On the wheel – The tension knob is here for my Hansen cherry Classic.It was delayed, but now the only delay is me being overwhelmed and afraid to try to install it! THere is still room on our team for Spin Together this year and weโd love to have you join! The link is here. and our team is Ross Farm Fiber Fanatics. We now have a private FB Group and weโre getting excited to kick things off! Linda is doing a great job moderating, and so far we have Heaz, Melinda, and Kathy joining the team this week.
On the needles – Still working on the test knit cast of a new design by Thea Colman of Baby Cocktails in my Ross Farm Ashen Wensleydale that will launch in March. The test knit deadline is 2/16, but Iโm pretty pleased with my progress. Iโve had to move it to a larger bag because Iโm now well into skein 3 of the 5 skeins necessary for my size. Iโm planning an outfit to wear it with for the Preview Party at Nash Yarn Fest too. My Shiny Squirrel, which is actually a kit for Bias by Helena Bristow in Oink Pigments Silk/Linen is now in a project bag with the needles all ready to be cast-on and thatโs making me very excited..
Technique Time – Iโve been binding several quilts and my plan this week is to make a few shorts/reels on my binding technique. Perfect mitered corners every time! Weโre finishing up the stuff in my home studio and hope to launch a technique video very soon.
Finish it or Frog It – Iโm wearing the first Carbeth i Knit in Quince & Co Osprey. Scooterpie and I picked out the yarn at KnitWit Yarn Shop in Portland on our trip to Maine in 2019 for Amy Herzogโs last retreat and I knit it as he drove us around Maine. I somehow finished it before we got home and I can feel the happiness in the sweater every time I wear it.
Sheep & Wool School – This monthโs breed is Jacob. Today, weโre talking fleece. Last week we discussed that Jacob is actually TWO breeds? American Jacob is very different from the UK Jacob.The fleeces her in the US seem finer and softer than the UK fleeces. I brought in UK Jacob yarn made by the Natural Fibre Co if youโd like to compare them for yourself. That yarn, in very limited quantities, is available now on the website at therossfarm.com.You can experience the wool for yourself with one of our Jacob products, or from a local purveyor near you! Check out Alice, Darwin, Chief, Willow or our Jacob roving, Donโt forget to show us what youโve made with Cheviot in January for our Anything Along! Starting in February, all projects completed in our breeds of the month and posted to social media tagging us and using the hashtag #rossfarmanythingalong will be entered for a prize to be drawn the first episode of the following month! (March)
Sewing Stuff – Iโve been binding a bunch of stuff this week. Iโve mentioned that Iโm participating again for the second year in the Polka DOt Pincushionโs UFO Challenge. Each month they draw a number which corresponds to a project on the spreadsheet of 14 UFOs that we made in December of last year. Last month was the tree skirt and this month is โBind the projects in the stack.โ Youโll see by the photos that it was a larger stack than I thought it was. So far, Iโve machine sewn the binding on 5 large quilts and 10 small pieces. There are 2 more large quilts waiting to have their binding sewn on too. Iโve finished the hand sewing on the binding of the Valentine pillow for the couch and Iโve started the bench pillow. The rest will get done over the next 3 weeks as I sit and relax in the evening before bed. (I hope)
New & Noteworthy – Iโve been playing with dyes in preparation for some new colorways for spring. I canโt wait to show you what I did as soon as theyโre dry! I needed this confidence-booster to start tackling the colors for Spring.
In Season – MORE COMFORT FOOD – everything is grey! This week I treated us to the food of my youth: beef stew. I made more of the pull-apart rolls and tried the sourdough batter as waffles instead of pancakes and they were INSANELY good! Iโm still enjoying the bourbon barrel maple syrup with them too. My killer meatloaf made another appearance and Iโm planning pulled pork and another pot roast for next week. I just finished Ina Gartenโs book โBe Ready When the Luck Happensโ and Iโve been binge-watching her cooking shows in the afternoon while I knit. I love African Violets and mine are really blooming, so I thought Iโd share a photo of them with you too. Iโm absolutely dying to get out in the garden, so repotting the houseplants was the best I could do.
On Down the Road – Nash Yarn Fest is coming up only 34 days away – March 15th.. Maryland Sheep & Wool and Great Lakes Fiber Festival will round out the show season in May. Mid-Atlantic Fiber Associationโs conference at Millersburg University in PA is late June. Contemporary Handweavers Guild in Houston in mid-July too.
