INDIGO DI

Quilt Festival- "Window Panes" and "House in the Woods"

"Window Panes" was on my list of favorite quilt patterns for four years. I finally had enough time and fabrics in my stash to start and finish this easy and fun quilt project. I used my old school Singer machine and borrowed a friend's Baby Lock to quilt it.

 

"House in the Woods" was my first attempt at using a machine quilter. Selection of fabrics for each square took a long time but not as long as it took to decide what pattern to "quilt" each square. This is my most expressive quilt so far.

If  your're into Quilting, Go check out Quilt Festival!

 

A Little Spinning...A Little Knitting...

It's been pretty hot here folks, not terribly condusive to wool fiber arts but some progress has been made, ( in between NH kayaking and hiking and horses and swimming)  spinning  and knitting down the fiber stash.

 

Persimmon Tree Fiber on my Matchless.

 

 

Painted Sheep alpaca/merino on the niddy noddy.

 

La La Shawl finished knit with  wool/mohair handspun.

Zauberball Zeton, Quilt

 

Chart 1 was very easy and quick. Hoping Chart 2 doesn't slow me down.

 

Just pretty balls of fiber that were spun last week.

 

"Window Panes " machine quilted and hung, Yeah! A  little out of focus and dark, no wonder, it's raining again.

Skipped Work but got Plenty Done

It was mostly overcast today so I decided to stay home and machine quilt my latest project.

 

It went rather smoothly and quickly.

 

I even machine quilted my initials and date into the border, see D C E?

I also spun a bobbin of  alpaca/merino/silk from the Painted Sheep on my Reeves. These colors are so beautiful, something between corn silk and palomino and blond.

 

I may actually finished these socks as I've turned the heel and I'm headed for toes.

New Yarn, New Sock

  

Whisper Lace Sock pattern using  Ball and Skein  Super Sock  in the color Papaya.

It is a free pattern and easy to remember.

 

Taking photos with the blockers is so much easier.

Delivery :)

 

In the box...

  

In the house...

 

In the sunlight...

 

I was hoping my wheel would have some nice cherry grain! I got lucky!

 

 

It was a bright sunny day so the cherry tone is a little washed out. More pictures later.

Horses

The Gus Rhodie Socks were finally finished this weekend in Canada at the Bromont Equestrian Park. My daughter competes with friends in the Driving event held annually.

There are three events- marathon, cones and dressage. The timed marathon is the most exciting as the team has to maneuver through and around designated obstacles without points deducted for faults. 

 

There are single teams and tandem teams like below.

 

 

This is the Canadian national team of four. They are really flying... see the soil kicked up at the tires?

 

Aurora and George in the winner's parade... Red is first is Canada :)

I came home to see my new, especially designed for me  sock blockers from Chappy!

 

 

Spring Quilting

 

The fabrics have taken over my family room again. I had this pattern in mind for about three years. There's still many blocks to be added. It moved to the forefront after shopping for the last time at my all time favorite quilt shop, Valley Fabrics. I'm sorry to learn they'll be closing their doors.

 

Yes, we still spend lots of time at the barn. DD will be competing again at Bromont, Quebec at the end of the month.

A little spinning time at a friends' allowed me to finish this fiber from Fantom Farm.

 

Although you can't see it on the bobbin, there is a gradient of color I want to maintain with navajo plying.

 

I love this pottery. (I'll have to dig out the potter's name)I have a few pieces that I've picked up at New England Fiber Fairs. This vase is the perfect size.

 

A little spring/summer start on shawl knitting in Zephyr.

 

Ball and Skein project that may get a new beginning with a new pattern.

 

Three different varieties of Lilac, each with their own distinct fragrance.

Nest Progression, Flocks of a Different Kind...

The days since my last post have been full with working, exercising, Festival going( NH & Mass.), kayaking, & concerts. The most notable and  grand though was our getaway to Virginia and our oldest sons' Graduation Day.

180 th Final Exercises, University Of Virginia, Charlottesville, The Rotunda, The Lawn, 2 am.

 

The Lawn, 10 am.

 

The Graduates.

 

I can't believe this poor photo is the only shot I got of my son in Cap & Gown.

 

The 3 kids, my oldest Sean(center),  next stop graduate school, Princeton, Physical Chemistry.

Congrats Sean!

 

See I was there.

 

Progression #2...

 

 

Walloping Downpour.

 

 

All is well. Spinning and Knitting content next time, OK?

The robins' nest while undisturbed is still there, but the eggs have been moved or... consumed.

The bluebirds are ever the perfect parents, the young ones should be leaving the nest soon.

A Little of Everything

 Robin nest and eggs,  Handsome lamb from Barb's farm, Rhodie Gus socks modified, Chloe, Barberry Blooms, Titmouse gathering cat fur from Cat House, Sparrow nest and eggs, Oriole through window, Bluebirds nesting (click for big)

 

 

 

 

 

Grafton Fiber Arts Needles and Socks

 

These are my new favorite needles ordered from Grafton Fiber Arts. I love  the color and the way they hold the yarn without grabbing. They are only 5 inches long so I am adjusting to the shorter length.

My new sock project with The Woolen Rabbit merino/nylon has got my full attention.

 

This is the patterning at the front and back of the sock.

 

I almost like this side patterning better, so I might re-orient the sock.

 

New Fiber and Sun

   

Alpaca/Merino/Silk, new spin for me.

 

Can't get these lyrics out of my head...

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Well we all shine on,
Ev'ryone come on.

and

Good Day Sunshine......

 

and, "Here Comes the Sun".

Flashback...

During my seventh grade summer my PF group, a Congregational Church youth group, went (with many other PF groups) to a summer camp at Silver Lake.  Now, I have to say my memories of church going were more of  a place to get together with friends. While the adults were in "church", we were in "Sunday school", learning a little history, doing arts and crafts, listening and or playing music on the record player, or  playing sports out in back and. Yes, we could bring in our own records and  play the music in the classroom. The program was great for the camper and for the Mom. It seemed where I was from, most families had a least four children. I grew up in a  family of six kids. This at least gave some Moms a break.

Back to camp... for the two weeks, between the typical summer camp activities like, swimming, dodge ball, canoeing, working on skits (because you know there was going to be a "talent show") we all had to sign up for some sort of chore. Everyday you would complete your task whatever it was, sweeping the bunk room floor, collecting all the sports equipment, tying up the boats, collecting the paddles, delivering ice to the canteen, making sure there was toilet paper in the bathrooms, you get the idea.

 My chore was setting the breakfast tables with two other kids. This was in 1972. The canteen was set back in a pine grove near the lake, a wooden hall with a covered porch, a  full kitchen and stone fireplace. We set out real plates, real knives, forks, spoons and glassware. There were about twenty good size, roughhewn, wooden dining tables and chairs, maybe 12 to a table. This was a good memory because the cook and his team had good taste in music and a fantastic stereo system wired in the hall. The speakers were the size of furniture. We  started everyday setting tables to "Here Comes the Sun" promptly at 7 am. I can still hear the sound in the speakers of the record arm's needle being reset as he would play it more than once.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1AesMfIf8

(give it time to load)

 

My Birthday!

Things Noted and Enjoyed Today!

(keep in mind, it was a Monday... a rainy, gray, Monday)

~ The eagles were not present at their nest site on the Mansfield reservoir this morning but we did find Common Mergansers and budding Pussy Willows.

~ A Great Blue Heron flew over my head. That's good luck you know and it doesn't matter how high over your head it was :)

~ My Grafton Fiber Arts needles came today and there was an extra Green Mountain set in there as a surprise.

~ I bought a chocolate Whoopie Pie and it was g o o d!

~ I also bought several magazines  today (I usually never buy magazines, rather I get a subscription of my favorites).

~I briefed through my new Amazon delivery "The Intentional Spinner" J McC  and Folk Knitting in Estonia. These two I would put on my list of "Must Have"!

~ Was thoroughly entertained by watching dd and class at Polo practice.

 

 

 

Fiber photos and the like next time :)

Pileated Wood and Pileof Wool/Play on Words and Nature

 

I was working on this pile of wool, plying, skeining when out of the corner of my eye something big flew by.

 

See him?

 

 

There were actually two. Can you see, one sideway center, the other at same level two trees to the right.?   We've been seeing at lot of early spring birds, waxwings, robins, bluebirds, and these Pileated Woodpeckers. This day, a day I wish I had a zoom lense. Maybe for my  birthday, yep on Monday. 

Spring or No Spring

 

Taking the chill off.

A Little Spring Yarn Stash Sale

Prices include shipping ... Colors Accurate!

Send me an email and I'll mail out the next day!

 

Noro Silver Thaw  4 skeins

 Color 12 / Lot B, 220 meters, needles 8-10

40.00   Sold!

 

 

Araucanai Nature Wool

Colors 28, 39, 40  220 meters, Needles 5-8

14.00 all three or 5.00 ea

 

Spunky Eclectic, Super Sport(Superwash),  Hand painted

Color Breathtaking, 180 yards, Needles 3-4

9.00

 

Louet Euorflax 100% Wet Spun Linen, Light worsted weight

Pewter, 190 yards,  Product of Belgium

10.00

A Little Spring with Your Fiber

 

Persimmon Tree singles with forsythia, Thank you.

The forsythia forced of course, it's still quite March here in NE CT.

 

 May 2008 NHS&W purchase.

Found Noddy* and Fun Stuff

  

OK, I must have carved a path between my family room and the driveway, where my car was parked, then back through the foyer, where I stash stuff.  I looked and looked and looked again for that darn noddy, back and forth, through the day, imagining the thing as I remembered it in my big, blue, monster LL Bean Tote.  Then this morning I opened the hatch and there it was, barely visible under the rug that lines the well in the trunk. Phew. ~~~Above, singles spun from Fantom Farm wool/mohair blend from the VT S&W 2008. I love their colors!

 

Three skeins just off the noddy and waiting to be wet and whacked. Let's hope they hang straight.

 

 

Gray Leicester Longwool blended with 20% cream alpaca filling the bobbins.

 

Mock Sock making progress.  :)

Lost Knitty Noddy at SPA

I only just discovered  that I came home with one less spinning tool. I last had my cherry Knitty Noddy, which was kept in a blue with white stripe fabric pouch, in the Old Town Hall next to the Hilton's main lobby. I left Saturday late afternoon and wonder if I left it behind.  Anyone safekeeping it?

I sure hope it isn't with Kim's"Oh Canada".

Waaaa :(

SPA 2009, Mad Color Weave Socks

I got  plenty of spinning,  shopping and knitting accomplished  before and during SPA. 

Staying with my plan of matching stashed yarn with stashed patterns, success! This is sock yarn I purchased 2 years ago in the Webs warehouse for $2.00 a skein!  After seeing Carol's and Jessalu's knitting I knew I had a winner.

 

Crofter's Cowl complete with one less repeat than the pattern instructs. I used what was left of my Beaverslide McTaggart Tweed.

 

Singles spun from Persimmon Tree Fiber the Thursday before leaving for Freeport. The rest, next time ;)

Cowl Constructing

 

I've seen many a charming Cowl pattern this winter and have knit a couple myself.  Any guesses which one crowns my dining table?  Beaverslide Yarn employed here.

Cable Twist Socks

 

 

 

 

I love these socks! The Pattern is from Hello Yarn and the Yarn is from Ball and Skein.

My modifications were a 8 stitch repeat instead of 6 and working a Partridge Heel over 30 stitches. Normally I knit the heel a little higher, I guess I was anxious to finish.

 

Buttons for Julia Sweater

 

Good thing I liked these buttons because they were my only choice.

 

 

Quick mitts knit for dd and Beechwood cowl  by Ilga Leja 
knit from leftover sock  yarn.  It's too loose so it just sits there waiting to be frogged or maybe I'll give a hot wash?

Colinette Skye Reborn and Misc

Twelve or so inches of snow kept us outside shoveling through the weekend but  dipping temperatures (-10 degrees /night)  also confirmed my  nestled status on the couch with knitterly things.

I think I've had this yarn since 1998; a few skeins in different colorways sitting in the bottom of a stash basket. It was an instant decision to knit the cozy 5 Hour Baby Sweater for newborn, neice Julia.

This is about the 2 hour mark for me.

 

Completed in close to the recommended time and now ready for blocking. I substituted a seedstitch hem instead of what the pattern called for.  On my long list of errands tomorrow are 3  buttons  to match. This photo below shows the true color.

 

I was thinking of a hat or booties to match but opted instead  for a Bitty Bear, Summer 2005). The eyes are googly and now looking at this photo I'll have to make a them smaller along with the bow!

Two Blue Birds of a Sort

  Blue Partridge... heel knitting  on my Cable Twist Socks that is. I paused to take a "look see" and thought oh, that's pretty.

 

Meanwhile, the Blue Birds were enjoying the homemade suet that I made last week. All the birds really love it. This was taken through the sliding door with my little 4 year old Canon Elph.  I'd love to have  better zoom ability.

Blue Bird Winter Treat~

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

2 cups quick cook oats , (I also added the last of some various cereals, Cheerios, Special K)

2 cups cormeal (plain)

1 cup lard or Crisco

1 cup white flour

1/3 cup sugar

Optional: 1 cup wild bird seed, nuts raisins, dried fruit

Melt lard and peanut butter. (Micro-wave works best.) Add remaining ingredients. Mix in large bowl.

I spread it out in a cookie sheet, pressed flat,  froze it, the cut into squares. I also crumbled some up for the fly through feeder.

 

All time favorite knitting happening now because I came upon the perfect pattern for the perfect yarn :)

 

As promised, scarf and coat.

 

We were pretty good about not having an abundance of holiday treats this year and had pretty much cleared them out after New Years. Great, right?

So... On his way back from dropping my son off at College in Canada, my husband calls and asks,

"So, how many chocolate croissants should I bring back?"

I said, "Well, just one would be good."

"Oh, well I got a dozen."   ACK!!!

Scarf Knitting

 

Delightful knitting with stashed Inca Print Alpaca, purchased 2 years ago with no plan in place. It actually color matched well with two wool winter coats dd got for Christmas. The stitch is  perfect, {K1, S1 as if to purl(wyif)} not too heavy but enough texture to please eye and hand.

 

The light has been so difficult to catch the true shades but hopefully the sun will pop out sometime in the next um, 2, 3 weeks?!? I'll have proper shots then.

December?

This is my front porch with tomatoe cages upsidedown, wrapped in grapevine and white lights and ribbon for Christmastime. It is the first that I remember  the pansies  blooming under  and to the side of the granite steps. I have a feeling that it will not be the last.

 

        ~~~ Wishing you all a Health and Happiness in the New Year!  ~~~

   

Last week's snowfall has all but melted.

 

Small knitted projects continue to trickle.

Mini Mitts

 

I love knitting these mini mittens  with leftover koigu! Quick, Easy, Satisfying! I guess these  these  will be next.

Photo Diary of a Fleece

 

White Border Leicester fleece  purchased from the CT S&W 2007.

 

Dyed and carded and spindled some locks. The rest went to be processed.

 

Spin, spin, spin.

 

Ply, ply, ply. 

  

Mr. Sheep was knit with the turkish spindled yarn.

 

  

Wash, rinse, squeeze.

  

 

Another squeeze and dry.

  

750 yards give or take. 

Coordinates

   

I'm noticing that I look for things to match more than ever before. Maybe you all do this on a regular basis, but since my work environments are tres casual, a college campus, I've never had to really be too focused on what I wear other than neat and clean. Lately, I've been choosing socks that coordinate with tops, even though I'm the only one who can see them and  I've been looking for hats and mittens, Scarves and beanies that coordinate. It was time to give my red mitts a mate.

The yarn is pirrkka lanka and Alice Starmore bainin from the stash, all time favorites. 

Endlessly working on a pile of fluff.

Happy Thanksgiving

 

I brought the Turkey, not the usual kind though :)

Hat Attack

Having fun knitting these small projects and using yarn from the stash. This Four Square Hat started with just 86 cast on stitches and  has yet to be washed and softened.

 

Not so happy with the felted wheel bag. The hand paint I chose lost LOTS of it's color in the process. Check out  my earlier post to see the original color.  

  

My next bag will be started with less stitches and a careful selection of yarn.

Navajo Plying, Check

Fantom Farm fiber from May 2008.

 

  

   On Deck...

 

Friday FO's

 

It's just me and the dog today.  Love the way this beanie knit up. 

 

 

I finally got to knitting a spinning wheel bag for myself.   It measures 3.5 X 6.5"  before  felting  in the washer. I'll let you see the results next time.

Color Departure and Fleece Homecoming

It was hard not to stay in and spin after attending the NHA weekend in Marshfield, Ma.  I learned plenty, knowledge gaps were filled, and fiber was employed. This chocolate BFL top that was used for plying practice is perfect for this hat in progress. I thought the above skein was worsted variegated but once on the skein winder,  I realised it had been wound, four individual colors together, to make a heavy weight yarn. Weird, I didn't notice when I bought it. It took some time but I unwound it and yep, wound it up in separate color balls.

I plan to "unrib" the start and change the color.  

 

Usually the UPS man  delivers computer components from Newegg or some other online company, but not yesterday. See what was delivered? Spinderella's was very swift in the turnover on this order! 

Hey Allison

Hey Allison, is that you stopping by every now and then?

Finished and Starting

 

Whiskey sweater is finally washed and blocked and actually quite soft compared to the feel before knitting began.  I chose an old ball of Mountain Colours( wine and berry undulating colors you see) instead of a solid.

 

 

  

 I may still turn under the cabled collar and doctor the pattern begin and end line. I forgot how I'm supposed to avoid the shift there. I'm happy with the picot edged hem.

   

Austermann Step socks with my standby 4 x 2 rib  pattern are also finito.

 

Deciding what pattern for this Noro Silver Thaw is on deck. I'll have to swatch and hope that it doesn't stripe too obviously. I'd really like to knit with some Tweedy yarn but the goal is to work from the stash. My idea list includes Twist, CPH hoodless, Cobblestone cardiganized, something along those lines. Any ideas?

Mittens for Brendan and Bread Baking

This photo shows the true colors of the mitts. One of the things I love most about mitten knitting is how fast you can finish them.

 

I've been baking bread lately using the No Knead Method . It couldn't be simpler...

 

I use a starter that I was given by my friend Mary Ann in Vermont, that she got from the Von Trapp Family kitchen.

 

The perfect crusty on the outside, soft, chewy on the inside.

 

  Boy, did I get a ton of hits for my last blog post! and many decided to comment privately. Hmm.

I did venture to The Fiber Twist after seeing a early XC race Saturday. The girls took the Championship and now go to States this Friday.  I enjoyed hearing Marcy speak about all the old spinning tools she had on display.  On my way home I stopped at Webs to pick up something to match this Irish yarn for a pair of mittens for the nephew in Wyoming. I was near the check out when it dawned on me that I have a heap of my own handspun. I wish I had the before photo of this once natural color white border leister  handspun (on the  left) before it went into the dyepot .  This season is all about using the yarn and fiber I have for the projects I want to create and finish.

   

Sunday was a beautiful day for the Hunter Pace benefitting Tara Farm Rescue. Dancer and Buck with their humans came home with Second Place!

Need I say more?

Sent from a friend in Norway.

 

Reeves & Rhinebeck & Random

This is the 24" DT Reeves I had been waiting for. I was able to pick it up last month in Vermont.    I could see it had been lovingly cared for by it's previous owner and was delighted to learn it also came with extra bobbins, a lazy kate, a very large plying flyer, and 8 ou. of blue faced leicester top.

I did decide last minute to go to Rhinebeck with my husband.  He was good company and thouroughly enjoyed hanging out at the "Bash" hosted by Ravelry. If you missed it you should make it a must for next year!

 

We would have passed right by this tree if it hadn't been for the two older women taking pictures. They had moved away from the area 20 years ago and were back to see if they could remember where the Witches Tree was located. Pretty Wild!

Leicester Longwools and FO's.

I've not had too much time for knitting since, in addition to my EM Lab work,  getting another part time job. It is with SAQA,  which is a non-profit whose mission is to  promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development, and documentation internationally. Suffice it to say I have not any time to quilt either. Check it out!

   

I just mailed these two fleeces to be processed. I was lucky to get them from a local farmer who specializes in the Leicester Longwool breed. The white one is incredible as far as the luster goes, just what I was looking for.

 

I finally finished my Reynolds Whiskey, Lopi Lite sweater. I hope to wash and block it tonight between The Office and 30Rock, my favorite shows. I wasn't in love with this yarn at the beginning but as I knitted away the wool became more and more soft. I like  it enough to maybe  get more   for another sweater someday. That is if they add to their color lineup.

 

These fingerless mitts are going to be part of a gift package for my neice whose college colors are...can you guess? Navy and Gray. I decided  to add her initials for interest.

 

Into October already?

   

We're loopers. That is, when we "plan" to go somewhere we tend to loop up, out and around  our planned destination. We've done our fair share of roadtrips but it's sooo much easier with just the two of us.

 

Well maybe three of us.

 

Originally planning to camp out, we took the cushy route and stayed at a resort. The White Mountains didn't disappoint this weekend.

We did finally make it to Thetford, VT for their "Woods Trail Run" high school XC race.

 

Knitting next time :)

New Blues

 

  

Rats, this was to be a post updating the goings on here at IndigoDi. Instead,  I have given up  tonight on how to get this uploaded mosaic to fill the page. Waaaa.

   

Walk With Me Wednesday and WIP

There has been progress on the sweater, mostly worked on during the ride to Queens University, Ontario, where my second son starts his college experience.

I didn't think to take the  camera out again until the ride home where we saw...

Can you see...

Actual  evidence of  alternative energy in use!

Dancer

adopt your own virtual pet!

Stiches East 2009! and Kayaking, Bald Eagle

Ok, these two titles don't have anything to do with each other but they happened today.

The cat is out of the bag, so to speak. I hear "Stitches East  2009" will be at the  Hartford Convention Center, Hartford, Connecticut. Like the sound of that!

It was just another fatastic day in northeastern Connecticut. One that you can't let slip by without some outdoorsiness, know what I mean? Despite that it was the first day of school for the kiddos, it was not for me and I did not thave to work at the lab.

 

 

Kayaking with friends at Bigelow and along glides a guy in a beautiful kayak. Not just any kayak... but one handmade in mahogony... by himself. I have this thing for wooden boats, all kinds. Floating out there, taking in the sky, water, and the fragrance of water, chatting, got his name and info and he shares he just came from observing a Bald Eagle, round the second island, to the right. Well off we paddle, finding Sir Eagle, perched right at the top of the pine, and off he flies, right in our direction, sweeping gently above.  Just enough time to snatch out my camera for a few shots.

 

Typepad frustration. Don't tell me the only way to edit a post/delete a photo is to delete the entire post and start again?

Added later: I never had a problem with the  previous version, editing was easy, deleting text and photos was just a quick right click, highlighting and delete. Maybe the system was having problems last night. Thanks for the suggestions.