Nuno Felting~ a post from Kelli

Yet another way to use wool and fibers~  spent most of the day beating wool through  cut up polyester scarf pieces.  We rolled and smashed and threw fibers together till they meshed.  It's called Nuno felting, and it's a bit tiring.  The process is a bit unpredictable, so it's one of those 'out of the box' projects. As it's drying it still is puckering and changing.  Such a creative day!

On the Edge~guest blogger Andee

I'm on the edge! Hee hee. Really I am. Despite having tons of company lately and little time to knit. I am finally on the edge of my Quill. I am so excited. I am hoping and praying I have enough yarn to finish! 

 

I'm going to see Miranda Lambert tonight. Woo Hoo! I am so excited. I'll leave you with a song so you can be excited too.

 

MIRANDA LAMBERT MAMA'S BROKEN HEART

 

Have a great weekend!

 

soul healing summer ~ posted by Melissa

This seems to be a season of change.  Good change.  Big change.  Loved ones making some really hard, life altering decisions and I am so full of hope for them.  It's hard to see people you care deeply about, people that are good right down to their bones, struggle so much.  My wish for them is to come to a place where they are happy with who they are, inside and out.  That's all that matters.  To make that their goal and not worry about the rest.  I very much believe that if you are content with you and trust who you are as a person, you can affect changes in the people around you, so don't worry what the rest of us think or say or do.  Be happy and healthy and the rest will take care of itself.

 

 

Personally I've been making some changes, although they're all trivial in comparison.  But I'll share anyway ~ I've developed some weird body image issues that I'm trying to overcome before they get any worse.  I know they're stupid, but they're mine and they're real.  I haven't worn a pair of shorts in public for the last few years, so today I made myself wear a pair on my walk.  I felt horribly self-conscious showing everyone my stumpy, bowlegged, chubby, pale legs but they're MY legs and they're the only ones I've got.  They're not going to get any longer, less chubby, or unbowleggedy ~ although wearing shorts occasionally might take care of the translucent skin :).

 

 

I'll spare you by not blowing this one up any larger ~ ha!

 

I'm also going to try and get off the beaten path just a little.  This is a tough one for me since there have been some pretty scary moments in the past that have instilled a deep fear of being in secluded places alone, but I miss so much by being fearful that I've decided to try and get past it as much as possible.  So today I took these bowleggedy legs on a different walk that took me places I've not been by myself.  It was frightening ~ I won't lie ~ but I'm so proud that I did.  Here are some things I saw:

 

 

I know ~ .25 miles is not very long to be in the woods alone, but baby steps my friends.  I was ready to karate chop every little bird and critter I heard off the pathway if they decided to attack me but guess what, nothing happened and I lived to tell about it.  And that is a big deal.  Hooray for me!!

 

I'm making time for things that I thoroughly enjoy but for some reason have stopped making time for.  I've been reading like a fiend, working the NY Times Sunday crossword and I've picked up a long neglected needlepoint sampler and continued stitching...counted cross stitch, my first love and one I've had since I was in elementary school:

 

 

And finally, I've joined Andi at My Sister's Knitter in a finishing it up knitalong ~ and she also started a group on ravelry (there are prizes involved!!) ~ the link is here.  My wip's have gotten out of control and it's not like me to have so many things started and languishing ~ drives me absolutely nuts!  So, I'm putting an end to it ~ stay tuned as I work my way through all of this:

 

 

The top photo ~ knitalong projects so I'm not too concerned about quickly finishing these.  I'm mortified that the middle photo contains a poncho, 2 sweaters, a scarf and a baby blanket that just need finish work but I haven't bothered to finish any of it.  The last photo contains lacework (a curtain, a beaded winter table runner, a shawl and a scarf) as well as a baby sweater and a pair of socks.  I was never a monogamous knitter but this is out of control!  I won't be casting on another thing until I make a dent in this mess.  I'm saying it here so you all can hold me accountable!

 

Well, this turned into a pretty long post...sorry!  Mostly working through a bunch of stuff out loud it seems.  I'd love to hear what your goals are for the rest of the summer, and if you'd like to join Andi and I as we try to get the projects under control you're more than welcome!

 

I hope everyone has a happy, happy weekend and does something that makes them laugh out loud at least once or twice!   ~   Melissa



When procrastination strikes....guest blogger Steph

So I started out with the best of intentions on this KAL, but my little  by little I have become consumed by  my little side project, the "Pop Spots  Shawl" I started thinking I know I can handle 2 projects on the needles.. But somewhere along the way I learned I am a monogamous knitter... Once I start something I have a hard time putting it down.  I know once I get this sucker off the needles it will be full throttle  "Quill". In the meantime I am trying really hard to do both... The old add adage "it is like walking and chewing gum at the same time" seems to ring true...

So I am so glad there is no time limit on this project, and this is the perfect portable knitting project. I see rows and rows of garter stitch in my future at the upcoming Stitch and Pitch event next week.

Making Progress~guest blogger Andee

 

I am loving working on my Quill.  I am using a rose gray as the main color.  It is an identical match to my dog Harley. Or it was.... I had to put him down yesterday. It was very hard to loose my best friend of 11 and a half years.  But it was his time to go and I am so glad he didn't suffer for long. He went out gracefully.  I spent my last night with him knitting my Quill, drinking wine and we watched 5 episodes of the Long Island Medium.  In the morning he went to sleep and I am sure he is in doggy heaven.

 

I have really enjoyed how my Quill covers me perfect as a blanket as I knit it.  Last night my son asked if he could cuddle with me on my lap.  It is very rare that he cuddles up with me.  But he got on my lap I covered him with the Quill as I knit and we were extra comfy on couch together.  My Quill is going to be a warm and wonderful memory of my best friend that didn't leave my side for over 11 years.  I love the picture I have of him as a puppy on the beach. He was so mad when I took it. He didn't like having to stand away from me long enough for a picture. He was like my third leg.

 

Rest in peace Harley Dude I'll miss you.

I'm baaaack! ~ post from Guest Blogger Jeff

hi there!

long time no post. life and work had been suuuuuuuper busy and knitting and spinning had gone by the wayside. now that we're into July, and the "big meeting that pays my salary" is over, i have time to knit and spin again! maybe i'll actually finish my shetland triangle sometime soon!

it's also been fracking hot and humid in PA and that has made me not want to knit - plus, it's Tour de Fleece! so i've been spinning lots more than knitting (although, i did finish one baby blankey and start on another - good old no thinking garter stitch).

here is some yummy spinning goodness:


corriedale spun on my great wheel

 speaking of great wheels, i, uh, kind of just acquired another one...


the "new" GW is in the front of the "old" gw.
i just need to get a drive band and a little piece to keep the wheel on and i think we're in business!

and now, back to your regularly scheduled spinning pics:


this became...



...this! a 2-ply wensleydale from Into the Whirled
in the Doctor Who inspired colorway Mercy Hartigan



black welsh mountain and tussah silk blend from HilltopCloud
single was spun months ago, but finally plied it this week

north ronaldsay from Gnomespun - my first "successful" attempt at long draw on the Lendrum

and....

BFL from HilltopCloud naturally dyed with marigolds

will become a 3-ply yarn with the other 2 braids above (also
naturally dyed - both with berberis)

Happy Summer Eveybody~ post from Kelli

 Found this amazing Madelinetosh dk, Mansfield garden party colored yarn, in an amazing yarn shop Paradise Fibers in Spokane Washington.  Owned and managed  by men, (I asked and found out 1 women, the shop owners wife does work there)...anywhoo, back to my point... I was thrift store shopping in my hometown and bought a oil painting, mostly for the romantic vision of the painting being a view of a French countryside,  It took me about a week to realize the colors in the yarn and painting are almost identical.

 Can you guess which one cost more? 

Can't help myself from throwing in this photo taken last night of my middle daughter M'lis and her sisters, on her 22nd birthday!  Yep that's a 4 layer chocolate chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting with chocolate shavings. Yep Costco!  Fun was had by all.


My Quill is coming along nicely, I did swap out a color, I'll post later~

Kelli

colors to make your heart sing ~ Melissa

Happy July!

 

I took my walk today and came home with a handful of wildflowers

 

 



poppies

 

Our yard is in full bloom and the hot sun makes the fragrance intoxicating

 

honeysuckle

jasmine

hydrangea

There hasn't been much time for blogging or knitting, although I do have so much to share.  So, while the weather is whispering to me come outside and play, I'll only be blogging in bits and spurts.

 

The big news is our house has a new frock and she is quite happy to show it off

 

If you're local and in need of home painting or staining, we couldn't have been more pleased with Chris Valley and his crew at Valley Painting NW.  It was a complete joy to have them give our home and fences a badly, badly needed face lift.  They were here when they said they would be, were happily open to all input from us and completed the job without a hitch.  Jason and I both can't stop walking around our property and smiling at how beautiful everything is.

 

I have been getting a little knitting done.  Not much on Quill (it's too darn hot for worsted weight wool right now!) but I did start a baby blanket for a friend who is due in September with her first child, and of course, there's this project that goes everywhere with me lately

 

I've surely caught the sock bug!  How could I not with as much encouragement as I've gotten from ravelers Jeff and Will, and Andi who just insisted on sharing some of her amazing stash with me and sent me this sock yarn in the mail

 

The colorway is Beachglass and as my daily walks take me to the waterfront, I can't stop thinking about this yarn and what it will become. thankyou thankyou thankyou!!

 

Ok ~ that's it for today.  And Andi, I hope you're safe ~ I've been watching all the wildfire news and it's so frightening to see the loss of life that it's caused.  I hope you are well, my friend.

 

~ Melissa