On the wheel – Would you believe that after all that, itโs not the tension knob? 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! Today, February 15th, is the last day to register. Iโve been trying to get ready but meeting with nothing but frustration. The Hansen is still not fixed and now I need to find an Aleen wrench to take it apart. I tried to get my EEW up and running, but the motor is being quirky. THe Daedalus power supply is not with the machine so thatโs dead in the water too. Even my trusty Schacht Reeves is having issues. It wonโt stop throwing the drive band! Grrrrrrrrr
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 tomorrow, 2/16, but Iโm pretty pleased with this weekโs progress. Iโm now well into 4 of the 5 skeins necessary for my size. Itโs really starting to feel like the end is in sight and Iโm rethinking the outfit to wear it with for the Preview Party at Nash Yarn Fest. My Shiny Squirrel, which is actually a kit for Bias by Helena Bristow in Oink Pigments Silk/Linen is now was cast-on this week and will live in my bag as travel knitting since the test knit is really too big to drag around now. Ambah OโBrien just launched a new mini-skein friendly pattern and Iโm thinking of using it for a Gilmore Girls Advent from a few years back. Itโs been frustrating me because it has A LOT of white.
Sheep & Wool School – This monthโs breed is Jacob. Today, weโre talking projects. Last week we discussed that Jacob is a lovely medium fleece and great for hard-wearing accessories and outerwear. 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 in the first episode of the following month! (March) We had our first tag for the Anything Along! It was Isaac spinning and plying Cheviot and Jacob from our flock. Thanks, Isaac! That was really cool!
Sewing Stuff – Iโve been binding a bunch of stuff this week. Iโve started hand sewing on the binding of the really big red & pink quilt because it felt festive yesterday. Iโve got two weeks left to finish them and Iโm sure the pace will pick up once the test knit is done. I also started a new wallhanging called Sparklers and I’m playing with some Triangles on a Roll.
New & Noteworthy – Iโve been playing with dyes in preparation for some new colorways for spring. Iโm really pleased with the purples and greens Iโve gotten, but the turquoise is frustrating me.
In Season – EVEN MORE COMFORT FOOD and thoughts of Spring, even though itโs snowing again! This week it was another roast beef, a big pot of shrimp & corn chowder, and pulled pork with green beans and corn from the local farm that I blanched and froze last fall. I made rice krispie treats with heart-shaped sprinkles, cornbread, crustless quiche and a fresh berry compote for breakfast yogurt parfaits. John brought me roses for Valentineโs Day so the Duncan Miller vase is on the dining room table. Now I canโt wait to prune and fertilize my David Austin roses in the garden! Iโm also planning to get the seeds started in the laundry room this week. I ordered several heirloom tomatoes from Tomatofest.com and they should be here any day. My goal is to raise enough seedlings to have some to share with my local garden club plant swap in late May. I think Iโm going to try starting seeds indoors for some lettuce and herbs too. Iโve been enjoying the Stoney Acres Gardening YouTube channel for a refresher since I havenโt had a place to really grow much in a couple years.
On Down the Road – Nash Yarn Fest is coming up only 26 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.
