Fleeceful Kingdom

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." --Henry James

Woolly Week Summer Camp for Kids

Day Two in Pictures

Barn boots by the back door

 

Everybody loves George!

 

Picking and carding our washed fleece

 

Go fly a kite!

 

Taking the wool off the drum carder

I love busy, summer days!

Fleece,

Abu

"Nothing is more memorable than a smell…" --Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses

Woolly Week Summer Camp for Kids is here!

Day One:  We spent the morning learning about my little sheepie friends; what they eat, shearing time, how to take care of them, etc. I showed the campers my book of New York State Breeds of Sheep that I put together in college with info about all the different breeds, photos, and fiber samples (washed and unwashed). We learned vocabulary words like fiber staple, ewe, ram, and more!

Okay, enough talking. Time for play!

We washed wool from my Romneys. It was pretty cool outside; some of the kids were only in shorts and t-shirts, so we ended up doing this on the kitchen floor. (Thank goodness for tile)! Soon the kitchen was filled with one of my favorite smells: a strong, heady, wet sheepie smell. I wasn't sure how the kids were going to like this, but at the end of the day, they said washing wool was their favorite part!

After lunch, we finger crocheted roving to make a hot pad, seat cushion, or for the very adventurous, a rug!

Gosh! I had so much fun! I hope my little sheepie campers did, too!

Fleece,

Abu

“Yet, Freedom! yet thy banner, torn, but flying, streams like the thunderstorm against the wind.” --Lord Byron

Oh, those naughty sheepies. They are up to it again. I have yet to earn back my shepherdess status since my return.

Sarah and I have been walking in the evening. (Yes, she is off the crutches and walking! Incredible and unbelievable)! So the Professor has been sneaky, and putting the sheep to bed while we are on our walk.

But last night, either he was late, or we were early, when we returned from our walk (she made it all the way to the end of the street and back--about a half mile!) and the sheep were still in the pasture. We stopped at the fence because Sari wanted to learn who is who.

Me:  "The one with the black stockings is Timothy.

The one with the brown stockings is Eliza.

The one with the blaze on her face is Pumpkin.

The brown one is Hershey."

Sari: Points to Sadie.

Me: "No, that's Sadie. She's the black one."

Sari: "But he doesn't look brown. He looks cinnamon."

Me:  "But Cinnamon doesn't fit as a name. Hershey fits. Or Latte. How about Latte?"

Sari:  "No, I like Cinnamon."

Me:  "Okay, you can call him Cinnamon. But his name is Hershey!"

And of course, everyone remembers George!

While all this was going on, the Professor entered the pasture with a bucket of hay. But Sari and I were distracting our poor little sheepies with all our name calling, and by the time the Professor was at the shed, there were no sheepies following. Not one of them fell in line. I had this sinking feeling, "Oh, it's going to be one of those nights!"

So I popped in the fence and Sari went to ice her knee. I had some grain (always prepared; I've learned the hard way) and tried to assist. Lately the one who is giving us the problem is Eliza. If Eliza doesn't go in, well then Pumpkin and Sadie will not go in. (The boys always go in).

I walked backwards through the pasture with a handful of grain right in front of Eliza's nose. We got all the way down to the shed, in the door, and then she turned and bolted! Oh, this is not good. It was getting dark. I can't see in the dark. The Professor says, "You go in. I think they are used to just one person putting them in." (Oh, this breaks my heart! No sheepie night night stories. No hugs and kisses before tucking them in).

So, I go in, and for the next half hour, I hear the Professor calling, "Come on girls," in his gentle Professor voice. He is so sweet and patient. Such an animal push-over!

But after a half hour, even the Professor gave up and came inside. I never would have lasted that long. If they don't come in, they don't come in; but means I don't sleep well that night!

As soon as he settles himself down with a book and a cold drink, it thunders. The sky lights up. The Professor got up, so I thought he went upstairs or to the kitchen. (To tell you the truth, I was working on a project for my summer farm to yarn camp, so I was a bit distracted).

The next thing I know, he comes back and sits down, takes up his book again, and says, "You're sheep are in!"

Me:  "What???"

The Professor:  "The thunder did it. They came in a flash. Nothing to it!"

I think we were fleeced!
Abu

"Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it." --Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Life is indeed happening fast. After completing Summer Art Camp, we took a family trip to the Cape to celebrate my father-in-law's 90th birthday. This was only the second time in ten years we have gone away as a family (the last time was for Poppa's 85th); one of us usually stays behind for the animals. It was a huge leap of faith to trust someone with our beloved four-legged creatures. Everyone did fine, despite the record temperatures. We enjoyed a gorgeous weekend, seeing family, and the beach!


Just before we left, Sarah announced she made a decision to return to the States after graduation. Yipee! So between art camp, travel, house guests, the birthday party, and physical therapy, we made last minute changes and left for Costa Rica two days after returning from the Cape!

We were able to sell most of her stuff, and what we didn't sell, we packed and shipped. Thank goodness for my mom! She was coming for the graduation anyway, but ended up packing boxes and keeping Sari on task. You forget how much you accumulate after living in a place for 4-1/2 years! We had ten days to accomplish this amazing feat. Sari sold all the pots, pans, and dishes, but when the bed sold…well, it was time to go to a hotel!

The graduation ceremony was beautiful, even though my mom and I didn't speak Spanish, we were able to follow along. I'm so proud of Sari; she graduated with honors, and received a certificate for achieving a 100 on her thesis (written in another language)!!! We so enjoyed meeting Sari's friends and their families, and I'm so grateful to her adopted Costa Rica moms who looked after her, especially when she damaged her knee!

We were delayed a day on our way home (missed a flight), and now we are contending with a time change and total exhaustion.

I was able to finish this summer tank top during PT appts. and flight times. (Pattern here). I'm happy with the way it came out. I can't think the last time I knit something for myself. It's really comfy and cool, but in the Fall, I can see wearing it over a turtleneck.


On Monday, we celebrated my birthday a day early (because the Professor teaches late on Tuesdays). Em and Sari made me a gluten-free birthday cake with an orange glaze. Delicious! I can't think the last time I had cake!

For my birthday, Em made me this awesome felted bucket bag to hold my yarn, needles, and current project. I just love it, and Frida picked the colors! I think we need to sell this in the shop!


Sari and the Professor gave me a book I have had on my wish list forever. I hope to incorporate some of the ideas and projects with my teaching.


And how did my little sheepies fare in my absence? Well, they didn't want to have anything to do with me last night! I went to bring them in, and walked through the pasture with their grain dish (just a little bit to encourage them), down to the run-in shed, and my sheepies were following. But George was the only one to step inside; everyone else bolted! So I came out and circled, coming up behind them to herd them down to the run-in shed again, and they bolted a second time! I tried a third time. I threatened to get a llama who will spit in their face! I threatened to call their Ohio mama and tell her they are bad sheepies and misbehaving! The Professor came in the pasture to assist. By now, it was dark, and I was tired and all worn out. The Professor stayed out, coaxing, circling, pleading. Eventually even he gave up, and my sheepies spent the night in the open air (they could still go in the shed if they wanted to). First thing this morning I asked the Professor, "Do I still have six sheep?" "Yes!" What a relief!

In the daylight, I noticed how much their faces have changed again. Timothy is wearing black stockings and his face has darkened. And so has Georgie's!


I received an email from Saori Japan just before I left. When I complete my next Advanced Basic Classes in Worcester, scheduled for mid-August, I can send in my application to be an authorized Saori studio and equipment dealer!

Woolly Week Summer Camp for kids starts in two weeks! I am planning lots of fun projects and activities, and Sari will be baking lots of delicious snacks for the kids.

There's no place like home!
Fleece,
Abu

"Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off." --Author Unknown

Art camp started bright and early this morning, and did we have a blast! I have the older kids this week, ages 9-12, and they really held their attention as I discussed different fibers and their uses.

Poor Georgie. He really wanted to go to camp with me.

But there really was no room in the car, it was packed to the gills. So in his place, I told the kids how the wool is harvested, washed, carded, spun and dyed.

The fun really started when we got to spin. I bought ten top whirl drop spindles from The Bellwether last winter.

When you buy her spindles in bulk, you get a discount! I just love these drop spindles! (Yikes! After checking the link, the price has gone up. But if you are buying in bulk, you still get a discount, and I think it is a great way to introduce kids to spinning without breaking the bank).

Today the kids really stayed focused. You could hear a pin drop, they were concentrating so hard. One little boy said, "I can't do this!" I reminded him in baseball you don't hit a home run the first time you swing a bat (well, maybe with beginner's luck). It takes practice and patience to learn something new. I showed him why he was having trouble; and then he got it, and blasted off!

When I announced that we forgot to take a break for snack time, they said,

"Awwww. Do we have to stop?"!!!

"Can we spin while we have our snacks?"!!!

Oh my gosh! I think I have a next generation of spinners on my hands!

After snack, we talked about the color wheel and did some Kool-Aid dyeing.

I overheard the little boy who had trouble spinning tell another classmate, "I want to come to art camp every summer!"

Me too!

Fleece,
Abu

"It is thus with farming: if you do one thing late, you will be late in all your work." --Cato The Elder

I haven't been able to get in the dye garden. Either it has been too rainy/wet or it was too hot! Yesterday was the perfect garden day; sunny, blue sky, and a temperature drop of 30 degrees!

Boy, was I in for a surprise.

The flax is coming along great, but the edge needed to be trimmed and the bed needed weeding!

There. That's better. The Professor gave me some advice. Weed more like a meditation, not like your life depended on it. Then it's not so overwhelming.

So I started to weed. The sun was warm on my back. A mommy robin built a nest in the bird box and kept me company. There was a nice breeze.

But then I got to wondering. What if it did matter? What if there was no Walmart, Target, (enter other big name box store)??? What if the clothes on my back were the result of my own hand???

I've been following Rebecca Burgess and her Fibershed project since last fall. http://www.rebeccarburgess.com/fibershed

Her goal is "To live for one year, in clothes made from fibers that are solely sourced within a geographical region no larger than 150 miles from my front door; this includes the natural dye colors as well!"

This was part of my motivation to have a flax and dye garden. A challenge to myself. Could I grow my own clothes??? I have the Shetlands for my nice warm woolies, but what about the one day of summer? Cotton is out. Can I grow flax and hemp in Central New York?

In my research about flax, it is a 1-1/2 to 2 year project, from seed to actual garment!!! Can you imagine our fore sisters growing their own clothes? Which is probably why they only had one dress. And why clothes were handed down and stitched and patched and stitched some more. Which brings me back to the thought about telling time through cloth.

I'm embarassed when I open my closet! (But now I see it as potential). I haven't done a F*R*U*gal project for a while, so it was time to dust some of those clothes off and make something of them.

In case you missed my previous posts, F*R*U*gal means I'm a Free, Reuse, and Upcycle kind of gal. Here is what I'm working on today:

Em, if you're reading this, stop here!

M's birthday is coming up, and I thought I would make her a market bag type thingy. My inspiration came from a bag a woman brought to Saori Worcester last month.

The "What if it did matter?" will continue to be a big question for me. It brings me back to all the research I did in school on fair trade, child labor, the environmental damage caused by the textile industry, women's cooperatives, my idea of bringing back the local mills (they were all up and down the outlet at the turn of the century), putting local people back to work, knitting from wind power, connecting with other local fiber producers, etc., etc. Oh, I need to go and weave to calm myself. This is too big a question for my little brain!

Fleece and be calm!

Abu

 

"Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet." --Colette

I wasn't ready to write about this last week because I wasn't sure how things would turn out.

Last Wednesday night, we had a terrible thunderstorm in the middle of the night, and Peach, one of our rescue horses, got loose.

When we woke on Thursday morning, the Professor knew something was wrong right away. We have a walk-out basement on the side of the house that faces the barn. When the Professor went downstairs, he could make out a figure out the door. When he turned the light on, there was Peach, under the deck waiting for him! But he couldn't walk. He couldn't put any weight on his front leg. I woke up hearing the Professor running around downstairs. I sat up in bed, and he thrust the phone and a piece of paper with the vet's number on it. "I think Peachie broke his leg. Call the vet. Then call Em."

We have the greatest vet in the whole world. He's in his 70s, and I'm not sure what we will do when he decides to retire. But he is fit as a fiddle, and blessed with the all the knowledge and wisdom of his age.

He was at the house within the hour, took one look at Peach, and said he had nerve damage to his shoulder (a kick from another horse???). Everytime Peach took a step, his hoof turned under, he would drag it, and then stumble. At first the vet said he would treat him as if everything would be okay, but because of his age, the damage to his other front leg from arthritis, etc., we could only be hopeful.

It was painful to watch Peach try to walk. He would trip, catch himself, stumble. I would gasp. But Peach is so smart. He knew how to compensate, and he made adjustments so he could get around. After watching him, the vet said that he was very encouraged.

He gave him a couple shots of cortisone and we mixed some bute with his grain. And most important, the vet asked if Peach was getting picked on. Yes! Harley drives him all the time. So the Professor made a special pasture for him so he could convalesce in peace; basically dividing the barn so Peach could have the double stall and go out the front; and Harley and Gillie pony could go out the back.

However, horses are herd animals. If they can't see each other, they cry. Harley had Gillie to pal around with, but Peach needed a pasture pal.

Enter Georgie!

I tell you! My little sheepie Georgie is everybody's pal! (I'm starting to cry as I re-read this)!

It's been a week, and Peach has made a remarkable recovery! Thank you, Lord!

I found out at the end of last week, that Em and I have been accepted into a local art and craft fair at the end of June! So she is busy knitting, and I am power weaving, trying to make enough "stuff" for our booth.

The Professor reminded me from his art fair days that it's a good idea to have some lower-priced items in addition to the more expensive scarves, etc. So I am making some little treasure purses. I hope the kids like them.

I've been working on some space-warped felted scarves. Before felting...

After felting...

Before felting...

After felting...

Ohhhh. They came out so soft and thick and warm. Yummy! I hope somebody likes them! But I'm saying to myself, it will just be a lot of fun to be out, meet some people, and hand out some business cards and camp flyers. I hope we get a nice sunny day for the fair!

And may you have a nice sunny day today!

Fleece,

Abu

"I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I feel my fate in what I cannot fear. I learn by going where I have to go." --Theodore Roethke

I am learning where I have to go. It is slow. This week, so many ideas. So many projects! I put this on the loom on Saturday, and finished it Sunday. Just going with it. Following where it wanted to take me. I'm not sure what it is going to "be" yet. It hasn't told me.

The little blue "island" in the picture above came from some fabric scraps Em gave me. It was from an outfit she made for Little Boo, and has since been passed on to Aimee. This started a whole thought process on time. Telling time through cloth. I will need to come back to this and explore some more.

I think I need to be one step ahead of myself. There is a sense of panic when I take something off the loom. I had two thoughts. One was to weave with some rag scraps left over from a floor cloth I knit for Sarah last summer. But when I balled them all up, this was all there was left.

I guess I need to attack my closet and Sal Val for more rags. Second thought was to weave a space warp; then felt it, creating little stain glass windows.

I haven't woven with wool in a long time. I just love the Saori way of warping and dressing the loom. It is so easy. No more fighting tangles. No more warps from he**! Smooth and easy.

I've been playing with these little woven bands from my car weaving. Folding and sewing in origami shapes. Just playing, but I think there are some seeds for a larger project here.

At night I've been working on the potholder loom, free spinning and cardboard weaving a larger bag to go with my shuttle bag.

I've also been practicing Navajo 3-ply.

This is fleece from my Romneys. I'm trying to make up lots of skeins for future dye projects. If the sun ever comes out, I will start to pick my Shetland fleeces.

Em and the grandkids came by on Sunday for the first time in a month. We went for a walk in the Wild Wood and saw lots of pretty flowers.

The kids hadn't seen the sheepies since they got their haircuts! The sheepies were so excited to see the girls!

Georgie loves company!

Ahh. Do you have to go?

Yes, and it's time for me to go, too!

Fleece,

Abu

 

"The work of art must seize upon you, wrap you up in itself and carry you away." --Pierre Auguste Renoir

Well, I got carried away. My dye bundles were just begging to be unwrapped, for me to take a peek inside.

Just those few little hyacinth blossoms I picked off the stem gave all this beautiful color!

Too pretty to toss, I pressed them in a phonebook for some future project. (Everyone in my house knows not to throw away a phonebook without checking for hidden treasures)!

Now what to do with all these pretty cloths? I can hear a low whisper. Maybe piece them together? Stitch. Sew. Pull. Cut in strips? Weave. Hmmm. I'm listening.

I finished the lilac scarf on Friday.

I couldn't wait to get a new warp on the loom. But I ran into a wall. I was reading a post about Saori and realized, it's not so much the color or design that makes the fabric. It's the texture. I'm really frustrated because I don't have a candy store of yarn to choose from when I sit at my loom. So Friday night I thought, "I won't let that stop me. I'll just have to make my own!" I sat with my drop spindle and some colored roving left over from a class. I gathered bits of threads, leftover fabric scraps, thrums, embroidery floss, etc. But by then, after pondering this dilemma all day, I was tired, and decided to wait until morning.

Saturday, I thought, "Don't make too much of a deal about this. Just listen to the yarn. Don't start with any preconceived idea about what it will or will not be. Just do it!"

I opened the cupboard, threw on the warp, dressed the loom in record time, because company was coming, and I needed to get the warp tied on. Sometimes maybe a little deadline pressure is a good thing.

Another thought. Maybe a little of something is better than a whole lot. Like chocolate. It's nice to savor. To let the rich flavor roll around and melt in your mouth. It's really fun to do the interlock technique, but maybe just a little bit here and there gives more interest.

I've sent in an application for a juried Art in the Park show at the end of June, so I will really have to hussle if we get accepted (Em will be selling her handknitted baby items). New items have been posted to Etsy. Please check it out:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/fleecefulkingdom

I planted the flax garden and transplanted my dye plants, and then we had a week of heavy rain. Oh, my poor little plants. I've prayed over them every day. I'm not much of a gardener; I have a lot to learn. They looked so sad.

But yesterday, the sun finally broke! The flax is up and looks good!

I am following the Japanese method of no-till gardening. I spent the winter reading the "One Straw Revolution" by Masanobu Fukuoka. He is a pioneer and practitioner of natural farming. We'll have to see. It's an ongoing experiment!

The sheepies have discovered the breakfast bar is open 24/7!

May you have a fleeceful 24/7!

Abu

"All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind." --Martin H. Fischer

I don't cook, but my kitchen has become my laboratory.

I feel like the mad scientist, throwing things into boiling pots and hovering to see what will happen.

I hope I don't blow up the house! Actually, I am being very careful and using eco-friendly methods of dyeing.

On Sunday at breakfast, I looked up at my spent mother's day bouquet (a gift from Em and the girls). It was time for the compost heap. But wait! Look at those petals! They still have color in them! What would happen if ...

I am cold processing these wraps. The three bundles on the left are purple and pink hyacinth blossoms, either wrapped, or folded then wrapped, and tied with string. The bundle on the right is from red tulip petals! I had color before I could even wrap it up! They are not supposed to be unwrapped for a week, but I have so much color already. Okay. Hold on. I can't stand it any longer.

 

These are the little blossoms that gave all that wonderful color! Now it is hung it to dry for a couple of days before rinsing.

I had to put a line in the house because of all the darn rain! (The Professor has been working in the garage lately. I think he's building an ark!)

The colors are lovely. I hope they last. I haven't read anywhere about dyeing with hyacinths or tulips. The Professor says, "I guess this means you will be planting bulbs in the fall."

I taught a knitting class yesterday: Socks on Two Circular Needles. We had such a good time. I forgot in just a short time how much I love to teach; to pass on what I have learned. Besides teaching them the magic loop method of knitting socks on two needles, I taught them a new cast-on, how to tell if the stitch is on the needle backward and how to correct it, and how to take stitches out without taking them off your needle. I always learn so much more when I teach; I love the problem-solving part of knitting!

Pleasant the Pheasant stopped by this morning to say hello.

But then my sheepies reminded him it was their pasture, and to please move along!

The sheepies are growing into their haircuts and don't look so much like aliens. Georgie has completely recovered. I think he was limping last week just to get some extra peppermints and scritchies! (Just kidding).

I am sending a big hug along with this post so you don't have to go around limping!

Fleece,

Abu