Poor Em, she’s waited so patiently. Now in my defense she didn’t exactly make it easy for me, since she makes her own spindles, so not much point to sending her one of mine eh?

I am assembling her package tonight though, and I think I have gotten something nice together for her.

I’ve been a little busy, as you know I submitted an article to Knitty, and it would seem that it is to appear in the Winter Issue which should publish soon. I am very excited about that, because it really is one of my better articles. I’m pretty proud of it.

The month has turned and I also need to choose a new prize winner. And THIS months blog contest looks like this, we had a total of 49 comments from 7 posts for an average of 7 comments per post. I really didn’t post much this month, but the good news is, that we beat the last months average of 4.7 comments per post. THANKS GUYS!!!! It really means a lot to me to hear back from you, and connect with you here on the blog.

So this months winner is:

Comment #45

Michelle

I knew goat milk had that nice, simple, much-easier-to-digest protein but had no idea that sheep milk was constructed the same way. I think I’d rather milk a goat, though. Bigger teats, less fiber….

No I didn’t pick this one because it contained the word “teats” lol. How I choose is I have Dominic pick a number between 1 and 49 in this case. So Congratulations Michelle, you are this months winner!!! And Em will be getting her packet soon, as I am feeling a bit better now.

On to important news. I finished one of the fingertip-less gloves for Christlyn. She is really a dear person, and was VERY excited about the possibility of not freezing her hands on wrecks this January.

So this pair, knitting with 100% alpaca in about a worsted weight, is luscious to say the least. I mean they are a REAL treat on your hands. So soft, silky, almost naughty feeling lol. They feel so good it almost seems like you must be doing something bad, but nope, nothing wrong with wearing luxury gloves. Not the best pictures in the world, but it gets dark so early now…

I have gotten some feedback, they are just a smidge thick for the right hand, which she uses to start IVs, so this one she thinks will work just fine for the left hand. Which in a way was a real bummer, cause I was thinking I could keep this one, and just make one like it for me…

Christmas is coming, of course I have scads of mittens to make before then. Elizabeth and Teresa both need mittens, and they have to be colorful and all. I dyed yarn for two pairs for a friend’s children who happen to be about the same size, coincidence, uh NO. So here is the first one:

So colorful, hand-dyed yarn knitted up into two adorable mittens, does it get better than that? Can I suggest that you all take some scraps and knit a few of these this year and give them to the local homeless shelter, battered ’s home, or other charity that hands out warm things to children in need? These knit up over a movie (well each mitten for me) and they don’t use much yarn. I will be publishing the glove and mitten pattern for all of you to use freely as soon as I can. I also took some pictures so there will be a tutorial too.  I really want to encourage everyone to make a few of these and give them out.

So, happy mitten knitting, and congratulations Michelle.

I really love making mittens. I always just make the thumbs stick out the sides, because well, thumbs just sort of stick out the side, and I find these more comfortable than the strange thumbs out of the palm mittens. I hang my head in shame, but that’s how I feel about it.

Sorry about that guys, I’m not feeling very well lately, as morning sickness worsens.  Hopefully it will be slacking off soon, and I can get back to the computer.

Thanksgiving was nice here, we went to my parents house.  We have Christmas open so we are weighing our options, and maybe we’ll go off somewhere for Christmas, that would be fun huh?

I am still getting the blog gift together, and I’m really sorry guys that I have posted so few times, so you have fewer chances to enter.  I will try to put something up more regular, even if  it’s just more videos or something.  I’m sure I will feel better soon.

On the other hand, (pun intended lol) I have been making gloves.  I have a friend who is a super hero.  She goes out everyday, saves lives and selflessly sacrifices her own comfort for the well being of others.  She’s a paramedic.

Here in Missouri, it gets really cold, well below zero much of January, and with the wind chill 20 below or even colder is not unusual, especially at night.  I always feel really bad, because she goes out in it to work wrecks, and all she has on her hands is latex gloves.  So I came up with the idea of knitting very fine gauge fingerless gloves that she could wear under her latex gloves.  That way she could still work, and start IVs and things, and yet keep her hands a little warmer.

I decided to knit them up in 100% alpaca for extra warmth.  Alpaca is 5 times warmer than wool, I am also working on some angora yarn, which is 8 times warmer than wool, and too bad that quivet is just out of the question for price reasons.  So I may end up doing an angora, alpaca and wool mix which would be ideal for light gloves that could go under latex gloves.  I have also made her a nice head band to keep her ears warm and a pair of socks.  The socks don’t really count though, because I made them for me, but they were too big and they fit her, so problem solved.

Anyway what I wanted to say was that gloves are not hard to do.  But the instructions don’t make much sense until you have the work in your hands.  Then it all goes rather smoothly, and the gloves knit up pretty fast, useing worsted weight, I cast on 36 stitches, and finsihed within about 5 hours with the first glove.  I think the second will go faster.

This is probably most of my knitted gifts this year, I want to make hats and scarves for the kids, but that’s all.  My family is all getting handmade candy and caramel corn for presents.  Cheap, not to hard, and so well loved by all who get them.

Merry Christmas!!!

So my camera came in today, so I will be finishing up the three or four things I have written and posting them. One article I wrote was on my favorite holiday recipes. They are all my personal creations, inspired by other recipes, and changed, tweaked and improved into something “extrodinaire” at least in my opinion. I don’t know anything about measuring systems in Europe or other countries, so if any of my out of US readers want help converting, let me know and we can work on it. There is a wonderful baked chicken/turkey recipe, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Homemade Rolls, Cinnamon rolls, pie crust/pumpkin pie, chocolate covered cherries, and peanut butter bon bons. All delicious and although some are time consuming, they are all easy. I know it isn’t fiber related, but this is a Holiday Season Special Issue, and I can do what I want! I hope some of you/all of you try them.

I also have another chart to post for the Hurry Up Scarf for the edging. I didn’t realize I hadn’t finished the charts. Oops! And I have another scarf, a pair of baby booties, a puppet, hand-warmers, and some other stuff I forget what all. I don’t know if I’ll get them all done or not.

So Issue 4 is up, and I need to finish it up. So there should be a few more additions in the next few days, be sure and watch for them.

Well hopefully, I STILL don’t have a camera, but I’m thinking I have enough to publish, I only wrote three or four patterns for this issue, so I could put them up a little later huh?

I didn’t have a lot of time, and you know I have no pictures so heres a really cool video showing a lady spinning.

What I would like to know, is right around 2:40 or so she starts winding wool, on her hand or off? I can’t tell but I am rather intrigued by the technique.

Enjoy, what a beautiful lady.

TOOOO FUNNY!!

They usually have a code snippett, but they didn’t for this picture, which really made me laugh.

www.icanhascheezburger.com 

disclaimer : Guys this is a joke, and although it makes some valid points, it’s meant to be funny, don’t take it too serious.

I was reading a blog I like that I just found not long ago, Shepard Chik

I tried to comment but blogger hates me. I mean it, I have an account, but either I am too stupid to use it, or it has some evil plan to not ever ever allow me to comment. I may have posted this comment like 6 times on the poor ladies blog. Sorry SC, I didn’t mean to do it, I just am dumber than your average blogger user.

Anyway, here is the post I made and isn’t terribly on topic, she was discussing something really much more interesting, but I got off on a tangent. Read her Nov 6 post and you’ll understand it better. Basically I am giving my opinion on cheap acrylic, and stash management and the idiotic questions people ask like “Why do you need all those needles?” DUH, to knit with moron. Of course I don’t say that… Why do people feel the need to critisize knitter because they own tool of their trade? Who gets all over a machanic who has lots of different sized wrenches? Sort of like needles, you need different sizes…

Anyway, I have an opinion, and you’re all just lucky unlucky enough to hear it.

WHAT IS UP WITH CRAPPY YARN?? WHY DO PEOPLE THINK THATS ALL THEY CAN USE? AND WHY DO THEY THINK THATS ALL I SHOULD USE?

Why on earth should anybody feel guilty and be labeled “snob” because they use a quality yarn for something they are going to pour hours of work into?

I have used NICE acrylic, but really it’s still PLASTIC. Why would I use yarn that I can buy for like less than a $1 an ounce, when I can use wool, alpaca, cotton, silk and all the many other options, or even really nice acrylic or synthetic blends for just a little more? And why get all over someone who likes natural fiber, when is plastic ever better? Who wants a plastic house or car? But no, if you don’t want to use plastic yarn you’re a yarn snob.

Well who in the world goes to church on Sunday in a new sweater, and gets a compliment and gushes “It’s acrylic!” Cashmere, sure, angora of course, acrylic…Please.

The other line I get that annoys me is the old “I can’t afford wool/good yarn” which really means, “I have a huge pile of this terrible garbage in my basement, that was given to me or I bought and now I HAVE to use it” (Note: This remark is related to specific incident with my mother who has a million yards of red heart, and refuses to use anything else, even handspun I give her….FOR FREE) I am addressing the stubbornness of many knitters who have always used this, and will not try anything else, regardless of price. There is yarn almost AS CHEAP that is nice. Please see the list of links at the end of the post.

I think I am NOT a yarn snob, I think I am smart enough to buy a the best quality product for my work I can afford, so that it will last, be of good quality, and be beautiful forever instead of pilling up into a scratchy cheap plastic mess after a wash or two. It will also feel nice while I am using it and be enjoyable to knit with.  To be fair all acrylic is not equal.

I have a newborn infant coming in June and BTW if anyone wants to send me hand-washable wool garments, blankets or whatever, I am OK with that! Moms in this day and age do NOT ALL have to have machine washable items. I wash them all in one go, just like I wash fleeces in cool water, no problem. Many Mothers prefer natural fiber and for very good reasons

Acrylic will melt onto the poor baby/person if there is a fire, whereas wool will protect you from fire. I mean really what are those legislators DOING, this should be a law, get rid of plastic yarn! at least for bed items.

How many contractors do you know who side their houses with plexi-glass? Or even use in windows? Why, isn’t it better???

Why not use Vaseline instead of shortening in pie crusts. sheesh. Its cheaper, oh and it gets rid of hairballs.

My stash is small, but well loved, and I don’t think stash should be tracked too much, if you’re working/knitting and not starving or letting the kids go without shoes then BUY AS MUCH YARN AS YOU DARNED WELL PLEASE. Buy within your budget, but don’t feel you must always buy the cheapest yarn because it’s only a hobby. There is a difference between choosing the best you can afford, and automatically choosing the absolute cheapest because someone will give you a guilt trip if you spend more the $10 on yarn.  Your handknit sweater can cost more than you can buy one for at Wal Mart.  We don’t have to knit to save money on clothes.

Hey, why doesn’t somebody yell at someone who snarfs down at McDonald’s everyday, that’s like $6 a day, $30 a week getting flushed down the toilet. Think about that. HEY and I have a sweater, you just have well, never mind. My yarn purchases can almost ALWAYS be covered by one dinner out, and nobody would ever think to criticize me for doing that, and it gets flushed, it’s gone, right down the john. But knitting, knitting keeps you warm. I don’t spend even remotely $20 per week or even a month on yarn, but I hear that. “Why do you spend all that money on yarn?”

I think we should all embrace our yarn, and darn it, people should just butt out! Go back to their big screens and antique cars, that I would like to point out cost lots of money….Everybody spends their money…on…something…But wool, keeps you warm.

But now, how bout I tell you what I REALLY think? lol

Yarn snob indeed.

PS:

www.thesheepshedstudio.com quality cheap fiber and yarn, from Brown Sheep Co

oh, and we have plenty of it in our shop too. it’s all nice, and all pretty cheap.

www.knitpicks.com

they have lots of very nice yarns, and anyone should be able to save up to buy nice yarn for larger projects with some of their choices.

Finally if you like acrylic, then fine, just say so, and quit calling me snob because I don’t.

I forgot the contest! We had 67 comments, and 12 posts from last month, and that is an average of 5.5 comments per post. We have risen from an average of 4.7 comments per post, with 10 posts and 47 comments last month. So I have posted more, and you have commented more, and everybody is doing better right?

But you’re more interested in who wins a prize eh? Well it just so happens that comment 35 is the winner:

Em |

Very nice prize! That orifice hook/ply checking tool is really neat!!

No, it didn’t win because it complimented the orifice hook lol. I just figure out how many comments there were, and randomly chose a number between one and the number of comments for the month. Dominic supplied the number 35 this time.

So, Em, send me an email with your name, address and all that jazz, plus a wish list, or whatever you need/want, and we’ll get your prize made up. Bear in mind we can’t give you a new drum carder lol, but you are more than welcome to try!

Congratulations, and I will be trying to post more guys, but with morning sickness, and Issue 4 breathing down my neck, plus Dr office visits and all that, I’m busy as usual. I do think maybe the sheep are done breeding, only one left. One less thing.

I joined this fun project/movement

Have you seen the movie Pay it forward? Haley Joel Osment’s character comes up with a simple idea to change the world. Give three good deeds, the person who receives it must pay it forward. An easy thing but so difficult. Somebody has taken this idea and turned it into presents. It’s fun to give gifts. I read about it in \ I tracked it back about 15 blogs (note: I didn’t actually do this lol, your supposed to paste this text in though :P) and it is interesting to watch how it’s spreading. You can be a part of this if you promise to:

“I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week… but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.”
You can be a part of this, just leave a comment here. You can mail me your adress.

The idea is that I will send out 3 handmade gifts, to the first three commenter. BUT if you choose to accept the gift, then you will need to send out three gifts on your blog… So you get a gift, but you also have to send some out, so it’s sort of like a swap or something. Anyway, I thought it was really cool, so I joined it, and now I have three small gifts for the first three comments. (If you don’t wish to join, you may still comment, just indicate in your comment to exclude you from the Pay It Forward Contest.

Well, so Issue four is shaping up, but my camera is dead as a doornail.  So I’m going to do the best I can, and hope for the best.

I got my thank You packet sent FINALLY and I also got Nikki’s prize sent, sorry Nikki!  I put in some extras to make up for it.

So I’ve caught up a little, at least on mailing.

So issue 4 is coming along, but day before yesterday my camera broke.  I have a “Protection Plan” which basicly means, “We will fix or replace it, but only in a couple three weeks or so.”  Of course when you BUY the plan it sounds a lot more like “Oh if it breaks we will fix or replace it immediately.”  I don’t think I will be buying a camera from anywhere but a small shop in the future.  Anyway the pictures are just what I had around, and are relevant or not, but fun to look at.

So I have two scarves done, don’t need to explain the lack of pictures do I?  I am working on the design for a Fair Isle Beret, toasty toes, knitted puppets (Dominic’s design, cool huh) and a bunch of 0ther stuff I probably won’t be able to finish on time.  Dominic finished his hat, and it is adorable, but again, you know why there isn’t a picture, stupid camera people.

I STILL haven’t heard from Knitty, I had been warned, but you would think they would know three months later if they wanted it or not.  It only bugs me, because it is a REALLY good article, and I would LOVE to publish it.  ARRRG!

ok, this post is getting boring, here;s a doily pattern from Issue 4.

This was knit in fingering weight and came out quite large, about 24 inches in diameter.  It is very lovely.  I still have to figure out the chart, it is based off an old public domain pattern.

  This is Francis.

On a personal note, (going to be a long and probably boring story about colic and breast feeding)  I am pregnant with baby #5, so right now we are trudging through morning sickness and moodiness.  Here’s the deal.  Once the baby is born, I go on a VERY restricted diet.  No eggs, no milk, no soy, and no peanuts.  Milk AND eggs AND soy is rough, however, with Baby one, and two they screamed for hours a day, The Boy screamed only for about 4 hours.  The Girl screamed for over 10 hours a day and ended up on medication for irritable bowel.  So Baby 3 came and I learned that eggs and peanuts could trigger colic in breastfed babies.  (I knew about milk and tried that with baby2)  That baby was happy, with hardly any colic, as long as I didn’t eat any of that stuff.  OH look, a chicken…

Ok, so then William came along, and again, very little stomach problems or screaming on the diet.  SO where am I going with this?  It stinks on ice to live on that diet, and I hate it.  First of all the only condiment you can have is fake butter, ketchup, mustard and bbq.  Not so great with some things, like uh tuna.  No dessert pretty much, as practically all baked goods have milk or eggs in them.  (I can make a pie, but it’s not as good as usual)  In my previous pregnancies I was always on this diet for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Anyway, enough of me being whiny about it, I think I “may” have a solution out there in the yard.  I’ve been reading about sheep’s milk.  Sheep’s milk is a premeir milk used for cheeses, but it is also good for drinking and cooking.  Most importantly the type of protein in sheep milk is very easy to digest.  It is much less likely to cause upset stomach or gas, because the protien chains are very short and simple.  So maybe I could use sheep milk???  We’re going to find out it would seem.  This is my little “Flour Girl”.

This piece is called, Le Grande Menage, flour on hardwood and throw rug, by Teresa Jackson

Beau also got into Ravelry, his username is WBJ and I have been on there for some time as SpindleAndWheel I didn’t think about it, or I could have been spindle, and he could have been wheel.  Aint that cute?  hee hee.  ah well.

So that’s whats going on, heres the short version:  busted camera, puking editor, Beau on ravelry, want to milk the sheep, knitty won’t email me, got two scarves done and my packages mailed.  Oh yeah and the sheep seem to be starting to get down to business.  One had quite the tail end hairdo the other morning.  So, 4 down, 5 to go.  Excuse me, oh wait you didn’t hear that, oh well, I’m pregnant, and I can’t help it.

Off I go to enjoy my nausea.

I have been offline for a week, now I am recovering from my near death experience, and I need to thank Beau for spending no less than probably 10 to 12 hours on the phone with tech support.  sheesh.

So, I have designed a second scarf, and I am working on getting it knitted, I don’t have time, so I will let someone else do it.  I have some space dyed yarn here, uh anybody want the pattern to knit it? I am giving this yarn with the pattern to a friend, but if anyone else wanted to give it a go…  It’s, I forget what it looks like, but it;s really cool.

So now Dominic has completed his hat for William, and it is adorable, picture soon.

Oh and I found out I’m pregnant with baby number 5.  All that in one week, pretty productive really.

I have figured out a great wrist distaff, and will publish that in Issue 4.  I also have some other cool stuff to finish.  I need as many entries as I can come up with, so if you have any small fun projects on blogs out there folks, send me a link, probably we would love to publish it.  I want lots of neat little things that can be made fairly quickly, with little or no fuss.

I have to go eat now, I can’t just skip meals for the next 9 months.

We are back online, hooray!  I spent several HOURS on the phone with tech support over the past five days.  At least 3 hours on the phone today alone.  But at least we’re back online.  If you sent an email or were otherwise waiting to hear from us, we’ll get with you soon.

Thanks for your patience!