Friday, November 5, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: Criss Cross Canine Cardigan, part 2 - Swatching

With the Copperbranch going into timeout, I was struggling with choosing which to focus on next.

I'm not ready to face my Box o" Unfinished Projects... because most of these either need to be ripped out or need special, focused attention.  None of which I am ready to do right now.... although, I did open the box and look inside... but I did not take a picture of it.  ;-)

So, while I only have one skein of yarn spun so far, this is going to be a very long-term project.  So I figured it's a good time to start knitting on my Criss Cross Canine Cardigan.

The pattern calls for a heavier yarn than I am spinning, which means the first step is Swatching, and I made several.

There are swatches on US3, US4, and US7 and US7 with the prescribed yarn.  None have been blocked.

In comparing the TM swatches (brown) with the prescribed swatch (white), I felt the US4 produced the most similar fabric.  So the bulk of the sweater will be worked on US4, with the button band on US3.

Progress is going slow, and it's already been ripped out once... mostly because I was confusing the leaning increases.  ;-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Friday, September 24, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: Copperbranch, part 6

So, I have not ripped it out yet... or any of the other Stalled Projects, I felt like ripping out over the last few weeks.  I also have not made any forward progress.


I'm pretty sure I will attempt to fix the three sections instead of ripping out the whole thing.  At least then if the rework doesn't go well, I can rip out to the life line.... right?

This means I will need to do some planning and find a few tools.  It also means this project will likely be on pause for a while.

It's tenuous times right now... and it's Fiber Arts Friday.

Friday, September 17, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: Spinning in the New Studio

Most of my studio and office equipment have been moved into the new location, with the exception of the big loom.

I've been doing day job activities from there and finally got to christening the new studio with a little spinning of Dorset Horn a few days ago.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Things That Work: Filters

As an engineering student, I had an internship at The Coors Brewing Company, in Golden, CO.

The group I worked in was responsible for the utilities throughout the entire plant and local operations.  This included chillers, piping, heating, ventilation, and waste water treatment.

While in school, I learned a lot about filters and at Coors I saw filters in real-world application.

The job of a filter is to remove particulates.

I use a filter (sieve) when I'm canning tomatoes and raspberries and want to remove the seeds.

I use a filter (strainer) when I'm bottling kombucha.

I use a filter (cheese cloth) when I'm straining yogurt or making cheese.

Chefs use filters all the time when they want to make a sauce more smooth.

My car has a cabin air filter, engine air filter, oil filter, and fuel filter.... all of these are necessary for safe operation.

Your home heaters and air conditioners have at least one air filter.

By definition filters are replaceable equipment.  They do not last forever.  As a filter collects material it's filtering capabilities improve to a point where flow then begins to reduce... this is when they need to be replaced or washed.

All of these filters have multiple layers except for sieves or strainers.

I truly do not understand people railing against the use of filters (masks) to protect our communities from the spread of an airborne, infectious disease.

Personally, I have been wearing a filter (mask) during hot yoga for well over a year.  I wear a filter (mask) when I go for a run or walk off my property.  I wear a filter (mask) at the grocery store, gas station, and any other place of business I visit.... including the office where I am employed.  I also wear glasses.

Wearing a filter (mask) is only a big deal, if you make it a big deal.

Filters (masks) Work!

Monday, September 13, 2021

Cooler Weather Means Cooking Mojo Returning

One of the things I was able to cultivate during the my Covid Layoff was multiple stages of cooking whole foods.  I love being able to re-purpose, or progressively use food, but this takes time and planning.

For example, starting with a roasted chicken or turkey meal.  The leftover meat is used in chicken or turkey sandwiches or enchiladas, and a broth from the bones is used to make a soup, flavor sauces, or cook beans and rice.

I have a harder time doing this in the summer, mostly because I don't want to add heat to the house by using the oven or stove, when it's already so hot, both inside and outside.

So while we are still having warm, 90+ days, the nights and mornings are cooling off... and we have our first 70-something degree day of the season, in this week's forecast.

Over the weekend, I made a couple of Quiches and Fresh Tomato Pies using eggs from our new flock of chickens and a bunch of volunteer tomato plants.  These will mostly be used for lunch and breakfast over this coming week.

I also started a broth of domestic and wild pig bones.

These bones came from meats that Hubba smoked over the last year.  So they have already contributed to a primary meal where the meat was the focus, as well as multiple secondary meals of sandwiches, burritos, and tacos.

I started this broth midday Sunday, brought it to a boil, then let is simmer all afternoon and overnight.  It will spend most of today cooling off and I will filter out the bones and aromatics this evening.

Later today, Hubba will smoke a store-bought ham hock 

Tomorrow, this will all be turned into a Split Pea Soup.

I only wish I had some sourdough starter in progress, because fresh, home-made, bread is one of the nicest compliments to a hearty home-made soup.

Saturday, September 11, 2021

9/11: 20 Years Later

 Twenty years ago, the "unthinkable" happened in the US.

I was commuting between Albuquerque, NM and Detroit, MI.  I was working with a team developing a brand new aircraft.

On the morning of September 11, 2001.  I was listening to the local NPR radio station while driving from my hotel in Novi, MI to the office in Walled Lake, MI.   There was a story.... I don't remember if it was a local or national NPR story.... but it was about how there had not been a terrorist attack on US soil and whether the US would be prepared if were to happened.  The story struck me as unusual and I missed my turn to the office.  So I ended up being a few minutes late that day.

The unusual NPR story would happen again, a few weeks later, with respect to Anthrax.

On the morning of September 11th, less than an hour after that NPR story, I remember my co-worker standing up to answer his personal cell phone.  Cell phones were rare at that time.  He kept it in the overhead at his desk and the only person who ever called it was his wife.  The fact that she was calling so early in the day was unusual.

I remember his words to his wife... "An airplane hit one of the Twin Towers?  It must have been an accident."

I knew instinctively it was not an accident, though I was hoping it was.  I went straight to cnn.com while he was still on the phone to see if there was any information.  There was not, yet... and a few minutes later the site would not load.

One of our other co-workers had a radio, so he set it up and several of us stood around his cubicle, listening to the events unfold.

I was on the verge of tears all day... as I am right now, while writing this.

Another friend/co-worker and I decided to get lunch offsite, hoping to get some respite from the news, only to find several people we knew attempting to do the same thing.  The news was on the TV in the diner and the lunch crowd was melancholy.  There was a sense of unity in the sadness we were all experiencing.

I tried to be productive at work, feeling determined to be successful at this huge project we had undertaken... developing a new aircraft.  Not only a new aircraft, but a new type of aircraft and a new company to support it.  We had no idea what the future looked like and it felt like a bad time to be in the aircraft business.

The airspace was closed that day.  So those of us who had been commuting between Detroit and Albuquerque did not go home that weekend.

My lunch friend/co-worker and I went to a street fair on Saturday.  I believe it was in Plymouth, MI.  It was eerie how quiet it was without air traffic.  I felt bad trying to have a fun distraction while scores of people had lost loved ones and even more were working to find them in NYC, Pennsylvania, and DC.

The airspace was re-opened a few days later, but the travel experience was significantly different.  Everyone was distrusting of everyone else.... We unpacked our bags, removed our belts, coats, and shoes, and submitted to a more-thorough search in order to have access to the airport concourses.  There were armed MPs and military dogs everywhere.

I felt brave (scared but doing it anyway) and defiant while travelling.  I normally slept the entire way home, but was no longer able to do so.  My husband and I grabbed each other and cried when I got home.

I continued to travel every week for 2.5 more months.

While the events of 9/11/01 were heartbreaking, I was optimistic with the new-found national unity and the level at which people were helping each other. 

Unfortunately, this did not endure.

9/11 was the worst thing thing to happen on US soil in my adult life, until January 6th of this year... when a mob of Trump Loyalists attacked our capital with the intention of overturning the election and democracy along with murdering both the Vice President and Speaker of the House.

I watched the events of January 6th with the same sadness and disbelief of 9/11.

However, rather than coming together, my country is more divided than I have ever seen.

One of my co-workers from my cubicle bank on 9/11... the one responsible for me having the opportunity to work on that new aircraft and company... was lost last November to Covid-19.

Too many people refuse to wear masks or take a safe vaccine in order to protect each other.

20 years ago, I truly believed that the strangers on my flights between Detroit and Albuquerque would band together to prevent another attack.

Today, people who wish to travel by air are physically attacking Flight Attendants and Gate Workers.

Today, people cough on each other at supermarkets and school board meetings.

All of these are assault.

So when you say #NeverForget, did you?  Are you truly living in the spirit of post-9/11?  Are you truly banding with and protecting your neighbors?

Friday, September 10, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: Copperbranch, part 5

Last week I shared the mistakes that were discovered during row 7.

So while I had planned to address the dropped and split stitches after knitting was completed, I had an overwhelming urge to rip out the entire project while working on Lace Row 8 (of 44).


So, at the moment, I have set the Copperbranch aside... I have been working on this project since May of 2019, or really since 2017, if you count that it started out as a different project.  So, someone please talk me out of frogging this one.

It is Fiber Arts Friday.  Not sure if it's happy.  ;-)

Friday, September 3, 2021

Fiber Art Friday: Copperbranch, part 4

I am continuing to work on my Copperbranch 5-10 minutes a session, zero to a few days per week.

The last time I posted about this project, back in April 2020, I was 4 rows into the Lace portion.  Today I am finished with row 7 and I have 37 rows to go out of 44 for the lace portion.

So it is going very slow, but is starting to look as if it might have something going on.... not sure it looks like lace yet.  ;-)

While working on row 7, I noticed that I dropped one stitch on the first lace row, split one stitch a couple of rows back, and lost one stitch in a section of row 6.

My thought at this point is to secure the dropped and split stitches with a bead or charm and call them design features.

I think I made up the missing stitch ok, but only time will tell for sure.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Friday, August 27, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: Shave 'Em to Save 'Em, Hog Island

Breed - Hog Island

In continuing my journey thru the SE2SE breeds, this one is Hog Island.


Slightly less than a 1-inch staple.


While this sample is extremely spongy, I find that it is drafting easily and feels quite soft.


Much like the Shropshire, there is a lot of vegetable matter (VM) in this sample.  I am picking out the larger pieces as I am spinning.

I'm curious if this yellow-ish color is typical.

VM aside, I'm surprised by how much I like spinning this sample.  It's so smooth/soft on my finger tips which I was not expecting.

I started spinning this breed in early August, hoping to have it completed between the two 2020 Tour de Fleeces.  But I did not finish spinning until December 2020, did not skein it until March of this year, and finally washed it at the end of July (7/20/21) in preparation for the County Fair.

This breed roving was sourced from The Ross Farm in Pennsylvania which is currently being worked by the 5th and 6th generation of the Ross Family.

It feels really good knowing that I am able to support a family-owned farm and conservation breeder of rare breed livestock.  :-)



Final Yarn: Hog Island
Single Duration: August 2 - November 14, 2020
Ply Duration: November 22 - December 6, 2020
Skein'd: March 20, 2021
Washed: July 20, 2021
ounces: 3.75
yards: 231, 2-ply
wpi:  
Ready to Submit:  July 22, 2021


SE2SE Status:
Total Breeds: 22
Breeds Sourced: 18
Breeds Spun: 14
Breeds To Go: 8


Months Remaining: 5 (12/31/21)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Friday, August 20, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: A Studio!

I have alluded a few times that we are moving house and farm.

The new place has many features we have been looking for, including a proper studio for me.

It is a trapezoid-shaped room that is attached to the house.  It was the prior owner's hobby room and had been painted in high-gloss, Kawasaki/Snap-On colors.

Before:

While I love a good red, I have always felt that red should be more of an accent, rather than the main field.

After:

I wanted a calm and bright space that will be comfortable for both my studio as well as my home office.  So paint was toward the top of the pre-move-in list of tasks.

I am happy with the result.

We've started to move a few things in now and will begin the big push to get to the new place full-time soon.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!



Friday, August 13, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: County Fair 2021, part 2

Hubba and I went to the County Fair last weekend.


My Results

Neither of my wools placed but my Tibetan Mastiff yarns received second and third place behind a beautifully spun skein of yak.


This is expected since both of the wools had quite a bit of vegetable matter (VM) in the roving, and therefore so does the yarn.  Though the judge only mentioned it on one of them.

The judge recommended a figure-eight for tying all of the skeins, which I've not done but will start.

It's interesting that the judge thought both of the wools were harsh for the intended purpose (a blanket) and recommended long-draw over short-draw as the spinning technique.... I had already decided that I want to practice the long-draw technique over the next year because it should produce a loftier yarn.  So now I have a new goal of entering a long-drawn yarn into next year's fair.  :-)

The judge also mentioned guard hair in the Tibetan Mastiff skeins as well as over/under-spun areas in each yarn.

I agree with all of the workmanship comments and I always find it interesting to see what each judge tends to focus on.

The county fair is a place where consistency and the following of best practices is rewarded.  Therefore, I believe it's an excellent place to test your skills.


Other Entries


There were a lot of beautiful yarns this year, all of which were displayed behind glass... None of these photos turned out well... I guess I should practice taking photos of things behind glass.  :-/


The grand champion was a hand-spun, hand-knit cardigan-vest with lots of cables.... really quite striking.


As always, the Quilt entries are awe-inspiring for me.  One day, I may attempt to make a quilt.  ;-)





Other Exhibits

There was a mini-Ninja Warrior course at the entrance to the Fairgrounds.  They had a big-buff dude helping kids thru the course.  It was fun to see dreams looking possible in the kids' eyes.


There was also this phone charging station.  It was set up with a variety of cables.  All you had to do was plug in and start pedaling.  Fun!



A Sign of the Times


Since Hubba and I both have first-hand knowledge of non-vaccinated people not wearing masks, and the fact that enforcement of the public health policy is not occurring, Hubba and I continue to wear masks in public... especially now with the Delta Variant surging.

AND...

Since most people were not wearing masks, and a large thunderstorm was brewing, Hubba and I decided not to stay.... so we did not visit any of the other exhibits, animals, or midway.

All of that being said, there were fewer people than we typically see at the fairgrounds while we were there.


Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Friday, August 6, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: A New Long-term Project - Criss Cross Canine Cardigan

With Tour de Fleece 2020 v2.0 finishing at the end of September, I learned that I won a pattern from one of my team mates.  Yay!

I chose the Criss Cross Cardigan by Isabell Kraemer.  It had been in my queue for a little while and I thought that it would look nice in handpsun chiengora.

Upon choosing a size, rounding up the suggested yardage, and estimating weight based on my recent spin of Ramen... I packed a grocery sack full of washed fleece.

I think I will need 21-22 oz of yarn.  The full sack weighs 28.5 oz.  (As we know, I always over-estimate because I hate running out of yarn.)

I started to card it up the the next weekend Saturday (9/26/20).


I began spinning on a Tuesday (11/17/20) with the goal of a fine weight (sock to fingering), 2-ply yarn.

I set the first ply aside at the beginning of this year's Tour de Fleece and have finally finished the first skein for this project.  

I think I'll need about 1000 yards.  Which, at 155 yds, means that  I need to make six more similar skeins since and my weight estimate is holding.

Of course this is all pending confirmation by swatch.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Things That Work: Tallow Balm

I used to participate in the One Small Change and Slow Living monthly reports.  I'm still doing a lot of these things to reduce our carbon foot print, but one thing that has always eluded me was how to handle toiletry products.

Then last year I learned about a local producer of Beef Tallow moisturizers.  I had used Bison Tallow soap before, and completely loved it.  So this was an easy sell for me.

With being a farmer anyway and extra-diligent about hand-washing due to Covid, my hands take a beating.

Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs everything we put on it.  So I think it's even more important to be using healthy, sustainable products.

I love that this tallow balm is literally only 3 ingredients that are easy to pronounce and understand; beef tallow, olive oil, and essential oils.

When I use the Tallow Balm, I feel the need for it less frequently than when using industrially-produced lotions.


I also really love the stick format.  It's perfect for carrying in my hand-bag or backpack and does not seep thru the cardboard.

So these days I'm keeping a stick in my handbag and a jar on my desk.

Beef Tallow definitely works!

Friday, July 30, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: County Fair 2021

Our County Fair was not held last year because the venue was being used as an overflow hospital for COVID patients.  This year's fair is being held, but is a scaled down version.

There is no knitting or crochet and my weaving is not ready to share.  But the spinning classes are being held.

So back in early June I entered 5 handspun yarns, one of which is not yet completed.  So I will be bringing four yarns: 2 Tibetan Mastiff, and 3 SE2SE wool breeds.

Like most of these type of competitions there is a qualification window, and entries are required to have been finished since August 1, 2020.


From Top to Bottom:
Hog Island, 2-ply - December 2020 (I haven't posted about it yet)

Drop off is Tuesday.  Judging is Wednesday.  The Fair opens on Friday.

Judging is open to the public, but (again) I am not available to observe.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

In the Garden: Cherry Tree

Hubba and I planted this Montmorency Cherry Tree soon after we moved into our current house.

We've gotten a small harvest here and there, but usually the Robins devour the fruit right before it ripens.


This year, we have a pair of Crows hanging around and we do not have Robins nesting on the house.  I'm not sure if these are correlated, but it seems to be.

As such, my tree is was able to fill of ripe fruit, so we took advantage and made a pie.


Since my books are packed for the move, I used this recipe.


Then we collected and froze a few batches and shared the bounty with our neighbors.

We intend to plant a larger cherry (hopefully Rainier, because they are my favorite to eat) at the new place, once we're settled.... but this pie was so good, we may end up with a few varieties. ;-)

I hope you're having a glorious summer!

Friday, July 23, 2021

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece 2021, part 5

This is the last week of this year's Tour de Fleece.

Friday, July 16

I decided last week that I would only need two days to ply this yarn.  So I spun a bit more today... 

I had a bit more free time today, so I focused on finishing the batt I was working on.

... and then wound off the bobbin.

TM: 1 hour 09:42 minutes


Saturday, July 17

The important question for today is whether I spun enough during this tour to meet the minimum quantity of 1oz for my upcoming County Fair entry.

If yes, I will ply from both ends of the cake.

If no, I will ply with the single completed before the tour began.

 


Good News!  At 1.75 oz, this single makes weight.  WooHoo!  So I am plying from both ends of this cake.

Since I tend to find plying less interesting than spinning, I listened to a few podcast episodes to keep my attention... and just about a half-ounce remaining for tomorrow.

TM: 1 hour, 11:40 minutes


Sunday, July 18

Fully plied!

TM: 29:26 minutes


Weekly: 

  • Weekly Time:  1 hour, 50 minutes, 48 seconds
  • Days with Spinning: 3/3

Epilogue:

I missed a total of 3 days spinning.  I spun on one Rest Day and took the second as scheduled.  For a net loss of two days spinning... and one completed yarn.

I started using the stopwatch on my phone last year to track how much time I was spinning in each session.  As an engineer, I always enjoy having data.  :-)

In looking at my record over the last few weeks.... It's apparent that I get distracted or interrupted frequently.  I had sessions as short as 2 minutes and as long as 35 minutes, for an average close to 8 minutes per session and about 21 minutes per day.

I do think part of it is because spinning allows my mind to quiet down and then creative thoughts begin to develop.  So I do stop frequently to take notes or write a few paragraphs.

I also prefer to spin in the morning when I'm making coffee/breakfast and tending to the dogs, so I am also frequently interrupted.  

It's sort of funny to look into this bag... At the start of this Tour, I thought I might run out of prepared fiber.  Of course I didn't (and usually don't).  I have five batts of prepared fiber remaining.  However, had my daily average been closer to an hour, it would have been close.

As always, I truly enjoy the Tour de Fleece... and now I have my first skein finished for a sweater project that was hatched last year.  :-)

Cumulative: 

  • Total Time:  2:29:36 + 2:17:06 + 1:07:42 + 1:50:48 = 6:45:12
  • Days with Spinning: 19/21
  • Daily Average Duration:  21 minutes per day
  • Average Session:  8 minutes per session

The finished skein in my office:  It almost looks like a black and white photo.

The finished skein in Natural Light:  The red undertone is apparent.

Some detail of the color variation:  This is undyed yarn.

I do love it and I'm excited to make more... only 14.25 oz to go for my long-term project.  ;-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!