Now in May ~

I have been working on putting together a blog update for weeks….I really, really have! Taken photos, thought of witty and wise commentary (okay, I am poking a little fun at myself with that!)….but then one day passes….and another…then it’s a week gone by….well, you know the story. But finally, here I am, waiting for the freshly mopped kitchen floor to dry and deciding on another cup of coffee and a little blog update time. Especially important, probably, because I still can’t update my website for some reason ;(

I guess I won’t add all the photos and news of the past few weeks because that would take more time than I have in this day (speed is not helped by my slow dial up computer connection). I could show you gardens and pastures and lambs and tell you all about those projects…but instead for today, how about some fibery updates? Because I have really been in a fiber state of mind lately!

First some yarn for socks:



My friend Cherie offered a challenge by giving me just about 3 ounces of a new-to-her farm roving to sample. It is a 50-50 blend of Hampshire wool from her new ewes with Mohair from her adult goats. She had it blended with the idea of nice sock yarn. I started out spinning my customary 3-ply sock yarn, but this fiber has more “poof” factor than you would anticipate and I wasn’t happy with that sample. So I sat about spinning finer singles on my Louet S-45 (love, love, LOVE that wheel) and came up with a nice weight, nice feeling yarn. Although I spun each single with a far amount of twist (and did the same when plying) it does not feel harsh at all. And just look at how balanced the freshly plyed yarn hangs! This has not been washed or “weighted”….just fresh off the niddy-noddy here:



(A little side note…I never “set the twist” of my yarns by weighted them or tensioning them. I know there are two trains of thought about this in spinning land, that you should or that you shouldn’t ….but I have read and heard spinners that I respect say that you are fooling yourself by weighting a yarn to “balance” it. That twist is still in there, just waiting for you to wash or wet your garment and bounce itself back to what it originally was! Instead, my goal is to spin for a fairly balanced yarn in the first place. And unless I am experiencing some stress in my life that shows up in my spinning – I usually can do it. Just my humble opinion, and worth only that!)

In this photo, maybe you can see that the now adult Angora goats (or maybe even from the Hamps?) have some of the black kempy fibers that have the potential for feeling prickly in the sock that I will eventually knit, though it feels fine in the yarn.



My solution to this will be to spin something soft for the ankle of the sock – maybe some Angora bunny or Alpaca blended with my own soft Corriedale wool. This will solve two problems for me – the possibly prickly wool won’t be against my ankles plus I will have some additional yardage to knit the socks. I ended up with just 351 yards of the yarn and although I should be able to get a pair of socks to fit me from that (I will knit them toe up) having the soft stuff for the cuff will give me some breathing room.

This next fiber and yarn is from my friend and neighbor, Maple at North Star Alpacas. I had forgotten about a sample Maple had given me of her Farm Blend….a trio of colors blended into roving from her Alpaca “seconds” Now anyone who has spun Alpaca knows that even the “seconds” from a good Alpaca breeder is pretty nice stuff….and Maple is a very good Alpaca breeder. She is a dedicated fiber person, so is very fussy about what she offers to other spinners, knitters, etc. It was a calming and enchanting spin, turning this sample into yarn, watching the earthy colors flow through my fingers.



The little skein on the left in the photo is a 2-ply of the blend only. The skein on the right is a 3-ply - 2 plies of the blend with a 3rd ply of bay-black (also from North Star Alpacas!) I can't decide which I like best, probably a test swatch will determine. Maple surprised me with a few more ounces of this and I already have plans for a wintertime knit ensemble! I may even have it ready in time to enter in the contest at the fall Alpaca show ;)

Finally, I have to show you the swatch for my next shawl project. After a long winter of knitting I have been longing for more time at my spinning wheel. Some of you may remember that I have been hoarding – (um, saving!) – the last fleece from my beautiful ewe Hannah, now departed. I had it blended with some dyed French Angora bunny by my friends at Spinderella’s and they did just a beautiful job on my old girls last fleece. I had been thinking of a sweater, but I am really more of a shawl type girl and I knew that no matter how much weight I might gain or lose, a shawl would fit around my shoulders for a long time to come. So I asked a few friends if they would like to work on a project together and try to learn a few things about our spinning and knitting along the way. We are going to start the summer out by spinning for our shawl’s, then progress towards creating the shawl. Each of us is choosing our own pattern. (I really will be writing more about this project soon, as the idea has taken on a life of its own!)

In the meantime, I spun a sample yarn from Hannah’s fleece. I was not happy with either my spinning or plying; it was rather loose and sloppy. This was done on my Louet S-17. My next sample will be spun on the 45 then plyed on the 17. Anyway, here is the test swatch, which is actually the first few rows of the pattern for the shawl I have chosen:



Having recently become quite enamored of the Faroese style shawl, that is what I decided to knit for myself. My choices had narrowed down to making a second of Silvia Harding’s Follow The Leader shawl (love that pattern!); one of Jackie E-S’s Heartstrings patterns, either The Pendant Shawl or the Shetland Lace Patterned Shawl or possibly Lucy Neatby’s Faroese Flower Shawl (I am going to knit that one at some future date!) For many reasons, The Pendant Shawl was my final choice and I love it already!

Now, what do you think of the adorable sheep stitch marker?!? Here he is a little closer:



It just makes me smile to look at! These little cuties are made by Hide and Sheep right here in Michigan! I have been trying to snap them up as quickly as they are made! Be sure to check out their Etsy store, you should be able to click on the name to link. I have bought several things from Todd and Susan and have been thrilled with each item...they come in the neatest little container and ship SOOOO fast!

I am planning to convert two of these little sheep into earrings for myself ;)

Hope this update on the fiber part of my life was fun for you to read....in the next few days, I hope to have more written up about the Shawl Journey so check back in!

Shear, Spin, Knit

Shearing makes me happy. Though my fleeces go to new homes, I tend to keep at least a part of each one for myself. This past week included a trip to Zeilingers Mill in Frankenmuth to deliver fleeces to be processed for customers and some for myself this year (including a special blend being created in partnership with Take Heart Farm...watch for it later this spring!) It is a very good feeling to have mill employees who see fleece of all kinds all day long ooohh and ahhh over your fleeces (grin)

Here is a peek at a few favorites. First is Violet, who is always in great demand! Her fleece is on its way again to Alabama (and you saw the shawl knit from her yarn in a previous post)





Then this first fleece from a yearling, Cherie:



When testing (sampling) this fleece, I fell in love with it! Luckily, so has the new owner who has already written happily to me from Missouri! Incidentally, Cherie is Violet's granddaughter!

And finally this is from my ram, Autry.



His 2006 fleece will go to Ohio in the form of roving, and his 2007 fleece will go to New York along with another silver fleece. He is homebred and our first lamb crop by him are all very plush! We will have some good fleeces from his offspring that remain in the flock!

When I say I test or sample a fleece, I mean my own personal quality control for my product - the fiber my sheep produce! Before I sell a fleece and after skirting heavily, I wash a few ounces of the fiber, then either comb or card it and spin and then knit some for myself. That way, I have a pretty good idea of what the fiber is going to do and I can confidently represent it to my customers. I used to keep about a pound of each fleece for myself, but this year with 27 fleeces to deal with...I didn't need that many pounds - LOL! I guarantee my fibers to be as represented - and I have never had a fleece returned for a refund!

Now a bit of spinning....remember the roving blend I wrote about a while back, Stone Soup? It is a surprisingly NICE roving, a big soup pot mixture of fibers! I had time to spin just a small skein, and am now even happier with it! I had intended to dye this and use it for our upcoming Rug Braiding Workshop with Letty Klein, but I will definately keep some of it to spin, too! Here is the skein along with the roving. It has real shine, that is not just camera flash!



Just a simple 2-ply, about a DK weight. One thing I have really noticed since I have been away from my spinning basically all winter - my plying is really inconsistent! And I was always soooo proud of my plying skills! Definately need to log some hours at the wheel(s)!

Finally, progress on the Roza's Socks, designed by Grumperina in the Spring 2007 Interweave Knits. Just like Jaywalkers, I love this pattern for the simplicity with a twist...just enough to make a fun knit, that looks great! Tomorrow night, our Monday night sock knitting group is going to start this sock as a knit-a-long. We should all have our magazines purchased by now and a yarn in mind. I love the colors of this Regia yarn that I am using and don't think the multi takes away from the pattern at all. I do think a self striping yarn would detract, don't you? Anyway, I hope you can see the colors well in the first picture, and maybe more detail in the second:





I am just finishing the toe and then will have the second sock to do. I did go up to a size 1 needle, and also just did plain stockinette on the foot and I am happy with that.

Lots of Time for Knitting

There has been very little time for spinning at the farm, but with so many hours logged at the hospital and in waiting rooms I accomplished a lot of knitting since January...and most of that finishing projects - hurray! But before I show you my knitting progress, I want to share with you the February package from my Sockret Pal:



I just realized that you can't see the adorable pattern featuring some pretty playful kitties on the little drawstring knitting bag (I will have to take another closer up photo and show you on another day - cats and knitting, how cool is that???) The two skeins of yarn are Rowan 4-ply (my first Rowan yarn, too!) in the most appealing, earthy colors. There is enough here for a pair of socks, but I am thinking of combining these with some of my Ainsley brown wool to make Pegg Thomas' Fancy Feet sock pattern. There was also a gift set of B&BW Orange Ginger bath products - shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion - had I mentioned that I love Orange Ginger?!? What a "right-on" swap present, Dharmafey! And by the way, you live in the same town as one of my very dearest friends!!!!

Okay, here is some finished knitting. First, the big(est) one - the shawl I started for my daughter last November. I actually started two other patterns, the ripped them out because they just didn't suit. I was looking at something by Silvia Harding and knew that this was the one!



The pattern? Follow The Leader Faroese Shawl by Silvia Harding (downloaded from The Knitting Zone....love those downloadable patterns - instant gratification!)
The yarn? From dearest daughter's favorite sheep in the flock, Violet (natural colored Corriedale) blended with angora bunny (you can just see the slight halo of the shawl), mill spun by Jim and Lynn at Spinderellas
Needles? Denise needles (really, I love these needles), size 6 and the extra long cable (52 inch, I think?)

Here is a little closer look at the center back:



I wish I could show you the shawl on the daughter, as it looks lovely on her. The pattern was perfect for her, Nakia does not like light and airy, open work lace. I like the Faroese style for the way it can be wrapped and tucked into a waist band, leaving hands free (perfect for holding new grandson Elliot) I did make a mistake and got off on the pattern around the shoulders, but I went with it - as I told Nakia it is now snowflakes rather than triangle type shapes (grin) It was intended to be a gifted to her at Elliot's birth, but became instead a present at Mason's birthday. I think she doesn't mind ;) I also finished her Ainsley Yarn socks, from her second favorite sheep on the farm...I don't have a finished photo of these rich cocoa brown creations because they were whisked away and have been on her feet since their completion!

(Note ~ Now I am trying to decide on another shawl, stole or wrap pattern to start on and have in the works. I have yarn and patterns for several and just need to make the decision...I think I will write about that tomorrow and let you all help me decide!)

Next is the finished scarf I wrote about in a previous post. I think the colors look like a rainbow in the sky:



What this photo shows is that I need to re-block the thing! The mohair blend yarn was so beautiful to work with! The pattern? Not mindless and not really all that easy, simply because it did require some concentration, but the rows were short and there was the "resting" purl row to allow you to count your stitches and keep yourself on track. This is also a gift for someone special.

Another finished project happens to be on my feet today:



These Jaywalker socks, knit in Opal yarn, are from my first sock swap ever last year. The socks were started by Stariel (she chose the yarn and pattern, knit the first sock and sent me the remaining yarn to finish the second sock) They were finished but for a few inches, then sat in my knitting pile - isn't that ridiculous? So I finished them and have my lovely pair of socks and happy feelings for that first swap (which was also my first time using Opal sock yarn and my first pair of Jaywalkers, a pattern I have come to love)

Then, to celebrate finishing these projects I allowed myself to start a new one. And since I love the Jaywalker pattern so much, I got very excited when Grumperina (Jaywalker's creator) had a pattern in the Spring 2007 Interweave Knits, called Roza's Socks. I started them this week and think I will like them - maybe a progress photo later this week.

To top off the week, a plain manilla envelope arrived in my mailbox, disguising this sweet and thoughtful present from my friend Carissa:



Isn't this precious? It has ladybug fabric on the reverse side, but I am so taken by the delicate watercolors of this fabric, I have it on the outside for right now. My Roza's Socks are carried inside. Carissa has such a gift for making unexpected blessings arrive in the mail when they are very needed....I was completely surprised and so touched by this! Thank you Carissa ;)

There you have it, knitting content from Serenity Farms! With spring and summer approaching, I am now looking forward to more spinning time...wait, time? What time??? LOL...

We ARE Still Here!

And, life continues ~

I would like to thank everyone for their care, concern and prayers since our world took an unexpected turn in January. It has been a long struggle with Bill's health, but it has not been without many blessings along the way - and friends and family are surely right at the top of the list! God is good, and He is faithful. After nineteen days in the hospital (including a long stay in intensive care, with an hour drive both to and from) Bill is now at a live-in rehabilitation facility only a few minutes from home and we are looking forward to the day he will be able to be back here with us on the farm. I hope to be better at keeping up with things in coming days, and I look forward to visiting with many of you. This world is filled with wonderful people, and we are blessed to know so many!

In the midst of this all, we have dispersed our herd of Percheron horses - all but Sam and Lisa. These old girls will live out their days here. I am especially thankful for the new homes that Stella and Rochester will have, both are near by.

Lambing began and shearing was done in February. There are many adorable lambs and amazing fleeces:



I am VERY slowly getting the fleeces skirted and on the way to their new homes, but with so many additional responsibilities it is slow going as you can imagine! I want to be sure to thank all of my wonderful customers for their understanding and patience with me, especially when (along with everything else going on!) my computer died and couldn't be resurrected for nearly three weeks! And for those who could not wait and needed to forego your fleece reservation, I want to sincerely apologize for any inconvenience my circumstances have caused. The good news is that this makes more fleece available to those of you who have been on the waiting list ;)



My friend Theresa coined a phrase for my fiber...she calls it "Comfort Wool" and the sentiment has been echoed by many of my customers. I want to share a roving (pictured above) with you that is certainly deserving of that name! From a lovely little ewe named Bree (her picture is below with her 2007 lamb), this is so dense and so plush and so absolutely squeezable....it makes your heart and hands sing while you are spinning it! Rich, deep, dark brown.



Another roving I just got back from Zeilingers is this blend I call Stone Soup:



I was inspired to throw all kinds of wool together to have this one made after taking Letty Klein's Braided Roving Rug workshop - the intent being to have a nice felting roving to make some rugs with. Various amounts of things like Cotswold, Lincoln, Border & Blue Faced Leicester, Dorset, Columbia, Icelandic, Shetland and even some Alpaca, Llama and Corriedale - a real hodgepodge! Imagine my delight at how yummy the roving is and how beautifully it spins! I am currently spinning some of it up with the goal of a 3-ply sock yarn. Very soft yet with strength from the longwools and a neat tweedy oatmeal/grey, like Ragg Wool yarn!

Again, my love and thank you's to our friends and family who have kept in touch and had us in their prayers! A scripture that has echoed through my mind over and over in recent days is this one from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." It is a comforting feeling, to know that you are not alone when changes like these come our way!

Knitterly and Prayerful Gifts

Sometimes, life overflows and not always in ways we expect or would choose (if we had a say in the matter) My last posting here was the day before my birthday. The day of my birthday, I found myself phoning for an ambulance, fearing that my beloved husband had suffered a stroke. What has followed are days of hospitals, emergencies, surgeries and a massive change to our lives. As we face all of those things and more, I am only reminded more and more of the love and care of our Heavenly Father. How can I doubt when He has sustained me, cared for me and loved me every step of the way? Bill and I, along with our entire family, will survive, stand and walk through this all....and we are so thankful for the love and prayers and encouragement of our family and friends. There are literally moments, especially those in the night or in the quiet of the critical intensive care ward of the hospital, when you FEEL the prayers of those who are lifting you to God.

To say thank you is not enough, but it is truly the only words to say. And it is from the heart.

In the midst of all of this, I have been so blessed by prayers, cards, letters and words of encouragement and support. But also with gifts, and I am very behind in sharing some of those with you. So here is some catching up. I hope you will enjoy and appreciate them as much as I do!

First the birthday presents:



From my special new friend, Brooke, who shares a January birthday with me, this Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn and a neat looking sock pattern! Brooke, this is my first Cherry Tree Hill and it arrived after a particularly draining day for me...one where I needed some comfort and some color. The yarn provided both and I carried around the house with me - LOL! I love the sparkle, it looks like snow on the yarn. Bless your precious heart, my friend!

Next, an anonymous present (though I think I know who it is from?):



A Cafe du Monde gift basket arrived, but there was no card with it! I am hoping that whoever sent it will let me know so that I can thank them properly. This contains goodies like famous coffee with chicory (and it is so robust!) plus the making for beignets ~ I will let you know how those turn out ;)

Then, my Sock-ret Birthday gift...socks and the cutest little knitterly earrings:



Thank you, to my still very secret Sock-ret Pal!

From Lynn of Spinderellas, who is my Life Overflowing Pal, the most amazing box of goodies ever! Check this out:



There is Spinderella Thrums fiber; Spinderella yarn; a special coffee roast from Lynn's favorite (and local!) roaster; Ghiradelli chocolates with caramel (already consumed!); a peaceful and serene handpainted mug; a card with my favorite Wooly Sheep from Daysprings; a gift bag that looks to be handmade paper PLUS some yummy Cinnamon-Vanilla candles that I am already burning. I also received some very special prayers from Lynn, the best gift of all!

From Pamela, oh my goodness!!! Prestat Fine Chocolates A gift just to open the layers of packaging, and then the delights inside!!!! And from best girlfriend Cherie and her family, special gifts to make day to day life easier...and so much more from so many!

When life gets crazy, what is as comforting as a very special kitty to warm your heart? My little kitten, Grey, amazes me with his capacity for knowing when I need a kitty hug! Yesterday, as I stood in the kitchen doing dishes, he flopped down on my feet and lay there purring like crazy. This picture was taken as he lay near me in the sunshine, just to cute, don't you think?



Along with my thanks to everyone (and special thoughts for our family), I would like to add my own prayer for anyone who might read my blog....and that is this. If you are facing something in your life that seems like it is going to overcome or consume you, don't face it alone! Look to Jesus for comfort and peace! Even if you have never trusted Him before, it is never to late as long as we are in this world. Let God care for you...I can see no other way to exist in this sometimes senseless world!

What Do You Get?

When you visit the thrift store on a day when orange tag items are 50% off?



You get approximately 1100 yards of laceweight Cashmere/Silk yarn!!!

Okay, actually you get a woman's sweater for $2.25 but with just a little work and a stiff neck and wrists for the effort - LOL - if you are lucky and the seams are right, you get some yardage of nice yarn! This mass of shimmery pink gloss has been washed and is drying, so it doesn't look quite so much like pink noodles. I still have the sleeves to work on, which should yield more yarn.

Now, wouldn't you call that lucky?

Finally, it's here!

Or ~ Would you like some snow with that coffee, ma'm?



Finally, winter has decided to make an appearance in Michigan. And I LOVE it! At least, as long as I don't have to get in a vehicle and actually drive anywhere, I love it. The photo of the coffee mug (above) is a little out of focus I know, but I kind of like the funky way it looks with the horses and snow in the background! I was out on the porch taking pictures of my favorite coffee mug(s) for a swap I am in that involves coffee (and prayers), called A Life Overflowing, and I thought this picture would fit in well here at my farm blog.

What do Grandma's and boys do on snowy winter days when school is cancelled? Why, they go sledding of course! Here are Alex (our foster son) and Mason (our grandson) whoosing down the hill in the east pasture:



And here is Mason climbing back up the hill. I don't think he ever stopped grinning the whole time we were outside and he kept saying "Sledding is FUN!"



Sporty Cat joined us for the entire time, calmly taking several rides down the big hill with the boys and climbing on their prone, snow covered selves every time one took a spill. Who needs a rescue dog, we have Rescue Cat!





The sheep took note of what we were doing, but declined to join in the fun (probably just as well, since Autry - the ram - may have taken issue with us spending time in HIS pasture. That's Autry, the large white sheep closest to the camera in the photo below. Bridgett is the girl with the snow covered face) Just to be sure, we shut them in the barn while we played in the pasture.



Sledding was followed by hot cocoa with 'shmallows....Mason's name for marshmallows.

And finally, what do you do on a cold and snowy day if you are a pampered house kitten? Why, you curl up on the couch with a nice afghan, close to your brother:


(By the way, we have tried to convince Sporty Cat to make the move from pampered BARN cat to pampered HOUSE cat. She will have NONE of it! But I wish she would change her mind, especially on these really cold days)

Life is sweet, and as I sit here blogging I am knitting on a warm and snuggly shawl project that is large enough now to keep me warm while I work! Hope everyone is safe and sound this fine January day...thinking especially of friends in Missouri who have livestock to care for....

Nothing Simple About This Lovely Yarn!

Last year, I signed on to Rae's Handspun Sock Yarn Swap. The challange was to spend some time spinning a sock yarn for a secret pal. Spinning for me was Mary in Missouri (Mary does not have a blog, but many of you know her from the Townsend Sock Lists and also the SockKnittersSAM Yahoo lists) We were to mail our packages the week of January 8th and yesterday, my goodie package arrived! I was in love as soon as I saw the color of this yarn!!! The picture above shows the yarn as well as the goodies....tape measure (always need those!); note pad and pen; the pattern Mary wrote for SockKnittersSAM "Diagonal Columns Socks" (how did you know this was on my "to make" list, Mary?) and a lovely set of cards that quote Psalms 118:24 "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it"

Well, I certainly am rejoicing over this yarn and getting to know Mary! We have had a wonderful time corresponding with one another all of this time that the Spin-A-Long was going on (even though I didn't know who she was) We just had fun getting to know one another and hearing about what was happening in each others lives and talking about spinning. It was one of those things where you know instantly that you like each other and would enjoy sitting around the table knitting or in front of the fire spinning.

And since its all about the yarn, here is a little closer picture:



Now I am off to write to Mary and find out more details about this yarn....I think she told me what breed the fiber was, but I can't remember. It is soft and bouncy - just the kind I love!

Thank you Mary, and thank you Rae for coming up with this idea! I have details of my own sock yarn, spun for my secret pal, but I won't write about it of course, until she receives her package!

Some 2007 Knitting

Since I hadn't posted any knitting content recently, I thought I would share a few of the 2006 knitting projects that have spilled over into 2007 ~ otherwise known as Works In Progress!

The first two are secret projects...things being knitted for someone else who might take a peek at this blog, so I will keep the details sketchy!

First up is the Branching Out scarf, Knitty Spring 05 by Susan. Oh, do I ever LOVE this pattern (click on Susan's name to go to her blog and then link to this FREE pattern)! AND the yarn I am knitting it with (even though it contains some acrylic - 40%; the other 60% is Mohair)....Filatura Di Crossa in color 5001. I am using Denise size 7 needles.



It will be even more beautiful when it is blocked, and I will surely knit this again in some of my own handspun and hand dyed yarn, but for the moment I am enjoying the beauty of the pattern and the elegant change of colors in this purchased yarn.

Next is a pattern from Sylvia Harding, being worked from laceweight, natural color yarn from our sheep Violet:



That is all I will say about this project for now, until the recipient receives her gift (grin) I will put in a little plug for myself here....the yarn for both this shawl and the socks below, grown by Violet and Ainsley (two of our sheep), is available from me by visiting this link Serenity Farms) Visit our website when you have the chance!

Next is one of several pairs of socks on the needles, my favorite Crusoe pattern (free at Knitty) knit with Ainsley (natural colored Corriedale) yarn...this feels soooo good on the feet, its like wearing socks and getting a foot massage all at the same time! I'm using US size 2 needles



This pair is for my daughter, she already knows they are coming to her and she can't wait. You might see from the photo that I have nearly finished the heel flap on the second sock, then it will be on to the foot and finish! This was our November Sock Knit Along for the sock knitting group, Sip-n-Socks, I am involved with at our local yarn/coffee shop, Sip 'n Knit, in Ithaca Michigan. I got sidetracked by December knitting...

The sock below is our December/January sock for the Sip-n-Sock Club and is called Bells and Whistles by Mona Schmidt, published in the Holiday issue of Interweave Knits..



I love everything about this pattern and the yarn I am knitting mine from! It is Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch sock yarn, the colorway is 716 ~ an enchanting scarlet that fades in and out with charcoal and even a dusting of golden yellow that you don't really see until you look close. I went down to a needle size US 1 to knit my pair.

And that's enough for now ;) Please know that these four projects are only a small representation of my current knitting projects....is that horribly pathetic??? I don't think I will even try to list the others and of course, this does not account for the SPINNING projects in the works!!!

But I know that 99% of the knitters and spinners who read my blog will understand ;)

Denise asked

One of my favorite friends, Denise, asked us this New Years Day question ~ in just a few words, where would we like to see 2007 take us?

I thought about this and the simple answer that came to me was ~ FORWARD. And my prayer for that would be "Lord, lead me to the place where you want me to be in my life for this time....and remind me that I have your precious Holy Spirit to guide me along the way. For my part, I resolve to stop long enough to listen and to be happy (at peace) with the journey and where it takes me - as long as its with You"

What Would I Wish For

Here it is, the Eve of another New Year. As I sit here in my living room and day breaks around me, its so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that another whole year has come and gone! Yesterday my hand held two little socks in them...one belonging to grandson Mason, already almost four years old and the other belonging to his baby brother Elliot, only a few weeks old ~ and I was struck by the swift passage of time.

I don't have any profound thoughts that I am vain enough to force on you, but I only wanted to wish anyone reading this a year full of joy in the good times and hope in the bad. I wish for everyone a warm and sunny spot in their own home to curl up with a good book, some wonderful knitting or delightful spinning and for the glow of that sunshine to encourage and renew you!


(Picture above from my living room, at my fireplace...note the knitting, the books and the crack in the stone wall, but also the glimpse of Mason's picture and the soft glow of the sun - all good representatives of my daily life)

I wish for you a family around you full of hugs and kisses, and for a life full of purpose. And while I am not naive enough to believe that everyone will be blessed with all of those things, I am reminded of my favorite verse in the Bible...one that sustains and encourages me when I need it. I will share it with you:

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope...Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are NEW every morning; great is your faithfullness." Lamentations 3:21-23

And what I CAN wish for you is that you have hope for each new day of this coming New Year....Happy New Year!

Harvest Sock Swap '06

Here is part of a beautiful package I received from Nancy in Missouri for the Harvest Sock Swap '06.


(Grey kitten did NOT come in the package...but he couldn't resist helping me take photos!)

These amazing stitch markers were nestled in the bottom of a gift bag of beautiful fibers from Nancy's own critters! I just can't wait to start spinning some of this, and will always be reminded of Nancy when I do! I have a photo to share of the fiber, too, but Photobucket is being difficult and I will have to post it another day (maybe when I am spinning it?) Also included were some pretty cute sheepy soaps, too!

Thank you, Nancy, for your thoughtful gifts...just right for a spinning fanatic!

A Christmas of Joys

Merry, Merry Christmas Everyone!

A few Christmas time photos for you to enjoy ~

Our newest delight, baby grandson Elliot, born December 15th (ahead of his Christmas Eve due date) with (now) big brother Mason:



Please notice Elliot's festive Christmas attire, compliments of his Aunt Mo...a tradition she started with my daughter and has continued with the boys.

And a sleeping kitten ~


(We do not allow the kittens to eat or play with tinsel...I was decorating and turned to find O'Malley sound asleep like this!)

O'Malley the kitten is one half of the dynamic duo of kittens now residing in our house ~ his yet unnamed brother is stalking around the perimeter SOMEWHERE!

What else is there to say about the joy of Christmas? From our home to yours....may God be born and made real to hearts today as He was born onto this earth so many years ago.

A Brooke Sighting

Ah-ha! I have been discovered - LOL!

Yes Brooke (or should I say Sock-ret Sleuth?) you have figured me out! Did the clues help? I went to the barn this morning to snap a photo of my sheep Brooke, to tease you with:



If she looks a little disdainful, it is because I had no sheep cookies (also known as Vanilla Wafers) for her. She hates to come running, only to find there are no sheep cookies....she tells me so by turning away like this, then looking over her shoulder in disgust. This is quickly forgotten when she hears the rustle of the cookie box!

This is fun!!! And, now I can order sock yarn from you without trying to remain a secret ;D

Do you think we will be looked down on by other secret Sock-ret folks??? I don't think so, it is a pretty cool group!

Braided Rug Fun

What fun! Last weekend, I got the chance to get away for a few days...spend some time with my best friend Cherie and another dear friend Mary (Hey! We were Cherie, Mary and Cary - we rhymed!) AND do fibery things! We went to a 2-day Workshop with Letty Klein to learn to braid wool roving into rugs (well, we actually made a chair pad in class)

I really went just because Cherie and I have both been so busy that we rarely get to visit any more. An excess of roving to be braided into rugs is not a problem for me...I rarely, RARELY have roving available from my fleeces so if I have it on hand I have purchased it to spin. But this was fun, and I was quickly taken by the beauty of the rugs. I've always loved braided rugs...my Great-Grandma made them, my Mom and Grannie had them and I often thought I would learn to make them (even have books on the traditional way), but Letty's process is even better...another way to make use of the marvelous natural product our sheep produce!

If you haven't heard of Letty Klein and Anne Brown's book "The Shepherd's Rug", visit Letty's site, Pine Lane Farm Karakuls to read more about it (and see great photos of some of their rugs)

I won't go into detail about the process of making the rug (you must buy the book or take the workshop - LOL!) but it was a fun time, very easy to learn and worthwhile, I thought.

Here are some photos of my in progress chair pad (including ALL of the supplies Letty included in the workshop for us to make the pads):



Here is a closer look:



If you ever have a chance to take this workshop, I HIGHLY recommend it!

But we had more fun than just this over the weekend! Wonderful food, great company - the best! - and yarn shop hopping! We shopped at the sweetest little yarn store outside Kalamazoo, called Handweavers. No website or I would share it with you, but it was a wonderful place with two of the friendliest young women running it that day! I bought (no surprise here...) yarn and patterns! The next morning we joined forces with two other friends who were taking the workshop and headed out across country to my dear, dear friend and sheep mentor Rita Walters at Mar-Rita Farms. Rita has a shop on her farm, The Wool Room, that they recently expanded and WOW ... does she ever have some GREAT new yarns! She was just unpacking some when we arrived. I left there with (you guessed it) some of that yarn, some sock yarn, patterns and Corriedale roving ;) We also visited the Corriedale sheep and fed them cookies. Its nice to see some of those old girls who are the mothers and grandmothers of my own flock! Two of my friends left there with fleeces of their own.

It really was a good time, and I came home relaxed and also recharged. Its always good to get away for a time and expose yourself to other creative and like minded people. I'm grateful to Cherie for inviting me to go along and to Cherie's dear Mom, Jean, who put us up overnight in her beautiful lakeside home. It was wonderful to travel with Mary and get to know her better (what a neat lady she is!) We got to meet some other new fiber friends, visit with old fiber friends and just generally have a really good time!

We are thinking of making this an annual get-away ;D

Some New Things

I have had a longing for color since my recent dyeing workshop with Nancy from Woven Art in Lansing. Working with my own yarns, here is what I came up with this past week. I call this yarn "Bittersweet and Goldenrod" (not for sale):



And this delicious Corriedale lamb and English Angora bunny blend yarn, grey, overdyed in our Serenity Farms colors (teals, blues, turquoise). I thought laying the yarn out on the frosty Lambs Ears in my garden, with the sun just peeking up, was pretty. This yarn has already sold. I will try to make more soon:



Not just yarn but roving, freshly returned from Spinderella's, my friends in Utah who do such an amazing job in processing, especially these smaller finer blends for me. Corriedale, Alpaca, Mohair and Silk combine to create SILVER SAGE MOON (below) This is so incredibly ethereal, a photo does not do it justice. I can't stop looking at this one, it just shimmers!



HONEY SPUN GINGER (below) is a blend of Shetland lamb and dyed silks. This was a very, very pale fawn fleece - almost cream colored. The silk is sunny yellow, seashell pink and palest peach. You can't see the highlights of color from the silk very well in this photo, but it is there - it shines and glows as it flows through your fingers to the spinning wheel:



Not shown here is the intensely deep and mysterious black...black Corriedale, black Alpaca and dyed silk, haven't even decided on a name for that one yet! Hmmmm....how about MIDNIGHT TAPESTRY? The colors of the silk is very rich, velvety tones that add so much depth to the roving. And it just doesn't photograph at all well, but I will keep trying. It is raining and gloomy here today, I might be able to get a decent picture.

You can see more of these fibers at our web site Serenity Farms, where they are offered for sale in very limited quantities.