Fun in the snow south of us

Thank you so much to several entities for an especially delightful day yesterday in midcoast Maine.

Dandelion Spring Farm/Straw Farm in Newcastle. We've been buying produce, meat and eggs, and wool fleece from Beth for three years. At the weekly Rockland farmers market on Thursdays, She and her crew set up a tempting and bountiful stall, and it's become a must-do favorite. The farm(s) are situated on a rolling stretch of countryside, close to route 1 but enough away to be truly pastoral.

Tamworth is the breed name of these red russet piggies.

Lovely Jersey cows all, so soft and inquisitive.

Yesterday's visit was fortuitous -- weather, light and animals all cooperated, coming together to create a joyful experience for me (sorely needed) . I think the proof is in the porcine, bovine, and ovine faces.

Multi purpose sheep flock associated with a PenBay island flock the farmers also tend to. Their lovely white and chocolate wool has made it into our studio projects, including the raw fleece as well as the beautifully spun 2-ply hanks.

Prior to this pastoral pleasure, I attended a talk by Black Dinah Chocolatier founder Kate Shaffer at the Damariscotta Public Library. She is lovely! And, her words and tastes exquisite. Brought home a Valentine's gift box of heart shaped truffles for my own sweet Valentine, who ultimately agreed to share them. And popped into two art supply shops on Main Street: Attic Heirlooms and ABOCA Beads. All  in all, a very inspiring day.

Learning to Lopi . . . .

The very cool PLY Magazine blog has a guest written post about making Lopi-style singles . . . .

http://plymagazine.com/2016/01/spinning-lopi-singles/.

Must practice! Oh, joy!

PLY's facebook page

Playful Exercises Lead to New Ideas

Flax and Linen in New England

New Group Discovery! Thank you Lisa for forwarding this website: http://newenglandflaxandlinen.org/. (Isn't it a pretty image?)

Okay, now I have to make room for something else in my tiny garden!

Tips you can always use . . .

Episode 1407 – Arm Yourself: Perfecting your knitted sleeves and make your sweater knitting patterns fit their best. Download Barry Klein's free tip sheet for knitting sleeve caps.

Fiber-ing in the Frigid Air

I ventured out to the Rockport Library yesterday and met three lovely ladies at the Tuesday Fiber Group. . . a quilter, two knitters, and me. It was just what I needed. They shared these fun photos recently taken by a Snow Bird friend (somewhere in Florida), who participated in a yarn bombing. They did Matisse proud, don't you think?

The week of St. Distaff Day . . .

http://www.thebookofdays.com/months/jan/7.htm

Back to the wheel, wench! And so I go, happily!

This is my Chef, my Team, my Work, my Joy. Please watch and wonder.

Please watch, it's simply delightful.

Wool Walking out the door . . . shipping day at WW.

Packing up a couple of special packages today. One to London . . . a Nursing Shawl knit with hand spun chocolate Merino wool sourced from historic Gore Place in Waltham MA. They host a fiber fest every spring, and I acquired this fleece on my first visit there, along with capturing some of my most favorite sheep portraits.

 

 

And, a special gift for Hanukkah -- sister to sister -- of four hanks of hand spun (and some hand dyed too) yarn: Swamp Flowers, Grey Skies-Touch of Clearing, Kiwi Grey, and Starry Skies Maine. Thank you so much AL for gift giving through WalkingWool. Hope your Sis has fun. 

Shoulder Seam -- Helpful tips from Berocco

Fibery Sugarplums Danced . . . Down the Stairs

So, the new WW Gallery is a two-story experience, linked by a magnificent Victorian staircase, complete with railings and posts that are of carved wood and quite simply, showstopping. With a little Murphy's Oil Soap, they easily glow with warmth and appeal. At least, that's what we're told by first-time visitors. So, know wonder we were inspired to "Deck the Hall (way)" with handmade fiber items of a petite scale (save for the "Andre the Giant" hand spun, hand dyed and hand knit mittens, that could easily sub for stockings at the fireplace mantel).

Getting ready for Shop Local - Small Biz Saturday . . . this weekend in Rockland.

After the delightful first-time Open House last week, and the constructive responses and feedback received from visitors and friends, we are poised for the start of the 2015 Holiday Shopping Season. We especially want to celebrate Shop Local - Small Business Saturday, November 28. Our hats are off to our local small business neighbors here in the MidCoast Maine region. We are excited to join their ranks!

If you visit us soon, he's a glimpse of what you'll find in store, and in store. . .

Pom Pom Garland Tutorial by Kristin Nicholas

1st Annual WalkingWool Studio+Gallery Open House is today

Holy Guacamole!
Another month has flown by so fast. The reason being?
First grandchild on the way (due date: TODAY!) . . .
and first Open House for WalkingWool Studio+Gallery.
Much to do but it's all very, very good.

"I can't wait any longer for the Open House!"

Summer Was Busy, And Now Fall Is Most Definitely Here . . .

Crafty projects were mostly garden and cooking related this summer. Lots of baking, grains, and recipe collecting. Experimented with the plants and fruits of the growing season in the dye pots and in the oven. Spun up some Alpaca and Perendale, and dyed Jewelweed, Turmeric and Golden Rod. Washed wool, planted seeds, enjoyed views of foreign sheep, and said goodbye to a special lady.

Alpaca, Border Leicester, and Romney 3-ply yarn made this summer.

Loving a Lupine Field

Thrilled to sell Pig Secret, and see it hanging in its new home.

British sheep spied by Zoe and Ru.

Greg Pinto's fish sculpture at Michael Good Gallery in Rockland.

The biggest head of lettuce we've ever seen.

Lyn and Steve saw sheep in a British cemetery.

Beautiful flowers at Tante Louise's funeral.

Sheep at Ru's family property in England.

Tante Louise, doing what she loved to do.

We got very good at baking bread this summer.

Washing a pot of Icelandic Sheep Fleece on the porch.

Now, the colder nights of October have arrived and I find myself stalling to go out and do the final garden chores/cleanup, walk Igby for a longer stretch, and instead turn to the warmth of my wool projects and plans for the future of WalkingWool Studio + Gallery, and our little family.