On and Off the Needles

Project catch up:

A big box o’love I mailed to my sis last week. Would you like a peek inside?

Have you knit the Tomten by Elizabeth Zimmerman? It’s brilliant!  I used up many beloved odds n ends as well as two skeins of yarn from my northern CA days, Windrush Farms yarn from Mimi. This is a modular, all garter stitch pattern. Sonja will look adorable and ever bit the mischievous, impish wee one in that hood. Notes can be found on my Ravelry project page.

A quickie Husky quilt goes to Sonja from fabric her mom sent me.  This is my third time sewing this pattern. Super fast! Love it.

A Pumpkin hat went in for my nephew Chris because hey, babies get that sort of thing.

For a baby on the way I crafted up an apple hat. The leaves I winged.

You may know I’ve gone back to school and knitting time is at a premium. I need simple, can knit it while not looking sorts of projects.  This is The Big Easy in Manos Maxima a merino single that is knit underwear out of it soft.  I like the deep brim and it’s the perfect amount of slouchy.

The color is more accurate in this pic. Most knitting is done at night with Jane in my lap these days.

I also started Alieas, a cardigan by Isabelle Kraemer in a wooly-wool I bought at Madrona last February from Island Fibers of Lopez Island. Loving it so far and I’m much further that this pic shows. Top down, I got to the bust and decided horizontal bust darts are needed to provide some length to accomodate the girls to keep the sweater length in the front correct.  I read somewhere that it is a good idea to get sleeves in before doing so as that will greatly change the fit on the shoulders and front. I’ve got one sleeve zooming along (really love knitting a sleeve using the short row top down technique).  I put it on last night and the neckline and back width are perfect.  I’ve done bust dart calculations per Ysolda Teague’s Little Red in the City book and will insert and con’t the body after I’ve done both sleeves.

This is my first Isabelle Kraemer pattern and it is meticulously written and clear. I adore her designs and have several fav’ed and queued. There is a mock cable on the fronts, the underarm and sides and hem that are a special detail.

Can’t wait to finish this and make another sweater!  I’m in a sweater making mode…

Windrush Farm – Fun at Mimi’s – A Celebration of Fleece

Mimi Luebbermann represents her sheep farm, called Windrush Farm, at the San Rafael, CA farmers market during non-summer months.  A frequent shopper there (I try for at least once a week) I dutifully stop by her booth and squoosh my hands through her roving and yarns. Her cheerful conversation always perks up my day.

In May Mimi held an open house at her farm.

Getting there was just part of the fun. I took back roads that day  (Hicks Valley Road, Wilson Hill Road into Chileno Valley) on the outskirts of Petaluma, CA.

Never tire of it out here:

Mimi raises sheep, goats, chickens, cows, alpacas, llamas and more.  Lots of love’s poured into her craft and profession, I can tell, from meandering though the farm. She hosts farm camps for children, a fantastic idea.

Let’s start with the sheep. I’m a sucker for lambs. There were one so wee it looked like they’d arrived the day before.

 

After a shearing demonstration (remember this one I shared with you?), Mimi gave a demo using two fleeces, both very different (the breeds elude me.)

This one had an undercoat and was very curly with a long fiber. She talked about weight, processing, crimp and such.  Felt great to get my hands on it and smell the lanolin.

 

The center courtyard housed several tables of fiber goodies from local spinners/dyers.  Brick oven pizza scents filled the air. A woman sat spinning, sharing her craft with kids and adults alike.

 

Mimi’s beautiful yarns were there. Some are undyed and the color of the fleece. Others are dyed using plant dyes.  I picked up a delightfully soft, indigo-dyed blue skein for a sweater for my niece Lillian.  I’d love to someday invest in a whole Fisherman’s sweater’s worth.

 

 

 

Inside the barn she had spinning wheels for sale (haven’t gone there), ?carders?, and other goodies to peruse.

 

 

I peeked at her gardens and chickens on the way out.  Such a quiet, green, beautiful setting.  Kinda makes me wish for a little hamlet.  She must work very hard to keep up everything.

 

 

 

I enjoyed sharing in the celebration of all things woolly, with others, that day.