Ta-Da!!!

My FIRST completed sweater made out of my FIRST handspun yarn!!! I am thrilled with the outcome! The pattern is called "off the hook" and is from the book "Total Crochet Fashions" by Gayle Bunn, A Leisure Arts Publication. I have to say, I was really surprised with the emotion I felt while working on this sweater. I have made things before with store bought yarn and it was fun, but this was more of an emotional journey. The roving I spun is called Silver Sparks and was produced by a fellow guild member, Phylleri Ball, from Steam Valley Fiber. It is a wool and kid mohair blend that Phylleri dyes herself. The wool comes from her own livestock. (I am so jealous)


On the basket front...these are a few I completed this week. The tote is a pattern from fellow Pennsylvanian Valerie Poirier, called Patterned Tote.



This is another small antler basket I completed. I has some dyed round reed, then my handspun Icelandic yarn, then seagrass and finally flat reed. Simple, yet cute.




This is my own design and is meant to hold straight knitting needles. It is woven over a hard shipping tube for stability. And yes, I am working on some for circular needles and crochet hooks.

I am also working on setting up and Etsy store. Hopefully it will be completed in August, if I can find the time to do it.

Views of Country Living

I just took a very quick walk around my farm and thought I would share my views on country living...
These lilies come up all over our farm. in the woods, on the banks, in the lawn. By best assumption is that at one time ground was moved by past owners of the farm and these were taken for a ride and unknowingly relocated. Fine with me. I love seeing them everywhere.









I'm sure there are many land owners of old properties out there that share in the beauty of these. Wild roses. This bush is completely overrun with weeds, but the little thorns are so abusive that I just let the weeds go and be happy. This bush is growing along the side of our springhouse and is visible as you leave our house via the kitchen. So pretty!






Wild Phlox! These are literally EVERYWHERE!!! This is the first one I have seen this summer, but many are to follow. I LOVE when they all bloom, it smells so sweet outside. Surprisingly, and happily, they do not bother my allergies. We have these purple ones, also white and a light pink. The purple will bloom first, then the white and pink and then another round of purple. They pretty much keep going from now until September!











I guess these are blackberries? They are just starting to ripen. I was hoping to bring a basket full to a picnic this afternoon, but was out of luck, guess it has not been warm enough for an early harvest. Promise of things to come.















Golden wheat fields, just about ready for harvest. I would not be surprised to see the combines out this week harvesting the wheat, then baling the straw. One of these days I am going to teach myself how to weave wheat. Surely they would not miss a little bit! (oh, we rent most of out land out to family farming friends) It's their wheat!






Country kids! My two little gems hunting for the first of the peas. This is the first year we planted a garden and I left it completely up to them. We have peas (3 varieties), beans, sweet corn, green peppers, potatoes, radishes and brussel sprouts. Yes, they chose all of this. My kids love vegetables. Glad to know I did something right with them!







And lastly, my Bantams. These are my pretty chickens. Their sole purpose is to look pretty and make me smile! (oh, and hatch out new laying chicks when needed) They were released from their confinement three days ago and are quickly making friends with Abby, my horse. I have been trying to get pictures of them together, but keep missing the shot. They are eating her food, she is eating theirs, they have been "bathing" in the sawdust in her stall and settling down for a quick nap. I can sit and watch my chicks all day, they are just hysterical! I am waiting for them to be nested in Abby's stall and have her come running in from her pasture only to startle them. I'm not sure who will be more upset, but I can just see and hear the commotion that will follow.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful 4th of July. Let's remember all of those past and present who have fought and are still fighting for this country's freedom! And thank you to all those who fought!

Back to Weaving...

OK, finally gotten back to weaving. A friend of mine was able to make it to Country Seat, our "local" weaving supply shop, a few weekends ago to take a class with Ann Bowers. They were making all kinds of ribbed baskets including antler baskets. This is something I have wanted to try for years!

So we got together yesterday and got to work. Jenn shared all the tips she had learned and we both tackled our own individual baskets. See, people write all kinds of patterns for antler baskets, but I have found that patterns are really a joke. Since each antler is it's own shape, the patterns are really only guidelines. I am not saying anything negative about antler patterns, trust me, I have a dozen at least! They are merely just guidelines of rib placement. The antlers truly determine the size and basic shape of the basket. It's very fun and creative to sit and study the antler, how is sits, and determine where to start drilling. A little scary too!!!

I'm not sure if I am going to chance selling these as the laws here in Pennsylvania are really strict about the collecting and selling of antlers. But, I will be doing commission work. If you have an antler, send it to me, and I would be more than happy to make you one on your own antler!

Long Overdue!

Wow, has it really been a month since my last post?? Where did the time go? I hope this is not an indication of how fast the summer is going to pass. I've been busy though, productive busy.



I did manage to finish this pair of ultra warm socks! I mentioned them in a prior post, I fell in love with this yarn and had to have it. Being that they are crocheted and used the stitch that they did, these are probably the most expensive pair of socks I will ever own! they used almost 175grams of yarn at $9/50 grams!!! Don't tell my husband!!!! But aren't they pretty? And my feet will be so warm and happy this winter, it is justified in my book!

Remember the singles I was spinning in my last post? It is done and plied and I am thinking of using it as a last round edging on a circle sweater I will be working on while driving, yes, driving, with 2 small children to Florida next week. They greyish yarn will be the body of the sweater and has just a dash of color, the same purple and a touch of blue. Since we are planning this trip, I have been spinning like a mad woman to have enough yard to last the 5 planned days of driving. I think I am there, at least my husbands hopes I am! He wants his clean house back!!! Imagine the nerve!

I also spun this...not sure what to do with it, but I really liked the color. It needs a project. I needed recuperation. I had minor surgery on my wrist 2 weeks ago and could not lift, bend, etc. So I had to spin...it was productive and therapeutic. Now that it has healed enough, I have to leave my yet unnamed spinning wheel alone and get back to weaving baskets. I have lots of shows coming up and WILL NOT get myself as stressed as I did in April. I will not procrastinate, I will not procrastinate, I will not procrastinate....yeah right!!!

Oh, I almost forgot...I also received this last week!!!!

Nancy, over at Basketmaster's Weaving sent me this. Thanks Nancy, I promise to have more basket related posts coming up!

And these are the rules:
Grab the award and place on your blog
Link back to the person you received the award from
Nominate 7 others with a link to their blog
Leave a message on their blog telling them they've been awarded.

so, here is my list:
Tammy @ Treadleworks by Tammy
Jill @ Jillblog
Cyndy @ Riverrim
Corry @ Dutch Blue
Anne @ Cottons n wool
Lynnette @ Dustbunnies under my Loom
Cindie @eweniquelyewe

I have not yet figured out how to set up a link to their blogs within a text, but you can find them all in my list of blogs. All are extremely talented and creative woman that I truely enjoy following.

Great Weekend

I spent the weekend in a very pretty little town of Vernon, Connecticut at the 100th Conn Sheep and Wool Association Fiber Festival. Now, I have not been to many fiber fests, but this one seemed very nice, not too big or too small. Christa Hobson, of Aisling Yarns, and I set up our booth on Friday night, enjoyed a good night sleep and hoped for a day of good sales on Saturday. Good sales we did have.
So, I had to do my part to ensure the other vendors had a good day too, after all, it's only fair! Now I did not buy ALL of this, some was a birthday gift from my parents (the swift and ball winder). I turned 36 on Sunday the 26th. I LOVE my sheepy mug, too cute.
This, however, was my favorite purchase!!! I found my Sonata!!! And with some of the pretty purple, mohair blend roving I bought....
I've started this. I love the way this wheel spins, so smooth. And it looks so pretty in this picture with the Flowering Almond just starting to bloom in the background. Makes my think I may either find or dye my own pinks to ply it with. Did not think I was going to find color inspiration while staging a photo! I guess it just shows you can find inspiration anywhere, anytime. Enjoy the beautiful weather, get outside and spin, knit, crochet, weave, or just sit!

A New Home

It's finally done! Our "no money spent" chicken coop is move in ready. We had a motto when building this, we were not going to spend a penny on it, and we didn't. The building itself came from a family home that burnt down, it was all that was left standing. Some siding was melted, but the chickens don't seem to mind. The lumber was from an old trailer we tore apart and scrapped, the wire was from a chicken coop and garden from about 25 years ago! Storm door and windows were found in the loft of a family barn, who knows where they came from, but judging from the coat of dust on them, they won't be missed. We also confiscated some nesting boxes, feeders and waterers from years gone by. I guess it's a fair trade for farm fresh eggs!!!
We have left the large "people" door open until they figure out how to use this one. At first they seem to have thought it was just a window. They are too funny all pushing and shoving to be able to peer outside at their new world outside the box. I love watching their personalities develop. They are finally starting to make chicken noises too, not just the sweet little "peeps". Can't wait for the roosters to crow.
Love this picture...the little Bantam peeps like to hide other the three larger ones in the box. We are not real sure what the larger ones are. We were told they were Dominiques, but I am doubtful. Anyone able to help in this department? We also have one solid grey bird with a black beak, all the others have orange beaks.
And lastly, I have to show my sweet old girl. She is after all, sharing her pasture. This is Abby, my 27yr old Thoroughbred. I've had her since she was 5. We have been through alot together and I hope she will live forever as I cannot imagine life without her!

Walk MS 2009

What a beautiful day for a fund raising walk. My family and I just completed the 4 mile fundraising Walk MS 2009 put on by the National MS Society. I raised over $350 in donations, most of which came from High School friends I have reconnected with on Facebook! I feel very loved.

I was officially told I was graced with this disease in 2000 after a long bought of severe dizziness, to the point I was falling out of the shower, down stairs and just by simply turning around while walking or standing. Since then, I have lost the vision in my right eye, thanks to optic neuritis (it has 99% returned), have severe muscle "cramping" and a continued weakness on my right side. Luckily, these are all things I can live with and continue to lead a fairly normal life. There are many afflicted with this disease that are not that lucky. It was for those that I walked.