Thursday, April 28, 2011

April Showers

If the old saying is right we should have some great May Flowers!!  It has rained heavy on and off here all day. Right now the sun is back out and the birds are chirping again.

I have been dyeing all day today and will again tomorrow.  Right now its for Battenkill Fibers..."metowee" today and 'bee balm" tomorrow.  If you haven't seen their yarn you can see samples on the web page  www.battenkillfibers.com  Look under yarn and then signature colors and you will see the palette.



Yesterday when the knitting group was here I was spinning some of the Wensleydale X fiber that they washed and carded for me. Ohhh, it spins like butter!!  I am spinning it to be a fingering weight yarn.   I am spinning to knit another shawl, the Tiered Shawl, from "Two Old Bags"  I saw this knit up when we went to stitches in the fall.  Hopefully, I get it done before next fall!!  

My Lady Lady Bertram Shawlette is done, and blocked.  It worked out better than I could have expected!!  I used yarn that I purchased to dye for the project.  Its 50% tencel and 50% merino.  If your interested their is still some in stock.  

Here is one more sign of spring...Dad with his new hens.  The summer market in Saratoga starts on Wednesday, May 4th!!

  Tom, Liz and I will all be gone May 5th to May 9th.  We are traveling to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  Liz and I will be showing sheep on the Saturday the 7th.  I am looking forward to it more than ever!!  Its always a good time, but this time we'll have our sheep there.!!!  

The shop will be closed from Thursday May 5 and re-open on Tuesday May 10th.  

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Spinning Guild Update

News just in from Karen...
Rug Hooking Day 2011






April 9, 2011 will be the second annual International punch Needle Rog Hooking Day with punch needle classes and demonstrations planned across the US and Canada.  The Yarn Shop at Foster Sheep Farm will be participation with demonstrations, samples of completed projects, a frame set up for you to try, books and sample patterns and supplies for you to get started on your own.  If you have a project in mind or on a frame but need some assistance or encouragement to get going, this is the day.  If you have a completed project that you would like to share please bring it along.  We would love to see it.  

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Spinning Guild Show and Tell

I am posting the March Show and Tell on the blog as a trial.  I have been struggling with the pictures on the newsletter program.  I am hopeful that this will work out better.

Thank you Jan for the work that you have done on this!!   We do appreciate it!!
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Join us on Saturday April 9 from 10am-4pm...Come for the day or just drop in!!!
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It is always inspiring to see what members are working on!  There is lots to share.

Dawn is always working on many different projects.  She modeled a scarf from the book “Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders” and it was knit from Foster Farm yarn.  She also showed a skein of Blue Faced Leicester/Mohair that she had spun.  Dawn raises angora rabbits and had a lovely blend of Polwarth/Angora that she carded as a 50/50 blend.  Her BIG news was that a book she had collaborated on with other angora rabbit owners went to print!!  There are many rabbit books out there, but this one is focused on raising angora rabbits for the fiber.  Congratulations                      
                                                       Dawn!!

Deb had been working on a scarf for her daughter Renee and had the finished scarf to show.  It was knit from wool and dog yarns-the finished scarf was lovely.

Karen modeled a drop-stitch scarf that she knit from the Cherry Tree Hill that Carole had in a colorway called Birches.  She also showed felted scarves that she had made from the workshop Susan gave.  One using the poodle yarn as an accent with other fibers and will give as a gift.  The other in black with a peacock feather look to go with her new black coat.





Meg hasn’t made it to the last few meetings and she came with many things to show.  One was a woven chenille scarf .  She also had two knitted scarves-a laceweight merino/silk and an alpaca/silk.  Her husband Don likes the socks she knit from Patons Kroy sock yarn.






Betsy was knitting more of the Icelandic yarn and had made an earflap hat in white wool.












Barb showed a mitten knit in red/black/white from the Folk knitting in Estonia book out of Berrocco yarn.  It was knit beautifully using Fair Isle.

Carole was excited to have fiber from the Battenkill Fibers mill-her Wensleydale/Romney blend as well as BFL/Romney.  We all got samples to try and it was lovely-it was done as a pin draft, but they will also offer roving in the near future.

We welcomed a newcomer to our group-Betty Jean.  She is an avid knitter and had lots to share.  The first project she showed was a hat done in the “Fake Isle” technique from Ravelry using variegated yarn.  She also had a knitted scarf using yarn from Carole’s shop.  Her kniited carpet bag was a lovely color of turquoise and black, but wouldn’t felt in her front load washer.  Carole offered her the use of her machine so she went home with a wonderful felted bag.

Lynn was working on the helix scarf from the recent issue of SpinOff.  She was using a fine fingering weight white wool and blue beads-it’s a gift for a friend that is getting married soon and the bridesmaids will wear blue dresses-what a generous gift!  She also was wearing her Cedar Leaf shawlette…having run out of yarn twice!?!  She overdyed the whole shawl with green and it turned out lovely!

I am happy to say that I fulfilled (at least!) one New Year’s resolution-I finished my gloves from the magic loop class that Betsy taught!!  They fit great and I am glad to have that new technique added to my skills.  Now on to two socks on one needle!  I also showed my felted scarves from Susan’s workshop.

Happy spinning and knitting,
Jan