The Land of Wool and Honey

Outside The Box

I'm not really sure how to say this.  I never thought I'd have to.  I swore on all things holy that this was exactly the behavior I could curtail.  I'm not interested, I don't have the time, I don't have the space, et cetera. 

So what the &%@# is this doing in my stash?!?

 

 

Raw Corriedale fleece?  Seriously?

Actually, if you could see this in the flesh (oh, wait--some of you can! Come!  See!  Smell the sheepy love!), I know you would have made the same choice.  Except you didn't.  Which is why I'm the one with the virtually-perfect-four-and-a-quarter-pound-almost-good-enough-to-spin-in-the-grease-coated-first-year fleece.  Thankfully, I got there first.  You done good, Mary Jo.   

 There are big plans for this wool.  Spectacular plans.

p.s.  I updated my Etsy shop.  See what you see!

There and Back Again: A Knitter's Tale

Although I haven't spent the last month trudging through the fires of Mordor, I am about as winded as one must be at the end of an epic journey.  Since my last check-in, I attended a Fiber Fest (to buy more stuff of course!), dyed 15-ish pounds of BFL, spun five? six?  twelve? an unknown number of four-ounce skeins, manned a hopping booth at the Leland Fiber Fest, enjoyed the most successful month of 2009 to date at Inish Knits (October--whee!),  and was asked to teach a class at the Northern MI Lamb & Wool Fest 2010.  I also watched the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Again.

There's been knitting, too.

 

Festivus Fingerless Mitts.  Details here.

 

Which became a multi colored version of this.

A failed attempt at a hat:

 

However.  When at first you don't succeed, 

 

Keep on knittin'.

 

A designing/spinning/knitting project is in the works:

 

 

 

Merino and silk, how I love thee.

I am up to my wool-covered ears in custom orders, emails and requests for private instruction.  At least five people every day are added to our email list.  (Email me at inishknits AT charter DOT net if you'd like me to add you!)  In "these trying economic times", it seems that everyone I meet is finding peace in all things handmade. 

I am inspired, renewed and grateful.  
 

Wallowing-in-My-Own-Filth Friday

Holy deadlines, Batman.  This week has been-- how you say?--a bit much.  And this is the death and destruction a week like mine leaves in its wake:

 

Yes.  According to the calendar on the wall, we are still experiencing the month of April.  Thanks for pointing that out.

 

 

Can you say "biohazard"?

Oy.  Thankfully, in this case, I have something to show for my week.  (Well, besides cracked, stained fingernails, dark circles where my eyes should be and a raging addiction to caffeine.)

Dyeing:

 

Drying:

 

Spinning:

 

 

And a bit of sewing, too:

 

TGIF?  Yeah, I can dig it.

p.s.  As the ultimate treat to myself for a week of work well done, I am heading tomorrow to the Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Fest.  Will you? 

p.p.s.  In the spirit of Friday randomness, just thought I'd pass on this week's factoid.  Laura Nyro was nominated (posthumously, of course) for an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Finally!

 

 

Fun Facts Friday

No knitting to see here, folks.  How about random thoughts on a Friday afternoon instead?

I have a pretty good memory for names, facts, figures, minute details, etc.  Ever order coffee from Leelanau Coffee Roasting?  I used to run the shipping department there, so chances are I know your address, your favorite flavor and exactly how you like it ground.  Just like the useless information that is clogging up my brain and preventing me from remembering something real (such as applying deodorant this morning), these factoids are neither related to knitting nor Important Throughout the Grand Scheme of Things.  I just found them particularly noteworthy this week.  Unfortunately, I can't always control the ways in which my synapses fire.

1. As a child born in the early 1980s, I have lots of memories surrounding my favorite toys and games--Lite Brite, My Little Pony, Care Bears (being the oldest, of course I had 'Share Bear'), Get in Shape Girl! workout gear, a totally radical silver Barbie Corvette, etc.*  One of the things that my parents encouraged, maybe even more than play, was music.  There's a simple equation here, really: involved parents born in the 50s/60s of a slightly liberal persuasion, plus four little girls who love music can equal only one thing: "Free to Be You and Me" with Marlo Thomas and Friends, naturally.  My favorite piece was probably the loosely-translated Greek tale of Atalanta and 'Young John', because, well, it's always pretty cool when the girl wins the race.  And Carol Channing's 'Housework' monologue always kind of made my eyes glaze over--who doesn't love a tongue twister?  But here's the factoid I discovered this week:  Remember the song, 'It's Alright to Cry'?  It was performed by Rosey Grier, the football player also known as The Man Who Needlepoints.  Huh.  Didn't know that was him.  (Maybe the song should have been titled, 'It's Alright to Craft'....) 
2. According to Wikipedia (the most reputable source for The Truth, dontcha know), Chris Daughtry is still married.  Top 40 music isn't really my thing, but somehow I did get sucked into that particular season of American Idol and I just wanted to follow up with the dude.  Wondering how he's handling fame and marriage and all that.  (I will admit that there's no one that gets me out on a wedding dance floor quite like Ludacris.  Well, maybe Andre 3000.  As I mentioned before, I am a product of my generation.)
3. There are 250 sets of twins born in the U.S. every day.  Think happy th0ughts today for my friend Meghan, as she is having hers!
4. Alas, the quintessential hippie beverage of the 1990s, Fruitopia, ceased production in the United States in 2001.  (This is the answer to the question, 'What ever happened to Fruitopia?'  Thanks, Allie, for asking.)  I hear you can still get Strawberry Passion Awareness at McDonald's.  Is that true?
5. Michael Jackson's Thriller is the best-selling album of all time.  Yeah, I can see that.  What I can't see is the fact that Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf, is only two steps behind.  Seriously?
6. Tomorrow is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.  Plan accordingly.
7. The Friends of Inish Knits group on Ravelry now has 51 members....are you one of them?  If not, join us now!  I'm hereby setting a goal of 250 members by Christmas.  Think we can do it?

Speaking of goals, I set one this week and achieved it--a blog post for every weekday!  Thanks for hanging in there.

Still.

No.

Photographer.

The hat I am happy with.  More as we begin The 12 Knits of Christmas.

*Wow, am I a walking advertisement for Hasbro or what?

I Had Something Really Awesome to Say,

but Typepad won't let me.  It looks as though I have approximately three minutes to come up with some genius post before it boots me out of the system.  This is my fifth attempt at brilliance.  (Today.)  I have already unleashed a stream of expletives that my neighbors were--I'm sure--delighted to hear.  Nice.

Let's see if I can maybe show you a picture of my newest favorite dye job. 

Spun,

because I just couldn't wait to see how cool it was going to be.

And that's about as eloquent as it's going to get on the seventeenth try.

The Wheel in the Sky Keeps on Turning

But I do know where I'll be tomorrow.  And the next day.  And the next.  And the day after that.  Spinning my brains out.

 

"Umbria."  50/50 Merino/tencel.  320 yds--4 oz.  2-ply.

I can do this.  I can do this.  If man made it to the moon.... 

Still Knitting

Q: When was the last time I posted about a finished project?

A: Today!

 

Project: Simple Yet Effective Shawl by Laura Chau.

Yarn: Grandma's Blessing, from Briar Rose, 1 skein.

Additional details Raveled here.

 

 

And just so you can see it on a real person:

 

Simply stated, this photo is a cry for help. 

 Please.  Someone.  A photographer?  A remote?  A tripod?  Anything would be better than the backwoods system pictured above.

Whining aside, I loved this project.  LOVED it.  So mindless and easy (hey, who am I kidding--that's the only type of knitting I do these days), yet rather satisfying.  It's a smallish wrap--mine did turn out a touch larger than Laura's orginal--perfect when you're not in the mood to knit socks, but you've got an odd (yet lovely!) 100g hank of sock yarn lying around.  Which is what this skein of Grandma's Blessing was--a stash straggler.  This color combo is unique and fall-ish, and the few mornings it's been chilly in my office, it's just the thing--better than a full-on sweater.

And finishing something small and manageable gave me the extra push I needed to start--and finish!--something else.  It's blocking now, but maybe tomorrow, when it's dry, I'll pull some amateur photographer off the street for a decent picture.

Otherwise, you might get another photo that looks like this:

Ew.

 

Happiness Is...

 A package first thing on a Monday morning!

 

Inside this box is five pounds of exquisite paper artistry from a very talented lady.  Foldover product labels, business cards, desktop stationery, stickers and thank-you cards--for my other shop.   

 

And just in time, too!

 

I have been spinning like a maniac preparing for My First Fiber Festival.  Dyeing, too.   

 

Inspired by this:

 

This:

 

Inspired by:

 

And this one:

 

By this:

(A little Monet never hurt anybody, no?)

Please say you'll come!  Both my sister and I will be there, along with some of Michigan's finest fiber peeps.  Mark your calendar for Friday, October 9th from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 10th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m for the 2009 Fiber Festival at the Old Art Building in Leland.  

p.s. 

Apologies to William Carlos Williams

so much depends

upon

a new knitting

project

stitched with handpainted

yarn

while sipping hot

coffee

Obsession Du Jour

Handmade.  I don't care if it's olive oil soap, semi-precious jewelry, handturned cherry wooden teething rings for baby or vintage-styled paperie, if it's artisan-crafted, I've got to have it.  (And yes, I have purchased every one of those things over the past month.  What?  I'm doing my part to support the Handmade Movement--and the economy in general!)

As a disclaimer, I'm not just buying these things for me--I'm constantly on the prowl for fabulous little treats--knitting and non--to bring to Inish Knits.  Customers are always looking for one thing--big or small--that is unique and lovely and has a little Michigan-infused flavor.  So how's this for local flavor?

Stitch markers, made by my neighbor and friend, Liz Saile, who's got a charming shop across the street:

 

Prehnite, found in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula;

Epidote, also from the U.P.;

 

Frankfort greens, which are especially dear to me, as my dad is a Frankfort native;

 

Lake Superior beach stone, another fave; I've spent lots of my life on those Lake Superior shores;

 

Of course, the Michigan classic--and found only at Inish Knits--Petoskey stone stitch markers.

But quite possibly the prettiest--and most popular--are these Leland Blues.  Ultra local, there is a very limited supply of these stones.  As in, fewer than twenty pairs.***

Leland blues are so right now--and under such limited production (once they're gone, they're gone!)--that I just couldn't help myself.  I had to have some of my own.

 

Leland blues come in 32 (!) naturally occuring colors--the duck egg blue is my favorite--so Liz made me a special set.  And some earrings to go with, natch.  (The fifth marker of my set immediately jumped onto the lace cowl.)

And then there's the matter of soaps.  I kinda can't stop.  Depending on my mood, I can choose:

naughty--

 

or nice.

 

And you'll be seeing more soaps, salves and lotions at the shop in the near future--I'm happy to be working with some very, very cool women who make very, very cool stuff. 

Next time, there'll be knitting.  Or yarn.  Or both.

***Looking for the perfect Up-North gift for your knitting circle?  Do you deserve a little pampering?  (The answer here, in case you were wondering, is yes.  It's always yes.)  Each set of Michigan stone stitch markers is $25.00--a set of five stitch markers with all sterling silver findings and to denote the beginning of round marker, you'll find a small Petoskey stone.  These markers fit needles up to US 6 (they're very popular with sock knitters!), but Liz can easily make a pair to acommodate needles upto US 11.  Email me at inishknits AT charter DOT net to reserve a pair--and yes, mail order is always available.