Too much fun skirting fleece . . .

Huh, you ask? Is that possible? In what way do you mean? Are you suggesting . . . "It's not possible to have fun skirting fleece." Or, conversely, are you of the mindset, "It's not possible to have TOO much fun skirting fleece!" I am definitely in the latter category, and I documented all the fun had this past week at The Salty Ewe Farm in Kennebunkport ME. Thirteen some fleeces later, I was in lanolin heaven.

The Maine Reef: Crochet Green Anemone Pattern

This is so cool! Help the folks in Maine with this project. Read on!

The Maine Reef: Crochet Green Anemone Pattern: Anthopluera Xanthogrammica  or the  Giant Green Anemone , is a species of  intertidal   sea anemones , of the  family   Actiniidae . Go the ...

BBC NEWS | Health | Knitting 'can delay' memory loss

BBC NEWS | Health | Knitting 'can delay' memory loss

I hope this is true.

Tuesday Visuals

Saturday fun in the studio with mother (knitting a summer scarf with yarn from The Sheep Shack) and good fiber friend Chris (combing some of her fleece stash). We enjoyed the coolness of the subterranean space, some yummy dark chocolate, lemonade, and great conversation. Sleeping dogs kept us company. 

Trying out grey llama while learning a core spinning technique courtesy of my new Jacey Boggs book.

Making some progress here with a long standing large quantity of beautiful chocolate Merino roving  acquired at  Gore Place in Waltham -- their annual spring wool festival was my first foray into festival going and fleece acquisition. We know how that story goes.

Crochet progress

I'm so enjoying my new skill, instructor, and the group of women in class. The hooks are fun and cool in variety and size, the patterns are more modern and fresh than I expected, the possibilities for creativity with jewelry especially are very exciting.  Here's another free hat pattern I received from the nice people at Classic Elite. A summer cap in happy colors. Who wouldn't want to make/wear it?

http://conta.cc/N5Cjwf

Cape Cod in June

Visited with my mother for an overnight in Eastham and had a memorable time walking the beach, meeting fiber artists, biking around town on their excellent Rails to Trails system, and making new discoveries. One was the at Cape Cod National Seashore's Salt Pond Visitor Center. Their small but fascinating museum included objects relevant to . . . fiber! I hope the don't mind the publication of these photos, but it is free publicity! 

Free standing yarn winder, so similar to mine.

Not fiber-y, but a lovely example of craft from another era.

Whale bone tools for fiber and other arts.

The whalebone swift.

Cape Cod fiber artist Sue Pellowe and some beautiful Navajo Churro fiber  I brought home.

Sweet Fern in my neighborhood . . . another dye plant waiting in wings

Comptonia  peregrina: UW-Stevens Point Freckmann Herbarium: Plant Details Page

I've been eyeballing this lovely low growing shrub on my regular dog walks for years. Now, I finally understand it's instintual appeal to me. It's a dye plant! My guild used it when we did our day long workshop at Windy Hamlet Farm a few years ago. I want to dig it up! Plant it in my backyard. Get the dye pots ready. Here we go.

Lovely new video from Colin's Creatures

https://vimeo.com/41418696

Sheep School Summary

I had a fun, full day at Sheep School in North Grafton MA. The staff of Tufts and the organizer (New Entry Sustainable Farm Project) were terrific and so informative. I got to tip a ewe and a ram lamb, examine hooves, udders, and testicles, learn about bio safety, parasites, nutrition, fencing and predator control, and take photos, of course. Thanks to all responsible for the very good day.

 

 

 

Wednesday Visual

Working Caption: This flock makes me tired.
Alternate suggestions? 

I'm a Sheep School Student (tomorrow)

So excited. Attending the annual Sheep School at Tufts Cummings School of Vet Medicine tomorrow. It's run by the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project folks. Will be dressing in my best jeans, barn boots, and gloves (?) for the 6 hour program covering lots of hands-on topics, like hoof trimming! My virtual flock will be all the better cared for after I absorb my new found knowledge. I'm sure there will be some detailed photos for sharing when it's all done.

Crochet?

I'm taking my first crochet class at The Sheep Shack in Holden MA. Jen is our instructor; she's lively, crafty, and sports a ball-of-yarn tattoo. I think we'll have fun. She has us working with cotton to make a dishtowel that will incorporate different stitches . . . a good beginner's sampler. Nice to learn something new and RELAXING right now while the rest of my life is in a state of stress. Found a crochet pattern book by one of my favorite designers, Teva Durham, in the sale bin at the GROCERY STORE! Who knew?!

Hot Weather Sheep Sighting

I had limited up close access to sheep in Costa Rica. Only at a petting "zoo" located at INBIO Park in San Jose was I able to view this example of  a tropical breed, which I think is the Pelibuey, mentioned in an earlier post. I can't be sure but they look somewhat similar. As you can see, there was multi-species co-habitation going on here. I manged to sneak a sample of the fleece home with me, provided by the generous sheep "molting" in the photos. Considering the warm temps there, I don't think it is missed.