Did you ever see such a shocking picture?

This is the most shocking thing you can pull out of a package. YIKES! Fortunately for me they were the most wonderful generous gift from someone with lots of love in her heart.

Sweater all ripped out and re-balled.

Now I am going to start my sweater over again. This time I will plan it better and see if I can manage to get the rest of the needed yarn for it. I had a great start going on it with the cutest chickens. I am going to try to put dogs and chickens and maybe foxes on this one. Any suggestions for good graphs or extra large sweater patterns? here is my chickens, the sweater is folded this is one fourth of the circular yoke and collar I had knitted. I found a really good review of this yarn at REVIEW and it tells all about how soft and plush it really is. I am using the fisherman weight also.
NOTE* This sweater is knitted with BULKY weight wool I purchased from an online store 6 months ago. It is 100% wool and the same weight as LOPI.

All worn out and ready for bed.

Molly Jack-A-Bee is all worn out and ready to go to sleep. Here she let her bunny rabbit toy fall out of her mouth to the floor and she is watching it. Wonder if she is waiting on it to move?
Just in case she is, Hey Molly it's a toy!
I bought a purple halter for her and an engraved name tag to go with her dog tag on her collar. I am going to get another one tomorrow. No room for the phone number on the first one. She is a great comfort to me.
I am glad she is here to meet me when I come home. Bless her little dog heart.

A brighter lighter pic of sock i hope

Okay the brighter picture took and was able to replace the old darker one. the pattern is typed up and in pdf format for free download already in the group files. it has not been test read or knitted so proceed at your own risk! good luck and hope you like it. now off to knit the other 3 already started and to work on the flower basket shawl gift for someone special S!

Wiggles Socks

Full Pattern for Wiggles Socks as fast as I can get it typed. For big pic click on this little Pic wait until it loads then look for box on bottom right corner of picture to click to make it REAL big. I put picture here so it will load faster instead of hunting through the photo albums for it. Full pattern will be FREE at Group. or if you email me directly I will gladly send it free in the email as soon as it is typed up.

UPDATE all typed up at least ready for trial reading and knitting available in files section of the group.

Time To Get Busy!!

I have battle with my weight all of my life. I have lost a large number of pounds but still have so much to go yet. Today I am going to open a new group just for that purpose. Hopefully a few good friends will want to join me in a battle of the bulge.
Anybody that would like to lose a few pounds or tighten up those buns join me at
BetterBodiesBuddies .

Fiber Fests and Friends.

I learned a big lesson about friendship the last couple of weeks. What looks like a friend may or may not really be a friend. And a friend that you never knew you had come set down beside you and spend some time spinning away with you.

I didn't purchase anything at the fest. I had a great time. The yarns and fibers at Toni's stand were just heavenly. I set among them squeezing and petting and spinning away. She had to most gorgeous spindles and fiber as well as so many skeins of yarn. Maybe next year I will be able to scoop up on the goodies too!!

New Dog, New Life.

My son drove hundreds of miles to go pick up Dear Molly. She is bigger than jack was. He weighed 16 lbs. A toy breed. She is more medium weight at about 20-24 lbs. A build like his but taller and longer. She has a yelping Beagle bark if and when she uses it. She has a much more laid back temperate and loves the kids. It looks like a go!

I took lots of pictues, have the vet papers, shot record, and identity and address of the wonderful lady we got the dog from. Now let someone come and try to take her!!

Today I am going to start a sweater for her. Fairisle with dog bones and stuff in the pattern. What fun and so good not to be alone anymore.

* * * * A Very Big Weekend Coming Up! * * * *

I am heading for Allegan to attend the Michigan Fiber Fest. I will be able to see some of my friends and have a very wooly weekend! When I get home I am hoping with all my heart that my new best friend will be safe here at home.

Shetland Fleece Progress

Here is the GORGEOUS fleece I washed and the little lamb it came from. Isn't that the cutest critter you ever saw in your life? Cleanest farm and fleece ever. I just love that little lamb. The lamb fleece is just as wonderful in person as it looks on the lamb. I am so glad you don't have to harm an animal to get fleece.

I Found A Fur Baby!

I wanted to say I found her at www.petfinder.com. What a really great site.
I found a wonderful rescued dog and now am working out details with owner and my son about pick up.
Details so far on Molly a 2 yr old Jack Russell / Beagle mix:
Molly was rescued from the pound. Her owner passed away and the family didn't want her so they took her to animal control. She is sweet and cuddly and loves to be with you. She is very energized. She gets along with dogs, cats, kids, rabbits. She just needs a loving home. Is up to date on shots and is spayed.

If all the travel plans and pick up details work out she will be home this weekend. I will get back from my Allegan trip Sunday night and she will be here waiting for me. My son and his girlfriend will travel to Bear Lake to pick her up.

So maybe a little bit of good thoughts towards a dog that needs a second chance and a knitting granny that needs her too.

I Had Another Fleecy Day!

My son moved his great big aquarium from in front of the upstairs closet door. We have lived here now for over 4 yrs. Guess what I found? Yep those fleeces I thought I had imagined. So I spent all afternoon and washed 5 more of them.
White shetland, White fuzzy unknown, Gray-Oatmeal romney with brownish tips, Chocolate Corriedale, and some Brown merino. That is 10 fleeces in 3 days. I hope this winter we get 3 feet of snow and the whole city closes down around me. I will lock up and spin til I drop.
The first fleece was a white freebie. it is in a big white bag, above on left is todays 5 fleeces and on the right is the other 4 fleeces for comparison. Total 10.

Little Dog Where Are You?

I have searched and searched for a little dog to love. You would think with so many unwanted animals that one little dog would not be such a big search. I have not even found one in my area. Not one. If any little pups or dogs are out there looking for a good old lady to love them where are you? I tried the shelters, they want as much as $500. Seems like then it is about money not finding fido a loving home. What do you think? Where would you find a furry heart to love, in or around Detroit? Maybe it is time to get that miniature sheep and call it Spot after all?

Know What Makes Me Mad? UPDATE

"To find out a fleece I paid for weighs less when it is clean . Truthfully that did surprise me."
*****UPDATE*****
after washing 10 fleeces so far I have discovered it is only that one that was such a big change in the before and after weight. Not one of those other fleeces changed so much. The other fleeces I got including the free real bad ones still washed out to weigh very close to purchase weights. The best ones so far were the oatmeal romney and the chocolate corriedale. These two dealers had the cleanest and easiest to prepare fleeces. I actually bought more than one from the oatmeal romney farm. The hardest to clean was the white shetland. The black and white shetland came prewashed and was superb. The white shetland had hard to soak tips. Not unexpected but just a different cleaning than a more open fleece tip. I also noticed BIG differences in the carding of the fleeces washed like this. When I washed them in mesh bags and more packed together I had all kinds of little 'noils?' in the cards and sticks and dirt. The big tub method made a very big difference in how much 'stuff' falls or floats out of the fleece. I still have some assorted bits and pieces to clean up then I am done.
*********
I do know now that a change in before and after weight is expected. I don't think anyone was trying to fool me. Experienced fleece buyers already knew it. As a newbie I just thought it was gonna turn out to be more. But still if I had known the projected before and after weights of fleeces it surely would have been included in the math of cost of fleece for me.

All Four Fleeces Closer Shots

black and white shetland and gray dorset

oatmeal romney and brown merino

WE GOT FLEECE TO SPIN !!

Five fleeces in 2 days. Now by golly I got spinning to do!! at the top is a black and white shetland, then a gray dorset, then a oatmeal romney, then a brown merino. Yesterday I did half of a HUGE one in unknown sheep white. see next pic. so total about 25 or more lbs of fleece. the white bag is a 13 gallon kitchen can liner stuffed full.

Bye Jack.

I know he is not ever coming back so
time to let it go. Say bye bye.

Washing Fleece Time!!

I spent all afternoon yesterday feeling sad so decided to get after it and get some of the fleece washed. I used hair shampoo on it and it came out so white. Now waiting on it to dry. I read that some commercial soaps have bleach in them and bleach eats wool. I figured the safest soap I could use would be shampoo. Any other ideas?? It is now on a big screen door to dry. I feel some spinning coming on!!
This picture is taken from my front door to the edge of front porch. whole 6 foot long screen covered with fluffy fleece drying. OH BOY!

Dog Gone.

About 4 months ago my kids broght a dog home that was being kicked across the school grounds. The daughter of the owner was with them, her mom pulled up and said we don't want the dog is why we throwed it out if you want it keep it. I did. For 4 months me and Jack was tighter than bark on a tree. Today a lady that did not have anything to do with it came by with daughter of lady that gave it to me, obviously they sold the dog and since I can't prove a thing they wanted the dog back. So now Jack is not here anymore. How sad that I live in a city that you have to fear the neighbors.
The little dog wanted to go with the girl, he doesn't know what waits on the other end for him.
So far in the years we have lived in this city we have had the fence kicked in and brown dog stolen, car broken into radio gone, other car stolen, house windows broken, gun shot holes in siding. Not a real pleasant place to put down roots.
But for now I am dogless. I think the only thing that will cure me is to go spin a million yards of yarn. Keep me in your kind thoughts. I am feeling pretty rough.

All Mittens, All The Time!

A cute little mouse mitten pattern can be found HERE. Help for the thumb of a mitten can be seen in pictures at DIY and more info is there. FLAPPERS mittens and hat set for children. Knitting stitches onto waste yarn video at DIY. Mittens with the thumb as a gusset side gore HERE. HouseMittens. Excellent pic of waste yarn in mittens here at YarnHarlot. Here are some RoundTop mittens. Lovikka Mitten. SnowFlake mitten. Scroll down on this one for pic of needles inserted into those thumb stitches ready to go. Easy Striped mittens. BIG mitten PDF here. Mittens with one finger and thumb called Trigger Finger Mittens. Most Gorgeous Mittens with CLEAR picture of the hole where the waste yarn goes, she did it different with a cast on for the top of the hole. i use a knit across one needle with waste yarn. now knit that same needle with real mitten yarn and continue mitten. work until mitten is finished. pick up stitches around waste yarn and knit thumb by itself. but this last pair under the Clear click is also one of the very best patterned ones!

Most Wonderful Knitting Day!

I am just having the most wonderful knitting time! Some Mist colorways yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I cannot believe how this feels to knit with. I sometimes knit with a cheaper wool and have a good time. Then I get a project with the 'good stuff' and I remember how great it feels. The colors just move and blend and swirl gently into such dreamy patterns. The feel of the merino wool is as soft as butterfly wings. So I fall in love with this yarn all over again. It happens to me everytime.

NeedleKeep The new greatest little accessory!

Now if this don't just beat all. I absolutely love this new summer find!! The NeedleKeep is so super I think how did I ever get along with out it? This summer I have had more fun playing with new toys than I ever did before. I have chatted and knitted with my friends so much and really had a great summer so far.

Lovely Fox sweater.

This is the greatest little sweater pattern for a whole bunch of little foxes all over the chest.
Pattern is Dale of Norway # 107 or #10706.

Yes Sockie Is Still Spinning!

As you can see Sockie has been spinning on his little Ashford Traditional. He managed a whole ball of single ply. The fiber was purchased from Toni at TheFold This is really super fiber to spin!! Today's sock is made with esprit stretchy yarn. He really likes this one.

Finished at Last!

I finished the tip of the thumb and the end of the second mitten. All done!

There is a super site holding a mitten knitting event. Check it out.

Mittens!