Thursday, April 4, 2013

It's time ...

It was April 2006, when I started this blog. Right now I don't feel the love for continuing with it, so I think I'm going to take a break for a while. I thank you all for coming by, reading, and leaving comments, and/or keeping contact via emails. It really meant a lot to me to hear from you! Blogging without all of you is not worth doing it. I'm not sure when I will be back or if at all.

Here's the gang saying Goodbye for now! Wishing you all the best! I'll be over at Ravelry and on Flickr with photos.

Thanks, and take care!

September 27-Denny


Maggie & Happy on the sofa October 2012-2

♥ ♥ ♥


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

A fibery prize and handspun yarn!

I've finished spinning 36oz of undyed Falkland fiber. Made it into 3ply yarn a little over 1,500yds. Just a bit more than I will need as a main color for the Kex blanket (by Stephen West). I've got some multicolored yarn for the rest.

Here it is before the dye bath (still in this state, will have to wait for a warm and sunny day),

36oz Falkland, undyed, 3-ply yarn

And I've had a fine mail day today. I've received a little package from Anna Marie of Corgi Hill Farm. There was scrumptious Merino/Angora/Silk fiber (3oz), stitch markers, a fiber sample and an orifice hook. It felt like it was my birthday! Thank you so much, Anna Marie! :o)

Corgi Hill Farm-gift from Anna Marie

The colorway is called "Poinsettia", and is actually a little darker as in the picture.






Friday, March 29, 2013

Not a handspun Friday

I know it's supposed to be handspun Friday, but nothing is written in stone!

I just had fun watching Chinese crackers unfold in hot oil! (Yeah, I know, I'm easily entertained.)

My son brought home a box of these crackers, which look like colored glass before you throw them into hot oil.  He got them from friends, and I'm grateful for this new experience.

So here's a before picture:

multicolored Chinese Crackers

And here's the after picture:

multicolored Chinese Crackers

I will try one for sure! :o)

By the way, if you celebrate Easter, or even if you don't, I wish you all a wonderful weekend!



Wednesday, March 27, 2013

It's THAT time again ....

Yesterday was lovely, sunny, cool, and I was able to sit out on the deck, having some coffee, watching the dogs play in the backyard. They kept running up the stairs to check on me too, quite enjoyable. But then it was time to call them inside. It took me a while to get them cleaned up. No pictures of dirty dogs, but look...

they were running through this

March 2013

and I thought this looked interesting, the layer of snow turned into ice, that broke, and the melting water found its own way off the property.

March 2013

Here are some videos of the dogs a few days earlier, when it was still cold, and not as muddy.

Happy finds happiness in a bucket of water, even though there was ice floating in it.







And right now, it rains. :o(




Saturday, March 23, 2013

Misae shawl

Alexandra released her newest shawl design today. I was lucky enough to test knit it for her. It was such a fun knit, never boring, because of the color changes, and also the stitch pattern changes. It's well written. The only thing I find hard, when knitting Alexandra's patterns is coming up with a color combo, and not copying her. I LOVE her color choices, and hardly ever can one improve on that. She must like the same colors as I do. :o)

test knit-Misae shawl

So, here's Misae! I know, I know, my color choice seems to remind a bit of Christmas, but I really love the colors together, so there, I don't care. Besides, I have enough shawls to wear throughout the year, so I can wear this around Christmas time, if I want to. ;o) I came up with several color combos for this shawl, but this one won, because just looking at it relaxed me, and made me smile.

test knit-Misae shawl

Argh, there are so many white dog hairs on it. I was blocking it in the dining room, and many inquiring doggy noses came by to see if I did a good job, and they were shedding all over it. Sigh.

test knit-Misae shawl

test knit-Misae shawl

test knit-Misae shawl

test knit-Misae shawl

test knit-Misae shawl

pattern: Misae by Alexandra Wiedmayer

yarn: Patons Kroy socks (black), Spritely Goods Naiad - Absinthe (green), The Copper Corgi Fiber Studio - Bloody 'hell (red)

size: 92" x 24" or 233cm x 60cm

♥ ♥ ♥


Friday, March 22, 2013

Handspun Friday - FCK Early American

I can't believe it, but it snowed all day yesterday, with a few sunny breaks. We spent a lot of time outside. At the same time it was warm and the snow was melting throughout the day at almost the same rate it came down. This morning though there were flurries again, with the sun coming out at the same time.

That's Happy's ears you see in the picture.

March 22- early morning

He's squinting a little here. Denny had to stay inside, because he was barking mad, I mean barking like a mad dog, when he saw the camera in my hands, and it was too early for that ruckus. Maggie's still sleeping.

March 22-early morning


Now about todays handspun yarn.

FCK-Fiber Club October 2011-5oz Polwarth-Early American

It's FatCatKnits Fiber Club, October 2011, 5oz Polwarth, colorway "Early American". I made it into 2-ply yarn, 488yds.

FCK-Fiber Club October 2011-5oz Polwarth-Early American-2-ply-488yds

 FCK-Fiber Club October 2011-5oz Polwarth-Early American-2-ply-488yds

I'm still spinning away for the Extreme Plying SAL for Southern Cross Fiber, but one of my fingers shows some signs of wear and tear, mostly it's slized open where the freshly spun fiber runs over it, before the wheel pulls it onto the bobbin. Which means I have to take longer breaks to let it heal. Oh well, there's always knitting, right?

Have a wonderful weekend!






Sunday, March 17, 2013

Probably the last days of winter fun!

These last few days have been cold. We've still got some snow, but not much, and we try to get the most of it. Here are probably the last photos of this Winter featuring mostly Maggie, our Energizer doggy.

Throw the ball, pretty please!

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Wont you throw the ball for me?

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Really, I NEED you to throw the ball!

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Here's the ball ...
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Look, I mean THIS ball!

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Throw the freaking BALL!

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Now, was that so hard?

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Thank God, Happy is not as demanding, and he can entertain himself quite nicely.

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Meanwhile Denny is off somewhere eating bunny poop. Sorry, no photographic evidence of that. It's too gross how much he enjoys that.

Afterwards, Maggie enjoys the warmth of the heater. She can't get close enough.

Maggie in front of the heater

♥♥♥