Monthly Archives: March 2014

Coming Soon …

Posted on March 6, 2014 by | Comments Off on Coming Soon …

now

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then

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coming soon

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- by Joan -


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Yarned by You: Sabine edition

Posted on March 5, 2014 by | Comments Off on Yarned by You: Sabine edition

We’re so glad that you’re liking all the new collections. We’re really enjoying showing them to you and your excitement is infectious. First, taking care of a little business. I know you want to know who won the Moonshine yarn to make a Whistler Pillow.

Whistler hero

The winner is….

Moonshine Winner

Congratulations, Katelyn! Please email me at Lauria AT fiberfarm DOT com with your address!

Now, because you’re so excited about Sabine and our yarn giveaway, I thought I’d use this Yarned by You to show you what others have made using two hanks of Sabine or less. Please click on the pictures to be taken to the Ravelry page where you can learn more about the project, including a link to the pattern!

RideToKnit’s Mobius Cowl looks lovely! I love photographing it on a metal dress form. The open work of the metal plays well with the airiness of the lace! This only took one hank of yarn.

RideToKnit's Moebius Cowl

Kmccurry’s Knotty but Nice is a great choice for a chemo hat when paired with Sabine. And again, it only took one hank of yarn!

Kmcurry's Knotty but Nice

kjcc94 knit this Teaching Scarf, again using only one hank of Sabine.It’s a great way to introduce non-knitters to all the basics that they’ll need to know in order to be knitting like a pro, without a never ending garter stitch scarf.

kjcc94's Teaching Scarf

The Kiri hat is one of the free patterns that we offer for Sabine and this version by nancyknit is adorable!

nancyknit's Kiri

Need a quick baby sweater? The Baby Boy Five Hour Cardigan is a great option and amaferna did a darling job with this one!amaferna's baby boy 5 hours sweater

TeaKnitPurl did a fantastic job on this Quick and Slouchy Cabled Hat. This is what she had to say about the yarn: “I wanted a lighter yarn for all season wearing that still had stitch definition. Sabine gave that and more. The heathered color made the pattern pop and the cotton in the blend gave a light, loose look to the stitches (perfect here for a slouchy cable).”

TeaKnitPurl's Quick Cable Slouch Hat

Shirl’s Mittlets is a great pattern that only takes a half a hank for each pair, as akmoosepoop discovered. I bet that ribbing makes these great for gift-giving since it will allow for different sizes.

akmoosepoop's Shirl's Mittlets

Oh my word! This little Penelope the Empathetic Monster is just the sweetest little thing ever! I love the felt mouth! Tamarisk did an outstanding job!

Tamarisk's penelope the emathetic monster

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Introducing: Sabine – The Touch of Lace Collection

Posted on March 5, 2014 by | Comments Off on Introducing: Sabine – The Touch of Lace Collection

We know that you’ve been eagerly awaiting the next collection release and we just couldn’t wait a minute longer to be able to tell you about the new patterns that Anniken Allis has thought up for Sabine. But first, a recap on the yarn in case you’ve forgotten what it is, or are new to JMF.

The Yarn

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We love Sabine so much, because it feels so nice to knit with (due it its blend of Royal Llama, Merino and Cotton). Because of its subtle tweediness. Because it is really a year round yarn in most of the world. And, last but not least, because it’s named after Susan’s sweet dog, Sabine. This season we’re introduction five new colors to the palate.

Sabine 2014 Color Card

The Designer

Designer Photo

Anniken Allis is a Norwegian designer who has lived in England for the last 23 years. She has been regularly published in several British magazines as well as Interweave Knits, Knitscene, Debbie Bliss Magazine, Verena (German magazine) and Knitty.com. She’s regularly published patterns for other yarn companies and has contributed to two books, Classic Elite: Shawls, Wraps, & Scarves and the Scrumptious Collection Volume 2. Anniken’s passion is lace knitting and she is considered one of the UK’s leading lace designers, although her designs also feature a variety of techniques including cables, and fair isle.

The Collection

The Touch of Lace Collection features four designs which celebrate the summer heat. Each pattern features a different lace motif combined with classic stockinette sections. Knitters everywhere will love the combination of the soft, subtly tweedy Sabine yarn with Anniken’s on-trend designs.

Sabine CollagePlease take a peak at our look book!

Where to Get It

You can find the patterns and yarn at retailers across the US by visiting our distributor Knitting Fever and using their store locator for a store near you. Those in Canada can visit our Canadian distributor Diamond Yarn. The patterns are sold as leaflets with as many pictures as we could cram in the limited space, schematics and charts (where applicable), as well as written directions.

We have a number of our older collection of Sabine patterns available as digital downloads in our shop.

Giveaway

To celebrate the pattern launch, we’re giving away two hanks of Sabine in color #19 Biscuit.

Sabine Vert

To enter, please go to Ravelry and favorite or queue at least one of The Touch of Lace Collection patterns, then come back here and leave a comment telling us which one your favorite is. If you post about this on facebook, tweet the contest link, or pin a pattern, you can comment again for an additional entry. Entries open through Tuesday the 11th with the winner announced on Wednesday the 12th here on the blog.

Thank You

We wouldn’t be able to produce these patterns and yarn lines without the tireless efforts of those who support us.

Our models: Emily Karasz, Maddie Dreher, and Gabrielle Cruz
Our photography support crew: Tanya Brooks, Cris Ferguson, Amy Karasz and family, Ann McClure, Lisa Richey
Jen Fariello for allowing us to use her studio during the polar vortex 2014
Our one-of-a-kind tech editor: Alison Green
Pattern Leaflets Graphic Designer: Jonas Estevan
Look Book Graphic Designer: Michelle Lukezic
The staff at our yarn distributor Knitting Fever Inc
Our patient and detail-oriented sample knitters: Carolyn Cardenas, Nancy Lewis, Christina Williamson, Jennie Bowling

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Another Glorious Snow Day

Posted on March 4, 2014 by | Comments Off on Another Glorious Snow Day

We got several inches of snow yesterday and Paul’s office was closed, so I declared an actual snow day for the kids.  Normally we have school no matter what the weather, but it looked so blizzardy, and inside was so cozy with the fireplace (and having Paul home throws off our routine anyway), so I let everyone curl up under their blankets and just relax all day.

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It worked out well for me; I got the front right half of my Shepherd sweater done!

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It worked out well for Gulliver, as well – he had Paul’s lap all day.

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No one, though, seemed to enjoy the snow more than Gnocchi.

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He  had his goofy self a grand time while the snow fell.

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While Cosmo and the smallest lambs enjoyed the dryness of the shelter with a few chicken friends and the pigs.

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But, the day that had begun so snowy and stormy finished out sunny, and they all came out to enjoy some hay.

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It’s hard to believe that two days ago it was 73 degrees, and that a few weeks from now is the first day of spring.  It’s still rather frigid outside and the snow has not begun to melt yet.  Soon enough it will, though, and we will be installing a heat lamp into the big chicken coop for the arrival next week of our ducklings!  Winter may have some life left in it, but spring is nearly upon us!

 

 


Tagged: Farm, Homeschooling, Pets, Seasons

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Another Glorious Snow Day

Posted on March 4, 2014 by | Comments Off on Another Glorious Snow Day

We got several inches of snow yesterday and Paul’s office was closed, so I declared an actual snow day for the kids.  Normally we have school no matter what the weather, but it looked so blizzardy, and inside was so cozy with the fireplace (and having Paul home throws off our routine anyway), so I let everyone curl up under their blankets and just relax all day.

03.04.14a

It worked out well for me; I got the front right half of my Shepherd sweater done!

03.04.14g

It worked out well for Gulliver, as well – he had Paul’s lap all day.

03.04.14b

No one, though, seemed to enjoy the snow more than Gnocchi.

03.04.14c

03.04.14d

He  had his goofy self a grand time while the snow fell.

03.04.14e

While Cosmo and the smallest lambs enjoyed the dryness of the shelter with a few chicken friends and the pigs.

03.04.14f

But, the day that had begun so snowy and stormy finished out sunny, and they all came out to enjoy some hay.

03.04.14h

It’s hard to believe that two days ago it was 73 degrees, and that a few weeks from now is the first day of spring.  It’s still rather frigid outside and the snow has not begun to melt yet.  Soon enough it will, though, and we will be installing a heat lamp into the big chicken coop for the arrival next week of our ducklings!  Winter may have some life left in it, but spring is nearly upon us!

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Pack Up the Moon is here!

Posted on March 4, 2014 by | Comments Off on Pack Up the Moon is here!

Pack Up the Moon is here! post image

Today is publication day for my friend Rachael Herron’s latest book, Pack Up the Moon, and I wanted to be sure to spread the word.

Not strictly a knitting-lit book (unlike her popular Cypress Hollow series), this one stands alone, so even if it’s without knitting, it’s a good place to start if you haven’t given her books a try yet. (See the links below.) I know I can’t wait for my copy to come.

Here’s the description from the Amazon website:

Three years after a horrible tragedy took her son and tore her family apart, artist Kate Monroe is beginning to pick up the pieces of her life and move on. At a gala showcasing her triumphant return to the art world, Kate’s world is rocked again when the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty-two years ago introduces herself.

Pree is the child Kate never knew and never forgot. But Pree has questions that Kate isn’t sure she’s ready to answer. For one thing, she never told Pree’s father, her high school sweetheart and ex-husband, Nolan, that they had a daughter. For another, Kate hasn’t spoken to Nolan for three years, not since the accident which took their nine-year-old son from them. But to keep Pree from leaving forever, Kate will have to confront the secrets that have haunted her since her son died and discover if the love of her family is strong enough to survive even the most heartbreaking of betrayals…

Please help spread the word! I know, I haven’t read this one yet, but if it’s anything like her last several books, it won’t disappoint. You can get your copy from your local bookstore or from Amazon.com.

My Gush: I can’t wait to read it.

Other posts for this author:

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Zip Pouches and Boxed Corner Tutorial

Posted on March 4, 2014 by | Comments Off on Zip Pouches and Boxed Corner Tutorial
Finished up two more zip pouches with the over-locker, and now feel like I've mastered boxed corners.


As you can see, the size of the boxed corner makes a difference in the depth of the box.  When I take out just 1.5" I end up with a shallower (3" high), longer box as you see on the left.  When each corner is 2", the height of the box is 4"; creating a taller, deeper box like the one on the right.

I was learning overlocker techniques from Amy Alan's Beginning Serging class over at Craftsy, and I wasn't finding too much success with the "pinch and sew" method of boxing corners.  I tried it several times, and the result was last week's slightly wonky zip pouch.  This time, I tried another technique - a cut-out method - and found success!

How did I do it, you ask?  I'll show you!

First, I measured and marked a square on each corner of the pre-prepped zip pouch.  The square you mark does not count the previously overlocked seam.  And, the sides of the square = half the eventual height of the zip pouch.


If you look closely at the above photo, I secure the layers of fabric so they don't shift when I cut through all the layers.  I use my tailor's shears to do the cutting since it grips while cutting, and doesn't over-cut at the corner like my roll-cutter sometimes does.


 Mark the edge.


Cut out the corner using your favorite grippy cutting tool.


Use a pin to help secure the layers of fabric at the corner and mark the future center of the seam.  Pinch the fabric...


...and now you can line up your mark and pin with the center of the seam that goes across the zip.


Then, secure all the layers with pins, but remove that first pin that was marking the center so you don't run over it with your serger blade.  That would be chaos.  Those secondary pins should be far enough away that you avoid the blade of your serger, too.


Run the pinned seams through the serger and voila! Two boxed corners that are parallel, perpendicular, and totally symmetrical.


Whooo hooo!  A non-wonky zip pouch for your eyes to feast upon!

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Winter Beach …

Posted on March 3, 2014 by | Comments Off on Winter Beach …

Martha’s Vineyard

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- by Joan -


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Sock Club 2014: March

Posted on March 3, 2014 by | Comments Off on Sock Club 2014: March

If you’re looking for our Moonshine giveaway, look no further.

March Bag

March is a tricky month. At the beginning of the month, it seems like it should be spring. And yet, it’s most definitely not. Especially when you’re hit by a ton of snow, like we were today.

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But eventually the snow will melt. We will go through mud season, a seemingly endless period of cold mud with flooded grass, just teasing us.

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But it will start to dry out and we’ll be left with dirt and tiny, tiny sprouts of green grass.

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And then something wonderful will start to happen. We will start to see grass on the farm. Not yet the green grass of full spring month, but yellow-green grass that comes in a bit patchily.

Sam

It’s hard to believe that by the end of March, spring will have sprung and we’ll see grass on the ground, but I’ve found photographic proof that grass always comes.

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And the grass will be quickly chomped on by the sheep and goats. Who will see that the grass is always greener on the other side.

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Much like our March Sock Club’s colorway…

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The yarn holds the promise of spring. That we’re on the other side of winter. That this is the first vestiges of the spring that we will have, with it’s yellow-green hue.

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Eventually we will have a deep spring green, but not yet. right now we have the promise of spring. That place between winter and spring called mud season. (Well, it would be mud season if we would stop getting so much freaking snow!) But by the end of the month, spring will be here.

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If you want to be notified for when memberships open up next quarter, sign up to receive an email. I will be releasing any slots that open up later this month and because the number are so limited, I will only be sending out an email to those who’ve signed up as interested, so don’t miss out on next quarter’s offerings!

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2014 Blanket Block-A-Long – March

Posted on March 2, 2014 by | Comments Off on 2014 Blanket Block-A-Long – March

This winter has been a rough one here in western Kentucky.   We have had a number of significant weather events, and it feels like my children have been out of school more than they have been in it.  At this very moment, as I type this, we are getting freezing rain with an expected half inch to an inch of ice accumulation.  With all of this cold, wet, miserable weather, it is no wonder that I find myself dreaming of hot, dry New Mexico summers.

Check out the ice accumulation on my back porch.

In my college years (and also a couple of post college years), I spent five summers working at Philmont, a cattle ranch located in northeastern New Mexico owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America.  The ranch offers year round training and high adventure opportunities for both youth and adult scouts.  Working there was an amazing and wonderful experience, and, while it has been many years since I have set foot in that state, there is a part of me that still considers New Mexico home.  This month’s block is an ode to that far-away home.  (I apologize for the dimness of these photos.  With the bad weather, natural light is hard to come by today.)

The center motif of the block is the Zia, a sun symbol that appears on the New Mexico State flag.

New Mexico State Flag

The blue motif you see around the edge of the block was inspired by this ring.  I purchased it one of my first summers in New Mexico and still wear it regularly.  I love the simple geometric pattern and the texture of the silver.

Originally, I had planned for this block to be only yellow and red, just like the New Mexico state flag.  My intention was to stitch the motif from the ring in purl stitches / reverse stockinette, giving the block more texture, not more color.  But, at the very last minute, when I went to pick up the yarn, I grabbed the blue for the border.

In all honesty, I am not convinced I made the right decision.  Part of my lack on conviction is the fact that colorwork is not one of my strengths, and the border feels untidy to me.  With any luck, it will neaten up once it has been blocked.

All of the designs on the block are done using stranded colorwork techniques.  Hopefully, the floats on the back won’t get hung our caught on things once this block has been stitched in to the final blanket.

Here is a gratuitous picture of the blanket block posed with my son’s Lego tower.  He wanted the tower to be in the picture too.

As always, if you are interested in stitching up one of my block designs, you can contact me on Ravelry.  Also, if you have your own blanket that you are working on, please come visit us in the blanket thread in the JMF group on Ravelry.  There are several of us working on assorted blankets, and we would love to have you join us.

Cris lives in bucolic western Kentucky with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of assorted four-legged creatures.  She spends her days as a librarian and her nights dreaming of a small plot of land where she could raise a few chickens.  She be found on Ravelry as Flarkin.

 

 

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