got lost

I have been rearranging my house and fell into the stash. I have to come up for air so I thought I would type a new post. I have been sketching and working on some portraits (colored pencil) for the house. Other than that I have been attempting to keep up with the garden: zuchinni, cucumbers, carrots, onions, potatoes, radishes, butternut squash, cabbage, horseradish, several peppers and two tomato plants. Can we say "pickles"? The zuchinni bread doesnt hang around that long...lol. I have two months to finish knitting up my sweaters and one more sock. I love my two brother in laws who shear but I must admit its a long drive to the Colorado border to visit my favorite one who just started dating -- get this -- a lady who owns alpacas, sheep and llamas!!!!! I love my relatives! 'nuff for now, back to the stash (er i mean house)!

brain fart

sorry but here are some update photos of my little stash cupboard and the singles I have spun up in the past week and a half and some of my handspuns. (it takes so little..oy!)

summer fun--sort of

There is nothing like working with wool in the heat...lol. I began working on my fall wardrobe this past week. One new green gansey out of cascade heather 220 in a dark forest green (love this one--must be the irish side of me) and one bohus style pullover in the green meadow pattern from the book "Poems of color" -- I am using the colorway shown in the book. Other than that I have inherited a new wardrobe from the local thriftshop--knitted alterations applied as needed. Apparently one of the local high schoolers in my size (itty bitty should say it all here folks) apparently is getting new clothes or has found herself -- like 4% of the local HS'ers how do I say this umm.....knocked up. There is nothing wrong with any of these clothes but I have made them mine with a few decorative trims or touches here and there. WOW! now to remember how to shave my legs on a daily basis...LOL! OHHHHHHH!!! got a new camera too so more photos are to follow....(squeals with glee)! Do you have any BIG plans for the summer?

beautiful day to destash

Today I decided to clean out my stash. Which in turn resulted in me cleaning half the house and running all over town to drop off recycling, and thrift shop items. Afterword I gathered all my batts, roving, and yarn to run up to Philipsburg on Thursday so Sally can haul it to the show in Denver the first weekend of May. This evening I sat down and knit more on my skirt/sweater???? -- haven't decided on exactly what it will be yet. EZ is wonderful. Pictures of all the things on their way to Denver for the sale will be up within the week. (hopefully!!!).

catch up

Today is a day that the housework will be done...dishes washed, laundry folded, budget laidout, filing done, floors mopped, or vacuumed, old sermons that were missed are being listened too, batts made, spinning of the alpaca roving named "dr.pepper" shall be done as well. It is a beautiful gray with black flecks and I am attempting to spinning a superfine lace weight! (yes this may be the final straw on the psych eval). Especially since WH and I are considering a mission trip to Haiti this summer and one to Africa next spring....LOL!!! But seriously the dusting will NOT get done today. (I can't justify spinning while fiber is flying afterword). Dust bunnies rule!!!!

spinning demo

This Saturday from 11-2 I will be at the Ellis Public Library giving a spinning and dying demo (refreshments will be served). I plan on doing a little crockpot dying as well as microwaving some roving. Most of the demo will be on explaining the different fibers and where they come from and drop spindling demos. I will have two wheels present and numerous fibers for the touchy-feely in all of us. Just a basic primer for those interested in learning a little more about spinning. I will also have some hand-dyed yarn and roving for sale if anyone is interested. A couple of ladies here in town have also expressed an interest in getting a knitting circle going in this part of western Kansas. If you want to know more or need directions please email me for info. Hope to see you there!!

Christmas singles

Here are some of the singles that are on display (sigh!) at the library. This is the Christmas fiber that my friend Mallory gave me. It's named Carnival--merino/bfl/silk/angelina glitz. I can't wait to get it plyed. No plans for it yet, I will apply it to the ASJ stash and see what I am up yardage wise.

Display is up

This past week I have actually been in a frenzy. After nearly cutting off my right index finger with a can of Manwich (and convincing WH that said contents strung throughout the kitchen was not my blood), I finally got the spinning display up at the library! It will be up until the middle of March so if you find the time and find yourself in my area please stop in. I also must send out kudos to my nephew by marriage Daniel! He has been nominated for the Kansas Horizon Award for 2008! (For those of you who don't know that is a very distinguished teaching award). We have also acquired a new used truck this past week. I am finally after 2 days beginning to go thru withdrawl of having my spindles and wheel clear across town. I did have Jim at the yarn barn send me a backup for the tremors....lol! So tell me how long have you gone without spinning before?

Display at the library

How is everyone? I take it you are well or I would have gotten a call by now. The weather today is in the change mode...from really kinda nice to craptastically fugly. But what do we expect from western kansas in the dead of winter.
The good news is my fiber arts will be on display for the month of February at the Ellis Public Library in Ellis KS. I will be the featured artist of the month so stop in and see my art if you have the time. I will also attempt to get pictures up in here soon. I am torn between a new digital camera (i am old school...dont like the digital delay) and a new spinning wheel / drum carder....decisions decisions. Well I pray your week is well and I will post again very soon!
Question for the week: Tell me what is your favorite colorway?

Is it over yet????

It's been a long couple of weeks. The wedding quilt is done, gifts given and recieved, and we have only 5 more families to go on the 3rd of January. Then it's back to work and back to real time--at least until tax season...lol. So what was everyones favorite Christmas memory???

It's been a long week

Excuse my absence....we have had 4 deaths in our family in the past week, in addition to me fighting the flu in addition to my graduation have made life not only sleepless but stressful. Good thing knitting lowers my blood pressure...lol. I have been working on finishing binding a wedding quilt, in addition to knitting a cable scarf in a gorgeous purple, plum, black sock weight yarn from the rockin' sock club. Still plying up a few pretties I had in the stash. (pics will follow as soon as the snow and roads allow me to fetch the prints from the go-gittem 20 miles away). Maybe Santa will bring me a digital camera if not maybe the birthday fairy. Time will tell. Oh I want to thank you Amber for sending the link for the stitches. I deeply appreciate it. And for my future reference do any of you know where I can find a traveling slip stitch that was pictured in this winters edition of Interweave Knits???

end of November

WOW! where did the month go? I have been attempting to finish up UFO's....WIP....and Christmas gifts all at the same time. So far I have finished a wedding quilt, two scarves, a baby afghan, one and a half sweaters, and managed to need to repair two pairs of socks that have served me well. OHHHHHH!!!! This Saturday I graduate with my 4th AA in Practical Ministry and am 12 classes shy of my DD. Still just using it to write at this point but who knows. I also have a great WH who bought me another apron yesterday -- a Christmas apron. (picture will follow as soon as the holiday pic's are developed--old school (forgive me)). Hope you are all doing well, and tell me just what are your plans for the holiday???

photos are finally up

Hope this finds you all well on election day! WH and I voted early. So the rest of the day will be spent outlining sermons before women's meeting on Saturday!!! Hope you enjoy the pictures!!!

tuesday all day

Lately our Pastor has been having us journal...something I have done for nearly 20 years. Mostly for prayer and Biblical reference and to see the patterns in our growth. So I haven't been posting blogs as often as I should have. The spinning and knitting however is wonderful. Today I am stitching up my gray Alpaca Twist sweater and finishing a new Kathamandu stocking hat. I also have high hopes for another sermon and a small hand-dyed scarf....time will tell...lol. Hopefully tomorrow night I will have pictures up and running in here. But for now the housework is calling me...oy!

SOLD!!!!

well last night my dear friend Sally phoned from Lincoln and informed me I had sold my first bag of custom dyed roving!!!! So there you have it - its official !!! WH and friends are rewiring my outdoor patio so that I may hook up more that one crockpot or microwave at a time. Its either that or he would have to invest in Clorox futures for our bathtubs sake....lol. How many or you actually have a seperate lab/studio for your dyeing? I am going to attempt to have photos up next week of all the rovings and yarns I have been dyeing. I look forward to actually seeing them online...lol. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!! By the way does anyone have any big plans for the holidays?

windy - eer than.......

WOW! today you gotta keep the steering wheel cranked toward the north...and a blizzard warning for tonight! sounds like knitting weather to me!!!!...lol. Of course it is suppose to be back in the 60's by the weekend! Western KS ya gotta luv it!

A chance of WHAT?????

Howdy all I am finally getting this thing up and running. SNOW is the four letter word of the day! We are expecting to get our first snowfall of the year today. We are due.....I still haven't lit the furnace yet. But between all the crockpots and microwaves going - not to mention supper in the oven and 3 sermons left to outline I should be okay. I expect to have photos up and going by the middle of next week. So you can get an idea of my inspiration and production in the spinning world. Speaking of supper - it smells wonderful - what are your favorite meals? Tonight I am making "Dotties roasted veggies and sausage". My WH (wonder hubby) likes it as do I. Kids don't complain when they are home. We have a blended family 2 boys 2 girls. Oldest is in Seattle, next one is in the Navy (married to another navyman she is...lol), another is in Tuscon, and the youngest is in the Wichita Kansas area attending college. We own 2 rabbits and claim a hoard of neighborhood children. How big and where are your families? Well enough of an intro today....these sermons arent gonna write themselves...lol.