Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow !

Thank you Karen for this lovely picture taken from your home.

Happy New Year !
Gott Nytt År !




The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows.
George William Curtis







The Dead of Winter
by Samuel Menashe

In my coat I sit
At the window sill
Wintering with snow
That did not melt
It fell long ago
At night, by stealth
I was where I am
When the snow began

A Winter's Rose

A beautiful December rose "Graham Thomas"


Cindy put in a new decorative arbor gate for "the girls" How fancy !





How I wish I could relax like Betsy :)




Another thrift store find, a child's sweater, which will be going to someone in Karen's family.
Heja Norge !





While digging thru boxes I found the first sweater I ever knit. Of course it's Lopi, as it was the 70's ! I was very surprised to find it as I assumed it was lost in the fire. Anna is not here to model for me so Marc stepped in. What a goofball ! "Ow Mom, this is scratchy"

Yes, I also knit a Cowichan sweater for my godson who was four at the time. I followed the trends !

I met Carla and Hilly thru Ravelry. They wanted to purchase the Nordic Knits booklet so we set up an exchange. Carla had written an article on Twined Knitting for "Handwerken Zonder Grenzen" which Hilly was kind enough to send. Carla sent this lovely mohair yarn spun in Denmark. The fiber came from her friends herd which she gets to play and cuddle with she said. Very fun and thoughtful.




The Lavold workshops are filling up at the Museum. I'm signed up for the three hour Basic Viking Knits.

The registrations are coming in for the Nordic Knitting Conference. ONE LADY IS COMING FROM HONG KONG !!!!!! I have signed up for classes with Katarina Brieditis, Mariane Isager, and Evelyn Clark. CAN'T WAIT !!

Wonderful Finnish Designs

My camera has gone AWOL so I must use other resources. Hope I find it soon :(
Karen and I took a Kainu mitten class at the Museum taught by Tuulia. She hand dyed the yarns and made up kits for us to work with. It was a very enjoyable class.
The mitten I started is too big so I bought a set of half size needles to try.
(Photo courtesy of Tuulia)

Afterwards we joined the Knitters Cafe' in progress. Evelyn brought this bag to show and Karen and I fell in love with it. She found this on Etsy thru a Finnish vendor
Kukkilinutu




My bag


Karen's bag



Another Etsy purchase - Celtic Knot Wool Diz
Magic Stix Fibers







All the way from Paris, France sbarao !











Check out Barbro's blog to see her cute mittens !


I'm 49 now, one year away from the big one ! Thanks, Karen, Debbie, Cindy, and my family for helping me celebrate.

Thanks Karen, for amongst other fun things,the little handcrafted sheep you made for me. (She's the one in the middle !)















Up until then it had been an emotional month of unknown reason.



Inner Turmoil Surfacing

Inner turmoil surfacing in
unexpected places while
no one sees the loneliness through
the windows. When
will the turmoil surfacing
and the questions burning
cease to undermine
what is entwined with
My tranquility? .............How
do those who claim to know
what fulfils the human soul
explain through learned verses
The truth that lies beneath the surface?
Yet those who claim to know what fulfils
This human soul, possess not
the desire or what is required to search
for the inner turmoil surfacing in
Unexpected places while
No one sees
The loneliness……..


Melanie Mohammad

Bellingham

At the end of October Tuulia , Katie ,Charisa , Nicole , and I went to Bellingham to attend a spin in, shop, and have a mini workshop on Tuulia's top down, seamless sweater. We stayed with Katie's parents who were lovely hosts. Great photos of this trip are on their blogs.






Brünnhilde's locks of lovely fiber !

Thanks Katie for organizing this.



Nicole, the spin doctor, trying to make a diagnosis after Polina continues to creak like an old ship.



How adorable !





Photographers at work !



Comes autumn...
with its addendum of moods and colours
and as nature unfurls its myriad of jewels
there be majique
of ineffable bounty
widening eyes, and broadening smiles
reminding us all of the credence that lies
in that ole cliche:
''change is good.'' (edited)

Frank James Ryan, Jr

My baby girl

My baby girl turned 22 last month. She is moving out next weekend to start a new chapter in her life. She is so unlike me, positive, personable, with a sunny smile.
Where has the time gone ?
She was kind enough to help out for two days at the spinning workshop. Thanks Anna !



In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
Aristotle
Beth, my friend since high school, took me to her parent's condo for a weekend away on Whidbey Island. The beach close by was so beautiful, the fragrant salt air and the warmth of the sun made for a very pleasant walk.

Last weekend was a girls getaway to Bellingham. Next post will be all about it.The Spin Drifters had a spin in which included vendors. I did my fair share of shopping, my bit to support local farmers ! I won a door prize of New Zealand Corriedale fleece from Penelope Fibre Arts Boy, did that make me happy !



Alpaca which I want to blend with Finn.










I couldn't resist buying three Icelandic lamb fleeces from Wake Robin Farm. These two lovely colors, plus a black with gray at the cut end.















Brought them over to Michael and Heather's house where Bandit and Sadie were quite interested, and puzzled, about why they weren't moving. Hey, aren't we supposed to be herding these ?

Score !

In my life I've never scored a great deal or find at a thrift store - UNTIL NOW !! This Oleana sweater was found at Value Village in Seattle for $6.99 !! I could see the sleeve from the down the aisle and KNEW what it was. YAY !! Pat bought it from me as she is an even bigger fan of Solveig Hisdal than I. Modelled here by my sister Tina, who was kind enough to let me stay at her place during the three day Scandinavian workshop at the Museum

















I LOVED the workshop ! Again, so much fibery goodness, history, fellowship, and inspiring samples. Carol Rhoades is an excellent instructor. I've taken her Spinning for Socks and Spinning for Fair Isle, Aran, and Guernsey workshops also.






The first day we played with Norwegian Spelsau fleeces. Wow, such long hair like fibers which we pulled away from the undercoat. Experimented with various prep and spinning methods. COOL !



Saturday was Gotland fleeces and Twined Knitting. The one on the far right is a Gotland/Corriedale cross from New Zealand. The locks just bloomed open when worked with.













Sunday was Finnsheep and angora for Bohus style knitting. It was the first time I've carded and spun angora and I loved it.
We also tried a little Lovikka yarn spinning. It is so tricky to try and get such a very lightly spun bulky single from the rolag. I need to practice, practice, practice ! I hear you can ply two pencil rovings together and get the same effect :)































I should have taken more copious notes ! We learned to use the carders to get a combed like roving. I think she said the technique came from an Icelandic book.



There were so many wonderful samples but in deference to the designer I will just keep the pictures to myself. This mitten though was knit with the Two End technique using this Wool/Silk/Mohair pencil roving. It made a dense but lighter fabric.






A classmate raises Shetlands, Scottish Black Face, and Gotland/Finn crosses. She brought nine fleeces to sell. I came home with one and trotted over to Gretchen's Wool Mill to have it washed. She'll card half of it and leave the rest for me to play with. It's a lovely gray with light tips.

Fiber addiction has been much lamented upon by others and admittedly I've fallen under it's spell. Perhaps I should leave my checkbook home next time :)

Beading

Karen and I took a fun class at Village Yarn and Tea a few weeks ago from Debbie Abrahams. She hails from Great Britain and works with Rowan. Her latest book is



She's a very charming and upbeat person who is a great instructor.




We received kits to make this little bag. Felt like a dope as I was making little mistakes all the time which slowed me down. I'm almost done with the front.



Fellow student Debbie

Thanks for helping me out Karen !!



A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though she knows you are slightly cracked

Bernard Meltzer





"Thorpe"
My first top down hat using Trendsetter "Boboli" A coworker kept after me to knit her a hat with flaps - she wore me down !






My first three ply. I love, love, love BFL !



Garner up pleasant thoughts in your mind, for pleasant thoughts make pleasant lives.

John Wilkins