Tis the season to be baking……falalalala….la la la….

No, that is not cookie dough in that bowl…….it is hand-cream and those are not cookies on the baking sheet, but bars of freshly made soap.

This is the season when I start to get very busy in the kitchen.  Soaps to be poured, handcream to be whipped up, and orders to be filled in time for Christmas!

The house is full of wonderful scents……but not a hint of chocolate, at least yet.

Bunny Adventures

In addition to the soap making, the bunny shearing is in full steam as well.  Next on the clipping table was Puff Dandy.  This is only Puff’s second haircut, but I was pleased as punch with what she gave to me.  Although she does not yet have the density of fiber that an adult would have, there was not a matt to be found and the crimp would rival any merino lock!  Very very nice!!

After I clip down a bunny, I usually let them romp around the kitchen, while I am cleaning up all the angora and weighing the clip.

 

It is too funny to watch those big feet, thumping along the floor, slipping and sliding, here and there, investigating every nook and cranny, and enjoying the freedom from their cumbersome fur coat.

You can see how much fun Puff Dandy had this morning exploring……
and this is what happened to her coat this afternoon ;-).

I have had a few large orders come in this week, so the dyepots have been cranked up full steam.

So while I played with the bunnies inside today, the dogs had fun romping in the freshly fallen snow outside.  A good day was had by all!!

Hmmppfffff…………..The Indignity of it all!

How can it be December 10th already?  The days they are just flying by it seems.  One of the things that has also crept up on me is rabbit shearing.  I like to do it the beginning of December, so that they have the next 3 months to grow back coat during the coldest part of winter.  So, every day, I have been bringing a bunny in for it’s new "do".

Meet Savvy.  She is the first of my "wine" line.  Savvy is short for Savigon Blanc.

Savvy comes from the newer import lines and if you remember, she was the mother of the litter this past summer that did not survive.  This girl’s coat is simply amazing!  I took 14 oz of luscious white angora off of her and of that 14 oz’s, 11 of it is prime, usable wool, that will be dyed and then blended with merino.  I am scheduled to be a vendor at the NETA Spa this February, so I figured I had better get my butt in gear and start working on fiber again.  Amazing how the days fly by as we get older, eh?

Now, given that it has been pretty cold out, I worry about my little guys getting a chill after a haircut.  Each one of them has a custom made sweatshirt sleeve jacket to wear after a haircut in the winter.  Savvy is a BIG girl, so she has the biggest of all.  She is such a delightful  and patient rabbit.  Now, if I could have 10 more like her, I would be one happy Woolen Rabbit 😉

As the day drew to an end, the sunset was a memorable one.  I thought that I would share with you how the day ends here in the North Country.  (Here’s to you Sandy!)

 

 

 

Have a GREAT weekend
and keep warm!

Everything has its place.
Everything has its season.
As events turn, balance is to know what is here,
what is coming
and how to be in perfect harmony with it.
Deng Ming~Dao

A very dear friend of mine in the winter season of his life is struggling.  It is my fervent hope that balance comes into his life soon.

The Continental
Thank you so much for your kind comments about my red mittens…..they are so cheery and fun to make….I see Miss Norma is making a pair of her very own as well……how can you resist?  Everyone should have a pair of fun red mittens!

As you know, I was in Atlanta this past weekend.  Knitting needles are now "allowed" on airplanes….no more sneaking or worrying that they will be taken away!!  To calm my nerves……yes, I am a nervous Nellie when it comes to flying…I alternated between reading and knitting (too early in the day for a glass of wine).  Over the course of the weekend, I finished my glove.  I took a few pictures of the gloves and as I was downloading them, I chuckled.

I love to watch Saturday Night Live and one of my all time favorite guests on that show is Christopher Walken.  He never fails to make me laugh.  The skit that I love the most of his is The Continental.  Ok…..I admit, I am easily amused…..hehe.

In this skit, he play a Lounge Lizard of sorts…….a suave Don Juan.  In the skit, the only thing that you see of the woman who comes to visit his apartment is her gloved hand. I laugh just thinking about it.

The gloved hand tells it all.  You can feel her anticipation when she first enters and her repulsion by the end of the skit…..all with the wave of her hand.

My gloved hand is welcoming the season that is upon us……tis that season……CHEERS!

 

Red Mittens

Is there anything nicer
Than red woolly mittens,

As fluffy and soft
As a blanket of kittens?      

Red mittens to keep
My hands warm as toast,
On cold winter days
When I skate or coast.

(found on numerous education sites)

I know, I know, I should have been working on the pretty purple Koigu gloves or the NE Koigu socks or the laceweight cardigan………but the little leftover ball of red polwarth, just kept catching my eye, sitting atop my knitting basket, looking so bright and cheery.  The mittens are edged with a little chocolate angora (thanks Java!!). 

I wish you all could feel just how yummy this polwarth is.  A few years ago, I purchased a number of polwarth fleeces from Australia……..this red yarn was from one of them.

*Polwarths were developed in Australia in 1880, when Lincoln x Merino ewes were bred back to Merino rams to produce a dual-purpose breed with an emphasis on wool production   (*In Sheep’s Clothing)

It is only next to Merino in terms of softness and I find that it wears a bit better than Merino.  There is also much less grease in the fleece, which makes it much much easier to prepare.

The gray fleece in the above picture is one of the many that I have out in the barn and I am looking at it with renewed interest.  Earlier this summer, I spun up this skein out of some of that fleece and it went on to win a blue ribbon at Fryeburg fair this fall.  Part of the reason for it’s success, is the incredible handle polwarth has all by itself.  Very nice wool indeed!

I am heading out tomorrow morning to Atlanta for a board meeting and a dog show.  I will not be showing any dogs, but one of the girls is coming along for a breeding.  I was fortunate in the timing, which is going to allow me to breed her to an English and CKCSC champion. 

I will admit though, that I am going to miss this little face while I am away.   There is nothing quite as wonderful as an adoring glance from one of our canine companions!

Have a great weekend!!

Why it’s Elspeth Elizabeth!!  Elsbeth is a lady of un certain age who is a creative writer and dresses as befits a lady poet.  She knits her own angora scarves (my favorite kind) in off beat colors which she wears to poetry readings.  She is rarely frivolous, but does indulge her penchant for sherbet lemon sweets.  Elspeth Elizabeth still believes in la grande passion and awaits it with beating heart.  (an excerpt from the history of Elspeth Elizabeth)

As some of you may have guessed, Elspeth comes to me from across the pond, made with love by Jane Brocket.  I am an avid reader of her blog, which is full of wit, charm, wonderful recipes and some of the nicest pictures in blog land.

Can you guess what it was about Elspeth that caught my eye?  Why it is her lovely orange angora scarf.  How could a Woolen Rabbit, who adores orange and angora pass her by??

Thanks Jane………she is lovely!! She is right at home with a few of my other ladies 😉

Now, some of us have been very productive knitters lately and I am in awe of the items being accomplished.  Myself, I am still struggling to get caught up with my bloglines, and I am going away to Atlanta this weekend……..eekk……. I.  will . NEVER . get . caught . up!.  Such a dilemma……….do I read all of the fabulous work you are all getting done, or do I just give it up and get some knitting done?? As much as I love blog surfing, I have to admit, that sometimes it seriously affects my productivity, but I just can’t help myself.  So many wonderful stories……..and lovely finished objects.

Needing a quick finished object fix, I set down behind my trusty Robin wheel and finished the last of this yummy Spinner’s Hill roving that I purchased 2 years ago in Rhinebeck.  It is destined to become my next favorite vest 😉  Ahh……..I just LOVE this color!

For the last 3 years NETA (New England Textile Arts) has raffled off an afghan at the Spa weekend, which is held in February.  The proceeds from the sale go to Ellen Harpin of the SHIPS program to help offset the postage in mailing the hats, slippers and cooling ties (in the summer) for our troops overseas

A good number of the NETA members volunteer to knit one or more blocks for the afghan.  This year I believe that two afghans are being made and judging from the blocks that have already been sent in, they are going to be lovely blankets!.  One is done all in white Bartlett yarn and the other in purple Encore yarn.  As you can see, my block was done in the purple.  Encore is not my favorite yarn to knit with, but I was happy with the way my block came out, and it really does make for a softer blanket.  My block is "Frost Flowers" from Barbara Walker’s "A Treasury of Knitting Patterns".

The joining party for the afghan is held in Portsmouth, NH in January.  We have a wonderful time  sewing the blankets, spinning, knitting, eating and having a great time all around.  This is where I met Julia for the first time and I am looking forward to meeting new faces again this year.

It looks more like Christmas Eve here, rather than Thanksgiving night.  How beautiful our first heavy snow has been ;-).  I hope that you all had as nice of a day yesterday as we did here in the Mountains.

Gloves Anyone?

What a fun trip this glove making adventure is for me.  Being more of a mitten person, as I really do think that mittens keep your hands warmer, I have never ventured into the land of knitting gloves………however, this Nancy Bush pattern just called out to me.  The pattern is Merike’s Gloves from Knitting in Estonia

As I test the glove knitting waters, I am truly knitting on blind faith as there are some things that are not quite making sense to me……yet.
Such as the thumb.  The pattern tells you to knit the thumb stitches onto a piece of waste yarn, but then you continue knitting those stitches.  I am guessing that it must be some sort of a thumb gusset.  As I said…………"Blind Faith".  You can be sure that I am paying very close attention to these directions for sure!

Every time I try these gloves on to check for fingertip length, I fall in love again.  If you think Koigu is wonderful on your feet, it is even better on your hands!

I can’t say enough good things about this book.  It is a ton of bang for your buck.  So many of the patterns are now on my to do list.  I highly recommend it!

 

BE THANKFUL By Author Unknown   Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you’ve made a difference. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings May your Thanksgiving Day be a peaceful one                  ~Happy Thanksgiving~

Meet Kali

"Grandeville Mexicali Blues"

We spent the last few days trying to figure out what to call this little girl.  Somehow Rizzo just wasn’t clicking, so we ventured down different paths.  Drawing back on those old Deadhead days, I came up with this name, that somehow suits her just right…….so Kali it is 😉

Be Careful What You Wish For

On Friday, Cassie mentioned that she was giving her sock knitting a rest for the weekend…..a moratorium.  In my comment to her, I told her that my NE socks were languishing and that perhaps I needed a bite in the butt to pick them up and start working on them again.

Cassie commented that I should be careful what I wish for…….

Hmmm……perhaps that should have been an omen, a premonition that I should have picked up on.  Did I?  Nope………happily past the heel and gussets, I merrily knit along completing another full pattern round. With only 2 more to do, I was feeling mighty happy with my progress………..that was……..until………..I took a good look at the sock.  Acck…….how could I have forgotten that I left off, before starting the heel, 1/2 way thru a pattern round, (as the book instructed).  Agghhhh…………..  I was so disgusted with myself for not reading the pattern carefully enough, that the socks went back into stashland.

So What Does One Do……..

Why, she starts something new!!  After seeing a picture of these gloves on Margene’s page last month, I knew that they would make it on my to do list.  I picked up the recommended Koigu and the Book, Knitting in Estonia, a few weeks ago.  Never having ever made a pair of gloves before, this will be a first.  Let’s see if I can pay better attention to the pattern this time.

Puppy Play