Hanging In There

Just thought I would post about what I have been doing besides sleeping in the past couple of days. I've had the flu, or something that has knocked me off my feet. Today, I'm feeling alive again, yippee!! Life is so much better when you do the normal everyday things. I took a few pictures of what I have been working on plus, a few pictures.

Right Top: Just Hanging in there, it looked easy when Mom was doing it... This was taken when I wasn't home. The Brats/cat's name is Buttons, we should have named her Mischievous.

Right Picture: Skein after dying and washing, but before put into a regular short skein.

Left: Long skeins waiting to be dyed. This is the most tedious and time consuming part, but necessary if you want self striping sock yarn. Each pattern repeat is about 20 yards, or 20 knit rows.

Labels: Passion Self Striping Sock Yarn, Snow, Sunset, Watermelon

Bottom Picture: Self Striping Watermelon Skeins

Time Flies

Where has the time gone? I've made excuse after excuse for not updating my blog. I have been busy. I went to Michigan again. This time I had time to meet a friend for a nice visit. I met Cary of http://www.serenity-farms.com. She is such a sweet lady. I also met all her sheep, and took some of their beautiful fiber home. I'm hoping to dye some of it soon.



I've been busy, back to the business of dyeing sock yarn again. I am dyeing self striping sock yarn for a LYS in Germantown. Rainbow Fibers & Yarn Shop is a neat shop with wonderful yarn, and fibers. The owner, Brigitte is a wonderful lady, she is always so encouraging, and offers some wise advise. I always have to tell myself when I go into her shop, that I DON'T need anymore yarn!! It's very hard to go into that shop, and not come out with anything.



I'll be dyeing some more sock yarn this week. I think I over did it last week trying to get too much done in such a short time. I am now trying to set weekly goals, and work everyday with my yarn. Now I just need to list what I've already dyed. Watermelon, and the Passion colorways seem to be the most popular right now, so that's what I'll be dyeing this week.

Swap Sister Revealed

My secret sister from the swap that Kimberly hosted was the first swap that I've participated in. I'm a member of Christian Artisans, which is a really neat group, we share our love for Christ, and fiber arts. I've learned so much from this groups of ladies, by the way, there is one guy in the group too. So, I'm posting to share what I received from Karen at Windy Lane Farms. The roving is wonderful, I've never felt anything other than cashmere that is this soft. Thank so much to Karen for praying for me, and gifting me with so many wonderful things. I've been wanting to make this shawl, called Bee Fields Shawl, by Anne Hansen, http://www.knitspot.com/ and low and behold it was one of the last things I pulled from my box. I received, Earl Gray Tea, Java Jingle, Coffee, by Pioneer Coffe, a tea mug with strainer, and lid, sugar free chocolate Bar, Merion Oro lace weight yarn for the shawl(this also is so soft), and the pattern, plus a generous bump of lovely colored roving, that is super soft. This is Kimberly's blog page. http://www.wovenspun.com/blogmain/index.php I was very impressed with Kimberly when I first saw her, I'm new to blogging, and I thought it was neat that she is a Christian woman, and not ashamed to share her faith. Thanks Kimberly for hosting the swap, it's always neat to get to know other people. Praying for a person is such a blessing, I enjoyed this swap.

Fruitcake anyone?

Autumn has past, and winter is here, or is it? It will be 79 degrees here tomorrow. Crazy, just crazy! How is a person to get in the Christmas spirit?

I have been busy, I'll have you know. I have a friend who is always telling me to get my stuff on Etsy. I've been dragging my feet, literally. I've injured my right foot, again. I did get my order to the local yarn shop. This week I'll be dying yarn for the Etsy shop, and working on Christmas presents. I'll also be starting my Christmas baking.

Christmas time always brings memories. I used to make fruitcake and give it as part of my gift giving, until someone once said on the sly, that it was one of the worst gifts you could give. I disagree, so this year, I will be making fruitcake. I remember my grandmother making a fruitcake, but not baking it. It was yummy! I don't have her exact recipe, but she may have used the one I found. I was going to throw out a few cookbooks, de-cluttering. I happened to open this one up(Cornerstone Cook-Book, Lajes Field Azores), and low and behold, I found the recipe. There is not a date in the cookbook, but it's old, they refer to the refrigerator as the ice box, it also includes can sizes, and lots of neat information you don't hear about nowadays. I'll include the recipe here, along with some eye candy of the yarn I just dyed.

Refrigerator Fruit Cake

1 qt. mixed canned fruit
1 qt. shelled pecans
1 lb. marshmallows
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. box graham crackers
1/4 cup milk
submitted by: Helen Hassenmiller-Lafyette, LA

Melt marshmallows in milk in double boiler. Roll crackers. add fruit and nuts to graham crackers, add marshmallow and mix thoroughly. Line container with paper and press mix firmly. Add sherry as desired.
May be used after 24 hours of chilling buy recommended 30 days.

I will be using dried MI cherries, white raisins, and candied orange peel when I make my fruitcake, as most people don't like the mixed citron fruit. I like the taste of brandy on a fruitcake also This recipe calls for regular canned fruit, which might be more economical, but not have the traditional taste.

Michigan Cabin

While in Michigan we had a chance to visit with my neice and her boyfriend. They make such a cute couple. This is a picture of them with my sister(Mother to neice.) The trip was short, but it was also nice to "Get out of Dodge." I would love to get snowed in, just think of all the knitting and spinning I could do there.

Autumn Arrives In All It's Splendor

We recently took a trip up North to Michigan. I was disappointed that the leaves were mostly gone. MI is just beautiful. We stayed in a cabin that was owned by a friend of my sisters. I am always amazed by God's people. M & B were so gracious to let us stay in their cabin on such short notice. Our trip was short, I would have loved to stayed for a couple of weeks. We are back home, and warm. We just missed the winter weather in MI :) I took some pictures yesterday of the beautiful fall foliage here in Tennessee. Most of the pictures were taken while driving in the car. I still have not found a neat picture for my Etsy sight, instead I have the same tangled woods picture.



I did work a little with my dyes before the trip. There are two new colorways: Autumn, and ? I can not come up with a name for the second one. Any suggestions for a name would be greatly appreciated. If not I'm going to name it "Favorite."

Cashmere

I'm busy working with cashmere. I've been working with several colors to put on Etsy. Colors I'm now processing: pink, blue,gray, and cream. I will be handpainting a few skeins also. The cooler weather is coming, and I'm really trying my best to get some new yarn ready. I will also be taking some pictures to put on soon.