Category: Blog

This week found me diving back into the stash to see what else might be of use in my current sweater project.

I’d already repurposed most of my original attempt at a contiguous pullover. A quick search of the blog revealed that it had been sitting in limbo since 2013 (and photos have since been lost to Flikr purge). It was (over)due to be frogged. Those natural shade got me as far as the underarms, but I knew I was going to need something else to make up the rest of the body and sleeves.

Enter Gulf Coast native and Florida Cracker sheep three ply (circa 2022)-Aged to perfection in the stash 🙂

The spin was really nice, but the yarn was quite yellow-y (more than you can tell in the photo), so I’d thought for a while that I’d probably end up dyeing it eventually. Turns out, Thursday was the day!

Had one packet each of Malbec and Strawberry Wool Tinctures left, and so combined them in a dyebath and came up with a garnet-y shade that I’m really happy with

Got a little bit of resist effect from skein ties that I should have loosened, so will have to see how that plays out in the knitting. So far, I’m really liking the effect-

Now we’re down to the vast stretches of stockinette, with just a little shaping. I think that once it is functionally complete I’m going to do some embroidery on the white in the dyed yarn to kind of pull it together. Not sure what form that will take yet, though.

And to round out today’s post, I’ll leave you with some gratuitous garden veg photos

Alrighty folks- have a good week!

Don’t know if I’d shared this previously, but for the last couple of years I’ve been resolving to start participating in my local Spinning Guild. Each January I would think- “I could use a little more engagement with other fiber folks in the area.” I know that I’m lucky to live in a place where there is a lot of interest and activity in woolcraft, but I’ve been mostly doing my thing in isolation for the last few years.

Yesterday the stars aligned, so to speak- and I had a day with no particular agenda, and a meeting happening. So I packed up my small upright wheel Sophie, some fiber, and my current knitting project and headed out!

It was a beautiful day, and nice that the trip up to Everson is all on back roads. Meeting was easy to find, and the group was very welcoming. There was a little bit of group business, sharing of projects and materials, and lots of spinning. I got through a flashy multicolor batt that I took to play with, and plied it once I got home-

(Blendy batt yarn on on the left, plied up bobbin ends on the right)

This week I’ve also decided to take another run at the JUiST pattern that I bailed out on last year. I really want to do an Esther memorial sweater, and JUiST seems to have just the right comfy vibe. But I needed to do a test run, since the short rows and new-to-me kind of increases kind of threw me last time, and I had a hard time visualizing how the should shaping would come together.

I’m very pleased to report that it’s going much better this time around.

I did a quick wet block yesterday, just a couple inches short of where I’ll separate the body from the sleeves, and it’s looking really promising. I think that last time I messed up the short rows, because I have very little patience for written out directions.

Now that I’ve worked through it once and the shoulder shaping makes sense to me, I really like the scheme. I’ll finish this sweater up with miscellaneous stash yarn, and assuming it fits and it comfy, will begin to plan and spin for my Esther pullover.

Have a good week everyone-

Ps- Also starting to think about the next WSU Country Living Expo, and if it might be fun to mix up the woolcraft class offerings. Suggestions are very welcome.

We lost Esther this week.

It’s hard to write about it because I still don’t understand exactly what was at the root of her decline. But by Tuesday she’d lost the strength to get herself off the ground, and I knew that we weren’t going to get her through it. The kindest thing that we could do was give her a soft landing and not draw it out any longer.

So this week I’m just sharing some photos and short videos of Esther and her beautiful wool over the years.

She was such a cool girl, and I’m very thankful for having known her.

Rest in Peace, sweet Esther.

Back and mostly recovered from my whirlwind trip to Chicago, with a new hat to show for it (with another recently finished one behind)!

Esther is recovered from her flystrike incident, thankfully, and seems to be feeling better in general, but is still having runny poops and showing signs of anemia. Doing everything I can think of to support her digestion and resolve the issue: electrolyte and vitamins in drinking water, B vitamin complex injections, ProBios supplement.

Even though the fecal that the vet ran didn’t show a parasite problem, I gave her a different dewormer yesterday for good measure. Also have been giving her some dolomite lime, as suggested for diarrhea by Pat Coleby in her Natural Sheep Care book.

In garden news, I’ve finally got some tomatoes ripening! So excited to see that.

Peps are pep-ing

Purple cabbages are ready for slaw-ing

and while raspberries are taping off, blueberries are off to a strong start.

Whew! Lots to keep up with this time of year.

The flower beds are kind of going nuts- and I’m mostly just letting them do their thing. Current favorite out in there is the bee balm/dyer’s chamomile combo

and closer

Also kind of funny thinking back to early spring and how much time and effort I put into starting poppies and transplanting them to various part of our property. Turns out, poppies pretty much decide on their own where they want to grow. I think next year I’ll just leave them to it! Live and learn 🙂