I Did Say Yarn For Mittens...

I titled my last post "yarn for mittens" and then I only showed you the yarn!  Well, here's more of the story...




Yesterday my daughter and I planned to move some sheep - weanling ewe lambs that we aren't breeding this fall to a different pasture where they will spend the winter.  Two younger ewes and one older ewe need to go in with the ram (I didn't want them lambing so early next year, so have held off putting them in to be bred).  The weather did not cooperate ~





Rain, wind and ice is no kind of weather to be working the livestock and moving them from one location to another.  Especially when you need to be working around a breeding ram - even though we have good tempered rams, sometimes you have to be quick on your feet! 

This is Derek, a ram.  Nothing moves in the pasture near his girls that he misses!  See the apples on the ground?  The sheep love them ;)

 So, we put that plan on hold and hunkered down in the swirling storm.  I could have been cleaning house or something, but decided to work on mittens and sorting stash yarn and fibers instead (okay, I did cook and do dishes and numerous loads of laundry)  We didn't get the quantity of snow that our neighbors to the south did (Renee at Tail Spin Farm is only 20 miles south of us and she says they have about 8 inches!!!), probably only an inch here but it was very slippery.  And cold!  Cold enough that wool mittens are the best thing around and much needed. 

The first pair finished are already being put to good use as you can see!  Two little farm boys have put in their requests, and I'm also working on a pair of black ones for a big brother and a pair of lavender-pink for a bright eyed little girl.  I love knitting childrens mittens, they take no time at all.

Hmmm....I'm thinking some matching wool caps and socks might be in order, too.  You know, it's nearly impossible to find tall, warm, wool socks for children unless you make them yourself.  Something to fit inside chore boots and look like Grandpa's hunting socks....

Come to think of it, I could use some new chore mittens myself.  And Grandpa needs new socks, too.  Let that winter weather blow all it wants to, there is knitting to be done!!!  I guess we'll have to move the sheep another day ~ and we'll have wool socks and hats and mittens to do the job warmly ;)

Note: All of the mittens shown in this post were produced completely here at Serenity Farms from wool grown by our Corriedale sheep, then spun, dyed and knit by the shepherd (that would be me).  There is a special satisfaction in that, I must admit!