# FAC - Nov. '08



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

My mind is else where, once again I apologize for being so late in starting this thread.

As usual this is our Fiber Arts Chat (FAC) thread. We come here to catch up on what everyone is up to. This is also a great place for any lurkers and newbies to introduce themselves. Go ahead and let us know you are out there. I know we have a few newbies who are learning to knit. How are our new spinners doing?

I'm still working on the Cobblestone sweater for my son. I put it down for the summer and picked it up a few weeks ago. I'm about to connect all the pieces and begin knitting the shoulders and neck. I need to still add a few more inches to the sleeves then it will be finished. Woohoo! I love this pattern it is easy and quick. I'm just a slow knitter so things take me awhile. I actually think I estimated my yarn correctly too. I'm really hoping I won't have to spin up any more yarn. I'll make sure I post pictures when I'm finished.

Just a quick reminder for everyone to go and *VOTE *tomorrow unless you are able to vote early.


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

DH worked in Los Angeles last week and took a cold with him when he left week ago yesterday. Well, the cold got much worse as the week went on. He opted last Friday to spend the weekend out there because he didn't want the additional stress of flying, then a 2 hr drive from the airport. Once he told me his decision, I hightailed it into town to vote absentee just on the off chance he got sicker and needed me out there. He does sound a little better this morning but after talking all day to his clients, I think he'll lose his voice again. 

Anyway, the suburb of LA where he is working is cheek by jowl to the area where the rioting occured in '91 after the Rodney King beating trial. The people he is working with expect similar trouble tomorrow. Keep him in your prayers, please.

I'm still working on the apples and tomatoes from the garden. It's supposed to be in the upper 70's today but cold again by the weekend--not much time to finish the winterizing for the animals.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

It's easy to be distracted. I'm ready for the election to be over with.

Here's what I've been working on for myself: 
http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.23501761.jpg

Hope the photo works--that's not me--it's the photo of the pattern I bought. I'm making it in a llama/wool blend (from our own fiber) in hopes that it will keep the chill off. Right now it's over 60 degrees, but I know that won't last for long.

Starting to get somewhere with our etsy shop, too. Finally, things are starting to sell. We're getting ready for an IRL show this Saturday, so this week will be full of weaving and crafting and tagging for us.

And voting, of course.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh brother, MOgal...when does your dh hope to leave? Prayed here...


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Thank you, weever, for asking and for your prayers. I still have nightmares of that truck driver who was dragged from the cab of his truck and beaten nearly to death during the rioting--why? A perfectly innocent bystander in the wrong place, wrong time. DH is scheduled to work in LA through this Friday. His plane doesn't leave LAX until 6 p.m. Pacific which means it's already 8 p.m. here in Missouri. A 4 hour flight, assuming no delays, puts him in St. Louis close to midnight. By the time he claims his bags, catches the shuttle to the offsite parking and drives home about 125 miles, he'll get here around 2 a.m. Now you know why he opted to say out there! And if he had come home, he would have needed to leave our house about 8:30 yesterday morning to make the drive back to the airport, clear security etc. 

By the way, weever, I need to offer an apology or at least an explanation. I've been trying to find the particular post but this will do. When we were talking about socks not long ago, I didn't know you made/sold socks when I mentioned having found some American made wool socks at the farm store. I didn't in any way mean to belittle the ones you offered because all in all, I would bet they are still superior to the ones I bought. They may have inspectors along the manufacturing line but it still doesn't compare with someone who is more invested in the socks, as you are. So, please forgive my foot in my mouth. It fits all too easily.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Mogal my thoughts will be with your DH for his safe return. Horrors at the thought of more riots like those after the Rodney King incident. I lived through the Detroit riots in '68 and I don't relish the thought of our country ever having anything like that again.

Weever that cape (?) looks really warm and I bet out of your own alpaca it will be so nice. You will have to take pictures when you are finished. Is that knit?


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

MOgal, don't even think of it. I wear cotton socks from Kmart most of the time.  Champagne taste and beer budget here... I am truly thrilled when people actually look at the country of origin when they make their purchases. 

Marchwind, it's crocheted--I'm a knitwit...


----------



## pickapeppa (Jan 1, 2005)

Nice Etsy Store. Someone's been awfully busy. 

I've recently picked up some crocheting again after spending a few weeks preparing the yard/gardens/animals for the coming cold. We're almost finished with that (hopefully completely finished by Wed eve, as that's when it hits again) and so I've been filling my in between time with more crocheting. 

I'm working on a new afghan, which somehow ended up with an extra 130 chains to start with, so you could imagine how loooonnnnng this thing is. Lol. It's about 7 feet long, maybe a few inches more. I'm thinking it has my dad's name all over it, seeing as how he's a few over 6 feet. It's also a very heavy pattern. Perfect for him since they keep their house pretty cool in the winter time. I originally bought the yarn to make a flag afghan, but after getting into the pattern, couldn't get the stars to turn out the same when working on them days apart. I gave up on it, especially after two very experienced crocheters had the same results. 

Another fun little project has been those dishclothes. Oh boy, can those get addicting. I've only made three so far, but had to rush to the store and pick up more yarn, to make at least seven more. Enablers! All of you!

I found a fun little dishcloth crochet pattern that looks so nice with that self-striping yarn. When things get a little slower around here (we're in the process of possibly getting our son into a better school - so hopefully some big changes on the way here pretty quickly), I'll get my little camera all refreshed with new batteries and post some long awaited pics. ;-)

So sorry I haven't posted on everybody's trials and triumphs. Things have just been a little nutso around here. I hope everyone is doing well, especially those who have been having personal struggles of one sort or another.


----------



## Sherri C (Jun 21, 2002)

I'm about halfway done with the baby surprise jacket I'm making for a friend. I hope I can figure out how to fold it into a jacket when I'm finished because right now it just looks like a bumpy rectangle with a couple of points on the bottom. :shrug:

Weever, I was just about to ask where you got that great shawl pattern and then I saw that it's crochet. Unfortunately I've never been able to figure out crochet, no matter how many lessons my granny gave me as a girl.

I hope everything is peaceful today and that everyone gets lots of knitting/crochet/spinning/or whatever accomplished while watching the election returns tonight.


----------



## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

Weever, if you find that pattern in "knitted" can you please post the link!!! I just love it...and it seems so long since I have knitted something for myself. I've been doing socks, beanies and gloves trying to use up all my fleeces, cos I know when we get the sheep shorn next week I will not look at my last year fleeces again.


----------



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Wow. I feel like a slacker compared to what you all have going on. I've made 3 haekelbeutel bags, a craft tote and a purse for Christmas gifts. I'm getting ready to line them all this week. I've also completed 2 sets of kitchen accessories, which will be accompanied by cook books as gifts. I am starting the hat and scarf sets for some of the grandkids this week, as well as slippers and another set of kitchen accessories, including market bags.

The hardest thing I am doing right now is learning to line these bags. I am going to have to hand sew them, which is a daunting task, but they need to be done. The only thing I am outsourcing is the zipper for the purse, as I have just never been able to do them myself and have them be secure.

I'd also like to complete a few afghans and doll dresses for the grandkids. IF I can manage it, I've been working on an afghan for my older son for a year and I'd like to get it put together and actually give it to him instead of just showing him the pile of pieces waiting for him....lol.

Compared to what you ladies have been doing, I feel like I have been slacking off!!


----------



## Oceanrose (Mar 25, 2005)

I haven't been here out of lurkdom for a long time. 

A couple months ago, I became a manager at work, so that's taken practically ALL my time. But the last 3 weeks I started plying yarn that I'd spun and whipping through a bunch of roving I've had sitting around. It still hasn't made a dent in Fiber Mountain but hey, it's pretty... 

I've updated my Etsy store, and have probably a que of 10 skeins waiting to go up. If I can keep doing 14 skeins of yarn a week, I'll be in good shape. Or drown in a sea of yarn..

Knitting-wise. I just don't know how you guys do it! I'm going to a knitting group on Thursday, but I'm taking my spinning wheel :icecream:

Hope everyone is doing great . Go vote!!:walk:


----------



## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

Well, I've been on HT for a LONG time (longer than my join date shows, since we had a cross-country move in there), but have never checked the fiber forum before (HT is a BIG house with many rooms!)! I've done a little spinning, mostly with a drop-spindle, and recently got a book on top-whorl spindles -- I have some wool, and since I'm home with a cold, this seems like a good day to get busy and try the top-whorl! 

I learned to crochet a long time ago, although all I've ever made has been afghans, scarves, and hats. Now I want to learn to knit socks (seems like a valuable skill to have!). And I'm considering getting a few sheep (I've had sheep before, mostly Merino/Shetland crosses, but that was when we were in New Hampshire), but we are so limited on space that if I do that, I'll have to replace my goats, so I've been looking at diary sheep and wondering how good their wool is? There's a guy in our area who has some East Friesian X Lacaune dairy sheep (what little I could find out about the Lacaune's didn't mention their fleeces at all, but in the pictures either they'd JUST been sheared, or they don't grow much of a fleece!). I love working with wool -- after having real wool yarn, it was extremely difficult to go back to cheap acrylic! And I love wearing it, too. 

I just read through Octobers thread, and really enjoyed it, by the way! This sounds like a fun place!

Kathleen


----------



## pickapeppa (Jan 1, 2005)

I would so love to have sheep, or goats, but not enough land and not the right zoning. Maybe I can visit someone here that has fleece on hoof just so I can rub my hands all over them and cop a feel? I just love those big fluffy, sweet things.



I have some great news that I wanted to share. We have achieved a major personal victory today for our son. With the help of an educational advocate, we have succeeded in persuading the school district to allow a private placement. We couldn't be happier at this moment, and know that this is going to make a huge difference for our son's future.

:icecream:


----------



## canadiangirl (Jul 25, 2004)

Hi everyone, I haven't been around in a while. Winter is sneaking in on me, the gardens get put away and my knitting needles come out. This last few weeks, I've made the kids (2) each a hat and scarf set and now am starting on some thrummed mittens, 1 pair done 1 to go. I'd really like to do a sweater for myself this fall but I think I'll wait till January to start it. I've found a few cute patterns for gifts I want to try so I might be a little busy till then.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Great news, pickapeppa! 

MOgal, I'm assuming everything's okay with your dh?


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Here's a knitted version of the "shawler" I'm crocheting...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_2&listing_id=16894979


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

So far, so good on DH on two fronts. None of the problems his clients predicted came to pass and he's getting over that cold. Maybe by the time he gets home, he won't share it with me--he's such a generous fellow! It wouldn't be the first time he's come home with a "bug," given it to me, then just as I'm my sickest, he has to go somewhere. I'm left to, as my grandfather used to say, "Root, hog, or die." Thanks for asking.

Also thanks for posting the knitted version. My neighbor is the coldest natured thing you've ever seen and I was thinking about something cozy for her. 

Good news about your son's schooling option, too.


----------



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Who's making thrummed mittens? Would you take an order for a pair for after the Christmas season? I'd love some really warm mittens and can never find them. Only gloves.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Felting soap here today...my hands are nice and soft. 

MOgal, glad to hear the dire predictions didn't come true.


----------



## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

Thanks for the inspiration...I looked up how to do thrumming and found some great tutorials and patterns for mittens and socks. That'll be a good 'next project'!


----------



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Thrumming? COOL!!! I'd never heard of it before. I have got to try that!


----------



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

YAY!! I just finished a purse of my own design last night. Today, the strap gets attached and the lining put in. Then, it's off to the drycleaners to have a zipper installed. (I really have to learn how to do that myself.) I don't know who it's for yet, but I really like it. I like it enough to make another one in a different color combination, just to see how it works! 

I'm making progress. I really wish the housework brownies would take over for a while so I could work................lol


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Hi ya'll! I am one of those newbie-lurkers.
Just recently taught myself to knit (I think successfully!)
I have 2 new knitted dishclothes, and I am going to attempt a shawl next.
I hope I am not crazy, but chenille is my most favorite feel of all time, so I am trying to knit in it. (not easy for me!)
I am working on my test swatch, and have discovered that the yarn seems to pull a lot. One place looked like it was going to break, but so far so good.

I also have gotten on Ravelry now, so maybe I can not only figure out that website, but get the knitting down pat. 
I want to learn socks, maybe gloves (they sound scary hard!) and my DD wants a shawl too...

Well, back to lurking....


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

AHHH! Another Speaker of Southern who says "YA'LL!" Welcome, mamajohnson.

It's just one step at a time with knitting techniques. I have done a lot of gloves and socks as well and once you figure out the joins to make fingers, it's just one little tube attached beside another. Keep up the good work.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MamaJ I'll warn you about working with chenille, it worms and is a real bear to work with. Sewing in ends can be next to impossible. I agree with you I love the feel but the heart ache isn't worth it to me. Good Luck!


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Well Marchwind, I think your right!
I have started my shawl 3 times, and pulled it out. It sure is hard to increase in that chenille. I can hardly find where to do that invisible increase. I think I will start again tomorrow and try the other kind of increase,,, the one that I can't think what it is called to save my life!


Yep Mogal... I am definitely a southern speaker. ya'll is one you will hear from me a lot!


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

mamajohnson, I make little rings of whatever color thread/yarn I have that is about as thick as a regular pencil lead that are about 1/2" in. long when they are pulled out straight. I use these to mark the beginning/end of a round, where a pattern repeats until it's obvious to me, in a garment at the center front, center back and sides. I use a one ring of one color for end of round marker and in a garment, I got into the habit of putting the end of round on the left side "seam." I use a second color for the pattern repeats and a third one for the CF, CB and the right side "seam." I tried using the little plastic rings as markers but for me, they made a loose space between stitches which the thin thread does not. Besides, the thread rings are free and I like free. 

Ya'll take care now. For all the non-Southern speakers, and I'm sure MamaJohnson will concurr, please understand that there isn't just one Southern "drawl." I ran into a man from east Tennessee/western North Carolina and he sounded so different to me. I grew up within 70 miles of Memphis TN. Eastern AR had its own pronunciations and idioms. Memphis itself had its own. Even 40 miles away into TN, there was another. NE Mississippi had one and NW Mississippi, down into what they call "the Delta," was yet another. If you were aware of how the different areas said certain words, you could peg where they lived pretty accurately. I have been away from there so long, I can't do it any longer but it was fun to try.

Good morning, weever. I see you are viewing now too.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Good morning. We did a new-to-us craft show yesterday, and did okay. 

But I am starting to think the craft show is dying. So many of them allow tupperware sellers, dollar store resellers, etc. 

We had a potter next to us (who wasn't very friendly and didn't display his wares very well, but had beautiful things!) leave after 2 or 3 hours of the show. I understand his frustration, though we have enough small-ticket cutesy items that we can get by in a show like this. 

Our last show is a 7-day outdoor event (spread over 3 weekends) that starts after Thanksgiving. The nice thing about this show is that we have a little wooden booth that we can pack everything up in and lock and leave. The not so nice thing is that it's outdoors, in Michigan, and the weather can be a bit punishing at times. 

Happy Sunday, all...


----------



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Well, I am making progress. I've started another purse, for my oldest daughter's Christmas gift. Wouldn't you know it? I ran out of yarn! I know that I have 3 more skeins of it in my stash box. Yup. The one that got stolen. So, now it's off to evilmart to get more yarn and finish her purse. When these are all lined and done, I am so posting pix! They look better than I expected. 

Today, I am working on a hooded scarf for my granddaughter Angela. Purple, with variegated spirals hanging off the peak of the hood like a pony tail. She's 8. She'll love it.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

MOgal said:


> mamajohnson, I make little rings of whatever color thread/yarn I have that is about as thick as a regular pencil lead that are about 1/2" in. long when they are pulled out straight. I use these to mark the beginning/end of a round, where a pattern repeats until it's obvious to me, in a garment at the center front, center back and sides. I use a one ring of one color for end of round marker and in a garment, I got into the habit of putting the end of round on the left side "seam." I use a second color for the pattern repeats and a third one for the CF, CB and the right side "seam." I tried using the little plastic rings as markers but for me, they made a loose space between stitches which the thin thread does not. Besides, the thread rings are free and I like free.


Oh My Lord! I am TOTALLY and utterly LOST!! LOL!
I *think* I understand what your saying.... sure wish I could see it! I do so much better seeing things. So far I have been using an easy pattern, just not happy with my lack of control on the stitches, some loose, some tight...
that is why I keep taking it out and starting over. 


PS... DH says I speak more 'west texas' than 'east texas' lol!
But, we all still say ya'll!


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Well, let me see if I can find something on needles where I've used these little markers. I'll have to forward the picture to March or someone to post because I still don't have an account where I can do it directly. 

Ya'll take care. It's a nasty cold, cloudy day here. I'm so glad DH is working from home this week or this weather would be really depressing.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Mogal feel free to forward pics and I'll post them for you.

MamaJ, As for controlling stitches that comes with practice. If it makes you feel any better in the end they will all more or less straighten out once the object is washed and worn.

While we wait for Mogals pics I wanted to ask you if you know and understand how stitch markers work? There are a few different ways but they all basically do the same thing. There are some stitch markers I have that can actually be clipped right to a stitch and it is a stationary thing. I don't use these type very often. Generally stitch markers are to mark a place among the stitches say where you will put in a thumb gore, sleeve, heel of a sock. These types of stitch markers are moved from one needle to the next as you knit. This may be one of those leap of faith things. You may just have to do it even though it may not make a lot of sense but you will see how it works as you deal with them. I have stitch markers that are plastic in different colors, I have some that are beautifully hand made on wire with beads. They are all basically rings or loops that sl;ip over the needles and mark a place between stitches. I don't know if this makes any more sense to you. I don't remember reading your original post about stitch markers so maybe I'm way off from your question. 

I'll wait for Mogal to send pics and then post them.


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Hey guys! Fly by post .... Phillip got the north roof totally redone and it looks SO good! Now if the rest of everything would cooperate - it rained twice while the rafters were open to the world and so had to dry out, but I'm thinking that's probably a good thing since it's likely the first time in about a hundred years the attic has been fully aired!!!

Fiber art? Is that the stuff you sweep up after the cats have played with the wool basket?


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Exciting news Falcon :banana02:


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

November already? I'm nowhere near ready for Christmas. I've been on a fingerless mittens craze. I'm making them for practically all the girls in my family.


----------



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

I finally found my knifty knitter. Silly thing was packed in a box of office stuff! Ya gotta love it when kids pack. Marky put stuff in a box-all colorful stuff. Markers, cars, knitting looms, sox, etc. Bright stuff. Must be all the colorful stuff goes together. I guess it's logical when you are not quite 2! I never would have found them if I wasn't looking for a sharpie marker!.............lol.

So, now I have a hat on one for Angela, and I'm about half done with it. Hoping to finish hers and start one for Kyrsten this afternoon. The little girls are all getting hats, scarves and mittens. Some are hooded scarves, some are not. All with different decorations on top. Tassels, braids, poms, even spirals that look like a pony tail. I want them to be fun to wear, so they actually remember to wear them! And since "Ninn made it for me", it won't get left behind at school nearly as often.

I found a pattern where you can make sox on the tiny loom. The mitten loom. Now I have to find a mitten loom! (hmmm. Mindi has one. wonder if she'd let me play with it?)


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Marchwind, I think I understand the purpose of the markers, but I just am not sure how it would work!
I feel like this whole knitting thing is a leap of faith! My ultimate goal is to be able to produce socks, sweaters, etc. And eventually from my own animals. But, I figured first I better get the knitting down pat! Then the spinning stuff. 
Sometimes I think it would be nice to sit by one of ya'll and have a cup of coffee and knit away... that way I could learn so much!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MamaJ don't stress about it. When the time comes and you need the markers it's easy. I could take some pictures of the sweater I'm working on right now that has stitch markers and post it for you too if Mogal don't get her pictures to me.

Are you in actual need of using the markers now? Can you tell me what part of how it would work you don't understand?

Let me see if I can try to explain using them for this sweater I'm making. The body of the sweater has the bottom cuff that was garter stitch, fine so I just knit all those no problem. Then when I get to the actual body the sweater there are garter stitches running down the sides and the front and back are in stockinette stitch. Here is a picture









So I could keep track of where I needed to change my stitch pattern from stockinette stitch to purling I placed a stitch marker on my needle before I was to begin the stitch change and then after I finished the stitches, before I started to the stockinette stitch again. Because I was working on circular needles the stitch marker was easy to slip from one needle to the next. The stitch markers you see on the sleeve are the different type that actually hook onto the stitches and remain there until I remove them.

Does that help at all or am I just confusing you more?


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

March, thanks for posting the picture! Our camer is a regular video dealie with a feature for stills but you can't get detailed close up shots for beans. Sorry 'bout that!

What a hoot, Ninn. Your little Marky's logic color-packing logic sounds pretty good to me. Too bad he didn't label his box contents.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

ok, I think I get it!
I tried to do a wash cloth, that was stockinette stitch and then garter stitch, and I kept getting them backwards, so I have a really weird looking cloth! lol!
ok, I won't need to mark stitches on the one I am trying to do, all it is basically is knit one row and then purl one row, remembering where to add stitches (and that is NOT as easy as I thought it would be!)

So, you can move those markers from one needle to the next, sorta keeping your spot, right?
I also see how the yarn marker works now too, and that would be a lot easier.


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Yes, it holds the place where you want to make an increase, or a decrease, or start a pattern of some type, be it color or texture. You do move it from one needle to the next as you come it between the stitches. You don't incorporate it into the knitting. With the little string markers I make, when I do accidentally knit it into a stitch, I can just cut the marker and put another one in on the correct row. Good job!


----------



## Sherri C (Jun 21, 2002)

We went to Michigan this weekend to have Thanksgiving with my mom before she heads down to Florida for the winter. Looks like she got out just in time because by Sunday they were having cold rain and sleet.

I'm still working on the baby surprise jacket for my co-worker. I kind of messed up in one spot, but since it still looks like a big blob and not a jacket I can't tell if the mistake is going to show or not. If it does I guess I can sew a little patch over it and make it look like embellishment. I think my next project will be to start knitting some soakers and diaper wraps for the new baby. I've found a lot of cute patterns on Ravelry.


----------



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Ohhh soakers! That's a great idea. I have a friend expecting soon... maybe I can make some of those. 

Any patterns in places us non-ravelry folks can see them? 

And Tryskal - fingerless gloves are awesome. I have a set that I wear all the time, and I plan to make several more! My sister and her husband live in Lithuania and the heat in their apartment is turned on when the city decides it is cold enough outside (ummm yeah, centralized government controlling your HEATING!) ... oddly enough, the government doesn't decide it's cold enough until your teeth have chattered for two weeks! They both got fingerless gloves as gifts, and apparently they wear them when doing work on the computer and such. Sure makes you appreciate central heat or a wood stove of your very own when you hear about things like their system!


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Amen to that frazzlehead!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle what's wrong with Ravelry, you afraid you, might get hooked :sing: The waiting list seems to be only a few days, why not apply and get in. There are so many patterns and other things there.


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Remind me to never move to Lithuania!


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Hear, hear--my fingers are cold enough as it is...

I blogged about our recent craft show. If you're interested it's here:

http://shadysidefarm.blogspot.com/2008/11/last-indoor-craft-show-of-season.html


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MOgal said:


> Remind me to never move to Lithuania!


Mogal where did this come from? I must have missed something along the way. Please explain, I have always heard that Lithuania was a really nice place. Granted it is cold but hey, look where I live  Aren't they known for their lace?


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

March, it comes from the fact that I don't like cold. Visiting Lithuania, Montana, Russia, Canada, etc., in the summer is one thing. Living there year round is quite another. I don't think I could move in enough clothes to keep me warm.


----------



## MorrisonCorner (Jul 27, 2004)

mitten loom? what's a mitten loom?


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

I watched Hellboy 2 last night. I was so engrossed in the movie I forgot I was crocheting!

Just about finished with the fingerless mittens for Christmas. Now I just have to make the shawl for my Mom.


----------



## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

A mitten loom is a small round loom, with an even smaller one for the thumb piece. You use it to loom knit mittens. You can buy them for less than $10 at evil mart, but be sure to get the ones made in America. There are still some chinese knockoffs out there and they don't last as long. 

I personally love my ProvoCraft Knifty Knitter looms. I have the round set and want the straight set. I just bought a book of patterns for it on ebay. It's amazing the things you can make with these. There are a few other companies that make them, too. One makes them that glow in the dark, another makes flexible ones. They are fun! It's a nice break from crocheting now and then, and still gives me a hand-made present.


----------



## Sherri C (Jun 21, 2002)

frazzlehead said:


> Ohhh soakers! That's a great idea. I have a friend expecting soon... maybe I can make some of those.
> 
> Any patterns in places us non-ravelry folks can see them?


Here's some links to get you started. The Curly Purly pattern is popular with the members of the soaker group I belong to in Ravelry.

http://diaperpages.com/soaker.php


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Finally jumping in here. Well, I finished my first "real" knitting projects --- three pair of felted mittens for my boys. All that work learning how to add a wool cuff after making and felting the mittens, then I discovered that's not the best idea after all. After they wear the mittens in the snow for about a week or so, the cuffs stretch out and kind of felt themselves, which defeats the purpose of adding the cuff later. So, next time I'll have to find some other fiber for the cuffs. I wanted wool for the extra warmth. Isn't there a wool that won't felt? Can't remember what it's called. 

I have a question. Which is warmer: felted mittens or thrummed? I'd never even heard of thrumming until I read this thread. I looked it up and it looks WONDERFUL ! ! ! So, for these really cold Alaska winters, which kind would be better for active little boys who want to be outside, no matter how cold it gets? The felted ones I made are warm down to about 15 degrees, but below that, they get cold fingers. Thrummed might be the answer???

Now I'm off to try my first socks, but all I have is worsted wt. wool. They will only fit with my winter boots, and won't show under them anyway, so I can plow through my mistakes with confidence!:hobbyhors 

Thanks,

Jenny


----------



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

AKHomesteader: When I was a little kid in northern Ontario, we always wore two pair of mitts, one inside the other. The air pocket between adds insulation.

I wonder if perhaps a set of felted mitts on the outside (to help shed water) and a set of unfelted knitted mitts on the inside might be warmer?

Thrummed mitts are way cool, but can be a bit bulky (the first one I made is like an oven mitt! I was way too generous with the fleece...).

And SherriC, that's a great site, thank you!


----------



## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Jenny, I think the non-felting wool is called superwash.

Thanks to all for the chatting about thrumming. I'd never heard of it before and tried it on a pair of slippers. We don't get very cold in SC, but my feet get chilly and these are really cozy. Thanks to all for the great ideas.

Ann


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Ninn said:


> A mitten loom is a small round loom, with an even smaller one for the thumb piece. You use it to loom knit mittens. You can buy them for less than $10 at evil mart, but be sure to get the ones made in America. There are still some chinese knockoffs out there and they don't last as long.


Wow . You mean I can technically knit mittens even though I don't like to/really shouldn't knit?!? How cool is that?!? 

Oh the mischief I am now imagining...............

Ok, so I'm back online now. Nothing more done on the house, unfortunately since it rains at nightfall/early morning and then dries out the rest of the day (which, of course, is when I need to be doing other stuff and/or when we would be working on an otherwise dry place). The clothes dryer went kaput rather unexpectedly the other day - had worked fine two days before and then *nothing*. With the current rain events, the jeans may be dry on the line by spring, I think.

Cleaned off my desk on one rainy day, though. I found all sorts of fiber-related things! Receipts for fleece (fancy that), bits of skeins, couple of hooks. Also managed to finish a sweater/vest for Warm Woolies Org.. Well, need to put on the buttons and then decide whether I'm going to pretty the edges or not. Used the basic pattern from their web site and it is _very_ basic. Then package it and the toddler hat & mitten set and send them off .

Meg, thank you for the note about Clover. I know you did everything you possibly could, and she was _very_ lucky to have you as her human.


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Thanks for the 'warning' on overdoing the fleece. I think I would have done the same thing. My boys don't mind really bulky mittens as long as they have a thinner pair, or some gloves inside them so they can remove the bulky ones when they need to use their fingers. 

I do like the idea of some thrummed house slippers. My feet do get so cold in the evenings. That would be so cozy. The temperature is sitting on zero at the moment, so I'm dreaming of lots of wonderful thrummed projects --- a scarf, hat, knee warmers. I've never heard of knee warmers, but my knees get almost as cold as my toes. 

Superwash it will be for my next mitten cuffs. 

Thanks,

Jenny


----------



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

AKHomesteader, do you spin your own wool? Southdown fibres are really challenging to felt ... so if you had southdown fleece, maybe the wool made from that would be good for mitten cuffs.


----------



## FalconDance (Feb 4, 2007)

Hats off to you gals who felt soap! I finally got around to trying it - and was so full of fail .

Took two tries, must've had too much wool bunched on one side or something 'cause it didn't felt all the way to itself (created a flap). The second time, worrying I wasn't going to have any soap left!, it seems to have worked. 

Who'd've thunk such a darned easy thing would give so much trouble! I followed direction very carefully so don't know where I really went wrong. I now have the cleanest hands in the state to show for it, too!


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

I feel your pain. Here's what works for me. Wrap a thin layer of wool (I use roving) around the bar lengthwise and stick the ends together. Wrap a 2nd thin layer of wool around the bar widthwise and stick the ends together. These layers should be evenly thick, and should be as wide as the bar, and should be just long enough so you can stick it to itself. It's like wrapping a gift--overlap the paper and tape. Only with the wool, you overlap it just so that the fibers grab on to each other and hold. No tape needed.

At this point, I will take 4 little tufts of roving and cover the corners of the bar. This is where I have trouble, as those 4 little tufts want to migrate. But if you don't put wool there, you are likely to have soap peeking through. 

Get another bar of soap and wet it. Pat soapy water all over on the wool with one hand. When you've got soap all over the outside of the to-be-felted soap, start wetting the whole business. Adding the soapy water to the outside first acts as a wetting agent, and allows the wool to absorb the water instead of shedding it.

Now start patting the bar very gently. Keep adding soapy water from the other bar as needed. Eventually you will notice that it looks less like individual wispy bits of wool, and more like a skin. Ever so carefully try rubbing gently between your hands to continue the felting. Eventually, you'll be able to rotate the soap in your hands (as when you want to "soap up" your hands for washing. Do this both lengthwise and widthwise. As you do this, you should feel any slack in the wool cover tightening up. Here's where I don't know where to quit. I could go on forever, because it never seems to get really tight. But after they are dry, they're nice, so I must be doing all right. I have read that you should plan to fiddle with the last stage for up to 10 minutes...

Today I am going to do more. I'm going to try shaving the edges of the soap off with a potato peeler before I start. I'm using homemade soaps, cut, and those sharp edges do not make this process easy.

If at first you don't succeed...


----------



## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

I'm confused...whats Felt Soap? Any pics?


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The 'trick' I use with felting soap is NOT a lot of water. 

big news around here is Loddie finally had her calf .... a heifer!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Awwwww! Beautiful Baby Cyndi, congratulations! I would guess fresh milk/products are on the menu?


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Whoa--she's beautiful! And so is her mama...


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

I'm about to show my age but when I was little, Borden brought Elsie to the town where I lived. I got to pet her and I've had a soft spot in my head, er, ah, heart, since then for Jersey cows. 

Those big ole brown eyes! I know all cows have brown eyes but a Jersey's are just special.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Daddy (Almanzo) was a handsome man too! (now he's just tasty) I was quite leary of keeping a Jersey bull, but Almanzo was such a gentleman, even though he didn't get 'steered in the right direction' until he was over a year old.










I am soooo excited about fresh milk again!!! I haven't had milk in 3 months (just can't stand drinking that rotted white stuff at the store). Fresh milk, fresh butter, fresh yogurt, fresh cheese. And maybe even an honest to goodness milk bath!!


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Cyndi, my father was from Boston MA and my mother from rural AR. They tried farming with my maternal grandfather until my father decided to use his GI bill go to go college.

BUT while he was a neophyte farmer, he went to the sale barn with Papa. In those days, they didn't have a ring with comfy seats around it. Instead the animal to be sold was run from one end of the barn to the other while the buyers stood on the edges. My father said that they kept sending down these huge bulls, some with horns, and not a man among them moved when the bull passed him. My father was terrified of these huge beasts but started to relax a little when Papa didn't seem concerned. Finally someone at the beginning of the alley yelled "JERSEY BULL!" and each man climbed the partitian as high as he could go. My father said he followed as quickly as possible then nearly fell off from laughing at this little bitty (by comparison) bull. When my father realized that the bull kept hooking his horn at the feet of every other man, he understood why the buyers had climbed the wall and stayed there.

When we lived in central Arkansas ('93-97), we let our neighbor graze his Holstein heifers on our pasture after we'd the hay cut. He ran a young Jersey bull calf with these young females for easy calving then sold the bull before he got mean. I wasn't afraid of the heifers even though they were so much bigger than the bull when they came through our electric fence but those bulls were another matter regardless of size. I was always so relieved when the heifers were safely pregnant and he sold the bull. He kept the heifers until shortly before they were due then sold them as replacement milkers.


----------



## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

Cyndi, they're all really beautiful. I miss our milk cow. Don't forget fresh ICE CREAM! Yummmmm......


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Before my life gets too hectic with work and the holiday I would like to take this time to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving.

I have both of my kids plus DS#1's girlfriend coming for the day. They haven't been up here for a long time. Her family came over (she is from Malaysia) for a visit earlier this month so I get to hear all about how that went. My son also said he is going to bring his Wii for me to check out. Sadly I have to work on Thursday but we get out early.

I'm almost finished with the Cobblestone pullover for my son, just a few more inches on the shoulders and neck. But I had to dig out the fleece and wash and card more. I think I may need a few more skeins. I'll post pictures later if I am able. I'd really like to finish it up so I can give it to him on Thursday.

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving everyone!!!!


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Ditto on the good wishes for everyone for a happy Thanksgiving. We had our dinner on Sunday so DH could enjoy the leftovers before he leaves again on Sunday. I guess we are ahead of the curve, huh?


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi Folks,

Just here to say hi to you all, and talk about spinning. I'm recuperating well, it's been a month since the surgery and all is going well. I'm not thrilled with having an ostomy but it's not the worst thing in the world, by far. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude. You know how people with amputations have phantom sensations of the missing limb? Well, I have phantom sensations too, and it's just the weirdest thing. Drives me nuts. Can't get over it.

I'm in Ames, Iowa this morning, and yesterday we visited the LYS, Rose Tree Fiber Shop, here in Ames. Fun little store with an ancient proprietress and all kinds of stuff packed into it. She had a spinning section and so I checked out her fibers. Good prices on silk and tencel and cotton. She had some really cool handspun yarns there that gave me lots of inspiration, including one lumpy one made from different colored scrap wool, overplied with a thin commercial yarn to make it balanced.

In her small spinning book section of shelves I found a new, reprinted copy of Mabel Ross's "Essentials of Yarn Design" book, out of print for years and hard to find, I grabbed it and bought it. It's worth it's weight in gold. This is the book that taught me how to make fancy yarns that won all the competitions I entered with them. I am thrilled to have it again, my old copy was stolen when I loaned it out yrs ago. If you ever have the chance to buy this book, or any others by Mabel Ross, grab them! They will teach you so much about how to spin what you want and how to design yarns, and they have tons of technical info about wool. Her books were originally self-published in the 80's in the UK and are hard to find, even though they have been reprinted recently.

I finished several knitting projects since I've been home from hospital, and have started some new ones. I'm also planning a king-sized quilt project for winter sewing during cold weather, and I'm spinning up yarn to accumulate enough so I can start on a jacket and poncho. Just after the New Year I should be receiving the gorgeous Border Leicester wool from Australia. The lady sent me 2 pounds each from 6 differently shaded sheep for my special poncho project. I can hardly wait for the Sea Mail to bring it to me!

I'm also spinning up a CorriexDorset gray fleece into a cable yarn of 4 plies and it is really nice. It will show a lot of stitch definition when knit up into a shrug I've got in my Ravelry knitting project queue. This fleece is heavily Dorset in character and it's my first one. It is a special "3yo lamb" fleece from the NY flock I patronized last Winter.

At the same time, on my other wheel, I'm spinning washed strong Romney wool right from the lock without carding, and it's really gorgeous. I even can spin it from the unwashed locks and it washes up bright white. These 5 Romney fleeces I got are completely free of VM even tho they weren't covered sheep. I don't know how they stayed so clean.

Last month I bought a bunch of Gaywool dyes and am going to do a bunch of dyeing over this winter. I will have to lay the wet wool out in the basement to dry since it's cold here now, but first I have to sweep up the millions of dead Japanese Lady Beetles in the basement, they invade homes here once the soybeans are harvested to hibernate over winter. Nasty. 

For our Christmas present to each other this year we are getting a home beer-brewing setup. I am tired of crappy store-bought beer and expensive micro-brews. Heck, here in Iowa a black beer from Brazil was almost $11 a 6-pack! That is outrageous! We figure home-brewing will save a lot of money. That's more money left over for fibers! Yay!

I hope everybody here has a nice Turkey Day with family and friends! Thankfully my soft food menu is pretty broad so I can feast on turkey and stuffing, too.

Happy Spinning!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Lezlie, it is good to hear from you. Your projects sound devine!

My oldest son goes to college in Ames. His rental house use to sit next door to a fiber shop (that has since moved to other places) I don't think it was the Rose Tree.

I have one book of Mabel Ross, and agree they are wonderful! So happy you were able to find "Essentials of Yarn Design"

Back to work for me.


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi, Lezlie. Sounds like you have been busy with all your fiber projects. 

We visited Rose Tree on a vacation to central Iowa in '94 and I was impressed with the lady's variety of goods at the time. I think my big splurge was a couple of pounds of line flax, some linen thread for tatting and one other thing I have forgotten. I was still doing living history events then and the flax and thread were priimarily to increase my stock of natural fibers for those demonstrations. 

If you are into antiques, go on up to Boone. I remember a good number of really nice shops there and at least one historical museum. I'm the daughter of a civil engineer whose specialty was flood control. This was only a year after the devastating floods in '93 so that was all interesting to me as well.

Glad to hear your positive attitude, missy. (Okay, calling someone "missy" is a southern THANG but it indicates good feelings toward the receiver of that pet name)


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Happy Thanksgiving to ya'll!


Well, I am about half way through my first *real* project. The shawl is coming right along. I only have one place where I seem to have dropped a stitch or two (read - hole) but, overall I am fairly happy with it.

Now my DS wants a set of fingerless gloves. Do you think that is too hard for a second project??
I found lots of patterns on ravelry, but am afraid it will be hard... one of them says to use 3 needles!!!!!!!


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you fine fibery folks! 

We're ready to start with our annual outdoor market the day after thanksgiving (runs 3 weekends). They predict snow, of course. I'm not fond of the cold, but it seems to make people who do come out to shop more inclined to buy mittens and other wooly things.

Some of my Etsy team members are hosting a giveaway here: http://sheetsyteam.blogspot.com New items and giveaways every second day or so. Free is good. No strings attached...


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Mamajohnson, if you have learned how to knit a circle with 4 needles, and will take time first to teach yourself how to do Kitchener's stitch or "grafting," you are half way through the process of knitting fingerless gloves. You can do "mitts" which stop behind the knuckles and only require a thumb gusset. What I make is short fingered gloves with individual fingers that stop short of the tip of my fingers. That allows me warmth to my hands but I still have the use of my finger tips. 

Were you able to go back to pick up those stitches? It's easy enough with a crochet hook unless you have a fancy lace pattern. I've done it in a cable pattern on a sweater after much study to keep up with where I was in the pattern repeat. 

Think of all the progress you have made up until now and don't let any new technique throw you. You had to learn to crawl before you could walk and walk before you could run.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

well, I have only knitted with 2 needles so far, just straight across.
Luckily what he wants is the mit type, so only part of the thumb needs to be done.
The book I have, that I am learning from has not addressed Kitchener's stitch or "grafting," so I will go google it and see what I can come up with.

I was really surprised that my son seemed excited about my possibly making him some of these. I really didn't think he would want to wear something that was knitted! 

I will need to buy more needles I guess, as I only have 3 pairs, so after thanksgiving I will see what I can do to get the right ones.
guess I need to settle on a pattern and just jump in, huh??


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

You will need double pointed needles (DPN) but don't let them frighten you with dropped stitches, etc. When my grandmother taught me to knit when I was 7, she gave me the set of 4 DPNs I had used in learning--still have and use them. The stitches tend to stay there waiting for you to pick up on the next round. I was never put off by DPNs despite having heard from a lot of new knitters that they didn't like them.


----------



## littlekari (Jul 10, 2008)

Hi-fairly new here but have been knitting and crocheting for a long time. I am working on a knit vest for my 9 year old to wear on Christmas Eve . He chose the colors-black, black with flecks and teal so I am making a stripe pattern. So far it looks very nice. I made a few soap holders and wash cloths from cotton and need to get going on towels with crocheted tops--they are on everyone's wish list. I also made a couple of plastic sack holders one is a corn cob and the other has grapes on it. Need to make more of those too. 

I have a couple of knitting looms and was wondering if there is a good place to find patterns? My 9 year old would like to try to make something besides a hat or scarf. Thanks!


----------



## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi, littlekari. Welcome. I can't help you with your knitting loom because I don't know how to use one.

I did want to post however and tell you that 3 of my favorite museums are in Nebraska--the Stuhr at Grand Island, Harold Warp's Pioneer Village in Minden and the Museum of the Fur Trade up in Chadron. We camped at a state forest/recreation area near Chadron in '01 and in the early morning, just after dawn, I heard elk bugling. The ranger said it was possible because they were in the area but my husband said it was one of those brief dreams you have just as you are waking. Whatever, it was a beautiful state park and a beautiful sound. The sad part is this was in September, just days before the 9-11 attacks. Anyway, I love the out of the way tourist attractions and the land itself. 

Anyway, welcome.


----------



## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

http://www.loomknitting.com/catalog.php?category=1.
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/how-to-loom-knit.html


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The new FAC for December is up. Here is the link so please post there after tonight. http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=3470192#post3470192


----------

