dinner on fiber days! :rock:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

JDog1222 said:


> GAM, GAM............
> Then we could knit, spin, and dye wool the rest of the day! :nanner:
> We even serve dinner on fiber days! :rock:


You forgot drum carding. :nono:

J's husband IS a great chef! :thumb:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Well, I can't say we'll ALWAYS be drum carding, least not until we get our OWN drum carder. Cyndi is going to be wanting her drum carder back SOME day. SO, until then I can't guarantee we will have DRUM CARDING :nono:, less you get on the stick and BUY ONE! 

O YES, he is GREAT and he LOVES to cook too! What should we have for the fiber festival weekend NEXT week? There is SO much fiber stuff to do, I don't see how we will EVER get it all done! :bouncy: AND, that's a GOOD thing!!!


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

WELL, I made the bread, and ham......THIS time!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I reckon if this weather doesn't straighten out soon, we'll be shearing sheep next weekend. :indif:


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

I wish I could get up there and visit with all of you.
Someday I will. Then you will all be sorry. 

This weather is just not right. 
The report said it would top out @ 50* today. It stayed 39 until after dark? Now it is fifty, right on the money. 
I am still not complaining!

In the next 30 days there should be about 60 calves born on the dairy. 
So many fresh cows! Plus my Farmer Boss is building a new milkbarn.
Imagine that, brand NEW! 
Cattle tend not to appreciate any changes in their routine.
I have been put on notice that I am OWNED by cows for the near future.

So that gives Jill plenty of time to work on her drinking skills before I get up there to visit. 

I have never drumcarded anything in my life either. So be sure to get that part figured out good so you both can teach me. :teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Does Farmer Boss compost ?

*in hushed and reverent tones*

That many cows and an occasional semi load of sawdust would be.......*gulp*........ almost as much fun as knitting!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

If GAM can come up I sure would work on coming down. I forget where in ILL you are? I have a drum racer I could bring too.

Jdog I like you sweaters, the cables are wonderful.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

We do have a guest cabin....... and I'm delighted to say that the loft is FULL of yarn, washed wool, rovings and all manner of diverse Heavenliness....... not to mention a very comfortable chair and endless arrays of cup hooks and steel eyelets in the walls and ceilings to facilitate multiple strand knitting. 

I couldn't resist.....

Here be the fuchsia, now lovingly known as "Strawberry Wine", in her humble beginnings, and amidst those skeins and cones that happily gave their lives to make her creation possible.......










...and, "Orange Blossom" amidst her maternal family......










The baby blue that I knit for a chilly niece in the Michigan thumb.....










......and the cool black for her Mum.......










I tried something new in the neck, as Sis is not so sure about turtlenecks.
She's into dark colors and funky styles, so.....










....and, lastly, I've been perfecting the basic chunky mitten, cast on a 16 inch #17 and knit up on #19s in 8-10 strands. I have a lot of hope for some other designs, as well.










The weather is wet and gloomy :bouncy: which means that there will herewith be an ongoing fiber festival until further notice, for anyone interested in participating.


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

Composting? 

I was thinking that it would be thread drift to go on about that stuff here, but then again so what? :teehee:


Mostly we are aiming for the easiest and most natural way to put the nutrients back in the land.
That means MIG. The land is very hilly and it rains a LOT in the springtime.
Everything is done no-till and the manure falls right in the fields.
We let the birds and dungbeetles work it in. The rain too.

The only exception to that is the holdingpen where the cows wait for milking.
That manure and the water used to clean the equipment is our one issue.

Right now there is a brand new terraced lagoon being built to separate the solids.
The plan is to cap one of the springs and use gravityfed water to flush out the barn and through a pipe to the lagoon/ pond.
That stuff will all be pumped and spread back on the fields in more of a slurry.
Sure beats dragging the old spreader around out there like they've done for so long.
Less soil impaction and better uptake of nutrients.

Personally, I have no part in the tractor work. A lady has to draw the line somewhere
and I tend to be the one who is using old things when they choose to break. 
Therefore I just stay on the ground with the cows and keep shutting the gates behind the guys on machines. 
That is why I get so many doubleshifts during haying and planting times. 
It works for all of us. 

Now, back to my knitting.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Now I can't say for certain...... but I do believe that a copious supply of sawdust and a little time would go a LONNNNNNG ways toward improving that Missouri soil, and that in a way that could show up at the bottom line at the end of the year.
I well know the costs involved with moving massive amounts of organic matter into place, even though it is thus far just my calling and I've yet to really see any "return" in the worldly sense. I would love to have the opportunity to manage a dairy waste program and see what could be done with a hundred acres of Missouri clay.......


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

The problem is, all the food at fiber fest is making me FAT. AND, the occasional jaunt to the ice rink, for muscles you never knew you HAD exercise, has darn near put me out of commission! The spill I took last night gave my left arm SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER/Palsy!!! I think all I can do now is KNIT & SPIN, I couldn't even milk the cow this am, pitch a fork, OR move hay! :sob:



:hysterical:
GAM, MW, CALLING all fiber friendsâ¦â¦â¦WE ALWAYS have room for company! Iâm thinking FIBER WEEK this summer. We are in central IL, Cuba, to be exact. Let the fibering begin!!


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

Poor Jill. LOL 
Yes, I noticed the same results back when I first became enamored of baking my own bread. 

My jeans seem to have shrunk a little bit this winter too. 
That is pretty normal though, I will sweat it all off next summer.

Forerunner,

The philosophy we are using on the dairy is to do very little with heavy machines and build the soil from above 
w/o disturbing the structure of the soil.
Also, it just churns up the rocks. 

This is not cropland. Nobody is growing sweet potatoes in that ground.
We are more working to build habitat for the beetles and eliminate weeds by not turning the ground over.
Every bit of feed either grown on site or brought in all goes onto the pasture.
The cows carry it there. 
The fields are divided into small paddocks and grazed heavily for a short time. 100 head on 3 acres for 2-3 days. 

I have seen huge improvements in the soil quality and yields in the 5 years since this system has been implemented.
It seems to be working.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Jill that is 330 miles, 6 hours and 7 minutes. It seems very doable. How are you at having guest dogs? It would've so much fund to have a small gathering.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Iâm doable with dogs, but DH will make them stay in the basement if they have to stay inside. Heâs not big on dog hair, but our basement is nice and I can hose it down if anyone makes a mistake.  We also have a dog pen w/house for smaller dogs outside, and fenced in back yard and barn for bigger dogs! :rock:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Marchwind said:


> If GAM can come up I sure would work on coming down. I forget where in ILL you are?.


Pick me up on the way down, Marchie. I have directions!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Gottcha :goodjob: Basement will work for the dogs, do you have a sofa down there I could crash on?


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Will air bed work?


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

I LOVE THESE PICTURES! It looks like so much fun!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sure!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

These are awesome! What in the world size needle did you use?
Not that I'm even considering trying this.......:teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

#17s for the cast on and ribbing, both, sweater bottom and wrist cuffs (and cast off).
#19s for the body, arms and neck.

I cast on 60 stitches, using about 7 strands of my coarser yarns, then I always reduce with K2togs to 48-54 stitches for the body, (depending on the fit you want) or you'll end up with a balloon.  I like just a little snugness at the hips, and just a little more room on up, but no balloons. 
When I switch from K1P1, or whatever ribbing pattern I use, to all knit, I reduce every five or six stitches, whatever comes out symmetrically, and add in my mohair yarns while trailing off with the coarser wools, etc. to get the feel and thickness that I'm after.
You'd be amazed how much difference in the feel can be realized by just adding or dropping one strand of mohair worsted out of 8 or 10.
Cast on and bottom ribbing....and even 6 or eight inches into the sweater on these long hip and torso huggers..... is a great place to use up those odd skeins of yarn that are of compatible color, but you just don't have enough to do anything else with.
The neck is a great place to spoil yourself a little and add in that odd skein (or several) of kid mohair, angora, silk, etc..... I usually start adding those just after I knit the shoulders back together, so that shoulders and neck can all benefit from the extra softness. I really like Lamb's Pride--Bulky, and Lopi wools.....and I've come to LOVE _Yukon_ by Plymouth..... wow..... Sirdar's Highlander is good, too..... all of these for strength, chunkiness and feel. But, in the neck, I generally use just one of these, and skein in 9-12 strands total....and sometimes I'll skip the chunky wools altogether and use all super soft mohairs and other high end yarns. The neck is a special thing...and should be treated accordingly. 
In fact, it's not out of line to use a 32 inch #36 circular needle in a real turtleneck. :thumb:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

:nanner: With our upcoming move to Nebraska, (from south Texas), this is sooooo something I need to make!
Thanks so much!!!:kiss:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Nebraska is home to the Brown Sheep Wool Co......who makes, get this.....Lamb's Pride, Bulky!!!

AAaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

:run:



Some people get all the luck. :indif:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Yes, yes they are. Get this, Brown Sheep Company is currently hiring for an Assistant dye Master! I called and they will train the right person.
To bad they are in Mitchell, and I will be in/near Kearney.
http://jobs.thejobnetwork.com/Job/8287770


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Stop. Stop it, already...... to much mental turmoil!:grit:


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

He.He.He. aww, I'm sorry. NOT!:icecream:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

FR, I was just wondering, in case I should knit myself a sweater in the future, do you increase stitches on the outer side of the boobs on the front panel, after you split for the sleeves? Does the front panel end up with more stitches, say.... for those rather "stout" big busted ladies? Just wondering, ya know, for future reference. :icecream:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Not yet. All of the ones that you have modeled, thus far, have actually had stitches reduced as I split for the panels.....2 removed per each panel upon splitting via K2tog.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Incidentally, when I first started making these, and was twisting the stitches in the round, the twist was obvious and a tad frustrating in the fabric of the body, but the twisted pearls behind my twisted knits in the panels, where I was NOT knitting in the round...fixed the problem, leaving the panel fabric much softer and more pliable.

NOW.....that I've learned to knit an untwisted stitch, my circular knitting is phenomenally pleasant, and I notice that my panel fabric is a little tighter than the body.

Thus far, I have figured that the slightly tighter fabric in the panels is an ok thing, because the arms pull on that fabric to some degree, and the weight of the sweater hangs on it, as well....... but I have considered increasing a needle size as I switch from circular to flat knitting. In doing that, I may also need to add a strand or two of mohair, but adding too much would negate the effect of increasing a needle size.

See what I have to put up with ? :shrug:


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Lovely sweaters but I have to ask, are the necks so high as to muffle noise?

:hysterical:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

As a matter of fact, one particular young lady who has done some extensive modeling for us does seem to have an endless barrage of subject matter to share at _*all*_ times.
......and.....while modeling those huge necks, she does seem to turn the high rate of vocal delivery down, right along with the volume.
Now for my part, that was not intentional, but you do raise an interesting point that will be taken into serious consideration in the future.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

:hysterical:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Well, the door swings both ways!  I think my problem is not the twisted stitch; however, I am gonna frog this larger front and try again. The seed stitch pattern has gotten a LITTLE scary! I THINK it's only because of the increased stitches though. I think it throws the stitches out of alignment and becomes VERY noticeable! BUT, the GOOD thing is!!!!, it ends up being on the BOTTOM side of the bust, so, not so noticeable! I increased by EIGHT stitches in two rows, all out at the edge where the arm will be covering the increases. I LIKE the learning part of making the sweater though...........:hair


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Oh, Hi Jill....I didn't know you were around. :teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Agreed. The learning curve on these big sweaters has been extraordinary.
Just keep practicing with that nasty acrylic, and when yer ready to go pro, we'll get out the drum carder and a few big bags of the real thing.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

hercsmama said:


> :hysterical:


My thoughts exactly.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Oh, I'm not going pro, I'll leave that to the BIG dogs. I'm just gonna buy myself a cute lil drum carder and a few bags of fleece to card up, for my MASTER SPINNERS LEVEL ONE PROGRAM!!!!!!! MY workbook came in the MAIL yesterday!!!!!! :sing::bouncy::happy::dance::run:

I guess that will keep my QUIET for awhile, and busy too........


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Fr, was Jillian ever quiet when she was carding at your place??

Mmmm-ummmm, didn't think so.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

OK, lets take a vote. :bouncy:
How would want me QUIET and who would want me philosophizing? 

I just want EVERYONE to know, I'm a VERY BORING person when I'm not philosophizing!!!!! :grump:

NOW, who knows how to do one of those polls? :teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

_*Philosophizing ??!!*_ 


I've heard it called by all manner of names before today, but *NEVER* _philosophizing_!









:grit:









:run:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

FR before she started really hanging out with you, she was keeping me up all hours of the night via Skype  So JDog likes to talk, it leaves the other person off the hook for having to come up with something to say.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

:huh:

Where's the lightbulb-coming-on emoticon when you need it ?

Thanks, MW. I think you can help me. :bow:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Aaaaa, I wouldn't count on it unless you are really, really nice to me.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I love it when you're philosophizing ... I don't have to say much then.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

EXACTLY.........AND the fact that he is letting you all know just how much I HAVE to talk when I'm around him, lets you know JUST how LITTLE he contributes!!! THANKS for PUTTING it so kindly LADIES....:kissy:..... SO, next fiber festival, FR, conversation's on YOU! NOW, don't let me get bored........

O MW, my DH fixed the computer a week or two ago, we can Skype again! :bouncy:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh good. I have missed our Skype time.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I got to get me some of those bigg needles...I love chunky knits and mine only go to I think 15...Love the sweaters and the colors are Wonderful...I just love reading the posts ...all the talking...


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

out: you never asked me to skype out:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Marchwind said:


> Aaaaa, I wouldn't count on it unless you are really, really nice to me.


:indif:













:grit:






I'm thinking about it.......


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Oh Tim, you crack me up!!! :rotfl:


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Cyndi, we were even going to do some group Skyping before my computer went down.  DH fixed it just the other day, did you see him working on it? I posted it on FB.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Don't hurt yourself FR, sheesh! 




You're only making it worse you know.


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