Hi everyone!!

I'm sooo glad to have some time to post here! I've been sooo busy on our new Horse website (www.iHorseClub.com). We are having sooo much fun working on it and it looks like the kids/horselovers of all ages - are beginning to enjoy it too.. Yippeee!

Our goal is to make a wholesome, educational, fun place for kids who love horses.

Know any horse lovers? Please help us spread the word!

Ok. I've been dyeing fiber, spinning, and knitting.

Here are a few shots.

New Project is LIVE - - - - - sorta :)

Hi,

I'm sooo excited!! I can spill the beans a day early!!! Our new site - the project I'm sooo excited about----- is now live (sorta).

PLEASE check it out and let me know what you think. Heck... why not join the club and chime in there too. I'd love it!!

Soooo, what am I talking about??? CLICK HERE!

OH, check out the About Us page too...and Caron's column and the blogs and the writing contest, and ......

Ohhh....one last thing... if you like what you see, please help get the word out. Tell EVERY horse lover you know and/or grab a banner and put it on your website/blog.

Thanks so much!
xoxox
PattyAnne

Where have I been???

OH MY GOODNESS!! I have been swamped (happily so) with work.

My good buddy DK (over at Flyover blog) and I have been working ourselves to the bone (I wish!) on an EXCITING, new project.

We are going to unveil the project THIS WEEK.

All I can say is if you have a daughter, niece, granddaughter etc. etc. etc. who LOVES horses, you've gotta tell them about this. They are going to L.O.V.E. it. (I sure do!!)

So anyhoooo, check back on July 4th for the details!! Can't wait to tell you!!

xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Socks!

Good news! I've gotten my first pair of socks done! I am pleased with them and love them as only a mother could. You see, they have a lot of flaws but they are the most beautiful socks in the world to me. :)

I have started on my second pair of socks. This time I've decided to do toe-up socks. I've completed the toe and the foot. I've started the heel numerous times but cannot seem to get it right. I'm following the Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks pattern seen here so if anyone knows of an easier pattern to follow (or can help me with this one), PLEASE let me know.

Here's the deal, on the pattern I can nicely knit THROUGH the part in BLACK below BUT when I get to the directions in RED, it looks like the directions are in Russian as I have no earthly idea what they mean since I'm a new knitter!

Here are the directions:

Time to knit the heel
Knit the no muss, no fuss, no crazy yarnovers short row heel designed by Priscilla Wild and used with her permission. Of all the methods for making a short row heel, this one wins, hands down.

Ignore the needle that holds the stitches that are the top of the foot, time to focus on creating your heel. With the stitches on your "heel" needle, follow these directions for creating a short-row heel.
(This is Priscilla Wild's recipe using 30 stitches. Adjust to the number of stitches on your heel needle.)

30 sts k to next to last stitch, turn
slip stitch (SS) , purl 27( to next to last stitch) turn
SS, k 26, turn,
SS, p 25, turn,
SS, k 24, turn,
SS, p 23, turn,
SS, k 22, turn,
SS, p 21, turn,
SS k 20, turn,
SS, p 19 , turn,
SS, k 18, turn,
SS, p 17, turn,
SS, k 16, turn,
SS, p 15, turn,
SS, k 14, turn,
SS, p 13, turn,
SS, k 12, turn,
SS, p 11, turn,
SS, K 10, turn,
SS, P 9, turn,
SS, K 8 turn

**Go to first stitch next to the first hole , p2tog, (note, you are purling together the 2 stitches on either side of the first hole) pick up 1 stitch with right needle ( put needle through the top loop of the gap and pull through a new loop with yarn, as if you, were picking up instep stitches) in the next hole, between the next two stitches.

Turn,
Slip that picked up stitch to left needle, knit across to stitch next to first hole, k2tog, pick up one stitch in next hole with right needle,

Turn**
Repeat between the** ’s until all stitches are back in work, simply picking up a stitch on the end loop when at the end of the increasing .

Note, once you have done a few rows on the decrease portion, you don’t need to count, just make a hole by turning next to the last stitch of the next hole. On the increasing portion always k or p together the 2 stitches on either side of the next hole, then pick up stitch in the space next to your needle, turn and slip that picked up stitch. The picked up stitches are, in essence, increases filling in a hole and making up for the k2tog decreases that close a hole. This method leaves no loops and no holes.

All I can say is HUH?????

I sure wish I could figure this out because this sock is LOVELY. I'll take a photo of it soon so you can see the beautiful yarn. It's gorgeous!

Well, until next time,

xoxoxo

PattyAnne

I WAS Discouraged

I'm knitting my second sock and I have made a mistake. I tried to fix it then dropped some stitches etc. etc. etc. I have frogged several rows and still cannot get the dang loops back on my needles. Whenever I put a loop on my needle - ever so gently - another loop gets sucked into a black hole. I carefully rescue that loop with my crochet hook only to have the next loop fall into the black hole.

Do I sound like I'm whining?? I AM.

I need Thorn!!! She rescued me last time. I was just about to frog a project because of that stinkin' black hole effect when Thorn yelled (ever so sweetly) D.O.N.'T. I can help! I can fix that!! Thorn.....where are you???? My fingers are just itchin' to frog these 8 inches of sock.... well, the sock is probably 3 inches now.....



UPDATE!!!! I was sitting in the living room knitting a bit of my orange handspun/dyed when my DH came in and asked where my sock was that I was working on?? He really thinks these socks are cool and can't wait until I'm able to knit him a pair! Anyway, I told him about my disaster with those dang socks and guess what???? HE FIXED them!!! I guess his old fly-tying skills came in handy once again!! I still cannot believe he did it!
Thanks snookums. ;) Mmmwwahhhhh!

See...the needles are back in the loops. Oh, one of his tricks was that he used tooth picks to hold the loops from being sucked into the black hole. YEAH!

My very FIRST sock is DONE!

I am so pleased that I have finished sock #1. Yahoooo!!
I sure have learned a lot of what NOT to do on sock #2. This first sock is "wearable" BUT I won't be dragging it outta my bag at the knitting meet to show anyone else up close LOL. I had to fudge a LOT to get this baby done. You should see (ahhhh, no, you shouldn't see LOL) the way I did my kitchener stitch. I think it should be called a pattyachener stitch (PattyAnne and kitchener stitch combo!).

Well, here it is. BTW, I just cast on sock #2. I can't wait to get started.


xoxoxo
PattyAnne

What's On My Needles?

I've got a gorgeous sock on my needles! I really didn't think I'd like this sock yarn UNTIL I started knitting it.

This is my first sock AGAIN. The is the farthest I've gotten yet in sock knitting. I think I'll get this one DONE!! Yahooo. :)

I'm headed out of town tomorrow. Going to Cincinnati to my nephew's graduation party. Luckily I won't be the one driving all the way soooooo I'll get to KNIT my sock.

Maybe when I get back home my sock will be done. If so, I'll post a photo. Wish me luck.

xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Roving to Koolaid Dye Pot to Spinning Wheel then Plied

My first-ish attempt at Koolaid dyeing (continued from last week) - I'm pretty pleased with it.
I got the BFL roving from Miss Babs. I dyed the roving using yellow and orange koolaid.

Here is the plied yarn which was just removed from the niddy noddy. I will be setting the twist next.

I'm pleased with my first attempt. As you can see my yarn is still thick and thin but I can tell I'm getting better!!!

I love doing this -- all of it -- dyeing, carding, spinning, knitting!!

Oh, by the way, I'm ordering my drum carder today. I'm pretty excited! Yahooo!

xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Meet Rio

I spent another day at the farm working with fiber. I was carding my alpaca (Alice), and Rhonda and Caron were working on alpaca fiber too.

I got several bats done - thanks for letting me use your drum carder, Rhonda. :)

Sooooo while we were in the gazebo carding, Caron let Rio, a Double Yellow-Headed Amazon join us. This bird is such a HOOT. He can talk your ears off. OH, and sing!? You wouldn't believe this bird!! He can sing opera lol and he can sing "Old MacDonald". He can also impersonate various farm animals.

Thought I'd video tape him for you. He performed just like my children used to do when I wanted them to do something for an audience. Ha!!

Maybe next time he won't be so camera shy!

Needle Felted Horse

My friend, Caron, needle felted this horse for a woman she knows. The woman sent her photos of her horse and some of its mane and tail hair. (How cool is that?)

Caron carefully crafted the body out of wool then added the horse's mane and tail hair.

Want to see more of Caron's work and custom orders of treasured pets? Go HERE.

All I can say is WOW!! Isn't she talented?!!!

She does all kinds of animals. She even did an entire nativity set one year.

Caron said, "All of the beloved pets that I create come alive in my hands, after many hours and hundreds, thousands of strokes of a sharp, barbed needle into clumps of wool, dog hair, llama or other natural fibers".

Check this out!!






xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Oooooohhhhhh I was just looking at Caron's Etsy shop and saw an ADORABLE Santa!
Are you still making Santa's Caron??

BFL Dyed and Spun

Here are two bobbins with my dyed BFL. I have lots more of both colors to do and I have yet to start the darker red/grape fiber.



I wonder what that 'blob' is near the top of the green bobbin LOL.

Sunday is FIBER Day!

Spent the day on the farm today. A bunch of us were all going to be spinning but we got sidetracked when Gerald showed us some really great alpaca fiber that he had sheared from his herd. We all loved the fiber so much that we just couldn't resist. In all I think we bought the fiber from seven (possibly more) alpacas.

I got some really beautiful fiber from an alpaca named Alice. It is a beautiful roan color. I can't wait to begin carding it! Caron and I also bought a gray fleece which we'll be sharing. Rhonda bought Jessie's fiber (black as coal I swear) and Gerald gave Lisa a beautiful black and brown fleece that had a TON of hay and sticks in it. Lisa has her work cut out for her but I bet she'll have a ball. She seemed quite pleased --- we were ALL pleased.

Back home I continue to work on dyeing some of my BFL using koolaid.
Here are the rovings hanging out to dry.





I need to learn how much roving I should dye should I want to spin it and make socks with it. I am clueless so I just pulled off a hunk and got started. :0)

Well, I can't wait to see what these three 'hunks' look like after they're spun!
Until next time,
xoxooxox
PattyAnne

Spinning on Ashford

Yep, it's just a long video of me spinning on "Ashford" (I haven't named my wheel yet).
Right now I'm just calling HIM Ash or Ashford because HE is an Ashford Traditional Wheel.

WARNING: If you're not into spinning, this video will be pretty boring. Even if you ARE into spinning, it will be pretty boring. I just felt like taking a video of myself spinning. I have watched numerous spinning videos online and love the way the various wheels sound. Sooo I HAD to find out what Ash sounded like in a video. LOL.

Oh, I asked for advice in my video so if anyone out there has any helpful advice, please send it to me!! I'm a real NEWBIE spinner and can use all the help I can get! :)

xoxoxo
PattyAnne

Koolaid Dye Job

Well, I tried Koolaid for the first time the other day. It turned out ok.
The flavors used were Grape, Black Cherry and Tropical Punch.

Here are the results. (I probably wouldn't have posted this online but my knitting/spinning/kayaking buddy, Caron, asked me to do so. So, Caron -- enjoy my first attempt!)



I did a few things incorrectly when spinning/plying this yarn (I think) like whacking the heck outta the freshly dyed yarn before plying it. Also, as you can see, my spinning is still in the beginner stage (notice the very thin and very thick areas). Not to worry though... practice makes better!!

I used a technique that I saw online when winding this ball of yarn. It is wound onto a toilet paper tube -- pretty cool idea because you can add notes about the fiber and dyes used right on the TP tube AND the tube keeps the ball from falling in on itself.

Hand Carding and Drum Carding Llama

Here's what we did next with the llama fiber.
Lisa explains how to use hand carders and a drum carder.

On the Farm - Shearing Llamas

I had a really fun (and tiring) two days on Caron's farm for llama shearing. I don't know how Caron handles this farm ALL BY HERSELF!!
One very strong woman -- one BEAUTIFUL farm. Amazing!

I need to get the total number of animals that Caron has on her farm so you will better understand what her workday must be like. I know she has 3 full-sized horses and a ton of really cool chickens. I never knew there could be that many varieties of chickens! She has some real "lookers"!! Oh, and the eggs these gals layed/laid?....OMG... all I can say is that when we looked under one hen it looked like a human had dyed Easter eggs and put them under her. I need to get a photo of that to show you. You just won't believe it!!!

Ok, well, let me step back for a moment and tell you how day ONE began.

As I drove down the long tree-lined lane to Caron's place a sense of peace and calm came upon me. I felt like I was on the path to my wonderland. As I slowly drove by the first pasture on the left, I was greeted by a male llama. He seemed to enjoy running along beside the car! (The llamas actually do the most cool gallop-ish looking thing. I took a video of it but the video just doesn't do it justice.) These guys look sooo graceful when they run. They sort of look like they're in slow motion. And the way they move those long necks... well, you just HAVE to see it sometime!

So, anyway, here are some videos that were taken over the two day period. During this time, we sheared 5 llamas. Most of the llamas were very well behaved and seemed quite happy with their new hairdos....except the last girl who we called momma (because she is the momma to the second to the last llama sheared). Momma was being a PAIN IN THE RUMP! She spit a few times... got Caron and Lisa. (I took off running whenever I saw her ears go back and that 'look' in her eyes. LOL. P-U... STINKY!

"Momma" and "baby" getting ready for their new 'dos'. ('Momma' is the llama with the white neck.)




Anyway, here are some videos of the shearing.
Enjoy! I sure did!

Video below shows Caron blowing the dust off "momma". Blowing the dust off really helps to save the blades a bit on the shears.



In the next video you'll be introduced to 'baby'.



A few cooperative 'baby' videos. And then...... a NONCOOPERATIVE 'momma'.













'Baby' gets a PEDICURE!





MOMMA is NOT a happy girl. Caron said she is usually so easy to shear and is not sure why she is being so 'witchy'. ;)





Free at Last!! This video shows the llamas running to meet up with 'momma' again.
I wish the video showed the gallop more clearly.




That's it for today!! Tune in to my next post to see what happens next to the fiber!
xoxox
PattyAnne

U.N.C.L.E.

Yep, that's what I cried.....uncle.

After MANY attempts to knit a sock (my first sock ever) from the cuff down, I gave up - temporarily. I just couldn't get the hang of those dang needles - they were always in my way. I mean the dang things don't bend!!

Hey Lisa, Thanks for all your help! I promise I'll try cuff down again....someday! :)

Anyway, I haven't given up on socks altogether.

I'm using a pattern from Silver's Sock class . I followed Cat Bordhi's demonstration on Judy Becker's Magic Cast-On - what a cinch after watching the video like 32 times. ;)

Ok, so anyway, here's what's on my needles - the beginnings of the toe.

Alpaca Farm

While in Chattanooga this past week we (daughter, son-in-law and I) crossed the border over into Georgia to an Alpaca farm. Here are some of the alpacas minutes after been sheared (and one little one who had to be herded back into the barn for his 'haircut'). Enjoy!

Booga Bag Felted

I finished the bag today and ran it through the washing machine - hot wash/cold rinse one time. I think it turned out pretty good although maybe a tad bit more colorful than I had expected.

Question: Has anyone out there done a felted bag? Do you think this needs another 'go round' in the washer? I could throw it in with the i-cord straps when they're done.

Booga Bag etc.

I've been busy here in Chattanooga!!

First, I've been working on yet another dishcloth. These are fun for me to do especially since I am a new knitter and knitting these small projects allows me to try out lots of fun patterns.

Secondly, I've been spinning some of my BFL. It is turning out quite nicely.

Lastly, I started knitting my booga bag. Here's what I did yesterday. (I'm hoping to finish the bag later today because I can't wait to see how it turns out once it's felted!)


I didn't get a chance to do any koolaid dyeing - I'll do that when I get back home.
xoxox
PattyAnne