Yarn from Latvia!

Posted on January 30, 2012 by ozweaver

All the yarn from Latvia arrived over a week ago, on Friday, January 20, but I’ve been remiss to photograph it and talk about it!  Here they are:

Three hanks Aade Long 8/2 artistic, in "Red," "Pink/White," and "Brown/Pink"

 

These yarns shipped from Riga, Latvia on Jan. 10, from two different vendors.  Actually,I did not order the “pink/white” colorway, and it was accidentally shipped from the vendor on ebay the previous day, Jan. 9 (it arrived on the 19th).  She wrote me immediately to say that she was sorry and the correct colorway “Brown/Pink” would ship the next day.  Both the “Brown/Pink” which was from the ebay vendor and the “Red” which was from an individual on Ravelry arrived together on Jan. 20th. Ten days door to door from Latvia to New Jersey is quite good, I think!  Aren’t they lovely?

The Red colorway is smallest hank, and it is exactly the yardage for the Revontuuli shawl.  The other two colorways are larger hanks and should have enough left over for gloves or socks.  I’m interested in seeing how the long the color runs will look on a pair of socks.  If I knit socks I must remember not to carelessly throw them in the dryer since all my socks are superwash wool.  That would be tragic!  I don’t usually dry my handknit socks, even if they are superwash, because I prefer how crisp they look when air dried on sock blockers.

Naturally, I’d love to start knitting the Revontuuli right this minute!….but there are other things I really should finish before starting another project.  Let’s see if I can be responsible…. hmmm….

Our house went on the market Wednesday of last week and got a full price offer on Thursday.  On the one hand it’s a great relief that all our work has paid off so quickly and I don’t have to make my bed by 7 am, or hide the laundry; on the other hand now it’s time to really get serious about packing and finding a new home.  Out of the frying pan and into the fire, as they say…  These days there is always something to keep me from weaving….sigh….

Meanwhile, the first bud on my Camellia has opened….there are four more to come!

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January, the Selfish Month

Posted on January 8, 2012 by ozweaver

As it should be.  Surely I’m not the only person who thinks this.  Almost every year of my adult life I have taken the month of January to recharge myself.  In fact, for many years, the day after Christmas was a day when I’d gather all my knitting and weaving journals from past years and look through all of them, enjoying the inspiration and letting ideas for my own work wash over me.

January is also my birthday month, so I get special dispensation to be selfish.  I can put my post-holiday inspiration and project-planning into action by spending money on myself!  There you go!

This year I’m struggling to finish a shawl for a friend during my selfish January.  This shawl should have been done back in November, but as I mentioned in another post, life has thrown some difficult stuff at me lately.  I’m a bit behind schedule.  I’m not worried though….I don’t mind having a selfish February if it comes to that.

Back in October, I bought four balls of Crystal Palace “Mini Mochi” from my local yarn store (The Stitchery in Pearl River, NY) for “Lala’s Simple Shawl” (available as a free download on Ravelry).  Just moments ago I bound off!  I hope I have just enough left to make a crocheted scalloped edge around the shawl.  If not, I have some Jaggerspun “Zephry” in a deep warm red that should fill the bill.  I’d prefer the edge to be Mini Mochi, but it will be what it will be!

I think these colors will suit my friend perfectly! She wears a lot of reds/greens/browns.  The LaLa shawl is simple and not too lace-y so the pattern doesn’t distract from the wonderful color changes.

It’s not blocked yet, so don’t judge it too harshly!  I’m not feeling confident about that little ball of extra yarn making it all the way around the shawl….but at least I have the “Zephyr” as back up!

 

 

 

Now to get back to Selfish January….
Here’s what has called to me….another shawl that is a free download on Ravelry.  The shawl is called Revontuli which is Finnish for Aurora Borealis, which is Latin for Northern Lights.  The designer is AnneM and you can get the pattern from either her site (follow the link) or here on  Ravelry.

Here’s the thing about this shawl.  It looks best with a yarn that has l-o-n-g color runs.  The designer shows this shawl made with a yarn called “Aade Long 8/2 artistic.” I did a search and discovered that it’s not available in the US, but is easily found on ebay and from an online shop in Germany, as well as from some individuals in Estonia.  Selfish me…. I’m getting two colorways!  ”Pink/Brown” and “Red.”  They are both coming from Estonia, although from two different vendors.  Let’s see how long it will take for each skein to arrive.  Countdown starts tomorrow.

Aade Long 8/2 Artistic "Red"

Aade Long 8/2 Artistic "Pink Brown"

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A Knitter’s Memory Lane…

Posted on December 29, 2011 by ozweaver

Sometimes early in the new year I perform an “Airing of the Stash” where I get all my yarns and spinning fibers out and have a look.  I will be doing that as soon as I step away from the computer today.

Earlier today I did something that I rarely do: an airing of the stash of knitted garments.  I opened my cedar-lined, cherry chest which my husband made 35 years ago as a wedding present to me.  This chest holds three decades of my adult life in the form of knitted garments.  It holds every sweater I’ve ever made with exception of the ones I no longer own.  All the baby, toddler, and youth sweaters that my sons wore, all my own sweaters that I do not currently wear, and all the sweaters I’ve made for my husband in past years before I realized that he was never going to wear a sweater of any kind.  There are a few precious sweaters that were knitted by my husband’s mother and one of his two delightful and eccentric great aunts.  One of her sweaters is a cream wool Tyrolean-style cardigan with vertical columns of beautifully embroidered flowers between the columns of cables, bobbins, and eyelets.  You probably know the style.  No one does this much anymore because of the labor involved.  It is a gem.

Aunt Ruthie's Tyrolean Sweater

Then there are about a half dozen sweaters that I obviously knit in the 80s… they are painful to look at!  During that same decade I was knitting the baby and toddler sweaters that are so classic and timeless, but somehow, for me I was knitting sweaters with styles that could never stand the test of time.  I have removed these sweaters from the chest and am contemplating either throwing them out or donating them somewhere.  It’s hard to imagine donating them….they are truly awful, their single attribute being that they are at least made from natural fibers.

In the chest is my very first knitted garment which must be from the mid-70s, a textured vest pattern from Tahki that was made from their Donegal Tweed yarn in brown with rust colored flecks.  I have a clear memory of knitting this vest during numerous evenings, sitting on a metal bar stool in my future-husband’s woodworking shop in order to spend time with him while he worked on a project.  Also in the pile is my first attempt at lace knitting….not a shawl or scarf, but a lovely lace Chanel-type jacket that was a Phildar pattern for which I used Phildar’s mohair blend yarn.  Sweet, sweet memories!
 The children’s sweaters bring back a flood of memories.  In particular there was one spring when my small community held a fashion show, and I decided to participate by modeling my first Marion Foale’s design, “Badminton,” while both boys joined me on the runway wearing matching cabled vests and coordinating knickers that I sewed for them. (I wore a store bought skirt with a print of ships’ signal flags on a sky blue background.)  We were all in shades of daffodil yellow and pale sky blue.  This memory is hilarious to me….my sons modeling in vests and knickers….how cruel!
 I am sorry to say that the Marion Foale sweater, while classic, has not made the cut for staying in the chest!

 This trip down memory lane is prompted by our hard decision to leave our current house and move out of the NY metro area.  We hope to go back to a slower pace and quieter lifestyle that we used to enjoy when we lived in New England.  I know that times have changed everywhere, but we hope to downsize both our possessions and our frenetic pace.  Hence, the airing of not only the stash, but everything we own!

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Recharge

Posted on December 28, 2011 by ozweaver

Life has been pretty stressful for the past 8 months.  My blog is a place where I try to put my daily, non-fiber obligations behind me, but all those obligations have basically taken over my life these past few months so it’s been hard to feel connected here, especially when I’m avoiding talking about these obligations!

Thankfully, this is a time a year when I recharge my enthusiasm, my commitment, my passion for weaving, knitting, spinning, dyeing.  My wonderful family and friends have encouraged a rekindling of fiber energy by giving me some empowering gifts!

‘Warped 2 Weave’…..exactly the message I need to get me back on track!  My son ‘painted’ these sneakers for me with colored pens.  He says if I keep him supplied with shoes he’ll keep making them!

Finally!  A way to organize my circular needles!  Some Tofootsie sock yarn to knit while drinking my favorite morning beverage in this adorable sheep mug.

This sheep mug is from Herdy.  I’m in love…..
Their website has a creative video of escaping sheep that showcases their products.

Time to get busy!

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Holidays

Posted on December 1, 2011 by ozweaver

 

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick in the garden

It’s the week after Thanksgiving.  The weather is ridiculously mild.  We’ve had a holiday weekend of sun and warmth that felt like September, but today there is change in the air.  I was just outside taking some garden photographs, and moments afterward the wind kicked up and suddenly there is a little squall passing through.

 

Callicarpa "Beauty Berry"

I am starting the holiday gift making with a small Nantucket basket.

 

7" Nantucket basket design by Marlys Sowers

The base and rim were made by Jeff Sowers out in Iowa, and the basket design is by his wife Marlys.  His turned rim is stunning, so I can’t wait to get to that point!  This is a lovely basket, and I hope to make several!

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Thankful

Posted on November 22, 2011 by ozweaver

Autumn in NY (by Chris)

Today I’m playing in the kitchen, making stuffing from a whole wheat baguette, a loaf of raisin pumpernickel, turkey sausage, onions, celery, chestnuts, a few more raisins, and lots of thyme, and also making pie dough in which I’m tempted to substitute vodka for water (have you tried this?).

My kitchen counter is also strewn with several colors of Jaggerspun zephyr which I’m swatching for Pam Power’s lovely Devonshire sweater.  Sigh….  Life is good.

Happy Thanksgiving….

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Bittersweet Season

Posted on November 11, 2011 by ozweaver

It is the bittersweet change of season and here is the last rose from my garden, a David Austen “Heritage” (I don’t count the ever blooming shrub roses for some reason….).

I love the change of seasons.  The days are warm, and the sun on my skin feels almost like summer, ‘though by late afternoon there is a chill in the air that clearly means summer is gone…long gone.  Yesterday and today I stood for a while in a blizzard of yellow leaves swirling all around me.

Fall is festival time, and last weekend was “Lace Day” for the Metro Chapter of the Intenational Old Lacers.  There were demonstrations, vendors and classes!

This group (of mostly, but not entirely, women) proves that lace making is not a dying art.  Their knowledge is legendary:  they can tell the difference between Torchon, Milanese, Honiton from 20 yards (not to mention about a dozen other types of laces), and they have strong preferences about bobbins:  midlands, bayeaux, honiton…again, more names than I can keep track of… The vendors had some beautifully painted bobbins and other tools that were as pretty as the lace itself.

This is just a small portion of what was on display during the event, all made by members of this group.

Look at that fan.

 

 

 

 

 

These lace mavens do demonstrations all year long, at historic sites and local libraries.  Somehow they manage to talk to people as they work. Impressive!

 

 

 

 

Making a lace border for a  handkerchief has been my goal since my first lesson.  Now I’m there!

 

 

 

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Rhinebeck Souvenirs

Posted on October 27, 2011 by ozweaver

I’m quite late posting about Rhinebeck.  The internet abounds with images of what a beautiful weekend it was up in the Hudson Valley with the color just starting to turn and lots of promise for the weeks ahead.  I love the one on Ravelry’s Homepage!

The drive was terrible!  One hour, 30 minutes to the Kingston exit on the NYState Thruway, then another hour and a half to get across the Rhinecliff Bridge and crawl to the fairground!  I’m not sure I can do this again next year….

Meanwhile, here are my treasures:

Alpaca/Wool/Mohair from Brooks Farm (Lancaster, TX) and buttons from Gita Maria

The Brooks Farm booth is always impossibly crowded, but I had an idea for a gift for a friend: a skein of luscious alpaca/wool/mohair with fund buttons from Gita Maria.  The pattern is from Spin Off Magazine, Summer 2009.

 

 

 

And for me….

Rhinebeck Treasures

Eureka!  I found buttons for my Einstein coat!  …also from Gita Maria.  She had baskets full of buttons, and they were all so pretty that I just dug through the lot until I found six that matched!  I added to my Signature needles stash (usually one a year when I see them at a show so I can avoid shipping!).  And I couldn’t resist the fun double pointed needles from knitpicks.

Handpainted 54s Corriedale Wool Top resting on a bed of Suri Alpaca/Silk

 

And although I am drowning in fiber, I cannot go to a wool festival without getting a little something…. look at that beautiful braid of handpainted Corriedale from “into the whirled”….sigh….resting on top of  a cloud soft cushion of Suri Alpaca/Silk from Biltmore Wool Barn in Brewster, Mass…. bigger sigh….

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Reconnecting….weaving memories

Posted on October 11, 2011 by ozweaver

This was a week when my dance card was over full, but how could I say no to so many wonderful opportunities?

My adult ed bobbin lace class has started again!  I am on the last third of the edging for some hand towels, so I guess I’d better get busy weaving the towels!  It’s wonderful to be back with these women again, who are very nurturing to me as a slow-learning beginner!

On Wednesday I rode with a friend up the Hudson River to Ghent, where she had arranged for us to have a one night farm stay at Kinderhook Farm, which is owned by old family friends and managed by two other friends.  I had no idea what a treat we were in for.  There are chickens with a delightful roosting house.  (I did not know chickens roosted up in rafters and on high perches).  There were lots of cows….I forgot to ask how many.  And there were over 200 sheep!

This is the renovated barn you stay in for the ‘farm stay.’  It has two generous bedrooms with sitting areas that look out the large barn doors at the fields of cows and sheep, and a large kitchen in the center that separates the two bedroom/sitting rooms.

When we arrived the wind was howling and we had to close the large folding barn doors and insert beams to hold them closed!

 

 

View from the farm stay barn

This is the view of the sheep grazing from the the barn where we planned to stay!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortly afterward Lee came to suggest that we stay in the guest room of the main house since the night temperature was expected to be in the low 30s.  We were disappointed to miss staying in this bucolic spot with its view of all the sheep grazing in the nearby fields….but in the middle of the night we were both very happy to be warm in the heated guest room!

 

 

 

 

 

Before going out to dinner we watched the managers and two helpers bring the sheep into the barn.  In fact, we helped herd the sheep toward the barn.  They have two guard dogs and a donkey, but no herding dogs.

 

Lee caught the two new babies for us to hold.  He wants them to get used to being handled, but they were definitely not used to it yet!  And the mother of the lamb I’m holding was not happy about it either!

 

 

 

The next day was my first Wednesday Group class in the new location right on the river in New Baltimore!  Archie and Susan have a beautiful, renovated historic house overlooking the river.  The enclosed porch which is now their studio is 40 feet long and has spectacular river views!  The Clearwater motored down river, right in front of us, in the afternoon! Susan has filled their new house with many of her antiques, there is a 2nd floor wrap around porch for sitting outside, and the grounds go right down to the river.  She will have a garden next year!

We drove home after my class on Thursday evening, and early Friday morning I headed out to Mendham for my 2-day workshop with Daryl Lancaster called “Weaving a Memory.”  It’s been a fun two days, using the Theo Moorman technique to inlay silk habotai strips that were first ink jet printed with our personal photos.  Daryl covered the Theo Moorman technique as well as photoshop manipulation of our images.  You always get more than you can conceive of in a workshop with Daryl!  I will write more on that next time!  Meanwhile, check out what she has to say…

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3rd Annual Local Fiber Festival!

Posted on October 9, 2011 by ozweaver

 

 

Who doesn’t love a fiber festival?  I look forward to the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck each October….and the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival each May!  Three years ago a group of  fiber loving women decided to try a small festival in Ridgewood, NJ, and it’s it’s been a success!

There were vendors with great stuff for sale; demonstrations by local guilds that include spinning, weaving, lace making, quilting, embroidery; and classes in knitting, crochet, rug hooking, felting, and natural dyeing.  In hindsight,  I wish I’d signed up for the workshop on rug hooking.  The design for this class was a small sheep, and the beautifully dyed, lightly fulled, wool fabric was lovely.  The little sheep was adorable!  Although I couldn’t take the workshop (because I was too busy demonstrating for my weaving guild) I am ordering the kit from Foxview Needlepoing and Rug Hooking,and hope to figure it out on my own! This is another design that tempted me (well, the sheep anyway!).

Three Of Us

It was great to spend the weekend with other local people who love the things I love!

 

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