Monthly Archives: March 2012

Quickies

Posted on March 2, 2012 by | Comments Off on Quickies

What’s going on right now:

  • There’s 14 1/2 dozen eggs in my fridge right now.  It’s getting dire, people.  I am going to start doing egg drops on peoples’ doorsteps.
  • I’ve been reading 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C Mann and I am loving it.  There’s all kinds of great little – known facts about the impact that contact with the “New World” made globally. Did you know that at Columbus’ time (he was called Cristobal Colon then, btw) people had known for years the earth was round; Columbus (or Colon) insisted it was pear – shaped, with the very top resembling a woman’s nipple?  Did you know earthworms were unknown in the Americas before the Europeans arrived?  Or that Pocahontas’ name was actually “Mataoka”.  The name “Pocahontas” was a nickname which meant “Little Hellion”?
  • I’m working furiously on Wicked using the luscious Superfine Alpaca yarn Caroline and I bought from the Montpelier Fiber Festival in the fall.  It’s very slow going, and normally I would be ultra bored with it by now, but the yarn is just so wonderful I can’t put it down.
  • To assist with all that knitting – we got a new dvd player.  Okay, we got it because our old one broke.  Paul picked up a new one with all these crazy bells and whistles that I can barely figure out BUT.  I can access my Amazon Prime account through the dvd player so that I can watch any of the streaming shows and movies from my online account ON MY TV!!!  I know I am so late to the party on this but I am very much enjoying it!  Now I don’t have to rely on my laptop to watch Downton Abbey!!!  (And goodness, if you haven’t been watching Downton Abbey, please do.  It is so very good!)
  • I started working out every day back in January.  I’ve been alternating between a strength – training Pilates program with resistance bands and an “Ease into 5K” program on the elliptical.  I also gave up soda completely and have replaced it with green tea.  My favorite is The Republic of Tea’s Blueberry Green Tea.  I’m feeling pretty good.  My goal is to run on the beach this August during my book club beach weekend.  My super – fit friend Beth runs every morning while we are there, and this year I plan to join her.
  • Today I got my spinach and broccoli planted.  As last year, I am using all heritage non – GMO seeds from Baker Creek.  We’ve expanded the vegetable garden site and I am excited for all the fresh veg we’ll have this year!
  • Last but not least, I bought supplies to take to Juniper Moon Farm this weekend where I will get to meet Lizzy House! She’s giving a quilting workshop and I get to go sew with some of my favorite people (and meet Lizzy House!!!!!!)

What are you up to this week????


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Congratulations Ravelry

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Congratulations Ravelry

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Congratulations to Jess and Casey and the entire Ravelry team.

2,000,000 members!

That’s just … wow!

Congratulations on one of the best, most inclusive community websites I have EVER seen. You guys rock.

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Spinning is My Superpower

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Spinning is My Superpower


Second grade boys can spin up some wool.  They've got the power.


Today I was honored to participate for about the fifth or sixth year at Fine Arts Day at Hedgecoxe Elementary School in Plano.  I get to show the second grade classes where wool and fiber comes from, and what to do with it, once it's grown.


I take sheep shears, drop spindles, hand cards, raw and clean wool, dyed fiber, finished items, sheep and alpaca photos, and a spinning wheel and walk them through the whole twisted story of yarn.


After all these years, I've learned to keep the jabber to a minimum because the real excitement of the day is the part where the kids actually spin some yarn themselves.


Try this with kids - they actually do an excellent job.  With just a little bit of instruction, and some encouragement that even adults struggle with spinning at first, they take off and sometimes make some really good looking yarn.


First, everyone gets a partner.  Then, a small handful of wool and an unbent paperclip is all it takes.  Hook the paperclip into the puff of wool and start twisting.  The pair has to work together, one twisting and one drafting, to make this work.


The parent helpers got into the act as well.  It IS fascinating, no matter what age you are.


Some of the kids really blow me away - this pair had enough yarn spun in a matter of minutes to knit a pair of mittens.  So don't be intimidated or anything.


The boys love it just as much as the girls - they were convinced that their wool bracelets (one strand plied back on itself) contain superpowers, and that all cool guys have them.  Yessssss.

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Victoria’s Secret finally understands me

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Victoria’s Secret finally understands me
When I got married in 2006, my aunt and her daughters gave me a Victoria's Secret gift card at my bridal luncheon. It was a kind and thoughtful gift, but, not being much of a VS shopper, the gift card just sat and sat. And sat.

Fast forward 5 and a half years to today. I find myself near the mall in desperate need of a pick me up with that very same VS gift card burning a hole in my jeans pocket. I strode into the mall purposefully, determined to walk out with something. Anything.

As I walked into VS, I saw my purchase immediately. They practically had my name written on them. They were a little bit sassy, a lot bit corny, and machine washable. In other words, perfect for me. Thus it is that I came to be the proud owner of these:

DSC02469

So worth the wait.

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Six Weeks

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Six Weeks

In my head I am panicking a little bit.

I only have six weeks until the Farmer’s Market.

I have so much to do.

So much to knit.

So much to dye.

So much to write, sew, reskein, design, package, and display.

It’s going to be a six week sprint. And I am kind of excited about it.

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Design Contest Reminder!

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Design Contest Reminder!

If you are entering the Juniper Moon Farm Design Contest, today is the last day to get your package in the mail. All entries must be postmarked by March 1st, 2012 in order to be considered for the contest.

Can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with!

 

 

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Rambouillet

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Rambouillet
Rambouillet

At the Big E last fall I bought some floofy Rambouillet roving to spin. I have a stripey shawl in mind for the rainbow yarn and I thought this would make a nice compliment.

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Different Kind of Romance

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Different Kind of Romance

btt button
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.

Ted asks:

Have you ever fallen in love with a fictional character? Who and what about them did you love?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!


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Two Magnificent Days in a Row

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Two Magnificent Days in a Row
The chores took extra long to finish today, again, because I just couldn't soak up enough of the sweetness into my pores.  I can't express how rare and treasured these days are in Texas - bright, cool, dry, refreshing.  I will ache for this day, come August.


Lots of us are wondering what this warm winter will bode for the summer - will it be even hotter than last year?  Will the bugs be worse for lack of freezing temperatures?  Until I saw my redbud tree budding out today, I wasn't sure whether to believe that spring had really come for good.  The native trees know, so I trust them.  Conversely, never trust a Bradford pear - they are gullible and easily deceived into believing winter is over, and then getting frostbitten by a freak ice storm, and waking up dead.  They ain't from around here.


Tomatoes aren't native either, and need special handling.  Mine have grown a bit spindly indoors, just getting the sun through the windows so far.  Today, it seemed mild enough for them to play outside on the front porch as the sun lowered toward the horizon.  I think they liked it.


The woolie beasts are so anxious to get out of their winter coats--literally itching to be sheared.  Joseph looks like the Michelin Man of alpacas - I really cannot wait to see him out of his fleece.


Everybody is fluffed up and ready to move on to the naked portion of the fiber year.  Tomorrow, it is supposed to get up to nearly 80 degrees, and you really don't need an alpaca coat in that kind of weather.


The hens are digging this, though.  The days have lengthened, and the girls have ramped up their laying.  I think the sight of all this new green grass has all of us a bit rejuvenated.


The bugs are waking up and providing lots of food and entertainment for the flock.  We should also be seeing nice orange yolks in the eggs, with all this free protein and greenstuff adding to the hens' nutrition.


 The guineas are, well, guineas.  Loud and crazy, like always.  They're pretty faithful that way.


I spent too much of the day inside working on stuff that just had to be done.  But I'm going to regret every minute I didn't get to enjoy of this day outside in the fresh air.  Forgive the cliche, but, I wish I could have bottled it.


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What a Week!

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on What a Week!
Did you know that we ship internationally?


Pick up one of our pattern
and join in for a knit along
or get help from me on a
project!
If you've been paying attention to Ravelry, Twitter, Facebook or Google+, you'd know that today begins the second week that Midwest Yarn's website has been up and running!  We had a great first week too.


Most of the yarn we ordered is in, as well as the pattern books that support the yarn lines we carry.  Just be aware that Noro will take a little bit longer to get in, as the supplier is backordered like crazy.  Noro yarns are hand spun and hand dyed in Japan from high quality materials.  They are then shipped out of one of the few ports that were not affected by last year's tsunami.  Because of the devastation from the tsunami, it takes can take a little longer to ship Noro yarns to the US.  At least a yarn like this is worth the wait!  Especially now that we've got the Knit Noro book available to order.


Findley Dappled
pattern book
now available!
We've also been searching like crazy for store fronts for the brick-and-mortar shop that would be open to the public.  I'm happy to announce that we've found what we've been looking for and should be signing a lease soon (keep your fingers and toes crossed).  Move in would be around the first week in May and we'd like to get the shop up and running within a few months' time.


Sabine booklet
now available!
In the interim, you'll see our ads on Ravelry and Talk to the Trees blog.  Head on over to the website and pick up some of the highest rated yarns available!  Your purchases go right into making more yarn lines available and the brick and mortar shop become a reality.  A brick and mortar shop means availability for classes and more!


Debbie Bliss
Rialto Family
As we continue online, feel free to suggest patterns or ideas on our social media sites for knit alongs, etc.  Get help from each other or myself on the Friends of Midwest Yarn Ravelry group, Facebook page, or Twitter (@midwestyarn).


If you don't see the colors or pattern book you need (limited to what is available by our suppliers), email me at orders@midwestyarn.com and I can place a special order for you.  In stock items usually ship within the next business day.


Debbie Bliss
Rialto Aran

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