# **** FAC - January 2013 ****



## Marchwind

Sorry I don't know how to do all those fancy designers WIHH can do in titles :stars:

Happy 2013!!!!!! How exciting to have a whole year to begin anew, a do over or do again only better. A here is hoping that is proves to be a great year for all of us.

This is the FAC (Fiber Arts Chat). We have a new one each month (sometimes I don't get to it right away). This is where we come to touch base and to catch up on each others lives. It isn't necessarily about the fibers here but often it is. If you are a new person to our happy group please take the time to say hello and introduce yourself. We wouldn't exist without our new people coming here. You all help to keep us going and keep us fresh. We love your questions so don't be afraid to ask, even if you think it's dumb. I can assure you we all started at the beginning. There is no dumb question, if you have to ask the question you must need an answer. Ask away!!!

Those who have been here awhile know what this threads is about. So just right in and tell us what you've been up to or are planning.

I'm working on a scarf for my nephew. I'll take pictures when I get home. I made of lot of Duffers for Christmas gifts and plan on making a lot more for those who didn't get them this year. My big project this year is to spin and hopefully knit the sweater for my DIL that I promised her. So far my attempts to get the right feel for the yarn have failed me. But I do have a few skeins done up of a yarn I think will be just right.


----------



## MDKatie

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope it's a good one for everyone!


----------



## Woodpecker

Happy New Year everyone, I hope it's great to everyone!:grouphug: I am working on finishing a blanket. I bought the wool from our Weever years ago. It's about time I finished it, it will be nice and warm when it's finished! Thank you Weever!


----------



## hoggie

Happy New Year

DD and I are just getting back to the spinning and I am looking forward to doing quite a bit of that. Funnily enough - the drafting (which was what I struggled so badly with before) i now feel I understand. Obviously my poor little brain needed all that time away from the spinning to figure it out :stars:

DD and I are also working on a joint blanket - we are both knitting squares of any leftover wools which we will join together to make a throw for the sofa 

And I am trying very hard to find a pattern to knit DD a hat. I am going to buy some traditional oiled wool (like you would knit a Guernsey with) and knit her a red hat for sailing. She loves the Swallows and Amazons books and the Amazons had red hats which they always wore so she has wanted a red hat for ages. It suddenly struck me that the best wool to knit it from would be Guernsey wool as it is water repellent and tends to hold it's shape well when it gets wet. I just need to find a pattern to knit from


----------



## Ana Bluebird

Happy 2013 everyone. Fibery, I'm still knitting on a sweater that I started 2 years ago, weaving towels, spinning white yarn to dye. Hope everyone is good this snowy morning.


----------



## hercsmama

Happy New Year all!
I've been more than a bit MIA lately. Doing alot of lurking, but no posting.:ashamed:
We're still in Texas trying to sell this house. We had a contract, but it collapsed on us the day before closing, so here we sit.
I did manage to get dh's sweater done enough that he recieved it wrapped for Christmas, I'm working on the sleeves now.
Also, all the cousins up in Nebraska went nuts over the scarves and hat and fingerless mitts I sent to the kids. So I'm in the middle of 17 more sets for all of them for next Christmas!ound:
Other than that, life goes on. Hopefully this new year will be MUCH better than the last, for all of us. 
Take care all.:cowboy:


----------



## hoggie

Marchwind - meant to ask - what's a Duffer?


----------



## Marchwind

Well Hoggie now that you are on Ravelry you have to discover all the patterns . For you hat for your daughter I did a search for the Amazon hat and only came up with one that resembled the hat, didn't search much further. Maybe this in a red? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/amazon-stripe-beanie

Duffers are a filled slipper pattern, actually from England. Looks far mor complicated than it is cause there are so many pages. it those are just for the different sizes. They are super easy and quick to knit up. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/duffers---revisited


Hey WIHH did you see she now had a children's version available :happy:


----------



## RedTartan

Happy New Year!

As I mentioned in another thread, one of my resolutions is to learn to knit. I also want to spend more time here soaking up the inspiration.

Something else I'll be learning is a new type of crochet. My husband bought me a set of teeny, tiny crochet hooks. I mean they are like sewing needle small. I didn't even know what they'd be for when I opened them. Turns out they are for very delicate irish crochet. You crochet motifs with anything from crochet thread (size 10) to quilting thread (size 100), tack the motifs to fabric, join the motifs with crochet chains and such, and then remove them from the backing fabric.

That's how you're supposed to do it. I think I'd rather just attach the motifs to fabric or felt as decorative elements. We'll see where this leads me. I think it's making motifs will really appeal to me though as crochet has always been something more sculptural for me.

Anyone ever done any irish crochet here?


----------



## Lythrum

Happy New Year everyone! We just finished eating our Hoppin' John and greens for lunch, so we'll have an extra lucky 2013.  I hope that this year brings health and healing to everyone.


----------



## Pearl B

Happy New Year Everyone!


----------



## Marchwind

WIHH what pattern are you using for your sweater?


----------



## stef

Happy New Year FA friends. I thought last year I would really get into quilting. I got a whole bunch of squares embroidered and loved doing that, but did not get the quilts completed. It seems that knitting is my first (crafting) love. Got a number of scarves completed for Christmas, along with a dozen or more dish cloths and am determined to do a really nice job on the fingerless mitts, no matter how long it takes! 


I think knitting a sweater would be a worthwhile challenge this year.

Today I'm working on a hat for myself. 

_*Brrrrr....it's a cold January 1!*_

p.s. Marchie, I'm glad you explained what 'duffers' are. The only duffers I ever heard of were associated with golfers! LOL


----------



## Marchwind

How interesting! I can't wait to watch your progress and then to see it complete. Wil you spin and dye all your own yarn?

Yay Stef! Funny how with most things you end up loving they grab you rather than you grabbing them. I think you just need to remain open to that grab


----------



## Falls-Acre

Happy New Year everyone.  I'm planning to tackle new challenges in this coming year. Different job (hopefully), maybe lose some weight, but mostly fiber art. I actually have a plan for the year, and I've not had that before. There are afghans I want to complete, thrummed mittens, socks. I want to participate in the largest city-wide bazaar this fall, which is going to require a ton of planning. And so many other things I want to do this year. 

For now though I'd simply be thrilled to finally kick the 'creeping crud' that has plagued our house since early November. It's become a persistent cough and is beginning to worry me, mostly because it doesn't seem to be improving. There's only 2 in this house right now not constantly coughing. We can't even finish our holiday celebrations, because my mother cannot be around anyone that's sick, so we had to put off visiting until everyone is well. For all I know, that could be spring! Oh well, delayed holidays aren't too bad.


----------



## weever

Spent time helping the family with the master bedroom re-do. We've painted and redone all kinds of rooms through the 20 years we've lived here. But the brown butterfly wallpaper has remained, despite my instant initial enduring dislike. 

So the (mostly grown) kids gave me gift certificates for the labor to redo (rip up carpet, paint, etc.). It's a big project, and I'm glad to have the help.

But I did sneak away for a few minutes of spinning. You know, don't you, that whatever you do on New Year's Day you'll be doing the rest of the year? So I wanted to make sure that it wasn't 100% remodeling--that I would get to do some fiber arts, too...


----------



## MDKatie

I cast on my first project for 2013! (nevermind my unfinished sweater) I decided to knit the Side Slip Cloche from one of my books. I finished the band tonight, tomorrow I'll pick up the stitches for the rest of it.


----------



## PKBoo

Happy New Year everyone!



Lythrum said:


> Happy New Year everyone! We just finished eating our Hoppin' John and greens for lunch, so we'll have an extra lucky 2013.  I hope that this year brings health and healing to everyone.


What are "Hoppin Johns" Lythrum? We had family over for pork & sauerkraut and Hogmaw (pig's stomach stuffed with potatoes, sausage, smoked sausage, carrots, onion, celery). There wasn't any left over - bummer! 

DH also made 'Halupkies' or 'pigs-in-a-blanket' (rice and cooked hamburger wrapped in cabbage leaves, layered over sauerkraut, and cooked with kielbasi). Yup - a bunch of artery-cloggers this meal was! But it's tradition, and our family loves tradition!


----------



## frazzlehead

Hi everyone!

Thanks to all of you who were sending strength and good wishes my way ... I've needed it pretty badly the last few weeks, but things are starting to look up. 

I wrote about what happened (basically I got REALLY MAD ABOUT BEING SICK and decided I'd had enough) and what the plan for the new year is here, on my blog. 

And what I alluded to on the blog but didn't explain fully, is that I hope to do some 'real weaving' in the coming year. As in weave stuff good enough to sell on Etsy (etc). Mostly fulled wool: coats, like this one









and saddle blankets, and then some baby blankets (obviously not fulled wool - but natural cottons, organic and handmade, perfect for a baby gift, eh?) ... I dunno what all, but I hope to see if I can make a bit of money this way anyhow. 

So I did some experimenting with my current loom (a Tissart Tapestry loom) ... but it's not appropriate for lots of yardage. I needed a horizontal shed. So I tried a friend's rigid heddle loom .. nope, can't do a long enough warp without tension problems, and it's wobbly (mind you I have the stand held together with zip ties, but still, I've used it screwed together properly and it's not heavy enough for what I want to do).

Then on Kijiji (our local Craigslist thing) there was a loom ... $200. Just "loom for sale". I emailed. She said it was a Fanny, maybe 1 m in weaving width. Sure, I'll take it! Got there ... it's a Mira (the non-folding version, older than the Fanny) but it has a *sectional warp beam* and is 4' wide! Not the 3' one I was expecting at that price. It was dirty and had no hardware, but LeClerc has excellent info on their site so I bought the bolts I needed and finagled the roller cables out of what I had at home (lanyard cord, shoelaces...) and with some scrubbing and oiling the wood looks beautiful again. I did a tiny bit of test weaving today (and discovered a few mistakes, so I'll try again tomorrow) but learning by doing is the best way for me - just get in there and try it and see what happens. I know what it needs to look like when it works, so when it doesn't work, I can figure out how to tweak it to fix things. 

It's super cool.

Here's a photo:










It's not in that spot anymore, of course, I'll get another picture tomorrow, hopefully, when I manage to successfully warp something and get some weaving done! 

Anybody want a wool coat?


----------



## betty modin

After a long absence, I dropped by and found that many old friends are still here, and so many new people have joined them. It will take some time to get to know you all-and to touch base with all those I already know.

There have been many changes in life this year. 

I drove the 600 miles back and forth to my parent's house several times to help my sisters support my mother as my father slipped over the edge of dementia, then into a care home and finally for his memorial this fall.

I traveled to attend weddings (a nephew and an 'almost' son), shop for wedding dresses with my youngest daughter, and help with a Book Shower for my oldest daughter (and my first granddaughter who joined us in December)

I learned to work with a double case load and still keep all the federal time lines straight-and even feel that I might have managed to teach at the same time.

In all of this, my fibering got sidelined-I missed it. I've spent the past few days of winter break with my fibers. The snow and chill have given me time to stay home, indoors by the fire and play with fiber. 

Thankfully, not all has changed-I'm still here in my cozy home in the Cascade Mountains-still caring for my old dogs and my little spinner's flock of shetlands..I still have good friends and great neighbors (who cared for my animals while I traveled this past year). 
What more could one ask for?



May the new year bring joy and blessings to us all,
betty


----------



## BlueberryChick

Falls-Acre said:


> For now though I'd simply be thrilled to finally kick the 'creeping crud' that has plagued our house since early November. It's become a persistent cough and is beginning to worry me, mostly because it doesn't seem to be improving. There's only 2 in this house right now not constantly coughing.


I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! My family has had it for several weeks, but we seem to be getting better. My husband went to the doctor after the first few days of fever and congestion; the doctor literally called it "crud", worse than a cold but not the flu. This has been one of the very rare times when all 5 of us have been sick with the same thing.


Thankfully, by the day after Christmas DH and I were feeling fairly well because he surprised me with a trip to New York City to see a Broadway show. We saw A Christmas Story, musical based on the movie about Ralphie and his BB gun. It was a total surprise; he gave me a BB gun on Christmas morning, along with plane tickets. Sneaky guy!

Happy New Year, everyone!


----------



## Pearl B

> there was a loom ... $200. Just "loom for sale". I emailed.


Congrats!! That is an absolute total score :clap: :goodjob: :thumb:

It just looks stunning too. You really brought that back to life. :bow::angel:




> Anybody want a wool coat?


 I could be really tempted to buy a wool coat, depending on the style. You might have something with that idea.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

The last of the grown children left this afternoon. The house sure seems empty. I sat down to knit a couple rows on a shawl and fell asleep (this was about 5:30). Woke at midnight and now can't get back to sleep. It's going to be a long day.

Betty! so very good to see you! I'm sorry to hear about your father. I lost mine in September.

I have so many pictures (mostly of Punky) to get loaded and shared.

Christmas was fantastic! Having all my children home is always a blessing any time of the year, but especially wonderful at Christmas.

Daughter shared Punky with us for a week 2 weeks before Christmas and again for a week at Christmas. (Best Christmas present ever!!) She declared that she "Was MeMe's girl, not PopPop's girl", although any time Paul was in the house, you would find Punky in PopPop's lap. 

My youngest son was home from the Army. He will be stationed in Mississippi next. He brought over his new girlfriend & her 6 month baby from previous relationship. She is from our area and they have been online 'dating' the past 6 months. The week he was home was the first time they have seen each other face to face. I am less than impressed. She seems like a nice enough girl, but I don't like the way she ignores her baby (a beautiful little girl). The baby _lives _in her car seat or bouncy chair. The girl was offended when I took the baby out and put her on a blanket on the floor. I'm going to try to get her involved in my Monday night single Moms group.

Paul got me a new single kitchen sink to replace my double sink. I mentioned to him this past fall that a single sink would be so much easier to wash my canning equipment, but I'd miss the deepness of the double sink I had. The sink he got me was a DEEP single! And he even installed it the next day!!! I have pictures of Paul & Punky putting in the sink. They are just too precious!

My oldest son, Dan, and daughter-in-law, Stephanie, came up the Friday after Christmas. I was in the middle of cooking dinner and they insisted I had to put it all aside so I could unwrap their gift. I knew it would be a food processor, I had put out a call to my children a couple weeks prior that my 2 yo Black & Decker food processor had bit the dust. My jaw literally dropped when I unwrapped a Kitchen Aid food processor. Wowzer! What a blessing it is to have a d-i-l that loves to cook and a son that knows the importance of having good tools.

I could hardly wait for the next day. Dan had enlisted me to get Steph out of the house so he could set up a surprise for her .... yippee! I love my d-i-l and any way I could help Dan surprise her was my pleasure. We went stove shopping. My old stove was 20 years old and limping along. I had told me Daddy what I would be using the inheritance money on, the stove was one of them (Daddy was quite the cook.) I found a beautiful gas stove with oval burner in the middle and a convection gas oven and a warming oven. Last day of the sale ... I bought it. Delivery would be Monday. 

Got home and had another jaw dropping surprise waiting for me .... Paul had bought me a new stove! Paul was a good sport when I hesitantly told him I had just bought the stove of my dreams.

Later today, the Christmas decorations will be taken down for another year and the seed catalogs will come out dreaming of spring.


----------



## Lythrum

PKBoo said:


> Happy New Year everyone!
> 
> What are "Hoppin Johns" Lythrum? We had family over for pork & sauerkraut and Hogmaw (pig's stomach stuffed with potatoes, sausage, smoked sausage, carrots, onion, celery). There wasn't any left over - bummer!
> 
> DH also made 'Halupkies' or 'pigs-in-a-blanket' (rice and cooked hamburger wrapped in cabbage leaves, layered over sauerkraut, and cooked with kielbasi). Yup - a bunch of artery-cloggers this meal was! But it's tradition, and our family loves tradition!


Hoppin' John is a dish, I think from the Carolinas, that is like a rice pilaf with black eyed peas. Black eyed peas symbolize coins and the greens symbolize paper money, so it is supposed to bring good luck in the new year. I don't need an excuse to eat a lot of black eyed peas and greens though. :hysterical:Those Halupkies sound great!


----------



## IowaLez

Hi Peeps, (waving Hi!)

I have not been around the forum for quite some time, and can't possibly catch up with comments about everyone's posts from all of December. Sorry about that.

I am glad most of you had nice Christmases, and I wish you all a happy and successful New Year in 2013! And I hope everybody reaches their new goals. I had a nice holiday, and got some great gifts, including a Hoover carpet shampooer I've been wanting for the last year.

Frazzle, you really scored on that loom! I am jealous! But if I started yet another hobby I will be off the deep end again... I've already got 2 new ones in just the last week, since Xmas presents were given! It's terrible, I am interested in doing so many things... it never ends!

I haven't touched spinning since October. I am in the beginning 6 yards of making that fine silk boucle yarn, and it wasn't going so well, so I stopped and walked away. I have been glaring at it on my wheel all this time. Sometimes I have to do that with a project, before I can go back and work it out.

But I did knit a pretty moebius for my good girlfriend, Diane. It's fuschia pink BFL with turquoise and purple silk bits in it, and a touch of white angora and sparkly angelina. I enjoy doing moebiuses with Cat Bordhi's moebius cast on. It is fascinating how it works out that the beginning of the piece is invisible when done with this cast on. Watch it on YouTube sometime, it's not so hard to do, but I recommend using stitch markers; it takes 20 stitch markers to do her cashmere moebius on Ravelry.

Since Thanksgiving I've been working on my "seeds for sale" spreadsheet and organizing the photos. I got it done and sent out yesterday. I have almost 100 varieties listed with Restoration Seeds online, plus my own seed website, Saladette.com, has to be updated, and I get a lot of orders from both of them. I have been pleasantly surprised at that, but it does help to have some rare varieties that people want. I have been saving up that extra pin money, and buying fibery things with it. Right now I have over 20 ounces of angora rabbit fiber coming, that I got for $2 an ounce! It is the second quality fiber, which is shorter and has a little felting or matting in it. That makes beautiful slubby yarns and the slubs aren't big, either, when I get done with it on my drum carder and hand cards.

In the New Year, my goals are to become acclimated with the 2 new hobbies I've latched onto: learning to do paper beading, and I am going to learn how to make potato vodka. Turbo yeast, here I come! I already make beer, wine, sake and hard cider at home, so... and I will get that silk boucle done! I don't make 'resolutions' for the New Year, tho...


----------



## Pearl B

Im now the proud owner of two fleeces from Red Tartans sheep, Hershey and Giles.
I also got a couple of pounds of unprocessed fleece from the Woolery.

Im going uptown today and hopefully will have enough I can get the materials to make a couple of combs too.

WIHH,

That sweater totally rocks.


----------



## stef

MDKatie said:


> I cast on my first project for 2013! (nevermind my unfinished sweater) I decided to knit *the **Side Slip Cloche* from one of my books. I finished the band tonight, tomorrow I'll pick up the stitches for the rest of it.


Ooo la la...very French; very cute. **


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

WIHH, it is stainless stee. I mostly cook with cast iron and a porcelain sink just doesn't stand up to the (ab)use.


----------



## frazzlehead

Hey guys, guess what?
I made fabric!

http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/735039_10151241590928992_2051468826_n.jpg

Second attempt at warping and threading and I got it right this time. Tomorrow, I plan to warp for an actual test project! 

MLF - a friend of mine has a stove like you describe, with the burner in the middle. Very snazzy!


----------



## Miz Mary

The Holidays are put away , time to concentrate on FIBER !!!! 

I just learned, my bobbin was BACKWARDS on my new wheel ! I went from Scotch tension to DD , and didnt know it mattered !! Thank you to a friend ( WIHH ) who lent me some videos about getting to know your wheel !!! I am learning SO much !!! 

This year I am going to spin enough for a sweater ... which entails learning which breeds are GOOD / NOT good for this , which way to prepare it ( carding , flicking or from the lock ) .... and how much it takes ( lbs ) .... 

Im also doing the Fleece Section study here on the forum, so Ill learn which parts of the sheep spin like what ! 

I made a hat , 2 pairs of fulled slippers ... spun up some sock yarn for DH ... a cowl from my own spinning .... crocheting a table runner .... 

I LOVE that wool coat Frazzlehead !! ...and what a SCORE on the loom !!! 

Hi Betty !!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

This is the one I got. Just found out it is being sold for $270.00 cheaper than what I bought it for last Saturday ... time to make a call and get my money back!


----------



## mamajohnson

Hey everyone and Happy New Year!

So much great stuff going on. Sounds like ya'll all had some great Holiday celebrations.
Had all my kids here for Christmas. It was wonderful! I served some of my home made wine (one of my fun new things I am doing) with Christmas dinner and the kids loved it! Wow, I was surprised, they just went on and on about it. My DIL is so funny. I gave them a bottle for part of their Christmas gift. Had made a nice little bag out of some real shiny glittery material left over from a skater dress. DIL was ohh-ing over the wine and said - you MADE that? yes, I did. She says wow... then she remarked on the bag and how pretty it was. Told her yes, DD said it looked like it would fit her real well. Told her, sorry the bottle won't stand in the bag (I had a design flaw, cause I didn't use a pattern) She says, where did you get the bag? I say, I just made it. 
Well,, at that point she got real funny... repeating 'I just made it' Then she says, one day you will have never left this property. And when we come check on you your gonna have 'just made' all your soap and milk and cheese and candles and electricity and grown all your food.

I laughed and said, yeah, wouldn't that be great? She's really funny, and I get a kick out of how fascinated she is with my making everything. And. get this, she texted me and asked for my apple butter recipe. THEN asked how to can it up! Yep, gettin' that one trained, aren't I?? hehe!

So anyway, had a great time with family, and even though we had a very pared down gift given, compared to previous years, it was wonderful. We had lots of family, laughing and good times.

Anyway, I am on a knitting break, did a little spinning the other day, been busy putting up Christmas so I haven't got back to it. Looking forward to sitting at the wheel tomorrow. 
I am making my DS a pair of star trek socks, and found a dropped stitch way up where the color change is. I got disgusted and just have let them sit, I need to get over it and fix it and then knit on. But, like IowaLez, I sorta had to walk away from it.

Look forward to a better year. Last year seems to have been rough for lots of folks.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I made an awesome score today! I found a pair of really nice Viking wool combs for sale for pretty cheap on Etsy. They should be here early next week!

I can tell right now this is going to be trouble. I'll just want to spin instead of sewing! lol!


----------



## gone-a-milkin

I went to town on errands yesterday and to KFC for lunch.
I was standing there in line and a couple of young 'tween' age girls came up to me and asked me "Who made your costume?"
They were sincere too, not teasing.

I was wearing a long skirt, my green tall socks, Ugg boots, my brown sweater, and my Wensleydale shawl. :hysterical:

It absolutely made my day and I am still giggling about it now. 

Every day is a costume party! :dance:


----------



## hoggie

LOL - well I am in the process of planning a new festival in the hoggie household.

In mid January (or maybe February), we are going to celebrate a festival which we will probably call "goose day".

On goose day we will: eat the goose which I was supposed to cook at Christmas but didn't have time to kill and pluck:ashamed:, eat the Christmas cake which I didn't have time to make (let alone marzipan and ice):ashamed: We might even manage to post all the Christmas cards that I never had time to write :ashamed:

Think it'll take off? Wonder if I could sell the idea to Hallmark cards? 

ound::hysterical:


----------



## Marchwind

Hoggie I like your idea of a new holiday. I never get stuff done when it's supposed to be, at least not for the high pressure holidays. 

GAM that is so funny! I'd love to see a picture of you in your costume. I hope you told them you made just about everything and if they were interested you could teach them.


----------



## gone-a-milkin

This was a large family of obviously homeschooled kids. I think Mennonites.
The girls already knew what knitting is. 

I think it was the 'fancy' socks and the shawl that gave them the idea it was an exotic costume. 

As an aside: If you make tall socks that dont like to stay up really good; you can wear velveteen leggings underneath them. 
That kind of fabric grabs hold of the wool and your socks stay up. :teehee:

These are the socks (I showed them to you before) made with the batts I got from WIHH during the TdF.


----------



## PKBoo

I'd love to see a picture of your 'complete' costume GAM - what a great compliment!

Cyndi - love your stove! I HATE the flat top stove we have, and DH would love to get a gas (propane) stove. The one you got has wonderful features! 

We might try to replace our sink and countertop too, and I've been debating what type of sink I would get. I've been going back and forth about a single deep one because of the milking buckets and big pots that I'm always washing. Where do you put your clean dishes? We have a 'galley' kitchen, and don't have much counter space, so I have a dish drainer in the other side of the sink, and I'm afraid I'll really miss that if I go with one single sink. ~sigh~ decisions... (which we probably won't get to anyway, since we have so many projects going on!)

So here's the hat I made for my friend's baby shower. It's acrylic (ugh), but she is not one that will fuss with handwashing. I LOVE the pattern, and want to dye some of my own yarn for more of these some day. It's adorable!


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

Cutest little sheepies! I have to finish the duplicate stitching on the backside sheep yet, and make a little white pompom. 

And here's the 'hot chocolate spoon' favors I'm making. The chocolate is taking forever to harden! (which gives me time to check here  )
They will go into little bags tied with ribbons. 

yarma by BooPK, on Flickr


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Hot chocolate spoons?? Just stir into hot milk for instant hot chocolate and marshmallows? Cool! Love the sheepies on that hat!

PK ... I use an absorbent mat on the counter next to the sink for the clean dishes. The cooking part of my kitchen is U shaped. Fridge & stove on one 'leg', sink at the bottom of U and a long counter for the other leg.

MamaJ ... sounds like a wonderful Christmas! Your DIL's reaction reminds me of when we went to an elderly friend's house for fish fry. His ex-DIL (from Chicago) was there and would marvel on every food (fish, french fries, hush puppies, cole slaw) she passed me, "And it is homemade!" 

GAM! What a compliment! I love your 'costume'! 

Hoggie, I think you may have something there!!

I'm enjoying my stove. I'm still over whelmed at my gifts this year ... I'm not used to receiving anything so big, much less multiple things like this. The store didn't give me any problem issuing a refund for the price difference so I didn't have to call them poopy heads. :hysterical:


----------



## hoggie

Hot chocolate spoons - I made some of those as a small gift for someone at Christmas - did some plain and some with crumbled candy cane sprinkled over them......Didn't think of marshmallows!!!

Love the sheepie hat


----------



## MDKatie

I'd love to see your Wendsleydale shawl, GAM!

I love the sheepie hat!!!! So cute! Is there an adult pattern size? I want to make this hat too, but I'm not sure if there is an adult pattern size either.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Punky pictures:

Drawing with PopPop:









Playing guitar with PopPop









Making cookies with "KoKo" (my mother)


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Punky & PopPop playing "All Star Baby Doll Smack Down"









Helping PopPop put in MeMe's new sink


















Enjoying the fruits of her labor!


----------



## Falls-Acre

I ought to be whipped. I picked up a new, and more difficult, pattern recently for a bear. But instead of trying the pattern out with one bear (bah, that's for people with sense!), I'm in the process of making THREE of them simultaneously and have to hold myself back from making a 4th. It started out as "I'll make a pair of them, like twins, they'll be so cute together!" and progressed to, "I ought to make one of a different color, to see how it'll look... a Jewel Bear!!" ound: :bash: These aren't exactly small either...


----------



## MDKatie

Cute pics, Cyndi! Looks like Punky got LOTS of good quality time with PopPop!


I'm going over to my coworker's house tonight to show her to knit. I was going to have her start with a garter stitch scarf. Any other recommendations? I figured I'll get her comfortable with the knit stitch and then when she can do that easily teach her to purl?


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

That's how I teach knitting, Katie.

Sometimes, if they have a hard time with the purl stitch, I'll teach them how to short row knit to make a ruffle scarf in garter.


----------



## Falls-Acre

Wrong thread!! lol


----------



## Pigeon Lady

Happy New Year!!

I can see I have a lot of catching up to do here. SO nice to see all the pictures. GAM that must have made your day. I want to see that complete costume too!

We had a nice quiet Christmas. A little visiting with neighbors and lots of time on Skype with my Dad.

Not much knitting going on. Just a plain cowl for my neighbor. I opened an Etsy shop and that's taking up most of my spare time at the moment.

Cindi your little grand daughter is so cute. You can see she's the apple of her pop pop's eye 

Our son went back to school today so the holidays are officially over. The tree's still up though. 

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy and healthy 2013.

Pauline


----------



## Kris in MI

Guess I should officially say "Hi" as a newbie to this particular forum.

I'm learning to knit this year after many years of wanting too, but not doing anything about achieving that goal. My daughters and I had our first lesson last week (um, not quite four days ago), and I've all ready used up my entire skein of yarn I love knitting so much! Can't wait for our next lesson later this week, when I get to learn to purl.

I'm hoping that by Christmas time, I'll be able to knit socks. Is that a realistic goal? To go from I-know-nothing-about-knitting to making socks all in one year?


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

My first project was socks. If I can do it, you can do it!


----------



## Marchwind

Welcome to the Fold Kris! You sound very dedicated. We can help you knit socks in no time


----------



## Miz Mary

Hi Kris !!! Welcome to the addiction , I mean fiber forum !!! YES you will be knitting socks by Christmas if we have anything to do with it !!!


----------



## Caren

Kris I am sure you have told me before but I just can't remember where you live? I live near Alma. A bunch of the ladies from the community meet in Merril to Knit at Twisted Warp andSkeins


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Happy St. Distaff's Day to me!

:nanner:

I got new wool combs!!!










And they came with a bracket that clamps down to hold one comb and effectively turn it into a hackle! 










I am so excited! Yay for new combs! :sing: :nanner: :sing:


----------



## frazzlehead

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!

Those are awesome. Brand/Maker?


ETA Would the stand/holder thing work better with the handle in the slot, with the hole looped over the little metal peg? Mine works like that: you clamp the stationary comb in the stand sideways, then comb downwards off of it with the 'loose comb'.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Hmmm.... I will have to try that. I just saw a holder with pegs and went: "Huh. Do they work this way? I think they do..." I guess I was mistaken! 

As for maker or brand... I have no clue. The person who sold them didn't really know either. She said they were made by a private woodworker and sold through Norsk Fjord Fiber. She did call them Viking combs too. :shrug: They also came with a plastic and denim case to hold the combs and keep them from, erm, destroying things that get in the way.

I tried them out last night. A few observations (since this is my first time using full size combs):

-You can comb a LOT more wool with these than the Louet minis. LOTS more. I think I spun as much off of one combing from these combs as with 4 on the Louets. This is going to save time.
-They are sharp. I already barked my hand with one of them. I only combed one comb full after Norwegian Dance practice last night, and still managed to get my hand.
-Wool needs a few more combs-through than with mini combs to open all the locks. Then again, I did grab some particularly sticky, clumped-up Icelandic locks.
-I totally get that bit about keeping them by the fire so the warm tines don't get sticky with lanolin. Totally get that. 
-I want a diz now. My darling, wonderful, amazing husband has already said he'll make me a nice one out of bone. He's so awesome! (He does amazing bone work. Absolutely amazing.)


----------



## Kris in MI

Caren said:


> Kris I am sure you have told me before but I just can't remember where you live? I live near Alma. A bunch of the ladies from the community meet in Merril to Knit at Twisted Warp andSkeins


Caren, I'm E of Lansing. Not quite an hour and a half away. . .


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Well, if the first bone diz turns out nice, maybe I'll be able to convince him to make them for sale in our shop! He's currently making some lovely bone nÃ¥lbinding needles, and he and his brother just turned out some nice oak nostepinnes.  

His talent amazes me. I'm alright with making things if it's soft fabric or something that allows for easy fixes of mistakes, but I wouldn't even know where to start with making bone things. Also, power tools and sharp things usually make me worry about my fingers. :teehee:


----------



## Miz Mary

HAPPY DAYS !!! Looks so fun !!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Need bone nÃ¥lbinding needles!!

For a temporary diz, just use the shaker top off a spice bottle


----------



## Pigeon Lady

Oooh, thanks for sharing that site WIHH! Those are fantastic. I've never seen them before. It's given me some ideas for maybe stamping the pine plank floor we're going to put in the dining room - which is taking on a Scandinavian air 

It was interesting to see that they do the stamping after the backing is added to the fleece and not before. I love the way they used some of the motifs from old architectural wood carvings for their stamps. 

I'll come up with some designs and you can try them out if you like.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

*Drools*


----------



## Falls-Acre

Wow, that's amazing WIHH, but how in the world do they display them? I'd be torn between the stamped side and the hair side!!


----------



## Miz Mary

wow .... thoes are stunning !


----------



## Kris in MI

Wow! My eyes have been opened!! Those are really cool.


----------



## stef

Well, what you all are talking about is completely over my head, but I'm glad it makes you happy! LOL


----------



## RedTartan

WIHH, are they stamping right on the skin???? I am fantasizing about doing this with my Icelandic pelts... Are there any how to sites in english? What kind of ink are they using? 

Pigeon lady, make me some celtic themed stamps and I'll buy them from your etsy shop! :rock::banana::rock:

Want!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

So, tonight I go to this Scandinavian sewing and fiber arts group, that is mostly the ladies in the dance group I am in, and the lady who heads it up had a photo of those sheepskins that she was very excited about. She was talking about having a party to make some of those this summer!

I was way too excited. :nanner: :sing: I don't know if that will happen for sure yet, but it would be awesome! Either way, I have to make some. Have to.


----------



## weever

I did read, WIHH, where you said most of the skins were sewn together. That was after I sat here for a while, wondering where they got their rectangular shaped sheep. But I sure don't see any sewing lines. And I know enough just about sheep pelts and fleeces to ruminate out loud about how difficult it must be to find several that are just exactly alike to sew together. 

I think I need coffee.


----------



## RedTartan

Wind in Her Hair said:


> And PigeonLady - I see a market developing for celtic stamps, no?


Yes!

:bandwagon:


----------



## hercsmama

Those are amazing!
I have a rug that this would be gorgeous on. But it's four pelts sewn together, think it would look ok?
Another question, this is supposed to be a rug but we kept it across the foot of our bed. Well, my two Pekes sleep there and it's gotten a bit dirty and matted in places. How would y'all go about cleaning it? It's supposed to be white but is rather yellowed. 
Do you think if I hit it really well with my carders it would "floof" it back up?


----------



## Pigeon Lady

Gosh ,they're all gorgeous!!!

Well, I made some Skinfelle inspired stamps last night and will post pics in a bit. ( got dinner going right now) But, yes, I'll make some Celtic ones.

I saw that the one lady at the site that WIHH first posted was using textile inks. 


That really threw me too, I thought she was sewing a fabric to the pelt but after translating I think she mentioned the belly skin.

Pics to come.

Pauline


----------



## Pigeon Lady

These were just tests to see how the stamps came out. The tree needs cleaning up a bit. They're not real big. They would probably make nice chair seat covers. The red block didn't work real well using the little rubber stamp ink pads. Tomorrow I'll ink it up with a roller and some block printing ink and see how it prints.

I saw on one site that traditionally, the skins should be stamped with 5 symbols representing: animals,water,plants,sun and and eternity symbol. I guess they considered it a bad omen not to sleep under the correct symbols. 

I'll work on some Celtic designs tonight.


----------



## MDKatie

Impressive work, Pigeon Lady!!!


----------



## featherbottoms

Well, I absolutely love those skins/pelts. I don't know how, but I'm going to have a blanket big enough for at least a full size bed.

edited to add: I just remembered that there is a LARGE sheep ranch just west of town. I'll bet they occasionally have skins. We're also not that far from San Angelo, and I think there are a lot of Merino there. Maybe I have options 

edited again: so maybe I can afford a cover for my weaving bench if not a blanket.

Those are just beautiful. And I would need stamps, too.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

When my family butchers the next batch of Icelandic ram lambs, I'm going to send off some of the skins to a tanner so I can make a blanket. 

Icelandic pelts are so awesome.


----------



## MDKatie

I love my Romney/Southdown pelt from my ram, and I've got 2 Southdowns going to butcher in about a month, so i'll send those to the tanner too. I think I'm going to sell one, but not positive.


----------



## hercsmama

hercsmama said:


> Those are amazing!
> I have a rug that this would be gorgeous on. But it's four pelts sewn together, think it would look ok?
> Another question, this is supposed to be a rug but we kept it across the foot of our bed. Well, my two Pekes sleep there and it's gotten a bit dirty and matted in places. How would y'all go about cleaning it? It's supposed to be white but is rather yellowed.
> Do you think if I hit it really well with my carders it would "floof" it back up?


Anybody have any ideas??? I really don't want to trash this thing. It's not horrible or anything. Just no longer white white and a bit matted..


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I would hit it with a wide-toothed comb rather than a carder. A carder would frizz it, I'd think.
No ideas right now on cleaning.


----------



## MDKatie

I'm not really sure. Is it machine washable? Some are. Mine is a bit matted too, and last time I just used a comb (a wide toothed hair comb, for people) and just lightly brushed it out. It is a bit frizzed, but I really don't mind.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Debi,
I've been thinking on this. I've come up with a few ideas but don't know if they will work or if they are even a good idea.

I do agree with the others to use a wide tooth comb instead of carders.

Last year, I got a sample of dry shampoo spray in the mail. I wonder if that would work on the pelt? The other idea I had was using what the colonial folks used on their wigs ... powder (sprinkle on, then comb out)


----------



## hercsmama

I don't have fiber combs, but do have several hair picks and a wide tooth comb. I'll give those a try.
Maybe the dry shampoo....it's way to big to fit in a washer, and I don't think it can be machine washed anyway.
Maybe baking soda? I also have dry Oxyclean, or would that be to harsh?
Thanks for the ideas though. I'm making this my weekend project.:runforhills:


----------



## Woodpecker

Baking Soda took henna out of my carpet, not saying it will work but maybe worth a shot. I have my first new treatment Monday, I'm nervous because it can cause neuropathy. I have been spending a lot of my time trying to finish my blanket only 300 yards to go!


----------



## Falls-Acre

Do you have an air compressor? I use ours with a directing nozzle (small black attachment) and blow out the hair on my only sheepskin rug. I figure if it works for rabbits, it'd work for sheepskin. It does a pretty good job of blowing out the dirt and separating the hairs again. Plus an added benefit of fluffing it up.


----------



## mamajohnson

Debi, good luck with the cleaning project! I have zero ideas to add tho.

Woodpecker, will keep you in my prayers. Check back in soon!

Spent yesterday in the unemployment office. Did find ONE job to send my resume to. It is a customer service manager job. I really am NOT fond of management, but, hey, ya gotta do what ya can. I bet there are so many apps for this job that I may never hear from them. 

In the mean time...ran out and planted some things before that rain we had for 2 days. Glad I did, its warm/sunny now, 71*! Got some peas and greens planted. At least we can eat, if the bunnies stay out of it. (guess I need a bunny fence, huh?)
Yesterday my male alpaca was trying to romance the girls...hehe... he got spit upon. So, from what I understand that means sometime within the next 10-11 months we will have at least 2 babies!! :rock:
Hope DH doesn't pass out when they are born... lol!


----------



## hercsmama

Woodpecker, I'll be keeping you in my thoughts. 
So oldest ds called a bit ago. He's had to go to the ER twice this week. Started out with the flu, naturally did nothing about it, and now has pneumonia!
Lovely.:hair
If the big goof would have listened to me two weeks ago, when he was first getting sick, he'd be much better. But he thinks it's ok to go out in 20* in shorts and tennies. What a goof.:catfight:


----------



## Kris in MI

Totally unrelated to the other conversations going on-- 

I learned to purl at my knitting lesson last night! Then the instructor made us (me and my dds) practice knitting and purling in the same row. I feel empowered, lol. :gaptooth:


----------



## stef

Overcast and rainy here today, but I don't care. I've still got sparkly lights up ( I think _this_ is the time of year to have them on) and just staying in to be warm and cozy.

Woodpecker, may God give you strength for this next round. (((( Woodpecker ))))

Went shopping at Jo-Ann Fabric the other day and found this on the mark down shelf for $2.99:

http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Stitches...r=1-1&keywords=99+Knit+Stitches,+Leisure+Arts

It has a great variety of stitches and several tempting projects, including a cabled pillow cover and a luscious afghan with six different design strips. I've knit blankets for others; this one might be for me. * *


----------



## Marchwind

WooHoo Kris!!! Way to go and practice, practice! Have you mastered the ribbing yet?


----------



## Woodpecker

hercsmama said:


> Woodpecker, I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.
> So oldest ds called a bit ago. He's had to go to the ER twice this week. Started out with the flu, naturally did nothing about it, and now has pneumonia!
> Lovely.:hair
> If the big goof would have listened to me two weeks ago, when he was first getting sick, he'd be much better. But he thinks it's ok to go out in 20* in shorts and tennies. What a goof.:catfight:


Ugh I have had pneumonia. I hope he gets well soon.


----------



## Falls-Acre

I can understand about being sick. Our family has been sick, most of us anyway, since early November. I'm still coughing, so are a couple others, but for the most part we seem to be on the mend. About time too! I've got my mother breathing down my neck about when we're coming to visit. With her recent surgery, and her immune condition (she has no operating immune system... genetic anomaly), if anyone is sick, she can't be around them. So we haven't seen them since Halloween and haven't been to visit since last summer. I hope your son heals quickly hercsmama and without scarring.

On the fiber end of things, I picked up my "sock" circulars this evening and even let the ladies there assist me in picking out a suitable yarn to try. Last time I tried to make sock-yarn sized socks on DPNs, I dropped so many stitches I became frustrated and frogged the whole thing. I'm hoping things will go smoother with the ML & circs.


----------



## PKBoo

Hi everyone - just checking in to say HELLO before hitting the sack. We've been at the PA Farm Show since Wednesday, and showed our goats today. 3rd, 4th, and 6th place! :bouncy:

We've had so much fun! It's been great. DH & I joke that we are 50 year old first time 4H-ers. We really had a great time!

I was going to take my spinning wheel, and didn't. Took my knitting, and didn't even get it out of the tote! I took lots of pictures, so will post Sunday when I'm home and have caught up on sleep


----------



## gone-a-milkin

PKBoo, I was JUST! wondering how your little girlies did for you at the farm show.
50 y/o 4H-er's! LOL

Looking forward to hearing all about it, once you recover.


----------



## Marchwind

FA, OMG the coughing is driving me crazy. I had a sinus infection and went to the doc what? A month and a half go? I'm still coughing, went through my antibiotics, got rid of the inus thing and I'm still coughing. Met some one who said I have about 2 more months of coughing. I'm not sick, there is nothing to be coughing up. I'm just coughing. 

PKBoo I've enjoyed some of your photos on FB. I can't wait to hear more about your time at the fair and to see more of your photos.

Hercsmama hopefully your son will rest and get well soon. There is so much stuff going around, the flu sounds like it is hitting hard this year.

Woodpecker, does your queasy stick help you? Hope you do well with your next round.

WIHH hw is that ice? Did you get it as bad as it sounds in Bemidji?


----------



## BlueberryChick

We have the opposite weather here this weekend, WIHH. It's sunny and headed to the upper 70's. I love winter in the south (although an excuse to sit and knit/spin/crochet sounds heavenly!). 

My son (11yo) is going to an all guy birthday party today. One of his friends (a homeschool buddy) is having a manly-man kind of party. They are planning an epic nerf gun battle, grilled pork chops for lunch and a trip to a nearby state park to explore the woods. And his 7yo sister is jealous--gotta love that girl!


----------



## hercsmama

Pkboo, can't wait to see the pics! It sounds like a wonderful time.
Youngest ds has the " forever" cough going as well. I've sort of got it, but only a bit, not like some people I've seen.
Well, we wired oldest ds and dil some money yesterday, so the got ds's prescription for a z-pack filled. We sent enough to cover some Tylenol, Robitussen, and a few other groceries as well. Bless their hearts, neither can find full time work right now, and with ds in school financially things are really tight for them. But hopefully now he will be on the mend.
The weather here today is just gross. Super humid, 67 degrees, and just drippy wet. No rain, just dripping. I think the rug project will have to wait until it dries out a bit.
Gee, I guess that means I have to sit and knit all weekend. What a bummer.


----------



## Lythrum

We're having the 70 degree drippy weather too, not that I'm complaining. It can rain all it wants since I don't need to go anywhere.  Of course it only means that it is going to be that much harder when it gets cold again. I did have a painting project that I needed to get done, but it won't be this weekend. I'm knitting inside too, making a hat for my new niece. I love knitting baby things.


----------



## Woodpecker

Marchwind said:


> Woodpecker, does your queasy stick help you? Hope you do well with your next round.?


 
Thanks for the well wishes. The queasy stick helps some what. My oncologist told me that the nausea isn't supposed to be as bad. We will see.


----------



## Marchwind

I saw the photo of the kids up in Bemidji playing ice hockey on the iced over road. Looks familiar . It was 48 degrees here at 6:00 this morning, up to about mid 50's today. Them we are in a winter weather advisory from 10:00 tonight until noon on Monday, freezing rain, snow, sleet. Thankfully I don't have to drive far for work.


----------



## canadiangirl

Those are fantastic looking pelts! A lady at one of my farmers markets sells tanned lambskin and her's are supposedly washable. She said it is done with a special process. The pelts she sells are mainly marketed to put under babies in the crib, they are very soft but I haven't spoken to anyone who has actually washed one.
Well I'm hoping 2013 will have a few changes for me, hoping for some more free time to fill up with fibery tasks ; ) I was super busy last year with my soap business but I dislike how much it takes me off the farm so I think I'm going to be pushing for more wholesale or setting up a retail store here, and either way perhaps hiring someone to help out. I guess we'll see- I'm still ruminating on what I'd like life to look like lol 
The weather here has been positively funky. It was -23 C when we woke the other morning and went to +9 C by mid afternoon (I googled and that would be -9 F to +48 F), it's hard on the animals to have those sorts of swings I think. I know it's hard on me. We don't usually get that kind of cold and I don't like it haha. My daughter is off to army cadet winter exercises this week end, so I'm glad it warmed up. She packed a lot of the wool items I've knit for her and especially made sure she had her alpaca cowl so I'm sure she's toasty, (just hungry because she hates rations lol)


----------



## Marchwind

I used to machine wash mine and line dry them.


----------



## canadiangirl

I put a push on to finish the last slipper before starting the KAL and finished last night. So no project on the go for a couple of days and it feels a little weird lol. Here are the finished slippers/booties done in a bulky wool with sheepskin soles


----------



## stef

Canadian Girl...love the slipper-booties! :clap: Did you use a hole punch to make the holes in the sheepskin soles?


----------



## PKBoo

The Farm Show is done, and everyone is settled in. I slept 12 hours last night (and I didn't even sleep there, like so many exhibitors do!)

The Farm Show is a wonderful celebration of PA agriculture, and there's something for everyone. Here are a few pictures related to fiber:

A Rambouillet sheep - he was huge!


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

A Fiber Education booth - they got a LOT of traffic and made a lot of sales! 


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

The alpaca booth:


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

Lots and lots of knitted items and handspun:


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

The display of "Best of Show" 


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

Jars and jars of canned goods:


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

And not fiber related, but me with my sweet girl that got 3rd place!


yarma by BooPK, on Flickr

I completely missed the Sheep-to-Shawl contest! We brought the goats in that day, and it was so busy setting up that I never got over. Next year I am taking two full days off, so that I can enjoy the show too. The whole experience was so much fun!


----------



## Miz Mary

Awww...PKBoo, that lil girl is so sweet !!! Im glad you had fun ! Thanks for the pictures ! 

It's COLD here , woke up to 25 degrees , all frozen everywhere ! Had to go out and de-ice the chickens' water and give them thier special scratch to keep them warm ! 

I'm getting over the flu , thank the Lord I'm healthy ... only kept me in bed 3 days .... Vicks on the feet, Elderberry tea ... water ,gypsy cold care tea ... vit C ...Echinachea ...
it could have been so much worse ! Still moving slow , but improving daily ! 

I have frogged and re knit this sock 3 times .... too big first time, went down in needle size...still too big , AND I couldnt figure out the pattern ! Found a new pattern , hope it works ! This is my first pair of socks with my own handspun !! YAY !!! 

Been thinking about you Woodpecker , hope your better this round !


----------



## Marchwind

PKBoo that looks like it is a lot of fun. Interesting that they hold it in the middle of winter rather than in the summer or harvest time. But for the attendees that must be a great winter break and you aren't crazy trying to finish up crops and such. Love the pictures, glad you had fun.

MizMary what pattern are you trying to use? One that I love that GAM put me onto and it works well with handspun is one by Cookie A. I think it is named the BFF socks. Cables all over looks lots harder than it is. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bff-socks. Looks like it isn't a free pattern any more . When I got it it was free. I could copy mine and send it to you I suppose. I doubt that would break any copyright rules, since I got it for free.

Well, my glasses broke this morning, uggg! Normally I always have two pair of glasses. But, last time I got this pair they were so expensive I couldn't and these were supposed to be I breakable, they are titanium. Well apparently they can be broken, this is the second time. The first time I got them replaced for free. Im sure the warrantee has runout. Im well over sure for an eye check so I'll go for that today I hope. Sor forgive me if there are MORE typos than usual, I really can barely see to read and type. LOL!

I've been working on a scarf for my nephew. It's a Jared Flood pattern, love his work. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/noro-striped-scarf. I didn't use Noro, my sister's store didn't have enough of the dye.ots I wanted. So Im using a Noro knock off. It's by Plymouth and its called Gina. It reminds me of the Poem yarn a lot. Single spun, softer than Noro and the colors are nice with long color changes.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Beautiful scarf Marchwind! I hope you get your glasses fixed or get some good ones cheap! 

And that farm show sounds awesome, PKBoo!

So, the other night I was at this meeting, and out of the blue this lady told me she has 80 pounds of Columbian fleece, raw, unskirted. Basically she said if I come help her skirt them, I could have some. :teehee: Apparently someone just gave it all to her, and she doesn't know how to skirt them. I may have an adventure this spring.

I took a break from my husbands sweater yesterday afternoon and started knitting the Dwarven Battle Bonnet for his brother. Said brother is 16 and has no idea what is coming to him, lol! (He will love it, though.) Yes, this is an incredibly late Christmas gift too. Ooops. :whistlin:


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Oh, I should also mention...

I've got my dear husband knitting in the round now! He's making a hat. It's awesome. :nanner:

No, I did not make him learn. He said he wanted to.  He is so talented.


----------



## MDKatie

SvenskaFlicka said:


> I took a break from my husbands sweater yesterday afternoon and started knitting the Dwarven Battle Bonnet for his brother. Said brother is 16 and has no idea what is coming to him, lol! (He will love it, though.) Yes, this is an incredibly late Christmas gift too. Ooops. :whistlin:


That is awesome! :hysterical: Please post pics when you finish it!


----------



## Miz Mary

Thanks Marchwind, I put that pattern in my faves ! I just went to my regular pattern, got things going, and will adapt the Mojo Socks to it .... 
Your scarf is Gorgeous ! Love the colors ! 

If you have your eye prescription, you can get CHEAP glasses !! Bifocals even, or self changing .... I have gone here for 10 years , all my glasses are never over $20 a pair ! www.zennioptical.com


Svenskaflicka, that dwarven helmet looks like my husband !! He has a BIG 'ol beard ... way cool !!


----------



## canadiangirl

Marchwind- nice scarf! I really like Jared Flood's designs as well. Little extra time on my hands today and was losing it on Ravelry...ran into this pattern and bought it, perfect gift for my grandson for Easter : )
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knit-chickens
Not sure if I want to do it in cotton though, I don't like the feel of it in my hands.


----------



## Woodpecker

I had my treatment today. I was there for 5 hours, between seeing my oncologist and the treatment. I feel better but really tired, I have to take steroids at 10pm and 6am with food. They keep me awake. Only 3 to go though!

ETA: I also found out that this runs in my family so now I am in need of more tests ugh! My mom's Aunt and her cousin from another aunt had it.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Glad to hear your treatment today went okay, Woodpecker! Only three left!

The Battle Bonnet is getting closer to done! Should be done late tonight or tomorrow!

Also, I talked to the people at Brown Sheep today. Turns out mohair is getting so scarce and expensive they may cancel their Handpaint Originals line of 85% mohair 15% wool yarn. This is distressing. They actually told me if I know anyone who has mohair to sell to let them know. :shrug: They'll take it, even dirty. Also, they told me to start creating my own personal stockpile just in case. They're thinking another year, tops, of that yarn unless people start raising lots of Angora goats again. I'm sad.  I always liked the Handpaints yarn.

If anyone has mohair fleeces in bulk they want to get rid of, call Brown Sheep!


----------



## hercsmama

Woodpecker, big hugs. I'm glad it went well today. Keeping you in my thoughts.

Maybe we should change our plans from raising Shetland and Icelandic sheep, to Angora goats! I mean gee whiz, as soon as we move we'll only be like 100 miles, or less from Brown Sheep....something to think about...:whistlin:


----------



## mamajohnson

Glad it went fairly well Woodpecker! Another one down! Your getting closer to the finish line. Hope the other tests go good.


Sven - is there really that much a shortage on Mohair?? wow! Wonder how that happened? I have a friend with a few Angora goats. Maybe she will swap me something for one? hmmmmm


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Well, I guess the biggest Angora goat farm in the country, down in Texas, closed down this year, and all the big farms in Africa are sending them off to slaughter (?!?), so mohair's gotten so high Brown Sheep might not be able to do a mostly mohair yarn for the price people are used to paying for Brown Sheep yarn. So, they are seriously considering discontinuing it.

So yeah. I'm seriously considering hoarding it. I wonder what poor Forerunner will ever do?


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Well, here is the Dwarven Battle Bonnet!










This one is for my brother-in-law, but my husband wants one too. And then I decided today that my brother just HAS to have a regular-style beard hat. :teehee:

Where does it ever end?!?

Just kidding. I love knitting things for people. I really do.


----------



## mamajohnson

I love that! I may have to give it a try.


----------



## Falls-Acre

So, I'm still working on the previous KAL, the one with the shawl. It may be a "fast knit" for someone that knits all the time, but for a mostly-crocheter, it's taking me longer! I'm using a mostly mohair yarn and it's coming along nicely. Nearly done with the main body of the shawl and as soon as I add on another skein, I'll be ready to start the lace part. Getting there!!


----------



## BlueberryChick

Woodpecker, yay for the "three to go" countdown! We're all cheering for you.

I learned two things while spinning yesterday. 


One, Yo Yo Ma is much more conducive to spinning than Bruce Springsteen. At one point my iPod threw The Boss into my music mix and I have a big, bumpy place in my yarn now. Don't get me wrong, I love a little Springsteen while housecleaning or gardening, but not so much when spinning.


I also learned that spinning without bifocals or reading glasses is a valuable exercise. I didn't want to get up from my wheel and hunt down my glasses, so I kept going by touch. It really helped me focus on the fiber and not so much on the yarn produced.


One more thing--I love learning to knit! And I am determined to knit socks before the end of this year. Or next.


----------



## Woodpecker

Thank you all for the well wishes and prayers!


----------



## stef

Woodpecker said:


> Thank you all for the well wishes and prayers!


And _more_ prayers, Woodpecker. hugs, stef


----------



## mamajohnson

I decided to sort and get organized, well, I was looking for sock yarn too. I had at least 4-6 skiens and can only find 2. DS#4 claimed those, he said that yarn reminds him of coffee, and he wants socks from it! lol!
I also spent some time organizing. AMAZING! I have way more needles than I thought. My needle bag was wearing thin, and the needles coming out the other end. So, I went to the kitchen and got my old knife toolbox. When I had all 5 kids at home, and we were doing lots of butchering, I had lots of sharp knives. Since my kids were sometimes in the house without us, and a bit....ummm...... adventurous, it seemed a good idea to lock all those sharp knives in a big toolbox. So, that is how we kept them out of the kids' hands.

Anyway, now that the youngest is 13, well, no real reason to keep the knives locked up. So, I put the (now dull) knives into a drawer and washed up the tool box and made it my new needle/tools box! yay!
So, here is a pic of what I did.


----------



## Marchwind

Well done MamaJ!

Woodpecker, I hope you continue to feel better and get through your last treatments without too much discomfort.

Blueberrychick, I can only imagine! LOL!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

BBChick, you CAN do it!! 

More prayers for you, Woodpecker. Each day is closer to remission!

Good job, MamaJ!

Kelsey, Love the Battle Bonnet! LOL!

Miz Mary, Thanks for the Link!

I may be heading for knee surgery some time in the near future ... the ACL replacement I had about 10 years ago is failing. Will see the orthopedic surgeon next Monday.

Until then, I WILL finish this shawl!!!


----------



## TNnative

Frustration!! I had a little Altoids tin with my stitch markers in it. It usually resides in a clear makeup bag along with other knitting necessities in my knitting bag. I can't find that tin anywhere! Argh!


----------



## Lythrum

I love the dwarven bonnet too! 

Hugs to you Woodpecker, I hope it really isn't as bad with this round.

Ack Cyndi! Healing vibes for your knee. :TFH:

Congrats on the organization Mama J, I really need to go through my things too. 

I've been fighting off a cold, hubby has a cold, daughter has a cough. I'm trying to slog through the rest of the work week, but we have a sociopathic co-worker who is doing her best to make sure that we are miserable. I think I need to go and sneeze on her keyboard a few times when no one is looking. :whistlin: Fiber is the only thing keeping me sane right now. I am knitting a baby hat for my new little niece, can't wait to see her in it!


----------



## mamajohnson

TNnative said:


> Frustration!! I had a little Altoids tin with my stitch markers in it. It usually resides in a clear makeup bag along with other knitting necessities in my knitting bag. I can't find that tin anywhere! Argh!


I hate when that happens! So, look for something else. maybe then you will find it. That is what has worked for me. I would look and look for something and not find it. Give up. Go to find something else and find first item. I have repeated that several times over the last week. :shrug:


----------



## gone-a-milkin

I haven't posted much to the FAC this month, but I have been keeping busy. 

Today was the last day on the house reno I have been working on.
I really enjoyed it so much.
The house is in small town 17 miles south of me that has a large Amish community.
It was great to ride through there every day and see their farms up close, etc.
The kids walking to school with their Igloo coolers and most without coats on. The spring wagons and the Belgian draft horses. 
The ladies in their black bonnets and heavy woolen cloaks. 
Cows tethered by their noses along the roadway.
Huge barns filled with every type of fowl. They grow a lot of poultry over there.
There is one farm that has a big long barn full of just guineas. IDK how many are in there. Hundreds.
Imagine hearing THAT all the time. LOL

The builder these folks had hired is also Amish.
He is 45 y/old and has 14 children. 10 boys and 4 girls. One set of twins in there. 
The oldest daughter just got married last summer and her DH now also lives on their farm.
That is 17 people to feed, 3 meals a day. 

Every day that he worked he brought at least one of his boys with him. 
In fact, I think the boys did ALL of the roofing and he mainly stuck to finer carpentry.
Kind of different to see 12-15 y/old kids working hard all day on a roof like that. 
The kids were all super polite and very careful, except for leaving the door open constantly. 

Everyone on this job had taken the last few days off. 
While *I* was catching up on my sleep and knitting? 
That man and his family had butchered a cow and 5 hogs and canned almost all the meat.
So, yeah. Perspective.

I have never been envious of that segment of our local culture, but gosh are they hard workers.

It turns out that (of course)we have both worked for a lot of the same farmers around here and we both learned some stuff from eachother. 
A very neat experience on a lot of levels.

He asked me questions about sheep even.
A number of folks in his community have switched over to sheep lately because of feed costs.
He is also raising 1600 white pekin ducks for the egg market (someone else owns the ducks).
Everynight they light 38 kerosene lanterns in the duck barns for added light to increase egg production.

Stuff like that. Old school.
It all gave me something new to think about.


----------



## mamajohnson

Wow. That must have been an awesome experience.


----------



## rabbitgeek

Here is my silk scarf made from a silk shirt. I have some more pictures on my blog.
http://francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com/2013/01/silk-scarf.html

Have a good day!


----------



## Marchwind

GAM what a very wonderful and cool experience.

Franco you Dapper Dan you


----------



## weever

GAM, love the Amish stories. I have one. Last week, we were talking with our seed dealer about some hay/pasture mix that we wanted to order. Because we're organic, we can't just walk in to the local Farm and Fleet to pick up seed. And hubby is fussy about what grasses/legumes are in the mix. So he's having some specially-mixed for him. Shortly after he and the seed dealer finished talking on the phone, we got an email from him detailing what percentage of each seed the mix would include. Big deal? Yes it is--our seed dealer is Amish. :rock:

Apparently, he has a new thing where he can hand write out his notes and scan them into the fax machine (phone and faxes are okay with this branch of Amish, as long as they are used for business and in the barn). The fax converts the notes to an email. Pretty slick! And still "kosher."


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

My dear Philip keeps claiming he did not steal the Dwarven Battle Bonnet from his brother, but he keeps wearing it everywhere. (I have not seen the brother to get it to him yet.) I'm glad you guys all like it! It's really an easy pattern, and comes in both adult and child sizes. Ravelry is full of happy little children running around with Dwarven Battle Bonnets and foam swords/axes, lol.

Cyndi, I hope your knee turns out okay! My brother has been seeing specialists about his knee, so I'll just remember to pray for your every time I pray about his. 

Amish people are awesome on a lot of levels. I've never been able to really spend much time around them, but I would like to. I'm sure I could learn a lot. Thanks for sharing those stories!

WIHH-- you said it was going to get cold up north, so I checked, and yep. That will be fun. Highs in the single digits here. :teehee: This coming Sunday is the Barnaloppet, and my husband and I are going to ski with the children. We are also going to dress as Vikings with some other people. (I think the city pays our Viking club to have us do that.) I have never ever ever skied before, and now I get to do it on wooden skis in a long wool dress! I've been frantically trying to finish nÃ¥lbinding mittens for us, as well as DH's cloak and wool tunic. I don't want to freeze!


----------



## Woodpecker

MullersLaneFarm said:


> BBChick, you CAN do it!!
> 
> More prayers for you, Woodpecker. Each day is closer to remission!
> 
> I may be heading for knee surgery some time in the near future ... the ACL replacement I had about 10 years ago is failing. Will see the orthopedic surgeon next Monday.
> 
> Until then, I WILL finish this shawl!!!


I will keep you in my prayers Cyndi!


----------



## Lythrum

I had to leave work early to pick up DD from school, it closed early. So we are sitting in the house with the fireplace going, I am knitting and watching the snow fall down. I have to drive over a mountain and elevated highway, so I was glad to get home before it closed down. Snow in the South is always a huge event, and I'd rather stay off of the roads for it.  Good thing I have lots of projects to keep me busy.


----------



## Pearl B

After 4 days, I have indoor water and plumbing again. :dance: :bow: :clap: :spinsmiley:

It might be one thing if you are set up to live without out it, its a total drag when it suddenly goes out. :sob: Especially when you have a sink full of dirty dishes and all your socks are waiting to go into the laundry.

We have been having the cold spell from h - e- double hockey sticks here in Az.

I cant afford propane so have been running electric heaters. I left all the faucets running. It didnt matter as the water froze in the ground. I called the water department hoping I hadnt paid the bill, (I do often forget it, I knew I had though) and the lady told me about it likely being frozen in the ground.
Something that rarely if ever happens around here.

A couple of the neighbors were without water too, and then when it thawed enough to get the water flowing, my pipe and the neighbors pipe broke.

My other neighbor, who I cant say enough nice things about, got my pipe fixed in record time. :bow: :dance:

I will never taking running water for granted again.
Thank heavens I stock bottle water for drinking anyways as the water here has so many sediments and heavy metals already. Drinking water goes pretty quick when you try to use it for washing and rinsing the dishes.
Thank goodness I have a medical commode, from when I was having a lot of medical problems. Ive been using as a chamberpot as the bathroom isnt very well insulated right now. Another good thing, hand sanitizer that doesnt need water, and rubbing alcohol.

I have never been so happy to be able to do the dishes and laundry :hysterical:


----------



## mamajohnson

Yay Pearl! We had water issues for awhile, in the middle of a 100 degree summer! 
I know your happy it's back on.


----------



## Pearl B

Im just blessed with the newer neighbors. We often help each other out.Husband and wife. 
She is the one I made the sweater for. He doesnt know it yet, he's got a real nice sweater coming his way. The Raiders is his favorite football team and he loves the colors. So Im gathering and saving fleeces and rovings in those colors. I probably have most of what I need fiber wise.

My cards and combs are on the way too!! All I need to get a start going. 

She's shy :hysterical: She really is!


----------



## Lythrum

Congratulations on the plumbing getting fixed Pearl. I know that is a truly miserable thing to deal with, especially with it being cold and all.


----------



## stef

Pk Boo, I am so enjoying your pictures of the PA Farm Show. That would have been _wonderful_ to attend. Love the picture of you and your 'girl'. **


----------



## Lythrum

BTW, I love the scarf (and the pic) Franco. I'll keep that in mind if I have any old silk shirts that could be recycled.  Would probably be good for some thrift store finds too.


----------



## Marchwind

This past week has been one very full of all sorts of stuff. I was talking with a group of passengers at work and it was funny, we all agreed that this year, so far, seem like it has been very difficult to get on top of life. Like you are just spinning your wheel and feeling harried. We agreed it wasn't a good start to the new year. The planets are misaligned or something.

I can't remember if I told you all about my cat who has been I'll with kidney issues. He had an infection and had lost a lot of weight. We got that fixed but the vet said he had tiny kidneys and they were not functioning properly. But all his levels looked good so he was not in failure. I was giving him sub-q fluids daily and feeding special food. Well last week he started to go down hill and then stopped eating. I had to have him euthanized yesterday . Here is a picture of him in his prime

merlot by mymerripu, on Flickr

I finally got my glasses. The place I used screwed up my insurance and way over charged me. Good thing I'm familiar with my insurance and checked into it. I'll get a refund and they are giving me 50% off the part I need to get my other glasses fixed. That's a great deal since the part, a nose piece, costs approx $160, yikes! But I love those glasses.

Still working on the scarf for my nephew. He is the one who is in the film industry, a set designer. In March, on my birthday, his big movie is coming out. http://disney.go.com/thewizard/. He even has a bit part in the movie, I believe the opening scene as the carnival hawker. He designed the balloon, the forest and a few other sets. I can't wait to see this I looks fabulous.

Waiting for the yarn so start the KAL socks, should be here next week. Spinning group today then I'm going with a friend to see Les Mis


----------



## hercsmama

Marchie, I'm so sorry about your furbaby. The little demons certainly do have a wonderful way of taking over our lives don't they?:kiss:
Svenska, love the Battle Helmet! Oldest ds wants one with Viking horns. Need to see about that...
Pearl awesome on the great neighbors, what I can see of the sweater is very nice!
Well, things are coasting along here. Just waiting for a buyer to show up and take this place off our hands. Hopefully this will be the month. We are very anxious to start our new life chapter. We're all tired of feeling like we're stuck in some sort of limbo.


----------



## weever

Marchwind, what a beautiful cat! I am so sorry for your loss.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Poor kitty! I'm so sorry Marchie... I'm glad you got your glasses though!

Pearl, that is a lovely sweater! I wish she wasn't so shy so we could see the front!

I'm gonna try to stay warm this Sunday! Last night I made a wool tunic for DH, and also made a pair of _sewn_ wool stockings. They go all the way up too, lol! I think I'll need to hold them up with string tied to a belt or something. :teehee: There may or may not be pictures later. There is going to be a trick to making pictures of these stockings, erm... decent. :teehee: But I have to say that the way the foot is sewn looks completely stupid, but is completely awesome! They just kinda go onto your foot the right way and then don't twist around or anything. There is a specific right and left, though.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Were those the ones I ran out of yarn at the toe so had to knit the toe from handspun?

I so love the socks I've received in KALs. I seem to wear them much more than socks I knit for myself.

Oo-La-La, Franco!

Got a call from the doctor's office today. MRI read & my ACL is re-torn.  I see the orthopedic surgeon on Monday ... different one than did the original ACL replacement who messed up my shin bone when attaching the new ACL.

Kelsey, good thing you mentioned nÃ¥lbinding ... I was so excited about getting the sock yarn, finishing up the shawl & starting the KAL socks, that I forgot about the nÃ¥lbinding needles! Whew! Still in the box!

Marchie, so very sorry to hear about your cat. It is so hard to lose a close pet.

Pearl, the sweater is soo nice! I love good neighbors!


----------



## Miz Mary

aw... (( hugs )) Marchwind ...... Kitty is very handsome, sorry for your loss 

Pearl, what a nice sweater you made !! Good neighbors are a blessing these days !! 

Lythrum, stay cozy and enjoy the fiber time !! 

I have 2 pairs of socks going ..... and spinning samples for the Master Spinners Project .....

.....and my Corriedale Fleece is on the way !! The lady sent me samples of all the sheep she shorn, and I got to choose which I wanted ! 

Cold here, freezing fog .... and the Inversion is horrible !! Really its like smog that hovers like a big grey dirty cloud ... make it hard to breath for some people with allergies, copd etc ...


----------



## weever

Darn it, Cyndi, that's not what you wanted to hear. Can you get it done before garden-and-everything-else season?


----------



## Kris in MI

Marchwind said:


> WooHoo Kris!!! Way to go and practice, practice! Have you mastered the ribbing yet?


Sorry I didn't get back to you on this. Yes, sorta. I used up my skein of big chunky yarn, so went digging in my stash of crochet leftovers. Then I practiced some more. Of course, I couldn't be satisfied just doing ribbing, I had to try to switch to a basket weave kinda thing like the instructor was working on while we were practicing ribbing. . .

So, what do you think?


----------



## TNnative

Marchwind, so sorry about your kitty.


----------



## Woodpecker

So sorry about your kitty Marchie.


----------



## Pearl B

Marchwind, 
Im sorry about your kitty. He sure was a pretty. I lost my dog early due to kidney problems as well.
Congrats for your Nephew and his movie!! I bet you are both looking forward to seeing it.
Im glad you got your glasses too. Good glasses can make all the difference in the world.

Sven, 
Yes stay warm as you can. Keep an eye on the pipes too. It sucks when they break!! :hysterical:


Hercsmama,
I will be keeping positive thoughts and well wishes for your place selling soon!!
I know the feeling of having life on hold. Its so wonderful when things finally start coming together! 

MLF,
Good luck with the surgery. I will be keeping be keeping positive thoughts and well wishes for you also. I hope the next surgery goes fast and painless, and I hope your new knee works the way its supposed to this time. 


Miz Mary, I bet you are going to love spinning the Corriedale. I know I do. 
Right now its my favorite fiber to work with. I hope you get your fleece soon.

Kris, in the CF thread I thought maybe you were new to knitting and didnt know about this forum. Sorry for the mix-up. :ashamed:


Woodpecker,
Im glad you got another session under your belt! 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for the compliments on the sweater and neighbors!!
The sweater goes really well with her complexion, and she gets complements just about everywhere she goes. 
She made me promise not to show her face. She's a pretty girl though. She is just leary about having to much info on the net.

Its so wonderful to have neighbors like them.
The other neighbors are great too. Just these ones are a little more experienced with fixing things the right way. ound:
I keep calling them new thought they have been here 2 years already. My how time flies. Most of the other neighbors have been here 20+ years, so to me they are still kinda new. Since Ive got a bad hip, they keep an eye on me too. :kiss:

Life is getting back to normal with the water working again. Ive never really taken water for granted, Ive got a whole new level of appreciation for it. As well as the 60% weather we normally have, that its getting back too. 
I do need to round out a few more of my supplies in case of an emergency though.

Im still getting into my artwork. I just got into drawing as well. Cause I want to 
start a biz with my airbrush, and I dont want to be resorting to stencils all the time.

I came across a book on my kindle, Create Realistic Portraits with Color Pencils by Ron Celano. Im just blown away with what can be accomplished with colored pencils. Thats as close to a pic as I could get.










So I found a artist and writer whose work I like and got a few of his books.
Chris Hart. 
Drawing Animals Made Amazingly Easy, and a few others. Im just having a blast with it. It really is easy to draw the way he sets things up. Ive always wanted to be able to draw animals anyways.

This coming Monday my combs and cards come in. I can hardly wait!! I was going to make the combs, with the deal I found on the Woolery I decided to go ahead and get them. The kit comes with a DVD too. Im new, and I dont want to ruin the fleeces I have, especially the one I got from RedTartan.
Plus I dont want to loose interest due to having tools that dont work for what Im doing.


----------



## canadiangirl

Marchwind- sorry about kitty : ( He was a very lovely looking cat. Those eyes are beautiful. My Border Collie also had kidney failure this summer (cancer tumour) and she passed I still miss her but she lived a good long life.
Very nice sweater Pearl! Those portraits look like pictures, amazing work in coloured pencil. I have a friend who does/sells portraits in plain pencil, I'll show him that book.
I'm supposed to be wrapping soap for market tomorrow but not getting much done very fast tonight lol. Not very motivated I guess : ) My first doe of the year freshened this week, twin boy and girl and all is well. I've never had kids so early in the year before but needed to get to a 12 months a year milk supply, so this helps a lot.


----------



## Pearl B

I wish I could post some of the photos from the book! He is really amazing. 
It was only $3.99.


----------



## MDKatie

Back in November (I think) I posted about my dying MIL. She passed away Wednesday night. It has been pretty rough for my husband and his dad. His little brother is being incredibly strong, but it may hit him later. The kids came back from their mom's house today and we had to tell them the news. It was the toughest moment in parenting yet..it broke my heart to hear my DSS's reaction...just awful. This has been such a difficult experience...I've never lost any relatives, so all of this is new to me. The viewing is Monday and the funeral is Tuesday, so I hope my husband and FIL/BIL/stepkids can find some peace and closure. I hate seeing them hurting. :Bawling:

And I"m terribly sorry about your kitty, Marchwind. It's so hard losing beloved pets.


----------



## PKBoo

Oh MDKatie - so sorry for your loss! It's hard to know what to say to your children in a situation like this. Just being there and crying together helps I'm sure. 

Marchie - sorry for your kittie loss - he's beautiful! I love that full thick white fur!

woodpecker - you've been in my prayers - you're getting closer to the end!

Pearl - beautiful sweater! I've never made a sweater. A coworker friend is due next week, and as soon as we find out the sex, I'm going to start a baby sweater. Figured that's a great way to start.

One of my DD's wasn't able to make it home for Christmas, so we're going to go see her and her new husband. It's a 4 hr trip, and we're going down and back the same day :zzz: At least I'll get a lot of knitting done!

My MIL is going to come with us though - she's going to sleep overnight tomorrow night, then we're leaving early Sunday. She has Alzheimer's (she's still remembering all of us, thankfully), but she had a panic attack while they were at their hunting cabin after Thanksgiving. She's very familiar with it - they've had it for 25 years, and they spent every weekend there for many many years. FIL almost had to take her to the hospital - she didn't recognize him and was hyperventilating so bad she couldn't breathe. 

So I'm a little worried about her sleeping here, and being in an unfamiliar place. I went to KMart and got a baby monitor so I can hear if she gets up in the middle of the night (I'll use it with the goat when it gets closer to their due dates :grin: ) Hopefully it'll go well. My oldest DD is coming home to be here, and she's going with us, so that'll help a lot.


----------



## weever

MDKatie, so sorry for your family's loss. 

PKBoo, I can understand your worry about your MIL. I don't have experience with panic attacks, but the old cartoon sketch about the paper bag for hyperventilating is not a joke. If you can get her to hold something over her mouth so that she's not getting quite so much oxygen, it'll help. Of course, that may be harder to do in real life than it looks like on paper. Hope it all goes well...


----------



## Marchwind

MDKatie how very sad. I've lost one of my parents and it is a very difficult thing to get through. It helps I think if you can reminisce and talk about the person, find the fun and funny things you remember. Hug them tight and allow them a lot of time to grieve.

Pearl I didn't see your sweater when I posted before. The back looks lovely, it is such a warm color.

PKBoo sounds like you have trying times ahead of you. Alzheimer's is such a vial disease, robbing the suffer of their life. I will keep you all in my thoughts for a safe and uneventful trip.


----------



## Woodpecker

I am so sorry for your loss MDKatie. I will keep your family in my prayers during this time.

PKBoo I have been praying for you nightly and will continue to do so.

hercsmama I know what you mean about your life being on hold, mine is too right now. I will pray you can start your life soon.


----------



## frazzlehead

A dose of joy for those of us who need it.

Which, I figure, is all of us.

Watch for the little kids conducting the orchestra from the back of the audience. 

Click here for youtube video!


----------



## Pigeon Lady

MDKate, I'm so sorry to hear about your MIL. Big hugs and prayers for you and your family. Many of us know what you are going through. Will be thinking of you as you go through these difficult event next week.

Prayers for you too Cindy, hope you'll be hopping around like a spring chicken again before too long!

And Woodpecker, you're moving right along with your treatments. I think of you all the time and keep you in my prayers. 

Love the sweater, silk scarf, socks and Dwarvian helmet!!!

I just finished a cowl. ( sorry forgot to take a pic) It was for my neighbor, who, like me, is outside every evening, flashlight in hand in the howling wind and blowing snow feeding critters and locking up her chickens. I love cowls and decided she needed one. She's thrilled to bits with it.

We just got our power back on, again. It seems to have been off more than it's been on lately. Here's a pic of our lonely little farmhouse at the start of the storm that just went through.

Happy New Year to you all!



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Pearl B

MDKatie,
Im sorry about your MIL. ((Hugs)) I also hope your FIL/BIL/Step kids can find peace and closure also.

PKBoo,
Good luck with your MIL. They can be a handful when they have Alzheimer.

Canadiangirl,
I hope it went well at the market. Congrats with the kids too! There is nothing like fresh goats milk, I could give up cows milk completely for it

Frazzle,
That was a cool video, Thank You!

Pigeon Lady,
Cool pic! Neat farm house!!

Im painfully aware how much it would hurt me if my power went out for any length of time, thankfully thats very rare here. Still, I think next year I will have a propane heater just in case, and a backup little propane Coleman type campstove.

Im glad your power is back on!


----------



## PKBoo

We are on our way to visit DD. My MIL slept through the night! (Although I didn't!) I was so worried about her getting up that I woke up every hour. Oh we'll, the most important thing was her so I'll get through the day. 

It is like having a 3-year old child around. I got her settled with her coffee and a magazine and went upstairs to get ready. My DD came in 5 minutes later and she was rooting in the closet for a jacket (hers was on the chair) and she had a toothpick! 


She fusses with her teeth and actually picked one of her crowns off a few weeks ago. We won't let her have any toothpicks and I have no idea how she found them! My poor FIL - it's a daily challenge for him. He really needs to find a day care situation for her and I think he realizes that now. 

Time for some knitting (and a nap!)


----------



## Lythrum

Beautiful picture!


----------



## PKBoo

The toothpick saga continues haha! We stopped to get something to eat and the next thing I know she's picking at her tooth with a toothpick! So I took it from her and discreetly went through her purse and found another one! She stashed some! Hopefully we'll be toothpick-free for the test of the trip


----------



## weever

That was joyful, frazzlehead. Mahvelous!

Marchwind, are you getting a little winter yet?


----------



## Falls-Acre

Awesome photo PL, your place and ours look very much alike! I'm glad your power is back up, is your snow melting yet? This crazy weather is going to keep us on the run! A lot of our snow is gone (for now), but looks like another mess is coming our way. Stay warm!


----------



## Marchwind

Weever if we get some of that possible 10" of snow tonight, I will be dancing in the street with my snowshoes on. Somehow, I think we my be a bit too far from the lake (Michigan) to get much from lake effects snow. But I remain hopeful! Today was glorious, minus the wind (it was a wild night). I have missed the cold


----------



## mamajohnson

Hugs to all of you going through hard and/or difficult times. Your all in my prayers. 
PKBOO - my MIL recently passed, she had alzheimers really bad before she was gone. My poor SIL had to eventually end up putting a lock on the doors, way high, so she couldn't escape. There were two really scary times she got out and went way down the road and got lost. Someone to come in and help is an excellent idea, even for an hour or two just so her caretakers can rest.
And watch out for those toothpicks! Mercy! 

Frazzle - I LOVED that video! Thank you!

Love the pic pigeonlady, sure is pretty!

I discovered the other day that I need to do some serious spinning and fleece washing. I have 5 bags in the sewing cabin, and 3 baskets full of various asundry washed/carded/not carded wool. 
Along with a SERIOUS yarn stash. And, can you imagine all that and I could only find 2, count em - 2, skeins of sock yarn?
lol!

All seems to be going ok on my homestead, we are about to start (as of tomorrow) readying to plant in the animal pens and secure fences to section off for rotation. Still tons of trees down that we need to clean up and burn. I may take some of the cedar and chop it up small - knit little bags - and use it to keep the moths away. Might as well make use of all that wood while I can.

Marchy - hope you get lots of snow!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

frazzlehead said:


> A dose of joy for those of us who need it.
> 
> Which, I figure, is all of us.
> 
> Watch for the little kids conducting the orchestra from the back of the audience.


The expression of the lady at 2:35 says it all!


----------



## hercsmama

Mdkatie, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Pigionlady, beautiful picture, it almost looks like a Thomas Kincaid all that's missing is a light in the window. 
Well now. What a weekend. We have had six showings in three days and another today. That's along with one almost every day last week. I'm so sick and tired of this.
We had a contract that went south a few weeks ago, and I was so ready for this to be over then. One of the couples that saw it this weekend have been back three times now. Seriously, I wish they would just "poop" or get off the pot!:hair
Obviously they must see something that appeals to them. Oh well, and so we wait. 
Cross y'alls fingers and toes, maybe the showing at 4 today will do it.:rock:


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Debi, so hope the 3 timer makes an offer soon!

Just got back from the orthopedic surgeon

Will be needing arthroscopy surgery. The ACL may or may not have a tear. The knee is stable (meaning no tear) but painful which could mean the ACL is getting pinched. The MRI did get a good view of the ACL. 

The meniscus that wasn't repaired 12 years ago has a tear that needs to be removed and the cartilage above the meniscus that was repaired needs to be smoothed.

The surgeon will also be removing one of the screws left from previous ACL replacement. They should have dissolved but have not. Doc doesn't know if he has the correct screwdriver for this screw. He has to check the OR and the neighboring hospital where I had the ACL replaced.

OH! And the doc says I can get a spinal block so I can be awake and see the whole thing and get a blow-by-blow commentary. 

Recovering won't be as bad as the ACL replacement and doc says the spinning wheel is perfect physical therapy! 

In the 'bad news' department, doc also says that I will probably need knee replacement at some point, but I'm not there yet.


----------



## Pearl B

Hercsmama,I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you!!


----------



## Pearl B

MLF,

I hope they just get your knee fixed right this time and soon!!


----------



## Woodpecker

Still praying for all that need prayers. 

hercsmama I just said a special one for you.


----------



## hercsmama

Y'all are just.so.sweet.
These people were here for 2 hours!! I had to call my agent at 6 to have her call the other agent. My Pyrs stress like crazy when they aren't in their rightful area, and 2 hours is a crazy amount of time for a showing. Hopefully it means something wonderful though. :dance:


----------



## PKBoo

We had a wonderful time visiting my DD & her DH with my MIL yesterday! It went really well, and we all had a great time!

But we came home to a sick goat, and I'm really worried we're going to lose her :Bawling: I hope she makes it through the night...:Bawling:


----------



## mamajohnson

PKBoo said:


> We had a wonderful time visiting my DD & her DH with my MIL yesterday! It went really well, and we all had a great time!
> 
> But we came home to a sick goat, and I'm really worried we're going to lose her :Bawling: I hope she makes it through the night...:Bawling:


What happened? Bloat? Scours? my my,,, hope all is better by now.


----------



## hercsmama

PKboo, any news??? Is she alright?


----------



## Woodpecker

PKBoo said:


> We had a wonderful time visiting my DD & her DH with my MIL yesterday! It went really well, and we all had a great time!
> 
> But we came home to a sick goat, and I'm really worried we're going to lose her :Bawling: I hope she makes it through the night...:Bawling:


I hope and pray she is ok.


----------



## frazzlehead

PKBoo, hope your goat is okay! We've lost a couple of sheep lately, so hard to know what's going on with them sometimes.

MLF, a spinning friend of mine just recently got a new knee and she is so happy with it! Hope your surgery goes well and they find the right screwdriver! That just sounds so funny, doesn't it? 

WIHH - I looked that up, that's -33 Celsius, yeah, that's cold. We get that a few times over the course of the winter, it's chilly all right. Too cold to snow though, so you get nice clear bright skies! 

I am aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalll alone for a whole week. My DH has gone to work (he works out of town 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off), my son is visiting his grandparents (my parents) across the country, and my stepchildren live with their mom and stepdad when DH is at work, so it's just me and my critters! I'm being extra cautious: taking my phone out with me when I do chores, avoiding anything risky - nobody'd notice I was in trouble if anything happened to me, so risk management goes to the top of the list when you are home alone in the country! I've read of farmers who got in trouble out in the field and nobody knew to expect them home so they were stuck, injured, for hours and hours ... one poor guy slipped getting out of his tractor and snagged his coveralls on something, he ended up hanging upside down by his coveralls overnight until someone realized he hadn't shown up and went to look for him. He was okay, but he had to go to the hospital for a bit. Stories like that make you pay attention! All my jobs are routine and mostly indoors, so it's all good here. 

Speaking of which, the washer just dinged so time to go hang up some clothes!

Stay warm and safe everyone!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Keep that phone close Frazzle!

PKBoo, news on your goatie? Hope she is okay

Debi, 2 hours!! WOW! Hope that means they are going to put in an offer soon.

WIHH, We got that low WITH wind chill the last couple days, but air temp hasn't broke 0 yet. Good thing you have a supply of wool accessories!

Surgery has been scheduled for a week from this Friday (Feb 1)


----------



## MDKatie

MIL's funeral was today. It went well (as well as a funeral can go), and I think it provided some good closure for family members. It's still going to be rough going, but I think it'll get easier day by day. 

I got to see my husband's aunt today at the funeral, and she's a knitter too, so we're always oohing and aahing over each other's knitted accessories. She had the prettiest, softest scarf yesterday, and she gave me a skein of the yarn today (alpaca, I need to find out which kind) and lent me the pattern! It's the Cashmere Scarf. I should have enough yarn left for a pair of wristlets or something small. 

Frazzle, enjoy the quiet time but stay safe! Check in with us from time to time. 

PK, how's your goat? 

WIHH, now THAT is cold! It's cold here to us, at temps around 20*F. Wind chill only got to 10*F today, and that's super cold because lately it's been in the 40-50's! We're supposed to get snow Friday, which is nice because we haven't had much of a winter so far. I remember when I was in college, I went to Maine with some friends, and it was 25 below zero. I remember telling my mom it wasn't that bad, and "it only hurts when you breathe". :hysterical:

Since it was so much colder today, I had to go winterize the animals....re-bed the sheep and goats with fresh straw, put fresh shavings in the chicken coop, and fresh hay in with the bunnies (so they can sleep in it and eat it). I need to get some new plywood and enclose the rest of the sheep shelter, since I recently removed the half-rotten sides and it has been open since. I did put up one side today to block the windiest part, but I hope to get the rest done before it snows on Friday. Can't have my preggo girls getting cold!


----------



## Falls-Acre

I finally finished the KAL shawl! I'm only, what? Three or so months late getting it done?  It turned out very pretty. I used a mohair blend and it's really warm, already draped over my shoulders (it's cold here!). I still need to tuck in the ends and block it.  The lace part of the pattern knits fairly quickly, so once I got past the body of the shawl, it moved along better.

Now I won't feel guilty really digging into the other KAL. One WIP down!! :dance:


----------



## weever

I blogged today. We sell on etsy, and we hardly ever do "custom" work. But this time was different: http://shadysidefarm.blogspot.com/2013/01/she-had-good-story.html


----------



## PKBoo

I'm so sorry I haven't checked in with news of my goatie - I think she's going to make it! 

I spent two days in the barn pretty much, and I'm way behind in my schoolwork, so I've been working this evening on grading (of course it's the end of the semester on top of all this!)

Our three goatie girls broke into the barn on Friday and got into a bag of sunflower seeds. They were fine Saturday, and we were gone all day Sunday visiting DD. So I definitely didn't catch the 'upset stomach' thing early enough, and her rumen just shut down. We really thought we were going to lose her - no eating/drinking; glazed eyes; head down. It was terrible 

I learned a LOT from this - #1 SECURE ALL FEED!!!! We have grain and all other feed in bins, but I had just got this bag, and didn't have an extra bin. It was rolled up, and a bucket over top, but goaties are break-out/break-in experts, and that's what they did. 

DH also learned some lessons - always make sure the LATCH IS LOCKED on the barn door. AND, when he notices that something is a little 'off' with an animal, TELL ME RIGHT AWAY (instead of hours into our trip!)

So, it was quite the experience, but I know everyone that has animals goes through this. We've lost a few to different things, but these goats are special. They have wormed their way into our hearts more than any other critter on the farm!

So off to bed - I think I can sleep tonight without checking on her every hour! Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Will catch up with everyone's posts later (looks like there were alot)


----------



## frazzlehead

Oh yay for the goatie recovering! I have kefir here (live culture, which I got from someone here on HT, actually!) and it works to restart a rumen. I give all our sick sheepies some - I figure it can't hurt!

Today I was weaving again ... I made two tea towels! They have plenty of mistakes, but I did get an actual useable hunk of fabric out of my learning experiments today so I am happy. 

Full tale and pictures here, if you are curious.


----------



## hercsmama

Frazzle that looks awesome!! I can't wait to see how the coats turn out.
PKBoo, I'm so glad she's alright! 
Weever, love it!
Fallsacre, good job!! Any pics??
MDkatie, big hugs sweetie. It's so hard losing loved ones.

Well, another showing today at 10. The 2 hour people said we are in their top two, whatever.
The people that have been back three times are, according to the agent going over their numbers, and she's expecting them to make an offer. We'll see.:hrm:


----------



## canadiangirl

WIHH- that is ouchie cold! Where I live now we don't get anything that cold but I used to live out west and that really put a brake on outdoor time. People around here complain about the cold and they really have it lucky compared to most spots in Canada.
Hercsmama- good luck with all the showings- I'd be having a hard time keeping the place "show clean" for that many people constantly. Hope something happens soon.
PKBoo- super news on your goat. I can't wait to see that coat, Frazzlehead!


----------



## RedTartan

I found some knitting needles! I'm getting together next month with pyrobear. Turns out she lives ridiculously close to me. We're meeting at a restaurant so she can show me in person how to knit. I'm going to start working with youtube videos a little bit first because I want to be able to do something before I meet with her.

I'm also finishing up a pair of orange wool wristers to put in my etsy shop.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Katie, Praying all will 'settle down' for a while. It was a confusing time for me when Daddy died. I was sad and happy all at the same time. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Weever, I love the story about the 10 yo in CA! 

PKBoo, so glad to hear your goatie will be okay. Animals are escape artists! Our old Jersey milk cow would use one of her horns to move the latch and escape. One of our Belgian horses would not only escape from the paddock, he would lift the lid to the chest freezer where we stored our grain...

Debi ... maybe you'll have a bidding war between the 2-hour showing folks and the 3-timer folks!!!

As a kid, I remember it being so cold that your nose hairs would freeze!

Off to read Frazzle's blog and view her tea towels!


Oh, and Falls-Acre:


----------



## gone-a-milkin

I had thought I was done with that danged rental house. 

Turns out that there was episode (or 3) with installing the new counter top so today I got to go back and fill gouges in the drywall. 
Tomorrow I get to :

repaint those areas
paint the molding in the bathroom :yuck:
and (my favorite) take all the storm windows down and wash them inside and out.
I wanted to do that before but it was more important to do the kitchen, obviously. :bored:

Woo hoo! Job security. :dance: <sarc>


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

I sooo want to sell my old house that I've rented out the past 10.5 years. The market is still so soft here, but my renters have paid down the mortgage that I may still be able to make a small profit on it. Perhaps this spring/summer I'll list it and take the difference from the sale price vs mortgage balance and get this farm paid down. We only have < 9.5 years left on the mortgage of this place, but it sure would be nice to have it paid off. As it is, with me being on disability, we don't have to pay taxes, so all the benefits of owning a rental are for naught, especially since we don't make a dime on the rental.

Feeling for you, GAM. You were painting back in Sept when I was in your area and could have visited. DangBit!


----------



## gone-a-milkin

Back in September that was a different house. 
These folks are now up to 4 rentals in 3 different towns.
It might get exciting when more than 2 of them go vacant at the same time. LOL

According to their math, each one of these places will be paid off completely by the renters in less than 8 years. 
Even factoring in vacancy, updates and repairs.
Plus, these houses will all pass HUD inspection and have 3 bedrooms.
There is a great need for this type of housing in our area and lots of older houses going for under 30k. 
(not that *I* want to live in a tiny town w/ barking-dogs and neighbors on all sides  )

If I had discretionary income to invest, this is a model I would really look at to build equity. 
But I dont. I just have skills. LOL


The market is super soft, alright.


----------



## PKBoo

We lost our goatie-girl :Bawling: It happened very fast - she seemed fined when I fed the others. She was drinking and following me around, but not eating. When DH got home an hour later, she was gone. 

I'm really sad. I just want to go to bed, but I have to wait till midnight to finish grading all of the last minute tests that my students are sending in. ugh


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Oh, PK .. I'm so sorry ... I don't know what else to say ...

GAM, I bought my house 20 years ago for 87.5K, put over 10K into it (not that that means much in resale!) and would gladly sell it for what I bought it for and put all the proceeds towards the homestead mortgage and then refinance the homestead at a 5 year mortgage (which would bring down the monthly payment) then make the same payment as I do now and have this place paid off in 3 years of less.


----------



## frazzlehead

Oh, PKBoo, I'm so sorry. The last two sick sheepies I've had did the same kind of thing ... looked fine, perked right up for a good while (one of them for a couple of weeks) and then boom, not eating, not drinking, and gone by morning. No idea what happened.

It's so very sad when we lose them. At least you gave her comfort and kept her warm and took good care of her. It's all we can do, I think.

No more weaving today - I was doing errands and ended up picking up our beef from the butcher (and had the BEST STEAK EVER for dinner), then I had to update the website to make ordering easier for our customers. More weaving tomorrow!

Take care all, stay warm!


----------



## mamajohnson

Oh PKBOO.... so sorry. It's hard to loose one of our girls. 

<<<hugs>>>


----------



## Marchwind

PKBoo, nooooooo . I had that happen with one of mine too, it is so sad. Hopeing your heart heals fast. Go and kiss the other goaties.


----------



## hercsmama

PkBoo, I'm so very sorry!!! :grouphug:


----------



## canadiangirl

Ahh PkBoo I'm so sorry.


----------



## MDKatie

So sorry PKBoo! ((((HUGS)))))


----------



## Woodpecker

Hugs PkBoo I am so sorry.


----------



## BlueberryChick

Oh PkBoo! I'm so sorry.


----------



## hercsmama

Woohooooooo!!!!:bouncy:
We have received today not one, not two, but three offers on the house!!!
Actually, one is in, the other two are coming in by 4 according to the two agents.
How crazy is that???:bouncy:​


----------



## Pearl B

Congrats!!! Thats fantastic.


----------



## weever

Sorry about your goat-friend, PKBoo. It's hard to lose any animal, but harder when they're your buddy. 

Woot, hercsmama! Three offers--that means you can CHOOSE! Wonderful. 

Marchie, have you been out playing in the snow?


----------



## Marchwind

Hercsmama what fantastic news! I hope they are good offers and you make your choice easily.

Weever I have been. However, I'm hearing predictions of 50 degrees and rain for Tuesday, yikes!

Well last week my mom fell in the grocery store parking lot and broke all 4 fingers on her left hand at the knuckle, the base of the fingers. She apparently got up and finished her shopping, drove herself home then realized she should maybe get herself to the doctors because her fingers were all higgilty piggilty and drove herself to the ER. My mother is 86 yrs old and lives on her own, still works two jobs, volunteers, and is basically not able to sit still for more than a second. Well the hospital admitted her for the night, I guess she also hit her head and hurt her ankle. None of us found out about any of this until after she got home the next day and the neighbor told my sister. My sister called me and told me. Well my mom had a doctors appointment today and she has to have surgery on Monday. She has been staying with my sister and is not happy about it. She seems to think she will be just fine to be on her own in her house one handed. My sister says all she does is talk about losing her independence and doesn't get it when my sister explains to her that she would be unable to live one handed. I remember when I had my arm/hand in a cast for 6-8 weeks, it was close to impossible to do anything. So send your thoughts, prayers, good juju, anything you have towards my mom and my sister. I think they need all the help they can get to seem them through all of this.


----------



## Miz Mary

SO sorry to you PKBoo .... Hugs to you .... I lost my favorite chicken yesterday to a varmit ...... it really sucks !

Marchwind, Im praying for your situation ...I take care of my 73 year old FIL and I know how hard it can be at times ! 

Hercsmama, do you just take the highest bid in that situation ??


----------



## hercsmama

Well for pities sake. I had a whole post written out and hit the wrong button and away it went.
Let's try this again, shall we?
Marchwind, I'm sending many good thoughts for your Moms speedy recovery and your sister's sanity! Lol!
Miz Mary kind of. It basically comes down to the most solid offer. 
We received the three, one is all cash, full price no contingencies or extraneous nonsense. The other two are for over asking price, but both want cash back for their closing costs and a few other goodies thrown in. Not to mention, they are both contingent on financing coming through.
The first offer was accompanied by a letter from the bank, verifying funds in the account as well.
We are taking offer number one. It is slightly less money, but it is also the most solid financially. Closing will be Feb. 28th!!! I'm getting all sorts of happy now!


----------



## MDKatie

hercsmama, that's is so great!!! Good luck to you with closing and moving!!

Marchwind, I'm so sorry about your Ma! She sounds like a tough cookie, so I'm hoping she'll heal in a jiffy and all will be well!!!



I finished my Side Slip Cloche about two weeks ago, and just got around to taking a picture. I love it! Yikes! So sorry for the HUGE picture!!


----------



## hercsmama

:goodjob:
That is an adorable little hat!!! Love it!!!


----------



## weever

hercsmama, I would have taken the cash offer, too. There are too many variables in the others...

Marchwind, I am sorry about your mother's fall. I am also sorry for your sister, who very likely is taking the brunt of a feisty independent woman's frustration. Yikes. Please run interference for your sis (I know you know this)--and call often.


----------



## IowaLez

I like your hat, too, MDKatie. The color is lovely.

Congrats on the sale, hercsmama! If you get "cash" be sure to throw it on the bed and roll in it, before you take it to the bank! Really. I've had the joy of rolling in a *huge* wad of cash once, and look back at it with great fondness. Do it if you can!

Marchwind, I sure hope things work out okay for your Mom. That independence thing with older folks is a real hot button for so many. She must be a tough cookie tho, to go finish her shopping first! I hope your sister doesn't get exhausted coping with her.

And PKBoo, I'm sorry you lost your "buddy". It's sad when things like that happen.

It has been miserably frigid here lately. I have around 50-60 birds coming to my feeders when we have snow on the ground, 3 of them cardinals, which I love to watch. I had gotten up to 30 gold finches eating at once, before my boy cat caught one and sent them all fleeing for a few days. Boy, am I going thru the bird food. Last Winter my neighbor went through 500 pounds of oil sunflower seeds, feeding his birds!

Seed sales are humming along these days, so it's a chance to earn some good pin money. I am planning my 2013 garden, hoping we get precipitation more like normal this year. At least, some. Please.

***Secret, don't spill the beans anywhere else here on HT*** : I am working on a crocheted Irish Bawdeen wool cowl for our very own HTer our beloved Paquebot, Martin, in payment for a record-setting seed packet request I made of him this year (23 tomato pkts). It is half done. He and his missus will have to fight over who wears it, until next year when I make another large seed request.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

hercsmama said:


> We have received today not one, not two, but three offers on the house!!!


Let the bidding wars commenced! :bouncy:

eta:

Oops, just saw you're going to take the cash offer. Good on your head. No bs, just a straight sale. Better get to packing!

Marchie, I am so, so sorry to hear of your Mom's condition and your sister's predicament. Both of them will be in my prayers.

Lez, (and sometimes Paul) built & put up a bird feeder and suet feeder outside our picture window. We get a lot of sparrows, but also Juncos & what I think are finches (they're reddish though). We also have a male/female pair of downy woodpeckers!


----------



## Marchwind

Hercsmama congratulations! That is such wonderful news. I agree that you made the right decision. Now come the hard work of packing everything up and moving. Do you have a place to move to yet?

My sister and I talk daily. Her sanity is definitely wing tested. She and my mom do not have the best relationship to begin with. But my sister married someone with a lo of money so she is perfectly set up for having my mom stay with her. She has help all over the place and her house is big enough she can find peace and quiet without much effort. I think the biggest thing is tht my mom gets bored so quickly and when she gets bored she becomes a real PITA. Thankfully she is an avid reader if she has lots of books to read, I'm sure my sister has a stack of books for her. After the surgery we will have a better idea of what the future holds and how long my mom's recovery will take.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

PK, I'm sorry about your goat. I have been through far too many goat losses before, and feel your pain. 

Marchwind, I hope your mom does okay and heals up quick! A few years ago, my 80-yo grandma broke her wrist, and she stayed home, with just my aunt looking in every day. She is also the type to never sit still. Of course, your mom staying with your sister sounds like a better plan overall. I'll be praying everything works out.

Hercsmama, I'm so happy to hear you sold your place! Nebraska is truly a wonderful state! 

Last night my DH and I went to a nursing home with the Norwegian Folk Dance Group to put on a performance. Turns out, it's a mostly Norwegian nursing home. There was a huge crowd, and they greatly enjoyed it! (And I only tripped once, lol!)


----------



## weever

Funny story for SvenskaFlicka. I was chatting with another vendor at the farmer/food coop on Wednesday. I've bumped into her at other farmers markets; they are fisherpeople, and sell whitefish and other freshwater fish from the big lake. She was telling me about her hubby keeping the thermostat way down when they were first married (they are still young, but have 2 little ones now). You have to understand that I live among Dutch-Americans who are known to be thrifty and frugal. But the thought came to me that this was more than Dutch frugality. And I thought to myself--I bet that man is from Norse stock. Thrifty AND hardy--and the fishing clinched it for me. So I asked, and I was right. She's of Swedish heritage and he is of Norwegian heritage. Just about laughed out loud that I guessed right.


----------



## mamajohnson

Marchwind, so sorry about your mom! I SO understand what she's going through. About 5 years ago I had a close call with my left hand and a saw. Luckily it was just sorta....filet like cut, and no bones got cut. So they put me back together, tendons, nerves, skin and all. ANYWAY.... I was so helpless. It was so aggravating. I now have almost full use of my hand, and most feeling. If my family had not been there to dress, cook, feed me, I might have had a really rough time.
Encourage your mom, she can be independent again, she will just have to relearn things. 

hecsmama - yay on the sale! Great decision. I know you feel free again!

LOVE the hat MDkatie! I have been thinking about wearing hats and knitting some.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Weever, that's a funny story. My dear husband does actually like to have the thermostat warm, but he does like the cold! He's trying to convince me to go on a polar bear plunge with him-- BRRR!!!

Oh, those Norwegians.  We Swedes who are married to them love them.


----------



## frazzlehead

Hey all, lots going on!

Yay for the house sale, Hercsmama! And wow, that cloche is gorgeous, MDKatie! Marchwind, I hope your mom can be gracious about her need for help ... it's not an easy thing, but when you've got one hand immobilized even using the potty is a HUGE CHALLENGE! I had hand surgery in high school and had to have someone come with me to the bathroom to do up my jeans, talk about embarassing. I eventually figured out that skirts are way simpler - you can even go commando underneath if necessary! 

I've had a bumpy couple of days, had a night with almost no sleep followed by trauma nightmares the other day, but last night was nice and restful (still lots of 'dream work' going on but not the kind where you wake up exhausted). Whew! Guess it means healing is happening ... like how a wound itches when it's on the mend. 

And in happy news (you know, I could've sworn I posted about this the other day but I don't see the post here so maybe I forgot to hit 'submit' or something) ... Flannelberry Creek has some store credit vouchers to give away, we're doing a Facebook promotion ... so if you might like $20 to spend on yarn and fibre, well, join in! 

I hear my beef stock boiling - we got our beef back from the butcher (and it is DELICIOUS), better go deal with it before it bubbles over!


----------



## hercsmama

SvenskaFlicka said:


> Weever, that's a funny story. My dear husband does actually like to have the thermostat warm, but he does like the cold! He's trying to convince me to go on a polar bear plunge with him-- BRRR!!!
> 
> Oh, those Norwegians.  We Swedes who are married to them love them.


That's funny as my Granddaddy was Norwegian and Grammy was Swedish!! On my Mom's side.
Granddaddys father came over in the late 1800's with his two brothers. They ran a saloon in St Charles (?) I think was the town...it was St something anyway. Grammys parents came over around the same time but they settled in Southern Minn. Somewhere around Mankato...mom grew up in Robbinsdale. Of course it's alot different now as opposed to when she was a little girl..


----------



## Pearl B

Its been a few days since I posted last! 

Falls-Acre,
Congrats on the shawl!

Weever, 
Thats sweet to help the girl out!

RedTartan,
Congrats on finding the knitting needles and someone to knit with! 
I learned on youtube vids too. 

Gam,
Good luck with the house repairs. I hope they go fast.

PKBOO,
Im sorry about your goat. From what Ive read on the goat forum, it sounds like goats can be 'delicate' and go quick.

Marchwind,
I hope your mom is okay. I think the older they get the more headstrong they get. Good luck with her. For 86, she really is pretty active. I know how your sister feels. I took care of my dad, I know all about the independence thing. If they perceive they are losing any of it they go bonkers. Will be sending positive energy to you, your sister, and your mom.

Miz Mary,
Im sorry about your chicken. I used to have chickens and I know how easy it is to get attached.

Hercsmama,
Thats fantastic about the house!! Woohoo!! Congrats. Now you can kick your plans into gear! Do you have a new place lined up?

MDKatie,
Thats an adorable cloche! I love the softness of the color too.

IowaLez,
Bbrr, I hope it doesnt get to much colder where your at!
thats sweet of you to take care of the birdy's! My neighbor does that too and its so funny to watch the flock come running. They are trying to train her into breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Sven,
Thats so sweet to entertain the old folks!! I bet they appreciate it so much!

Frazzle,
I get wicked nightmares too. Had one last night. I hope yours (and mine!) go away. I keep meaning to check into lucid dreaming. Where you can come awake in a dream and hopefully control/interact with it.
A good beef stock sounds delicious!



Our weather is being weird. My pipes broke and froze last week, this week we have been in the 70's. That is a strange weather pattern. Ive never seen that in the 10 + years Ive been here. Last year was just weird too though.

I dont mind it warming up, I really dont enjoy it when it suddenly jumps to the 70's and stays there. I know its going to be followed by another cold front. Usually Jan-Feb are the coldest months here.

I ordered a kit for combs, and a kit for cards from the Woolery and they came in a few days ago. I thought you combed & then carded. When I got the kit and watched the video on combing I realized that wasn't true. At least I have all my basis covered :hysterical:

The card kit came with a 2b's of fleece, 2 cards, a book, and a dvd. I started watching the dvd and it was bad. The tracking was all messed up in places, then is stopped playing altogether. I let them know and they are sending a replacement dvd.

The kit of combs came with 1lb of wool,dvd, and 2 2row combs.Man those combs are sharp ound:

Im not sure what I like most, combining or carding. I guess depending on what your using they both have their purposes.

I think its going to be easier to achieve lofty yarn with combing. I learned that (both actually)creates static electricity. Do any of you spray anything on your fiber for combing? The one vid I have suggests that and a recipe.

Carding sure is a good workout for the arms though!

I havent really had time to do much with it yet. I did play around with it a little the day I got it. Its so cool, other than growing it, Ive made my own yarn from start to finish, that is definitely a good feeling :drum:


----------



## mamajohnson

PearlB - my DH says when he has a dream he 'doesn't like' he just 'changes' it. I have no clue how. He has never been able to explain it to me. I think its just....weird. Even when I am having a bad dream and know it I can't seem to do much about it. Maybe I am the weird one???

I think I am starting to want some combs....hmmm...


AND !!! News flash!!! Got a call today, a staffing agency has a great job possiblity for me. It is only 6 miles from my house, and the pay is really pretty good. I have to take 2 test online this weekend, and then they will submit my resume and expect to schedule me for an interview Monday. Since I type @ 70wpm and know most programs proficiently, I am hoping I have an edge for this job. If all goes well it could be my last one....as in the job I keep until I retire. 

So, cross your fingers, say some prayers, send good vibes.... I need all the help I can get! I'm sorta on the 'older' side so I may get passed over for someone younger and prettier.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Prayers being sent for your job MamaJ!!

I'm going to be applying for the 2013 SOAR full scholarship. When applying, I'm going to need 3 letters of recommendation



> Three letters of recommendation:
> 
> These should be from persons familiar with your abilities and interests, such as guild members, mentors, and fellow spinning enthusiasts. (We advise against asking family members to write your letters of recommendation.)
> 
> Recommendation *letters are to address experience with you as a spinner and why you would be a qualified recipient*.
> 
> These letters may be sent separately via email (to [email protected]) by your recommenders or included with your application. If they are being sent by someone else, have them include your name (first and last) in the subject of their email. All letters of recommendation must also arrive by March 6, 2013.


Anyone willing to help this gal?


----------



## mamajohnson

Cyndi, I am willing! But there may be some here that are more eloquent and know more than me. Let me know if and what you need me to say!

Thnx for the prayers! So far, every job I apply for is almost already maxed out on apps. Its pretty stiff in the job market here.


----------



## IowaLez

Cyndi,

I would be more than happy to write you a letter of recommendation. I can't think of a better person than you, to receive that scholarship! I have been spinning since 1988, and have plenty of experience with many aspects of it, including competition. 

I can spell good, and Honey can write such letters well, since he used to be a General Manager of a big business. He's written hundreds of these types of letters.

So if you want anything, just let me know. 

I sure hope you "win the lottery" and are chosen!


----------



## Pearl B

WIHH,

You are a treasure!! Thank you!



> I usually wash my fiber, then hand pick the locks or hand pick it


Im getting to where thats the way Im going to do it too. 

Ive only tried to wash twice and Ive learned that more than a few drops of soap is a bad thing.Ive also learned there are bugs in wool. Who knew?! yes the little critters came to life right before my amazed and enraged eyes.

So I think that a couple of soaks in 140% water and a few drops of soap are a must.Then open locks, then a couple of days in cold water as Frazzle suggested.
Then the real soap wash. 

I think thats the way Im going to approach it from now on.

I can use my washer to spin, thats about it. I like your idea about using conditioner. I am in a dry staticky area, so I will have to play around and see what works best. It did surprise me how much static electricity I got from both carding and combing.

Im just curious, is there any problem trying to comb or card slightly damp wool?

Cyndi,

I hope you win the lotto too. I will write a letter if you wish. I should warn you though that what I know is so little that anything I write would probably be more of an embarassment than anything else. Let me know, and 
Good Luck!!


----------



## Marchwind

Uhhhh. PearB what kind of bugs? Hope they aren't moth larve. I have gotten flies and some funny tiny beetle in mine but neither does any damage to the wool. It's almost like they climb in there to die.


----------



## Pearl B

I dont know?! 
One was black, the other kind of looked like those bugs you find in flour and food stuff that have been sitting to long


----------



## Pearl B

The black one had wings. Im surprised how big it got. I dont have bugs now. Or before I started. They showed up when I let it soak. Or i should say I noticed them after it had been soaking awhile.

The ones I found last night, I think the boiling water killed them. They where the ones that looked like flour bugs. I wonder if it was the same bug just a different stage of growth.
Im not a bug person. I dont know much about the different kinds.

It was wool I got from the Woolery. It is in sealed plastic bags. I made sure they were sealed good, and I taped up the box. I dont know if that will help any though.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Ladies ... Anyone that can write a reference email for me is sooo welcomed. The big thing (that I can see) is that folks that write emails for me *to address experience with you as a spinner and why you would be a qualified recipient.*

I answer questions on a couple of other fiber related forums, but they are mostly about knitting and crocheting that have sub-forums on spinning ... not so many questions and even less folks that answer! You folks know my passion of the Fiber Arts and my quest to indoctrinate the unknowing!! LOL

I still have to write a two page personal essay (*only two pages!!*) that cover my level of involvement of spinning and related crafts, how I intend to use what I learn at SOAR and how will I share the craft....

Whelp ... I wasn't dubbed he NW IL Fiber Enabler for nuttin'!!! lol!

I'm only required to have 3 letters/emails, but the more the merrier!! In the application, I do need to know at least 3 people/email addresses that will be sending a recommendation.

WIHH, I will definitely take you up on perusing and critiquing my application essay. Keeping it to two pages is going to be tough!! I want to touch on being totally self taught. Spinning since 2002, knitting, crocheting, weaving with my handspun. Wet felting, needle felting, dyeing (raw, washed, prepped, spun). Carding (hand & drum), combing. Experimenting with natural dyes and bast fibers. Weaving. Reconstructing both looms and wheels. Teaching folks in the community aspects of the Fiber Arts that I have experienced .... all self taught ... and wanting feedback/professional lessons.

I find myself at almost a dead end right now in my fiber arts ... what am I doing 'right', where do I need to expand??

I'll need your help in controlling and condensing my essay!

And folks just thinking about this ... even if you make mention that my posts on this forum has helped you go further in this craft ... that would be a big help to write in an email to the SOAR selection committee.

There is an actual body of people that review the applications and letters of recommendations ... it isn't that they pick a name from the hat as in a real lottery.

I won't be able to go if I don't get this scholarship.... and the last day of the event is my birthday!! 

eta: 

Anyone seriously wanting to help, please PM me!! I need to let the selection committee know of at least 3 people that will be sending in emails


----------



## hercsmama

Cyndi, fingers crossed you get it!!
I'd love to write a letter for you, but I stinck at putting sentences together. Lol.
I'll pm you anyway, as I think you deserve to win!:goodjob:


----------



## Pearl B

Thanks WIHH!

Thats a good idea!


----------



## Pearl B

Thats done! I had to make some room for it. Im going to leave it there till I use it. 

Is it fairly common to find bugs in wool? 
Im wondering if I should let the Woolery know?


----------



## Pearl B

Thank you! I will let them know. Its good to know they aren't common. I do have a couple of nice wool coats passed down from my mom.I would be ticked if they got into those.


----------



## frazzlehead

This is a wool moth: 









They are very fluttery, and seem like they must be made of tissue paper or something. The larval form is your usual disgusting looking maggoty thing. If you had those, that's definitely a big problem. I'm sure they've been adequately dealt with by the hot water wash and all, but if you want to be very safe, freeze it, thaw it (in a plastic bag) for at least three days, then wash it once more. That oughta do it.

If it was some other kind of bug, it's not likely a fibre eating bug, just some kind of hitch hiker. There are sometimes leftover shells of keds (sheep lice) that look like dead ladybugs, kinda - those are the larvae of the keds, but they die after four days off the sheep and are sheep-specific parasites (though really gross, I always have to shower after shearing and dealing with them) but sometimes the leftovers show up in raw fleeces.


----------



## mamajohnson

Frazzle, how big are those? I have been seeing a lot of moths around here for the last couple of months. Makes me nervous. I am not sure what kind the are, and they are really small for the most part. Actually, I keep thinking they are the kind you get in food...what are they called? meal moths?
Anyway, found a container of cornmeal...a big one.... with lots of webby looking stuff in it (it was way back on a shelf up high) and I just poured that out, cause I figured at one time it had bugs. I am hoping that is where my moths came from. Its been worrying me. I have a serious bunch of wool around here.


----------



## frazzlehead

They are fairly small. Do a quick search on "carpet moth" and you'll find good info. 

I got some sticky traps for this kind of moth and have them by my fibre, and in the bedroom...and pantry moth traps in the pantry. If anybody shows up in the trap I know I have a problem ... We had bugs in the rice and some kitchen drawers but they seemed to just be crawly bugs not moths. I freaked out anyway. 

We do use vapona strips in the house as well in cluster fly season ... That stuff kills fibre bugs too so I figure it's multipurpose. Probably not good for you, but the flies can make be absolutely crazy when they get really bad.


----------



## Pearl B

frazzlehead said:


> This is a wool moth:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They are very fluttery, and seem like they must be made of tissue paper or something. The larval form is your usual disgusting looking maggoty thing. If you had those, that's definitely a big problem. I'm sure they've been adequately dealt with by the hot water wash and all, but if you want to be very safe, freeze it, thaw it (in a plastic bag) for at least three days, then wash it once more. That oughta do it.
> 
> If it was some other kind of bug, it's not likely a fibre eating bug, just some kind of hitch hiker. There are sometimes leftover shells of keds (sheep lice) that look like dead ladybugs, kinda - those are the larvae of the keds, but they die after four days off the sheep and are sheep-specific parasites (though really gross, I always have to shower after shearing and dealing with them) but sometimes the leftovers show up in raw fleeces.


One of them was black. It was full grown like the one in the pic.
It must have come to life after hitting the water. Cause I don't have any in the house.
So I don't know where else it would have come from.

I looked up sheep lice and that is definitely what the other bug looked like.
Thank you Frazzle!


----------



## IowaLez

Pearl B. 

The wool moths look just like the meal moths. They fly the same way, and yes, they do look like tissue paper things. If you store your wool and woolen coats in an area of the house that is uninhabited, like an attic or a closet away from your living area, get yourself a Hot Shot No Pest Strip and hang that puppy up. It will kill the eggs, too, not just the moths and larvae. I have problems every year, no matter how careful I am, so as soon as March comes, I go get one.


----------



## IowaLez

I am already planning for this year's Shepherd's Harvest Festival, at Lake Elmo, MN, on Mother's Day weekend. I am determined to get into Lexi Boeger's classes, when registration finally opens. I will be awake at Midnite to get registered. Who else is going to register to take her classes, or is planning to be at the Festival on Saturday?

As usual, altho this is way in advance, I am extending an invitation to any of you on here who will be there, to join us for Saturday lunch or an afternoon glass of wine or beer in the shade and away from the crowd, at our 5th wheel camper, near the horse arena.

Well, today I got an email from Lexi Boeger! (I send her fan letters with questions now and then.) I invited her to have lunch at our camper, and have a mint julip during the afternoon, which seems to be the tradition since that time the Kentucky Derby was on that Saturday afternoon and we, WIHH, me and Honey, watched it on tv. (Unfortunately this year the race will again be the weekend before.) Lexi is really glad to be invited to have a place to get away for a bit now and then. I know being on the road traveling, being busy with lots of people and stuff, and staying in hotels, gets old real fast.

I even have her cell phone number! How sweet! She said if any of you have questions, to contact her on her Facebook page, she is PluckyFluff on there, not by email. She will reply promptly on there.

She said there is no materials fees for her classes, and she brings lots of stuff for people to try. So you don't have to have a huge stash to take the classes, she said not to worry about it, you don't need to invest in a bunch of stuff beforehand. Bring what you have, she says, depending on what class/es you sign up for. I asked her because I don't have a big stash of the sorts of colored, more exotic things she uses in some of her yarns.

So I hope you guys can make it! I am really excited now!


----------



## Woodpecker

I went to my 6th chemo today. 2 left to go, the last one is February 25th. These steroids are making me irratable so I thank God theres only 2 left. Plus they keep me up all night for 2 days. I also talked to my oncologist and the nurse who works with her about genetic testing they both agreed it could wait till July when I accrue more time at work. I also had to leave a message for my union president telling him I won't be back until the end of March. I wanted to go back earlier but the nurse said I should wait a month or so until my stamina comes back and my immune system gets better. Ugh what a day. I keep praying everynight for all of you who need prayers.


----------



## Marchwind

Mom came through her surgery just fine. It took about 2 hours and they didn't have to cut into her. She does have 7 pins in her fingers. The doctor equated it with putting nails into drywall and not having a stud to nail into. Not good! But she does heal well even with bad bones.

Thank you everyone for all the good thoughts and prayers.

The yarn for my KAL socks finally arrived today. I probably won't cast on until tomorrow.


----------



## Pearl B

Thank you IowaLez!
Will do. Ive never had a problem with them here in the desert. It would be a bummer to start getting them now.

I hope the Harvest Festival goes good! It sounds like fun.



Congrats Woodpecker, 
Youre getting closer and closer to being done with all of this!!
just a few more and its all over with.

Thats great new about your mom Marchwind!!
Now if she just takes it easy for awhile it should heal right up.

I love it when new yarn comes in!!!


----------



## MDKatie

Hang in there, Woodpecker!! Two more sessions to go, that's great! I'm sorry you're so irritable, and I hope you can get some good sleep soon! 

Marchwind, that's great she came through surgery ok. Yikes, 7 pins!! Sending healing thoughts her way!!



A neighbor of mine got out of the dairy goat business, and is selling her goat milker for an incredibly cheap price. I went to see it on Saturday, and just called and left a message tonight saying I'd like to buy it. I hope it's still available! Even though I'm only milking 2 goats, it may save me some time (and hand cramping) this year.


----------



## Lythrum

I finally got finished with another project, a little hat that I knit for my new niece. I don't know why, but it took me forever to get it done, even though it is small.

The divisions between the petals are not that evident in the picture, hopefully it will be when she is wearing it. 

I'm glad that you're getting close to the end of your treatment Woodpecker, I sure wouldn't push it going back too soon if you can help it.

Glad your mom came through Marchwind!


----------



## Pearl B

Thats a cute hat Lythrum!! I like the colors!

Well the Woolery would like pics of the little buggies if I can get them. I froze them yesterday, do you think they would still be visible if I pulled the wool apart?


----------



## frazzlehead

If they're still in there, you should be able to still see 'em. At least now they won't fly away!

Also look for any damage to the fleece when you pull it apart. That would also be a useful picture.


~~~

And just as an aside, it's minus 28 C here, with a wind chill below -40. It's COLD, even for us.

Got the critters fed and the van boosted, I have to head to town and do some errands and pick my son up from the airport. Stay warm everyone!


----------



## Pearl B

Thanks Frazzle!

I hope your all bundled up and have a safe trip to town!!
I hate having to travel in those kinds of conditions.


----------



## mamajohnson

ok, I am officially worried about the moths now. Need to order some traps. 

Woodpecker, congrats on the progress! Still in my thoughts and prayers.

Marchwind - so glad your mom is ok. 

Hope ya'll have an awesome fiber fest and take lots of pics!


----------



## Marchwind

Frazzle keep warm, those are scary temps. Make sure you have a winter survival kit in your car, extra blankets, energy bars, candle, matches..... Im sure you know the drill.

Woodpecker you must have been posting the same time I was writing. I didn't mean to over look your post. You're almost there, protect yourself from those evil germs. We are all here for you.

MamaJ and PearlB. If you freeze your fleeces do it agin in two weeks to ten days. If there are any eggs that survived they will be hatching about then. The larva are the ones that eat the wool not the moths, the moths lay eggs. Freeze it all a second time and that should have got them all. You might want to think about getting some cedar balls or planks or something to put in the bags and bins.

Lythrum that hat is so cute.


----------



## canadiangirl

Brrr Frazzle, it was the same temps here in NS (which we hardly ever get so I'm spoilt) and it was brutal. They cancel school at -30 and I had kiddo's home lol The real pain was the new goat kids, even with sweaters I wasn't comfy leaving them so they went into a dog crates in the basement. They are back out side again now- today is supposed to be all the way up to +3 with rain. When I was a teen we lived in Cold Lake (fair bit north of you) and I don't remember school cancelling because of cold, but we were pretty close to the school.
Woodpecker another down and only 2 more! You're on the home stretch.
Crazy 2 weeks here dragging hot water buckets and looking after baby kids plus keeping up with orders. I might have to look at hiring someone to help me with production this year. I'm finishing up my yearly things and last year I produced around 25 000 bars of soap. No wonder I didn't have a lot of time. with the set up I have now I could increase again this year but not with out hiring someone or upgrading some equipment. Not sure what I want to do except I want more time for me (and fiber related projects) this year.


----------



## gone-a-milkin

I was going to try not to mention it yet, but I am too excited to keep it secret.
I am going on friday to look at a couple of antique wheels for sale.
What do you think?
Have you ever seen a double flyer wheel IRL? 
Maybe I could learn to draft and spin both at the same time! :teehee:

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinners-marketplace/2453811/1-25?jump=3#3


----------



## Marchwind

Ooooooooooo! Very nice! The prices look great too. Are these close to you (I didn't read the threads)?


----------



## gone-a-milkin

Marchwind said:


> Ooooooooooo! Very nice! The prices look great too. Are these close to you (I didn't read the threads)?


Relatively close; less than 2 hours drive.
I can hardly stand waiting to go see them.

In other excellent news:

The milkshift has changed back to more human-compatible hours!
Instead of doing nights @ 9 pm, we are going back to 6! :dance:
Finally! OMG, I am so happy.


----------



## Woodpecker

Marchwind said:


> Woodpecker you must have been posting the same time I was writing. I didn't mean to over look your post. You're almost there, protect yourself from those evil germs. We are all here for you..


Thank you! I have been staying home my whole time through chemo, too many germs to take a chance.


----------



## stef

gone-a-milkin said:


> I was going to try not to mention it yet, but I am too excited to keep it secret.
> _I am going on friday to look at a couple of antique wheels for sale._
> What do you think?
> Have you ever seen a double flyer wheel IRL?
> Maybe I could learn to draft and spin both at the same time! :teehee:
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinners-marketplace/2453811/1-25?jump=3#3


 
Have fun, GAM! * *


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Only 2 to go!! You can do it, Woodpecker!!

Gorgeous GAM!


----------



## Marchwind

Hey GAM, Life is Good go dance in that rain. Make sure you take a camera or camcorder so we can all share in the experience. Would your wheel wright be able to make more bobbins for these wheels?


----------



## gone-a-milkin

Marchwind, our rain has passed off and now it is freezing up. 

You know, I bet that wheelwright of mine could be coerced into making me more bobbins. :heh:
Even if he wont though, I still have Annie and her DOZEN bobbins.
Rewinding singles is a breeze with that wheel. 

Did you look at the German DOUBLE FLYER wheel up close?

http://www.ravelry.com/people/beyondthis/stash/dorathee-dottie-for-sale

Look at this:

[YOUTUBE]dJGRpUrECiE[/YOUTUBE]





Can you imagine?


----------



## Miz Mary

WOW GAM !!! That looks crazy !!! I dont think I have that kind of talent but it's fun to watch !!!! How often will you come across that ?!?!


----------



## IowaLez

Timbertops in England made a Connecticut chair wheel with double maidens, so you could choose which side of the wheel to spin on, or get two fliers and do what your hopefully-future wheel does. People really used to do production spinning that way! Amazing! Timbertops stopped building in the mid-90's, but now a new couple are making them again under a new name. In my dreams I would own one.


----------



## hercsmama

GAM, that video is awesome! Reminds me of someone milking a cow though. Lol!ound:

Ok all, cross all appendages for us. We have submitted our offer for the property in Nebraska. Thank goodness it's still available. The seller has countered, and we have countered with our bottom line offer. Just waiting for a call from our agent..:shocked:


----------



## gone-a-milkin

Milking cows happens to be my specialty.  :hysterical:


----------



## hercsmama

ound:ound:


----------



## gone-a-milkin

The seller did say that the double flyer wheel has a certain amount of "bobbin chatter' when you spin on her.
IDK if that might be a deal breaker for me. 
The one thing I can hardly stand about my current wheel is how much noise she makes.
It just tortures me. 

My DH had a little meltdown when I showed him these wheels. 
He thinks "what if" I break something and then I cannot find parts, etc.?!

Then I show him the Schacht Ladybug (which is the modern wheeel I keep going back to) and he has a fit about the red plastic drivewheel.

Thankfully he is not the boss of me. 

LOL


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I think both of those wheels are gorgeous, GAM! 

Okay, so a couple months back, I made a very special dress...










I'm so very excited to see it on the book cover, finally! The books seems like it will be available in June. I may need to buy a copy, to read, and to treasure.

(The dress was originally light green with a dark green skirt, lol. They changed their minds.)


----------



## gone-a-milkin

The dress is very beautiful. 
I maybe shouldnt judge the book by its title then?


----------



## weever

Let's divorce the dress from the title (and maybe even the content) of the book, and just appreciate beauty where we find it. Wowza! That is one pretty dress...


----------



## IowaLez

The dress is gorgeous! You do some mighty fine dressmaking!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Thanks! I'm glad you all like it! That one took me about a week. It took longer for them to decide on a color. :shrug:

Erm, yes, judge that book by its cover, lol.


----------



## frazzlehead

CanadianGirl, they don't close the schools here from cold, but sometimes they can't run the busses so country kids end up not having school at all. My kid homeschools, so it doesn't make any difference to us!  

Marchwind, yes, we have all the gear. There's blankets and warm clothes, and we have those little cans of fuel you use under chafing dishes and waterproof matches in all the vehicles, just in case. It would still be unpleasant, but we try hard to be prepared. DH is a firefighter and certified in emergency management, and I spent much of my prior career doing risk management (admittedly in IT, not 'real life' but the skills transfer nicely), so it's almost a joke in our house. I have been known to holler at my kid (about to do something stupid) "HEY! RISK MANAGEMENT!" and he stops dead in his tracks. The grownups around me laughed but as one of my coworkers said, if you're gonna take your work home with you, I suppose that's a good piece to take!

GAM if anyone can run a double flyer wheel, it'd be you. Long draw, two hands at once? Oh, I can so see this. If she's chattery, don't worry, there's lots of fixes for that, I can help you. And if you need replacement parts, I can help you with that too - I know some craftspeople who do antique wheel repairs. 

SvenskaFlicka, that's a lovely dress! I have a terrible weakness for historical costuming. I also have this thing for comfortable clothing, so I like big skirts and shawls (easy to move in) and tunic-and-trouser combos. I am contemplating getting some funky leggings and weaving myself a really neat tunic that covers enough of me not to frighten children with my legging-clad extremities.

Woodpecker, you hang in there, almost done!  And yes, steroids are awful ... can you take anything sedating to help counteract them, even something simple like SleepyTime tea? Might be a good question for your local pharmacist...

Lythrum, that hat is SO CHEERFUL!

Weaving projects continue apace in this household (I will reserve my weaving chatter for the other thread), The Boy is home (we looked at his videos and pictures, looks like he had a great time), he got the quad running for me too (apparently it works better if you give it fuel :ashamed, and life carries on. My ankles are starting to bother me again, but I'm hopeful they won't go all the way out on me ... maybe it's just this blasted chilly weather. It's supposed to warm up later this week! Woohoo!

With luck, I'll have the first prototype coat done in a few more days ... I'm ... excited? nervous? curious? all of the above?


----------



## PKBoo

GAM that wheel is absolutely perfect for you! 



hercsmama said:


> GAM, that video is awesome! Reminds me of someone milking a cow though. Lol!ound:


That is exactly what I thought as I was watching it - can't get any better than that!

Woodpecker - you are almost there! Eat your fruits and veggies too 

Svenska - that dress is just gorgeous! We need to see more of your work!

Glad to hear about your mom Marchie - it's going to be hard to keep her from running around

Lyrthrum - that hat is ADORABLE! A friend of mine just 'ordered' a baby hat, so I'm going to go through Ravelry to pick something out. She wants something 'girlie' - they haven't had a girl born in the family in over 20 years!

hercsmama - hope they accept your offer! When would you be moving? Sounds like things are really falling into place for you :clap:

MDKatie - did you get the millker you wanted? 

frazzle - I never fill up our quad! It just seems to run and run. It seems to use so little fuel, I just never think to gas it up. I'll remember that if it stops running haha!

Been busy with fibery stuff here - have some pictures to post in another thread. But I think I have a sinus infection - just very tired, ears hurt, slight sore throat, and coughing coughing coughing. I don't have a cold, but something's off. This muddy damp weather just needs to leave!


----------



## IowaLez

GAM, 

If the wheel/s need new leather bearings, I can help. I have latigo that can be made to various widths, thicknesses, and lengths easily by us on a 25 ton die press. I have done this for a friend on Rav with a CP wheel before.


----------



## mamajohnson

GAM - if anyone can run that double flyer - you can! Amazing, I wouldn't even consider it.

Sven - lovely dress! You do make some nice stuff.

ok, so, I have been down all day with something...I'm thinking its the flu. 
yuck.
So, if I am incoherint, well...sorry.


----------



## weever

mamaj, take care of yourself. Chicken soup? Lots of hot liquids? Rest...

Woodpecker, sent a prayer up for your health this morning, too. 

Looks like winter has returned here in Michigan.


----------



## Marchwind

Oh yea Weever, I'm dancing again. Woke up to about 4" of nice fluffy white stuff. It was 60 degrees and pouring rain yesterday, it's been pouring rain for 3 days. Now comes the snow. We are in a lake effect snow warning until Saturday afternoon, woohoo!!! Talk is we may get about 15" . Oh please, oh please!!!!!!

Oh yea, and today is my Friday


----------



## Falls-Acre

We had 3 days of lovely, warm, 60*+ weather! Never mind the torrential rains yesterday and last night that caused flash-flooding locally...

Today, temps have dropped again. And expecting snow tomorrow. :awh: Well, it was nice while it lasted! Gotta love the weather here! We're in-between the north and south and Mother Nature sometimes has a hard time remembering which season it's supposed to be.


----------



## Marchwind

Finished the sarf for my nephew. It is so long, probably more than 6' I had to pile it onto the stool and try to fold it creatively so you could see all the color changes, you still can't see them all but you get the idea.


Johnny's scarf by mymerripu, on Flickr


----------



## hercsmama

We got the property!!!
At our price too!! So excited, we've been lusting over this place for almost two years.

Dh is on the phone right now getting prices on fencing, and the septic. It's on a cesspool now, so those two things will need dealing with first. The water is good. Although the well is a bit to low in the ground. But we'll worry over that later. 
Woohooo!!!


----------



## mamajohnson

yahoo! hercsmama! Way to go!!!

Marchwind, that is a lovely scarf. Is it double knit? lots of color changes, love it.


----------



## Woodpecker

hercsmama said:


> We got the property!!!
> At our price too!! So excited, we've been lusting over this place for almost two years.
> 
> Dh is on the phone right now getting prices on fencing, and the septic. It's on a cesspool now, so those two things will need dealing with first. The water is good. Although the well is a bit to low in the ground. But we'll worry over that later.
> Woohooo!!!


Congratulations!!

I hope you feel better mammaj!


----------



## Marchwind

Yippy for you! Isn't it nice with everything falls into place.


----------

