Made with love, made with wool

Way back in February the most exciting box arrived at our door - it was 22 lbs of spun wool from our sheep!  It was so long ago we dropped it off Up North at the woolen mill that I almost forgot about it.  Half is a 3 ply sport weight and the other half 3 ply worsted.  It is super soft Merino and still a bit oily so it feels like butter in your hand.  The plan is to use as much as we can, experiment with dying it and we are encouraging the boys to set up a small business selling it. 

I do not have a skein winder but do have many volunteers to help hold and wind by hand.

Many cold days were spent knitting by the fire with Maryanna and Clara.  They both have scarves they are working on and I leaned into the most simple patterns I could find. 

First thing I finished were some little baby socks and then a hat.  The hat was originally requested by Peter but I was way off on my gauge so may end up being a baby hat.



Or a hat for Charlie. 

Paul also requested a hat and still off on my gauge it was a little big - I shrunk it a bit and I suppose it is soft and cozy because he rarely takes it off.  He shared a photo of it on instagram and called it "Farm to head".

The next hat I finished for myself and it was actually a perfect fit - but Maryanna convinced me it was more her style than mine.  I believe she was right.

Along with the yarn another giant package found way to us with the other half of our processed wool - clean batts!  I can't remember how many pounds but it was more than enough to make two doubly thick twin comforters, two crib comforters, and a throw.  The last bit is stashed for a future baby quilt.

Assembling the comforters was not as relaxing as knitting.  I was on my hands and knees grunting like an animal as I hand stitched these into the desired size.



I then covered them in cheese cloth and tacked down every 6 inches before sewing duvet covers for them.  The wool cannot be machine washed so I thought duvets would be easier than quilts.



The girls picked out a stack of Anna Maria Horner fabric for their covers and I found sheets on sale at West Elm for the backing.  I made them narrow to fit the bunk bed as neatly as possible.  These are so soft and cozy and the girls sleep soundly under the weight of them as do the cats.



Instead of their names embroidered they each chose a different animal to separate who's who's.



The two younger boys were also in need of some warm bedding this winter so I did the same for them.  Their covers were made from flat sheets from Garnett Hill, used the pillowcases from the sheet set the girls got with their duvet backing and sewed the animal silhouette pillows just for fun.

They too are sleeping better under the warmth and weight of this wool.

I did their names free hand because I was too lazy to set up the embroidery unit. 

The last project was a small throw for the couch in our bedroom.  I used up some silk I've been storing since I was in China 18 years ago and the result is a super warm, soft and silky space to nap.  It pairs well with the sheepskin from our first lamb and I'm thinking I'll be spending much time there in the weeks to come. 

I'm so thrilled to share these projects because honestly not every project off the farm turns into a successful useful product.  I'm so so grateful for our sheep - they munch down the pastures, provide nourishing meat and now the wool is like icing on the cake! 

A Season for Knitting

I love to start knitting projects and I'm very pleased when I actually finish one, it seems that happens only once a year.  This hood was started just before our trip Up North and was lucky never to even enter the basket of unfinished projects, it crossed the finish line and onto my head within just a few weeks.  Maybe it was the thrill of doing cables for the first time or the buttery feel of the wool/alpaca yarn, or maybe I was motivated by dropping temperatures, this was a project I could not put down.

I found the pattern ( Morning Glory hood ) on raverly last year after I made the gnome hats for the younger kids.  I love the versatility of it going from hood to cowl.
 

And back to hood again because it is getting cold here!  My (older) kids laugh at some of the things I wear these days but I told them to get used to me in this hood because I like to stay warm and comfortable.  There are no fashion standards to up hold here, my daughters have taught me to dress with full authenticity and spending much of my time outdoors I've learned to dress accordingly.  

Meanwhile I've decided not to start another knitting project until I finish a few things from the basket.  Next up is the stocking I started for James 7 years ago.  It is funny how obvious the change in tension is as I've picked it up and put it down several times over the course of those years.

In the basket there is also a baby sweater I started for Maryanna 8 years ago and a toddler sweater I started for James 10 years ago.  It is only in brief moments that my hands hit the needles so I cannot be sure to finish them all in this season in my life.  I'll pick them up when they call to me and finish them as there is a great need for them.  Right now we have too many sweaters to fit in our drawers but we are short one stocking so wish me luck in completing it before the season arises to hang stockings.     

  

Warm wooly gnome hats

Good news - I finally set up my sewing room yesterday.  In the meantime however, I took to knitting to fill some of my creative urges.  

I found this pattern on etsy and when I went to pick out the yarn at a shop in Ann Arbor, the owner informed me it was designed by a local woman, I think that makes me love it even more.  

The hats were quick and easy to knit up.  As I was knitting them I kept singing Heather Forest's song The Cap that Mother Made from this story.  I would sometimes work on the hats while tucking Henry in bed and while laying next to him make up all sorts of stories about a magical cap that would make him invisible and able to chase down dragons, he was the most excited for me to finish. 

I experimented with different yarns and sizes and after three I think I have it figured out. George's was the first one done, I used the Malabrigo Rios super wash Merino and size 6 & 8 needles for the children's size but it was too small for anyone but him.  Here he is trying to break into the sheep's pen. 

  For Henry's I went up to the adult size but it is too big, I used another merino worsted weight called  artful yarns water fall.

Clara picked out her own yarn, it is a Malabrigo worsted weight.  I went back to the children's size for hers adding a few inches to the neck length and it was just right.

I love how adorable they each look but I am especially pleased with the insulation it provides for their necks.  Paul's mom is making a few more for Maryanna and Peter but I don't think I could persuade the older two to wear one, maybe if they felt how warm and cozy they were.

While Maryanna is waiting for Nanny to finish hers, she's opted for more of a city girl look for outside play.  I am cracked up by the way she's been carrying her purse around just in case she found an egg or something.

I'm not sure if knitting is for me

These little leg warmers were intended to be finished by the end of our road trip last Sept. I then hoped to at least have them completed and wrapped up for Christmas, but it wasn't until this week of redbox DVDs and resting that this very simple project came to a close.

I like the final project but I'm wondering if I actually enjoyed the process.  It may be because I only knit when I'm not feeling well or when I'm forced to sit, something that is hard for me to do.  Maybe it was the size 2 double point needles and the 1x1 rib that was completed in such a small circle that made this project hard to finish.  But I did it and I even started another pair.  The next pair will be for Maryanna and is out of the same yarn, 70% superfine alpaca/30% angora, but in an avocado green.  I'm trying out a 2x2 rib pattern and added 8 extra stitches for ease in working in the round and also just in case I don't finish them until next Christmas.  

I also found a size 12 month hooded cardigan that was intended for Maryanna but still unfinished; it has since passed up Clara as well.  I am glad I invested in a camel color yarn (merino/microfiber/cashmere) because if I finish it, Henry just may be able to pull it off.  

Maybe it is just frustrating that my kids are growing faster than I can knit, maybe I never sit down anymore, or when I am sitting I'm already multi-tasking (reading to a child and feeding a baby), I'm wondering how Soulemama  does it, and also wondering if I should give knitting another chance in 2009.