Thursday, February 25, 2010

Important Film for Fiber Fanatics

http://sweetgrassthemovie.com/screenings/

Check out this website -- a recently released documentary on sheepherding and some of the last cowboys in America.

Monday, February 22, 2010

DVD Preview: Drafting - The Long and Short of It by Abby Franquemont - Spin-Off

I loved this :46 sec little piece of encourage to "multitask" while practicing the Long Draw. I'm gonna try it!

DVD Preview: Drafting - The Long and Short of It by Abby Franquemont - Spin-Off

Volunteer Time








(These photos courtesy of the WARL website!)




I am committing to giving hours each week to the dogs at the Worcester Animal Rescue League. I walked on Friday and again today for two+ hours each day. The dogs are so diverse, and so great. I wish more people would spend time with them.

Friday I was especially impressed with Sandy, a tall, long and elegant girl right out of an 18th Century European painting. Brindle colored and with one mangled ear, she is a real ball dog, and would catch snow or tennis balls expertly with every toss I made. And, today, it was the last dog I walked, Juan from Puerto Rico (Little Juan, I like to call him), a SATO rescue dog. He is a "noodle" dog, a mix of basset hound and maybe pointer or other bird dog. Cute and small and very shy but wanting to love and play. Had to coax his collar onto him, but then we had a nice walk.

I leave dripping in sweat from the exertion, but satisfied by the experience of helping.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

This weekend's photos as promised




Nice Fiber Weekend

The spring thaw this week (temps into the 50s! Yesssssssss!) must have been the impetus for extra nice fiber experiences. They included:
1. Finishing one of Jeff's two socks -- the wool is a beautiful handpainted skein I picked up at the Sheep Shack in December.
2. Viewing Maile's beautiful hand-hooked rugs at her Guild's show in Northborogh. What variety! What skill! What creativity!
3. A terrific inaugural meeting of the planning committee for the 2010 Sheep to Shawl, Llama To Pajama slated for Green Hill Park in Worcester MA on October 23rd, 12-4PM. After this meeting, also a first-ever tour of the farm barn and introduction to the residents (two llamas, three Romneys, four assorted goats, and a flock of laying hens).
4. A lively and satisfying Guild meeting at Elaine's house, featuring first-time attendee Kate from Great Rock Alpacas in Barre MA. We learned so much from her stories about alpaca farming, touched some beautiful product, and enjoyed yummy treats. Thanks Elaine!
5. Began a swatch with (gasp!) my first hank of linen from Louet.

Photos will be forthcoming!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Lunch at Many Hands Organic Farm


Today was so sunny, and just a perfect day for a drive to Barre to meet the farmers for lunch at Many Hands Organic Farm. We have been members of this CSA for several years, and enjoy all the fruits of their impressive labor: me the veggies, flowers, herbs, eggs, and fruit, and Jeff all of the above plus the pigs and chickens that lead very happy lives before their final day. We love getting our weekly share of veggies starting in the spring and lasting until December if you sign up for the Fall CSA membership.

Today I picked up eggs, pork and chicken after our lunch meeting. Looking forward to doing some serious baking with those beautiful fresh eggs! Plus, they have lots in store for 2010! Workshops like Pruning Trees and more start in March and run through the fall, culminating with their 2nd Annual Farm Festivus. I'm also looking forward to learning a few more skills from Julie, Jack and their gang.

Here are some of the happy critters that were out to say hello . . .

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Snowy Day In MA (and just about everywhere else!)


Jeric and I made it out for our walk today before the snow really took over. We expect over a foot, maybe more here in Central MA. Jeric's long coat is just perfectly suited for the weather, which also makes it a great source of fiber for my projects. Speaking of which, this is what his fluff looks like as a Navajo-plyed hank, and as a partially completed scarf.(Note the little bit of black detail that came from Marsh . . . a little bit of her to accompany us whenever we will wear it.)




More about Jeric . . . have been lusting to learn to make needle felted animals, and here's my first pass at making a little Jeric with his fluff. I think I need to take a lesson.


Also caught up with the "art yarn" Maile and I experimented with and here it is, ready for knitting up into something small and cute. It was plyed with black Tencel.

Looking forward to an outing on the 24th to Greenwood Hill Farm in Hubbardston with Guild members to view the new Merino lambs and finally take some new PHOTOS. Love fiber projects, but need sheep contact.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Yikes, where does the time go?



Me in Florida, definitely not knitting.

I HAVE been spinning in spite of the silence on the blog . . . January was, well, a month, and ten days were spent trying to put it all behind me by kayaking the waterways of southwestern Florida with mom, the Kayak Queen of Windmill Village. Five knitting projects were packed in my suitcase, and guess how many were completed? One. Gee, paying the extra $20 to check my bag each way was REALLY worth it!



Nope, no knitting got done here, either.

Spinning has been really good for me during the start of the New Year. Almost done with the fall natural dyeing samples, and thinking about finishing up Jeric's fluff so that scarf can be finalized, once and for all. It is soooo warm and soft, at least the 1/2 I've completed.

Waiting to hear back from Storey about my book proposal. It just makes so much sense to me, so why shouldn't it to them?

Lots of great stuff going on with Wachusett Spinners Guild. We are really gearing up for the scheduled 2010 fiber season, and creating new events of our own.

If you haven't yet discovered it on your own, this is quite the little blog: http://www.fiberfarm.com/blog.