Meet Nymeria…

This is our new addition to the fiber tools:

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That’s my daughter demonstrating the size of the box.

She’s a Mighty Wolf loom, all put together and wearing her first warp:

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Weaving on this loom is pure heaven! The treadling is so smooth and the threading was very easy, even though this is a more complex draft than I’ve done before. I threaded with NO errors! Woot!

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Blue Ribbon!

I am happy to report that my Elizabeth Shawl won a blue ribbon in the 2012 Grange Fair!

Credit must be given to the fantastic Northern Lights needles:

 

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Sunrise!

I was lucky enough to buy this set of Dyakcraft needles from someone who decided she wanted a set with the larger sizes (10 & 10.5).  Since I don’t usually use sizes larger than 9, this is perfect for me!

The size 8 is already in use in the Cormo/Angora handspun scarf:

I normally use metal needles for all my knitting, so I wasn’t sure how I would like the woods, but I love them!

 

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New needles!

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These needles? Love, love, love them! They’re handmade Vermont Apple DPNs by Dyakcraft.

I’ve got a few different sets on order, because they’re just so beautiful and I love the idea of supporting a small family business (and because there are so many different colors, I couldn’t decide on just one!)

These arrived yesterday, and although I was going to wait to start these mittens until I had finished another project, I couldn’t wait to use them.

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The pattern is Rhinebeck Mittens, the yarn is Madelinetosh Vintage in Alizarin, and the needles are awesome. Did I mention how I love these needles?

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I cast the mittens on earlier this evening, and knitting with these was so effortless, I breezed through with no wrist pain – the stitches just seem to knit themselves…

Thank you, Tom and Linda Diak for a fabulous product!

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Where I retain my title

The pool is clear and blue!

HTH makes a product called “Clean to Blue” (not Clean to Green) which cleared up the water in 24 hours – vacuuming to waste was interesting, though. Next time, I have to remember to fill the pool to the very top so the water level will take longer to drop.

But, it’s done!

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Algae Queen

That’s what my kids used to call me in the summertime-I am obsessed with keeping the pool sparkling clean.

In the fall, I make sure to use the right chemicals to prevent algae growth over the winter, and normally when the cover comes off in the spring, it’s crystal clear.

This year? Not so much. The cover must have become porous with age, and oh, my…I have never seen it look like this!

This is my new quest for the next few weeks-wish me luck!

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Towels done and gifted!

Of course, I was in such a hurry to gift them, that I didn’t take pictures of the finished project, but they did turn out well (you’ll just have to take my word for it!)

Except for the amount of time it took to warp the loom, it was a relatively easy project.

Once I finish the cones of 10/2, I think 8/2 will be my go-to weight for towels.

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Northern Lights needles!

I’ve been waiting for some handmade wooden knitting needles from Dyakcraft – they are the MOST beautiful needles, and if the interchangeables are anything like my DPNs, I’ll be thrilled.

In the meantime, since the wooden needles are taking around 8 months to be done, I’ve ordered 2 sets of metal needles in Cranberry and Marigold – they’ll only take a couple of months to be finished.

I’ve never been a fan of purple, but when I heard that the Wisteria color would no longer be offered, I called Linda at Dyakcraft (a lovely person to speak to!) and asked if they had some Wisteria tips, sizes 4-8.

They did!  They came today, and they are beautiful!

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They are wonderful to knit with – I wasn’t sure, since they’re solid needles and heavier than the ones I normally use, if my wrist would bother me.  Nope!  At least now I know that the other 2 sets will be perfect!

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One towel done, on to the next!

One towel is done, and not without drama!

Toward the end, the warp was very tight on the ends, and looser in the middle. I really want these to turn out well, so I undid the warp and retied it so the tension was even. Well, after several times of winding and unwinding, it was finally right.

Here’s the obligatory pic-the pink lines are where the towels will be separated when finished:

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Weaving towels

Here’s the beginning of my first attempt at towels:

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Valley Yarns 10/2 Cotton, 483 ends.  This was supposed to be waffle-weave, but as I was threading the heddles, I realized I had made sure that I had enough heddles in total, but I was short on the 2 middle harnesses.  As they’re string heddles, I wasn’t about to untie 60 of them on each of 2 heddles and re-tie them.

Plan B:  Twill:

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I can see where I either missed a treadle or…who knows?  But, I am happy with the way they’re turning out so far (she says after about 3 inches of weaving)!

Here’s a closeup:

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See the diagonals?  Me too!

This guy joined us for spinning at the farm this morning:

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Pretty, isn’t he?

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